Coffee is more well loved than ever and a gift of coffee is practically always well received. There are many ways to give the gift of coffee from coffee gift baskets to gift cards for the local coffee shop. But, if you want to give a coffee gift that keeps on giving month after month then you should consider a gourmet coffee club gift.  This type of gift is ideal for the coffee connoisseur as it allows them to try different types of coffees every month.

Gourmet coffee clubs have hundreds of different coffees and send members a different one each month. Along with their gourmet coffee the recipient also receives newsletters and information on the type of coffee they are being sent each month.

Some coffee clubs send out gourmet coffees that are distinct by the regions and types of brews, such as deep rich coffees or mild, breakfast blends. Other gourmet coffee clubs specialize in flavored coffees such as hazelnut, Irish crème and others. This allows members to sample many different coffee flavors and have the option to buy their favorite ones at discounted prices.

The majority of coffee clubs allow you to make your customize your membership based on your own tastes. For example, if you or the recipient has to drink decaffeinated coffee you can list this in your preferences. If you prefer to have bold coffee you can list this. You can also choose how long you want your membership to last by pre-paying for a set number of months or you can select a month-to-month membership that you cancel when you are ready.

Gevalia and Boca Java are two of the most well known gourmet coffee clubs. Gevalia offers members a huge welcome package for joining including a gorgeous stainless steel coffee maker and a money-back guarantee if you don’t like the club. Boca Java is slightly different in that it offers a different selection of roasts and flavors than Gevalia and also has a member’s only selection that the general public doesn’t have access to.

Coffee club memberships are brilliant gifts for offices. Having coffee shipped to the office on a monthly basis is simpler than having to remember to order it monthly and it allows clients and employees to delight in many different types of coffee. Families and friends will delight in having a gourmet coffee club membership to help them find out what types of coffees they delight in and be able to buy them without having to go t the coffee shop.

Hawaii, the only state in the United States where coffee is grown commercially, produces the incredible Kona coffee bean, known for its unique gourmet quality and flavor. In fact, Kona coffee thrives only in a tiny region on the western slopes of the Huge Island where it has, over 175 years, been highly developed using heritage trees that do exceedingly well in the rocky volcanic earth. Sunshine, rainfall and soil strike a perfect balance in this small, fertile locality where the harvests are bountiful. The area’s exquisite Kona coffee is world renowned and emerging boutique-like coffee flavors are earning their stripes.

The prized Kona trees are never touched by mechanical harvesting equipment. Instead, families and workers from six hundred private estates gently pick by hand, so you’ll never find a combination of ripe and unripe beans-individual inspection of each coffee “cherry” assures you of a perfect cup of coffee every time. This naturally high quality coffee can only get better with the special care it receives-the higher the level of care, the better the coffee.

Rather than comparing the growing of Kona to other types of coffee, a closer parallel can really be made by comparing it to how the grapes for fine vintage wines are nurtured and harvested. The majority of Kona coffee earns the grade of Prime or better due to the excellence of the climatic conditions, the labor-intensive hand cultivation, and wet-method processing used throughout the region. The Kona growing region has produced world class coffee continuously since the early 1800s and the name “Kona” only applies to beans grown in North and South Kona. Coffee grown elsewhere in Hawaii cannot be called Kona.

So valued is the Kona growing region of the Huge Island that the plantations in the area have their own organization-The Kona Coffee Council-with a special green “seal of approval” that vouches that each bag of coffee it adorns is right and genuine 100% Kona Coffee and helps you, the coffee lover, discern between 100% Kona and lesser blends. 100% Kona has its own distinctively delicate yet rich aromatic flavor that can be overpowered if it is blended with harsher coffees.

