1418 lines
59 KiB
Plaintext
1418 lines
59 KiB
Plaintext
Newsgroups: alt.drugs.caffeine,alt.coffee,rec.food.drink.coffee,alt.answers,rec.answers,news.answers
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From: alopez-o@neumann.uwaterloo.ca (Alex Lopez-Ortiz)
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Subject: Coffee and Caffeine's Frequently Asked Questions
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Message-ID: <alt.drugs.caffeine_783014444@Neumann.UWaterloo.Ca>
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Date: Mon, 24 Oct 1994 16:00:56 GMT
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Archive-Name: caffeine-faq
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Last-modified: September 14, 1994
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Version: 2.1
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Frequently Asked Questions about Coffee and Caffeine
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****************************************************
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Alejandro Lopez-Ortiz
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alopez-o@neumann.uwaterloo.ca
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This group is dedicated to all beverages and products that contain caffeine;
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including tea, coffee, chocolate, mate, caffeinated soft drinks, caffeinated
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pills, coffee beans, etc.
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1. The Chemistry of Caffeine and related products
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1. How much caffeine is there in [drink/food/pill]?
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2. Chemically speaking, what is caffeine?
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3. Is it true that tea has no caffeine/What is theine, theobromine,
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etc?
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4. Where can I find a gif of the caffeine molecule?
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5. Is it true that espresso has less caffeine than regular coffee?
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6. How does caffeine taste?
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7. How much theobromine/theophylline there is in ...?
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2. How to brew the ultimate caffeine drink?
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1. What is the best temperature for drip coffee?
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2. Quality of coffee
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3. Why you should never use percolators
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3. Peripherals and Secondary Storage
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1. Proper care of Coffee makers...
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2. How to store coffee?
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3. Equipment reviews?
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4. Caffeine and your Health
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1. What happens when you overdose?
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2. Studies on the side-effects of caffeine...
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3. Caffeine and your metabolism.
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5. Miscellaneous
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1. How do you pronounce mate?
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2. How do you spell Colombia/Colombian?
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3. How do you spell Espresso?
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6. Coffee Recipes and other beverages.
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1. Espresso
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2. Capuccino
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3. How to make your own chocolate
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4. How to make the best cup of coffee
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5. Turkish Coffee
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6. Thai Iced Coffee
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7. Vietnamese Iced Coffee
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8. Melya
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7. Administrivia
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1. List of Contributors
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2. Copyright
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1. The Chemistry of Caffeine and related products
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=================================================
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1. How much caffeine is there in [drink/food/pill]?
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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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According to the National Soft Drink Association, the
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following is the caffeine content in mgs per 12 oz can of soda:
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Jolt 100.0
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Sugar-Free Mr. Pibb 58.8
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Mountain Dew 55.0 (no caffeine in Canada)
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Diet Mountain Dew 55.0
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Mello Yellow 52.8
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Tab 46.8
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Coca-Cola 45.6
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Diet Cola 45.6
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Shasta Cola 44.4
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Shasta Cherry Cola 44.4
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Shasta Diet Cola 44.4
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Mr. Pibb 40.8
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OK Soda 40.5
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Dr. Pepper 39.6
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Pepsi Cola 37.2
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Aspen 36.0
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Diet Pepsi 35.4
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RC Cola 36.0
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Diet RC 36.0
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Diet Rite 36.0
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Canada Dry Cola 30.0
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Canada Dry Diet Cola 1.2
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7 Up 0
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By means of comparison, a 7 oz cup of coffee has the following
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caffeine (mg) amounts, according to Bunker and McWilliams
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in _J Am Diet_ 74:28-32, 1979:
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Drip 115-175
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Espresso 100mg of caffeine
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1 serving (1.5-2oz)
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Brewed 80-135
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Instant 65-100
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Decaf, brewed 3-4
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Decaf, instant 2-3
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tea, iced (12 ozs.) 70
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tea, brewed, imported 60
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tea, brewed, U.S. 40
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tea, instant 30
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The variability in the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee or
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tea is huge even if prepared by the same person using the same
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equipment and ingredients day after day.
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Reference Variability in caffeine consumption from coffee and
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tea: Possible significance for epidemiological studies by B.
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Stavric, R. Klassen, B. Watkinson, K. Karpinski, R. Stapley, and
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P. Fried in "Foundations of Chemical Toxicology", Volume 26,
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number 2, pp. 111-118, 1988 and an easy to read overview,
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Looking for the Perfect Brew by S. Eisenberg, "Science News",
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Volume 133, April 16, 1988, pp. 252-253.
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Quote from the lab manual:
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Caffeine is present in tea leaves and in coffee to the extent of
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about 4%. Tea also contains two other alkaloids,
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theobromine and theophylline. These last two relax the
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smooth muscles where caffeine stimulates the heart and
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respiratory systems.
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Steve Dyer says:
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Theobromine is virtually inactive. Both caffeine and
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theophylline stimulate the heart and respiratory systems and
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relax smooth muscle (such as in the bronchioles).
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Theophylline is somewhat more toxic and somewhat less
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powerful a CNS stimulant than caffeine, but they are more
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similar than different.
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Other data on caffeine:
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Cup of coffee 90-150mg
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Instant coffee 60-80mg
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Tea 30-70mg
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Cola 30-45mg
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Chocolate bar 30mg
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Stay-awake pill 100mg
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Vivarin 200mg
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Cold relief tablet 30mg
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The following information is from Bowes and Church's Food
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values of portions commonly used, by Anna De Planter Bowes.
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Lippincott, Phila. 1989. Pages 261-2: Caffeine.
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Candy:
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Chocolate mg caffeine
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baking choc, unsweetened, Bakers--1 oz(28 g) 25
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german sweet, Bakers -- 1 oz (28 g) 8
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semi-sweet, Bakers -- 1 oz (28 g) 13
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Choc chips
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Bakers -- 1/4 cup (43 g) 13
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german sweet, Bakers -- 1/4 cup (43 g) 15
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Chocolate bar, Cadbury -- 1 oz (28 g) 15
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Chocolate milk 8oz 8
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Desserts:
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Jello Pudding Pops, Choc (47 g) 2
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Choc mousse from Jell-O mix (95 g) 6
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Jello choc fudge mousse (86 g) 12
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Beverages
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3 heaping teaspoons of choc powder mix 8
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2 tablespoons choc syrup 5
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1 envelope hot cocoa mix 5
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Dietary formulas
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ensure, plus, choc, Ross Labs -- 8 oz (259 g) 10
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Cadbury Milk Chocolate Bar
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More stuff:
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Guarana "Magic Power" (quite common in Germany),
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15 ml alcohol with
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5g Guarana Seeds 250.0 mg
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Guarana capsules with
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500 mg G. seeds 25.0 mg / capsule
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(assuming 5% caffeine in seeds as stated in literature)
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Guarana soda pop is ubiquitous in Brazil and often available at
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tropical groceries here. It's really tasty and packs a wallop.
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Guarana wakes you up like crazy, but it doesn't cause coffee
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jitters.
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It is possible that in addition to caffeine, there is some other
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substance in guarana that also produces an effect, since it 'feels'
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different than coffee. Same goes for mate.
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2. Chemically speaking, what is caffeine?
