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Red
Espresso -
South
African Innovation
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Attendees
at the NYC Summer Fancy Food Show got a real treat as they packed
into the red espresso™ booth last month. Was it the crafty
innovation, the alluring aroma, or the uncontrollable curiosity
that lured them in to sample something they had never seen before?
Delicious
and positively addictive, red espresso™ is the latest taste
sensation on everyone’s lips. red espresso™ is 100%
super export grade rooibos tea leaves specially ground for use
in an espresso machine. It is naturally caffeine-free, loaded
with anti-oxidants (four times more antioxidants than a traditional
cup of rooibos tea), and can easily be made at home using an espresso
machine or moka pot—just like coffee! It is also the
winner of the 2006 “New Product of the Year” in
a competition celebrating South African innovation. Who would have
thought that a tea could play by coffee’s rules?
An ex-coffee
junkie with a penchant for espresso, Cape farmer and entrepreneur
Carl Pretorius walked into his kitchen one day desperate for a
coffee fix. Conscious of the toll his six-a-day espresso addiction
was taking on his body and realizing the need for a healthier habit, “I
tore open three rooibos teabags and poured them into the handle
of my espresso machine.” What he expressed wasn’t
an espresso but seriously strong tea with pure potential.
Inspired by the concept and the progress he had made, Pretorius started
experimenting with export quality rooibos tea. After a few months
refining the mixture, “I knew I was onto something special
when the red shot I expressed delivered an amazing saffron-colored
crema and tasted delicious,” said Pretorius.
Cleverly, he patented the concept and started creating a whole
range of red espresso™ based drinks. red espresso™ can
be used to create a variety of healthy and delicious drinks—hot
or cold—from lattes and cappuccinos to shakes and iced teas. “Red
espresso captures the pure essence of rooibos without being harsh
or bitter. It’s ten times stronger than rooibos from
a teabag and it contains more antioxidants,” said Pretorius. “Red
espresso is pioneering the fusion of two global trends: café culture
and good health,” he added.
Until
recently, red espresso™ was only available at specialty
cafés. Thankfully, consumers can now curl up and relax
or entertain in style with red espresso™ at home. It
is available in a re-sealable 250g pack that lasts for up to six
months once opened (no need to refrigerate). It is produced
for immediate use (no grinding necessary) and contains only 100%
rooibos tea.
Consumers
can order the retail pack by calling toll-free 1-800-99myRED, or order
online at blincx.com. Red espresso™ is currently available in
select cafes and espresso bars, and will be available in several retail
outlets beginning in October.
Retailers, cafes, and restaurants can order retail or trade packs through the
toll-free number (1-800-99myRED ) or by e-mail (myRed@blincx.com).
For even more information about the product, visit www.redespresso.com.
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- World’s
Best Specialty Coffee -
Specialty
Coffee Association Bestows Highest Honor
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The
Panama coffee estate, Hacienda La Esmeralda received the highest
honor as it was selected as the world’s best specialty coffee
for a record third consecutive year.
The
2007 event took place earlier this year at the SCAA’s 19th
Annual Conference & Exhibition in Long Beach, CA. Hacienda
La Esmeralda’s winning coffee, from the Jaramillo region
of Boquete, Panama, was one of 104 of the finest coffees that participated
in the three-day international competition.
SCAA
2007 Cupping Pavilion Results:
- Hacienda
La Esmeralda, Panama
- El
Injerto, S.A., Guatemala
- Delicafe
S.A., Costa Rica
- Jesus
Mountain Coffee Company, Nicaragua
- Oromia
Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union, Ethiopia
- Ka’u
Farm & Ranch Company LLC, Hawaii
- Carmen
Estate, Panama
- Café Importa,
Colombia
- Ka’u
Farm & Ranch Company LLC, Hawaii
- Volcafe
Specialty Coffee, Ethiopia
- C.I.
Racafe & Cia S.C.A., Colombia
- Café de
El Salvador, El Salador
More
than 30 experienced judges selected the winning coffee by cupping—specifically
accessing six distinct attributes of the coffee samples, including:
fragrance, aroma, taste, flavor, aftertaste, and body.
For information about Hacienda La Esmeralda coffee, visit www.haciendaesmeralda.com.
Celebrating
its silver anniversary in 2007, the SCAA is the world's largest coffee
trade association. SCAA members are located in over 40 countries and
represent every segment of the specialty coffee industry, from coffee
growers to coffee roasters and retailers. The SCAA's mission is to
be the recognized authority on specialty coffee, providing a common
forum for the development and promotion of coffee excellence and sustainability.