Most Kona coffee (there are more than 100 private mark brands) is graded Prime or better. Picked when bright red and fully ripe, the Kona coffee “cherry” is first pulped to remove outer flesh. Next is the fermentation step which is credited for giving the coffee its bright, clear flavor. After a thorough washing in clean, fresh water, the coffee beans are laid out on large decks for natural drying by the sun, a step during which they are raked regularly to facilitate even drying. It is then that the beans are graded to Department of Agriculture standards. Afterwards, the dry beans are milled to remove “parchment” and “silverskin” and then they are ready to be sold to roasters or, as is the trend by some Kona coffee estates, custom-roasted by the farmer to produce a truly unique coffee flavor. Due to its brilliant quality, Kona coffee is regarded as one of the most highly valued coffees in the world.

These days, a lot of people are really taking their health very seriously. One of the many things that one needs to do in order to stay healthy is to watch what they eat or in this case, what they drink. According to medical findings, the continual consumption of foods containing too much stout and stimulants can adversely affect one’s health. This also coupled with an inactive lifestyle has really become the cause of a lot of health problems.  Kenya AA decaf coffee also has a gourmet flavored coffee version that tastes wonderful.

A lot of people are really becoming very choosy about what they consume; one of the things that a lot of people are cutting out of their diet is coffee, because it is known to be quite rich in stimulants. For a lot of people who find a hot cup of Kenya AA coffee irresistible, thankfully there is an alternative of Kenya AA decaf gourmet flavored coffee.

For a pretty long time, the method used for producing decaffeinated coffee was to have the coffee beans soaked in a solvent absorbs the stimulants. This process of decaffeinating coffee raised a lot of concerns by the medical experts regarding the safety of using this process. It was learned that the solvent that is used for decaffeinating coffee beans somehow find its way into the bodies of the coffee consumers. It is was also announced that decaf coffee that was produced using the solvent process could also cause cancer, because of the safety concerns a lot of people switched from drinking coffee made from this process.

These days, with the technological advancement of processing coffee, Kenya AA coffee beans can made into a wonderful gourmet flavored coffee through a much safer method.  One of the newest methods of producing decaf coffee is by soaking the coffee beans in what is known as Swiss Water. The water naturally removes the caffeine and successfully produces decaf coffee without the harmful chemicals. Since the coffee producers want to make the make the difference known, a consumer can identify the difference between gourmet regular coffee and decaf gourmet flavour coffee by simply checking the mark.

Is Coffee Excellent for You?

Yes, coffee is excellent for you! Here are some of the health benefits of coffee:

Helps reduce the chances of having type two diabetes
Helps reduce the chances of having Parkinson’s disease
Dinking one to two cups of coffee each day protects the heart
Coffee can help prevent the chances of having colon cancer
Coffee is a fantastic antioxidant

Is coffee excellent for you even if it is decaffeinated? The answer to this question is yes! You need to know that you will have to take your coffee in moderation in order to truly delight in the health benefits. For coffee lovers all over the world, do not be fooled into believing that coffee has to pack a punch before you can truly delight in the taste.

Do you cringe every time a holiday or birthday rolls around, only to feel really stumped by what your loved ones would want? I can tell you from personal experience that even the most hard person to buy for will like the gift of coffee, or anything coffee related, with the only exception being someone who is a coffee hater. That being said, even if the person that you have in mind is sensitive to caffeine, there are so many new decaf blends available that taste just as excellent as the real thing because of the advanced processes of decaffeination that work to preserve ultimate flavor.

You do not have to simply just buy your gift recipient a pound of coffee because there are so many coffee choices available to you, depending on what they like. Let’s start with their method of coffee preparation. It would be wise for you to find out how they normally like to drink their coffee because so many people would appreciate having a French Press as an simple and eco-friendly coffee alternative. A French Press is not electric, and it also doesn’t use paper filters, which means that it is environmentally sound, and it preserves the essential oil taste within the final brew product for a better flavor. Any coffee lover would really appreciate this addition to their coffee repertoire, with you to thank as a result.