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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Chemical Indexes report:
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RN 58-08-2 REGISTRY
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CN 1H-Purine-2,6-dione, 3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl- (9CI) (CA INDEX NAME)
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OTHER CA INDEX NAMES:
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CN Caffeine (8CI)
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OTHER NAMES:
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CN 1,3,7-Trimethyl-2,6-dioxopurine
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CN 1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine
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CN 7-Methyltheophylline
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CN Alert-Pep
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CN Cafeina
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CN Caffein
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CN Cafipel
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CN Guaranine
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CN Koffein
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CN Mateina
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CN Methyltheobromine
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CN No-Doz
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CN Refresh'n
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CN Stim
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CN Thein
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CN Theine
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CN Tri-Aqua
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MF C8 H10 N4 O2
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The correct name is the first one,
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1H-Purine-2,6-diione,3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl- (This is
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the "inverted name") The "uninverted name" is
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3,7-Dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione
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Merck Index excerpt...
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Caffeine: 3,7-dihydro- 1,3,7-trimethyl- 1H-purine-
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2,6-dione; 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine; 1,3,7-trimethyl-
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2,6-dioxopurine; coffeine; thein; guaranine;
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methyltheobromine; No-Doz.
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C8H10N4O2; mol wt 194.19. C 49.48%, H 5.19%, N
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28.85%, O 16.48%.
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Occurs in tea, coffee, mate leaves; also in guarana paste and
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cola nuts: Shuman, U.S. pat. 2,508,545 (1950 to General
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Foods). Obtained as a by-product from the manuf of
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caffeine-free coffee: Barch, U.S. pat. 2,817,588 (1957 to
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Standard Brands); Nutting, U.S. pat. 2,802,739 (1957 to Hill
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Bros. Coffee); Adler, Earle, U.S. pat. 2,933,395 (1960 to
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General Foods).
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Crystal structure: Sutor, Acta Cryst. 11, 453, (1958).
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Synthesis: Fischer, Ach, Ber. 28, 2473, 3135 (1895); Gepner,
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Kreps, J. Gen. Chem. USSR 16, 179 (1946); Bredereck et al.,
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Ber. 83, 201 (1950); Crippa, Crippa, Farmaco Ed. Sci. 10,
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616 (1955); Swidinsky, Baizer, U.S. pats. 2,785,162 and
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2,785,163 (1957 to Quinine Chem. Works); Bredereck,
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Gotsmann, Ber. 95, 1902 (1962).
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Hexagonal prisms by sublimation, mp 238 C. Sublimes 178
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C. Fast sublimation is obtained at 160-165 C under 1mm
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press. at 5 mm distance. d 1.23. Kb at 19 C: 0.7 x 10^(-14).
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Ka at 25 C: <1.0 x 10^(-14). pH of 1% soln 6.9. Aq solns of
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caffeine salts dissociate quickly. Absorption spectrum:
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Hartley, J. Chem. Soc. 87, 1802 (1905). One gram dissolves
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in 46 ml water, 5.5 ml water at 80 C, 1.5 ml boiling water,
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66 ml alcohol, 22 ml alcohol at 60 C, 50 ml acetone, 5.5 ml
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chloroform, 530 ml ether, 100 ml benzene, 22 ml boiling
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benzene. Freely sol in pyrrole; in tetrahydrofuran contg
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about 4% water; also sol in ethyl acetate; slightly in petr
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ether. Soly in water is increased by alkali benzoates,
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cinnamates, citrates, or salicylates.
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Monohydrate, felted needles, contg 8.5% H2O. Efflorescent
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in air; complete dehydration takes place at 80 C. LD50
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orally in rats: 200 mg/kg.
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Acetate, C8H10N4O2.(CH3COOH)2, granules or powder;
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acetic acid odor; acid reaction. Loses acetic acid on
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exposure to air. Soluble in water or alcohol with hydrolysis
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into caffeine and acetic acid. Keep well stoppered.
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Hydrochloride dihydrate, C8H10N4O2.HCl.2H2O, crystals,
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dec 80-100 C with loss of water and HCl. Sol in water and
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in alcohol with dec.
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Therap Cat: Central stimulant.
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Therap Cat (Vet): Has been used as a cardiac and
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respiratory stimulant and as a diuretic.
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3. Is it true that tea has no caffeine/What is theine,
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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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theobromine, etc?
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+++++++++++++++++
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From "Principles of biochemistry", Horton and al, 1993.
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Caffeine is sometimes called "theine" when it's in tea. This
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is probably due to an ancient misconception that the active
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constituent is different. Theophylline is present only in trace
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amounts. It is more diuretic, more toxic and less speedy.
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Caffeine
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1,3,7-trimethylxanthine
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Theophylline
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1,3-dimethylxanthine
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Theobromine
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3,7-dimethylxanthine
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Coffee and tea contain caffeine and theophylline,
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respectively, which are me thylated purine derivatives that
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inhibit cAMP phosphodiesterase.In the presence of these
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inhibitors, the effects of cAMP, and thus the stimulatory
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effects of the hormones that lead to its production, are
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prolonged and intensified.
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Theobromine and theophylline are two dimethyxanthines that
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have two rather than three methyl groups. Theobromine is
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considerably weaker than caffeine and theophylline, having
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about one tenth the stimulating^? effect of either.
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Theobromine is found in cocoa products, tea (only in very small
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amounts) and kola nuts, but is not found in coffee. In cocoa, its
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concentration is generally about 7 times as great as caffeine.
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Although, caffeine is relatively scarce in cocoa, its mainly
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because of theobromine that cocoa is "stimulating".
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Theophylline is found in very small amounts in tea, but has a
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stronger effect on the heart and breathing than caffeine. It often
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the drug of choice in treating asthma bronchitis and
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emphysema. The theophylline found in medicine is made from
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extracts from coffee or tea.
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4. Where can I find a gif of the caffeine molecule?
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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Caffeine = 1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine
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5. Is it true that espresso has less caffeine than regular coffee?
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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Yes and no. An espresso cup has about as much caffeine as a
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cup of dark brew. But servings for espresso are much smaller.
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Which means that the content of caffeine per millilitre are
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much higher than with a regular brew. Moreover, caffeine is
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more quickly assimilated when taken in concentrated dosages,
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such as an espresso cup.
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The myth of lower caffeine espresso comes comes from the fact
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that the darker roast beans used for espresso do have less
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caffeine than regularly roasted beans (roasting breaks up the
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caffeine in the beans). But espresso is prepared using
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pressurized steam which extracts a higher percentage of
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caffeine from the ground beans than regular drip.
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Here's the caffeine content of Drip/Espresso/Brewed Coffee:
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Drip 115-175
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Espresso 100 1 serving (1.5-2oz)
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Brewed 80-135
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6. How does caffeine taste?
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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Caffeine is very bitter. Barq's Root Beer contains caffeine and
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the company says that it has "12.78mg per 6oz" and that they
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"add it as a flavouring agent for the sharp bitterness"
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7. How much theobromine/theophylline there is in ...?
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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Sources: Physicians Desk Reference and Institute of Food
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Technologies from Pafai and Jankiewicz (1991) DRUGS AND
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HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
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cocoa 250mg theobromine
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bittersweet choc. bar 130mg theobromine
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5 oz cup brewed coffee no theobromine
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tea 5oz cup brewed 3min
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with teabag 3-4 mg theophylline
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Diet Coke no theobromine or theophylline
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2. How to brew the ultimate caffeine drink?
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===========================================
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1. What is the best temperature for drip coffee?
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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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According to chemical studies, the optimal water temperature
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for drip coffee is 95-98C. According to my notes, colder water
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doesn't extract enough caffeine/essential oils from the beans,
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and above such temperature the acidity increases wildly.
