Canadasocialmedia

A Get Better Gift is the gift that keeps on giving

Did you know that there are about 300 children who must call SickKids their home for the holidays? You can help make their season a little brighter by giving a SickKids Get Better Gift.

By giving a gift like A Stocking Surprise or A Holiday Meal for a Family, you are making your gift-giving dollars count this year. You will feel good about giving the gift and you will add some joy to a child’s otherwise difficult hospital stay. There are plenty of items to choose from at every price range. You’ll also have the chance to personalize a card or e-card to accompany your gift.

Know that with every gift you give you are supporting the most critical needs at The Hospital for Sick Children. Tell your family and friends about Get Better Gifts and get started right now!

There is a SickKids Get Better Gift for everyone on your list.

The Origin of Coffee: How An Ethiopian Goat Herder Discovered Coffee

 

Did you know people have been drinking coffee for thousands of years? The drink has been ingrained in international culture for generations upon generations, but we are still learning about new health benefits created by consuming the beverage. According to folklore about the origin of coffee, the positive mental and physical boost gained through coffee consumption was first noticed once upon a time in Ethiopia.

Nobody really knows the date of the origin of coffee, nor the exact circumstances under which it was found, but a tale passed along through many generations says that we can credit an Ethiopian goat herder for the fantastic discovery.

The goat herder named Kaldi is said to have been minding his herd one day when he noticed a strange occurrence. Some of the goats who were eating from a particular bush were behaving differently, in a more jovial mood than the other goats. They were acting excited, prancing around the fields, nearly dancing on their hind legs. Kaldi became curious as to why they were suddenly so lively. He studied the circumstance and made the connection between the pleasant activities of the goats and the bright red berries hanging on the mangled, half-eaten coffee plant.

Like most curious discoverers, inventors, entrepreneurs and risk-takers of the world, to whom we can credit the better portion of our world’s advancements, Kaldi swiftly decided to try the berries for himself. He tried one – or did he boil them? History can not relay the exact details, and different stories contradict each other regarding the exact circumstances, but regardless, he too noticed the strange energy gained by coffee consumption.

Folklore says he tasted the bitterness of the tree’s fruit, yet found it vaguely sweet and very satisfying. Refreshed, renewed and more alert, he set off to tell his wife about the fascinating discovery.

His wife compelled Kaldi to inform the monks of the strange berries. Strictly religious and highly suspicious of any mind or mood-altering substance, as they considered it, the monks swiftly decided to cast the “sinful” berries into a fire. The action led to the sweet aroma we now attribute to a fresh, delicious coffee brew. The monks, also curious, are said to have crushed the beans, raked them out of the fire and distilled the beans in a pot of boiling water.

According to folklore, it was only minutes before the heavenly aroma drew more monks towards the smell, all gathering to investigate the source of the blissful smell of roasting coffee. The monks tried the substance and were able to maintain energy all night long without sleep. They were pleasantly surprised by the productivity allowed by the drink, which gave them a renewed energy to continue their holy devotions. The abbot and the monks then thanked God for the gift, thinking he had given them the berries so they could pray all night.

Though the exact details for the origin of coffee might not be on record, it’s no surprise that coffee holds a special place in Ethiopia’s culture to this day. Coffee growing and picking produces the livelihood for over 12 million Ethiopians and brings in over two-thirds of the nation’s annual earnings. The nation’s coffee is still internationally recognized as some of the world’s finest.

Image Credit: Steve Evans

How Coffee Increases Productivity on the Job

Pour yourself a fresh cup of coffee and relax: the he said/she said arguments over whether coffee increases productivity on the job have some scientific backing, thanks to a 2004 Harris poll. Productivity is a common debate for business management and employees. As they say, time is money, and with the right workplace standards, permissions and oversights, coffee-drinking could provide that little boost you and your colleagues need to get through the day – and that big presentation – with flying colors.

The research results from the poll revealed that the majority of the employees polled agreed that coffee increases productivity on the job.

• 79% of those polled said that access to coffee or tea makes them more productive
• 76% said that drinking a hot beverage is relaxing
• 79% said that they feel valued by their employers when they are provided with hot beverages at the workplace
• 47% said that they appreciate access to free or low-cost coffee provided by their office beverage service
• 63% said that having hot beverages served at the office allows them to grab a fresh coffee and get back to work, without having to leave the building to get that next kick of energy

Another study has shown that drinking coffee moderately throughout the day will help employees stay focused, especially when tasked with completing boring or endurance-based work. Those workers, according to the research, who consumed a moderate intake of coffee throughout the entire day were able to maintain their concentration levels until the end of the workday. In contrast, the workers who started their day off with a coffee at home or on the way to work and had no additional coffee throughout the day hit a productivity slump in the afternoon. The same was found for the workers who did not drink any coffee or caffeinated beverages throughout the day: their focus, energy and productivity decreased as the day progressed.