If the person that you are buying a gift for is a woman, then you may want to reckon of the many new coffee skin care products that are popping up on the market currently. Coffee is really a fantastic skin care ingredient simply due to the fact that the caffeine content works to restore hurt from the sun in the facial cells, as well as to tighten the skin in the face to make it appear younger. On top of that, everyone just appreciates the smell of coffee in general, so if you are looking to buy a gift for a girlfriend or your mom, then she would probably like a coffee scented soap or candle, simply because of the tasty aromas.

If you are looking for a more general gift for your child’s teacher or soccer coach, then reckon of the many perishable coffee and coffee food related items that are perfect for any person. How many people like to have a cup of espresso with a biscotti? If you were to buy a pound of premium gourmet coffee and a tin of cookies or biscotti for a gift to show appreciation, then the recipient would be over the moon. Another thing to reckon about is the health benefits of coffee because it is full of antioxidants, so you may want to pair it with dark chocolate, which also has a high antioxidant content. Any person that you are giving a gift to who is health-conscious will truly appreciate this gesture, not to mention the tasty flavors that they get to delight in as a result!

Coffee gifts are just one more thing to reckon about in gift giving, making the recipient pleased and your life that much simpler!

Gifts For The Coffee Lover
By Victor Epand

We all drink coffee, well most of us do, so at Christmas or on a birthday, a coffee gift can be an brilliant way to show you care. But, beyond buying, well, more coffee, what can we do to make a special coffee gift to a special coffee lover?

We will ignore buying specialty coffee here, because that is simply too simple to do, instead we will focus on various other types of coffee gifts there are to give.

Customized mugs, which say something along the lines of World’s Best Husband, are a excellent way to give a coffee lover a unique gift. You can usually find a place that will place anything you want on a coffee mug, including a special picture, saying or a goofy graphic. Another option is to make a coffee mug yourself through clay pottery. If you don’t know how to do that, paint a special design on a coffee mug using paint pens. This will give the cup much more sentimental meaning.

Coffee makers are a pretty standard gift for a coffee lover, but you can go the extra mile and get them one with all the bells and whistles. An even better option is to buy them a coffee maker that doubles as an expresso or cappuccino machine. Once the coffee lover has had a taste of cappuccino from their own machine, they won’t be going back to regular coffee.

Specialty creamers are available in every grocery store and, for a relatively cheap price, you can add a Mocha, French Vanilla or Butterscotch flavor to your usually dull coffee. The only problem with this gift is that once you buy it for the coffee lover and they get a taste of it, they are going to want it from then on. Be prepared to foot the bill.

Flavored stir sticks are a unique type of way to add a punch to any coffee. Recipes can usually be found on the internet and most will dissolve as you stir. If you go healthy, you eliminate the need for sugar in coffee, which as we all know, can be very unhealthy.

For the healthy nut, you might look for some of that soybean coffee. Its different than soymilk, and yet it doesn’t have the caffeine. Roasted soybeans are used to imitate the flavor of coffee, and the result is often remarkable.

The last, and best gift, you can get a coffee lover is a gift card to a coffee shop. This will allow them to buy the coffee they want or the accessories they need. Most coffee shops, especially the larger ones, offer this option.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for flowers and gifts. When shopping for flowers and gifts, we recommend you shop only at the best online stores that specialize in Gifts for coffee lover, Flowers for coffee lover, Jewelry for coffee lover Articles island – Free article submission and free reprint articles

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Since, a long time coffee has been an integral part of American culture; It is considered to be one of the most well loved hot beverages for the American people. But, there are plenty of people who do not have any thought about the types of coffee or which type of coffee has the best taste.

Hence, to feel the quintessential taste of coffee, you need to know the following points:

While purchasing coffee, you need to find out the type of coffee the store keeper is giving you. You need to be doubly sure that it is not pre-ground stored coffee, that is neither fresh nor has a excellent taste. Avoid buying this type of coffee. Types of coffee bean: You also need to know about the varieties of coffee bean. There are two types of coffee beans i.e. Arabica coffee and Robusta coffee. Among these two, Robusta is most abundantly obtained, but it is of lower quality and does not have excellent taste because of high caffeine content. On the contrary, the Arabica coffee is obtained in lesser amount, but it has fantastic gourmet blend. Gourmet coffee is the choice of all coffee lovers because of its richness and aroma.

