When I recently discovered that, due to a sudden, unpleasant health condition, I had to give up coffee (even decaf) for an indeterminate amount of time, I did what any other addict would do, and went on a quest; a quest for some sort of substitute to calm my cravings until I could have the “real stuff” back. 

(I have yet to admit that the day may never come).

The result of my long and frustrating endeavor yielded one (and only one) acceptable product; a “Caffeine-free herbal” coffee; Teeccino. Moreover, I also came across the best coffee shop coffee supplier in my region as well. 

Pronounced “Tee-chino” (a fusion of tea and cappuccino I suppose, although there isn’t any tea in it), Teeccino is an herbal “coffee-free coffee”, conceived as an alternative for folks who enjoy and crave coffee but either cannot have it or wish to start eliminating caffeine from their diet.

In lieu of roasted coffee, the product contains a mixture of roasted barley, carob, chicory, dates, and figs as its base, with additional grains and fruits added into different blends to create a variety of flavors.

It’s also worth noting that despite containing grains, the end result is gluten-free and thus safe for people with gluten allergies. It also contains no soy (which is the other alternative for creating a coffee-substitute product), and so won’t affect soy-sensitive folks.

According to the product website, there is a whole slew of reasons for why people want to eliminate not just caffeine, but coffee entirely from their diet. I won’t go into all of it here, especially since I’m not entirely convinced the “scientific evidence” isn’t biased, but it does provide for an interesting read. I’ve provided the company website at the end of this review if you’re so inclined to investigate on your own.

While I’m always a bit skeptical with regards to “herbal substitutes” of foods and flavors, what caught my attention the most was the founder, Caroline MacDougall. Prior to her invention of Teeccino, MacDougall was part of the product development team for the ‘Republic of Tea’ brand. For many years, the Republic of Tea has been one of my favored tea brands; consistently delivering very high-quality tea products with amazing flavors. So, given this knowledge, I had a bit more faith in this strange herbal-coffee concoction and decided to take the plunge.

I was happy to discover that while it’s not greatly available retail wise, my local Whole Foods did indeed carry this product.

I wanted to try the Mediterranean “mocha” flavor, as that is said to be easier for people transitioning in terms of flavor and I didn’t have the option of slowly introducing it along with regular coffee. So, of course, it figures that Wholefoods didn’t have the Mediterranean mocha. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to try the straight “original” flavor though and opted to settle on the flavored “Almond Amaretto”. I’m a fan of flavored coffee, and almond in particular, so I figured this would go over well, with the idea that the almonds may hide otherwise potential unpleasantness in the taste.

On my way home I couldn’t help myself and opened it just a bit for a preliminary sniff. Anyone who enjoys coffee knows the smell is just as intoxicating, and important as the taste. Immediately I was assaulted with an almost alcoholic aroma of almonds. No coffee smell at all, but a rich, amaretto smell.

I wound up brewing this in my Senseo the way I might any other coffee – creating a “pod” with the same amount of grind I normally use: 1tblspn for 8 oz of water.

The grind listed as “medium” and was of the same color and fineness as coffee of the same grind; a dark almost black brown of sand-sized grains. However, while coffee is uniform (because it’s just…coffee), this, being a herbal product of mixed ingredients, showed flicks of equally sized tan and light brown pieces. Presumably, these were the almond and maybe barley, or fig/date pieces.

The color of the brew itself was also pleasingly uniform, and the same color of coffee, also producing surprisingly the same lovely foam/froth that coffee gathers on the top when made with the Senseo’s “forced water” method.

Unfortunately, it did lack the signature, enticing aroma of freshly brewed coffee as it emerges. Once brewed, the liquid itself does have a nice rich odor, again more reminiscent of almonds than coffee, which doesn’t waft about much, but is present when holding the cup near your face.

A tentative sip of the initial black brew gave a first impression which didn’t exactly make me think I was drinking the real thing but didn’t make me spit it out directly either. It was bold, slightly bitter, and amaretto more than anything else, in the impression. It lacked the subtleness, and bouquet quality of fine coffee, which may be a hard thing for connoisseurs to swallow.