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2. Quality of coffee
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++++++++++++++++++++
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The quality of a brew depend on the following factors (in no
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particular order):
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1. Time since grinding the beans.
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2. Time since roasting.
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3. Cleanliness with brewing equipment.
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4. Bean quality (what crop etc).
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5. Water quality.
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Fact: Unless you are buying some major debris, bean quality is
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not very important.
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Fact: The prepackaged stuff you buy in supermarkets is major
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debris, (in general).
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Many times "inferior beans" are due to (a) adultered beans,
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either with the skin of the coffee bean or with peanut
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derivatives, (b) old grounds and roast.
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3. Why you should never use percolators.
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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Percolators violate most of the natural laws about brewing
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coffee.
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o Don't overextract the oils and flavour. Percolators
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work by taking coffee and reheating it and throwing it
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over the grounds over and over and over again.
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o Never reheat/boil coffee. This destroys the flavour. For
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best flavour, boil the water, pass it over the grounds and
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retain the heat. Don't reheat it.
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Violating these rules may not sound like much, but these are
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about the only rules there are. The effect of a percolator is to
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keep passing boiling water/coffee over the grounds until there
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is no flavour left and the flavour in the coffee is so dead that
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it's a worthless waste.
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3. Peripherals and Secondary Storage
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====================================
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1. Proper care of coffee makers...
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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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It is very important that you wash your coffee maker pot and
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filter container thoroughly at least once a week. Bitter oils stick
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to the glass container and plastic filter holder.
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I used to wash the plastic filter container and rinse the glass pot.
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Coffee started to taste bad. When I was told to wash both
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thoroughly with plenty of soap the flavour improved instantly.
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Note: To the naked eye rinsed and soap washed pots look the
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same (clean that is).
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Some drip coffee makers require periodic cleansing with a
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solution of water and vinegar.
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If you have a coffee/teapot, the inside of which is stained with
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oily brown residues - also plastic/metal coffee filters, tea
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strainers, and stainless steel sinks in caffeine-o-phile houses -
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they can be restored to a shining, brand-spanking-new state by
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washing in hot detergent.
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Get a large plastic jug, add 2..3 heaped tablespoons of Daz
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Automatic or Bold or whatever, and about a pint of hot water -
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just off the boil is the best.
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Swill the jug around until the detergent is dissolved, and then
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pour into tea/coffeepot, and let it stand for 5 minutes, swilling
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the pot around occasionally, just to keep the detergent moving.
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Put the lid on and shake it a few times (care: slippery + hot)
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Repeat as necessary. Keep it hot with a little boiling water if
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needed. If you have a cafeteriere, dissemble it, and soak the
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parts in the mixture for a few minutes, agitating occasionally.
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In both cases, the residue just falls off with almost no
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scrubbing. It does great things with over-used filter machine
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filters, too.
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Important: Rinse off all detergent afterwards, use lots of
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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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fresh water.
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2. How to store coffee?
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+++++++++++++++++++++++
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One should always store coffee beans in a glass, air tight
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container. Air is coffee's principle enemy. Glass is best because
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it doesn't retain the odors of the beans or the oils, which could
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contaminate future beans stored in the same container.
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For consumption within:
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1 week
|
|
room temperature is fine
|
|
2 weeks to a month
|
|
refridgerate
|
|
freeze them
|
|
|
|
This prevents the chemical reactions that produce stale beans
|
|
and lifeless coffee.
|
|
|
|
3. Equipment reviews?
|
|
+++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
|
|
4. Caffeine and your Health
|
|
===========================
|
|
|
|
Important: This information was excerpted from several sources,
|
|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
no claims are made to its accuracy. The FAQ mantainer is not a
|
|
medical doctor and cannot vouch for the accuracy of this
|
|
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
information.
|
|
|
|
1. What happens when you overdose?
|
|
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
|
|
From Desk Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria from
|
|
DSM-3-R (American Psychiatric Association, 1987):
|
|
|
|
Caffeine-Induced Organic Mental Disorder 305.90 Caffeine
|
|
Intoxication
|
|
|
|
1. Recent consumption of caffeine, usually in excess of
|
|
250 mg.
|
|
2. At least five of the following signs:
|
|
1. restlessness
|
|
2. nervousness
|
|
3. excitement
|
|
4. insomnia
|
|
5. flushed face
|
|
6. diuresis
|
|
7. gastrointestinal disturbance
|
|
8. muscle twitching
|
|
9. rambling flow of thought and speech
|
|
10. tachycardia or cardiac arrhythmia
|
|
11. periods of inexhaustibility
|
|
12. psychomotor agitation
|
|
3. Not due to any physical or other mental disorder,
|
|
such as an Anxiety Disorder.
|
|
|
|
Basically, overdosing on caffeine will probably be very very
|
|
unpleasant but not kill or deliver permanent damage. However,
|
|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
People do die from it.
|
|
|
|
Summarized from the Manual:
|
|
|
|
Toxic dose
|
|
The reported lethal dose is 10 grams, although one case
|
|
documents survival after ingesting 24 grams. In small
|
|
children ingestion of 35 mg/kg can lead to moderate
|
|
toxicity. The amount of caffeine in an average cup of
|
|
coffee is 50 - 200 mg. Infants metabolize caffeine very
|
|
slowly.
|
|
Symptoms
|
|
o Acute caffeine poisoning gives Early symptoms
|
|
of anorexia, tremor, and restlessness. Followed
|
|
by nausea, vomiting, tachycardia, and Confusion.
|
|
Serious intoxication may cause delirium,
|
|
seizures, supraventricular and ventricular
|
|
tachyarrhythmias, hypokalemia, and
|
|
hyperglycemia.
|
|
o Chronic high-dose caffeine intake can lead to
|
|
nervousness, irritability, anxiety, tremulousness,
|
|
muscle twitching, insomnia, palpitations and
|
|
hyperreflexia. For blood testing, cross-reaction
|
|
with theophylline assays will detect toxic
|
|
amounts. (Method IA) Blood concentration of
|
|
1-10 mg/L is normal in coffee drinkers, while
|
|
80 mg/L has been associated with death.
|
|
Treatment
|
|
o Emergency Measures
|
|
o Maintain the airway and assist
|
|
ventilation. (See Appendix A)
|
|
o Treat seizures & hypotension if they
|
|
occur.
|
|
o Hypokalemia usually goes away by itself.
|
|
o Monitor Vital Signs.
|
|
o o Specific drugs & antidotes. Beta blockers
|
|
effectively reverse cardiotoxic effects mediated
|
|
by excessive beta-adrenergic stimulation. Treat
|
|
hypotension or tachyarrhythmias with
|
|
intravenous propanolol, .01 - .02 mg/kg. , or
|
|
esmolol, .05 mg/kg , carefully titrated with low
|
|
doses. Esmolol is preferred because of its short
|
|
half life and low cardioselectivity.
|
|
o Decontamination
|
|
o Induce vomiting or perform gastric
|
|
lavage.
|
|
o Administer activated charcoal and
|
|
cathartic.
|
|
o Gut emptying is probably not needed if 1
|
|
2 are performed promptly.
|
|
Appendix A
|
|
Performing airway assistance.
|
|
1. If no neck injury is suspected, place in the
|
|
"Sniffing" position by tilting the head back and
|
|
extending the front of the neck.
|
|
2. Apply the "Jaw Thrust" to move the tongue out
|
|
of the way without flexing the neck: Place
|
|
fingers form both under the back of the jaw and
|
|
thrust the jaw forward so that the chin sticks out.
