temp_44194 asked:


The history of coffee is long and varied, full of intrigue and excitement. There are a couple of different legends about how coffee was discovered. One says that a shepherd discovered coffee after observing his sheep getting very active after eating the berries off of certain plants. He tried them, and felt the same boost of energy. The story goes that a passing monk observed this, and scolded the shepherd for eating of the “devil’s fruit.” The monks soon found out, however, that the berries would help them remain awake during prayers.

Another legend tells the tale of an Arab, banished to the desert with his followers. Facing starvation, they boiled and ate the berries of a plant they stumbled across. The broth saved the starving exiles, and the nearby town, Mocha, took it as a sign from above. They called the plant and its drink Mocha, in honor of the town. A short history of coffee is as follows…

The coffee plant, Coffea arabica, is native to Ethiopia. Ancient Ethiopians used the coffee beans rolled in animal fat as food. From Ethiopia, coffee made its way to Yemen, where it was first brewed into a beverage. Once coffee was transported to Arabia, however, it was monopolized by the Arabs, who forbade the seeds to be exported. Once seeds were smuggled out, however, coffee was spread to India and Turkey. From there, coffee began to pursue world domination.

By 1600, coffee had been discovered by Italian traders. The Pope, urged by his advisors to ban the drink as evil, tasted it, and baptized it instead, introducing coffee to the Christian population. Captain John Smith brought coffee as part of his supplies to the New World in 1607, and is thought to be the man who introduced coffee to North America.

By 1652, coffee houses started sprouting up in England, and became the place for both learned and the general population to gather. They were dubbed penny universities, since everyone talked over their cups of coffee, which each cost a penny. In 1674, the British “Women’s Petition Against Coffee” was published, declaring that coffee was depriving them of their husbands and causing impotence.

The Dutch are responsible for smuggling coffee out of Arabia in 1690, and introducing it to Java and Ceylon. They became the first people to cultivate coffee commercially, thus creating what would become the world’s largest agricultural commodity.

In 1713, the Dutch unwittingly gave King Louis XIV of France a coffee plant. In 1723, a French naval officer stole a cutting, taking it all the way to Martinique. In fifty years, Martinique was growing over 19 million coffee trees.

In 1727, Lieutenant Colonel Francisco de Melo Palheta visited French Guiana, to settle a dispute between the French and the Dutch. He and the Governor’s wife became involved, and although the French took great care to control its coffee plantations in the New World, he slipped off with seeds and cuttings when he left. His paramour sent him on his way with a bouquet of flowers… concealing the smuggled coffee cuttings. He took them to Brazil, who today is the world’s largest coffee producing nation.

And so it continued. Coffee became America’s patriotic drink after the Boston Tea Party. Coffee production has grown exponentially. The history of coffee is like no other… and will probably continue to expand.



Carmen

Kangaroo Jack asked:


Coffee is made from those little beans that wake us up on the mornings and get most of us through the day. There is nothing quite like a cozy cup of gourmet coffee after a rough day or celebrating a great day.

Starbucks have done their research and know the perfect cup of coffee starts with only the best beans. Finding the right gourmet coffee information has made Starbucks the best in the coffee industry. They are famous for their exceptionally high quality of gourmet coffees, gourmet coffee information, and expertise in coffee roast. Each coffee is selected with care to look for the best defining qualities that distinguish its origin and from other beans. This careful examination process shows why Starbucks passion for buying, roasting the world’s best coffee and utilizing it’s gourmet coffee information to give the consumers the best coffee ever.

How does Starbucks roast their coffee

Starbucks takes pride in how they roast their coffee. The Starbucks Roast has a distinct color and brings out a very strong taste and aroma with maximum flavor. Starbucks uses its gourmet coffee information to roast the green coffee beans by heating them in a large rotating drum. It takes about seven minutes of intense heat before much of the moisture in the beans evaporates. The beans turn into a yellow color and smell similar to popcorn. The gourmet coffee information reveals that the beans will come out double in size and crackle as they expand. They are now light brown. After the first pop in the rotating drum, it is apparent that the coffee is almost roasted.

What happens to Starbucks coffee at harvest time

When it is time to harvest the coffee, Starbucks uses its gourmet coffee information to be able to identify that the coffee is ready to picked when it has a bright red color. The coffee is then picked and examined. The coffee skin looks very thick and has a bitter flavor. There is a type of fruitlike substance beneath the skin that is intensely sweet. Below the fruit is the parchment that is covered with mucilage. This mucilage serves as a protective cover for the seed, similar to that of an apple seed.