The SCAA's dedication to excellence in coffee is realized through the
setting of quality standards for the industry; conducting research
on coffee, equipment and perfection of craft; and providing education,
training, resources and business services for members. The SCAA's annual
conference is held in a different U.S. city each year and is the coffee
industry's largest gathering and exhibition. (www.scaa.org)
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Easy Entertaining -
A Tea Party–Tay Tea Style
As seen in the August 2007 issue of
Everyday
with Rachael Ray…
Green Tea Champagne
6 Servings
Prep Time 5 min (plus steeping)
2 tablespoons KYOTO TEA
One 750-ml bottle brut champagne or prosecco, chilled
Mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Steep
the Kyoto Tea in 2 cups cold water for 6 hours. Strain, cover,
and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
To serve, fill champagne glasses halfway with the Kyoto Tea and top
off with the champagne and mint leaves, if desired.
KYOTO
TEA: a Japanese green sencha with cherry blossom rose petals.
Delicate and high in anti-oxidants. Gorgeous to behold and delicious
to drink.
Chicken-Sesame Tea Sandwiches
Makes 24
Prep Time 30 min (plus steeping and cooling)
Cook Time 20 min
1/4 cup TWIGGY TEA
4 boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/3 cup grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh basil
12 thin slices white sandwich bread
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
Toasted sesame seeds, for serving
Steep
the Twiggy Tea in 3 cups cold water for 30 minutes. Strain
and discard the leaves.
In a medium skillet, arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer;
pour in the strained tea. Add the ginger, garlic and a pinch
each of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the
heat, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through (10-15
minutes). Drain and set
the chicken aside.
Shred the chicken into small pieces and place
in a shallow bowl; cover and refrigerate until chilled (about 20
minutes). Stir
in the mayonnaise, sesame oil, tarragon and basil until combined.
Spread
each bread slice with butter and top 6 of the slices with 1/2 cup
chicken salad; top with remaining bread. Trim the crusts
and cut the sandwiches into 4 triangles. Pour sesame seeds
onto a saucer and dip 2 sides of each sandwich into the seeds to
coat.
TWIGGY
TEA: is an organic, superior oolong tea (a semi-fermented
blue-green tea) from the Fujian Province in China. It is blended
with organic
chrysanthemum flowers.
To purchase Kyoto Tea or Twiggy Tea for the recipes above (or to view the
entire artisanal tea collection from Tay Tea) visit www.taytea.com.
Founded
by tea blender Nini Ordoubadi in 2003, New York-based Tay Tea only
uses ingredients that are 100% natural, organic or wild-crafted.
Many of the herbs and botanicals that are used to blend the teas
are grown on Nini’s
organic farm in upstate New York. Recipes and photos courtesy
of Tay Tea.
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From
bikers and bellydancers to birdwatchers and bunco players…if
you have a special interest there is a group waiting for you
to join in.
Social networking groups, like Meet Ups, provide a great way
to get introduced to new people who share a common interest,
hobby, or passion for a cause. According to www.meetup.com,
their network contains over 30,000 different Meet Up groups and
they cover over 3,500 different topics.
You are able to customize
your search by your specific geographic area and interest. If
you live in NYC, for example, you can join several different Meet
Ups if you are searching for people who love coffee and/or tea. Here
are just a few:
Visit www.meetup.com to
discover others who share your passion for coffee and/or
tea in your area or find out how to start your own group. |
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Something’s Brewing -
...But
It's Not Coffee or Tea
On August
11, 2007 the biggest names in the craft beer industry will be hosting
a tasting event at the North Fork Craft Beer, BBQ & Wine
Festival.
“Craft
beers are enjoying the benefit of people simply wanting better
quality in their beverage choices. Whether it is bottled water,
brand name spirits, boutique wines or craft beers, Long Islanders
understand that artisanal producers will provide much better quality
for a relatively smaller increase in cost,” said Donald Sullivan
of the Southampton Publick House.
Like
specialty coffee and tea producers, craft brewers are innovative,
independent, and passionate about their product. Craft
brewers mix historic styles with unique twists to develop brand new
styles—producing flavorful beers that combine classic European
recipes with bold American innovation.
50 craft
beer industry leaders, including many local favorites, will be
on hand for the North Fork Craft Beer, BBQ & Wine Festival
on August 11th, among them: Brooklyn Brewery, Blue Point Brewing
Company, Southampton, Dogfish Head, Kona Brewing, Peak Organic, and
Sam Adams. Wine tasting will be hosted by Martha Clara Vineyards,
gourmet barbeque prepared by Maple Tree BBQ, and the amazing cover
band Energy Express will perform live.
For
more information and to purchase tickets, visit the event website
at: www.craftbeerfestivals.com
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