|
|
This should also hurt the patient, allowing you to
|
|
judge depth of coma. :)
|
|
3. Tilt the head to the side to allow vomit and snot
|
|
to drain out.
|
|
|
|
From conversations on alt.drugs.caffeine:
|
|
|
|
The toxic dose is going to vary from person to person,
|
|
depending primarily on built-up tolerance. A couple people
|
|
report swallowing 10 to 13 vivarin and ending up in the
|
|
hospital with their stomaches pumped, while a few say they've
|
|
taken that many and barely stayed awake.
|
|
|
|
A symptom lacking in the clinical manual but reported by at
|
|
least two people on the net is a loss of motor ability: inability
|
|
to move, speak, or even blink. The experience is consistently
|
|
described as very unpleasant and not fun at all, even by those
|
|
very familiar with caffeine nausea and headaches.
|
|
|
|
2. Studies on the side-effects of caffeine.
|
|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
|
|
OAKLAND, California (UPI) -- Coffee may
|
|
be good for life. A major study has found
|
|
fewer suicides among coffee drinkers than
|
|
those who abstained from the hot black
|
|
brew.
|
|
|
|
The study of nearly 130,000 Northern
|
|
California residents and the records of
|
|
4,500 who have died looked at the effects
|
|
of coffee and tea on mortality.
|
|
|
|
Cardiologist Arthur Klatsky said of the
|
|
surprising results, ``This is not a fluke
|
|
finding because our study was very large,
|
|
involved a multiracial population, men,
|
|
women, and examined closely numerous
|
|
factors related to mortality such as
|
|
alcohol consumption and smoking.''
|
|
|
|
The unique survey also found no link
|
|
between coffee consumption and death
|
|
risk. And it confirmed a ``weak''
|
|
connection of coffee or tea to heart
|
|
attack risk -- but not to other
|
|
cardiovascular conditions such as stroke.
|
|
|
|
The study was conducted by the health
|
|
maintenance organization Kaiser
|
|
Permanente and was reported Wednesday in
|
|
the Annals of Epidemiology.
|
|
|
|
3. Caffeine and your metabolism.
|
|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
|
|
Caffeine increases the level of circulating fatty acids. This has
|
|
been shown to increase the oxidation of these fuels, hence
|
|
enhancing fat oxidation. Caffeine has been used for years by
|
|
runners and endurance people to enhance fatty acid metabolism.
|
|
It's particularly effective in those who are not habitual users.
|
|
|
|
Caffeine is not an appetite suppressant. It does effect
|
|
metabolism, though it is a good question whether its use truly
|
|
makes any difference during a diet. The questionable rationale
|
|
for its original inclusion in diet pills was to make a poor man's
|
|
amphetamine-like preparation from the non-stimulant
|
|
sympathomimetic phenylpropanolamine and the stimulant
|
|
caffeine. (That you end up with something very
|
|
non-amphetamine like is neither here nor there.) The
|
|
combination drugs were called "Dexatrim" or Dexa-whosis (as
|
|
in Dexedrine) for a reason, namely, to assert its similarity in
|
|
the minds of prospective buyers. However, caffeine has not
|
|
been in OTC diet pills for many years per order of the FDA,
|
|
which stated that there was no evidence of efficacy for such a
|
|
combination.
|
|
|
|
From Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of
|
|
Therapeutics:
|
|
|
|
Caffeine in combination with an analgesic, such as aspirin,
|
|
is widely used in the treatment of ordinary types of
|
|
headache. There are few data to substantiate its efficacy for
|
|
this purpose. Caffeine is also used in combination with an
|
|
ergot alkaloid in the treatment of migrane (Chapter 39).
|
|
|
|
Ergotamine is usually administered orally (in combination
|
|
with caffeine) or sublingually [...] If a patient cannot
|
|
tolerate ergotamine orally, rectal administration of a
|
|
mixture of caffeine and ergotamine tartarate may be
|
|
attempted.
|
|
|
|
The bioavailability [of ergotamine] after sublingual
|
|
administration is also poor and is often inadequate for
|
|
therapeutic purposes [...] the concurrent administration of
|
|
caffeine (50-100 mg per mg of ergotamine) improves both
|
|
the rate and extent of absorption [...] However, there is little
|
|
correspondence between the concentration of ergotamine in
|
|
plasma and the intensity or duration of therapeutic or toxic
|
|
effects.
|
|
|
|
Caffeine enhances the action of the ergot alkaloids in the
|
|
treatment of migrane, a discovery that must be credited to
|
|
the sufferers from the disease who observed that strong
|
|
coffee gave symptomatic relief, especially when combined
|
|
with the ergot alkaloids. As mentioned, caffeine increases
|
|
the oral and rectal absorption of ergotamine, and it is widely
|
|
believed that this accounts for its enhancement of
|
|
therapeutic effects.
|
|
|
|
Finally, I'll add that adding small frogs to your coffee enhances
|
|
absorption of several psychogenic tannins, a useful technique
|
|
for studying temporary insanity.
|
|
|
|
I have some doubts about explanation of the mechanism(s) of
|
|
the stimulatory effects of methylxanthines, like theophylline
|
|
and caffeine. Inhibition of phosphodiesterase is certainly of
|
|
little importance, since the concentrations of caffeine or
|
|
theophylline capable of producing this effect are only rarely
|
|
achieved in usual situations, including clinical ones.
|
|
|
|
Nowadays most of researchers believe that the stimulatory
|
|
actions are attributable to the antagonism of the adenosine.
|
|
Agree, agonists at the adenosine receptors produce sedation
|
|
while antagonists at these sites, like caffeine and theophylline
|
|
induce stimulation, and what is even more important, the latter
|
|
substance also reverse agonists-induced symptoms of sedation,
|
|
thus indicating that this effects go through these receptors.
|
|
|
|
Another possibility, however, is that methylxanthines enhance
|
|
release of excitatory aminoacids, like glutamate and aspartate,
|
|
which are the main stimulatory neurotransmitters in the brain.
|
|
|
|
As to the side effects: methylxanthines inhibit protective
|
|
activity of common antiepileptic drugs in exptl. animals in
|
|
doses comparable to those used in humans when correction to
|
|
the surface area is made. It should be underlined, that although
|
|
tolerance develop to the stimulatory effects of theo or caffeine
|
|
when administered on a chronic base, we found no tolerance to
|
|
the above effects . This hazardous influence was even enhanced
|
|
over time. Therefore, it should be emphasized that individuals
|
|
suffering from epilepsy should avoid, or at least reduce
|
|
consumption of coffee and other caffeine-containing
|
|
beverages.
|
|
|
|
5. Miscellaneous
|
|
================
|
|
|
|
1. How do you pronounce mate?
|
|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
|
|
MAH-teh. MAH like in malt, and -teh like in Gral. Patten.
|
|
|
|
2. How do you spell Colombia/Colombian?
|
|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
|
|
3. How do you spell Espresso?
|
|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
|
|
By far, the most common spelling used throughout the world
|
|
today is "espresso". This is a shortened form of the original
|
|
Italian name for the drink "caffe espresso" (accent marks
|
|
omitted). This spelling is considered to be the correct spelling
|
|
by the vast majority of of coffee consumers, vendors, retailers,
|
|
and producers.
|
|
|
|
Some English language dictionaries also list "expresso" as a
|
|
variant spelling. However, this does not mean the spelling is
|
|
'equally valid'. (see the post by Jesse Sheidlower included
|
|
below)
|
|
|
|
It was pointed out during the great "espresso vs. expresso"
|
|
debate (spring 94) that the Italian alphabet does not even
|
|
contain the letter "X".