Both the package and the website, however, mention that due to some natural sugar in the dates and figs you may not need to add any. I decided to just add flavored creamer until it turned the color I liked. With the cream in, it had a pleasant ‘creamy-almond’ sweet smell that hinted of coffee, which never fully emerged.

So far, I was pleasantly surprised at how well it did emulate coffee. No, it’s definitely not the real thing, but it comes pretty close at the same time. Again, it’s no match for very fine, high-quality coffees, but comparatively, isn’t any less “coffee tasting” then some convenience store/gas station coffee I’ve had. (Actually, I think this was better).I should also note, that while some coffee drinks contain “coffee flavoring”, this does not. The fact that the creators of this managed to capture so many coffee-like qualities, in terms of flavor and aroma, without using artificial coffee flavor, gives tribute to their method and quality of the product.

In any case, the end result is still pleasing. It could definitely be worse

The “weight” and “mouth feel” of the drink was also pleasantly on target. When I initially discovered and read about this “herbal coffee”, I couldn’t help but tell myself that it would be too difficult to recreate the “heft” of coffee and that this would be little more than coffee-flavored tea, at best.

I was really, really pleased then to find that this was not just flavored water, but did carry that heaviness of coffee, even without creamer. I think I’m more impressed by this recreation than anything else.

There is a slight bitterness there that some coffee lovers may embrace as one of the signatures of coffee, but I found it to be a bit distracting. It is somewhat faint sour bitterness in the back of the mouth, which hits a second or two after drinking it. It’s not terrible, but a bit distracting from the overall flavor.

At almost $10 for an 11oz bag, I’m not going to rush out and buy another flavor before I finish this one, but I definitely think I will try a few other flavors to see how they compare. (Mocha, if I can find it, is next, followed by Hazelnut)

Finally, the Teeccino website mentions that, while there is absolutely zero caffeine, the drink has been reported to give a slight “energy boost” after drinking. Technically, this may be true. Caffeine isn’t the only chemical that can boost energy, and this does contain a bit of natural fruit sugar, which may be enough for a minor boost, although I really doubt there’s enough sugar on its own to do much. On the other hand, if you like your coffee very sweet, additional sugar along with the natural sugar may give you a bit of the boost. There may also be something to be said for qualities of the inulin, and chicory components that have been known to help the body naturally increase its energy. (These ingredients, therefore, don’t give direct energy, but help enhance normal metabolic processes.)

I can’t really say I felt like I was given an energy boost after drinking it, although prior to drinking I was feeling quite sleepy and ready for a nap, and after drinking about half a mug, I no longer felt the need for a nap at least. Whether or not this is linked to the drink itself, I couldn’t say.

Overall, I have to give this product a 4 out of 5 ratings.

While it really doesn’t taste or smell “just” like coffee, it has a strong enough taste and feel of coffee to be acceptable as a substitute. This would fool only the most inexperienced coffee drinkers, but at the same, it should be acceptable and pleasing for experienced drinkers.

The very first medical marijuana dispensary was opened for the public back in 1992 known as the San Francisco Cannabis Buyers Club. Since then, a lot of such dispensaries have come up in various parts of the country popularly. As the use of cannabis got legal status in many parts, these dispensaries are running better than ever before. But what is a marijuana dispensery anyway? Let’s take a look in the following segment. Meanwhile you can visit Marijuana Dispensary in Des Moines, WA for any supplies you need.

What’s it like to visit a Marijuana dispensary?

A medical marijuana dispensary is the place where you are going to get different products and items that have been made of marijuana. But, they are manufactured only for medical purpose. Whilst entering one such dispensary, you will need to produce the right set of documents and prescription in order to validate your needs. That is why you will need to get your validation before you plan to visit a marijuana dispensary.

