Tips on How To Memorize Lines Quickly

The seemingly impossible task of memorizing lines, may take a toll on your mind. The anxiety kills you, and makes even the simplest lines slip out of your mind, but you should realize that, several days of rehearsals and practice make a great speech or play. Even the thespians and orators with a decade of experience, may sometimes find memorizing lines difficult, they might even forget their lines on the stage, but their confidence and charisma never makes the audience realize such blunders.

How to Memorize Lines Quickly?

We all know how hard it is to learn our lines, the lack of time given to memorize the lines, makes things more difficult for us. Here are some tips that you can use to make things easy for you.

Believe in Yourself
Many people just lose their spirit if they find a long monologue in their script. They just develop a prejudice that the lines cannot be memorized by them, this hinders all their attempts to learn the lines. So, it is very important to have faith in your potential. Believe that you can achieve everything you want, if you try. The belief in your abilities will keep you motivated, even when you feel that it is impossible to learn your lines.

Character Key
Before you start your attempts to memorize, you should try and understand your character in the play. Understand what the character demands from you, and comprehend the emotions that you need to portray. This will help you understand your lines better, which will help you memorize the lines quickly.

Loud and Clear
When you rehearse your lines, make sure that you say the words aloud. When you do this, you are aiding your memory. Your pronunciations should be clear, and you are bound to realize the flaws in your pronunciation only when you say it loud. This technique will help your mind register the lines speedily.

Picture Perfect
I agree that everyone does not have a photographic memory, but visualizing the scene when you are rehearsing at home, will surely make memorizing faster. In addition to this, you can use inanimate objects to represent other characters. You can also use pictures as a prompt when you practice, then eventually you will remember all your lines by just imagining the pictures in the appropriate sequence.

Mirror Magic
Here is one of the oldest tricks to assist the pace of memorizing the lines; use a mirror! When you practice your lines, just look into the mirror (be loud and clear), this gives you a feeling that you have company, and will reduce the probability of getting bored quickly. Thus, you can maximize the time for practicing in a day, thereby reducing the days required to memorize the lines. Seeing yourself emote, can be quite amusing too!

Who's Line is it?
When you practice a scene, you should always incorporate the dialogues (read it from the script) of other characters in the scene. By this, you maintain the flow of the scene, and when you are in the flow, you will tend to recite your lines automatically! Well, knowing the lines of other characters can also serve as a prompt on the stage.

Write it Down
This is something that has helped me a lot. While doing your lines, simultaneously write (do not type) them. This technique reinforces the lines in your brain. I know it can be tedious to write all your lines, so you can just jot down the lines, which you feel are impossible to remember.

Record and Recite
Record an entire stage rehearsal and listen to it when you find time, recite your parts when they appear in the recording. Some mute the instances of their lines in the recording, as they do not want to recite their lines along with their voice. By recording, you can practice your lines even while doing other activities like walking, driving, etc.

Feedback Factor
If you do not memorize it right, then what is the point in memorizing! The main drawback in rehearsing your lines alone is, you seldom realize when you go wrong! So call over a friend, ask him/her to help you with your lines, and point out the areas where you can improve.

You can also memorize your lines, by reciting it like a song, but this might be risky, as you might end up singing on the stage! Using mnemonics is also a good idea, but I have seen people who end up just remembering the mnemonic, while forgetting the actual lines. Initially you might feel that you may not be able to learn your lines, just try out the tips mentioned above and you will find that it wasn't so difficult after all.

Pediculosis Pubis Symptoms

Pediculosis is the medical term for lice infestation, which may occur in different parts of the body. Lice are groups of wingless, obligate ectoparasites, classified under the taxonomic order Phthiraptera. While head is the most common site for infestation, specific types of lice called crabs (pubic lice) attack the pubic region and the condition is called pediculosis pubis or phthiriasis pubis. The crabs are identified as insects that feed exclusively on blood and complete their life cycle in human hair. In addition to head and pubic lice, body louse infesting the body is also identified.

How to Identify Pediculosis Pubis Symptoms?

Pubic lice (Phthirus pubis) are named as crabs, owing to their enlarged appearance under the microscope. Although they can affect all sexually active people, the rate of occurrence is highest amongst teenagers. Both males and females are equally susceptible to infection by these skin parasites. The worst part with pediculosis pubis is, crabs (pubic lice) are transmittable from an infected person to another during sexual activity and via direct skin-to-skin contact. Sharing of towels, clothes, bedding and other personal items with an infected person can also spread crabs.

As per statistical data, this ectoparasitic infection is diagnosed in about 2 percent of the population. Based on the disease etiology, pediculosis pubis or crabs infection is classified as a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Symptoms of pediculosis pubis may start soon after infection, or several days (up to 4 weeks) after infection takes place. Regarding identification of pediculosis pubis signs and symptoms, an individual infected with pubic lice will experience the following.

    * Intense itching or pruritus in the genital and perianal areas is a typical sign of pubic lice infestation. It usually aggravates during sleep, and itchiness is more in regions where pubic hairs are present.
    * Itchiness and burning sensation in the pubic-hair region results from the body's reactions to crab saliva. As with other ectoparasites, head louse injects saliva while biting and feeding on blood.
    * Noticeable wheals, excoriation and papules are present on the bite sites. Also, the infected areas usually have open sores and lesions. Scratching in the itchy areas may lead to development of other infections.
    * A symptom that indicates biting by pubic lice is the presence of discolored sores (maculae ceruleae), which are bluish-gray or blue. In severe cases, crab infestation gives off a foul smell in the infested area.
    * In order to confirm pediculosis pubis symptoms, look for presence of flat, light-brown adult lice and eggs at the roots of pubic hair. Both adults and eggs (nits) are visible to naked eyes. Nits laid by the female pubic louse hatch within 6 - 8 days.

Those who have multiple sexual partners are more prone to this parasitic infection than others. So, are there any pediculosis pubis complications? With pubic lice infestation, there is no severe medical complication as such. The only concern is, constant scratching over the infected areas, leaving open skin sores and increasing risks for secondary infections. This can be minimized by treating lice infections in the early stages. On the better side, STD crabs infection responds well to treatment and personal care. Learn more on STD symptoms in women.

How to Treat Pediculosis Pubis?

People having suspected symptoms of crabs infection should avoid close contact with others until the condition is diagnosed and treated promptly. For crabs diagnosis, suspected pediculosis pubis symptoms are examined carefully. Once confirmed, the doctor may recommend topical formulations containing permethrin for both partners. This topical cream is to be applied at night and rinsed the next morning. In addition, shampoos are available with the same chemical ingredients. To fetch prompt results, always keep the genital area clean, and follow the instructions for using creams and shampoos religiously.

Use of medicated creams or shampoos should be continued after 7 - 14 days for pediculosis pubis treatment. This is to make sure that the recently hatched lice are exterminated too. Besides this, adopting good personal hygiene tips is necessary to address pubic lice infestations. Bedding, linens, undergarments should be washed with hot water, and dried properly to kill the lice. And for preventing pediculosis pubis, avoid sharing clothing with an infected person and also, don't try on swimsuits of others. Simple tips like these will surely help in preventing spread of pubic lice.

World Famous Vegetarians List

It is commonly heard that being vegetarian is getting fashionable these days. People turn to a vegetarian lifestyle out of curiosity, for health benefits, on adoption of a new religious belief or out of mere compassion towards animals. Historical facts however, show that being vegetarian or vegan has always been a mode of lifestyle for some communities around the world. Some well known communities that have always followed vegetarian lifestyle hail from India. There have also been some inspiring and famous die hard vegans all around the world who have always sworn by their natural green diet. Here is a compilation of names of world famous people who prefer a green diet.

Some Famous Vegetarians

    * Leonardo da Vinci: This world famous artist from Italy was known for his vegetarian lifestyle. So profound was his love for animals that he would rescue animals from meat markets and let them free. He is famously supposed to have said "As long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other."
    * Paul McCartney: He is an ex-member of 1960s hit band Beatles. He turned vegetarian along with his wife Linda McCartney who was an animal rights activist. He propagates vegetarian lifestyle and supports charities that work for animal rights. He has previously confessed that he finds the aroma of bacon tempting but then he has vowed to stay vegetarian for the rest of his life.
      He one said in an interview, "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian!"
    * Tiruvalluvar: He was a famous saint from southern part of India. He is famous for his quote which states, "How can one, who eats flesh of others to swell his flesh, show compassion?"
    * Pamela Anderson: A popular Canadian actress and showgirl, Pamela Andersen promotes vegetarianism. She has been an advocate on animal rights and one of the foremost members of PETA. She is said to have turned a vegan ever since her teenage.
    * Tobey Maguire: The spiderman of hollywood is a staunch believer in a vegetarian lifestyle. He has altered his diet to a great extent and abstains from eggs and dairy products. He has even altered his lifestyle and made his home free from any leather products.
    * Mike Tyson:A retired American boxer, Mike Tyson is the undisputed world champion in the heavyweight list. He won his first title at the age of 20 years and successfully defended the title nine times. The heavyweight start vouches for a completely vegan diet. He regrets that he was not a born vegan.
    * Amitabh Bachchan: Known as the biggest bollywood star, Amitabh Bachchan is known for his extraordinary screen persona. He has a popularity rating much higher than actors like Marlon Brando or Robert de Nero. This iconic actor supports PETA and rigorously promotes the 'go green' campaign. He himself has been a strict vegetarian for quite a substantial part of his life.

