Camellia sinensis is the exotic sounding botanical name for a plant that many of us enjoy on a daily basis. It is the one plant that provides tealeaves. In fact, camellia sinensis gives us an astonishing three thousand different kinds of tea. read full article…

If you always like to accompany your cup of coffee with a chocolate cookie or other chocolate-based treat, or if you usually order a hot chocolate drink, you might not consider yourself a chocoholic, but you certainly make it to the fans’ category. But even of chocolate is not your first choice when it comes to desert, you should probably by familiar with at least its main categories, just in case you are asked if you prefer couverture over white chocolate for your ice-cream glace. read full article…

Pasta has existed since the days of the Roman Empire and remains one of the most versatile cooking ingredients, as no storage room or cupboard should be without it. It can be combined with meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, or even a simple herb sauce to create a mouthwatering and nutritious meal within minutes. read full article…

Chocolate is produced from the beans of the cacao tree, which originated in South America, and now grows in Africa, the West Indies, the tropical parts of America, and the Far West. Used as the main ingredient in numerous recipes, chocolate constitutes one of the most loved materials known in today’s food world. Children and adults both appreciate chocolate’s unique aroma, taste, color and texture and prefer it in comparison to other foods. read full article…

The second most consumed beverage behind water is tea. Interestingly enough the 3,200,000 tones of tea produced worldwide come from only one plant species, named “camellia sinensis.” But how a plant becomes a beverage? Tea is made by steeping processed leaves, buds, or twigs of the tea bush in hot water for a few minutes, a great variety of tea tastes, aromas and colors can excite even the more skeptical drinker. read full article…

You need to know what features are most important on a machine when looking for which espresso machines would best suit your needs. There are many espresso machines out there, with many manufacturers producing various makes and models. Upscale coffee houses use their wealth of knowledge and what their associates in the business say to discover which espresso machines are the best. Even they though, need some help when new makes and models are introduced to the market. What should a consumer do? Continue reading to find out. read full article…

These days when you walk in to a coffee shop it’s a whole new world. You’re not just ordering a “coffee”. You’re ordering a “coffee drink”. There’s an entire language you need to know just to order a coffee drink! read full article…

There are basically four types of coffee makers on the market today: the drip, the vacuum, the French press, and the stovetop. Each requires a different type of preparation and a varying amount of time and involvement on behalf of the user. However, having different types of coffee makers allows the user to find his or her particular taste and preference and make coffee at home. read full article…

Freshly grinding coffee beans prior to brewing is one of the most important steps to a great cup of coffee. Grinding the coffee beans properly and to the proper consistency for the brew you desire is essential. There are two main types of coffee grinders on the market today, namely the burr grinder and the blade grinder. read full article…

Coffee is a complex mixture of chemical components of the coffee bean. Some of these components are partially destroyed by the roasting process; however, many of these components are not. Caffeine is one of the components that is not affected by the roasting process. With the addition of hot water, the caffeine is extracted from the coffee bean. read full article…

We can see variety of energy drinks in cans or in bottles on TV commercials, in the market and even in local stores. Each of them are promoting and telling you about how it would increase your resistance, healthy performance and mind functions. Convincing you about its probable benefits, and its special characteristic that vary give them the edge among the other brand. However, these Energy beverages are quite expensive and for some people who are health conscious found out that these are not safe to drink at all times due to the reason that some of the brands contain artificial additives and high dosages of stimulants such as caffeine, which may cause worst effect on them. read full article…

Archimedes had his brainwave while in the bathtub. Newton had his when he was relaxing beneath an apple tree. Great ideas come in flashes. The idea of starting a hot sauce collection came to Hot Sauce Harry’s while vacationing in the Caribbeans. Wanting to avoid the stereotype souvenirs, they found the notion of gifting hot sauce quite appealing. Thus were planted the seeds of a massive hot sauce collection. read full article…

Even for the avid wine drinker, deciding on a bottle of wine can be a daunting task with so many varieties of wine on the market today. Wine labels don’t help either with the various terms in foreign languages and the small print. Sometimes reading a wine label makes you feel like you need a secret decoder ring, but rest assured that this is not to confuse you the customer, but rather to help you. The information on the label is there to tell you about the wine and also the winery and conditions of production. Once you have an idea of what to look for on a wine label, deciphering it shouldn’t require much effort. read full article…

Antioxidants are substances that help our bodies fight free radicals-natural but toxic chemical reactions that occur in our bodies and damage our cells. Different antioxidants combat different free radicals, so it’s wise to know and use a wide range of antioxidant foods and vitamins that help preserve health and vitality. read full article…