Hot Beverage

Is There an Art to Drinking Black Coffee?

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Is There an Art to Drinking Black Coffee?If you are like most of us, you know many people who drink coffee black. That person might tell you that his or her preference for black coffee is an acquired taste, as though drinking coffee without cream and sugar is like drinking the finest wines from the Bordeaux region of France. But do not be fooled. There is an art to drinking black coffee without being overcome by the bitterness.

The first thing to note is that black coffee does have a very unique flavor. If you can get past the bitterness, the flavor is unlike anything else you’ve ever tasted. You will experience something truly different that is unmasked by cream and sugar. And by the way, that’s the real point of learning the art of drinking black coffee.

Bring Out the Flavor of Coffee

The idea behind adding cream and sugar is to cover the bitterness coffee naturally presents. But in so doing, you are also masking the good part of coffee’s flavor. So a big part of the art of drinking coffee black is to find a way around the bitterness without masking what you like about the flavor. It is all about enhancing the good flavors. You need to be patient and give yourself a chance to get used to the taste. After a short period of time, you’ll begin to taste and enjoy the different nuances of each type of coffee.

Hot vs. Cold Brew

You may wonder what all the hype about cold brew coffee is. Well, it’s not just a millennial thing. Cold brew coffee is decidedly less bitter. It is even somewhat sweet. As a result, there are people who enjoy it without any additives whatsoever. You get all the flavor and benefits of coffee without the extra cream and sugar. And yes, you can heat cold brew up in the microwave without increasing the bitterness.

On the other side of the coin, do not try to make hot coffee and then put it in the refrigerator expecting the bitterness to go away. This actually increases its bitterness. Hot brewed coffee is bitter because the hot water brings out the bitterness of the coffee beans along with the oils that give coffee its flavor.

As a side note, a big part of the art of drinking black coffee is to sip slowly. Big gulps only make a bitter brew seem more bitter. Instead, take slow sips and savor the flavor. Let it roll around the tongue to touch the entire pallet. That is where the good flavors are discovered.

Want to enjoy coffee like the Italians? This infographic shows you how

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Throughout their history, Italians have developed quite a unique coffee culture. It has been refined over the centuries, and it has not been very much receptive to outside influences.

Today that culture is evident in the everyday rituals of enjoying coffee in Italian bars, cafes and homes. And the sheer number of different types coffee drinks displays their imagination and art when it comes to preparing and enjoying this popular drink.

There is a long list of unwritten rules in how Italians consume coffee. To make your life easier and help you avoid the awkward “tourist” label, Med Cruise Guide created an infographic showing the key 10 coffee drinking rules in Italy.

For example, try and order a cappuccino after 11 am in any bar in Italy, and you’ll get that stare that says that you have caused an international incident. That’s because Italians drink “milky coffees” like cappuccino in the morning, with pastry. The milk slows down digestion, so you should not have it after 11 am.

Or ask for a take-away coffee at a café. You’ll get that stare again. The rule says: no take away coffee in Italy.

Explore the infographic below and learn about the ten rules of coffee drinking in Italy.

10 Italian Coffee Drinking Rules: Enjoy Your Coffee Like Italians Do!

Take Anything…But My Coffee

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Take Anything…But My CoffeeGovernments imposing bans on certain foods in order to protect us from ourselves is not all that unusual. From New York’s trans-fat ban to California’s ban on foie gras (which was later rescinded), the food police are a group that never seems to sleep. But coffee? Why would anyone try to ban what is arguably the most loved beverage in the universe?

Believe it or not, coffee has been the subject of numerous ban attempts in the past. According to writer and comedian Emmy Blotnick, there have been no fewer than five such incidents throughout history. We appreciate that none of them actually succeeded long-term. You can take away a lot of things, but please don’t take our coffee.

From Religion to Health Concerns

Knowing that a government would attempt to ban coffee is one thing, understanding why such a ban would be considered is something else entirely. Keep in mind that coffee consumption began primarily as a religious practice in Africa and the Middle East. That leads us to the first known coffee man put in place in Mecca during the early 16th century. The government at the time believed that coffee was potentially intoxicating and could lead to radical thinking that drifted outside religious norms.