Why would coffee-drinking provide such a noticeable boost to workplace performance? Let’s take a closer look:

1. Coffee improves mental performance

That’s right, we all hoped it was the truth and now you can be sure. Drinking coffee doesn’t just help you stay awake – it improves alertness and concentration while delaying mental fatigue. It has also been suggested that coffee will improve your short-term memory.

2. Improve endurance and stamina in physical exercise

We’ll take any help we can get to make getting back into a regular exercise habit a little easier. Coffee could be the boost we all need to avoid early exhaustion by helping to improve our mentality, and therefore, our ability to exercise longer and harder while getting back into an exercise routine.

3. Improves socialization

As strange as it sounds, drinking coffee really does improve your ability to socialize. The scientific reasoning for this is coffee-drinking actually reduces stress by eliminating the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for irritability and other everyday stresses. Not only that, but the atmosphere created in coffee houses is carefully manufactured to help eliminate stress and encourage socialization, too.

So the next time your coworker starts swearing at the computer, treat them to a coffee – it might be the boost they need, and the rescue everyone else at the office wants!

Image: DeaPeaJay / cc

 

Coffee Prices Near 13-Year High On Crop Troubles

 

Take an extra second to savor that delicious brew of your favorite coffee blend. Because, if price is an indicator of value, that cup of coffee is now worth around 30 per cent more.

Coffee prices are soaring to rates near an international 13-year high after growth of crops in Colombia and Central America was slowed by poor weather. Experts are chalking it up to a crop failure, which is bad news for Colombian coffee bean farmers who are pulling in small, poor-quality crops for the third year in a row.

The farmers and international consumers are competing for the shortage of bean supplies, and with demand increasing in countries such as Brazil and India, the price per pound has hiked to about 45 per cent higher than last year’s. Colombia is one of the world’s largest suppliers of Arabica coffee beans.

Word of the crop failure has investors keeping keen eyes on Brazil’s upcoming harvest, too.

Prices in future contract bidding on December coffee reached a high of $1.88 per pound on Aug. 23, the highest rate since September 1997, on speculations of how the poor coffee returns from Colombia and Central America will affect the market. Later in the week, news that Brazil’s nearing harvest is on pace to be a record-setting crop sent the price diving to $1.70 before it returned to around $1.85 last Friday.

Brazil’s high crop yield is expected to increase the worldwide supply of coffee beans in several months, but it won’t be in time to rescue consumers from paying their share of the price hike.

Do-it-yourself coffee is going to cost around 10 per cent more this fall, due to price bumps from popular brands such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Folgers and Maxwell House. Demand is so high for coffee in North America, though, that a small bump in price at the checkout line won’t have customers foregoing their caffeine fix unless the price per pound climbs up to around $3.00, experts say.

Smaller chains and individual cafes report that they will take a watch-and-see approach before making customers shell out more for their cup of joe, a move that could take the opposite effect and have them walking out the door empty-handed. Most chains and individual cafes purchase bean supplies up to a year in advance and are reluctant to change prices due to temporary supply instability. The impact of the recession and the alternative brew-at-home method also has cafes worried about losing customers.
If the market doesn’t improve before next summer, though, cafes may not have a choice but to follow the market with a price increase.

Large chains Starbucks Coffee, McDonalds and Tim Hortons, however, have made statements reporting their decisions to absorb the rising coffee costs until at least the end of the year, when current coffee contracts end.

They hope to shield their customers from higher prices to avoid an inevitable hit on purchases after a $4.00 coffee becomes $4.50. It’s a loss that a response to temporary market fluctuations won’t be able to replace.

French Press Coffee: How-To Guide

 

For the coffee enthusiast, a French press isn’t a maybe, it’s a must. A French press, also known as a coffee press, a cafetiere, a coffee plunger or a press pot, is an easy way to improve the quality of your coffee in about the same amount of time it takes to brew your favorite morning beverage in the traditional drip method. The results are amazing: the press method delivers coffee with a richer flavor and thicker body while creating a more elegant impression.

Why bother with a French press?

Coffee-drinkers can tell the difference between pressed coffee, which retains essential oils and sediments that are trapped in drip coffeemaker’s filters and eliminates the taste of the paper filter. This method will allow the full flavor intensity of your coffee grounds to survive the brewing process and make it into your mug in just minutes per pot.