World Famous Vegetarian Actors

Name of Actor     Country
Pamela Anderson     Canada
Jim Carrey     USA
Amitabh Bachchan     India
John Abraham     India
Casey Affleck     USA
Gillian Andersen     USA
Alec Baldwin     USA
James Cromwel     USA
Tobey Maguire     USA
Lisa Edelstein     USA
Joanquin Phoenix     USA
Brad Pitt     USA
Alicia Silverstone     USA
Billy West     USA
Cristian Bale     UK
Julie Cristie     UK
Sadie Frost     UK
Anne Hathaway     USA
Natalie Portman     USA

World Famous Vegetarian Athletes

Name of Athlete     Sport     Country
Adam Myerson     Cycling     USA
Greg Chappel     Cricket     Australia
Martina Navratilova     Tennis     Czech Republic
Sachin Tendulkar     Cricket     India
Mike Tyson     Boxing     USA

Other Famous Personalities (Past and Present)

Name of Personality     Profession
Leonardo da Vinci     Artist
Amos Bronson Alcott     Transcendentalist
Confucius     Chinese Philosopher
14th Dalai Lama     Religious Leader
Albert Einstein     Physicist
Adolf Hitler     Nazi Leader
Aristotle     Thinker
Plato     Thinker
Pythagoras     Mathematician
Socrates     Thinker
Mahatma Gandhi     Indian Leader
Swami Vivekanand     Philosopher
George Bernard Shaw     Playwright
Issac Newton     Scientist
Leo Tolstoy     Writer/Author
Mark Twain     Writer/Author
Michael Jackson     Singer
Benjamin Franklin     American Political Leader
Henry Ford     Entrepreneur
Louisa May Alcott     Writer/Author
H G Wells     Writer/Author
Ringo Starr     Singer
George Harrison     Singer
Charlotte Bronte     Writer/Author
Charles Darwin     Naturalist
Bryan Adams     Singer
Gulu Lavani     Entrepreneur
Heather Mills     Social Activist
Mac Danzig     Martial Arts Fighter
Prince     Singer
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam     Scientist
Rabindranath Tagore     Poet and Painter
Paul McCartney     Singer
Chelsea Clinton     Bills Clinton's daughter

The lists given above may be long but they shall always be incomplete. So much has been said and done to propagate a vegan diet, that many famous personalities and commoners are turning towards vegetarian diet permanently. It helps make your life healthy and animal friendly. So what are you waiting for? This is the right time to start a vegetarian journey of life!

Famous Sports Couples

Famous sportsmen and sportswomen from all around the world have long held our fascination for living glamorous lives and getting paid tons of money for playing our favorite games. But behind all the glamor and flashlights are long hours of struggle, loneliness and personal failures that are known only to them. This side is never shown to the public eye, and the only people who can truly understand the pressures involved are fellow sports personalities. As a result of this, hook ups and marriages between sports personalities are inevitable, and they always end up capturing the watching world's imagination like nothing else.

Celebrity couples have always held a very special place in the minds of people, and when both members of such couples are famous sports stars, things get even more interesting. Everyone wants more details about how the couple met, where they go, how they feel about each other and how their entanglement is affecting their performances. Newspapers and journalists build up these couples with the most romantic notions only to watch most of them crumble under the pressure, because ultimately, the stress gets to them all. Nonetheless, there are some famous sports couples that manage to work at it and see themselves through the rocky patches and the intense spotlight and lead a happy life together.

Famous Couples in Sports

These couples are listed in no particular order. Their involvement with each other has been the source of much entertainment and controversy for many parties, and how they have managed this stress is commendable. Moreover, the couples here also include pairs with one member a famous sports personality and the other a famous celebrity.

Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf
When it comes to famous tennis couples none can match this high profile sports couple. They met on the winners ball in the French Open in 1999 and started dating. They married in 2001 and are now the proud parents of a son and a daughter. They currently reside in Las Vegas and are rarely seen out together. This is undoubtedly the first couple that pops to mind when one wonders about couples in the sporting world.

Iker Casillas and Sara Carbonero
Casillas is the captain of Real Madrid FC and is also the captain of the successful Spanish football team that won Euro 2008 and the last edition of the World Cup. He is also the most capped goalkeeper in the UEFA Champions League, so his love life will definitely create headlines everywhere. Carbonero is a famous sports journalist in Spain and was recently voted the 'The Sexiest Reporter in the World'. They are dating each other and their public appearances cause many a stir around the world today.

Shelden Williams and Candace Parker
It is very rare to find a couple that plays in the NBA and the WNBA, and this couple achieves just that. Williams is a retired basketball player who played for the New York Knicks, and he was famously known as 'The Landlord'. Candace Parker plays for the Los Angeles Sparks and is one of the most recognizable stars of the WNBA. Along the way she has broken several rookie records and she also happens to be the younger sister of Tony Parker. They were married in 2008, have one daughter and are leading a healthy married life away from the spotlight.

Sasha Vujacic and Maria Sharapova
This couple has been together since 2009 and recently got engaged as well. Sharapova was the heir to Anna Kournikova's title of most attractive Russian female tennis player, and she actually won titles to back this up as well. She was the world number 1 for a long time, and she is still only 24 years old, so her tennis career is still wide open. Vujacic is a professional Slovenian NBA player and he plays his trade for the New Jersey Nets.

Nomar Garciaparra and Mia Hamm
When it comes to athletic couples, it truly does not get better than this. Garciaparra is a former baseball player famous for his time with the Boston Red Sox. He was also on the Olympic team for his sport, and so was his wife, Hamm, for soccer. She is one of the most popular women soccer players in the world, and she also happens to be a world champion and an Olympic champion. The couple regularly stays away from the spotlight. They were married in 2003 and had twin girls in 2007.

Ronaldo and Milene Domingues
The Brazilian Ronaldo was a true phenomenon in his time as a soccer player, and if not for his serious knee injuries, he would have surely been known as the greatest player ever. Apart from his dazzling skills on the field, he was also famous for scoring off the field. His flamboyant lifestyle led to several hook ups, and none could perhaps match up to his marriage with Domingues, the most expensive female soccer player in Spain. Their marriage lasted 4 years, and in that time they played for Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid respectively, and the flashbulbs and paparazzi literally followed their every move.

Some more famous sports couples are listed below as well.

    * Soccer star David Beckham and Spice Girl Victoria Beckham
    * Pop singer Enrique Iglesias and tennis player Anna Kournikova
    * NBA player Carmelo Anthony and VJ turned actress Lala Vasquez
    * Cricketer Michael Clarke and model Lara Bingle
    * American footballer Tom Brady and model Gisele Bundchen
    * Footballer Reggie Bush and reality TV star Kim Kardashian (not involved anymore)
    * Basketball player Tony Parker and actress Eva Longoria (not involved anymore)
    * Soccer player Ashley Cole and singer Cheryl Cole (not involved anymore)
    * Baseball player Alex Rodriguez and actress Kate Hudson (not involved anymore)
    * Tennis stars Jimmy Connors and Christine Evert (called off their wedding and split up)
    * Tennis stars Lleyton Hewitt and Kim Clijsters (not involved anymore)
    * Soccer star Sol Campbell and tennis player Martina Hingis (not involved anymore)

These were just a few of the celebrity couples that were involved in the sports world and as you can see, most of them could not work it out for various reasons. This just goes to show how hard it is for such couples to actually be together, and this is what feeds the newspaper columns and the gossip magazines from all corners of the world.

How to Embroider by Hand 2

Hand embroidery is an interesting craft and since many generations provided women with many hours of pleasure. You can read more about this traditional hobby in histroy of embroidery. Hand embroidery is a type of needlework or handicraft, that is to be done without a machine. You need to learn to embroider by hand as the stitches involved are very intricate and require practice. You need to outline a pattern on the cloth piece to be embroidered. Let us go into the details of how to embroider by hand.

How to Embroider by Hand
The first thing to do is choose the cloth you want to try embroidery on. Then plan the design you want to stitch on your cloth. Choose the colors of the threads and the thickeners of the thread. You need to then choose a pattern from a chart or pattern sheet, that will help you decide the types of embroidery stitches to use. Then draw the pattern or trace the design over the cloth with a washable fabric marker or quilting pencil.

Tread your needle with the thread you wish to embroider your design. You can use thick cotton or wool yarn, in case you are trying to embroider by hand on pillow cases and napkins. In case of delicate patterns like monograms or fashion trims, you may use embroidery floss, silk thread or cotton thread that is divided into sections.

Now stretch the fabric on a tension hoop. You can keep the use of tension loop optional if you are not comfortable using it. But be sure that the fabric is stretched and not pulled out of shape. Now, holding the fabric in your left hand (right hand, if you are a leftie), begin stitching at the bottom of the fabric. Secure the threads with a double stitch to get started. Then push the needle up through the fabric and down again at the end of the stitch. Remember, the length of your stitch depends on the type of stitch you are following.

Once you are done with a particular color or section of your embroidery, weave the end of the thread at the bottom of the fabric in a secure knot. Continue to stitch till you complete your project. Remove the frame from the hoop only after completion. This was something about how to embroider by hand. Let us take some idea on interesting and easy embroidery project, for those trying to learn to embroider by hand.

How to Embroider Words by Hand
How to embroider words by hand is not a very difficult project to try. You need to choose your fabric and the colors of your embroidery threads. You need to follow a pattern for the words to be embroidered like block letters, cursive letters, etc. With a washable fabric marker or fabric pencil trace the image of the word you wish to embroider by hand. You can read some tips on embroidery stitches

Now, place your fabric in a hoop and begin stitching from the left bottom edge of the word. Push the needle up through the fabric from the bottom and leave a tail of embroidery floss of about two inches. Pull the thread across the width of your word and push the needle back down into the fabric. You need to follow this step till you finish the entire word. This simple stitch of embroidery by hand, is known as satin stitch. You can learn to embroider by hand with many other stitches like chain stitch, cross stitch, back stitch, etc. The answer for how to embroider words by hand also answers your query how to embroider letters by hand. Just follow this simple step for an single individual letter.

How to Embroider Flowers by Hand
Just like a word or letter, you need to follow the above mentioned steps. Trace a flower design on your fabric with washable fabric marker or pencil. Then choose the colors of your embroidery thread. You can let your creativity flow with a flower design. You can try dual colors for the petals and to show the shading in the leaves. You can even embroider by hand with double shaded embroidery threads. You can choose a satin stitch for the petals and leafs. You can try French knot stitch for the center of the flower. The stem can be stitched using a stem stitch. You can refer to an embroidery magazine for ideas and the type of stitches you can try. You can read more on custom embroidery patterns and design.

