Cal Orey's Blog, page 171

The Power of Coffee: Yes, You Can Go Back Home

The Power of Coffee
By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet Ah! How sweet coffee tastes! Lovelier than a thousand kisses, sweeter far than muscatel wine!                                                 --J.S. Bach, Coffee Cantata(1) I grew up up in Suburbia--not on a Brazilian plantation.


More than a half a century ago, I was born in a Brazilian villa sitting upon a lush green coffee tree plantation. My mother and father were third generation migrant coffee roasters. So, I grew up in an atmosphere of a tropical delight. Playing amid the magic of coffee trees with white flowers, red berries, and green beans to cups of java was part of my Coffee World. My father Jack, from Italy, was a hard worker out in the field overseeing the coffee workers; and my mother Patricia with Spanish roots ran a charming coffee café.  That is my fantasy. In the real world as a little girl (with a big imagination) I didn’t live in Brazil, nor was I raised surrounded by coffee trees (actually an evergreen shrub or plant). Back in the fifties, I was born in a suburban neighborhood in San Jose, California—a place where coffee was bought in a can at the store and percolated in an electric coffee pot.  My life as I knew it simple amid houses with white picket fences, sidewalks, and planted shrubs and flowers. It came with two parents—my father was Scottish, my mother Irish Catholic, two siblings, a dog and cat, and the music of the ice cream man and milk bottles delivered on our doorstep. In our there was a European-style round table, wall oven, dishwasher, and salmon-colored countertops. I was familiar with the aluminum coffee pot—a constant in my parents’ world. It created a strong, familiar coffee aroma wafting into my bedroom seven days a week, including Sundays, the day I went to church.One fall day, during the priest’s sermon, I, a seven year old kid, was desperately trying to stay awake. My mother whispered, “Sit up” and nudged my arm. The words “ice cream” was my mantra to help pass the grueling prayers in Latin.  After Holy Communion we were released and my mom treated me and my siblings to a local ice cream parlor. She ordered a large cup of hot, black coffee (not the kind she served to our priest when he came to dinner). My first coffee experience was in the form of ice cream. Since it was a flavor for grown ups, I felt like I was entering the land of forbidden fruit. The cold, creamy coffee ice cream was bittersweet. The flavor intrigued me. My taste buds didn’t love it in my mind I liked it. This event began a Sunday ritual. I was hooked on coffee ice cream (maybe it was the caffeine) that ignited my journey into Coffee World.These days, coffee has a place in my grown up life as I know it.  I wasn’t raised on a coffee plantation, but coffee did have a way of permeating its way into my run-of-the-mill life in the suburbia—a place where it looked perfect but it was a place I yearned to escape to an exciting world.  And I got a taste of coffee and its healing powers throughout the years of growing up and blossoming like a young coffee plant with potential to branch out and away from its farm.Today, I sit here in my mountain cabin, like a coffee tree in a high mountain elevation, and I feel the spirit of the fruitful plant as I work on The Healing Powers of Coffee.My kitchen is chock-full of coffees—all kinds—as I scrutinize each one like they are new, exotic fish in an aquarium.  I am discovering the powers of coffee, and a world I’ve called Coffee World that I want to share with you.

My Morning Joe with Mancow Muller on 8-23

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet I Was on The Mancow Show (sort of)I admit it. I'm in love with coffee. Each morning when I awake -- joe is on my mind. Well, to be honest with you I have six eye balls on me so the critters's demands come first. Yes, I get out of the big warm waterbed with comforters and head for the kitchen. I feed the Siamese cat, and Brittany duo. Then, I embrace my Mr. Coffee. I grind the magical beans, get out the No. 4 filter, and brew a pot of java...while this is happening the boys go outside, one by one. Then, it's coffee time!I go back to bed, turn on CNN, and tune into the worlds' woes. And today in five hours at 5:00 AM PST that's what I'll be doing. Except this Thursday I'll be making a cameo appearance with the Mancow. I'd love to dish on my 2012 predictions that are coming true: The drought, the zany presidential race, Obama's lead (yes), the potential Florida hurricane (yep, I did forecast it), and quakes for my Golden State. I did feel the 4.2 at Tahoe; there was the 4ish in the SF Bay Area, two back to back 5.0s Offshore NorCal, and widely felt quakes in SoCal--but not the big one yet. Not to forget the "hot, hot, hot" weather in the West...So, I am sensing the popular talk show host will ask me something about Coffee World thanks to my latest book The Healing Powers of Coffee. And as I sip my java I'll try to be wide eyed and bushy tailed despite I'm a nightowl.  The question is, do I go to sleep now or pull an all nighter and snooze after 5:00 AM?  All I know is while coffee is chock-full of good for you antioxidants, and helps to keep me lean and fit--I adore the java jolt, especially for interviews with the Mancow who has a strong sense of presence. Thank God for Morning Joe.