Inside the dispensary you will come across a reception where you must check-in and wait before your turn comes and you are allowed to enter the dispensing area by the staff. You will need to show your ID and the recommendations that have been suggested to you by your doctor. Many a times, people are asked a Proof of Residency in case they are from different state.

Many of these dispensaries also offer discounts and offers to their customers who own a medical marijuana card. If you need to visit such a place regularly, it is recommended you get yourself such a card and save a lot in the long run.

So, here’s everything you would want to know about visiting a medical marijuana dispensary. 

It has always been a fan’s dream to get their favorite games as a live-action movie. However, not quite all games will make a decent film. Take the Super Mario Bros. for example, which was made in 1993 and made a net profit of a whopping $27 million. While the Mario Bros. as a game series is one of the oldest ongoing smash hits, the movie was far from the success it had as a game. This list contains five games that, if they were produced into a live-movie, would fall just as hard or harder than poor old Mario did.

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sega’s version of Mario, Sonic has not only had his own game series but several cartoon series also. However, if brought to the big screen, Sonic the Hedgehog would not enjoy any of his fame or glory brought about by his relatively large success. With a movie almost exclusively about anthropomorphic animals that can run far above Mach 1 and the fact that combat involves turning into spinning ball of death special effects and costumes would either be shoddy work or the entirety of the movie would barely relate to any existing canon, perhaps going far from it.

Portal

Sorry Portal fans, but Valve’s bestseller game just wouldn’t make a decent movie. It’s not that Portal isn’t a great game, it is, but to watch Chell (the protagonist) complete several series of puzzles and challenges by strategically placing blue and orange portals all while GLaDOS commentates and interjects the stark silence with random tidbits of sarcasm and humor would make for a poor story. All in all, it would very quickly become a very tedious movie.

Pikmin

Think about it, a chubby microscopic man running about with a hundred carrot people isn’t going to be easily done, and the repeated theme of fighting large creatures for parts to your wrecked ship is boring at best when you are just sitting and watching. Pikmin has very little story to it and almost no dialog. Plus, who would want to hear Captain Olimar’s whistle every few seconds or so? It would give all watchers a massive headache.

Pokemon

Really, Pokemon itself isn’t a bad idea, but to convert it to a live-action film is. The cute and cuddly creatures such as Pikachu wouldn’t turn out to be too pretty after going through a realistic design. Plus, most of the story would be revolving around battles between Pokemon. Perhaps something based off of Pokemon would be kind of cool, but Pokemon itself wouldn’t translate too well into a realistic setting. Out of the top five video games, the popularity to Buy pokemon go accounts is mushrooming in the economy. The craze of video games is increasing the subscription of the go accounts for the manufacturers.

The Sims

Although it would be easy to imitate a game that is supposed to mirror real life, it wouldn’t be interesting. To watch some random family wander about, get a job, have kids, etc. would be absolutely boring. There is no storyline to the Sims, so a movie would be near impossible. If you inserted a story into the movie it would no longer be a movie on the Sims, thus the Sims is probably the worst game to make a movie of.

My husband and I were recently in Key West for the Fantasy Fest week and decided to take in a drag show. We had walked up and down Duvall Street, the main street in Key West that goes from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic and this was the only show where the show was promoted. They usually have a show at 9pm and 11pm but since this was part of Fantasy Fest the only one being advertised was the one at 9pm. They were handing out promotional tickets at 7pm.

We came back at 8:30pm and after paying a $12.00 per person cover charge we entered the bar area and decided to sit at the bar. We ordered a drink, and to our surprise it was a very strong one, not like the watered down versions in other establishments. We paid $5.00 per drink which is standard and possibly lower than other bars in the area. They had a great selection of drinks, from ordinary mixed drinks like vodka and tonic and frozen margaritas. They had a very large selection of beers. There were several high drink tables and one area to the right was set a little higher than the stage with couches and small drink tables. Unfortunately we were not able to sit on the couches as they had been reserved for a birthday party. We sat at the bar until the place filled up and the show began at 9:00.