There were also religious concerns about coffee when it first arrived in Europe. Church leaders attempted to convince Pope Clement VIII to ban it under the auspices of protecting the church and its members. They claimed that coffee was satanic in nature. However, the pope disagreed after trying some himself. His declaration that coffee was delicious is partly credited for its widespread acceptance across Europe.

Other coffee bans throughout history include a 1623 action in Constantinople by Murad IV, a mid-18th-century action in Sweden that banned both coffee and coffee paraphernalia, and a 1777 action by Prussia’s Frederick the Great. Of the five attempted coffee bans listed here, only the Prussian ban was not related to religion or health. Frederick wanted to get rid of the caffeinated beverage because he believed it got in the way of beer consumption.

What You Don’t Know Will Kill You

Sometimes, what you don’t know can kill you. That’s not the case with coffee. A lack of understanding about caffeine in centuries past led governments and scientists to make decisions about coffee that were totally unfounded. It’s very similar to absinthe bans of the last few centuries.

Coffee is a beverage that is both delicious and good for you when consumed in moderation. So go ahead and take anything you want, except our coffee.

Without stating the obvious, Galaxie Coffee loves coffee, which is why we do what we do. We serve the greater New York area with the finest coffees, teas and other beverages along with a full range of breakroom products. We will continue to do so as long as coffee remains legal in this part of the world – which should be forever. Contact us for more information about arranging coffee service for your office.

Give Me a Large, Black Coffee

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Give Me a Large, Black Coffee“Give me a large, black coffee.”

Those immortal words pass through the lips of countless numbers of consumers every single morning. As the largest consumers of coffee in the world, we Americans seem to thrive on that caffeinated beverage known by dozens of different names including java, joe, wake-up juice, jitter juice and rocket fuel. And given our penchant to overdo things – think big hair in the 1980s – it would seem that we should hold the world record for the largest cup of coffee. But guess what? We don’t.

The record for the largest cup of coffee in the world goes to none other than South Korea. The Guinness Book of World Records credits South Korea’s Caffee Bene with creating a gigantic mug holding 3,758 gallons of the hot beverage in 2014. You can see pictures of the cup flanked by a comparatively petite woman, whom we assume may have been a barista, just to show how big it actually is.

Imagine having that coffee cup sitting on your desk at work. You would never need to take another trip to the coffee machine again. You may never sleep again either. More than 3,700 gallons of coffee would keep you going for a heck of a long time.

Iced Coffee in Las Vegas

The good folks in South Korea may have created the largest cup of hot coffee in the world, but an American company holds the world record for the largest iced coffee in the world. Their record was set in 2010 at the Mandalay Resort in Las Vegas. The Guinness Book of World Records says the GourmetGiftBaskets.com cup contained 1,500 gallons of iced coffee chilled to a delicious 45 degrees.

Las Vegas is known for going big in just about everything. For them, ‘over-the-top’ isn’t a phrase that’s used sparingly. So walking down the Strip and encountering a 1,500-gallon cup of iced coffee was probably not all that unusual at the time it occurred. For the rest of us, though, that’s a lot of cold joe.

It’s All Good

Whether you are talking about the largest cup of coffee, the biggest coffee pyramid in the world or the most extensive collection of coffee pots in a single location, it’s all good. It’s all good because it’s all coffee. It’s hard to go wrong with that little brown bean that, scientifically speaking, is actually a berry.

Our hats are off to the good people in South Korea and Las Vegas who saw fit to brew thousands of gallons of coffee just to set a record. They made a lot of people happy – particularly those who were fortunate enough to drink the cups dry after the records were officially set.

Here at Galaxie Coffee, we don’t have a 3,700-gallon cup to offer you. But we do have a fine selection of coffees, teas, and other beverages that we can deliver right to your office. We are happy to cover the entire greater New York area and beyond.

Coffee, Espresso, Cappuccino, and Latte: What are the Differences?

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Coffee, Espresso, Cappuccino, and Latte: What are the Differences?Your daily stop at the coffee shop on the way to work presents you with a myriad of choices. The menu board screams for your attention as you try to sort out just what you want. You can choose coffee, espresso, cappuccino or your favorite latte. But more often than not, you find yourself wondering what the differences are between them.