UPDATE: OMG! An alarm clock (rarely use) "beep, beep, beep" woke me up at 4:15 AM.  Up I went to the kitchen and embrace my coffee. I love my java jolt! Ready to go at 5:00 AM I was called by the producer and put on hold. Listening to Mancow talk about world woes (I so wanted to scream, "Hey, remember the 2012 Forecasts I sent to you? They're coming true! I told you so. The drought, bipartisan war, Florida hurricane, hot, hot, hot in the Western states, a virus (West Nile has hit the U.S.), middle class shrinking, and more." And, of course, there was coffee chat for his listeners because it is National Coffee Month! 
But, due to strange circumstances beyond control, I was going to be on about an hour and a half later.  News flash: I got another call from the producer and the word "reschedule" echoed. But as an intuitive I knew that. Oh well, thanks to my cup(s) of Joe I'm up for the day. (I'm a believer in karma. A few days ago, I had to cancel my next Barnes and Noble book signing...Yeah, what goes around comes around.) I forecast I'll be sharing coffee talk and end of times forecasts with the Mancow sooner than later--before 2013. Florida Eyes Isaac is on the news. How did I know this would happen?  (Twilight Zone music please.)

Coffee is More than a Caffeine Fix!

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet


Java Jolt: Health-Boosting Nutrients in Your Cup of Joe Youtube Healing Powers of Coffee
Medical researchers around the world continue to find new health-promoting super nutrients in coffee connected to healing powers. That’s right, coffee lovers are getting more than just a morning caffeine jolt from the magical bean. Like dark chocolate, red wine, green tea, and certain fruits and vegetables, coffee contains antioxidants—disease-fighting enzymes that protect your body by trapping free-radical molecules. Imagine this scenario: Video game human java junkies drinking cups of coffee and viewing bad bugs disappear before any damage attacks their human bodies. Game over. Man wins.Research also shows that including antioxidant-rich superfoods—like coffee—may lower the risk of developing age-related diseases--heart, cancers, diabetes 2--and even stall the aging process.  Scientists continue to find new health-promoting nutrients in coffee—which has more than 1,000 compounds. It’s the antioxidants in coffee that provide health benefits; however, coffee also has health-boosting minerals, such as tocopherols and magnesium, which help in glucose metabolism.  Here are several antioxidants that researchers know are in a cup of coffee and coffee lovers should meet before I expound later on their benefits to lower the odds of developing specific diseases and ailments.  Caffeic acid: one of the most powerful antioxidants linked to coffee’s good for you benefits Chlorogenic acid:  like caffeic acid this another potent antioxidant and touted in health studiesFlavanoids:  a group of plant compounds that boast antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-allergy properties   Lignans: plant compounds with protective action against cancers, especially hormone-related like breast, and prostate cancersPolyphenols:  natural compounds that act as powerful antioxidants that protect your body by trapping the free-radical molecules and getting rid of them before damage occurs. Proanthocyanidins: plant compounds helpful in preventing degenerative disease; powerful antioxidants that are stronger than vitamins C and E; help protect against the effects of environmental stressors, including cigarette smoking, pollution Trigonelline: is another antioxidant in coffee which is linked to aroma, taste, and antibacterial properties          