Gourmet flavored coffee is the most favorite for all coffee lovers, and its taste is much better than what you find at your nearby store. Arabica beans are grown at different parts of the world such as Ethiopia, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia. The coffee beans are grown at high altitude that allows it to grow slowly. The advantage of the slow growing process is that – it allows the flavor to develop deeply.

Hence, Gourmet flavored coffee is unquestionably a treat. There are wide varieties of flavored coffee available in the market that sometimes puzzles you about the original gourmet coffee. Therefore, before purchasing, it is very vital to ensure that you are purchasing the gourmet coffee to experience the real Arabica coffee test.

A coffee percolator is a type of pot used for brewing coffee. Different types of percolators are available depending on their source of heat.

The word “coffee percolator” was derived from the word “percolate,” which means “to cause a solvent to pass through.” The percolator is often used in camping and many outdoor activities.

A coffee percolator works by keeping the boiling water up through a tube, then poured on coffee grounds. This process is repeated until the desired result is achieved.

First place water in the carafe and follow it with coarsely ground coffee beans in the basket. The basket should be covered before heating the coffee. The basket is then used in order to keep the coffee dry, from being deposited inside the container. The glass top determines the amount of coffee done. Once the process is completed, you can discard the coffee grounds.

Percolators have three versions, namely electric, stovetop and microwave percolators.

• Electric Coffee Percolator is the most common type using electricity. It gives out a more consistent brew by stopping it automatically when the coffee is done. It then switches to a warming mode when completed. An electric percolator has a built-in heating element that can be cordlessly used.

• Stovetop Coffee Percolators can cause over-boiling, and therefore a tendency to release the bitterness of coffee. This requires more careful usage.

• Microwave Coffee Percolator is more effective, using 42% less electricity.

Three of the well loved percolators are the Faberware FCP412 Cup Percolator, Cuisinart 6-12 Cup Classic Electric Percolator Model PRC-12 and the MEDELCO PK008 8 cup Glass Stovetop Percolator

The two basic types of coffee percolators are the pressure type and the gravity type percolators.

Pressure Type

The pressure type is usually made out of metals that can be screwed together when used. It has three main sections:

o Lower Section – The water section.
o Mild Section – The place for the raw coffee grounds.
o Upper Section – The place for the resultant coffee.

Some versions of the pressure type have no upper section. The upper tube can be bent in order to deliver the coffee directly into the cup.

How it works.

The pressure type percolator is then placed on a heat source. If the water reaches the boiling point, a steam is formed. It makes a kind of pressure and forces the water into the coffee grounds through a tube. The mixture passes to the upper section for a concentrated coffee result.

Gravity Type

The gravity type percolator continually cycles the boiling brew through the grounds. It uses gravity to buy the desired strength of coffee. The components comprises mainly of:

o A small chamber filled with water at the bottom.
o A vertical tube from the bottom chamber to the pot top.
o A perforated chamber with a coarsely grind coffee at the end of the tube.

How it works.

The pot is placed on a heat source with water. The water should be below the bottom of the coffee chamber where it can pass through the vertical tube over the perforated lid. The water is then seeped through the grounds, leaving the coffee chamber. It will drop back into the lower half of the pot and force it upward. The process repeats as it approaches the boiling point. Finally, the perking action stops.

Different types of coffee percolators are loved with fantastic popularity. It is the favorite brewing method that is both convenient and simple to use. Despite the different varieties that have fallen out with some coffee lovers, coffee percolators still offer a distinct brewing quality and nice aroma of coffee.

