Tuesday, 8 December 2015

5 Ways to Brew the Perfect Cup of Coffee

00:24 Posted by Caffe Ottavo No comments
Ah, coffee—that beautiful brew absolutely necessary for a great day.
Coffee is consumed by people all over the globe and has become a necessity in most people’s lives. But like everything else, people do things differently in different parts of the world.

Here’s a look at 5 of the most popular methods of brewing this amazing beverage that we’ve all come to love.

1. Instant Coffee
 
Although shunned by coffee enthusiasts and connoisseurs everywhere, this remains one of the most popular means of brewing coffee worldwide.

Instant coffee is easy to make, doesn’t require the use of expensive machines and is available at almost every convenience store. All you need is coffee powder, some hot or cold water or milk, and sugar to taste. Voila! Enjoy your hot cup of coffee!

The reason this is looked down upon by connoisseurs is because it technically isn’t actual coffee, just extract that has been freeze- or spray-dried and powdered before being packaged. It’s still good enough to satisfy your caffeine craving in a pinch.

2. The Standard Drip Coffee Machine
 
This is the traditional method; it’s fast, easy, and convenient.

It involves pouring water through ground coffee beans in a coffee machine. The coffee brewed using this method is also among the healthiest, since the filter in the machine keeps out cholesterol-rich oils in coffee beans.

Apart from the fact that you have to spend money on a machine, one common gripe is that the filter also removes oils that contain flavonoids. Flavonoids are those magical substance that gives coffee its distinct aroma and taste.

A recent variant of this machine is the single serve coffee maker, which uses pre-ground and pre-measured ‘pods’ of coffee instead of ground beans. These Nespresso compatible pods are the closest you can get to freshly brewed coffee if you’re looking for the real coffee experience.

3. The Chemex Way
 
This approach to making coffee, originally used in the 1940s, is now making a steady comeback due to its superior texture and flavour. The Chemex Coffeemaker is an hourglass-shaped borosilicate glass vessel with a simple wooden collar and tie at its center. The main attraction on this piece is a filter that takes 3 times longer; giving you a highly concentrated liquid rich in caffeine without some of the harmful oils found in traditionally brewed coffee.

4. Using A French Press
 
For this technique, you’ll need a French press pot and a timer in addition to the usual ground coffee beans and water. To brew, you place the grounds in the pitcher, add heated water, and let it steep for five minutes. Then you push the in-built strainer downwards and you get a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee.

This method gives you a coffee that is high in caffeine content; just what you need to jolt yourself awake. However, this extra caffeine means higher amounts of Cafestol, the molecule that causes your cholesterol to shoot up.

This became quite evident from the results of a study published by the European Journal of Clinical Medicine, which demonstrated that regular drinkers of French Press coffee had raised cholesterol levels.

5. The Aeropress
 
This is a new favourite among the coffee aficionados. With slick looks and the ability to produce a solution with a high concentration of caffeine. It’s quite easy to use too, just add hot water to the ground coffee and pour this mixture into the chamber. Then you press-down slowly using a plunger to get a highly concentrated solution of strong coffee that you can use in any way you wish.

Health in a Cuppa—Coffee’s Healthy Side-Effects

Wherever you’re from, you’ve probably experienced the sensational rush that is drinking a cup of coffee. This drink, brewed from roasted coffee seeds, has an almost religious following worldwide. And for good reasons, Coffee is such an integral part of culture everywhere, that it comes as a surprise that it was initially only found in Africa.

The findings regarding coffee’s effect on health had been contradictory, until a 2012 study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) USA. This settled any lingering doubt, showing that people who drink coffee actually outlive non-drinkers.

Many discoveries have since been made regarding the advantages of drinking coffee; let’s take a look at some of these.

Coffee Can Help You Fight Depression Coffee has been proven to fight depression and suicidal tendencies.
 
Depression is a psychological condition that affects well-being and keeps sufferers feeling low, anxious, and sad. One study by Harvard in 2011 showed that women who drank 4 or more cups of coffee a day were 20% less likely to get depressed.

Perhaps even more remarkably, another study involving more than 200,000 people showed that drinking more than 4 cups of this seemingly magical brew helped reduce suicidal tendencies by about 53%.