For Chocolate & Coffee Lovers: Italian Bundt Cake

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

Chocolate Ricotta Bundt Cake with Espresso Frosting
* * * The Healing Powers of Coffee
This chocolate ricotta cake is moist with a nice chocolaty flavor—but not devil’s food cake. The nuts add a crunch, and cocoa powder gives an extra chocolate taste. This cake, freshly baked or warmed up in the microwave, is a fine Mediterranean version of a chocolate dessert made with real ingredients. It let me feel like I was a character in the film “Under the Tuscan Sun.” Thanks to my homespun chocolate cake, I transcended to an Italian bistro without leaving the comfort of my cozy cabin. (Excerpt from the new book The Healing Powers of Coffee: Nature's Surprising Superfood)
BUNDT CAKE
2 cups unbleached white whole wheat flour               1 1/3 cups half and half milk 1/3 cup unsweetened premium cocoa powder            1 cup chocolate chips, 60 percent cacao 1/2 cup granulated sugar                                            1/2 cup light brown sugar 2 brown eggs                                                               1 cup ricotta cheese 2 tablespoons sour cream                                           ¼ cup European style butter 2 teaspoons baking powder                                        1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In a medium sized bowl, combine dry ingredients. Then, add mixture of eggs, cheeses, melted butter and chocolate chips, and vanilla. Mix well. Pour batter into an 8” by 8” square baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool.
ESPRESSO FROSTING 2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar                                    2 teaspoons instant espresso powder 4 tablespoons European style butter, melted              1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract ½ cup almonds, sliced                                                 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
In a bowl, mix coffee and warm, melted butter and sugar to the consistency preferred. Add vanilla and cocoa powder. Spread with a spatula on top of cake. Sprinkle with nuts. Slice cake into squares. Place on simple plate and dust with cocoa powder. Serves 9 to 12.

The Recipe to Coffee Lovers' Scones is Espresso

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet
New trailer for this book!
Breakfast                                          
     On a dark, stormy midnight in the California sierra, I walked outdoors into the cold with my two Brittanys. The front deck was covered with wet snow; the towering trees and wires amid me looked surreal and eerie because they were wilted with white powder. I shoveled the heavy slush off the deck to make it easier for the morning. At 7:30 a.m. I got out of bed and turned on the TV switch for CNN—there were no red and amber lights on the cable box. I flicked on the lamp—it didn’t work. “Power outage,” I mumbled. It was the beginning of the first day the lights went out at South Lake Tahoe.        Instead of making a cup of fresh, brewed java with my electric coffeemaker, I turned on the gas burner and grabbed a jar of instant coffee. (I said a prayer to chemist Satori Kato for his invention.)  The first taste of the stuff I used to drink was doable but nothing to write home about and did its job.  Once alert I got my first news report from a neighbor walking her dog. “The power will be out for days,” she shouted. Her words echoed in my mind. I tuned out her warning. I hoped for the best, but by dusk I went into survival mode and prepared for the worst. Read: More instant coffee. Making and storing gourmet coffee and coffee croissants to coffee cakes, like these, will make your days sweeter no matter what challenges you face. Cinnamon-Cappuccino-Pecan Scones* * * 3 cups King Arthur Mellow Pastry Blend                   2 teaspoons baking  or Unbleached All-Purpose Flour                               powder                                ½ teaspoon baking soda                                               3/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon                                      1/4 cup granulated sugar                                     1/2 cup butter, cut into pats or small cubes               1/3 cup pecans, processed or 1/2 cup cappuccino chips                                            blended till very finely ground 1/2 cup cinnamon chips or cinnamon                        2 teaspoons espresso powder Flav-R-Bites                                                                 dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water 1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt (low-fat is fine)           4-5 tablespoons ice water 2 tablespoons coarse white sparkling sugar for topping Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) a large baking sheet. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and sugar. Work the butter into the dry ingredients till the mixture is unevenly crumbly; don’t be afraid to leave some of the butter in pea-or marble-sized chunks. Add the ground pecans and chips, stirring to combine. Dissolve the espresso powder in the hot water. Gently stir the dissolved espresso and sour cream or yogurt into the dough, just till it’s well dispersed; the dough will be very crumbly. Add enough ice water to bring the dough together in a cohesive mass. Gather the dough into a ball, and place it on a well-floured work surface. Pat/roll it into an 8” to 9” circle about ¾” thick. If desired, brush the surface of the dough with milk, and sprinkle with coarse white sparkling sugar. Use a 2” cutter to cut about 20 scones, gathering the scraps and gently shaping into round scones without re-rolling. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, leaving just over 1” between them. Bake the scones for about 20 minutes, till they’re golden brown. When you break one of the center scones open, the middle should be baked all the way through, not doughy or wet. Remove the scones from the oven, and serve warm. Yield: 20 small scones. (Source: Courtesy King Arthur Flour.)Excerpt from The Healing Powers of Coffee by Cal Orey (Plenty of recipes for DIY espresso beverages!)

