CFFN Magazine

College Town

Confections 16 Four to Five a Day

28

Starbucks Secrets

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Letter from the Editor Meet the Newest Coffee Addict on the Scene When I first started this magazine, I had never tried a cup of coffee and the closest that I had come was a pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks (I know, that’s really pathetic, right?).

I figured that I couldn’t really start a magazine about coffee without really trying what I was going to be writing about for an entire semester.

Before this project, I would have never even considered trying coffee because I thought it was too bitter and there was nothing about it that appealed to me. After a couple of late nights working on this magazine, I quickly changed my tune.

Now, if you were to ask me how I take my coffee, I could easily tell you “the sweeter, the better.”

I learned a lot while working on this magazine and not just about coffee itself. I have learned about gathering and organizing content on a page that will intrigue the reader as well as making an overall unifying piece that I would be proud of. As a future educator, I have learned a great deal that I will be able to share with my students if they want to make their own magazine.

In the process of making this magazine, I took in NUMEROUS ideas, suggestions and critiques from

colleagues and other professionals so that I would be sure that this magazine grabbed the attention of everyone and appealed to them as well (I can’t help it, I am a people pleaser). But that’s enough about me.

Numerous hours, a few sleepless nights and (you guessed it) several cups of coffee and coffee infused snacks later and CFFN Magazine was born. I am really happy with how this project turned out and I think it was definitely worth all the effort that I put into it.

CFFN Magazine has something for everybody.

Whether you’ve never touched the ‘magic elixir’ or if you wish you could put coffee in an IV, you are sure to find just about anything that will interest you in these 36 pages.

Our mission is: “to fuel our readers with knowledge of what they love most: COFFEE.” I hope that within the pages of this magazine you learn something new about coffee that you had not known before.

So, without further ado, sit back with a nice cup of Joe, flip through the pages of CFFN Magazine and find out what it is about a few beans from Central and Southern America that can make one caffeinated beverage so extraordinary.

Cheers,

photos by breanna da

ugherty

06 EAT Have you ever wondered if you can get your coffee to go without having to worry about spilling it all over yourself in the rush? Your search is over.

09 CRAFT

features

If you go to Starbucks and you don’t post a photo, then did you REALLY go to Starbucks?

Check out some of the photos that our readers submitted.

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28 FOUr to Five Cups a Day

Are you getting your daily recommended amount of caffeine?

New research shows that the more coffee you drink, the more beneficial it is for you.

11 BREW

14 TELl

25 TRAVEL

32 ASK

Check out a new method you can use to make your own coffee.

In this issue, we covered how to make french press coffee like a barista would.

Have you gotten bored with the usual Starbucks menu and want a change of pace? Check out secret drinks we found and how you can get them too.

Coffee isn’t just a big thing in America - it’s a global phenomenon.

Find out how Europeans drink their coffee and some of the best places to get it abroad.

Our most recent answer to a reader’s question “What’s the difference between coffee and espresso?”

16 College town confections

In a small town in Indiana, one couple opened their own coffee shop downtown as a gathering place for everyone in the community. In a little over a year, it’s become a huge hit.

The story of Lauren and Frank Reber and their coffeeshop is something that you won’t want to miss.

COVER STORY

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Contributors www.facebook.com/cffn www.twitter.com/cffn

Art and Journalism Building Ball State University Muncie IN, 47306

(812)-343-4351 editorial@cffn.com

EDITOR IN CHIEF Roth Lovins

CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR Pamela Leidig-Farmen

COPY EDITOR Becca Tapp

FINANCE DEPARTMENT Don Lovins Teresa Lovins

Meet Michele Whitehair. Michele is a sophomore Journalism News major at Ball State University. For this issue, Michele wrote and researched all of the content for the Four to Five a Day story on pages 28-31.

WRITERS Nick Cho Sam Lugtu Katie Overley Rita Poole

PHOTOGRAPHERS Chris Arnold Ashley Lutz Josie Sampson Laura Wifler

AN ‘EXTRA SET OF EYES’ Hannah Dominiak Erika Espinoza Betsy Kiel Becca Tapp Harley Wiltsey

COFFEE BAR TESTERS Keely Collier Breanna Daugherty Katie Overley Emma Rogers Lanie Yorgen 04

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Meet Breanna Daugherty. Breanna is a sophomore Photojournalism major at Ball State University. In this issue, Breanna took photos for College Town Confections on pages 16-23 and some other photos in the magazine.

