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Random Picture Friday #11: Face in the Beans

Can YOU find the face in the beans?

If you give up, click here.

Random Picture Friday #7: Beans.. magical fruit

The last one to figure out what’s wrong with this analogy is a rotten egg!

p.s. – there’s an interesting logo in this photo as well.

2009 USBC Live Video Feed (and Live-Blogging)

Feed can be found here -> Click

Blog can be found here -> Click

Or, you can just sit back, and enjoy the show from the comfort of TX-Coffee.com:

Free TV : Ustream

Animated Video – Just for Fun

Sometimes coffee solves problems.

Sometimes problems are just inspiration for new coffee machines.

I hope Monday wasn’t too terrible.

The Pearl Cup: Dallas, TX

(Website)

As taken from a Facebook message:

NOW OPEN!!!

Business Hours:

Monday – Thursday 6:30am – 9pm
Friday 6:30am – 11pm
Saturday 7am – 11pm
Sunday 9am – 3pm

Come check us out!

The Pearl Cup
1900 N. Henderson Ave
(On the corner of Henderson Ave and McMillan Ave)

The Pearl Cup is running coffee from Coffee Eiland (no website.. get on that, Clay!) in Dallas, along with Mazzer grinders and a La Marzocco Linea.  Allegedly, they are offering single origin espresso.  At least, that’s what I’ve heard.
The setup (La Marzocco + Mazzer + Coffee Eiland) REALLY reminds me of Gachet Coffee Lounge downtown near the House of Blues.  I was not impressed with the coffee at Gachet, but I’m guessing inconsistency is the fault that plagues us all (including Gachet), as what is to blame.  It wasn’t bad, but I felt it could have been better.

But, this is a whole new beast, headed by a band of three friends bent on bringing better coffee to Dallas. (or so it seems)

They have a website, which can be found at http://thepearlcup.com, and a page on Facebook. (link on their website)

The Pearl Cup has been added to our List of Retailers.

The Pearl Cup

1900 N. Henderson Ave
Dallas, TX 75206

(On the corner of Henderson Ave and McMillan Ave)

Coffee™ version "Lekempte and Limu"

(source|Reuters)

Ethiopia to trademark two more coffee brands

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Ethiopia said on Tuesday it planned to obtain trademark rights for two coffee brands, originating in its Limu and Lekempte regions, to ensure the fine beans are sold only by licensed distributors.

Africa’s biggest grower already has trademark rights with global companies for its finest coffee brands; the Yirgacheffe, Sidamo and Harar coffees that are grown in the eponymous regions…

…”Ethiopia has been able to open new markets for its specialty coffees in India, China and Russia after the country secured property rights for its coffee,” Alemu said.

It has also signed agreements with over 70 global companies to promote its coffees, he said in a statement.

The trademarks would hopefully enhance the value of Ethiopian coffee to $8 per kilo compared with $2 presently, he said…

…The leading buyer of Ethiopian coffee is Germany, followed by Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United States and the Netherlands….more.

Does this really do much good?  Does the mere act of putting a trademark on something somehow make it inherently more valuable, even if only in perceived value?

I don’t know.  They’ve done this with other regions already, and it sparked a fair bit of commotion.  What are your thoughts?

New Tech in the World of Coffee

I was looking through some Flickr updates, when I come across this interesting looking machine that reminds me of a Clover, and some experiments I’d seen done over at Jim Seven regarding water measurment by weight, rather than volume.

Well, here it is.  The Marco Uber Boiler.  It’s been situated to deliver water at temperatures of .2C precision by weight into whatever vessel of your choice.  Precise temperature, precise measurement, both in a neat in-counter package.  This does what Clover couldn’t.(just my opinion)

It’s not in production yet, and James says, “For those interested I’d recommend e-mailing Marco, and they will keep those interested up to date on the boiler.”(via) Click Here for the full report from James Hoffmann.

–

The next bit of tech for the coffee industry is an espresso machine project that I’ve been following for awhile, but was just recently finished into a functional prototype.  It has since made quite a splash, and it has gotten more attention.  It is the Slayer Espresso machine.

It’s low, it’s sleek, it has exposed group heads, it has steam wands and levers that remind one of Synesso, it boasts temperature control/stability, exposed paddle group heads, and… pressure profiling control?

I know that La Marzocco has released their paddle machine (which, btw, Cuvee was one of the first to have acquired), and it has made a splash, but not in the same way as this one.  Maybe it’s because it is from an independent, rather than from a prestigious manufacturer with a long history.  Maybe it’s because they’ve been blogging about its progress since it began.  Or, maybe it’s because it was developed from the same folks who started Treuh, except for Mark Barnett, who went on to found Synesso.

Either way, this piece of espresso tech holds a lot of promising potential.  Also not in production yet, I’ll be keeping an eye on this one for updates on its progress.

That’s all the news for today!  I’m sure that’s more than enough to hold you over for awhile.

Random Picture Friday #3: They're Everywhere!

EVERYWHERE!!!

And while they have cut back their plans to open 200 new stores down to 120, they have plans to close down 300 additional stores since the last decision to close down about 600 stores.  (source)

While it may seem like the independents are winning, keep your eyes open.  Starbucks didn’t get where they are from being unattentive.  EEK!

Good News for People Who Drink "Too Much" Coffee

Coffee Linked to Lower Dementia Risk

By NICHOLAS BAKALAR

Published: January 23, 2009

Drinking coffee may do more than just keep you awake. A new study suggests an intriguing potential link to mental health later in life, as well.   more…

…After controlling for numerous socioeconomic and health factors, including high cholesterol and high blood pressure, the scientists found that the subjects who had reported drinking three to five cups of coffee daily were 65 percent less likely to have developed dementia, compared with those who drank two cups or less. more…

As though knowing that brewed coffee is full of anti-oxidants weren’t enough!  (of course, the LDL cholesterol found in non-paper filtered coffee is supposed to be bad for you, but I suspect, and I am no scientist nor physician, that this is only an issue for those in whom high cholesterol is already a concern)

Funny.  Cooking acidic foods in reactive vessels (like aluminum cookware) drastically increases one’s chances of acquiring Alzheimer’s disease.  It seems drinking copious amounts of coffee has the reverse effect, keeping neurons properly “lubed up”, as it were.  I wonder.  What would happen if one were to brew a highly acidic or astringent coffee, like a too-light-roasted Costa Rican in an aluminum moka pot?  I kid, I kid!

Chock up another big “+1″ for coffee!  I love it when a Monday starts out with good news.  Who’s with me!

Double Espresso Poll (and a new feature)

On your left, you’ll see a poll that asks how many grams of coffee you would normally dose for a double espresso.

This is just to get an idea of which direction we are headed.  More coffee per shot.. or less coffee.

And, if you’ll look to your right, you will see a mobile barcode.  This barcode can be read by your SmartPhone, iPhone, or Picket PC (when equipped with a bar code reader.. which can be downloaded to work with your phone’s camera, if your phone does not include one from the factory).  Just scan it, and it will pop up tx-coffee.com, so you can grab the URL for your phone without having to go through the hastle of typing it out on tiny keys.

And just a reminder, be sure to try out the Internet Coffee Database (also known as the internet encyclopedia of coffee(LIVE)) hosted here at TX-Coffee.com.  And use the contact form if you think we are missing a website or blog that should be included in the search database.

And, the last of this tx-coffee news update, there is a new t-shirt style available in the TX-Coffee Gear store.

“Roots” E-61 T-shirt

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