This was a bit in short, about how to embroider by hand. Hand embroidery is a very interesting arts and crafts hobby, that will keep you engaged for hours on end. You can decorate your pillow covers, scarfs, wall hangings, table cloths and many more things in your house with your embroidery by hand. You can even give think about hand embroidered personalized gifts. You can learn to embroider by hand very easily. Once you learn to embroider by hand, you will get hooked on to this interesting hobby for life.

How to Embroider by Hand

We often exchange gifts with our friends, and friendship bands and bracelets are good gifts. To add a personal touch to your gift, you can make your own friendship bracelets. Usually threads or embroidery floss are used to knot these handmade friendship bracelets. The knots in these embroidery floss bracelets signify the strong bond between friends. Friendship bracelets are available in a variety of styles and patterns.

You can craft embroidery floss friendship bracelets and gift them to your friends to make them feel special. They would love to tie it on their hand. Believe me, crafting a bracelet does not require much time and effort and it is simple and easy. And the best part is that it is inexpensive!

You can start with a simple pattern and as you get more experienced you can make more advanced patterns, and try designing on your own. Here are the steps to make an embroidery floss friendship bracelet.

How To Make Friendship Bracelet?

Things required:

   1. Embroidery floss
   2. Scissors
   3. Measuring tape
   4. Masking tape
   5. Clipboard

Steps for making embroidery floss friendship bracelet:

    * Take four colors of embroidery floss thread. Cut a 25 inch strand of each embroidery floss.
    * Tie a knot of two inches at the top of the floss strands.
    * Tape the knotted side of the floss strands to your work surface or clip it to a clipboard.
    * Spread out the floss strands. From now we will refer to them as strand 1, strand 2, strand 3 and strand 4. Start with strand 1, loop it over strand 2. Hold strand 2 and pull the knot until it is snug.
    * Now, take the strand 1 and make double knots along strand 3 and strand 4.
    * Again, begin with strand 2 and make double knots with strand 3, strand 4 and strand 1.
    * Repeat the process with strand 3 and 4, one by one.
    * When you finish with this, tie a knot to secure the end.
    * You can add a colored bead before the end knot.

Now your embroidery floss bracelet is ready to be tied around the wrist. Wasn't that easy? You may also like to know more on how to make friendship bracelets.

Color Schemes for Embroidery Floss Bracelet

You may use different color schemes to prepare your embroidery floss friendship bracelet, like primary colors - red, yellow, and blue, or secondary colors - orange, green, and violet. Using a dark color with white is one of my favorite combinations. You can also try to combine light and dark shades of the same color. There is another scheme called, analogous color scheme, that uses two or more colors, that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel, for e.g., yellow and violet. Some other possible schemes are white and red/pink on Valentine's day, yellow, pink, and pale green for Easter or you can go for American patriot - red, blue and white. The best combination would be, your favorite color knotted with your friends' favorite color. This also shows that although, you both may have different choices, you are still bonded to each other. And your bond is as strong as the knots in the friendship bracelet.

It is said that, "Friends are the chocolate chips in the cookie of life." Do not wait for friendship day. You can gift these bracelets any time. It would be the best gift to your summer class buddies or to your high school friends, on graduation. Embroidery floss bracelets are memorabilia, that will be treasured deeply by your friends.

How to Smock

Smocking a fabric is a popularly used embroidery pattern since years. This type of embroidery pattern is widely used in making clothes more fashionable. It is used to fancify skirts, shirts, frocks, kids wear and pillows as well. You can either smock a fabric using a sewing machine or with your hands. If you are wondering how to smock a dress, how to smock a pillow, how to smock by hand, how to smock with elastic, then this article will answer all your questions. Here is the detailed procedure of how to smock fabric.

How to Smock Fabric: Step-by-Step Procedure

Material You'll Need

    * Fabric
    * Cotton thread
    * Needle
    * Fabric pencil/chalk
    * Elastic
    * Pearl pins
    * Smocking pleater (if available)

Procedure

Step 1
The first step of how to smock a fabric is to pleat it. You can mark the starting and ending point of smocking with a fabric pencil. While using a smocking pleater is an easy way of doing this, you can also do it without this equipment. While working on the fabric just remember 3:1 ratio and start pleating the fabric. This means, that you have to take 3 inches of un-pleated fabric and then 1 inches pleated fabric. Go on doing this. Read more on sewing.

Step 2
Pin the pleats with pearl pins as you move on. Keep 3 inches fabric plain from both borders. The total number of pleats formed must be even. Now mark a horizontal line along the length of the pleats.

Step 3
To keep the pleats in place use a running stitch, which you can easily remove later. Go on removing the pearl pins used previously while pleating the fabric. Mark the required number of rows for smocking on wrong side using a fabric pencil/chalk.

Step 4
Now thread the needle with 3 strands of cotton thread, tie a knot at the end. Now let's see how to smock with elastic. Take a narrow elastic of size bit smaller than length of the fabric you have after pleating. Now place the elastic thread on the wrong side of fabric, over the marking of second row. Go in stitching it in a row. Once you reach the end, put a back stitch so as to secure the stitches properly. Now put a knot and cut off the remaining thread. Learn how to embroider by hand.

Step 5
Start working on the next row below it in the same way with elastic and thread. Go on doing this till you finish the number of rows you have marked for the project. The smocked fabric is ready to be used. Instead of using thread and elastic you can use an elastic thread as well.

Remember, that if you want to smock a particular part of a dress, first smock this part and then join it with other pieces to form a dress. Also, make all the marking on the wrong side of the fabric that won't be visible. Usually, the cuffs or sleeves of a dress are smocked. Smocked chest line is a popular fashion for dresses. This gives a classy touch to the outfit. You can have variations in the smock pattern. You can have wider or tiny pleats to have a detailed smock pattern. You can try this on a rough piece first and do variations as desired on the final fabric, to have a fantastic pattern ready!

Blanket Stitch Instructions

Any good seamstress will tell you that one of the most handy stitches to know is a blanket stitch. It is used to sew the edge of thick blankets or any other heavy and thick fabric. It is also used for sewing hand appliqué to a fabric. Of all the different types of embroidery stitches, it is the easiest to master and is usually done by hand, although you can do it in a sewing machine too. The trick to having a nice even looking blanket stitch is that all the individual stitches should be of the same size and they should be evenly spaced. Blanket stitching will come in useful for many other sewing projects for both adults and children. Here we are going to give you blanket stitch instructions.

Simple Blanket Stitch Instructions

Here is a step by step blanket stitch instructions that will teach you how to make a simple blanket stitch on a piece of fabric.

    * The first thing that you need to do is to thread a needle with a strand of embroidery thread and then make a secure knot on one end.
    * Take your piece of fabric and hold it tight in front of you. Draw a line about ½ cm away from the top edge of the fabric, which is parallel to it.
    * Now insert the needle from the bottom side to the top at the edge of the fabric at the left. Now insert the needle again from the drawn line and take the needle out at the edge of the fabric, directly opposite to the location where the needle was inserted.
    * As you draw the needle out through the top edge of the fabric, make sure that the thread is under the needle.
    * The resulting stitch will look like a square and this is what we are aiming for.
    * Again insert the needle at the line at equal distance and take it out parallel to it at the edge.
    * Place the thread under the needle and draw out the needle slowly, making sure that the stitch is secure.
    * Repeat steps, making sure that the height as well as the spacing of the stitch is maintained.
    * When you finish, insert the needle through the back of the stitch and secure with a knot.

Machine Blanket Stitch Instructions

It is possible to do blanket stitch in a sewing machine provided you have the right embroidery sewing machine. Different sewing machines depending upon whether they are manual or automatic, will have different setting for sewing it. For a manual sewing machine, you need to set the set the needle tension to 1. Then you have set the fabric into the machine and start stitching along the edge of the fabric. You can also roll the edge of the fabric to make decorative blanket stitch along the edge of the fabric.

Embroidery Blanket Stitch Instructions

Many beautiful embroidery can be made with blanket stitch. It is also used in knitting patterns for baby blankets. Another very important embroidery that is made with the blanket stitch is called as the button hole wheel. It is often used for making floral motifs while embroidering. To make this stitch, you need to simply make a blanket stitch in the form of a circle so that each stitch passes through one central point. Make sure that the blanket stitch are evenly and tightly spaced, otherwise the embroidery stitches will be ruined and these tips on embroidery stitches will go waste.

This was all about blanket stitch instructions. Blanket stitch is one of the most simple and easiest stitch to master. It comes in very useful for making appliqués and for embroidery. Now that you know how to make blanket stitches, you can make any embroidery project with it.

Coffee Break decreases performance: New Study

A new study reported by New Scientist news reveals an astounding fact. It says ‘taking a coffee break might actually sabotage the employees ability to do their jobs and undermine teamwork instead of boosting it’

Dosing up on caffeine is particularly unhelpful to men, disrupting their emotions and hampering their ability to do certain tasks, suggests a report by psychologists Lindsay St Claire and Peter Rogers at Bristol University in the UK.

It is believed by many that taking coffee breaks at work will reduce their feelings of stress. But in reality, the theories about the effects of caffeine are conflicting. Some studies suggest caffeine can worsen anxiety and trigger stress, while others show it boosts confidence, alertness and sociability, making certain tasks easier

But this latest report, released by the UK's Economic and Social Research Council on Friday, supports the view that coffee exacerbates stress, especially in men, and makes people less co-operative when working in teams

"Our research findings suggest that the commonplace tea or coffee break might backfire in business situations, particularly where men are concerned," says St Claire. "Far from reducing stress, it might actually make things worse."

St Claire and Rogers decided to investigate caffeine's effects on work stress after hearing an anecdote at a stress workshop. A man described how he and a group of normally cohesive colleagues went on a business trip to the US.

Unlike in the UK, coffee was freely available and the team over-indulged. Within days their stress levels had escalated and they believe the extra caffeine had disrupted their working relationships, and impaired their working ability.

The Bristol team tested caffeine's effects on 32 coffee-drinkers. They told them they would be given a caffeinated coffee that would boost their performance, or a caffeinated coffee, which causes stress-like side effects, or decaffeinated coffee. However, unknown to the volunteers, only half the drinks contained 200 mg of caffeine and the other half contained none. The subjects then carried out two stressful tasks.