CFFN is a magazine dedicated to fueling our readers with knowledge of what they love most: COFFEE. We work to provide information on the newest trends and techniques in the coffee world. To do this, we look at local and world stories to connect our readers. *Disclaimer: This magazine is a product of Pamela Leidig-Farmen’s JOUR 323 class at Ball State University in the Spring semester of 2015.

Download the Tablet Version of CFFn in the App Store Today

EAT

HAVE YOUR COFFEE AND EAT IT TOO

This issue we looked at different types of bars that all had either coffee beans or caffeine in them the perfect source of energy for every on-the-go person.

Check out what our staff thought of the bars and how they stood up against each other

Chia Coffee Bars

NuGo Coffee Bar

Chia seeds are the number one ingredient - the newest breed of this new coffee super snack!

No time for breakfast? Try the delicious flavor of coffee drizzled with real milk chocolate. This bar is low in fat, high in protein and loaded with vitamins.

WHAT THE STAFF THOUGHT: Because none of us are vegan, we did not like this bar, however there were a few people that liked the health benefits.

WHAT THE STAFF THOUGHT:

Cost of one bar: $1.47

Cost of one bar: $1.30

Rating (1-5):

Rating (1-5):

+plusbar Coffee Almond Crisp

Blue Diamond Coffee Almonds

Light and powerful - the +Plusbar Crisp delivers sustained energy using the world’s finest super foods. Delicious goodness for the perfect snack.

Made with real coffee, Coffee Almonds are the go-to snack when you’re on the move and need to refuel.

WHAT THE STAFF THOUGHT: The texture is something that would take some getting used to, unless you’re vegan.

Most of the staff enjoyed the almonds after they got past the fact that they looked like coffee grinds.

Cost of one bar: $1.75

Cost of one bar: $1.50

Rating (1-5):

Rating (1-5):

Java Me UP! Bar

Mocha Latte CoffeeBar

The newest and most innovative entry in the energy bar market. Combines the best of healthy snacking, ever-popular coffee and high energy.

WHAT THE STAFF THOUGHT:

This bar didn’t offer any energy, but it was sweet enough to enjoy.

WHAT THE STAFF THOUGHT:

There’s no question, chocolate and coffee are meant for each other. The Mocha Latte Coffeebar is crafted with a full cup of direct trade coffee, vegan chocolate chips and cinnamon for a coffeehouse taste.

While it was bitter, we thought that this bar would make a nice easy breakfast.

WHAT THE STAFF THOUGHT:

Cost of one bar: $1.99

Cost of one bar: $3.00

Rating (1-5):

Rating (1-5):

Didn’t live up to it’s hype.

Start the day with your favorite songs.

CRAFT

Latte Lovers Check out these photos from our readers who use Instagram

1 Photo by @emmavrogers 2 Photo by @thecaffeinery 3 Photo by @bre_daugherty 4 Photo by @thecaffeinery 5 Photo by @thecaffeinery 6 Photo by @bre_daugherty

CFFN Magazine

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Want to expand your taste in coffee?

Want to perfect your brewing skills?

Want access to different types of coffee?

We’ve got just the app for you!

Download it in the app store today

BREW

Getting Creative with Caffeine Check out this new way to enjoy coffee photo by laura wifler by nick cho

BREW

Brew Like a

Barista

1

Start with a very coarse grind, maybe at the coarsest setting on your grinder. The particles should appear somewhere between coarse salt and steel cut oats. Take note of your grind size so you can make adjustments later: grind a little finer next time if your brew was weak, a bit coarser if you're tasting a lot of unpleasant, dish-raggy, over extracted flavors.

TIP: While there's a maximum amount that your French press will make, there isn't really a minimum. A good coffee-to-water ratio is between 60-70 grams of coffee per liter of water (a mass ratio between 1:16 and 1:14).

Decide how much brewed coffee you want to make and weigh out the right amount of coffee.

