Category: miscellany

coffee’s magic knows no bounds

Coffee, yeah!!!!!! (AP Photo/John Amis)

Atlanta Braves All-Star first baseman Freddy Freeman hit for the cycle last night for the second time in his career, and it’s clear why:

“My wife, we had breakfast this morning and we had two cappuccinos delivered — and she chose the cappuccino and she handed it to me and said this is the one with a lot of hits in it. So I have to give this one up to my wife, Chelsea, because if it wasn’t for the right cappuccino pick, I wouldn’t be here talking to you guys,” Freeman said.

ESPN.com

Congratulations, Freddy! You’re a Coffee Achiever!

moar science!

I heard somewhere recently (Wait Wait?) that a study showed drinking 4 cups of coffee a day wasn’t good for your health. Pish posh, I thought, even though I don’t consume that much of the dark elixir.

Jane Brody of the New York Times to the rescue. The long-time personal health writer for the paper of record (whose son lived across the hall from me in college, though that’s neither here nor there) writes that coffee is good for you – it’s science! Coffee and caffeine helps you live longer, helps with preventing many of the ills of modern life, and so on and so forth.

A few caveats related to caffeine consumption: too much caffeine is not good if you’re pregnant; for some people it can interfere with sleep; coffee making methods that don’t involve a filter leave in chemicals that can raise LDL cholesterol; and finally, turning that coffee into a dessert is not a good idea, so lay off the sweetened nonsense pushed by the green evil empire and the like:

Also countering the potential health benefits of coffee are popular additions some people use, like cream and sweet syrups, that can convert this calorie-free beverage into a calorie-rich dessert….. A 16-ounce Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino, for example, has 51 grams of sugar, 15 grams of fat (10 of them saturated) and 370 calories.

coffee napping

Lately I’ve become aware of the coffee nap. Apparently it’s a thing. A thing about which there’s been a lot of research and articles written. I would link to a few articles for you, but frankly if you google coffee nap you’ll find a zillion of them, all laying it out for you in essentially the same way. I’ll also try it for you, thought it’s kind of technical.

So forgive me for getting too science-y, but there’s this goo called adenosine that builds up in your brain. Sleep clears the goo away. Clearing out that goo helps make caffeine hit even better, without all the jittery stuff. And the final piece of the equation is that it takes about 20 minutes for caffeine to affect the brain.

So, basically, the idea is to drink coffee quickly. Preferably espresso or cold brew so you can drink it fast and not loose any precious mind goo clearance time. No milk or sugar or sweetener, just black. Immediately close your eyes and nap for 20 minutes. Wake up refreshed, alert, and ready to carpe all the diems you can handle.

So I decided to try it. Here’s the results of my highly scientific studies.

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POP TARTS ALERT

I don’t usually do an update on a post the day after putting it out, but in this case dramatic new developments warrant it.

Following up on yesterday’s post on baked goods to have with coffee, I had lunch today at Northside Social and was relieved to see what looked to be the cherry blossom pop tart in the display case. But the sign told a different tale.

CHERRY APPLE POP TART.

Basically taking the cherry blossom version and replacing the innards with an apple pie filling. Have to admit from the name I was looking forward to a mixed apple and cherry filling, but nonetheless this was delicious. It’s basically a fantastic apple pie shrunk down to fit in your hand. Same issue of being a bit too much for dessert or accompanying a coffee, but why quibble when it tastes so good.

In a Pop Tart world where the Cherry Blossom Pop Tart never existed this would be our new king, but alas the throne eludes our Cherry Apple because as good as the filling is, it’s no match for the innards of the cherry blossom.

My sources in the café (thanks, Kelly!) tell me that the Cherry Apple is replacing the Cherry Blossom, unfortunately, and that mystery herb in the Cherry Blossom was…… basil! Huh, didn’t see that coming.

power rankings: sweets on the side

Coffee and a donut. Coffee and a danish. Coffee and a biscotti. Nothing elevates a terrific coffee, particularly after a meal, than serving it with a baked goodie. Particularly true for specialty coffees, and luckily many cafes offer a wide selection of tempting sugary goodness. If they broadcast having a pastry chef, you are really in luck. Shoutout to the affogato, but we’re talking coffee sidekicks that you can hold in one hand.

Here is one person’s ranking of the best choices to enjoy with your cappuccino/macchiato/latte/espresso/americano/etc. My faves are, naturally, weighted toward my geographic area. As always these things are purely subjective and your mileage may vary.

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