Daily Loaf

One of life’s great pleasures (especially here in Tampa) and health benefits — coffee has it all. Caffeine, aroma, deep flavors and, to coffee connoisseurs around the globe, coffee is a known as a tonic that prevents diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and cancer. No wonder we hold a fascination with brewing this tasty bean!

Here’s a tip: next time you grab your morning joe, sprinkle a little cayenne on top. Not only does the spice help wake you up, but this pepper is packed with vitamins A and C along with the full spectrum of B vitamins. And taken in tiny daily doses, it can help prevent heart attacks and strokes. Read the rest of this entry »

Looking for a way to get off the juice but still have a small burst of caffeine to power you through your work morning? Enter yerba mate, a natural alternative for Tampa’s documented coffee addiction.

I only recently discovered this South American rain forest plant myself and now consider myself thoroughly entranced. Why? Well, after you read the stats of this miracle tea you, will be too! Read the rest of this entry »

I just read a blog arguing the problems versus benefits of organic food.  Though it covered the issue from different angles and had some interesting points, one part that I want to address is the idea that organic fields are 40% less productive than fields that use a bunch of chemicals. That isn’t true of any organic farmer I know personally – I’m not sure where this statistic comes from and I have my doubts it is accurate in any context.

I can say with certainty it is not accurate if a farmer uses any of a number of different organic growing methods such as biodynamic, biointensive, polycropping or permaculture techniques, all of which can produce higher yields than traditional agriculture at lower costs.

The problem with conventional agriculture — and the reason we have to import oil in order to grow corn — is because the way we grow our food is extremely unnatural.  Think of this: We literally kill every living thing in the field before we plant our crops!  To prepare a new field to plant corn, we would have to remove all the plants already growing there, and plow the soil under, which kills even many of the soil microbes that are essential for fertile soil.  All that organic matter that was just removed is what created rich soils in the first place.  Then we import a bunch of chemical fertilizers to feed the plants, because we stripped the place.  One could call that flora and fauna genocide, you know?  Every living thing? Is that really necessary? Read the rest of this entry »

Looking for a quick pick-me-up on a flatteningly hot Florida day? Why not combine the best of both worlds: cold and caffeinated?

Sure, you could go to your neighborhood coffee shop and enjoy a nice, iced beverage. I do that all the time. The drinks are good, the barista’s friendly (or entertainingly sullen), the view beats my own back yard at times, and $3 is cheap rent to pay for a space where I can enjoy hours of people-watching, studying, or chatting amiably with friends.

But sometimes ya don’t feel like going out or have a very good reason to stay in (see: girlfriend, couch, movie rental, hot summer day). In those cases, it would behoove you to prepare a smashingly brilliant coffee drink at home. Read the rest of this entry »

What you don’t know about espresso will kill you.

Well, perhaps that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But it kills me to hear people pronounce “espresso,” “expresso.” And most people don’t have the first clue as to what actually goes in to the making of a decent cup of espresso. Odd, given both the Latin and Italian taste for a short, sweet, stiff shot of this beloved, dark brew, and how popular espresso products have become both here and abroad.

So what exactly goes in to the making of a cup of hot espresso? Read the rest of this entry »

Great way to start hump day… free coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts. According to television ads, the remaining Wednesdays in February, Dunkin’ Donuts will be handing out a free medium coffee with no additional purchase required.

Mark your calendars… 2/11, 2/18 & 2/25

I haven’t personally confirmed this in Tampa, but many Chick Fil A’s across the nation are offing a free breakfast promotion of sorts during February, including down in south Florida.

Examples of the promotions in other markets: return of the free Wednesday offer (chicken biscuit or one of the new options) and a free breakfast item weekday mornings (this is the south Florida deal).
Anyone want to comment back with a confirmation?

Everyone in the Bay area needs to pay attention to this if we’re going to win Most Caffeinated again this year:

Need to curb your $5 daily coffee habit, or need a desk-top alternative to crappy office Joe? After testing 34 different coffee makers, Consumer Reports has picked the unlikely, curvy, blue-adorned coffee maker from Target (inevitably designed by Michael Graves) as the best of the bunch. And it clocks in at a mere $40.

See below for CR’s take on coffee grinders and 100% Columbian coffee, too:

Read the rest of this entry »

Spices and ingredients are weapons for your kitchen arsenal – a diverse cache prepares you for most culinary challenges, whether it be saving a dish with a skillful application or satisfying a discerning palate. 

Every now and then it’s wise for a cook to do an inventory of their arsenal and the inspection of my pantry renewed my interest in cooking at home. In the past fortnight, chicken and cardamom have piqued my curiosity.

Look at this strange creature and tell me if it looks like anything you’ve ever eaten?  Ironically enough, it’s called black chicken (or Silkie chicken) and although it may be new to some of us in the West, Silkies have been a delicacy in the East for centuries. But don’t be fooled by the white feathers – the skin, meat and bones of this small bird are all black… yes black! No genetic modification or cross breeding, Mother Nature meant for this to happen. Read the rest of this entry »

All day long (Wednesday 1/28), Panera Bread is giving away FREE coffee.  Plus they are having samples of the new breakfast menu items for you to try (and try again and again).  Hunker down and score breakfast on the cheap. 

And hey, if you are feeling guilty about sample after sample after sample, they are accepting $1 dollar donations to support thier “Operation Dough-Nation Community Breadbox” program with the funds going to local programs that address community needs.

press release