The retail coffee industry has become unnecessarily complicated due to a lack of information about the different kinds of coffee drinks. In an effort to make it as simple as possible, here’s a brief rundown. Our explanations are intended only to be a generic guide; we may differ from other companies in the coffee industry in terms of the details.

Coffee

The term ‘coffee’ is generally a generic term that covers any hot beverage made with roasted coffee beans. However, the term is a bit more specific here in America. Our ‘American coffee’ tends to be a beverage created with Arabica coffee and extremely hot water.

Roasted coffee is placed in some sort of basket over which hot water is poured for the purposes of extracting the oil in the roasted beans. Coffee can also be cold brewed or made with a French press. Americans tend to drink this standard form of coffee with cream and sweetener added.

Espresso

Espresso drinks can be made with the same roasted coffee products American coffee is made with. The primary difference is the concentration. To make espresso properly, ground coffee must be compacted tightly into its receptacle before hot water is forced through. This brewing method increases the strength and flavor significantly. As a result, a good espresso tends to be made with higher quality coffee beans. The flavor of inferior coffee is hard to hide in an espresso drink.

Cappuccino

Cappuccino is a beverage that is made with a combination of espresso and milk. Milk is steamed in order to create a frothy liquid with about twice the volume of regular milk. This creates the foam cappuccino beverages are known for. Also important to note is that cappuccino begins with equal portions of espresso and milk. This preserves the flavor of the coffee to a greater degree than a standard latte.

Latte

Latte is also a beverage made with espresso and milk. Its unique characteristic is that it starts with twice as much milk. The milk is heated but not frothed, so latte drinks don’t tend to be as foamy. Both milk and espresso are combined simultaneously in a serving cup to create a rich and creamy beverage. Any excess foam resulting from heating the milk may be poured over the top of the latte for artistic effect.

Now you know the differences between coffee, espresso, cappuccino and latte. If you are interested in coffee and beverage service for your office, please feel free to contact Galaxie Coffee. We provide a full range of coffee and tea products along with fruit juices and other beverages.

3 Reasons Coffee Is the Hot Beverage of Choice for Office Workers

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The average American office is staffed with an army of workers who can be seen filing in every morning with coffee cups in hand. Those same workers head to the break room for a refill at midmorning, and then again in the middle of the afternoon. Some of them will never let their cups get empty. But why? Why is it that coffee continues to stand as the hot beverage of choice for office workers?

Tea and hot chocolate are definitely gaining some momentum in the modern office. Still, coffee remains the favorite hot beverage. From our experience as a provider of office coffee service, we believe there are three reasons for this:

1. Caffeine Keeps You Going

It is no secret that caffeine is one of the most used stimulants in the world. It is a largely harmless substance that can keep workers going throughout the day without interrupting their workflow. Just enjoy a cup of coffee every couple of hours and you are good to go.

The caffeine in coffee also helps office workers remain alert in an environment that can easily lead to monotony and boredom. Those of you who stare at computer screens all day know exactly what we are talking about. Every now and again you just need a jolt of caffeine to refocus your eyes and mind.

2. Coffee Is a Social Beverage

The office environment is one that can feel isolating despite the fact that there might be dozens of workers in the same space throughout the day. Anyone who works in a cubicle knows what this is like. Coffee acts as an escape by providing a good reason to get out of the cubicle and interact with coworkers.

Coffee is a social beverage that encourages people to spend time with one another. Even if it’s just 15 or 20 minutes in the morning or afternoon, gathering around the coffee machine with your coworkers can really make a difference in how the day goes. For that alone, companies owe a lot to their coffee machines and break rooms.

3. Coffee Improves Productivity

A 2010 MIT study showed that the concept of the coffee break improves productivity among office workers. Even without the study, office managers have been aware for years that providing free coffee to workers is a small thing that goes a long way toward boosting performance. That is why they do it. And because employers are offering the coffee for free, workers are more than happy to drink it.

Coffee continues to be the favorite hot beverage among America’s offers workers. Here at Galaxie Coffee, we are thrilled to be able to provide industry-leading coffee service in the greater New York area. We know how much office workers depend on coffee throughout the workday, and we strive to offer only the best products combined with great prices and excellent service. Do not hesitate to contact us to learn more about our products and services.

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