The Recipe to Coffee Lover's Scones is Espresso

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet


Cinnamon-Cappuccino-Pecan Scones* * * 3 cups King Arthur Mellow Pastry Blend                   2 teaspoons baking  or Unbleached All-Purpose Flour           powder                                ½ teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon salt                                                         1 teaspoon ground cinnamon                                     ¼ cup granulated sugar ½ cup butter, cut into pats or small cubes                  1/3 cup pecans, processed or ½ cup cappuccino chips                                              blended till very finely ground ½ cup cinnamon chips or cinnamon                           2 teaspoons espresso powder Flav-R-Bites                                                                dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water ½ cup sour cream or yogurt (low-fat is fine)              4 to 5 tablespoons ice water 2 tablespoons coarse white sparkling sugar, for topping
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) a large baking sheet. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and sugar. Work the butter into the dry ingredients till the mixture is unevenly crumbly; don’t be afraid to leave some of the butter in pea-or marble-sized chunks. Add the ground pecans and chips, stirring to combine. Dissolve the espresso powder in the hot water. Gently stir the dissolved espresso and sour cream or yogurt into the dough, just till it’s well dispersed; the dough will be very crumbly. Add enough ice water to bring the dough together in a cohesive mass. Gather the dough into a ball, and place it on a well-floured work surface. Pat/roll it into an 8” to 9” circle about ¾” thick. If desired, brush the surface of the dough with milk, and sprinkle with coarse white sparkling sugar. Use a 2” cutter to cut about 20 scones, gathering the scraps and gently shaping into round scones without re-rolling. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, leaving just over 1” between them. Bake the scones for about 20 minutes, till they’re golden brown. When you break one of the center scones open, the middle should be baked all the way through, not doughy or wet. Remove the scones from the oven, and serve warm. Yield: 20 small scones. (Source: Courtesy King Arthur Flour.)Excerpt from The Healing Powers of Coffee by Cal Orey

The Skinny on the Skinny Beverage: COFFEE

The Skinny Beverage
By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

Coffee is a beverage that puts one to sleep when not drank.                            --Alphonse Allais, French writer, humorist (1854-1905)                            

