ok i know u may think i m crazy but i had a dream few days ago...no no its actually a nightmare,..i dreamt that coffee did not exist anymore..OMG what will the world be without coffee???...........every morning ppl wudnt have the energy or boost to start their day, children wont do well in exams coz they cant stay up late to study, working ppl will loose their jobs, n they wont be any coffeehouses anymore right from strabucks to kedai kopi ahseng....imagine ..ill prolly commit suicide...so before its too late let me share my knowledge bout coffee to u ppl

how it all started? - the legend of the coffee bean

According to one story, a goat-herder noticed that his herd became friskier than usual after consuming the red cherries of a wild coffee shrub. Curious, he tasted the fruit himself. He was delighted by its invigorating effects, and was even spotted by a group of nearby monks dancing with his goats. Soon the monks began to boil the bean themselves and use the liquid to stay awake during all-night ceremonies. The other story is about a Muslim dervish who wascondemned by his enemies to wander in the desert and eventually die of starvation. In his delirium, the young man heard a voice instructing him to eat the fruit from a nearby coffee tree. Confused, the dervish tried to soften the beans in water, and when this failed, he simply drank the liquid. Interpreting his survival and energy as a sign of God, he returned to his people, spreading the faith and the recipe.The cultivation of coffee began sometime in the fifteenth century, and for many centuries to follow, the Yemen province of Arabia was the world's primary source of coffee. The demand for coffee in the Near East was very high. The beans leaving the Yemeni port of Mocha for trade with Alexandria and Constantinople were highly guarded. In fact, no fertile plants were allowed to leave the country. Despite the restrictions, Muslim pilgrims from across the globe during their pilgrimages to Mecca managed to smuggle coffee plants back to their homelands, and coffee crops soon took root in India.Coffee also made its way into Europe around this time through the city of Venice, where fleets traded perfumes, teas, dyes and fabrics with Arabic merchants along the Spice Route. The beverage eventually gained popularity with the masses when street lemonade vendors began selling it in addition to cold beverages. Many European merchants grew accustomed to drinking coffee overseas and brought it back with them.By the middle of the 17th century the Dutch dominated the world's merchant shipping industry, and they introduced large-scale coffee cultivation to their colonies in Indonesia on the islands of Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi and Bali. Coffee arrived in Latin America several decades later, when the French brought a cutting of a coffee plant to Martinique. But when a rare plant disease spread through the coffee fields of Southeast Asia in the mid 19th century, Brazil emerged as the world's foremost coffee producer, an honor the country still holds today.

Coffee Varieties- how do you drink yours?
There are many coffee drink types. Here we look at the most well known types of coffee drinks, and one or two you may not know about.

Short Black - or standard Espresso, a 30ml shot of rich, full bodied dark coffee with a silky layer of crema. The rich hazelnut brown crema is an indication of quality freshly ground beans.
Long Black - a standard Espresso served on top of hot water, served in a tall glass or regular sized coffee cup. The coffee is added to the glass of hot water to help maintain the layer of crema at the top of the glass.

Espresso is a strong black coffee made by forcing steam through dark-roast aromatic coffee beans at high pressure in an espresso machine. A perfectly brewed espresso will have a thick, golden-brown crema (foam) on the surface. If the crema is good, the sugar you add will float on the surface for a couple of seconds before slowly sinking to the bottom.
Espresso is the foundation for a wide variety of specialty coffee drinks, such as the cappuccino, but many aficionados and purists insist that adding anything (besides a bit of sugar) is blasphemy, akin to Scotch lovers mixing their single malt with Coke.

How to have it: Espresso should be taken either on its own or with a small teaspoon of sugar. Having it "short" means that it has less water and is therefore more concentrated, and "long" conversely uses more water and does not taste as strong.
Give it a twist: Adding a dollop of steamed milk creates an espresso macchiato ("macchiato" means stained or marked). Topping an espresso with whipped cream makes it an espresso con panna.

Ristretto - a half shot of Espresso (15ml).

this is jus in us n europe....wait till u get to south america or even in asia pacific....there loads more coffee to choose from.....

How Much Coffee is too much?
The maximum recommended amount of coffee is 3-4 (8-ounce) cups a day, although it depends on the individual in terms of body size, among other factors. Because caffeine has been shown to raise blood pressure, you should limit your intake if you have any blood pressure abnormalities. various studies show that more than four cups is not generally recommended. It should also be noted that the American Heart Association recommends no more than one to two cups of caffeinated coffee per day. There are no specific recommendations for decaf coffee.
Caffeine Caffeine is associated with enhanced alertness, increased productivity and concentration when you're driving, and enhanced athletic performances. In terms of caffeine, coffee has more than tea.


Caffeine Content Of Popular Drinks
The lists below shows the Caffeine Content of our favourite drinks. One or two surprises are there. DeCafe is not actually caffeine free...

Coffee/Tea/Hot Chocolate Beverages 8-ounce Beverage (milligrams)
Coffee, Drip 115-175
Coffee, Brewed 80-135
Coffee, Espresso (2 ounces) 100
Coffee, Instant 65-100
Tea, iced 47
Tea, brewed, imported brands (avg.) 60
Tea, brewed, U.S. brands (avg.) 40
Tea, instant 30
Tea, green 15
Hot Cocoa 14
Coffee, Decaf, brewed 3-4
Coffee, Decaf, instant 2-3


Soft Drinks 12-ounce Beverage (milligrams)
Jolt 71.2
Pepsi One 55.5
Diet Coke 45.6
Pepsi-Cola 37.5
Diet Pepsi 36.0
Coca-Cola Classic 34.0
Coke C2 34.0
Sprite 0.0

Sources: US National Soft Drink Association, US Food and Drug Administration.

-- thats y i said to many ppl...dun drink coffee tea or even coke wen nearing exam....coz caffeine tends to kill ur neurons cells ..so watever learned will b easily forgotten....however wen normal days ... remember that coffee is about quality rather than quantity. Like everything, consume coffee in moderation, a few cups a day shouldn't hurt you.


now for some recipes.....yummy

Mocha Java Recipe: a Chocolate-Coffee indulgence.
Try this Mocha Java Recipe:

What you need:2 ounces (2 squares) semi-sweet chocolate, 4 teaspoons granulated sugar, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 4 cups hot coffee-freshly brewed, Whipped cream-garnish, Grated milk chocolate-garnish

Preparation:Melt chocolate in a heavy gauge saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly.Stir in sugar and heavy cream. Blend until smooth, then gradually whisk in hot coffee.Divide mixture among 4 coffee mugs, topping each mug with whipped cream and finely grated milk chocolate.Serve immediately.
Serves: 4

Enjoy your Mocha Java!!!

so drink up ppl

coffee with kajen only on kajenlingam.blogspot.com

p.s : info obtained from various websites n magazines ..special thnaks to national geographic n the java cafe website...