Nick Cho, co-founder of Wrecking Ball Coffee 2 Roasters in San Francisco, shares his secrets for the perfect cup of french press coffee 12

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Get your clean (filtered if you need it) brew water ready. With French press, you're good to pour your water right off the boil unless you've got an insulated (or double-walled) press, in which case you should wait about 30 seconds off of boil. If you're brewing dark-roasted coffee or decaf, it's better with water about 10 to 15째F or lower.

photos by nick cho

3

Start your clock and add your water. Some people like to add a little water, stir, and add the rest. It really doesn't matter. The important part is what you do after you add the water. If you were to just sit back and wait out your brew time now, you'd have an underextracted brew, because the release of CO2 gas will cause your grounds to rise up and float on top of your water. Remember that first phase "Wetting?" Well, if you don't have good wetting, you don't have much of anything that follows, so you should give your coffee and water mix a gentle but thorough stir at about 30 to 45 seconds in. You'll know you're good to put the lid on and move on to the next step when most of the coffee has sunk and isn't floating anymore.

4

Shoot for a target brew time between 6 and 8 minutes. "What? I thought it was 3 to 4 minutes!" you might say. You can brew in 3 to 4 minutes if you want, but to get good flavor results, you'd be grinding a lot finer, and you're not getting the most out of the unique qualities of the French press.

5

When you're ready to stop your brewing, it's time to plunge. So as I've mentioned, French press is a nice, slow, gentle brew. One great way to ruin that niceness would be to violently agitate your coffee grounds, accelerating extraction right at the end when your coffee has already given up the good stuff and the bitter and astringent negative flavors are in danger of taking over. Plunge gently. If you feel the plunger start to get tight, back it up an inch or two and resume plunging.

Once you get to the bottom, you're done!

6

If you've plunged your bed down nice and tight, there isn't a lot of brewing that will happen from this point on, but it's still ideal to pour off your entire beverage right after plunging to truly stop the brewing process.

Check out our iPad edition of CFFN Magazine for a video version of these instructions.

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TELL

The Secret Behind Starbucks Reporter Katie Overley tried every item on the Starbucks secret menu and made a list of her favorite choices. See what she voted for in each category by katie overley photo by ashley lutz

LATTE: HOT BUTTERBEER For recipes for each drink on the Starbucks Secret Menu, check out our iPad edition of CFFN Magazine.

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​So I went with lattes first, because that is my favorite go-to drink at Starbucks. The one that I enjoyed the most was the Hot Butterbeer Latte. We can’t exactly visit Hogsmeade, so here’s the next best thing! If I was feeling up to the ABC Family Harry Potter Movie Marathon Weekend, this would be my drink of choice - behind actual butterbeer, of course. For me, it is the ultimate drink that will fulfill my sweet tooth while also warming me up in the colder months. You ‘butter-be’ prepared for this delicious drink.

NOTE: If hot beverages aren’t your thing, you should definitely try the Butterbeer Frappuccino - it’s the same thing but is a better treat for those humid summer days .

MACCHIATO: Caramel Snickerdoodle Macchiato This drink is the right amount of sweet and bitter for my taste. Because this is an iced drink, the flavors are very separate unless you blend them all together. I tried my first few sips without mixing it and thought that it was pretty good, but the flavor really peaked when I mixed the drink completely. If you are looking for something that will satisfy your sweet tooth, look no further.

REFRESHER: Fruit Punch I​f the world was on fire in the middle of summer, the drink I would go for is the Fruit Punch Refresher. It’s cold, fruity, and refreshing all at once. It tastes and looks like Fruit Punch, but has the pick me up of a Refresher for those sluggish days when you need something extra.

FRAPPUCCINO: COOKIE DOUGH Cookie Dough Frappuccino. Oh yes. THIS is the ultimate drink for that person with the sweet tooth like me. This is the kind of drink I would sip on with friends or if I feel like gaining the Freshman 15 in one drink. It would be ideal to drink this on an early summer morning while road tripping with others or even spending some relaxing time alone. This a great drink for the cookie and chocolate lover in you.

TEA: Cold Russian ​Working down my favorite drink list, last would be tea. The best drink I could find was the Cold Russian Tea. I would drink this while having a ‘chillax’ day in Maui or when I feel like being classy. The drink has a great taste to it and is something that even the baristas have never tried before.

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College Town

Confections The Story of how one College Town Coffee Shop in Indiana got Started and how they became so popular story by roth lovins

photos by breanna daugherty

For people in Muncie, Indiana, a new coffee shop was just the thing that brought the community together. For owners Frank and Lauren Reber, it was their dream business in real life.

The Caffeinery, which gets its name from being both a coffee and teashop, is not the first in Muncie.

