Saturday, May 26, 2007
The Great Beverage Melee, Round 01
That got me thinking, though. What if tea, coffee, and Coke were all drunk, Irish, and at a splintery little pub with no glass in the windows? Who would win? That’s why this week we’re having a very special 3-part drink fight on this here blog. Now accepting bets!
ROUND 01: CAFFEINE!
OK, let’s get this straight. Water is the only thing you actually have to drink in life; everything else has the consequences of either a chemical buzz or a chemical slump, the latter more commonly called a ‘hangover’. If you use this logic, fruit juice is useless and soda a short-term measure that ultimately just wastes your money (Root Beer, being awesome, is an exception). Plus, everyone at the meeting will think you’re a hippie-ass yoga moron if you walk in there with a chaya-pineapple smoothie, and yes, they’ll still laugh if you can prove your doctor told you so.
COFFEE:
Espresso coffee, brewed, 8 fluid ounces: 502 mg
Coffee, brewed, 8 fluid ounces: 85 mg
Coffee, instant, 8 fluid ounces: 62 mg
Coffee, brewed, decaffeinated, 8 fluid ounces: 3 mg
Coffee, instant, decaffeinated, 8 fluid ounces: 2 mg
COKE (per can):
Coca-Cola Classic: 23 mg
Coca-Cola Blak: 46 mg
(All other varieties are between 15 mg and 31 mg)
TEA:
Black Tea: 40 mg
Flavored Tea 40 mg
Oolong Tea 30 mg
Green Tea 20 mg
White Tea 15 mg
Decaf Tea 5-10 mg
Herbal Tea 0 mg
WINNER: COFFEE, hands down (see below). Which isn’t always a good thing.
Tune in for Round 02: Health Benefits sometime next week!
SOURCES:
faqs.org.nutrition/index.html
coca-cola.com/us nutrition fact sheet
adagio.com
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Tea Gear - well, it's your money
Crafted in Kyoto, Japan, it can be yours for $45 from CooksShopHere.com.
If that's not enough for you, get some Chawans!
I remember Chawans from the video game Shenmue II, when Ryo has to secretly communicate with other martial artists in Hong Kong by arranging teacups in restaurants.
On the creepy side of things, there's a place on the net where you can buy a tea set, for $175, that seems to feature realistic human faces. Uh, OK. No, I'm fine...thanks.
The New York Botanical Garden made these lovely espresso spoons--but of course you can cheat and use them for tea. That goes double for their petal-saucer cups.
But above all, there is the Teashirt. It's actually a tea brewer by designer Eva Solo for people want the choice whether or not to have their tea with tannin. I don't get it, but it looks awesome! But does it remind anyone else of Kingdom Hearts?
Sunday, May 20, 2007
AriZona Canned Tea - Now I've Seen Everything
Friday, May 18, 2007
Jamaica – the berry of flowers
Jamaica is a drink made from the dried calyces of a flower native to Central America (Hibiscus sabdariffa). The bright red flower, with its frilly petals and protruding pink and gold stigma, may put you in mind of someone who just loves catching attention; jamaica ('ha-my-ka') with its crimson color when brewed, is no different. The cranberry-like flavor is best when chilled, and those who find it strong should add honey. Hot, it's a wonderful sick-day pairing with ginger because of its high vitamin C content, but watch out for the stains!
Iced Mint Jamaica
3 dried flowers per teacup (about 9 per pitcher)
Honey
Fresh mint
Peeled, thinly sliced fresh ginger
Brew flowers with a couple of slices of ginger like any other tea, steeping covered for a few minutes. When tea is bright red fish out and discard flowers; add honey by teaspoons and stir in. Leave the ginger to chew on (aphrodisiac, good for digestion and the immune system) and chill or let cool for about an hour. Do not add ice cubes. Serve in clear glass with mint leaves.