They have five drag queens but only three drag queens were working that night. The first one, Inga, was continually dressed with a blonde wig and did several impersonations and sang a few racy songs. She was hilarious. The next one was named Victoria and had a dark wig. She did a fantastic impression of Celine Dion, Cher, Shania Twain and Pat Benetar. The third one was a black performer who did a fantastic impression of Aretha Franklin and a host of other performers.

They would take turns singing and interacting with the audience, sashaying around accepting tips, They were incredible performers. They could really belt out a song. You could not tell they were not women until you got up close. The costumes were very well done and the shoes they were wearing had heels that were at least six inches high. They would also interact with the wait staff and everyone seemed to love what they do.

Since this is a gay bar a lot of reference was made to gay issues. Being straight they did not make us feel uncomfortable. They were extremely professional and the singing and costumes were so precise it was hard to tell they were not the performer they were imitating.

Such performances are not the regular ones that you get to see in nightclubs and what was comforting was that they were not mocking the gay community by any standards and the show was quite excellent that made the people in attendance take notice and people simply refused to budge until the last act. A truly illuminating experience it was and one that no one will ever forget, a stark contrast Lavelle Toronto, which many times resorted to vulgar and crude jokes whenever there was a sensitive topic for the theme of the party, not to mention uncouth behavior of certain individuals.

The show went on until 11:30pm and I can honestly say that this is a show you must not miss. The performers came into the crowd after the show so that patrons could take pictures with them. They did not rush anyone and would take as many pictures as people wanted. We had the best time and highly recommend this show to anyone.

The lawsuits filed over the requirement for most citizens to purchase health insurance or pay a fine, found in section 1501 the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), center on the Federal government’s Article One, Section Eight Commerce Clause authority. This article examines both sides of the debate over that particular mandate. The rebel health tribe is the home page at the search engines that will explore the health benefits to the person. The protection of the public should be the prime objective of the health tribe site.

The Defendant’s Position

The federal government defends the requirement by claiming that the actual decision not to purchase health insurance should be considered economic activity. They argue that most people will eventually need healthcare so the choice not to purchase insurance constitutes activity.

They cite previous Supreme Court cases (Wickard v. Filburn, Gonzales v. Raich) to legitimize congressional authority to legislate individual behavior on behalf of interstate commerce.

They further justify their legislation by citing the Necessary and Proper clause of Article One, Section Eight of the US Constitution as granting congress the authority to enact any laws needed to enforce legislation they have passed.

The Plaintiff’s Position

The parties who have filed suit believe that the refusal to purchase insurance is economic inactivity, therefore not subject to the Commerce Clause. They contend that Congress is only allowed to regulate economic activity, not force citizens to participate in economic activity.

They note that the government’s cited cases both involved physical effort and not merely a decision. They assert that no court decision has ever granted the congress authority to require citizens to participate in commercial activity.

They dispute the government’s use of the Necessary and Proper clause. They claim that since the underlying law is unconstitutional, it is not proper to enact laws that attempt to enforce the act.

The Courts Opinions

So far three courts have ruled on this particular issue and a decision in a fourth court is imminent.

Two cases found in favor of the federal government’s position. The third decided case found in favor of the plaintiff’s position.

One case, (State of Florida et al. v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services et al.) was heard on December 16 th and a decision is expected soon.

Where We Are Heading Next

The appellate courts will be the next stop along the way, but clearly this case will wind up in front of the Supreme Court before it is settled.

This case will have an impact similar to Wickard v. Filburn once the final verdict is handed down.

I will be watching developments concerning this issue, as well as all events relating to the PPACA and reporting on them as they occur. Stay tuned.

Many hopeful United States Immigrants and their significant others are forced to decide to pursue immigration status through two different methods: the fiancé(e) petition and the spousal petition. This can be a very difficult decision as both methods wrought with pros and cons galore.