"Unexpectedly, men told their coffee 'contained caffeine, which enhances performance' had higher heart rates and used less adaptive coping strategies - that is showed more stress," say the pair.

This worsened men's performance during a public speaking task. However caffeine did not disrupt the ability to do mathematical tasks. When the subjects performed a "desert survival task" in groups, taking a coffee break did reduce stress, especially in men, but drinking coffee seemed to reduce teamwork.

Jim Lane, a medical psychologist at Duke University, North Carolina, who is researching caffeine's stress effects, calls the work "very novel". It is the first to look at the caffeine's effects on groups.

"Certainly in our experience of people drinking coffee there's a tendency for all sorts of personal interactions to get a little more intense. If there was a stressful situation there would be more shouting, yelling, louder talking," he told New Scientist. "This is very interesting confirmation."

He adds that caffeine's effects on men may be worse because men may feel more threatened or challenged by some tasks than women, and caffeine amplifies their stress.

The British Safety Council wryly notes: "Timely and adequate breaks are vital in the workplace, however, maybe it is advisable that the coffee machine be removed to a women's only area!"

St Claire warns against people being "seduced by into having extra coffee". "And if you are hosting a business meeting go a bit easy on the percolator - you might actually find wacky things going wrong from your attempt at hospitality," she adds.

Next time we really must think whether or not to put a coffee vending machine in our companies.

Why Coffee Is Better Than Women

1. You don’t have to put cream in your coffee to make it taste good.

2. Coffee doesn’t complain when you put whipped cream in it.

3. A cup of coffee looks good in the morning.

4. You won’t fall asleep after a cup of coffee.

5. You can always warm coffee up.

6. Coffee comes with endless refills.

7. Coffee is cheaper.

8. You won’t get arrested for ordering coffee at 3 AM.

9. Coffee never runs out.

10. Coffee is out of your system by tomorrow morning.

11. You can take black coffee home to meet your parents.

12. You can make coffee as sweet as you want.

13. You can smoke while drinking coffee.

14. You can put out a cigarette in a cup of coffee.

15. Coffee smells and tastes good.

16. You don’t have to put vinegar in your coffee.

17. If your coffee pot leaks, you can use a regular paper towel.

18. You can always get fresh coffee.

19. You can turn the pot on, leave the room, and it’ll be hot when you get back.

20. They sell coffee at police stations.

21. You can always ditch a bad cup of coffee.

22. Coffee goes down easier.

23. If you put chocolate in your coffee, it doesn’t put on weight.

24. No matter how ugly you are, you can always get a cup of coffee.

25. A big cup or small cup? It doesn’t matter.

26. Your coffee doesn’t talk to you.

27. Coffee smells good in the morning.

28. Coffee is good when it’s cold too.

29. Coffee stains are easier to remove.

30. Coffee doesn’t care when you dunk things in it.

31. Coffee doesn’t care what kind of mood you’re in.

32. Coffee doesn’t shed.

33. Coffee is ready in 15 minutes or less.

34. You can’t get a cup of coffee pregnant by putting cream in it.

35. Coffee doesn’t mind being ground.

36. No matter how bad coffee is, you can always make it better.

37. Coffee doesn’t have a time of the month...it’s good all the time.

38. When coffee gets old, you can throw it away.

39. When you have a coffee, you don’t end up with a pube in the back of your throat.

40. Coffee doesn’t take up half your bed.

41. Coffee doesn’t mind if you wake up at 3 AM and decide to have a cup.

42. INSTANT COFFEE!

43. You can have an intelligent conversation with coffee.

44. It can take up to 2 weeks for coffee to grow mold.

45. Your coffee won’t be jealous of a larger cup.

Coffee at its best!

Keeping Coffee at its freshest best
When purchasing coffee beans, take care to buy whole beans and grind only enough for one pot of coffee at a time. Whole beans retain their flavors, oils and aromas much longer than ground coffee. Buy only enough coffee beans as you will use in one or two weeks; this will help insure freshness. Its best if you could store your beans in an air tight glass, ceramic or plastic containers. If you use plastic, you should use the beans in one week or less.

Never store beans or ground coffee in the refrigerator or freezer. Both the Specialty Coffee Association of America and the National Coffee Association of USA recommend storing whole coffee beans in an airtight container in a cool, dry location (in a cabinet); never freeze or refrigerate the beans. Roasted coffee beans contain volatile flavor oils and essences that can crystallize in cold temperatures. Once crystallized, they are locked up and can no longer contribute to coffee flavor or taste.

Brewing Coffee
Brewing the perfect cup of coffee is easy. Always start with fresh, filtered water and freshly ground coffee beans. Always consume brewed coffee within 30 minutes or, store in a thermal carafe (a carafe will hold coffee for up to 2 hours). The method of brewing is up to your personal taste. Here are the most popular methods.

Automatic Drip
This is probably the most popular method of brewing. This method produces a clear, crisp cup of coffee with little or no particulates. Depending on preferences, you can use either a permanent gold filter or disposable paper filters. If you use paper, always use natural unbleached or pre-washed filters. If you use regular filters, rinse with water prior to using. Never reuse a paper filter. Always brew at least 80% of the coffee maker's capacity unless it has a short brew cycle.

French Press
The French press has a loyal following. It produces a very rich, full bodied cup of coffee with a small amount of coffee particulate that many find desirable. To brew, take coarsely (standard perk) ground coffee and add it to the bottom of the container. Add hot water (about 190 degrees), put the cover in place and push the plunger down about 1/4 of the way and let steep for about 3-5 minutes, depending on taste. Push the plunger down to trap the grounds and stop the brewing and serve immediately.

Vacuum Brewing
Vacuum brewing was popular in the 1930s and 40s. It is now making a comeback. This method produces full bodied coffee with very little particulate. Most brewers use a nylon filter that filters out most of the particulate but allows body and flavor through. Place cold water in the lower part, insert the upper part and add coffee grounds (grind to standard drip or electric perk). Follow instructions for your particular maker. The water is heated to near boiling, forced into the top and steeps. As the lower part cools it forms a vacuum and draws the brewed coffee back down. Serve immediately or pour into a thermal carafe.

Despite the way you make your cup of coffee in the morning, always note that the more coffee you consume, the more addictive it gets, morning after morning. So its best if you can avoid it at times, besides it takes 24 hours for one cup of coffee to pass through the kidneys and urinary tract. (For those who drink 7 or 8 or more cups a day, you might want to invest in your own dialysis machine ... or at least invest in the company which makes them!) Cheers!

Coffee…The True Story

Legend has it that around the eight century AD, an Ethiopian goatherd, Kaldi, discovered coffee, when his frolicking goats tried the taste of a deep red berry growing on the hillside. The animals became friskier and Kaldi was tempted too, soon, he joined them.

The monks of the area tasted these bitter berries and that night they prayed with greater fervor than before! Soon the fame of the flavor spread and Africans of those times actually made bars out of this bean and animal fat balls.

There was also wine made out of this berry that was very popular. But it was not until the tenth century that the coffee berry found its way out of the African continent. It moved out through the route of Arabia where it was again zealously guarded for many centuries before the white man could get at it.

By 1000 AD, roasted beans were first brewed in Arabia, probably brought across the Red sea by wayfarers, and in less than three hundred years, coffee became an integral part of the Arabian culture. Over the course of time, wherever Islam traveled, coffee went too, and thus reached places like North Africa, South East Asia, India and the Eastern Mediterranean. By 1600 AD, it had conquered most of the palates of the Eastern world. The secret of this brew, however, remained a well-guarded secret, and in Arabian countries, the bean was actually made infertile by parching or boiling, so it could not be exported, thus preventing its spread to alien cultures and other countries.

It took Indian guile to smuggle the bean out of Arabia. Baba Budan, an Indian pilgrim smuggled some fertile beans in his waistband when he returned from Mecca around 1615, and the plant reached Asia. From here, there was no stopping the spread of the coffee plantations in the whole world. Baba’s seeds bore fruit that was to colonize the globe!!!

By the middle of the sixteenth century, the Dutch were the first to grow a coffee plant in European soil, in 1616 to be precise. Eighty years later, they founded the first European owned Coffee estate, albeit back in Asia, on the island of Java, which is now a part of Indonesia. This was the year 1696. This made the Dutch the first coffee businessmen, but it would be a while before the rest of Europe could catch on.

In 1714, Louis XIV received a coffee plant for the royal Botanical Garden in Paris, the Jardin des Plantes. It was kept under royal security. Several years later, a young naval officer, Gabriel Mathieu de Clieu, who was in Paris on leave from Martinique, requested for a clipping of the plant but was denied permission. He had, however, made up his mind, so he stole into the garden by moonlight and took his object of desire, anyhow. He had to protect this plant with his life on his voyage back to Martinique, water it with precious rations, protect it from pirates and stormy seas, but he did it. The plant arrived safely in Martinique, and was planted there. It flowered, and bore good fruit in the fertile soil. Over the next 50 years, the plant spawned about 18 million trees; coffee had arrived in Latin America, at least in French Guinea.

In 1727, the idea of coffee as a rich cash crop tempted the King of Brazil. He wanted a share in the profits, but that meant someone would have to smuggle the seed into Brazil. Lt. Col. Francisco de Melo Palheta was the man identified for the job. He took off for French Guyana and was confronted with armed guard over fortress like plantations. He chose the less painful method, the way he took him through the Governor’s wife’s heart. His plan bore fruit…and seedlings. At a state banquet she presented him with a bouquet made of coffee seedlings…a job well done.

This sly token of affection fathered the world’s greatest coffee empire, and Brazil soon topped the list of coffee consumers, it had become the brew of the common man.

Scientifically speaking, the word `coffee" is derived from the Latin form of the genus Coffea, a member of the Rubiaceae family which includes more than 500 genera and 6,000 species of tropical trees and shrubs. Today, 70% of the world’s coffee is produced from the plant Arabica, which is the strain cultivated in Brazil, hence it is also called Brazils. The other popular strain is Coffea canephora, which provides the robusta beans, usually grown in West and Central Africa, South East Asia and some parts of South America including Brazil.

