The miniature coffee plant (Coffea arabica “Nana”) grows to a height of about 12 inches. It has dark, shiny, wavy-edged leaves. In the summer months, fragrant, small, star-shaped flowers appear, followed by red berries containing coffee beans. Originating in Ethiopia, this plant is used to cooler temperatures with a high humidity. It is hardy in U. S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10, but throughout the rest of the United States, this plant is grown as a houseplant. Growing your own miniature coffee plant is simple, providing you have the right sowing conditions.
If you can't start your day without an eye-opening cup of coffee, consider growing your own coffee plant. Homegrown coffee costs much less than a bag of beans or a cup from a coffee house, and growing this exotic plant presents a satisfying challenge to the adventurous gardener. Most coffee beans bought in stores are roasted and unsuitable for planting. To grow your own coffee, you need to use raw, unroasted beans.
According to a 2009 report on the wine, beer and liquor sector in Costa Rica, growth in the country's tourism industry has led to an increase in wine consumption. From 2003 to 2007, sales of imported wine grew by more than 100 percent. Costa Rica, however, has yet to develop a viable wine industry, although efforts are being made to do just that.
From treating diarrhea to reducing the pain for arthritis sufferers, guarana seeds have been used for their medicinal properties for thousands of years by tribes living in the Amazon. Believed to provide more energy and stimulate weight loss, the seed has been attracting more widespread interest in recent years in the U.S., Europe and Asia. While the extract carries the most compounded effects of guarana seeds, it is often hard to find and expensive to purchase. By creating your own extracts at home you can personalize the brew while saving time and money.
There are few rituals as iconic as sitting down for a morning cup of coffee. A good cup of coffee starts with great coffee beans. Tarrazu coffee beans come from the Tarrazu region of Costa Rica, and are known for a light flavor and fragrance. The second most important element that goes into creating the perfect cup of coffee is extraction. Under-extracted coffee tastes watery, while over-extracted coffee will be bitter. Extraction can be mastered through a combination of timing and proportion.
Tarrazu coffee comes from coffee beans grown in Costa Rica and is a type of Arabica coffee. This type of coffee can be found in single coffee blends, or added to other Costa Rican coffees, to improve the quality of the coffee. Tarrazu coffee beans are described as containing berry like and citrus aromas. Once the coffee beans are roasted, chocolate and nut flavors are produced.
Catering some sort of event comes up for everyone at some point, be it planning your wedding, organizing a company meeting, or throwing a party at home without the cooking. Planning parties, transforming spaces and feeding the masses is a gratifying yet exhausting job. Vegetables play a large role, ensuring everyone has something to eat, interesting things to try and no one is alienated.
A popular tourist destination, the tiny South American nation of Costa Rica attracts about 1.5 million tourists each year, drawn to the country's sunny climate and white-sand beaches. Visitors to Costa Rica will generally sample the local cuisine, although those looking for a hot-and-spicy experience will likely be disappointed.
Chocolate-making has a long tradition in Costa Rica, where it is grown in the Caribbean lowlands. Plantations offer ecotouristic "chocolate tours" for adventurous chocolate lovers to explore the makings of this luxurious food at the source. Indigenous tribes such as the Bribri have cultivated the cacao plant for centuries in Costa Rica. You need not travel far to sample Costa Rican chocolates, however; you can shop for a variety of native products online.
According to legend, coffee was discovered in Ethiopia more than a thousand years ago when a goat-herder noticed one of his flock acting frisky after eating the bright, red berries off of a kaffa bush. Coffee has been Ethiopia's cash crop ever since, and today the eyes of aficionados watch Ethiopia with a zeal matched only by the connoisseurs of wine and chocolate. Fortunately, the quality of today's coffee can be determined by factors other than watching goats.
Caterers have two major responsibilities to their clients: to provide outstanding service and to prepare great-tasting food that can be consumed for the duration of an event without making people sick. Although catering events take place away from the caterer's kitchen or place of business, food safety standards remain the same. Caterers must comply with health department regulations to retain their operating licenses and a good reputation among consumers.
The history of coffee begins in ancient Ethiopia, where in the Kaffa region Arabica coffee originally grew wild. Coffee has therefore been an integral part of Ethiopian culture for centuries. Today, coffee is Ethiopia's largest and most important export. Many connoisseurs consider Ethiopian coffee to be the best in the world.
The Haitians love cooking, and their cuisine is a delicious blend of locally grown produce and aromatic spices. Spain, France, Africa--and more recently, the United States--have all had an influence on Haitian cooking.
According to the Costa Rican information group Costa Rica Map, coffee has played an important role in the economy of Costa Rica since it was first grown in the final decade of the eighteenth century and still makes up an important part of the country's economy.
The ingredient guaraná is appearing on the labels of more and more health and energy products, but what is it? Guaraná is a berry of the Amazon rainforest that has been harvested for energy and medicinal purposes for centuries. The seed of the berry contains a high level of caffeine. However, there is much more to guaraná culturally and botanically than just its properties as a stimulant.
Blue Mountain Coffee is coffee grown in the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica. This region includes the areas of Portland, St. Thomas and St. Andrews. It is known for its worldwide popularity, which results in high demand and high cost.
Noni fruit, also known as Indian Mulberry, grows as a small evergreen shrub, and it has shown to have many health benefits ranging from treating the common cold to alleviating mental depression. Reap the benefits of the magical noni fruit, which is related to the coffee family, with information from a professional caterer in this free video on food.
The coffee growing process begins when the trees are grown on different continents, the red berries from the trees are picked, the berries are then dried and turn into green beans, and then the beans are roasted. Blend coffee beans from different continents to get unique coffee flavors with information from the owner of a coffee shop in this free video on coffee.
Coffee has long since been one of the most popular drinks of people around the world. In the morning we use it to perk us up before heading to work. In the afternoon we use coffee as a jolt to get us through the rest of the day. Many people are so in love with their coffee that they simply can't imagine going an entire day without it. But hardly anyone thinks about how coffee is made as they drink their piping hot cup.