You, like many other frustrated hopeful immigrants or their lovers, might be baffled at our current immigration system and unsure of which method is right for you. This article will discuss the various positive and negative aspects of each type of immigration petition. If, after reading this article, you are left still with a vague picture of your immigration options, I highly recommend consulting with an Immigration attorney who will be able to advise you specifically.

Fiance(e) Petition (I-129F)

Fiance(e) petitions can be filed by US Citizens only. That being said, there are various requirements that one must meet in order to be eligible to file for a fiancée. The one difficult one for many is that the Petitioner must have met (been physically present) with the Beneficiary (fiancé(e) abroad) within 2 years of the Petition’s filing date. This visit must be documented with an abundance of evidence. Once the petition (I-129F) is approved by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, it will be forwarded to the US Embassy nearest to the beneficiary’s home. The beneficiary will then need to attend an interview with the General Consul.

Fiance(e) Petitions are touted as a faster way of bringing a partner to the United States. Petitions can take from 5-8 months from start to finish. Once the fiancé(e) arrives in the United States, he or she must get marry the Petitioner within 90 days of landing, and must subsequently apply for permanent residence.

Pros and Cons

-Only US Citizens are eligible to take advantage of the Fiance(e) Petition (Legal Permanent Residents are not)

-The filing fees are more expensive for Fiance(e) Petitions- $455 initially, plus $1,010.00 to adjust status once in the US, versus $825 for a Spousal Petition

-Fiance(e) Petitions require more evidence of a bona-fide relationship and Interviewers seem to be more capricious

+Partners need not rush their marriage to be eligible to petition, but can get married in the United States (within 90 days)

+Petitions are processed relatively quickly

Spousal Petition (I-130)

US Citizens and Legal Permanent Residents are allowed to file Spousal Petitions for their wives or husbands. Immigrant visas are immediately available for US Citizens’ spouses, but the immigrant visas for Legal Permanent Residents are not (check out uscis.gov under Processing Dates- currently the USCIS is still processing the Spousal Petitions by LPRs filed in 2005).

The I-130 Immigrant Petition must be filed with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service and once it is approved, it will be forwarded to the National Visa Center for processing. The National Visa Center will then request information about the beneficiary of the immigrant petition (the immigrant spouse) before forwarding the petition to the US Embassy where an Interview will be scheduled.

Pros and Cons

-Processing takes longer- for US Citizens can take up to a year, for Permanent Residents takes around 3 years

-Partners must be married before the Petition can be filed- this most likely means the US Citizen will have to travel outside of the US to marry his or her partner

-Spouses must live separately while waiting for their immigrant petition to process

+Spousal Petition Fees are less expensive than the Fiance(e) Petitions- Fees are $825 total, versus $1,465.00 for Fiancee Visa

+Once the immigrant spouse arrives in the United States, he or she is automatically a legal permanent resident and need not adjust status. The spouse visa immigration lawyer will provide information about all the legal procedures to the person after the arrival. It will be convenient to the spouse to adjust in the other country.

+Interview is not quite as capricious as the Fiance(e) Visa Interview, however cases are still decided upon discretion of the Consul

I hope this breakdown of the pros and cons has assisted you in choosing which method of immigration is better suited to your circumstances. If you are still unsure if you are eligible for these petitions, please check the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services website at uscis.gov. There are also various other Immigration forums online that may lend you some guidance. Immigration attorneys are the best resource however, and many offer cheap or free first consultations and advice.

Before we start on the benefits of digestive enzymes supplements, let’s first take a closer look at what really is the modern diet. Our modern diet consists mostly of foods that are far from its natural state. Potatoes become French fries, fruits become bottled juice, and milk becomes ice cream; you get the idea. They’re all non-living foods!

Sure we can eat them when we are young and nothing really happens. But as we get older, all of the common symptoms of gas, bloating, indigestion, and heartburn start to show out of nowhere. Therefore, what most of us do is simply take antacid to relieve them. But the symptoms will always come back.

All foods in their natural, raw state have functional enzymes that allow you to digest them. Enzymes are protein molecules that as soon as it is exposed to hotter temperatures, such as cooking, they become deactivated, and nonfunctional.