Starbucks coffee is the best in the world according to the annual sales that it reports. In addition to harvesting their own coffee, Starbuck’s gourmet coffee information allows them to evaluate thousands of samples each year to improve their stock. The coffee is examined by roasting small portions of coffee and doing a taste test. There is a small amount of these that get selected. Employees at Starbucks are hired to buy coffee and spend weeks on the road traveling to different countries and locations. These buyers don’t just travel to buy coffee. However, they do continue to learn more about gourmet coffee information to take back for production increase. They also continue to build relationships with growers and suppliers from around the world for the continued success of the company.



Elizabeth

Bruce Chambers asked:


Grandma Hystad Recipes, Bar Mixes, Food information

CONTENTS

CRUNCHY CARROT SALAD

SQUASH APPLE CASSEROLE

BAKED WINTER SQUASH

PIZZA POTATOES

CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

LIGHTSIDE

CLEANING TIPS

FOOD INFORMATION

BAR MIXES

DRINKS

Crunchy Carrot Salad

Low in sodium, this salad will more than meet your daily vitamin A requirement.

1 1/2 cups fresh, grated carrots

1 unpeeled red apple, chopped

1/4 cup raisins

1/8 cup toasted slivered almonds (optional)

1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1 1/2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Salad greens

Combine carrots, apple, raisins, and almonds in a salad bowl. Blend together remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and add to carrot mixture. Serve on salad greens. Serves 3.

Squash Apple Casserole

This dish is high in vitamin A, a good source of vitamin C, cholesterol free, and almost sodium-free.

2 1/2 cups fresh winter squash, cut into 1/2 inch slices

1 1/2 cups cooking apples, pared and cut into 1/2 inch slices

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Alternate layers of squash and apples in an 8″x 8″ pan, ending with apples on top layer. Sprinkle spices over top layer. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake in 350 degree F oven for approximately 45-60 minutes until squash is tender. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes to remove any excess liquid that might have accumulated. Cool slightly before serving. Serves 4.

Baked Winter Squash

1 large acorn or butternut squash

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Margarine or Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with the margarine or cooking spray.

Slice the squash into rounds 1/4 inch thick. Remove seeds on each slice and arrange squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake the slices for 8 minutes, turn, and drizzle lightly with maple syrup and cinnamon. Bake for 8 minutes longer; remove from the oven and let cool. Serves 4.

Pizza Potatoes

1/2 cup broccoli, chopped

1/4 onion, chopped

1/4 cup carrots, chopped fine

1 small tomato, sliced

2 baked potatoes

1/2 tablespoon margarine

1/2 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup skim milk

1/4 cup cheese, shredded

Cook broccoli, onions, and carrots in a small amount of water until tender and set aside. In a saucepan, melt margarine and stir in flour. Add milk slowly while stirring. Cook until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add vegetables to cheese sauce and stir. Split open potatoes. Pour equal amounts of vegetable cheese mixture over each potato. Top with sliced tomatoes.

Serves 2.

CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

2 cups floor

½ cup white sugar

3 ½ teaspoons baking power

½ teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

¼ cup oil

1 cup chocolate chips

Bake at   Bake @400 F   18-20 minutes

GRANDMA’S WHIPPED SHORT BREAD COOKIES

1 POUND………(500 G)……………..BUTTER OR MARSRINE

3 CUPS………..(750 ML)……………FLOUR

1 CUP ……………(250 ML)…………..ICING SUGAR

Beat with mixer until creamy.  Drop on cookie sheet and bake at 350 F, (175 C) until slightly brown.

YIELD: approximately 5 dozen cookies

TIME:  1 hour (includes cooking and cleaning time)

LIGHTSIDE

Dinner Blessings

The housewife invited 2 couple and their children for dinner one night. As they get ready to eat, the housewife asks her son, “Would you like to say blessings”?

“I don’t know what to say”, the boy replies. “Just say what you hear what your mother says”, replied the mother.

The boy bowed his head and said, “Lord, why on earth did I invite two 2 couples and their kids for dinner”?

CARPET CLEANER

If you have a cat, get rid of fleas in your carpet and keep carpet, rugs, fresh smelling.

½ cup baking soda

½ cup of cornstarch

½ teaspoon of Rosemary or Penny Royal citronella oil.

Before going to bed mix baking soda, cornstarch, and oil together. Spread evenly across carpet and scrub it into fibers with a stiff brush or broom.  Leave over night; vacuum it up in the morning.