But Frank hopes it can become an unofficial tourism beacon for Muncie. He said he would like it to be the first place new visitors to the city come to learn about all that the small downtown area has to offer.

“The first thing I do when I go to a new city is find a coffee shop,” Frank said. “If it’s a good shop, the people in there will know the area.”

Every time Frank and Lauren would go downtown, they would hear about the need for a communal gathering place.

“We had friends that were telling us that they wished there was a neutral environment that everyone would feel welcome in,” Frank said.

Frank and Lauren, who are long time residents of Muncie, were aware that such a store was necessary.

That idea is exactly what inspired the idea behind The Caffeinery.

“The coffee shop is a medium rather than a force on the community,” Frank said. “People meet and bring with them intellectual conversations and ideas. The shop gives people the energy to do the things they’re already doing.”

Both Frank and Lauren grew up around small businesses and could never imagine working in any other condition.

“I always knew that I wanted to work for myself,” Lauren said, “I just never knew what I wanted that business to be.”

Immediately before they started The Caffeinery, Frank and Lauren both worked other jobs within the Muncie community. Frank worked as a teaching assistant at Ball State University in the college town, while Lauren worked her own photography business.

However, the couple found that they could use skills from both of their previous jobs when they were working on the idea for their new store.

“I know a lot about audio, so I worked to make sure that people could hold a conversation in the store without feeling like they are being eavesdropped on,” Frank said. “At the same time, Lauren used her visual skills to make the atmosphere and the Scherry Hirschy, a sophomore visual communications major at Ball State University enjoys an Italian espresso, one of many drinks offered at The Caffeinery. The Caffeinery changes their menu with the seasons; however, customers can continue to order things that aren’t on the menu at that time.

aesthetic of the store feel very welcoming and inviting to everyone.”

Lauren says that in running the business, the two of them work separate parts of the store to make the overall shop the best it can be.

“Frank is more of the behind the scenes guy; he really takes care of the ordering and the accounting.”

Lauren said. ”Whereas I am more of the visuals and aesthetics; the stuff that you see when you first walk in the door.”

Frank and Lauren aren’t just business partners, but they are also a married couple that has known each other for over 10 years.

“Not a lot of people get to work with their significant other, which is a challenging yet rewarding task in itself,” Lauren said. “In the business, we both have shared roles and we play to each others strengths and it always helps to have the open communication that we have.”

When the couple was deciding on where they wanted to open their dream business, they had a few buildings in the Muncie area in mind. Lauren said that they had considered a building next to the local bus station, but found that the building was too expensive for them. The building that they ended up in was one that the couple had never really considered before even though they passed by it every day when they drove in the downtown area.

“We would drive by the building and saw that it was available for lease for a while and so we thought that we would look into the option,” Lauren said. “When we walked into this area, I just had that feeling that said this is the one; this is the place for us.”

Frank told a similar story about how they settled on the current building: “This building was actually our second pick,” Frank said. “We wanted to open up in a building where we could have a recording studio on the second floor

The first thing I do when I go to a new city is find a coffee shop. If it’s a good shop, the people in there will know the area.

- FRANK REBER

CFFN Magazine

19

and a coffee shop on the first floor, but we couldn’t find any reasonably priced buildings that would allow for that. We had actually driven by this building so many times that we decided to give it a shot and we ended up loving it.”

Before they signed the lease however, the couple did a great deal of planning and studying on the area around the shop. In total, it took the couple six months to get their dream business to the point that it is today.

The building that they chose at 401 S. Walnut St. was unique compared to its neighboring buildings because of its Victorian-style ceiling.

The inside of the shop has a 100-year-old ceiling and floor, which the two designed the store around.

The front of the store has windows about 12 feet tall that allow people on the street to see the orange walls and dark hardwood finishes inside.

During construction, Frank said they built around the original structure to preserve the building’s history and timeless feeling.

“We feel Muncie has a lot of history and so does this store,” Frank said. “We tried to preserve it, but at the same time provide a modern and comfortable look and feel.”

The Caffeinery recently celebrated its first anniversary in the Muncie community, and Frank is excited to see what the future of the shop holds for them.

“Being in touch with the community is such a great thing to have in a business,” he said. “We really have our finger on the pulse of what is going on around us here.”

The other thing that makes The Caffeinery different from other businesses is the quality of the products that they sell.