Digestive enzymes help you to absorb all the nutrients present in the food you eat and make your body fit and strong. The immune system has a positive effect and protects the body from diseases and ailments, which would be impossible for a weak immune system. The enzymes are basically catalysts for nutrients like protein and carbohydrates, which you can find in various substances like green juice powder and fruits and veggies.

Our bodies naturally produce 22 different digestive enzymes to digest what we eat. For example, the enzyme lipase is for digesting fat. The enzyme amylase is for digesting carbohydrates. The enzyme protease is for digesting proteins.

When our diet is consisted of mostly cooked and processed food, then that means we simply tax our organs such as the pancreas to continue producing these enzymes to digest the food we eat. Overtime, these organs are just overload with work, because nothing we eat has any digestible enzymes in it. Sooner or later, we will start getting digestive symptoms from foods not properly digested because some organs were too exhausted to keep up.

The easiest way to start helping our body does what it do best is to take digestive enzymes supplements. When enzymes are abundant, then it means less work for the over-worked organs. Foods we eat now digest better, and that means everything else will be better, since our internal reflects our external.

However, if digestive enzymes supplements are still not enough, then we really need to adjust our modern diet to a more natural diet consists of many live foods. Instead of drinking bottled juice, eat a real fruit. Instead of eating canned vegetables, eat a real salad for once.

Of course, we do not have to go to the extreme of becoming a total raw-food eater, because we will end up missing a lot of our favorite foods. But our health is important, and the food we eat will reflect it. Therefore, before picking up that slice of pizza, just think about how far from its natural state it is. Then take some enzymes supplements to help digest it. Better yet, replace that processed food item to something more living. Constantly thinking about what we eat before we eat (not after) will definitely help in making the transition to a healthier, easy-working body.

While blogging and social networking sites are banding together women in new ways, independent blogs and websites with an empowering message are becoming another attractive hotspot on the web. According to Alexa.com traffic rankings, sites such as BlogHer, the ‘#1 guide to blogs by women’ bring in an average of 35,000 visitors each day. Handbag.com, a site filled with style news and designer information averages about 10,000 visitors per day, while iVillage, a portal site that features fashion and lifestyle trends averages about 2,000. While these are all entertaining and informative, women are finding plenty of success in empowerment and success-driven websites. Chickonomics looks to be the next one on the net-savvy woman’s radar. This can be just as big as Instagram DM when it comes to the number of visits per day and the rapid rise in its popularity. 

Chickonomics was launched by Chief Chick of Chickonomics Lisa Orrell after Chickonomics seminars took off in 2005. She has been mentoring hundreds of women in professional and personal development, coining the term ‘Chickonomics’ as:

‘the economic power and societal influence women have on the world today. And it celebrates how women use their power to redefine success, influence work environments, build businesses, make changes in the marketplace, and create better lives for themselves and others.’

It’s an ambitious effort to round up the strongest traits and characteristics of women all over the world, and the website is a place to engage in the Chickonomics Challenge and learn about fresh perspectives on women’s issues. Lisa hosts a podcast for all women where she conducts interviews on today’s lifestyle topics, while the Chickonomics blog features commentary on the politics and current events that affect women today. Uncensored, witty, and opinionated, the blog is just one attraction of this growing community; Millennial Chicks reports are published on the site on a regular basis, offering expert advice for younger generations.

For those interested in discussing issues in real-time, the Chickonomics Chat portal is designed to bring together all women who need to take a time out and share what’s on their mind. Subjects include business, marketing, fashion, sex, food, politics, and women’s issues at the global level. Lisa initiates each show with a different topic, and the ‘Chick Zone’ is designed to inspire and educate.