The espresso machine is the best of the best in cup of joe makers. But, if you buy a combination espresso-coffee maker you will merely be making espresso. Espresso machines are brilliant for making coffee house style coffee based drinks and are very quick. If you like espresso every once in a while and you are a cup of esporesso drinker too; you may need to reckon about a combination coffee-espresso machine.
Your cup of esporesso maker is what you would like it to be, based on your desired investment. If you are a ritualistic cup of esporesso drinker who has to have that morning cup of espresso drink to get ready, Splurge on a small more money and obtain a machine that is going to go on and that does
What you desire it to do. If but you just have a coffee maker so that you and your guests can have Your regular normal coffee or you just every once in a while have cup of esporesso yourself, there is no need for you to render a sizeable investment.
Saeco LB5010 Lavazza Blue Ultimate Espresso Machine with Two Adjustable Dispensing Heads is the upper of the line automatic espresso machine which operates with the programmable push button indicator and with the conical burr chopper for making superior cup of esporesso. It has an adaptable strength setter for stronger or lighter cup of esporesso to make certain you have the high quality real coffee house experience every and everyday. The quick seam perculating system is so much simpler to clean and can serve two cup of esporesso cups at a point in time by using the X small class technology. If you simply switch on and push the button the machine  will grind the high quality coffee beans and deliver the freshly perculated espresso coffee cup fit for individuals who are home perculated snobs, it will present the exact taste you want at home yet the flavor, quality, strength of your favorite coffee shop.

The first start up fees when making your possession will seem like a lot, but, you ought to keep in mind that after you buy a superior quality product you will possess it for years and years to come. If you are a coffee enthusiast then this is exactly what you ought to buy, it has everything you would ever like or need all wrapped up nicely in one glossy smooth operating system. It is like having your neighborhood favorite coffee shop right in your kitchen. Add your ground beans, water, froth your mile add your flavoring and you are ready, while staying at your home. This will be a time saver additionally, no need to get dressed, start the car, place up with with traffic, Stand in line at your coffee shop, order your favorite drink and hope they make it right, try to get out of the parking lot, get back on the road. If you possess your own espresso maker you can turn it on, add your ingredients be complete in more or less 30 seconds and sit at the kitchen table and read the paper or check your email. How much is you time worth? Because you are satisfying your neighborhood coffee house’s pockets with money and wasting so much of your precious time driving and waiting. Get your espresso machine and relax, you deserve it!

DATELINE: BOSTON; BROOKLINE; JAMAICA PLAIN; NEWTON CENTRE; SOMERVILLE AND WEST ROXBURY, MA…

J.P. Licks, the Kosher-certified scoop shop with seven stores in and around Boston, is known for their high quality, homemade (and sometimes outrageously flavored) ice cream. But, what many don’t realize is that they are just as particular about their coffee – where it comes from, how it’s roasted and how it tastes.

With February being “Specialty Coffee Month”, J.P. Licks’ passion for coffee and commitment to coffee growers is highlighted through their limited edition offering of Honest Trade Organic (FTO) Nicaragua coffee, which comes from Promotora de Desarollo Cooperativo de las Segovias (PRODECOOP), based in the Segovia region of Northern Nicaragua and boasting of 40 cooperatives.

PRODECOOP was established in 1993 to provide help to its members’ families in the sustainable production and the marketing of their coffee. Their revenues from honest trade sales support many social and quality control programs including: primary and secondary school scholarships and books; a revolving social fund that assists with disaster relief, healthcare and homebuilding; an organic production program that has boosted their certified organic coffee production significantly; improved processing equipment and the creation of a quality control center to maintain their high standards.

When it comes to Honest Trade coffee, J.P. Licks insists upon several factors before partnering with a grower: honest price; environmental sustainability; honest labor conditions; direct trade; community development and organic cultivation.

“Where our coffee comes from and how it is obtained is just as vital to us as how our coffee tastes. We take pride in being ‘honest’…honest with our employees, honest with our customers, and honest with the people who grow the coffee we roast,” says the enigmatic founder of J.P. Licks, Vince Petryk.

