A Newbie’s Guide To Different Popular Coffee-Related Drinks

With all the different drinks out there, it's tough sometimes to know the difference between a soy latte and a caffe latte. Besides, who really cares, as it couldn't be that different, right? Wrong. The differences are huge between types of coffee beverages. Here's a cheat sheet for the next time you don't know what to order, or don't quite understand how something is made.

First, though, it's important for understanding styles of coffee to recognize some key names for when you're ordering a coffee the next time you're in Italy, or at a great restaurant in your own town. You've probably said at least one of these names before, but maybe you don't know what really goes into the drink. Well, now you're going to:

Caffe Latte Also referred to as Cafe au Lait, this is probably the pinnacle, besides the cappucino, of coffee-related drinks. Definitely the most popular styles of coffee around the world are usually variations on this, with some flavors thrown in here and there (a mocha, after all, is just this plus chocolate). The foam on top? Steamed milk, which is also what's mixed into the drink along with the espresso. Basically, you're just drinking espresso with milk.

Mocha Anytime you see the word mocha on a drink, it means that there's some sort of chocolate flavor, usually from syrup, that's been added. For instance, a caffe mocha is a cup where there's a layer of chocolate at the bottom that's then topped with steamed milk, espresso, and usually chocolate shavings or sprinkles.

Caffe Creme A number of different styles of coffee just involve a couple of variations to change the end result. Here, your coffee is brewed right from the beans, resulting in a non-milk layer of foam, referred to as crema, on top of the drink itself. No dairy is involved, but the taste is surprisingly smooth, considering.

There's more to knowing about styles of coffee than just remembering some of the key names to the drinks. It's even more important to know some of the processes--i.e. what heats the beans. Here are a couple of the most popular:

The French Press This is also known as bodum, cafetiere, and the press pot. Sound confusing? It's a bunch of different names, not styles of coffee. Here, a glass container has a plunger attached, where you add near-boiling water, coffee, and then press the coffee, which is ground coarsely, down with the plunger after a few moments sitting in the boiling water. The system works to filter the coffee and leave a superior-tasting product.

The Fully Automatic Espresso Machine From semi-affordable versions given as wedding gifts to machines that literally cost the same amount as sports cars, Italy definitely perfected yet another mechanical device when the guys up in Milan invented this. For over a hundred years, these have made the best coffee you could get your hands on, and families are known for bringing over specific machines for their restaurants to do well. It basically grinds, measures, heats, and makes shots of espresso automatically. Amazing!

For the at-home folks, there's also a stovetop version of an espresso machine, which is a cross between a coffee pot and a percolator. Of course, the Americans amongst us are used to a different style of coffee entirely, with the Mr. Coffee drip system, which unfortunately is accurately known for producing slightly sub-par tasting cups of coffee, even when great beans are used.

So now that you're equipped with the names of a couple of drinks, as well as some at-home processes to getting a solid cup of coffee, there's no reason to freeze up the next time you're out at a fancy restaurant and everyone else is ordering coffee-related drinks that you don't quite understand. Once you get the basic vocabulary down, learning the styles of coffee and how to order them and make them at home is a simple undertaking. Bottoms up!

Damian Papworth just bought a sparkling 2 cup coffee maker, he reviewed it at the One Cup Coffee Makers website. Don't reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.

Tags: Beverages, coffee, Drinks, food and beverages, food and drinks, health, leisure, nutrition

May 20 2010 | coffee | No Comments »

Caffeine Withdrawal Headaches?-Tips For Caffeine Addiction

Truth be told, it seem that everybody responds to food items differently. Some things that stand out in my mind are nuts and assorted nut products. Then there are people who could consume just about anything.

I know that one of my most "triggering" food items is good old caffeine. My body does a good job of telling me when I have consumed too much caffeine. I get some brutal "caffeine headaches", just to name one side effect.

But being honest here, it would be really difficult for me to start the day without that proverbial morning "cup of coffee". There's just something special, or should I really say stimulating, about that first cup. I truly don't believe I could function without it.

Unfortunately, my consumption of straight up java in the early hours of the day does not go without its unique effects. Caffeine withdrawal is the newly recognized disorder that is getting a lot of attention lately. I guess I really have to be a little concerned about my excessive caffeine consumption.

Speaking only for myself, I know if I don't get my caffeine jolt in the morning and throughout the course of the day, I can be a different person. Associates as well as family members say I am a bit "cranky", and seem to have a short fuse. I tend to disagree, but I am not on the outside looking in.

If it wasn't for those pounding caffeine headaches I have, and a bit of the jitters, I probably wouldn't have any side effects at all. But then again, who wants to deal with them all day. So perhaps there is some truth to this "caffeine withdrawal" disorder they have been speaking about.

What we do have to remember is that everybody is different. Caffeine may not bother you as it does me. Checking with a physician is always a good idea if you are having any symptoms. I know for me it would be a tough thing to give up. But if less side effects is a goal, I just might have to concede.

Get Help For: CAFFEINE SIDE EFFECTS We have FREE adice on: CAFFEINE HEADACHES Don't reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.

Tags: caffeine, Caffeine Addiction, caffeine anxiety, caffeine effects, caffeine headaches, caffeine withdrawal, coffee, diet, exercise, food, nutrition

May 10 2010 | coffee | No Comments »