In general, arabica beans tend to have less caffeine but milder flavor than robusta beans.
In its natural form, Caffeine is present in the leaves, seeds or fruits of more than sixty plant species worldwide. In addition, it is sometimes used as an additive to enhance flavor or, in the case of medications, to enhance effectiveness.

Coffee has been known to have various kinds of effects on human system. While there have been infinite number of researches on these effects, the latest evidences show that coffee or caffeine does not constitute a risk factor in cardiovascular diseases or even strokes, even for people who drink up to 4 cups a day.

As far as other parts of our system are concerned, studies have revealed that consuming upto 3 cups of caffienated coffee in a day actually reduced the risk of gallstones by at least 40%. For those who drank 4 cups, the risk fell by 45%. Since gallstones are primarily made of cholesterol, the cut down may be explained by the fact that caffeine prevents cholesterol from crystallizing. In addition, consumption of coffee strongly helps to field off cirrhosis of liver, which happens to be the ninth leading cause of death in the US. Drinking 3-4 cups of coffee a day cuts down this risk by almost 80%.

Coffee has also shown a protective effect against colon cancer, by as much as 24%. The reason, say experts, could be the enhanced colic activity triggered by coffee, and anti-mutagenic components that are present in coffee inhibit the formation and growth of carcinoma. Colorectal cancer being the second largest cause of death in USA and Canada, this seems to be a great bit of information.

More mundane discomforts like heartburn and acidity also do not seem to find aggravation in coffee. Even for individuals with aesophagal reflux, coffee consumption did make any significant difference. Another condition that coffee can help control is asthma. The chemical theophylline present in coffee is capable of reducing the incidence of asthma by almost 25%.

Apart from adding life to the years, coffee can also add years to your life. It has been observed that a serving of coffee contains up to four times as much anti-oxidant activity as a serving of green tea, has a large amount of anti-oxidant "polyphenols" in its roasted form. No additives such as creamers or milk can diminish this property. The effect of this chemical is that scientists today believe it may be possible to prevent, postpone or limit a number of degenerative diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, cataracts, and diseases of the nervous system (simply by prescribing a regular intake of coffee…What a great idea).

Coffee is an excellent anti-depressant and an effective performance enhancer, improving one’s memory and energy levels for both mental and physical activities.

Coffee, both caffeinated and decaffeinated, has been known to help prevent the formation of kidney stones, by increasing the flow of urine and decreasing its concentration.

Parkinson’s, an incurable and debilitating disease affecting 1 million elderly Americans every year, is a horror story. Today, a number of studies have proved that regular coffee consumption over time may reduce the risk of Parkinson’s Disease and the single component most likely to be to produce this effect is caffeine. Six studies have found that people who drank coffee on a regular basis were 50%- 80% less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than those who did not consume coffee.

The single biggest doubt in the minds of coffee lovers has always been its addiction factor. But now even that fear has been dispelled. There is, today, scientific evidence to show that coffee drinkers do not get addicted, or at least coffee is not responsible for their addiction. There is no record of any crime of passion committed as a result of caffeine withdrawal symptoms, no death by coffee…no evidence, absolutely. So go ahead, do what Kaldi did fifteen hundred years ago, drink from the berry of divine flavor!!!

Caffeine, our everyday Buzz, does it really work?

Doughnuts with caffeine?

The caffeine- powered doughnut is invented. Look where we have come from the days the goats ate the red coffee berries back in the year 850 as the Legend of goat herder Kaldi of Ethiopia says. He experienced the berries "power" himself and since, we all have come to know coffee and its buzz. The caffeine is what makes us "wake up" after drinking our coffee and now we have it in pastries too!

Adding caffeine to baked goods? The idea of mixing caffeine in bagels and pastries was introduced as the researchers found a way to eliminate the bitter taste of caffeine. Therefore, the doughnuts taste will remain unchanged while they will contain an amount of caffeine equivalent to a 5-ounce cup of coffee, "Buzz Donuts". Yes, after all, we are living in a world with countless possibilities and combinations like these can suit so many people as we all seem to be in such a hurry. Grabbing a "buzz donut" can make things easier at times and oh, they are so tempting!

Regardless where caffeine is, its consumption has the same effects but, when we think about it, the doughnuts do have extra calories and fat when compared to a cup of "good old" coffee.

Anyway, caffeinated pastries have all the chances to become popular in our time when everyone looks for "instant" solutions for each problem.

Coffee 'no buzz' after all?

Coffee doesn’t cause people to be more active or vigilant than normal although it wakes you up faster after the night sleep is what the researchers in the University of Bristol showed. Their work, pointed out the fact that the coffee buzz is present only with people who stopped consuming caffeine for a certain period, and it is only after this "coffee break" that they get the buzz back.

Here is a fragment of what Zoe Wheeldon, of the British Coffee Association, said: "There are two sides to the debate and a wealth of scientific evidence suggests that moderate coffee consumption of four to five cups per day is perfectly safe for the general population and does have a beneficial effect on alertness and performance even in regular coffee drinkers."

Those who swear by their morning caffeine fix say it wakes them up, and if they missed out they would feel sluggish and unable to get on with their day.

Professor Peter Rogers, a biological psychologist who led a research on the coffee’s effects with the Bristol researchers, affirmed: "We do feel a boost from caffeine in the morning, but that's probably due to a reversal of the withdrawal symptoms." So that alertness you feel is your getting back to normal, rather than reaching above the normal level of alertness .
Professor Rogers said caffeine did have some benefits, such as preventing cognitive decline in the elderly, yet the best choice is choosing drinks that have no caffeine.

Pros and cons but who can stop you if you like it? If you know it harms your health you should find other drinks to replace it like coffee made out of soy or tea. Of course when it comes to tea you need to pay attention to its ingredients as it is not the same if you drink a mint tea or a green tea. Caffeine is not present in the mint tea but the green tea contains it and has a coffee-like effect.
However, had it been only for the caffeine, we could drink caffeinated water as well, but it is a different taste experience to drink a coffee that along caffeine has got all the other ingredients as antioxidants, potassium and magnesium. "When you give somebody caffeine without all of the other substances that are in coffee you have a very different situation," one of the researchers acknowledged.
Many times coffee is just a pretext to communicate with people and a nice conversation and the taste you like create a pleasant environment, besides, it does not take a chef to prepare this drink, you can easily do it yourself! Well, balance is good in everything including coffee consumption.

So we can decide for ourselves what to do, keeping our mug faithfully to our side or…go without as we’ll feel the same anyway?

History of Coffee

Sitting by the window, set amidst a cozy atmosphere, the fresh aroma of coffee stirred some thoughts in my mind. A group of boisterous teens nearby created quite a ruckus and I wondered if it was the result of perhaps, having too much coffee?

Hot and steamy or cold and frothy, I noticed, different people like their coffee’s served in various ways. This led me to think and ponder whether anyone has really wondered what went behind this alluring cup of coffee whilst they sipped the enticing brew?

The appeal of coffee has spanned over various continents but when I really discovered the origins of coffee is as rich as the brew itself, it really propelled me to share some of these fascinating stories with you.

History of Coffee:
There are lots of myths and legends when it comes to the history of coffee. Many thought the cup of coffee to be very mysterious and this stimulating coffee found itself shrouded in mystery in the earlier days. One of the most popular legends is associated with a goatherd named Kaldi. One day, when Kaldi was with his herd of goats he noticed a sudden change in their behavior. The goats turned spirited and that was made Kaldi hunt for the probable reason. That was the time he viewed a wild coffee shrub and it dawned on him that his goats probably had eaten some cherries off this shrub. Curious, it led him to have a taste of the wild cherries himself. Upon feeling energized, he spread the story of these wild cherries in his village. From the local monastery, the tale spread between the monks and even the locals.

The monks found it very useful as it helped them to stay awake for their ceremonies that went through the night. The Arabs were considered to be the first to cultivate coffee. They even began the trade. The first coffee plants are said to have come from the shores of the Red Sea. Coffee beans were actually considered to be a food in the olden days. The cherries were minced together and then mixed into the rest of the food. It was only in the 11th century that coffee first saw itself being developed into a hot drink.

The Venetian merchants imported coffee to Europe and by the 17th century, coffee had made its way not only to Europe, but was gaining popularity across the continent. Initially condemned due to religious reasons, one saw major controversies erupt around this dark beverage. Despite the facts that surrounded it, the mid 17th century saw a number of coffee houses cropping up all over the town. A lot of people gathered here to discuss business and to gossip in general.

The Arabs though were very possessive about the growing popularity of coffee and its spread around the world. The beans were dispatched from the Yemen province of Arabia and were kept a highly guarded secret. It was later thought, that it was either the Dutch or a group of Pilgrims who finally tried to smuggle the plants to India. After a few attempts, coffee finally took root in India. The cultivation then expanded to the islands of Java and Sumatra.

The Dutch brought coffee to France in 1715. Louis XIV of France was presented with a coffee plant and it was then planted in the Royal Botanical Garden. Also known as the Noble Tree, it had the French really hooked on to coffee and the crops really flourished with the plantation of the Noble Tree.

This tree saw itself have roots in various other parts of the world. Francisco de Mello Palheta is known to have brought the coffee into Brazil. He was sent to obtain coffee beans from the French Guinea. The French were known to guard this fiercely and Francisco de Mello Palheta would have actually been unsuccessful, had he not to have a very appealing personality. This resulted in the Governor’s wife presenting him with a huge bouquet of flowers. It was only much later; he made the discovery of the coffee seeds buried deep inside it!

The history of coffee has seen so many travelers, pilgrims and traders go on long voyages carrying these precious coffee seeds all over the world. New plantations meant more business and slowly, coffee plantations and its export, turned into a very profitable industry from the olden days till date.

Many innovations that go into the making of this beverage have seen the coffee really metamorphose over time. So the next time you sip your perfectly blended cup of coffee in a very swanky coffee shop, I hope this captivating history of coffee would linger on in your minds, for a long time to come.

Is coffee bad for your health?