To further ensure high quality and flavor consistency in every cup of coffee, J.P. Licks insists on roasting their beans at their Jamaica Plain store and has been doing so since 1999. FTO Nicaragua is a medium roast coffee…not too dark, not too light, but just right.

Customers who delight in a fantastic cup of J.P. Licks coffee may also buy their favorite blend of fresh roasted coffee beans. With coffee bean sales accounting for more than 25 percent of their business, J.P. Licks continues to meet considerable consumer demand for the best brewing beans in Boston.

J.P. Licks can be found at Coolidge Corner, Davis Square, Mission Hill, Newbury Street, Newton Centre, West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain. Visit www.jplicks.com to check their store hours.

Best of Boston and Beyond

For more than 25 years, J.P. Licks has been serving homemade ice cream and other specialties in their seven Kosher-certified shops in and around Boston. Locally owned and operated, J.P. Licks has won many awards over the years for their intensely-flavored homemade ice cream and frozen yogurt. Most recently, J.P. Licks was named “Best of Boston” by Boston Magazine and also made WBZ’s “A-List” for the second year in a row. Known for their high quality, scrumptious treats and their knack for “treating people right”, J.P. Licks was named Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s “Small Business of the Year”.

In addition to their frozen creations, J.P. Licks has taken it upon themselves to roast their own honest trade and organic coffee beans on-site at their Jamaica Plain store, which ensures the best and the freshest, full-bodied cup of coffee around. Decadent hand-packed ice cream cakes as well as breakfast & ice cream sundae catering are also available.

Visit the website at www.jplicks.com for more information.

Copyright (c) 2008 Soaring Eagle Companies LLC

Understanding how a product such as coffee becomes certified organic, gains a better understanding into the world of nutrition and how food marks affect ones health and well being.

Organic food basically means that even before the food was grown, the area where the seeds or plants were planted had to be free and clear of waste and chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides. Any type of plant food spray is prohibited when it comes to growing the coffee bean, which means extra care has to be established by the grower such as weeding by hand, pest removal by means of not using any type of chemical and routine feeding and maintenance by drug free plant food. The same goes for organically grown vegetables and also animals that are also being raised for the consumption of organic milk and meat.

For a company or manufacturer to allow their coffee to become certified organic they must first differentiate between their organic growing methods and their more traditional methods that involve the use of synthetic chemicals and sewage sludge in the growing and manufacturing of all the food they grow as well as the animals they raise at the same location.

For products such as coffee to be labeled certified organic, a farm or business must set high standards throughout the entire growing process. From the way seeds or plants are stored to before they are planted, are just as vital as keeping unnatural chemicals and preservatives away from them while they are growing. For example, how coffee beans are picked and how they are stored as well as how chemical free they remain while being packaged and shipped is essential in meeting organic food guidelines and measures. Organic coffee beans must meet full organic standards right up until they land on store shelves at the local market or grocery store to be ready for consumers to buy.

The land in which the coffee or other organic product is being grown on must remain free from any chemical or fertilizer dumping that could contaminate the soil even if it isn’t being directly sprayed onto the organic plants. Even the smallest amount of outside contamination can occur from chemicals that have leaked into the surrounding soil, thus making the coffee un-certifiable organic.

Keeping non-certified organic food separate from organic food is essential in keeping up with the standard guidelines with the organic mark. Cross contamination of food such as coffee beans is not allowed and could cause a business to lose their license or organic food selling privileges.

Growers must live up to the highest standards in keeping organic versus non organic foods separate from the time of planting and even up to delivery and distribution.

Having the site where the coffee is grown periodically inspected by government food officials or nonprofit organic organizations and private companies is the only way for a product to carry an organically grown stamp on their coffee. Growers must abide by all of these guidelines in order to maintain a healthy environment for coffee until it reaches the consumer.