|
|
|
|
Further, it was discovered that at least three dictionaries
|
|
contained incorrect *definitions* of the word "espresso". The
|
|
American Heritage Dictionary gave the following definition:
|
|
|
|
"A strong coffee brewed by forcing steam under pressure
|
|
through darkly roasted, powdered coffee beans."
|
|
|
|
The Oxford English Dictionary said:
|
|
|
|
"Coffee brewed by forcing steam through powdered coffee
|
|
beans"
|
|
|
|
The Webster New World Dictionary gives:
|
|
|
|
"coffee prepared in a special machine from finely ground
|
|
coffee beans, through which steam under high pressure is
|
|
forced."
|
|
|
|
All three of these are wrong. In fact, espresso is a strong coffee
|
|
brewed by quickly forcing *hot water* through darkly roasted,
|
|
*finely ground* coffee beans.
|
|
|
|
(Some espresso makers do use steam, but only to force the hot
|
|
water through the ground coffee. The steam NEVER touches
|
|
the coffee. Many espresso makers use no steam at all. Instead,
|
|
they use either a pump or a piston to quickly force hot water
|
|
through the ground coffee.)
|
|
|
|
Once these errors and the origins of the word "espresso" had
|
|
been pointed out, the argument "but expresso is in the
|
|
dictionary" quickly began to crumble. The final death blow to
|
|
this position came in a post by dictionary editor Jesse
|
|
Sheidlower. This post is reproduced in its entirety below:
|
|
|
|
--------- Start of quuoted material
|
|
----------------------------------
|
|
|
|
From: jester@panix.com (Jesse Sheidlower)
|
|
|
|
I find this thread fascinating. I regret that it demonstrates an
|
|
unfamiliarity with dictionaries and how to use them, but no
|
|
matter. I believe that I am the only dictionary editor to
|
|
participate in this discussion, so let me waste a bit more
|
|
bandwidth addressing some of the points made so far, and
|
|
introducing a few others:
|
|
|
|
o The OED, Second Edition, does include _espresso_
|
|
and _expresso_, the former being a variant of the
|
|
latter. It correctly derives it from Italian _caffe
|
|
espresso_. [Accents left off here.] Whoever claimed it
|
|
derives the term from a would-be Italian _caffe
|
|
expresso_ was in error.
|
|
o There _is_ an "x" in Latin.
|
|
o There are four major American dictionaries
|
|
(published by Merriam Webster, Webster's New
|
|
World, Random House, and American Heritage). The
|
|
most recent edition of each gives _espresso_ as the
|
|
main form, and _expresso_ as a variant only. The fact
|
|
that _expresso_ is listed in the dictionary does not
|
|
mean that it is equally common: the front matter for
|
|
each dictionary explains this. The person who
|
|
claimed that three dictionaries including OED give
|
|
_expresso_ as "equally valid" was in error.
|
|
o Dictionaries, in general, do not dictate usage: they
|
|
reflect the usage that exists in the language. If a
|
|
dictionary says that _espresso_ is the main spelling,
|
|
it means that in the experience of its editors (based
|
|
on an examination of the language), _espresso_ is
|
|
notably more common. It does not mean that the
|
|
editors have a vendetta against _expresso_.
|
|
o To the linguist who rejects the authority of
|
|
dictionaries: I agree that language is constantly
|
|
changing; I'm sure that every dictionary editor in the
|
|
country does as well. Dictionaries are outdated
|
|
before they go to press. But I think they remain
|
|
accurate to a large extent. Also, if you are going to
|
|
disagree with the conclusions of a dictionary, you
|
|
should be prepared to back yourself up. I can defend,
|
|
with extensive written evidence, our decision to give
|
|
_espresso_ as the preferred form.
|
|
o In sum: though both _espresso_ and _expresso_ are
|
|
found, the former is by far the more common. It is
|
|
also to be favored on immediate etymological
|
|
evidence, since the Italian word from which it is
|
|
directly borrowed is spelled _espresso_. The form
|
|
_espresso_ is clearly preferred by all mainstream
|
|
sources.
|
|
|
|
Jesse T Sheidlower. Editor.
|
|
|
|
6. Coffee Recipes and other beverages.
|
|
======================================
|
|
|
|
1. Espresso
|
|
+++++++++++
|
|
|
|
After living in Italy (Rome) for two years and living off
|
|
espresso, Mr. X have found American espresso doesn't cut it.
|
|
Heres how to do it.
|
|
|
|
o Get good dark roasted espresso beans, imported Italian
|
|
brand if you can find it.
|
|
o Pack your strainer real full. Pack it hard. your
|
|
instructions will say NOT to pack it, but don't listen.
|
|
o Don't use too much water. Espresso in Italy is as thick
|
|
as syrup. Very thick.
|
|
o Add two spoons of sugar, it's a sweet, thick liquid in
|
|
Italy.
|
|
|
|
Drink fast.
|
|
|
|
Enjoy.
|
|
|
|
If using a stove top espresso machine, clean after each use,
|
|
paying attention to the seal and strainer.
|
|
|
|
1. For best results, get arabica beans that have been roasted
|
|
dark ("Italian Roast" is darkest) and are oily-looking.
|
|
Other roasts are for other types of brewing: espresso
|
|
machines won't draw the earthy flavour of Sumatran
|
|
out, for example. A small amount of other beans might
|
|
add a nice note to the flavour, though (I've had
|
|
surprising success adding a few of Thanksgiving
|
|
Coffee's "High-Caffeine Pony Express" beans, which
|
|
are actually robusta beans from Thailand).
|
|
2. Grind those beans until they're very fine, but not quite a
|
|
powder. Put them into the appropriate piece of your
|
|
machine and tamp it down (but don't pack all the
|
|
grounds in tight).
|
|
3. Watch the espresso as it drips down. Does a nice layer
|
|
of foam form on the top? If it does, all is well; that
|
|
foam is made from the flavourful oils, and it is called
|
|
crema. If not, go to the coffee roaster and demand
|
|
quadruple your money back.
|
|
4. Never make more than 2oz at a time. If you're making
|
|
two cups of espresso, make two separate shots. This is
|
|
important. The idea is that the water rushes through and
|
|
draws out only the most flavourful part of the grounds.
|
|
More than 2oz and you're drawing out less flavourful
|
|
stuff and diluting your espresso. If you're really
|
|
hardcore, make only 1oz at a time; this is called caffe
|
|
ristretto.
|
|
|
|
2. Capuccino
|
|
++++++++++++
|
|
|
|
Disclaimer: People prepare capuccino in many different ways,
|
|
and in their very own way each one of them is correct. The
|
|
following recipe, which is commonly used in Latin countries,
|
|
has been tasted by several of my North-American friends and
|
|
they unanimously agreed that capuccino prepared using this
|
|
recipe tastes much better than the standard fare in USA/Canada.
|
|
|
|
Start with cold milk (it doesn't really need to be ice-cold), use
|
|
homo milk or carnation. 2% or skim is just not thick enough.
|
|
|
|
Place the milk on a special capuccino glass with a capuccino
|
|
basket. (Capuccino glasses have a thinner bottom).
|
|
|
|
Aerate the milk near the top, within 2cm (1 in) of the top.
|
|
Move the glass down as the milk aerates. It is a good idea to
|
|
have an oscillating motion while aerating the milk.
