What does a perfect cup of coffee mean to you?

Sipping a perfect cup of coffee in great company is one of those life's little pleasures you should just not miss
What does a perfect cup of coffee mean to you? For coffee sommelier Sally Barnes, its no less than luxury. “It's the whole experience that one enjoys, from the aroma of the fresh beans to listening to the kiss of the steam wand as it hits milk in the jug, to the first sip. A quality cup of coffee, prepared by a passionate barista is indeed a luxury.“ On a more serious note, she shares, “Good coffee taste has a lot to do with proper roasting. The other crucial point is immediate packaging to ensure there is minimal loss of the delicate flavour and aroma found in fresh coffee.“ This young Aussie, who works as a regional development executive for the international coffee chain Gloria Jean's Coffees, says the coffee drinking scene in India is quite different from other places. “For Indians, a coffee house is a destination to meet friends, organise business meets and relax over a cup of coffee. The `grab and go' culture is yet to develop here.“ What makes your coffee taste great ROASTING: Coffee beans are roasted in a roasting drum at around 200 degree Celsius. After roasting, the beans are cooled rapidly to prevent any residual heat further roasting the coffee.
CREMA: The thin layer of foam on the top of the espresso shot. The ideal crema is thick, golden, aromatic and persistent.
POUR: Espresso must fall from the group handle like honey dripping off the back of a spoon.
The rate of pour determine the quality of espresso.
TIME: Extraction time is measured to ensure espresso is pouring at the correct rate. 30 ml of espresso should take 23 27 seconds to pour.
BISCUIT: A firm, dry biscuit (the residual coffee that is left after the coffee has been extracted) demonstrates that correct amount of coffee was used for a quality extraction to occur.
MILK TEXTURE: For cappuccino or latte, the milk should be textured.
Texturing of the milk involves heating the milk at specific temperature through the injection of steam. The milk must be `stretched' -to create volume and `rolled' to create texture.

The Amazing Cucumber

  This information was in The New York Times several weeks ago as part of their "Spotlight on the Home" series that highlighted creative and fanciful ways to solve common problems.
1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day... Just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon? Put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror... It will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area. WOW!

5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes. The photochemical in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too! DOUBLE WOW!!

6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9. Out of WD-40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber sliced rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the photochemical will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!