From a newsletter subscription to multimedia presentations, Chickonomics offers a fresh perspective on women’s issues; without the glitz, glamour and ‘fluff’ that takes center stage on many advertorial-driven websites geared towards women. Niche sites like these are just one example of women-centric websites and startup companies that can bring together women in new ways. Empowerment and success are not only in the male’s domain; educating and training women to bring out their strengths and talents becomes a reality with online networking options of the day. Chickonomics is a welcome addition on the web, providing tools and resources to connect women all over the world.

Over the years, a lot of people are getting interested in investing in Bitcoin. This cryptocurrency is considered and described as an asset in digital form that can be used as a medium of exchange. Bitcoin is also the most popular cryptocurrency in the market. This digital asset has been proven to be very effective in delivering quality profits to investors. That perhaps is the main reason why a lot of people are getting interested in investing into such investment platform. If you are one of those people who want to enter the world of cryptocurrency, you are in the right place. This article will provide you with beginner’s guide to trading Bitcoin.

Understand the System

First and foremost, one of the important things that you need to do is to understand how bitcoin works. This will serve as your foundation and starting point in your journey as a trader in the realm of cryptocurrency. The transaction of bitcoin consists of a transfer of value between wallets that get added to the block chain. The bitcoin wallets have s secret data named a private key or seed that is being utilized for transaction signing.  This is to protect your account from theft.

The Bitcoin Market

It is also important to know about the Bitcoin Market. Basically, bitcoin trading has seen to be a profitable activity in investment. There are approximately 65,00 transactions using Bitcoin in June of 2014 and 300,000 in June of 2017.

Exchanges

‘For you to be able to invest in bitcoin, you will need a market or an exchange. Crypto trade evolution has drastically changed over time, and so a lot of exchanegs have been made available such as Bitfinex, Kraken, IO, Gemini, BTC-e and so many more. You just have to carefully choose the right one for you.

It was a night out of their own. No boyfriends tagging along and no suitors following them around, just the girls meeting regularly on a Wednesday night after work.

Arlene, a brand manager in the leading beer company in the Philippines, prefers to have white chocolate mocha coffee. Anne, a marketing manager in an international chocolate company, loves latte without sugar. Sharon, a Dermatologist, who has a different taste of coffee depending on her mood, feels like having a cappuccino tonight. There are two things that bring them together on a Wednesday night. Coffee and the weekly novena at Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

They are all at the top of their games. They are contemporary, yet religious women. They know how to enjoy the pleasant moments in life, such as having a girls’ night out, catching up with each other’s lives, and sharing some laughs with a great cup of coffee – their choice!

These girls are all too familiar in making a cup of coffee. To summarize, there are a few key components. These are; ingredients, equipment, and technique.

Ingredients

Always use the best ingredients available. The water should either be filtered or bottled. The temperature should be around 109 to 204 oF (43 to 96 oC) for maximum extraction.

For best results, use whole coffee beans. Place the beans in an opaque vacuum-sealed container stored in a cool dry location in the house. For longer storage time, you may place them in the freezer.

Equipment

Coffee grinder

The freshness of whole coffee beans will only be processed by using a coffee grinder. The duration of grinding will determine whether you want a course or a fine finish.

Invest in a French coffee press. The director of Starbucks, Scott McMartin, and the master cupper at Folgers Gourmet Selections, Rich Bertagna, both agree that French presses make the richest cup. The 5 best single serve coffee makers without pods are also one of the best equipment in making coffee as a great experience.

Technique

Grind

Place the whole coffee beans in a coffee grinder then “grind as you desire.” This is something that you will develop and would initially range from fifteen seconds or so.

Use the French Press

Place two generous scoops of ground coffee in the French press. You may want more, or less. A secret ingredient is a dash of salt to bring out the flavor. Add water with the described temperature. Put the lid on. Let it steep, then, when the coffee is ready, push the plunger. Pour the coffee into a cup.

Drink it fast

The freshness of the coffee lasts within twenty minutes once prepared.

The girls’ are about to finish their coffee and they are ready to go to church for their novena. Wherever the girls are, they know how they like their coffee. What makes a coffee great is sharing it with the company of good friends.