|
|
|
|
Stop when the milk starts boiling or have it boil, let it cool
|
|
down for a second or so (literally), and aerate again (it is harder
|
|
to get a nice froth after the milk has boiled).
|
|
|
|
Aerating the milk in another container, then pouring in a
|
|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
glass and adding the foam with a spoon is sacrilege.
|
|
|
|
Anybody who has done so should make a pilgrimage to San
|
|
Francisco's Girardelli's. Otherwise entry to heaven will be
|
|
denied (god, is after all, Italian. At least the catholic one).
|
|
|
|
If you need to aerate the milk on a separate container, aerate
|
|
exactly the amount of milk required for one cup, so no need to
|
|
add foam with a spoon.
|
|
|
|
Once the milk has been aerated, promptly clean the aerator with
|
|
a wet rag. Failure to do so will quickly result in rotten milk
|
|
flavour coming from the aerator.
|
|
|
|
Another warning on similar lines applies to restaurant type
|
|
coffee machines: leave the aerator valve open when powering
|
|
the machine up and down. When the machine is off a partial
|
|
vacuum is formed in the boiler that will suck milk residue into
|
|
the boiler. This then coats the inside of the boiler and can cause
|
|
bad smelling steam until the boiler is flushed. Some machines
|
|
have a vacuum bleed valve to prevent this problem but many
|
|
don't.
|
|
|
|
Wait for the steam pressure to build up again (for some
|
|
capuccino makers wait time is near zero, for others it maybe as
|
|
long as 60 secs).
|
|
|
|
Prepare the espresso coffee, you may add it directly on to the
|
|
glass if possible or use a cup and then pour it from the cup on
|
|
the milk.
|
|
|
|
According to Jym Dyer: In Italy, the milk is added TO the
|
|
espresso, not the other way around, that way the milk is
|
|
floating; on top, where you then add the sugar, and stir it up.
|
|
|
|
Capuccino tastes better when is really hot, and has two coffee
|
|
teaspoons of sugar. (small teaspoons, like the ones in expensive
|
|
silverware).
|
|
|
|
Then accompany said cappuccino with a warm tea bisquet or
|
|
english muffin with marmalade, or alternatively with a
|
|
baguette sandwich or panini.
|
|
|
|
3. How to make your own chocolate
|
|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
|
|
Here's the recipe for making a real chocolate beverage.
|
|
Important steps are in boldface.
|
|
|
|
Ingredients
|
|
-----------
|
|
|
|
o 1-2kg (2-4pounds) of cocoa beans.
|
|
o A manually operated grinder.
|
|
|
|
Instructions
|
|
------------
|
|
|
|
o Sift though the beans removing any impurities (pieces
|
|
of grass, leaves, etc).
|
|
o Place the beans in a pan (no teflon) and roast them. Stir
|
|
frequently. As the beans roast they start making "pop"
|
|
sounds like popcorn. Beans are ready when you estimate
|
|
that approx 50-75% of the beans have popped. Do not
|
|
let the beans burn, though a bit of black on each bean is
|
|
ok.
|
|
o Peel the beans. Peeling roasted cocoa beans is like
|
|
peeling baked potatoes: The hotter they are the easier it
|
|
is to peel the darn things, at the expense of third degree
|
|
burns on your fingers. (Tip: Use kitchen mittens and
|
|
brush the beans in your hands). If the beans are too hard
|
|
to peel roast them a bit longer.
|
|
o Grind the beans into a pan. They produce a dark oily
|
|
paste called "cocoa paste".
|
|
o The oil in the cocoa has a bitter taste that you have to
|
|
get used to. I like it this way, but not all people do. Here
|
|
are the alternatives:
|
|
|
|
With oil, which gives you a richer flavour:
|
|
|
|
Spread aluminum foil on a table and make small pies of
|
|
chocolate, about 1/4 of an inch high, and 6 inches in
|
|
diameter. Let them rest overnight. The morning after
|
|
they are hard tablets. Remove them from the aluminum
|
|
foil and rap them in it. Store in the freezer.
|
|
|
|
Without oil, some flavour is gone, less bitter, weaker
|
|
(whimper) chocolate:
|
|
|
|
Put the paste inside a thin cloth (like linen), close the
|
|
cloth and squeeze until the oil comes out. If you manage
|
|
to get most of the oil out, what is left is high quality
|
|
cocoa powder, like Droste's.
|
|
|
|
What is left now is either bitter tablets or bitter cocoa
|
|
powder.
|
|
|
|
You can now make a nice beverage as follows:
|
|
|
|
o Boil a liter of milk (or water, like in ancient Mexican
|
|
style. Like water for chocolate, "Como agua para
|
|
chocolate": you know).
|
|
o When the milk is warm (not hot) add a chocolate pie in
|
|
pieces. Stir with a blender (but be careful! the blender's
|
|
electric cord should NOT touch the pot or any other hot
|
|
thing around it).
|
|
o When the chocolate has dissolved add 1/2-3/4 cups of
|
|
sugar (depending how sweet you like your chocolate)
|
|
and blend in fast. Make sure the sugar is completely
|
|
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
dissolved in the chocolate otherwise it would be
|
|
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
bitter no matter how much sugar you may add
|
|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
afterwards.
|
|
o Add a teaspoon of cinnamon or natural vanilla flavour
|
|
(artificial vanilla flavour with chocolate results in an
|
|
awful medicine like flavour) if you like, and blend
|
|
again.
|
|
o Let the mixture boil, when it starts to get bubbly
|
|
quickly remove the pan from the stove top, and rest the
|
|
bottom against a soaked cloth. Put again on stove top, it
|
|
should get bubbly almost immediately, remove once
|
|
again and repeat one last time. This aerates the chocolate
|
|
which enhances the flavour.
|
|
o In a mug, put about 1/2-3/4 of the chocolate mixture,
|
|
and add cold milk, until the temperature and/or the
|
|
concentration of the flavour is right for your tastes.
|
|
Accompany with French Pastries. Yum Yum!!
|
|
|
|
Enjoy!
|
|
|
|
4. How to make the best cup of coffee?
|
|
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
|
|
The best coffee I ever tasted was while in the coffee growing
|
|
regions of Mexico, in the state of Veracruz, in the town of
|
|
Coatepec. The quality of the coffee was mostly due to the
|
|
method of preparation than to the quality of the grains (which
|
|
is at about the same level as an average colombian coffee).
|
|
Here's how to make it:
|
|
|
|
o Grind the coffee grains from coarse to very coarse.
|
|
o Boil in a pan a litre of water (four cups).
|
|
o When the water is boiling, turn off the stove and add
|
|
8-12 table spoons of coffee (2-3 spoons per each cup).
|
|
o Add two-three teaspoons of sugar per cup (for a total of
|
|
8-12 spoons of sugar).
|
|
o Stir very slowly (the water is so hot that the sugar
|
|
dissolves mostly on its own).
|
|
o Let the coffee rest for about 5 minutes.
|
|
o Strain the coffee using a metal strainer! Like the ones
|
|
used for cooking. The strainer should be like the ones
|
|
used by granny for making tea. The diameter is a bit
|
|
smaller that a cup, with a semi-sphere shape.
|
|
o This coffee has grit in the bottom, even after being
|
|
strained. Therefore do not stir the pot or the cup. If the
|
|
coffee is shaked, let it rest for about five minutes.
|
|
Needless to say, do not drink the last sip of coffee from
|
|
the cup: it's all grit. If you want to add milk, add
|
|
carnation.