NO CATS; Just want to clean carpet substitute any fragrant oil.

CLEANING TIPS

Window Washer

For crystal clear window washer, Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch in a bucket of water, and wipe the solution onto the glass with paper towels.  Rinse with clean water. Great for car or house windows.

BABY WIPES

Since heading the market in the 80’s, these moistened disposable baby wipes proved to be great in and outside the home.  From cleaning your hands after changing oil or a tire, clean tools, rub marks off your walls, many, many uses including shining your shoes, wipe with baby wipe and buff with a soft, dry cloth.

To freshen up a smelly drain, just pour a cup of Baking Soda into it, and flush with hot water.

Blocked Drains?

Instead of using caustic products (be green and save money) for clearing blocked drains, throw a cup of baking soda down the drain followed by a few jugs of water.

FOOD INFORMATION

USE FOOD THERMOMETER

Don’t rely on looks alone. Bacteria can spread during ground meat.  Always use a food thermometer and cook at 160 degrees Fahrenheit when cooking your hamburgers.

Salmonella Typhimurium Outbreak

Clearly, what began as an investigation of bulk peanut butter shipped to nursing homes and institutional cafeterias is now much broader.

It includes not just peanut butter, but baked goods and other products containing peanuts that are sold directly to consumers. Health officials say as many as one-third of those who got sick did not recall eating peanut butter.

“The focus is on peanut butter and a wide array of products that might have peanut butter in them,” said Dr. Robert Tauxe, director of the food borne illness division at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We urge consumers to postpone eating any products that may contain peanut butter until additional information becomes available,” Dr. Stephen Sundlof of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Food Safety said in a teleconference with reporters.

More than 125 products have been recalled in an investigation into a deadly salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter used in processed foods and in institutions, with dog biscuits and granola bars among the latest on a list that is growing.

The outbreak of salmonella illness, which began in late summer and is ongoing, has been linked to eight deaths, including two in Virginia. In all, about 500 people in 43 states and Canada have become ill. About 22 percent were hospitalized, and about half of those affected are children.

Health officials said they would work with companies supplied by Peanut Corporation of America to continually update a recall list that is available on the FDA’s Web site. The Web site details a long list of popular products that are affected, including candies, cookies, snack bars and snack mixes

Search For Peanut Butter Product Recalls

Information current as of 12 PM January 21, 2009

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced a recall yesterday of nine varieties of snack bars amid fears they may be contaminated with tainted peanut butter or peanut paste.

The affected products include snack bars from popular brands Clif, Larabar, Nature’s Path Organic and Hebert’s Fully Loaded.

Canadian officials warn more products may be pulled off shelves as they continue their investigation and identify other companies that may have used the contaminated spreads.

“With the size of this recall, in terms of volume of peanut butter, we may certainly expect more recalls in this country,” said Garfield Balsom, food safety and recall specialist at the CFIA. “We will certainly be notifying the consumers.”



 Eight deaths are linked to the outbreak. However, CDC spokesman David Daigle, said salmonella outbreaks usually affect old people more than the young.

Salmonella causes diarrheic, vomiting and fever. While it usually clears up without treatment, it can kill the old, very young and patients with other serious illnesses.

NON- ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

ORGEAT FIZZ

1 ½ ounces orgeat syrup

½ ounce limejuice

Club Soda

Shake orgeat and lime juice with ice cubes. Strain into fizz

Glass.  Add ice cubes. Add soda to glass. Serve with straws.

BAR MIXES

SHANGHAI COCKTAIL

¼ juice of lemon

1-teaspoon anisette

1 ½ ounce Jamaica rum

½ teaspoon grenadine

Shake with ice cubes. Strain into cocktail glass.

MARTINI (sweet)

1-ounce gin

½ ounce Italian vermouth

1dash orange bitters

Stir with ice cubes. Strain into chilled cocktail glass

NON- ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

ORGEAT FIZZ

1 ½ ounces orgeat syrup

½ ounce limejuice

Club Soda

Shake orgeat and lime juice with ice cubes. Strain into fizz

Glass.  Add ice cubes. Add soda to glass. Serve with straws.

ICED COFFEE

There are just as many ways of making coffee, as there are different brands. Here are some general rules.

For good results measure water and coffee.

2 tablespoons coffee to each 1 cup

Make coffee just before serving

Make coffee double strength and pour the hot coffee over ice in a tall glass.  As the ice melts, it will dilute the coffee. Top the glass with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.



Alex