Frank said the company’s manual methods are different compared to other shops because they feature the different tastes of coffee beans. They purchase the coffee as soon as they go on sale, due to different harvest times.

Along with these boutique coffees, there are a great number of drinks on the menu that you might not normally find in a chain restaurant of a similar style or atmosphere.

With all of the different coffees The Caffeinery showcases, Frank said they embrace all different flavor profiles from different farms.

“For me, drinking coffee is almost universal,” Frank said. “It’s almost as widely (done) as … people getting haircuts. It’s just something people in most every part of the world do.”

Frank said their store also differs from Starbucks and other chain businesses because they manually brew their coffee as opposed to automatic brewing methods.

“Overall, the biggest difference is that we don’t really ever have to answer to anyone else in our 20

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Meet the Owners Q&A WITH LAUREN AND FRANK REBER

How long have you lived in Muncie?

LAUREN: I was born and raised in Muncie. I have lived here for 28 years.

FRANK: I have lived in Muncie, Indiana for 32 years now.

What made you want to start This business?

LAUREN: I grew up around a small business and I always knew that I wanted to work for myself. Frank’s family also grew up working in a small business so we had that in common. We realized that the Muncie area had a need for coffee and we did the research and planning and decided on this business.

FRANK: We noticed that there was a need for a central gathering place downtown where people could just meet and be social. A lot of our friends had mentioned that they thought it would be good to open a coffee shop in a central part of town, so we took that idea and made The Caffeinery out of it.

How have you impacted the local community with your business?

LAUREN: I think that we have greatly impacted the Muncie community; every city and downtown needs a coffee shop. The Caffeinery is a great place for people to come together and, as far as we can tell, the Muncie community is very happy that we are here.

FRANK: It’s not so much that we wanted to be an impact on the community, but that we wanted to be a central facility where people could meet.

What is it like working together as a married couple?

LAUREN: It is definitely a very challenging yet rewarding opportunity. Frank and I have known each other for 10 years and we have always had an open communication, so it has been easy for us to work together.

FRANK: It’s really great working as a married couple, but we tend not to focus on that aspect too much when running our business.

What are each of your roles in the business?

LAUREN: We both have shared responsibilities throughout the store, but we definitely divide which part we are both in charge of. Frank is more behind the scenes doing ordering and the accounting, and I do a lot more of the visual and aesthetics of the store.

FRANK: We both do just about everything that we can. We’re both certified baristas and have management skills so we both make coffee and work with customers at all times.

How would you describe the overall atmosphere of The Caffeinery?

LAUREN: I think that The Caffeinery is very lively and energetic; there is a lot going on. We also wanted to make it feel very welcoming and inviting.

FRANK: We really tried to go for a timeless aesthetic when we were coming up with the atmosphere of The Caffeinery. We didn’t want to be trendy or ‘gimmicky’ but we wanted to be a welcoming place for all people.

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LEFT: Lauren Reber is not only a co-owner and a barista at The Caffeinery, she also is a photographer and a musician. Her parents own the Music Store in Muncie, IN. Lauren enjoys the afternoons because it is busy and she only has so long to get a drink out.

RIGHT: Frank Reber was an audio engineer at Ball State University before opening The Caffeinery. His parents own Reber Auto in Muncie, IN. Frank enjoys working in the morning because that is when people are a “blank canvas” and he has the opportunity to help them to have a better day.

business,“ he said. “We can change up stuff all the time which makes things interesting for us and for the clientele.”

Another difference between The Caffeinery and other brand stores is the attention they put on the orders themselves.

“Our way of making coffee is just so technical because of how hands-on it is; it’s all human,” he said. “If we make a cup that we don’t like, we throw it out and start over.“ When the doors first opened, Frank and Lauren began working 16-hour days.

“At times, we forgot to eat or drink something,” Frank said. “But, after two and half days, your body starts to remind you.”

He said that all the hard work and intense training has paid off.

“There have been a lot of people lining up to check it out and people have been really supportive and happy,” he said.

When they opened, they had hired three employees who began working after a week of training, he said.

Since they opened, they have seen all kinds of people from all over the community with a strong trend in first time mothers appearing in the store.

“For the most part, there is an equal representation of people that come into the store on a daily and weekly basis,” Frank said. “However, we have realized that a lot of first time mothers come into the store so that they can all get together with their kids in a place that’s not a bar.”

Lauren notes that the busiest days for the store 22

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are towards the end of the week rather than at the beginning like other people might believe it to be.