|
|
|
|
Warning: This coffee may fool you 'cause it has a very smooth
|
|
taste but is extremely strong. Caffeine content per millilitre is
|
|
right there with espresso, but you can't tell!
|
|
|
|
Note: For some strange reason, when preparing this coffee I
|
|
tend to have a success ratio of about one out of two attempts. I
|
|
still don't know what I'm doing wrong, since, as far as I can
|
|
tell, always repeat the same steps. Perhaps sometimes I don't let
|
|
the coffee rest long enough.
|
|
|
|
This type of coffee is similar in nature to the French press. And
|
|
in principle, you could possibly add sugar to the ground coffee,
|
|
then pour water, and lastly press with the strainer.
|
|
|
|
5. Turkish Coffee
|
|
+++++++++++++++++
|
|
|
|
From Schapira, The Book of Coffee and Tea:
|
|
|
|
Turkish coffee is prepared using a little copper pot called
|
|
ibrik.
|
|
|
|
Use a heaping teaspoon of very finely ground coffee and one
|
|
heaping teaspoon of sugar (to taste). Use about 3oz of
|
|
coffee.
|
|
|
|
The trick of it is to heat it until it froths, let it sit a little and
|
|
allow it to cool until the froth settles, heating it to the same
|
|
point a second time and serving.
|
|
|
|
6. Thai Iced Coffee
|
|
+++++++++++++++++++
|
|
|
|
Make very strong coffee (50-100% more coffee to water than
|
|
usual), use something like Cafe Du Monde which has chicory in
|
|
it. Pour 6-8 oz into cup and add about 1 Tbs sweetened
|
|
condensed milk. Stir, then pour over ice.
|
|
|
|
You'll have to experiment with the strength and milk so you
|
|
get lots of taste after the ice/water dilutes it.
|
|
|
|
My version comes from a newspaper article of many years ago,
|
|
and simply calls for grinding two or three fresh cardamom pods
|
|
and putting them in with the coffee grounds. Make a strong
|
|
coffee with a fresh dark roast, chill it, sweeten and add
|
|
half-and-half (that's what I saw the chef using at the last Thai
|
|
restaurant I went to) to taste.
|
|
|
|
This is a derivation -from- memory of a recipe that I first read
|
|
some two years or so ago for Thai iced coffee (that lovely stuff
|
|
that I can drink for hours on end while I'm slurping down
|
|
panang and pad thai):
|
|
|
|
Makes 1 8-cup pot of coffee
|
|
|
|
o 6 tablespoons whole rich coffee beans, ground fine
|
|
o 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander powder
|
|
o 4 or 5 whole green cardamom pods, ground
|
|
o Place the coffee and spices in the filter cone of your
|
|
coffee maker. Brew coffee as usual; let it cool.
|
|
o In a tall glass, dissolve 1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar in an
|
|
ounce of the coffee (it's easier to dissolve than if you
|
|
put it right over ice). Add 5-6 ice cubes and pour coffee
|
|
to within about 1" of the top of the glass.
|
|
o Rest a spoon on top of the coffee and slowly pour
|
|
whipping cream into the spoon. This will make the
|
|
cream float on top of the coffee rather than dispersing
|
|
into it right away.
|
|
o To be totally cool, serve with Flexi-Straws and paper
|
|
umbrellas...
|
|
|
|
One other fun note: I got a fresh vanilla bean recently and put it
|
|
to good use by sealing it in an airtight container with my sugar.
|
|
The sugar gets the faintest vanilla aroma and is incredible in
|
|
Real Chocolate Milk (TM) and iced coffee.
|
|
|
|
One final note: this would probably be even better with iced
|
|
espresso, because the espresso is so much more powerful and
|
|
loses its taste less when it's cold.
|
|
|
|
Another recipe:
|
|
o Strong, black ground coffee
|
|
o Sugar
|
|
o Evaporated (not condensed) milk
|
|
o Cardamom pods
|
|
|
|
Prepare a pot of coffee at a good European strength (Miriam
|
|
Nadel suggests 2 tablespoons per cup, which I'd say is about
|
|
right). In the ground coffee, add 2 or 3 freshly ground
|
|
cardamom pods. (I've used green ones, I imagine the brown
|
|
ones would give a slightly different flavour.) Sweeten while
|
|
hot, then cool quickly.
|
|
|
|
Serve over ice, with unsweetened evaporated milk (or heavy
|
|
cream if you're feeling extra indulgent). To get the layered
|
|
effect, place a spoon atop the coffee and pour the milk carefully
|
|
into the spoon so that it floats on the top of the coffee.
|
|
|
|
The recipe I have calls for:
|
|
|
|
o 1/4 cup strong French roasted coffee
|
|
o 1/2 cup boiling water
|
|
o 2 tsp sweetened condensed milk
|
|
o Mix the above and pour over ice.
|
|
|
|
I'd probably use less water and more coffee and milk.
|
|
|
|
There is also a stronger version of Thai coffee called "Oleng"
|
|
which is very strong to me and to a lot of coffee lovers.
|
|
|
|
6 to 8 tablespoons ground espresso or French roast coffee 4 to 6
|
|
green cardamom pods, crushed Sugar to taste Half-and-half or
|
|
cream Ice cubes
|
|
|
|
Put the cardamom pods and the ground dark-roast coffee into a
|
|
coffee press, espresso maker, or the filter of a drip coffee
|
|
maker (if using a drip-style coffee maker, use half the water).
|
|
Brew coffee as for espresso, stir in sugar.
|
|
|
|
Fill a large glass with ice and pour coffee over ice, leaving
|
|
about 1/2 inch at the top. Place a spoon at the surface of the
|
|
coffee and slowly pour half-and-half or cream into the spoon,
|
|
so that it spreads across the top of the coffee rather than sinking
|
|
in. (You'll stir it in yourself anyway, but this is a much prettier
|
|
presentation and it's as used in most Thai restaurants.)
|
|
|
|
As with Vietnamese coffee, the struggle here is to keep from
|
|
downing this all in ten seconds.
|
|
|
|
7. Vietnamese Iced Coffee
|
|
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
|
|
Same coffee as above. Sweetened condensed (not evaporated)
|
|
milk Ice
|
|
|
|
Make even stronger coffee, preferably in a Vietnamese coffee
|
|
maker. (This is a metal cylinder with tiny holes in the bottom
|
|
and a perforated disc that fits into it; you put coffee in the
|
|
bottom of the cylinder, place the disc atop it, then fill with
|
|
boiling water and a very rich infusion of coffee drips slowly
|
|
from the bottom.)
|
|
|
|
If you are using a Vietnamese coffee maker, put two
|
|
tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk in the bottom of a
|
|
cup and put the coffee maker on top of the cup. If you are
|
|
making espresso or cafe filter (the infusion method where you
|
|
press the plunger down through the grounds after several
|
|
minutes of infusion), mix the sweetened condensed milk and
|
|
the coffee any way you like.
|
|
|
|
When the milk is dissolved in the coffee (yes, dissolved *is* the
|
|
right word here!), pour the combination over ice and sip.
|
|
|
|
Thai and Vietnamese coffees are very different.
|
|
|
|
Ca phe sua da (Vietnamese style iced coffee)
|
|
|
|
o 2 to 4 tablespoons finely ground dark roast coffee
|
|
(preferably with chicory)
|
|
o 2 to 4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (e.g.,
|
|
Borden Eagle Brand, not evaporated milk!)