The Healing Powers of Coffee
My college and coffee days came with semester breaks. During one period, I was living a Bohemian lifestyle in Hollywood, Southern California. I worked at 24-hour coffee shops as a waitress. The work kept me and my dog fed and the rent paid—and kept unwanted pounds off.   One weekend I escaped L.A. with my roommate and canine companion for a beautifying desert mini vacation. We left Los Angeles to Palm Springs—a desert haven to get sun, fun, and dump five pounds with ease. In the morning, I woke up to a 12-ounce cup of regular brew (no Double-Double with double sugar and double cream and No Whip). It gave me energy to pool hop, visiting one hotel pool to another. It even gave me the brainstorm to sneak my water-loving dog, a black Lab Stone Fox, into the cold water, too. During the afternoon I tasted my first cold coffee drink. I ordered it at a café for the rich.  One iced café mocha—and cold water to go for my pooch. Not only did the chocolaty coffee flavor and temperature of the sweet beverage cool me down but the caffeine gave me more physical energy and zapped hunger pangs so I could continue to play and swim, enjoying the long days of leisure.             These days, at Lake Tahoe, I get my morning wake up jolt from hot coffee—all kinds. It gives me motivation to stay active and keep balanced.  Teamed with the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle, coffee works to keep moving. It’s the Mediterranean foods, the pools where I swim—and coffee in moderation—that keep me from looking like a middle-aged spayed feline. I feel more like a healthy coffee plant but nourishing myself. But eating right and drinking coffee to keep off unwanted pounds is nothing new.
EAT LESS, DRINK MORE JAVA JUICE…            Since biblical times, the health conscious have turned to juice fasting for its body-cleansing and weight-loss benefits. Natural fruit and vegetables flush toxins from your body. And they flush away fat, too. What’s more, coffee can speed up the weight loss.            Eating this way isn’t just about weight loss; it’s about cleaning out your digestive system. You’ll not only feel thinner, you’ll also feel positively thinner.            Enter The Grapefruit Diet.  Since the thirties on into the fifties, Hollywood dieters have turned to the slimming power of this wonder citrus—and coffee.             The grapefruit’s status as the ideal diet food was born when researchers found evidence that it contains fat-dissolving compounds. Further elevating the fruit’s status in the world of weight loss: It’s low cal, fat-free, fiber-rich, vitamin-packed and satisfying.What You Eat: On this regimen, the day’s menu includes ½ grapefruit and black coffee for breakfast; ½ grapefruit, 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 cucumber, 1 dry melba toast and coffee for lunch; and 1 whole grapefruit, 2 hard-boiled eggs, ½ head lettuce, 1 tomato and coffee for dinner.Why You’ll Love It:  Grapefruit and hard-boiled eggs are the quintessential diet foods. Eating them lets your brain know that you’ve pulled out the stops. Grapefruit:  One medium grapefruit has just 74 calories, less than 1 gram of fat, and it is a good source of fiber. Eggs:  One medium-boiled egg has only 69 calories. Try eating just the hard-cooked egg white—it’s low in fat and calories and high in the amino acid cysteine, a skin supporting nutrient.Coffee: Plus, the coffee—black—acts as an appetite suppressant, making this plan easier to stick with.Tips:  Consult your doctor before starting this or any weight-loss regimen. Drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily (including coffee). Use spices such as cinnamon to enhance the flavor of coffee and grapefruit and red wine vinegar vinegar for vegetables.
THE 21ST CENTURY SECRET TO COFFEE AND CELLULITE          Mini-fasts like the Grapefruit Diet and exercise can help to detox you body and lessen the appearance of cellulite aka unwanted dimpled body fat. Dermatologists will tell you that more than 90 percent of women are plagued by cellulite—not surprising, since formation of the characteristic dimpled-looking flesh is tied to estrogen, as well as genetics, age, processed food, lack of water, and a sedentary lifestyle.            But that doesn’t mean you can’t do something about it. Health experts recommend the following strategies to shrink cellulite.Getting rid of water weight: Water-dense foods—including coffee—act as natural diuretics to help eliminate excess water, which can make dimpled fat look less pronounced.Eating high-fiber foods--Fiber-rich foods—yes coffee contains dietary fiber—can help eliminate waste and toxins from your body and prevent a buildup of fat and water.Burning off calories--To burn fat and tone up, coffee provides the motivation to get a move on. Water loss—Caffeine in coffee can act as a natural diuretic, increasing the amount of urine you’ll excrete by temporarily decreasing in pounds—but it does not get rid of body fat. And that’s where anti-cellulite, fat-burning foods come into play.
The Anti-Cellulite Book That Changed My LifeIn my twenties, I remember reading a book about beating cellulite. The rules included that one must stay clear from chocolate and coffee. That didn’t work for me or my lifestyle. A life without these two “bad” foods was enough for me to toss the book.             But I kept physically active, ate lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and drank water. I didn’t dump coffee either. After all, a feel-good caffeine fix is what helped to motivate me to exercise, making my time at the gym and outdoors walking and swimming last longer—and I enjoyed it.             Over time, I learned that it’s a challenge to get rid of lumpy body fat, whether you’re lean or overweight. Cellulite also appears more as you age, but you can reduce the appearance of the stuff.  So, I follow a healthful diet and lifestyle (no smoking or overindulging in alcohol), keep fit, and pass on “Thunder Thighs”—a double-tall mocha made with whole milk with extra whipped cream (except on super special occasions).  