“We have noticed that we get the most business on Thursdays and Fridays, and our busiest times are in the morning from 9 until about 11,” Lauren said.

According to Lauren, the atmosphere of the shop is a key part of what brings customers back.

“When we were working on the feel of the shop, I wanted the place to feel like my home and that I was letting people come in and feel welcome no matter what,” Lauren said.

Frank said that the overall feel of the atmosphere was something that took a great deal of planning in the beginning.

“We were going for a timeless aesthetic, not really trendy or hipster, but overall really welcoming,” Frank said. “We want to make sure that you are treated well and get the best possible coffee experience you can; there are no gimmicks to what we do here.”

The only thing in the shop that doesn’t go with their timeless aesthetic is the custom-made espresso machine that sits on the counter of the shop. The espresso machine was handmade in Florence, Italy, and painted the same bright red as Ferrari’s automobiles.

One of The Caffeinery’s most popular drinks is the Albini, which is made with maple syrup and cinnamon. Frank said it is named after Frank’s old boss at Electrical Audio in Chicago.

The Albini latte and the ‘Frank’s Blend’ are just two of the things that are unique to the store. Frank says that the blends that they come up with are all based on preference.

“When we try to make up a new blend, we try to think of all the people that could be drinking this coffee,” Frank said. “We try to make it approachable and something that you can drink all day long.

However, it takes us about 6 months to actually make a new blend, so it’s somewhat hard to get everything exactly right the first time.”

Specialty blends and being able to change whatever you want are just two of the benefits that Frank loves about owning his own business. The biggest benefit: “unlimited coffee.”

STAY AWAKE WITH CAFFEINATED CHOCOLATE

@AwakeChocolate facebook.com/Awakechocolate

TRAVEL

CafĂŠ Culture Fly around the world with us as we find out how coffee is prepared outside of the United States by sam lugtu

photos by josie sampson

TRAVEL

Experiencing Europe Coffee in Europe is different from the American standards Order a latte and be prepared to get a glass of milk. Order a café au lait “to go” in France and it will be given to you in an 8 oz. plastic cup. Order a large, non-fat, extra hot, sugar-free mocha with two added shots of espresso and no foam in most European cafés and you’ll get a death stare.

Americans typically have their coffee on the go as a crutch to help them tackle busy days with their caffeine fix conveniently in hand. I wouldn’t be surprised if these situations happen frequently to caffeineseeking American tourists in Europe. They’ll most likely end up with something they don’t expect. But they aren’t exactly to blame. Most American coffee shops provide a broad range of options that cater to both low and high maintenance customers– anything from a small cup of coffee to a quad-shot extra foamy low-fat mocha.

sam lugtu

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In Europe, you aren’t given as many options because locals are all about the basics: espresso, cappuccino, and café au lait.

For those of you who aren’t coffee drinkers or are unfamiliar with coffeespeak, espresso is the product of forcing highly pressurized hot water through finely ground coffee. It’s the basis of popular drinks such as lattes, mochas, and caramel macchiatos. A cappuccino is made of espresso topped off with freshly steamed foamy, creamy milk whereas a café au lait is simply brewed coffee with added steamed milk.

Euro-sounding size terms popularized by American coffee shops such as “grande” and “venti” aren’t taken for anything more than their literal Italian meanings in Europe: “big” and “twenty,” respectively. Instead, European cafés serve drinks according to the number of espresso shots desired (i.e. single cappuccino or double espresso).

Americans typically have their coffee on the go as a crutch to help them tackle busy days with their caffeine fix conveniently in hand. Europeans typically don’t have coffee “to go” since they consider coffee drinking to be more of a social activity. I went to a café on the famous Parisian open-market street Rue Cler and observed the patronage sip their coffee with ease, some having vibrant conversations while others people-watch or read the daily newspaper Le Monde. Coming from the fast-paced environment of my workplace, it was nice to be in a setting where I could actually sit and enjoy my cappuccino because everyone else was doing the same.

It’s interesting how espresso drinks have become such marketable U.S. commodities in recent years, yet they have been an integral part of European life since the beginning of the 20th century. After coming back from Europe and diving back into the “daily grind” of my job, I definitely gained a newfound appreciation for coffee.

