Tropical Zines Cafe

	Sign In Sign-Up

THE TROPICAL CAFE
Welcome to our little corner of the world--cafe culture & coffee with a particular emphasis on all things tropical. Have a cuppa. Stay awhile.

COFFEE NOTES:

Coffee originates from a tree grown in cool climates. It was first discovered in North Africa. From there its use spread to Arabia, then Turkey, and Europe. The Church considered it the devil's handiwork. Coffee was brought to the New World in the 1700s. First to the Caribbean, and then to Central & South America, and the U.S. Espresso didn't develop until 1822 in Italy.

Coffee has two beans that have an oil-like content. This is what produces the aroma and flavor. A few pounds can be produced annually from each tree. However, it generally averages only one pound.

Caffeine is an alkaloid found in coffee as well as in tea and kola nuts. It stimulates one's heart and nervous system. Dark coffees contain less caffeine than the lighter coffees. It depends on how the coffee is roasted as to if it will be a lighter or darker roast. Dripped coffee contains more caffeine than the brewed coffee. Instant coffee varies from less caffeine than brewed to slightly more. And, of course, decaf contains only trace amounts of caffeine.

Some experts recommend storing coffee in the refrigerator while others think it should simply be placed in a dark cool place since it has a tendency to absorb flavors from other foods stored in the frig. Some experts think coffee should be stored in the freezer while others claim that doing so will damage the coffee beans. Whatever method chosen, coffee should definitely be stored in an airtight container.

There are two important commercially produced type of coffee: arabica and robusta. Arabica generally grows at a high altitude of more than 3,000 feet. It produces some of the World's best coffee. Robusta grows at lower altitudes. It has a stronger flavor and sells at lower prices. Italian espresso usually contains the robusta bean. The lighter roasted bean is generally not used for the Italian espresso since it produces a more acidic flavor than the dark roast. In roasting a bean a longer length of time produces more oil. In America, the arabica bean is preferred for espresso.

When referring to the popular French roast it usually refers to a darker roast.

A good coffee should have strong acidity. Aroma and good body are important too. Coffees from the Far East contain more body than coffees from Central and South America. Some coffees can be dry or sharp such as those from Central and South America. There are coffees with a caramel or chocolate flavor. Some have a delicate, earthy, spicy, fruity, mellow, nutty, sweet, wild, or winy flavor.

For a good cup of coffee one should find a coffee that offers a balance of everything--no one flavor overpowers another, good body and aroma. And on a final note, whole coffee retains freshness longer than coffee already ground. Two tablespoons of coffee are necessary for a 6 oz. cup of coffee. And, never reuse coffee grounds nor coffee filters. Always cleaning the coffee maker is a given.

MORE TO COME!

Online Coffee Cafes--

http://www.cafenation.net/
Cafe Nation

http://www.caffeinearchive.com/
Caffeine Archive

http://www.caffmag.com/caffmag/
Caffinated Magazine

http://www.coffeereview.com/crl/index.html
The Coffee Review

http://www.koffeekorner.com/
Koffee Korner

http://www.frenchmarketcoffee.com/
French Market Coffee (New Orleans)

http://www.cafedumonde.com/
Cafe Dumonde (New Orleans)

http://www.koffeekorner.com/
Koffee Korner

http://www.flyingsaucers.com/
Flying Saucers Gourmet Coffee & Tea (also gift items--UFO theme)

http://www.kalaheo.com/history.html
History of Hawaiian Coffees

http://thunder.ocis.temple.edu/%7Eghinkle/java.html
Java Link: Ye Olde Internet Cafe & Coffee Resource Page

http://www.bramahmuseum.co.uk/
Bramah's Museum of Tea and Coffee, London

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1670coffee.html
Modern History Sourcebook: The First English Coffee-Houses, c. 1670-1675

http://www.nmpinoncoffee/npc_shop/index.asp
New Mexico Pinon Coffee Co.

http://www.virtualcoffee.com/
Virtual Coffee (e-zine)

http://www.freshcoffee.com/wboard/
Java tales (forum)

http://www.badgett.net/
Badgett's Coffee Journal

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/3303/
Cafe Mocha

http://www.coffeekid.com
Coffee Kid

http://www.expresso.com/cgi-bin/wsmbb/wsmbb.cgi
The Expresso Forum

http://www.blackapollo.demon.co.uk/cafinf1a.html
Cafe Magazine

http://www.natashascafe.com/
Turkish Coffee & Other Exotic Items

http://www.eclectricafe.com
Eclectricafe (e-zine)

http://www.epicure.com/
Epicure Exchange

http://www.coffeeexpress.com/
Coffee Express

Other nostalgia sites (diners, 1950's, etc.)--

http://www.astro.princeton.edu/~goldberg/diner.html
Dave's Diner Homepage

http://www.rev.net/~foghorn/lendy.htm
Lendy's (diner)

http://www.roadsidemagazine.com/
Roadside Online

http://www.driveintheatre.com/
Drive-In Theatre

http://www.americanfolk.com/
American Folk: folkore, folklife, folk art, popular culture (includes The Biscuits & Gravy Quarterly)

http://www.toaster.org/
The Toaster Museum Foundation Homepage

http://www.tx7.com/fries/
The Official French Fries Pages

http://www.bluestarcafe.com/blue_star_cafe001.htm
Blue Star Cafe

http://www.sca-roadside.org/
Roadside Architecture: Society for Commercial Archeology

http://www.dinershow.com/
America Good Morning--The Diner Show

http://www.talkamerica.com/
Talk America

http://www.dinermuseum.org/
American Diner Museum

http://www.joesherlock.com/fifties.html
Fifities--The Fabulous 1950's

http://www.cruisiusa.com/
Fab Fashions from the Fifties

http://www.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/home.html
The American 1950s

http://www.fiftiesweb.com/
Fifties Website Home Page

http://users.erols.com/mlbl
Remember When (memories of Yester Years)

http://www.loti.com/page1.html
Rewind The Fifties: All the 50's all the Time

http://members.tripod.com/~Mystery_Date/
Mystery Date

Some other interesting sites--

http://www.sealander.com/personal.html
The Road To Nowhere (a personal zine)

http://www.waysouth.com
Way South (a Southern zine)

http://www.cafe80s.com/
Cafe Eighties

http://www.sevensoupcans.com/tgch/
The Galactic Coffeehouse House

http://www.coffeehouse4writers.com/
Coffeehouse for Writers

http://www.americanfolk.com/bgq/
Biscuits and Gravy Quarterly

More Coffee Sites Discovered!!

http://www.flyingsaucers.com/
Flying Saucers Gourmet Coffee & Tea (also gift items--UFO theme)

http://www.kalaheo.com/history.html
History of Hawaiian Coffees

http://thunder.ocis.temple.edu/%7Eghinkle/java.html
Java Link: Ye Olde Internet Cafe & Coffee Resource Page

http://www.nmpinoncoffee/npc_shop/index.asp
New Mexico Pinon Coffee Co.

http://www.virtualcoffee.com/
Virtual Coffee (e-zine)

http://www.freshcoffee.com/wboard/
Java tales (forum)

http://www.badgett.net/
Badgett's Coffee Journal

http://www.coffeekid.com
Coffee Kid

http://www.expresso.com/cgi-bin/wsmbb/wsmbb.cgi
The Expresso Forum

http://www.blackapollo.demon.co.uk/cafinf1a.html
Cafe' Magazine

MORE TO COME! MEANWHILE CHECK OUT OUR TROPICAL PHOTO GALLERY.
Visit our TIKI ROOM at our Midnight Zines Cafe website.

COME BACK FOR A VISIT ANYTIME!