HOW COFFEE DRINKERS STAY SLIMSpa nutritionists will tell you that drinking a soothing hot beverage, including tea and coffee is similar to having a hot cup of soup before a meal. It satisfies your appetite and you’ll eat less. A hot liquid can fill you up not out.            Coffee—regular and decaf—are served at health spas around the globe. Some of the best coffees help women and men get and stay slim because they contain caffeine, antioxidants, dietary fiber, and is a natural diuretic that can help stimulate water loss—and/or beat bloat as well as keep you regular. Then, if you turn to the weight loss coffee super star—a known fat fighter in moderation—you’ll be on the path to real weight loss.            But note, it’s a cup of regular coffee that can help you lose the unwanted pounds and body fat—not the added fun junk added to coffee beverages.  That means, stay clear of specialty coffee drinks with added cream, flavored syrups, whipped cream, half-and-half, and whole milk. It’s tempting to order one a Grande (16-ounce coffee complete with all the frills). But if you want to maintain your ideal weight, go coffee au natural.             If you’re trying to keep your weight in check, tasty coffee creamers are another lure for coffee lovers. Coffee creamers (nondairy and reduced-fat) can spell extra fat and calories. And the nutritional labels on these flavoring can be mind boggling. One teaspoon may be a mere 10 calories and zero fat. But in reality, how many people follow directions (especially if it’s a yummy flavored coffee mate)? So, the end result can be dozens of calories and saturated fat—the kind that clogs your arteries and sabotages a healthful cup of black coffee.So, if you want to stay on the skinny track, keep it real: regular coffee with a splash of low-fat or skim milk and natural flavorings, such as a dash or cinnamon or cocoa powder. Not only can drinking the right coffee help you to lose water weight but the soothing beverage can both calm and uplift your spirits. Coffee breaks give you a mini-vacation to replenish your body, mind, and spirit.  Speaking of vacations, mini-fasts to detox diets and methods can help you to cleanse your body, which can help give you a jump-start on feeling energized and losing unwanted pounds and body fats.
[EXCERPT FROM THE HEALING POWERS OF COFFEE]

August is National Coffee Month!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK19iu...

Take a look at this quick, fresh, and hot trailer on nature's java jolt! LIKE and comment!

Coffee Lovers--Do You Know the Way to San Jose?

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet San Jose (wikipedia)
Tomorrow morning I will wake up to a cup of fresh brew. Once I feed the Brittany duo and Siamese cat, it's time to get my stuff together and head out to San Jose--the place I was born and raised. The deal is--it's changed...
The people I once knew in San Jose (and on the peninsula) are all gone. A few folks are still around but they have moved. They are older. It will be different. I feel like I'm going to a big city where it's new but not necessarily improved.
Of course, I'll drive by the house I grew up in, the place where my mom cooked and baked and tried to show me the ropes of it all. Then, I'll swing by the 2nd house I endured as a late teen and rebelled. I'll have to see Los Gatos--my route to Santa Cruz Mountains--another place I lived and loved. And that's not all...
There's S.F., where I went to school to get my bachelor's degree and master's degree. It's the city I fell in love with and always thought would be the place to live and die. Not so. It seems like Lake Tahoe grabbed my body, mind, and spirit.
So, it will be a visit to make an appearance at Barnes and Noble for a book signing. My latest book The Healing Powers of Coffee will be the talk--not me. (I probably will purchase coffee or somewhere in area--a mecca of java junkies, past and present.)And, my other Healing Powers series will be there too. And after I'll get a taste of the SF Bay Area--a place where I know can sense oncoming quakes but most likely will not go back to live. I'm looking forward to making a weekend trip but also will anticipate coming back to the mountains--my new home for 13 years. I wonder if produce stands are still on the highway going to Salinas. If so, I will be there, too. 

Hot & Fresh Trailer for Java Junkies!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK19iu...