Continental Coffee

Check out these must-trys from all over Europe Café au lait The typical morning drink of the French. It is served in a cup wide enough that you can dunk your baguette or croissant in the top, Café au lait is a strong espresso prepared with equal amounts of coffee and steamed milk mixed in a bowl. Traditionally, both the milk and the coffee must be poured into the bowl at the same time, avoiding any layering between the coffee and milk. In America and other parts of the world it is common to see it served in a cup, almost becoming a café latte. The main difference between a latte and a café au lait is that a latte is made with espresso, instead of strong coffee, as is the case with the café au lait.

Türk Kahvesi

Italian espresso

Austrian Mélange

Drinking coffee was traditionally seen as a ritual in Turkey. Türk Kahvesi is prepared by using a small boiling pot or cezve, where finely ground coffee is boiled, while adding sugar to it. There are six degrees of sweetness, from extremely sweet to black. No sugar is added after preparation, making the use of spoons unnecessary. The result is a very strong, thick and concentrated coffee.

The birthplace of espresso, it’s practically a sin to visit Italy without tasting one. The perfect Italian cup should have a thin layer of caramel-colored cream on top, thick enough to hold a spoonful of sugar for a few seconds before it sinks through.

And you’re supposed to knock it back in one go! The rule is basically that after 12 p.m. you do not order coffee with milk in it.

That’s considered to be a morning drink.

Although it is very similar to the Italian cappuccino, the mélange is undeniably the traditional drink of Austria – especially in Vienna. Made up of espresso and steamed milk, the mélange is topped with froth or even sometimes whipped cream for a decadent treat. Served in elegant and elaborate Viennese cafés, the mélange plays a huge role in the country’s cultural heritage as well.

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four to five

a day

Find out how your morning ‘cup of joe’ can benefit MORE than just your energy level story by michele whitehair

t

here’s nothing better than that first cup of coffee - except maybe the second or third. If three cups sounds like a lot, new evidence suggests that it might actually be the perfect amount.

The 2015 Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee stated that “consumption of coffee within the moderate range…is associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in healthy adults.” The moderate range of coffee consumption in this case is three to five 8-oz. cups. This adds up to about 400 mg. of caffeine.

The research so far does not suggest that coffee is a ‘cure-all,’ but Tomas DePaulis of Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Coffee Studies said the studies show that “coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful.”

The WebMD article, “The Buzz on Coffee,” by Kathleen M. Zelman said that “coffee is the leading

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photo by breanna daugherty source of antioxidants in American diets – in part because we drink a ton of it.” For many, coffee is the easiest way to get some of the nutrients our bodies need, because it is one of the most common drinks in the country.

There is a lot that goes into a cup of coffee. “Coffee is more than just black water,” said Kris Gunnars of Authority Nutrition. A lot of health benefits have recently been uncovered about the popular drink.

There are numerous antioxidants and nutrients in each cup of coffee. Actual amounts of each vary based on the type of bean, the method of roasting the beans and the method of brewing.

Magnesium is one ingredient in a cup of coffee, as is the antioxidant quinine. Both can help fight off disease and help to regulate blood sugar levels, according to Web MD. This can help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, a disease that is becoming increasingly prevalent in America.

Studies have shown that drinking somewhere between three and five 8-oz. cups of coffee a day can have lasting benefits to your health. The problem with coffee comes with what extras you put into it and also how frequently you drink it throughout the day. Check out pages 30-31 to see how much coffee in one day is good for you.

Potassium is another nutrient in coffee. According to the article, “What is it about coffee?” published

by Harvard Medical School, potassium can help to offset the negative consequences of the sodium-rich diet that many Americans have.

Chlorogenic acid is the main antioxidant in coffee.

It helps to lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes and may inhibit the body’s absorption of glucose, according to Harvard Medical School.

Cafestol and kahweol are two other ingredients in coffee. Studies have shown both positives and negatives to these oily substances. They have been shown to raise bad cholesterol levels, but might also help the liver. Both of these substances are removed when the coffee is filtered through paper filters. This makes paper filtered brewing methods healthier than non-filtered methods of brewing.

Caffeine is the most widely-known ingredient

in coffee, and is also the most controversial. The average 8-oz. cup of coffee has about 95 mg. of caffeine in it. The advised three to five cups of coffee, then, have about 400 mg. of caffeine combined.

WebMD stated that the benefits of caffeine are numerous. It can slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease, ease headaches, help reduce fatigue and boost athletic performance. Caffeine stimulates the brain and nervous system to produce these effects.

