Caffeine Trivia: Go Green Tip #3

As promised…Continuing to go green with your used coffee grounds –   Here’s Today’s Green Tip:

3. Add coffee grounds to your skin mask beauty routine. 

Caffeine Trivia: Go Green Tip #2

As promised…Continuing to go green with your used coffee grounds –   Here’s Today’s Green Tip:

2. Use coffee grounds as an exfoliant for skin. Pat on skin, massage over skin, rinse.

Caffeine Trivia : Go Green Tip #1

Want to go green with your used coffee grounds?  I found a great list on DYI Life – Here’s Today’s Green Tip:

1. Soften and add shine to hair. When washing your hair, rub coffee grounds through wet hair and rinse. For brown hair, coffee grounds add highlights.

I love Paris in the Springtime…

Good morning readers of The Caffeine Chronicles ~ In honor of a very special day today, my sister’s and my arrival in Paris for her birthday celebration,  I am republishing my very first blog post: I Love Paris in the Springtime.  April 20th 2007 was the day that I drank THE best cup of coffee I have ever had in my life…it’s remains the best cup of coffee ever.  April 20th 2007 was also the day that I realized one of my personal dreams: the climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower! I hope you will take a step back in time and indulge me with a reprint of my very first blog…first blog of any kind!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

When I told my friend Henry about my new blog, Caffeine Chronicles, and how bad the coffee was in Spain….he immediately responded that’s why I loved Paris so much.  You guessed it, the best coffee I’ve ever had was in Paris…everywhere in Paris. 

They have something very similar to cafe con leche…they call it Cafe Creme…but to the tenth power.  My first introduction to Cafe Creme’s taste and kick came very shortly after arriving in Paris on the morning of April 20th, 2007.  Yes, I remember the date.

I was on a business trip to Paris – participating in an incredible real estate expo.  Lynda and I were on the same flight from Miami (this is same Lynda that referred me to the Preciosos Hotel in Madrid with the Starbucks down the street) and she agreed to go with me to the Eiffel Tower before we started to work at the expo the next day.  It was great to have Lynda go with me because she speaks French…I do not…and she’s been to Paris before.You see, going to the top of the Eiffel Tower is one of the things on my list of 50 things I have to see or do before I die.  I composed my list of 50 when I turned 50.  In fact, three things on my list were accomplished during my trip to Paris (more on that later).

It was cold…very, very cold standing in line with all the other tourists waiting to buy a ticket.  My decision was to buy a ticket to go to all three levels, culminating at the top.  This was huge, considering I have a fear of heights.  My heart raced all the way to the first level, but I stayed on the lift.  My heart never beat harder going to the second level platform.  There we had to get off, walk up two flights of stairs (metal grating) and get into a small elevator that would take us to the top….a glass elevator.  I did not know that a person could survive when their heart and stomach relocate to their throat.

It was worth it!  What an absolutely incredible 360 degree view of Paris.  I can honestly say, it took my breath away, not from fear, but from the sheer beauty of this city.  There was also a bonus…a coffee shop at the top.  I had my “first” cafe creme and unbelievable pastry called a pan du chocolate (pardon my spelling).  The coffee was fabulous, rich, dark and very strong with the sweetest tasting milk that I’ve had.  I was hooked.

Only one other of my fears needed to be overcome that day while I was conquering my fear of heights, very nicely, thank you very much – my fear of birds.  There were pigeons everywhere and they were bold.  They are used to being fed by vistors to the top and they approach you.  I’m talking right up to your feet.  I had to throw small bits of my pan du chocolate some distance away from me just to get them away, far away from me.  But these were smart pigeons, they saw the hand that was feeding them and demanded more.  Sorry, but my fear stems from a flock of pigeons that desended upon me at a young age at Miami’s Bayfront Park…..just like the movie “The Birds”.

Needless to say, it was one item on my list of 50 that exceeded my expectations.  It also had that bonus…my first Cafe Creme.

Later…..

Caffeine Trivia 04.19.15

Freshen your breath: What to do when you’re all out of breath mints? Just suck on a coffee bean for a while and your mouth will smell clean and fresh again.

Caffeine Trivia 04.18.15

Barbara Streisand is quoted, “Why don’t you have a cup of coffee at least? I, um, I’m a little low in sugar and I don’t have any cream, but it’s real coffee.”

Caffeine Trivia 04.17.15

What are Biscotti? Biscotti are oblong, thick, brittle cookies designed to be dipped in coffee, cocoa, or wine. Originally from Italy, “biscotti” translates as “twice baked” because the cookies must be baked long enough to make them dry and crunchy. Although traditionally almond flavored to complement dunks in a glass of red wine, now biscotti have multiplied with exotic flavors and creative additives.

The first biscotti emerged from an Italian countryside full of vineyards. They used abundant almonds to flavor a cookie that was so dry and crunchy, it wasn’t apt to turn stale before they could dip in it wine. Soon, other European countries adapted the twice-baked recipes to their own favorite spices and special ingredients. Recently, the increase in popularity of coffee drinks has spurred the proliferation of many new kinds of biscotti. A dunk in a warm beverage softens the cookie and makes it easier to chew.  Tomorrow: an easy Biscotti recipe.

Caffeine Trivia 03.21.15

In the 1700’s coffee was discovered by virtually every European country.  The Scandinavian countries weren’t so quick to take to coffee…this is really funny, since the Scandinavians now boast the highest per capita consumption of coffee on earth!!!

Personal note: Next vacation spot????

Caffeine Trivia 3.20.15

I make serious coffee – so strong it wakes up the neighbors.  ~Author Unknown

Caffeine Trivia 03.19.15

More on Frederick the Great: Four years after Frederick issued his manifesto in favor of beer and against beer, he forbade the roasting of coffee except in official government establishments.  Frederick’s poor subjects had to turn to coffee substitutes…roast chicory root, dried figs, wheat, corn and barley.  If they managed to get their hands on real coffee beans and roast them…well, the King had spies, “coffee smellers” as they were known, to make sure they had no coffee.  However, coffee triumphed!!!

Personal note: OMG…coffee smeller….perhaps another previous life???  It certainly wasn’t one involved with drinking dried figs!