You will need:

A French press (we recommend the Bodum French Press)
A burr-style coffee grinder
Coffee beans
A tablespoon
Boiling water measured to fill the press
A spoon or a chopstick

Get to know the French press:

The French press will be composed of a glass or plastic cylindrical beaker fitted with a lid and a plunger. The plunger holds a filter plate that is used to trap the sediment from the coffee grounds when the brew is ready to be poured.

How to brew the perfect cup of French press coffee:

• Measure water to reach the press pot’s fill line, but not above it, to make sure that there is room for the filter. Boil the water and let it cool briefly to the optimum temperature of around 195 to 205 degrees F.

• Grind the coffee beans to a course texture, being careful to avoid over-grinding the beans into a fine texture. Tiny particles will not be trapped in the French press method, so use a high-quality burr grinder to avoid creating dust and chunks.

• Add about two tablespoons of coffee grounds per 8 oz. cup of coffee to taste to the press pot.

• Pour the pre-boiled water into the press pot slowly to allow the gas to escape.

• Briefly stir the mixture with a chopstick or a spoon (about six strokes) to aid the filter in catching the sediment.

• Place the lid, with the attached filter and plunger assembly, onto the press pot and let the brew steep for two to four minutes, depending on the boldness of the beans used and the size of the pot.

• Holding the lid down firmly, grasp the plunger and slide it down in a straight, even motion, being careful to avoid turning the filter crooked. If it does, the grounds will escape into the upper-half of the pot.

• Wait about 30 seconds to allow the remaining sediment to settle.

• Hold the lid on while pouring and serve the coffee immediately, to avoid a bitter brew.

• Enjoy!

Alternatively, to make iced coffee, use cold water and leave the French press in the refrigerator overnight. Without the heat to damage the essential oils, the coffee will taste fresh and sweet.

Photo Credit: Sierra MS

10 Fun Facts About Coffee

Next time you're having a coffee with a friend or a colleague at work, you can use some of these 10 fun facts about coffee to impress them!

1. The Most Expensive Coffee In The World Comes From Indonesia

And it goes by the name of Kopi Luwak. Those who drink it insist that it is heavenly. It is apparently made from coffee beans that are eaten, partly digested and then excreted by the Asian palm civet, a weasel-like animal. Supposedly, the internal digestion adds a unique flavor to the beans, which are collected from the animal's feces and sold to the ultra-rich. Kopi Luwak sells for over $600 a pound, which works out to $50 per cup of coffee.

2. Northern Europeans Are The Biggest Coffee Drinkers

Northern European countries love their coffee. In fact, they drink by far the most coffee in the world with Norway, Finland and Denmark leading the pack. The average citizen of those countries drinks 10 kilograms of coffee a year, which is 3 times as much coffee as people drink in the United States.

3. But Americans Are The Leading Coffee Consumer

Our European friends may drink more coffee than us, but the sheer size of the American market makes us the largest consumer of coffee in the world. On average, we consume 450 million cups of coffee per day, which adds up to over 150 billion cups consumed in an entire year! To satisfy our need for caffeine, we import a third of the world’s coffee production - almost 20 million bags of coffee a year.

4. Coffee Is (Not) The Second Most Traded Commodity In The World

It is often cited that coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world after petroleum. It sounds good, but it isn’t accurate. Many commodities are traded for more value each year than coffee, including: petroleum, natural gas, copper, aluminum and gold. By some estimates, the global coffee industry is worth upwards of $60-$90 billion dollars a year, which is still very impressive.

5. Brazil Is The Largest Coffee Producing Country

No other country comes close to Brazil in terms of coffee production. Currently, Brazil’s coffee industry is responsible for 30-40% of the world’s coffee supply. After Brazil, Vietnam is the second largest producer of coffee in the world surpassing Colombia who now sits in third place.

6. Instant Coffee Was Invented By George Washington

Well, not the George Washington you’re thinking of though. Instant coffee was invented in 1906 in the Central American country of Guatemala by a Belgian named George Washington. He later immigrated to the United States and took his brilliant invention to the masses.

7. The Average American Drinks 3 Cups Of Coffee A Day

However, Americans are only 8th in the world in per capital coffee consumption with their daily average of 3 cups of coffee. By comparison, the average person in Finland consumes almost 6 cups of coffee each day.

8. Americans Love Their Caffeine And Get It Any Way They Can

While just over 50% of the American population older than 18 drink coffee each day, many Americans find other ways to get their caffeine fix. Other popular sources of caffeine include: energy drinks, chocolate bars, tea, soft drinks and weight loss supplements. In total, we each consume an average of 280 milligrams of caffeine each day, making it our favourite stimulant.