|
|
o Boiling water
|
|
o Vietnamese coffee press [see notes]
|
|
o Ice cubes
|
|
|
|
Place ground coffee in Vietnamese coffee press and screw lid
|
|
down on the grounds. Put the sweetened condensed milk in the
|
|
bottom of a coffee cup and set the coffee maker on the rim.
|
|
Pour boiling water over the screw lid of the press; adjust the
|
|
tension on the screw lid just till bubbles appear through the
|
|
water, and the coffee drips slowly out the bottom of the press.
|
|
|
|
When all water has dripped through, stir the milk and coffee
|
|
together. You can drink them like this, just warm, as ca phe sua
|
|
neng, but I prefer it over ice, as ca phe sua da. To serve it that
|
|
way, pour the milk-coffee mixture over ice, stir, and drink as
|
|
slowly as you can manage. I always gulp mine too fast. :-)
|
|
|
|
Notes
|
|
-----
|
|
|
|
A Vietnamese coffee press looks like a stainless steel top hat.
|
|
There's a "brim" that rests on the coffee cup; in the middle of
|
|
that is a cylinder with tiny perforations in the bottom. Above
|
|
that rises a threaded rod, to which you screw the top of the
|
|
press, which is a disc with similar tiny perforations. Water
|
|
trickles through these, extracts flavour from the coffee, and
|
|
then trickles through the bottom perforations. It is
|
|
excruciatingly slow. Loosening the top disc speeds the process,
|
|
but also weakens the resulting coffee and adds sediment to the
|
|
brew.
|
|
|
|
If you can't find a Vietnamese coffee press, regular-strength
|
|
espresso is an adequate substitute, particularly if made with
|
|
French-roast beans or with a dark coffee with chicory. I've
|
|
seen the commonly available Medaglia d'Oro brand coffee cans
|
|
in Vietnamese restaurants, and it works, though you'll lose
|
|
some of the subtle bitterness that the chicory offers. I think
|
|
Luzianne brand coffee comes with chicory and is usable in
|
|
Vietnamese coffee, though at home I generally get French roast
|
|
from my normal coffee provider.
|
|
|
|
Of these two coffees, Vietnamese coffee should taste more or
|
|
less like melted Haagen-Dasz coffee ice cream, while Thai iced
|
|
coffee has a more fragrant and lighter flavour from the
|
|
cardamom and half-and-half rather than the condensed milk.
|
|
Both are exquisite, and not difficult to make once you've got
|
|
the equipment.
|
|
|
|
As a final tip, I often use my old-fashioned on-the-stove
|
|
espresso maker (the one shaped like an hourglass, where you put
|
|
water in the bottom, coffee in the middle, and as it boils the
|
|
coffee comes out in the top) for Thai iced coffee. The simplest
|
|
way is merely to put the cardamom and sugar right in with the
|
|
coffee, so that what comes out the top is ready to pour over ice
|
|
and add half and half. It makes a delicious and very passable
|
|
version of restaurant-style Thai iced coffee.
|
|
|
|
8. Melya
|
|
++++++++
|
|
|
|
o Espresso
|
|
o Honey
|
|
o Unsweetened cocoa
|
|
o
|
|
Brew espresso; for this purpose, a Bialetti-style stovetop will
|
|
work. In a coffee mug, place 1 teaspoon of unsweetened
|
|
powdered cocoa; then cover a teaspoon with honey and drizzle
|
|
it into the cup. Stir while the coffee brews; this is the fun part.
|
|
The cocoa seems to coat the honey without mixing, so you get a
|
|
dusty, sticky mass that looks as though it will never mix. Then
|
|
all at once, presto! It looks like dark chocolate sauce. Pour hot
|
|
espresso over the honey, stirring to dissolve. Serve with cream
|
|
(optional). I have never served this cold but I imagine it would
|
|
be interesting; I use it as a great hot drink for cold days, though,
|
|
so all my memories are of grey skies, heavy sweaters, damp
|
|
feet and big smiles.
|
|
|
|
7. Administrivia
|
|
================
|
|
|
|
1. List of Contributors
|
|
+++++++++++++++++++++++
|
|
|
|
This FAQ is a collective effort. Here's a list of most (all?) of
|
|
the contributors.
|
|
|
|
o Marc Aurel (4-tea-2@bong.saar.de)
|
|
o Scott Austin (scotta@cnt.com)
|
|
o Tom Benjamin (tomb@panix.com)
|
|
o David Alan Bozak (dab@moxie)
|
|
o Rajiv (w94_bhatnaga@wums.wustl.edu)
|
|
o Jack Carter (scjack@ausvm1.ibm.com)
|
|
o Richard Drapeau
|
|
(Richard.Drapeau@p1.f92.n282.z1.tdkt.kksys.com)
|
|
o Jym Dyer (jym@remarque.berkeley.edu)
|
|
o Steve Dyer (dyer@spdcc.com)
|
|
o Stefan Engstrom (stefan@helios.UCSC.EDU)
|
|
o Lemieux Francois (lemieuxf@ERE.UMontreal.CA)
|
|
o Scott Fisher (sfisher@megatest.com)
|
|
o Dave Huddle (jdh64@cas.org)
|
|
o Tom F Karlsson (tomk@mamba.csd.uu.se)
|
|
o Bob Kummerfeld (bob@basser.cs.su.OZ.AU)
|
|
o John Levine (johnl@iecc.com)
|
|
o Alex Lopez-Ortiz (alopez-o@neumann.uwaterloo.ca)
|
|
o Steven Miale (smiale@cs.indiana.edu)
|
|
o Alec Muffett (alecm@uk.sun.com)
|
|
o Dana Myers (myers@cypress.West.Sun.COM)
|
|
o Tim Nemec (tim@ins.infonet.net)
|
|
o Dave Palmer (arxt@quads.uchicago.edu)
|
|
o Stuart Phillips (phillips@healthy.uwaterloo.ca)
|
|
o Cary A. Sandvig (sandvig@rhea.cray.com)
|
|
o Stepahine da Silva (arielle@taronga.com)
|
|
o Michael A Smith (msmith@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
|
|
o Mari J. Stoddard (stoddard@gas.uug.arizona.edu)
|
|
o Adam Turoff (ziggy@panix.com)
|
|
o Orion Wilson (moria@cats.ucsc.edu)
|
|
o Piotr Wlaz (wlaz@plumcs11.umcs.lublin.ed)
|
|
o Ted Young (theodric@MIT.EDU)
|
|
o Steven Zikopoulos (szikopou@superior.carleton.ca)
|
|
|
|
2. Copyright
|
|
++++++++++++
|
|
|
|
This FAQ is Copyright (C) 1994 by Alex Lopez-Ortiz. This
|
|
text, in whole or in part, may not be sold in any medium,
|
|
including, but not limited to, electronic, CD-ROM, or
|
|
published in print, without the explicit, written permission of
|
|
Alex Lopez-Ortiz.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright (C) 1994, Alex Lspez-Ortiz.
|
|
alopez-o@neumann.uwaterloo.ca
|
|
--
|
|
Alex Lopez-Ortiz alopez-o@neumann.UWaterloo.ca
|
|
http://daisy.uwaterloo.ca/~alopez-o FAX (519)-885-1208
|
|
Department of Computer Science University of Waterloo
|
|
Waterloo, Ontario Canada
|
|
|
|
|
|
In spite of its apparent claim to usefulness, the Net has never been a
|
|
particularly good source of anything, save persiflage and pictures of
|
|
naked women.
|
|
|
|
|