 |  Product Spotlight:
FrancisFrancis! X1 |  |  |
Who doesn't like a tall, cool, glass of iced tea on a hot and sticky day? I can't think of anyone. Since 1904 iced tea has been a favorite summer-time drink here in the US of A. This summer there seems to be an iced tea resurgence, because everywhere I look there's an advertisement for iced tea. Peach, pomegranate, lychee and lemon - there are a million flavors out there.
Fast-food chains around the country have jumped on the bandwagon too, promoting iced tea like there's no tomorrow. It's always been the old standby, but since iced coffee has gained popularity over the past few years, maybe iced tea needed a little push to stay in the spotlight....Read More & Post Comments
|  |
Good news for athletes headed to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. The International Olympic Committee has removed caffeine from their list of banned substances.
Previously, athletes who tested positive with more than 12 micrograms of caffeine per milliliter of urine had been banned from participating in events. That's great for athletes who enjoy coffee and espresso, because a mere five cups of coffee will elevate your levels to 12 micrograms.
The IOC said it wanted to prevent athletes from suspension because of simply drinking coffee or soda...Read More...
|  |
Don’t forget to vote for your favorite entry in the 2007 Latte Art Video Contest. Voting ends July 30th, so hurry and make your pick for this year’s winner! Already voted? Be sure to check in and see if your favorite entry is in the top 10. Winners will be announced Tuesday, July 31 st, so visit our site to see the top 3 picks! Vote Now! | |  |
By Maureen Cahill -
 There are questions with no definitive answers that have plagued mankind for ages. The answers are almost always a matter of opinion, and can range from the deeply philosophical to the ridiculous. Chicken or the egg? Yankees or Red Sox? Alec or Stephen Baldwin? And, for espresso lovers, ground coffee or Easy Serve Espresso (ESE) pods?
The folks at FrancisFrancis! did some research and learned that while some people use both ground coffee and pods, the majority of home brewers choose one or the other. Both methods have their benefits. Brewing with ground coffee gives the user complete control over dosing and tamping, providing opportunities to strive for the perfect shot and to experience the art of traditional espresso making. ESE pods, on the other hand, ensure you can get consistent shots every time you brew, and you don’t have to worry about grinding your own beans or tamping. They are perfect for espresso lovers that are on-the-go, or are just looking for the convenience that pods offer.
The researchers at FrancisFrancis! learned something else while studying the difference between brewing with ground coffee and pods... Read More
| | "With coffee quality and ease-of-use in mind, the X1 got a makeover that even Stacy and Clinton from 'What Not to Wear' would be envious of."
| |  |
By Nicole Jones -
 I’ll be the first to admit it - if there’d been some Xanax in the house I probably would have popped a couple. But that’s because I’ve got some anxiety issues, especially when it comes to doing anything out of the ordinary to my espresso machine. Looking back, I really shouldn’t have been worried about cleaning my grinder. It’s really easy to do and it’s a nice feeling having a clean machine.
Only a select few have authorization to operate or even touch my stainless steel beauty. I’ll admit, I’m a little quirky and frighteningly possessive of my machine, but I’m sure I’m not alone out there.
So, when Adam, a fellow writer here at Whole Latte Love, pitched the idea for a hands-on grinder cleaning story, I was a little nervous.
“Cleaning your grinder is all part of keeping your machine running smoothly,” he said, especially if you’ve used oily beans. “Don’t worry, nothing’s going to happen. We’ll do it together.” Still, I was nervous... Read More
| |
"It was really amazing to see how much coffee had built up, as well as how fine the grinder was able to grind."
| | 
By Nicole Jones - 
Known world-wide for its beautiful beaches, lush rainforests and bountiful coffee plantations, the Republic of Costa Rica attracts more than 1.7 million tourists a year, many of them searching for the perfect eco-friendly vacation. Ecotourism, according to Costa Rican Minister of Tourism Carlos Ricardo Benavides Jimenez, plays an important role in the country’s economy.
According to Jimenez, “Costa Rica’s long experience with ecotourism and nature travel serves as a model for many countries around the world.” Ecotourism focuses largely on local culture, personal growth and learning ways to responsibly live on the planet.
The Vargas family subscribes to that way of thinking. They have been promoting sustainable communities and providing jobs to the local population for nearly 85 years. They own the 2,000 acre Doka Estate Plantation just north of San Jose. Their traditional coffee growing and roasting methods provide more than 200 full-time jobs in the community. Seasonally, there are more than 3,000 employees...Read more
| "Everything we do on our coffee plantation stimulates the process of getting better at our business."
| | |