For many years, coffee has been blamed for a series of medical problems from the amusing line "it will stop you from growing" to the less amusing worries that it might start heart disease and cancer. Despite all this, recent studies have shown that coffee isn’t as unhealthy as it was initially thought. So what’s the final answer? Is drinking coffee good or is it bad for your health? The best answer is that: it doesn’t seem to harm you and it might actually help you.

A recent study from May 2006 (128000 participants) has shown that there is no high risk for the appearance of cardiovascular diseases for filtered coffee consumers. The results of this study show that the risk of setting off such diseases is not influenced by the quantity of consumed filtered coffee.

In March 2006, 4000 coffee drinkers participated in a study showing the fact that two or more coffee cups per day can lead to high risk of setting off a heart disease. It only happens in the cases of persons suffering from a specific genetic mutation that slows down the body’s assimilation process when it comes to coffee.

There are two sides of the debate yet, considering the large number of participants in the first study we mentioned here (plus numerous other studies), it is logical that we come to the conclusion that this liquid causes very little or no harm to the persons that love to drink it.

However, this affirmation does not imply that you would exaggerate when it comes to drinking coffee. Even if large quantities of the stuff do not harm you, there are also a variety of other drinks such as milk or juice that contain certain nutrients that coffee does not. We should not exaggerate in any situation.

When it comes to other advantages that coffee can bring to your general state of health, there are some scientifically facts claiming that constant coffee consumption protects the body against type 2 diabetes and colon cancer.

There are no exact reasons why coffee has anything to say when it comes to that certain type of diabetes, but doctors have come up with a series of plausible explanations:

Coffee contains antioxidants that control the destruction of a cell that contributes to the evolution of the disease. In addition, it is a source of clorogenyc acid-in the case of experiments conducted on animals, it was proven that this reduces glucose concentrations.

Caffeine, maybe the most famous ingredient of coffee, doesn’t seem to be linked in any way to this fact. Studies that have analyzed decaffeinated coffee have shown that this prevents the disease in the same way as coffee containing caffeine does.

Large quantities of coffee seem to contribute to the prevention of diabetes – researches have discovered that people who drink four up to six cups of coffee per day have 28% lower risk in getting the disease compared to people who drink 2 or less cups per day. Studies show that people who drink over six cups per day have a lower 35% of getting the disease.

Though protection against these affections as type2 diabetes and cancel to the colon is more evident due to the consumption to fruit, vegetables and certain cereals then it is due to drinking coffee. Thus don’t be afraid to enjoy your cup daily, but keep in mind that your diet must contain a large variety of food and drinks.

There are also other advantages that coffee has on your general health state .The blacker the coffe, the better.That`s why researchers recommend an espresso over regular coffee. Coffee contains tannin and antioxidants that have benefit effects on the heart and arteries.

Also coffee can be held responsible for the disappearance of headaches and can bring advantages to the liver’s activities –it can prevent cirrhoses and stones. Caffeine can reduce asthmatic attacks, improving blood flow through the heart.

Nevertheless, drinking coffee is not recommended to everyone. Drinking the world’s most popular drug in large quantities can increase anxiety, determining shaking of hands and fast cardiac rhythm. Pregnant women, patients with heart disease and those who suffer from ulcer are advised to avoid drinking coffee.

There are numerous studies and their conclusions even more so. With all this, scientists recommend that one should not drink more than 3 maximum 4 cups of coffee per day.

Coffee, Our Daily Delight

I got this funny idea of Google-searching for "the coffee addict's prayer". And here is a part of what I've found: "Caffeine is my shepherd; I shall not doze. It makes me wake in green pastures; it leads me beyond the sleeping masses." Obviously, this prayer is inspired by the famous Psalm 23. Another old advertisement says "Coffee-you can sleep when you're dead!" Coffee undoubtedly is enjoyed daily by a lot of people all around the world.

How is the perfect coffee? It depends on the person's taste and temperament. The French statesman named Talleyrand made a quite witty description of his favorite type of coffee: "Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love." This is his very own recipe of the perfect coffee.

Coffee appeared in Arabia, around the year 1000 A.D. That was when the very first coffee beans were brewed. Muslims took the act of coffee drinking very religiously, so to say. They discovered that coffee had the quality of keeping them awake during prayers and worship time. So they took coffee wherever they went, spreading it around the world.

There are at least two legends telling us how coffee came into being. One story refers to an Ethiopian goat-herder who once noticed that his goats acted strangely after eating the fruit of wild coffee shrubs. Thus, the goats became more playful and energetic. So the herder decided to taste and see if there was any connection between his animals' behavior and the consumption of coffee. And, yes! There surely was something going on! He loved the energizing effect of those red berries.

Soon after, monks began boiling those coffee fruits and use that special liquid to stay awake all night, performing their rituals. At any rate, coffee has a very special place in Ethiopia, especially since it produces over 2/3 of the countries industry. It is regarded as the best coffee in the whole wide world, and therefore the most expensive!

The Ethiopian ceremony of serving coffee may last for hours on end, and it seems to have a highly-social value. It helps people interact, become more communicative and interested in spending time together. The coffee ceremony usually involves a young lady wearing Ethiopian national clothes; however, young women practice these rituals for years. So it takes a lot of training to be able to pour that fine stream of delicious beverage into those tiny little cups from a one foot distance. If you are invited to such a ceremony, it is a sign of respect and friendly intentions. The coffee ceremony is part of the Ethiopian culture, and therefore extremely important to them, that’s why the time span is quite generous - a few long hours - when compared to our western culture where we might just drink our coffee on the go.

Coffee took the place of wine in certain religious rituals which condemned the consumption of alcohol. Nonetheless, it was proclaimed as heresy by certain Muslims, and was forbidden at the beginning of the 16th century. It was also considered as unacceptable by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, until the year of 1889.

Nowadays, Ethiopians regard coffee as a national drink, regardless of religion and ideologies. The same act of prohibition also occurred in Europe, where it was initially associated with rebellions due to its invigorating effects. There are some contemporary religious groups, like the Mormons, who ban it even to this day.

In spite of these prohibitions, coffee remains a highly-consumed drink all over the world. It seems to have been many great writers’ favorite beverage throughout the centuries, if we are to mention names like H. de Balzac, the celebrated French writer. Balzac is notorious for his writing habits. He did not rush into writing; he took it at a quite slow pace, analyzing and focusing on every little aspect of his descriptions and characters. He usually had his light meal in the afternoon, then had some sleep until late at night, generally until twelve o'clock a.m. Then he got up and, while drinking an enormous quantity of black coffee, he wrote his highly-appreciated works.

The conclusion is quite simple: poison is in the dose. Coffee drunk in reasonable quantities can have a good, refreshing effect on us as long as we do not exaggerate about its consumption. So enjoy your coffee!

Can’t get enough Coffee!

Most of us can’t function without our morning cuppa, this is because our system is so used to the caffeine that we just can’t function without it. What a sad state of affairs that is! But it’s a habit that I can’t kick and am almost bored of the same cup of coffee every morning. So I decided on trying out some different drinks and desserts using coffee.

Apricot Iced Coffee
Ingredients:

    * Chilled Coffee – ¾ the cup.
    * Apricot juice, chilled – ½ cup.
    * Cold milk – 1/3 cup.
    * Vanilla ice cream, softened – ½ pint.
    * Fresh Apricots, chopped – ½ cup.

Preparation:

    *
    * In a mixing bowl, add the coffee, milk and apricot juice and mix.
    * Then blend in the ice cream till it is smooth.
    * In another bowl add the fresh apricots and blend.
    * Pour this apricot mixture in a tall glass, and top with coffee mixture.
    * Garnish with a slice of fresh apricot and a coffee bean.

Coffee Punch
Ingredients:

    * Vanilla ice cream, softened – 2 quarts.
    * Strong brewed coffee – 2 quarts.
    * Milk – 2 cups.
    * Whipped cream – 2 cups.
    * Sugar – ½ cup.
    * Vanilla extract – 1 tablespoon.
    * Nutmeg, ground – 1 teaspoon.

Preparation:

    * In a bowl add the brewed coffee, sugar, vanilla and milk and blend well. Allow this to chill in the fridge for an hour.
    * In a punch bowl, add the vanilla ice cream and pour the chilled coffee mixture and mix slowly.
    * Pour into tall glasses and top with whipped cream and nutmeg.

Creamy Irish coffee
Ingredients:

    * Freshly brewed coffee – 4 cups.
    * Whipped cream – 1 cup.
    * Irish whiskey – ½ cup.
    * Sugar – ¼ cup.
    * Sugar – 2 tablespoons.
    * Irish whiskey – 2 tablespoon.

Preparation:

    * Take a pan and in it add the 4 cups of freshly brewed coffee, the Irish whiskey and sugar. Heat but be careful not to boil.
    * In a mixing bowl, beat the whipped cream along with the 2 tablespoons of sugar and whisky till it is light and frothy.
    * Pour the coffee in large mugs and top with whipped cream.

Frozen Coffee Parfait
Ingredients:

    * Heavy cream – 1 cup.
    * Condensed milk, sweetened – 14 ounces.
    * Strong brewed coffee, hot – 1/3 cup.
    * Sugar – 4 tablespoons.

Preparation:

    * In a bowl add the hot coffee and sugar, mix till the sugar dissolves.
    * Beat the heavy cream till it is frothy and light in a separate bowl.
    * In yet another bow add the condensed milk and coffee mixture. Mix together for at least 3 minutes and then add the whipped cream.
    * Pour this mixture in small bowls and freeze for 3 hours till it is completely set.

Mocha Coffee
Ingredients:

    * Evaporated milk – 1 can of 14 ounces.
    * Strong coffee, freshly brewed – 2 cups.
    * Hot water – 1 cup.
    * Cocoa powder – ½ cup.
    * Sugar – ½ cup.

Preparation:

    * In a medium sized cooking dish, add the cocoa powder and sugar, then add the hot water and whisk and blend it well.
    * Heat for 2 minutes till the mixture thickens.
    * Next add the evaporated milk and coffee and bring to boil.
    * Serve in pretty coffee cups and garnish with whipped cream and chocolate flakes or shavings.