At the same time, WebMD stated that caffeine is a drug and therefore it can be abused. Caffeine is only a temporary solution and it is still important to get the recommended amount of sleep and eat a healthy diet.

Too much caffeine can create serious health problems. Heart palpitations, irritability, nervousness and rapid heartbeat are just some of the risks involved with too much caffeine, WebMD warned.

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Benefits in a coffee cup How many cups a day are good for you?

1 cup a day reduces your risk developing Type 2 diabetes

Dependence on caffeine also creates problems in the form of withdrawal headaches if you try to go without it too soon.

Coffee itself also poses some risks for people who suffer with heartburn or acid reflux. Coffee is very acidic and it can irritate your gastrointestinal tract, which can cause heartburn. Decaf coffee can worsen the situation because of the added chemicals.

For people with acid reflux, caffeine relaxes the sphincter that keeps stomach acid in the stomach.

Decaf coffee does not have this effect on people because it does not contain the caffeine that causes the problem.

Studies have shown that drinking decaf coffee still has many of the same benefits as drinking caffeinated coffee. The only benefits, and drawbacks, that are missing from decaf are the ones that come from the caffeine itself.

The health benefits of coffee also change depending on what is added to a cup of coffee. The cups of coffee used in most studies use very little creamer or sugar. Adding more creamer or sugar increases the amount of calories in a cup, as well as the fat content. WebMD advised coffee drinkers to be aware of the added calories in coffee additives.

The average 8-oz. cup of coffee has about 2 calories. An 8-oz. cup of Starbucks Pike Place Roast coffee has about 5 calories. Adding sugar, creamer and any flavored syrups makes the calorie and fat count for these drinks go up quickly. An 8-oz. caffe mocha from Starbucks has around 200 calories in it.

It is easy to forget about these added calories and to not compensate for them in the rest of your diet, but Harvard Medical School said considering this information when making the choice about what to drink is important because the calories can add up quickly.

What each study showed was that drinking coffee, in moderation, does have some health benefits.

Many studies concluded by saying that while these benefits were significant, they were not significant enough for coffee to become a highly recommended part of a person’s diet.

For coffee enthusiasts, there are now some more reasons to go for that second or third cup of coffee.

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2 cups a day reduces your risk of committing suicide

3 cups a day reduces your risk of gallstones

Counting Calories

Milk, sugar and other flavorings that you add to your coffee makes that cup of java less beneficial for you. Look to see how they all compare to each other 1 calorie 5 mg sodium 116 mg potassium

Cup of coffee (8 oz.)

4 cups a day reduces your risk of a stroke and Type 2 diabetes

5 cups a day lowers your risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease

6 grams whole milk: 6 calories 112 mg sodium 482 mg potassium

6 grams 2% milkfat: 5 calories 8 mg sodium 124 mg potassium

Coffeemate Original ( Liquid ): 22 calories 5 mg sodium 116 mg potassium

Coffeemate Sugar free French Vanilla ( Liquid ): 16 calories 5 mg sodium 116 mg potassium

Sweet’N Low: 7 calories 6 mg sodium 116 mg potassium

Sugar: 18 calories 5 mg sodium 116 mg potassium

6 cups a day lowers your risk of advanced prostate cancer

6 Grams Half and Half : 20 calories 11 mg sodium 136 mg potassium

Coffeemate French Vanilla ( Liquid ): 36 calories 35 mg sodium 116 mg potassium

1 Tsp. HONEY: 65 calories 6 mg sodium 127 mg potassium

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ASK

What’s the difference?

After our last issue, we got a letter to the editor asking what the difference was between coffee and espresso. The answer is below Machines Temperature by rita poole

photos by chris arnold

Espresso machines cost over $90, whereas coffee machines can be as cheap as $20.

195-205 °F Temperature of water used to prepare both espresso and coffee

Roast

Espressos are made only from dark roasts (shiny black bean), but coffee can be made from any type of roast

Caffeine 30-50 Milligrams of caffeine in 1 fl/oz. of espresso

Espressos are usually served in shots because of how much caffeine they contain. Coffee can be served in any size from 8-31 fl oz.

Grinds

Prepared with fine grinds (like table salt)

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Prepared with medium grinds (like beach sand)

65120 Milligrams of caffeine in 8 fl/oz. of coffee