9. Seattle Is The Coffee Capital of the United States

With its rainy, overcast Pacific Northwest climate, Seattle has the most coffee shops per capital in the United States (35 per 100,000). The cities of Portland, San Jose, Denver and San Francisco aren’t far behind though.

10. Hawaii Is The Only Place In America That Coffee Is Grown

Coffee is grown in 53 countries worldwide, all located in the equatorial climate zone between the tropic of Cancer and Capricorn. The only U.S. state that falls into this climatic zone is Hawaii. Coffee is also grown in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory.

Photo Credit: TVG / Flickr

Fair Trade Coffee Spotlight: Ethiopia Oromia

Official flag of the Oromia Region

Map of Ethiopia with the Oromia Region highlighted in red

Ethiopian coffee is often overlooked but has great characteristics. Known for its sweet blueberry notes at a medium roast but taking on a spicy boldness and body at darker roasts, it delivers a quality taste that one would expect from the birthplace of coffee.

You may not be aware that Ethiopia’s Oromia Coffee Farmers Co-operative Union harvests the best quality Fair Trade and organic certified, producing both world-class coffee and dramatic social change. The Oromia co-operative is celebrated around the globe as a model of successful, sustainable coffee farming. It was recently featured in the highly acclaimed 2006 documentary Black Gold, the story of Tadesse Meskela, manager of the Oromia co-operative, and his mission to save 74,000 struggling coffee farmers from bankruptcy. For more information about this, please visit www.blackgoldmovie.com.

Revenues generated by the Oromia co-operative are used to ensure food security for its members as well as to purchase and repair processing equipment. Oromia members are dedicated to promoting environmental stewardship and social justice in their communities. Women hold prominent positions throughout the organization, and all of Oromia’s award-winning coffee is produced according to the principles of organic farming.

Image credit (map & flag): Wikipedia

How To Choose The Right Pod Coffee Brewer

The Grindmaster OPod Pod Brewer, one of our best-selling Coffee Pod Brewers.

Choosing The Right Pod Coffee Brewer

Who wouldn’t want a perfect cup of gourmet coffee that’s fast, easy and on the go whenever you need it? It’s possible to have coffee in your hand in under a minute without any leftovers sitting around in the coffee pot, and no messy clean up afterwards. Pod coffee brewers do exactly this. They give you one serving of coffee, fast and easy.

The coffee pods also known as soft pods look like tea bags except that they are round and plump. That little pod is the filter and contains enough ground coffee to make the perfect cup.

With many different brands, sizes and styles out there, it’s hard to know how to choose the right pod brewer. You should know where you will be buying coffee pods and what sizes you will need in order to have a full understanding of the type of pod brewer you want.

Here are three reasons why you might want a pod coffee brewer:


1. You like the idea of making coffee with no mess or cleanup.
2. You want a single cup of coffee from time to time and want to be able to grab it and go.
3. You like gourmet coffee but don’t have time to grind beans and make a full pot.

Here are a few things you should know about the pod brewers on the market:

Sizes

There are three different sizes, pod diameters in 44mm, 55mm and 62mm. Most commonly the 44m fits Melitta pod brewers. The 55mm pods usually fit the “Juan Valdez” brewers. Finally, the 62 mm pods usually work for “Senseo”, “Krups”, “Mr.Coffee” and “Black & Decker”, "Grindmaster", "Cuisinart" and "Bunnomatic" pod brewers.

Brands

The first brand to make a pod brewer was Senseo in 2004. Soon after this, many other companies began making pod coffee brewers. A few of the most common brands would be, “Senseo”, “Melitta”, “Bunn My Café”, "Grindmaster G Pod", and “Cuisinart”.

Single vs. Double

You can either buy one-cup pod brewers or two-cup pod brewers. One-cup pod brewers are sleek and compact and come in retail for home use or commercial for office use. The usual pod size is 10 grams and 61mm, but there are also Extra Bold options that weigh in at 12 grams for the coffee afficianados out there. A dual brewer is typically used for home or hotel room applications, which has the ability to brew one cup or two cups simultaneously.

Coffee Strength

Since coffee pods come in different weights, the weight you select will give you various 'strengths'. In addition, some brewers come with a manual strength selector. This allows you to select the strength of coffee you want on any given day, some prefer a milder coffee in the morning and a stronger version in the afternoon (or vice versa). This can be great for an office (or home) with people who have different coffee preferences.

Water Reservoir

Most pod brewers have a water reservoir like any coffee pot that brews the water through the filter to make coffee. You can choose to have the water reservoir that you manually fill or one that allows for plumbing to continuously supply water to the coffee brewer. This “plumbed-in” type system is much more expensive than one you would manually fill. However, this is a great choice for an office or business setting.