Cowboy Coffee and Other Hot Campfire Drinks

Like billions of other people, you probably start your morning with a hot cup of tea or coffee. Even when camping, this is one part of your routine that you would probably prefer not to change. There’s no need to. Although it may take a little more work, even when "roughing it," you can make something hot to drink in the morning (or whenever) with very little equipment (and no electric coffee maker).

Perhaps the most familiar way to make coffee when camping is with a non-electric coffee maker. This is a device that works much like the coffee maker that you have at home, except that it doesn’t plug in. Instead of using electricity to heat the water, it is heated over a fire. After that, the process is the same. Drip style non-electric coffee makers are available and at least one company even makes a non-electric expresso maker.

If you don’t want to haul a special appliance through the woods just to make coffee, you can always pretend that you’re a cowboy of the old west and make cowboy coffee. This is coffee at its most primitive. You boil water in a pan, add your coffee grounds, and let it steep. Many people then recommend adding a few drops of cold water to help the grounds to settle. Of course, this also affects the temperature of the coffee, so some just wait a few minutes longer to let the grounds settle naturally. It’s helpful if the pan is set on a slight slope, so that the grounds settle more to one side. Wrapping the pan with something, or setting it in sand or soft soil, will help to keep the coffee hot. Since your goal, presumably, is to have coffee and not coffee soup, you should pour the coffee as carefully as possible so the grounds aren’t disturbed. No matter how careful you are, you will probably end up with a few grounds in the bottom of your cup, so you might want to throw out the last tablespoon or so.

If you don’t like coffee (this is hard to imagine, but I suppose it’s possible), tea can be made in the same way. Of course, if you’re roughing it, you might have neither coffee nor tea. With a little knowledge of the natural world, this isn’t a problem. The ingredients for various kinds of herbal teas grow practically everywhere, and there are many plants that have been used as coffee substitutes.

Two of the better known coffee substitutes are chicory and dandelion, which both grow as weeds around the world. In both cases, the roots are roasted, ground, and used in the same way as coffee.

Herbal teas are easier to make. In most cases leaves or flowers are simply steeped in hot water until the desired strength is obtained. Strawberry and raspberry leaves can be used, as can most members of the mint family. The blossoms of red clover and chamomile are also used for tea. The inner bark of the red birch tree makes a tea that smell and tastes like wintergreen (this is where the flavor for birch beer soda originates). Perhaps one of the most interesting, surprising, and abundant sources for herbal tea can be found above your head when hiking through an evergreen forest. In addition to an interesting taste, tea made from the needles of evergreen trees is high in vitamin C. Just for the record, the hemlock tea made famous by Socrates was made from a plant, not from the tree.

So then, whether you are "camping" in an RV or roughing it in the woods, there’s no reason why you should have to go without your morning cup of coffee, or at least some facsimile thereof.

Almond Flavored Coffee

If you have often wondered what’s brewing in the coffee shops and the reasons why people flock to these places…well, there’s more out here than you can ever imagine! The enticing aroma of coffee can beckon even those who are not really addicted to coffee. This simple beverage has now turned into a lifestyle for many! Youngster’s love hanging out at coffee shops and young professionals are even known to have important business meetings in swanky coffee outlets!

If you have ever stepped into any coffee shop you must have been dazzled by the wide variety of coffee blends you must have come across! Well, this is the very factor that gets people hooked on to drinking coffee. The combination of chocolate and coffee is very well known and is popular as well! Now, we can come across other combinations such as chocolate mint flavored coffee, French vanilla flavored coffee, peach coffee and even strawberry coffee. The one flavor that has really caught on is the almond flavored coffee! Almond flavored coffee is amongst the recent additions to the coffee flavors that have been created to satiate the taste buds of all coffee lovers!

For those who do not really understand what the fuss is all about need to have a whiff of the same. For me, even the gentle aroma of coffee would get me all ready for a delicious hot cup of flavored coffee! Almond flavored coffee is the latest on the coffee scene for those seeking a delicious flavor to their regular coffee. This can be further mixed with other flavors to create a divine flavor for coffee.

So, what exactly is Almond Flavored Coffee?
There are certain ways to create almond flavored coffee. In many cases, the flavor is added immediately after the coffee beans are roasted. The method employed is as such- the freshly roasted beans are brought in close contact to the flavorings for some period of time. This duration should be sufficient enough for the beans to absorb the flavor. In case of almond flavored coffee, the beans are exposed to certain natural flavors so that they can get the required kind of flavor. Other methods employed to create the almond flavored coffee would be to mix some amount of almond syrup with the roasted beans, which should give it the almond flavor. At times, one can even add freshly ground almond before the preparation of the coffee grounds. This method may not always get the desired intensity of the flavor, as it may not be absorbed well into the coffee grounds.

Almond flavored coffee can be combined with other ingredients for a completely divine experience! Chocolate is one such tempting ingredient that is added to almond flavored coffee for a rich taste.

Almond Flavored Coffee Recipes:

Creamy Almond flavored coffee with a dash of alcohol

Ingredients:

Hot coffee (3/4 cup)
Almond liqueur (1 shot)
Heavy cream - scalded (1/4 cup)

Preparation:
You only need to combine the ingredients and serve. If you wish to avoid alcohol, you can even use almond extract to enjoy the rich flavor of almond flavored coffee.

Delicious Almond flavored coffee

Ingredients:

Medium roast brewed coffee (10 ounces)
Lightly whipped coffee (1/4 cup)
Toasted, sliced almonds (1/2 teaspoon)
Amaretto liqueur (1 1/2 jiggers)
You would also need a brandy snifter – preheated (1- large)

Preparation:
First, you would need to pour the hot coffee in the brandy snifter, which has been heated in advance. Stir the liqueur in this mixture and top it with some whipped cream and almonds!

O Espresso!

When people ask me if I drink coffee, I have to take a moment to give the question its proper response.

Usually, it’s something like, "Oh, you mean the sweet, dark nectar of life?"

Unless I have not yet had my daily espresso when asked, in which case the person asking does not merit a reply. Of course I would drink coffee, moron, who would dream of trying to exist without it, what would a life without the holy bitter bean be worth? Duh.

And now, a new study says that coffee drinkers may live longer than…those other alien people who do not imbibe.

Studies about coffee and its supposed benefits or harms come along regularly, and tell us that caffeine raises blood pressure or is linked to diabetes, or that it has beneficial antioxidants and improves athletic and mental performance, etc.

I only focus on the studies that say caffeine is good for you. It doesn’t matter if coffee is bad for you, because life without it is not worth examining.

The most recent study to come out, which claims that coffee is not bad for you and in fact may confer "a reduced risk of death" is a welcome one, indeed. Reducing the risk of death is especially impressive, since last I checked, everyone is at risk of death.

I knew it! My beloved espresso has the ability to make me immortal.

The study, published in last month’s issue of The Annals of Internal Medicine used data gathered from 42,000 men and 84,000 women over a long period of time, 24 years for women and 18 years for men.

The study participants answered extensive questionnaires every two to four years, including information on their dietary and lifestyle habits, including coffee consumption, exercise, weight, smoking and drinking habits.

The results were more noteworthy for women.

Women who drank coffee were 25% less likely to die of heart-disease related causes than non-coffee drinkers. They were also 18% less likely to die of any other cause, besides cancer, than those weird people who don’t consume coffee.

"Our results suggest that long-term, regular coffee consumption does not increase the risk of death and probably has several beneficial effects on health," said the study’s lead author Dr. Esther Lopez-Garcia, an assistant professor of preventive medicine at the Autonoma University in Madrid, Spain.

Cancer death rates appeared to be unaffected by coffee drinking habits.

Men who drank 2-3 cups of coffee per day had no significant changes in death rates than non-coffee drinking men.

Being an espresso-guzzling woman, this didn’t concern me too much.

The study’s authors did not extrapolate on the results to tell us exactly what about coffee was beneficial to women’s health. Maybe the coffee drinkers were more inclined to exercise after they’d had their jolt of joe, and therefore had healthier hearts.

Maybe the people who can afford to buy coffee just have more money in general, a correlative factor in living longer, as those with comfortable finances can also afford good health insurance, healthy food, and the like.

As for avoiding "other" causes of death besides heart attacks (and excluding cancer, as the coffee consumption had no effect on this), perhaps the coffee drinkers were more alert in general and didn’t say, fall asleep at the wheel of a car as often, or maybe they were buzzed-up on their dark roast and simply moving too fast to be say, hit by a truck.

Who knows? I can say that coffee drinkers are happier people in general, based on my completely objective observations. And happier people live longer.

Coffee has kept me company through sleepless nights and early mornings in college, sleepless nights and early mornings as a new mom, and sleepless nights and early mornings as……an older mom and an older college student.

Every morning, no matter what, my espresso is by my side, my old and reliable friend, outlasting boyfriends and pets, moves across the country, big changes and little. Life is unpredictable and messy. But my short, dark, double shot of espresso is neat and predictable, with its trusted rich nutty aroma rising to greet me in the same friendly way every single day.

There is a reason that, no matter where we are, on a trip to the in-laws or in the middle of nowhere, I will scope out the nearest Peet’s (or Starbucks if I’m desperate), or better yet, carefully pack my espresso machine into my tightly stuffed suitcase. Cute outfits be damned, that espresso machine is more important.

Don’t ask me to choose between my double shot and my husband if I were stranded on a desert island. For one thing, I like being alone. Just me and Joe.

And while I was pleased to read this study, I couldn’t disagree more with one expert’s read on it.

"I think that what this study tells us is not so much that coffee is the answer to everything," says Dr. Peter Galier, an internal medicine specialist at UCLA. "But, rather, that some compounds, such as the antioxidants found in coffee, may be healthy."

Wait, I did not hear the second part of what he said. Dr. Galier, you are dead wrong. Coffee is, in fact, the answer to everything.

Nutrition Facts for Coffee

What's your idea of pleasant morning? I like to enjoy my morning sitting in balcony or garden reading daily newspaper with a sip of steaming, refreshing coffee in a cheerful atmosphere. I am sure; most people start their day in a similar way. Coffee is one of world’s most frequently consumed beverages. It is popular not only for its amazing smell and taste, but for its stimulation properties. Coffee is derived from coffee beans, which are roasted, ground to powder and dissolved in water. Coffee can be taken in hot or cold form such as cold coffee. You can choose to have coffee with sugar and milk or without them. Coffee usually comes in a wide variety such as regular, drip, instant, brewed, espresso and decaffeinated. You must be curious to know about nutrition facts for coffee, your favorite beverage.

Nutrition Facts for Coffee

Caffeine is the main component of coffee. Average caffeine content in various types of coffee is as follows:

    * Espresso-100mg
    * Drip coffee-115-175mg
    * Instant-65-100mg
    * Brewed-80-135mg
    * Decaf, instant-2-3mg
    * Decaf, brewed-3-4mg

Other compounds found in coffee are carbohydrates, lipid, vitamins and minerals. Besides this, there are more than thousand compounds likely to present in coffee. The qualities and quantities of these compounds may vary depending upon processing of coffee.

Coffee beans are likely to contain abundant quantities of three major polysaccharides. Out of them, galactomannan and type II arabinogalactan are dominant in coffee beverage. There are mainly two types of polysaccharides such as digestible and indigestible. The indigestible form is known as dietary fibers. Coffee beans are known for having a large quantity of dietary fibers. However, they are not passed onto coffee beverage consumer due to roasting, grinding and brewing of coffee beans. Coffee beans have abundant amount of phenolics, which are able to bind to dietary proteins and fibers, possessing significant nutritional benefits.

General nutrition facts for coffee include about 0.01g of total fat, 0mg cholesterol, about 1mg of sodium, approximately 14mg of potassium, about 0.01g of total carbohydrates and nearly 0.04g of proteins. This amount is for serving size of 1 fl oz. Coffee with sugar and milk, if served 10fl.ozs, contains about 1gm of total fat, about 5mg cholesterol, approximately 70mg sodium and nearly 16gm of total carbohydrates. It consists of 4% calcium. Coffee consists of numerous trace minerals such as Niacin, Thiamin, Magnesium, Phosphorous, folate and Manganese.

Possible Benefits of Consuming Coffee

Coffee is known for several heath benefits. Caffeine present in coffee is mild stimulant and shows effects on central nervous system. It enhanced and alters mood as well as increases alertness. Caffeine is found to be effective for decreasing muscle pain and augmenting pain-reliving ability of other drugs. It also boosts athletic performance and endurance. Consumption of coffee can help to lose weight, improves normal glucose metabolism and burn excess calories.

    * Reduced risk of gallstone disease
    * Decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease
    * Reduced risk of Type 2 Diabetes
    * Enhanced cognitive performance
    * Analgesic enhancement
    * Cardioprotective
    * Antioxidants present in coffee are beneficial for health
    * Reduced asthma attacks
    * Reduced risk of cancer such as esophageal, oral and pharyngeal cancer.

Take advantage of unique nutrition facts for coffee and keep your energetic and healthy.

The South Indian "Dikashan" Coffee

Coffee is a major social institution in our part of the world. It can be described as being an icon of Kannada and even Tamil culture and is a revered tradition in most households. It is customary that a cup of coffee is offered to any visitor when visiting a household in South India (In North India, Tea is preferred.) One sip of this delicious drink will make you understand why Indian "Dikashan" coffee is such a revered beverage down South.

Serving the filter coffee is one of the most interesting parts of preparing the coffee. The coffee is poured back and forth between the ‘Dawra’ and the ‘Lota’ in huge arc-like motions of the hand. A ‘Dawra’ is a wide metal saucer that is used to gently spin the coffee around to cool it. The ‘Lota’ is a tumbler used to hold the coffee and the coffee is drunk from the Lota. By pouring the coffee between the Dawra and the Lota, you will cool the hot coffee down to a suitable temperature while leaving a thick layer of froth on top to enjoy.

Recently, me and my friends went to a Cafe Coffee Day outlet at the Sector-14 shopping arcade in Gurgaon. The menu card had Hot Chocolate, Espresso with cream, Tropical Iceberg, Almond Frappes and what not. I felt there ought to be a place for the traditional ‘Hot filter Coffee’ amongst these. I ordered for a simple Capuccino while my friends went for those customized drinks.

I remember drinking mesmerizing coffee made by my both grandmas. I don't get to drink it often at home here. Maybe this was the only trait my Mom didn't inherit from her mother. That is why I like visiting my cousin a lot. My Aunt makes filter coffee 6'o clock every morning. An apt drink for refreshment. Here at home, I have to drink tea or Corn flakes with milk. Drinking these two is a sacrilege to me.

I love coffee any time of the day. And by coffee, I mean filter coffee. I know a lot of people who are coffee addicts. A friend of mine drinks a lot of Coffee in college. He says, "If you don’t drink coffee at least thrice a day, it’s a violation". He certainly has brown blood in his veins.

I consider that the making of filter coffee is almost a ritual, for the coffee beans have to be roasted and ground first. Then the powder is put into a filter set and boiling hot water is added to prepare the decoration and allowed to set for about 15 minutes. The decoration is then added to milk with sugar to taste. The final drink is poured individually from one container to another in rapid succession to make the ideal frothy cup of filter coffee.

And you get steaming, hot filter coffee with an exhilarating aroma, creamy-golden-brown froth, fulsome flavor and lingering after-taste. Nothing like it to refresh and stimulate. And so easy to achieve if you make it right.

Next time you go to a Lavazza or a Barista, recommend those guys to add this celestial drink on their list.....

Frozen Coffee Drinks

"A cup of coffee shared with a friend is happiness tasted and time well spent."

Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic variations of coffee as also the iced and frozen coffee drinks have a great taste. Try some of these recipes this summer.

Frozen Coffee Mocha
Ingredients

    * 1 tray of frozen coffee ice cubes
    * 1 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
    * 1 and ½ tablespoon cocoa powder
    * 2 tablespoons sugar (fine-grained)
    * 1/2 tablespoon vanilla

Procedure
Freeze some coffee in an ice-cube tray. Heat 2 tablespoons of milk in the microwave. Mix cocoa powder and sugar in the milk. The milk should be hot enough to melt the cocoa powder and add sugar to this mixture of milk and cocoa powder. Add the remaining milk to this sweetened mixture. Blend this mixture and add the coffee ice cubes to the blender, and blend it until it becomes smooth.

Frozen Irish Coffee
Ingredients

    * 3 tablespoons Irish whisky
    * 5 oz of hot black coffee
    * 1 tablespoon vanilla ice-cream
    * 1 teaspoon sugar

Procedure
Mix the whiskey, hot black coffee and sugar with three quarters of ice, in the blender. Top it with a scoop of ice-cream and add grated chocolate to enjoy the highball.

Frozen Coffee Cooler
Ingredients

    * 4 cups of coffee (brewed and then cooled)
    * 6 cups of ice cubes
    * 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    * 3/4 cup sugar
    * 1 cup milk
    * 1 cup coffee liqueur
    * Whipped cream and ground cinnamon for garnishing

Procedure
Take all the ingredients, except milk, in a mixer and mix it until a smooth mixture is formed. Add milk and again blend the mixture. Pour the coffee in glasses (makes 8 glasses) and garnish it with whipped cream and cinnamon.

Irish Mocha Smoothie
Ingredients

    * 3 scoops of frozen coffee yogurt
    * 1 tray of frozen coffee cubes
    * 3 tablespoons of chocolate syrup
    * 1/2 cup milk
    * 1/4 cup Irish cream

Procedure
Mix all the above ingredients in a blender until the mixture becomes smooth. Serve the smoothie in a tall glass.

Brandy Mocha Almond
Ingredients

    * 1 tablespoon brandy
    * 1 tablespoon almond liqueur
    * 5 tablespoons hot coffee
    * 5 tablespoon cocoa powder
    * Sugar to taste

Procedure
Mix brandy, almond liqueur, hot coffee and cocoa powder in a blender. Add sugar and again blend the mixture. Serve this drink in a heatproof glass.

Frosty Cappuccino
Ingredients

    * 3 and ½ cup coffee (brewed and strong)
    * 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    * 1/3 cup bourbon
    * 1 cup milk
    * 2 cups ice-cream (preferably coffee-flavored)

Procedure
Freeze the strong coffee in an ice-cube tray. Mix bourbon, milk, cinnamon and frozen coffee in a blender until the mixture is smooth. Serve the mixture with coffee-flavored ice-cream.

Iced Vanilla Coffee
Ingredients

    * 8 cups hot coffee (hazelnut-flavored)
    * 1 tablespoon vanilla
    * 2 cups milk
    * 1/2 cup sugar
    * 5 oz vanilla yogurt

Procedure
Combine coffee, sugar and vanilla and stir to dissolve sugar. Pour milk in the mixture and refrigerate. While serving, top it with 1 tablespoon yogurt. Instead of hazelnut-flavored coffee, you can also use any of your favorite coffee flavors.

Frappuccino
Ingredients

    * 1 cup of vanilla yogurt
    * 3 teaspoons of vanilla
    * 20 oz of ice cubes
    * Cocoa powder and honey as per flavor
    * Milk

Procedure
Mix yogurt, vanilla, ice cubes, cocoa powder and milk in a blender. Serve the mixture with ice-cream or coffee liqueur.

Creamy Island Coffee
Ingredients

    * 4 oz iced coffee
    * 1 banana
    * 1 oz chocolate syrup (raspberry and peppermint can also be used as per liking)
    * 1 cup milk

Procedure
Mix iced coffee, banana, chocolate syrup and milk in a blender. Top the frozen coffee drink with whipped cream and cherries.

Orange Mamba Latte
Ingredient

    * 1/2 oz orange syrup
    * 1 cup iced coffee
    * 2 scoops of vanilla ice-cream
    * 1 oz milk

Procedure
Blend iced coffee, milk and orange syrup in a blender to get a smooth mixture. Add the vanilla ice-cream and blend the mixture once more. You can use yogurt or heavy cream instead of ice-cream. Garnish the mixture with an orange slice.

These were some of the frozen coffee drink recipes. Slight variations in the ingredients can make your drink tasty. Enjoy the frosty delight!