Talk about taking those blues away! It helps lower your risk of Type-II Diabetes
 
Type-II Diabetes is a grave health risk, afflicting more than 300 million of the world’s population. This disease is a lifelong condition that causes complications involving blood sugar, and elevates one’s chances of heart disease.

A study by the American Chemical Society showed that your chances of getting this deadly disease are reduced greatly if you drink 4 or more cups of coffee on a daily basis.

Your liver is safer
 
Coffee appears to have a significant protective effect on this vital part of your body. Various common disorders of the body can affect the liver, such as hepatitis, chronic alcohol abuse, and liver fatty disease. These cause the majority of the liver to be replaced by scar tissue, a condition called cirrhosis of the liver.

Various studies have shown that coffee can reduce your risk of liver cirrhosis by up to 80%, which is pretty remarkable. Coffee can be instrumental in keeping your liver safe from cirrhosis.

These are just some of the more common health benefits of drinking this popular beverage. Whether you’re a purist that brews your own special recipe, or someone that uses one of the more convenient alternatives like Nespresso compatible coffee pods, you’re reaping myriad medical benefits in addition to the oh-so-stimulating aroma and taste!

From Italy, Brewed With Love

Tired of drinking commercially available coffee and tea with sub-par flavour? Try Caffe Ottavo gourmet coffee and tea pods.
Caffe Ottavo is an Italian retailer of high-quality coffee and tea products. Known for their Nespresso compatible coffee capsules, tea pods, and a line of pod-based espresso machines called Espressina, Caffe Ottavo products are crafted from the world’s best coffee beans and tea leaves. Their ingredients are sourced right out of locations like Brazil, Ethiopia, and Columbia.

Considering that Italians consume 5 or more cups of coffee on average, we can safely assume that no one knows coffee like the Italians do. Café Ottavo was established ten years ago by a bunch of childhood friends in Fano. Their passion for fine espresso led to them trying their hand at roasting small batches of coffee beans and creating a signature blend which came to be known as Gran Gusto. Today, Gran Gusto has become one of the most popular brews in coffee shops and restaurants all over Italy.

Caffe Ottavo also makes nespresso compatible tea pods and single-serve machines that can be used to make both tea and coffee that is unique, great-tasting, and always highly in-demand across the world.

When it comes to taste and quality, the brand’s popularity speaks for itself. Both the gourmet coffee pods and fine tea pods can be used to brew aromatic and tasteful coffee or tea in seconds.

With exotic flavours and a wide range of variants, the Caffe Ottavo collection has been made for those who take their brew seriously. From classic flavours to signature blends, Caffe Ottavo coffee and tea is everything connoisseurs want.

From a small household operation run by a few friends, Caffe Ottavo has grown into an international brand, with a sizeable presence in UK and Australia. Check out the Caffe Ottavo website now and order high-quality coffee and tea online from the comfort of your home.

Coffee Pods are the choice of the Enlightened

00:20 Posted by Caffe Ottavo 1 comment
As a coffee enthusiast, you already know that it’s is the best stimulant, and that moderate amounts of it can give your immunity a boost. Additionally, this delectable beverage improves your heart health and your fitness, and also helps prevent type-2 diabetes.

Ever since Espresso announced itself to the world, coffee lovers have been smitten by its impeccable blend of taste, flavour, and aroma. Subsequently, the technology associated with this enticing concoction has seen significant advancement.

The coffee pod is a result of this technological revolution; this convenient method of making coffee provides you with the ability to create a consistently good cup, every single time. All you need to do is place your pod in a compatible machine and add water; the machine takes care of the proportions and gives you just what you need—you’re steaming cup of joy.

If you choose not to pay the premium price that Nestlé-branded pods command, you have a great alternative in compatible Nespresso pods. Ever since Nestlé stopped pushing for complete monopolisation of the market, other companies have stepped up and created their own pods that fit right into your Nespresso machine.

Now that you’re aware of what these pods are, here are a few compelling arguments as to why you should be using them.

Perfect Espressos Every Single Time
 
The traditional espresso involves a rather complicated recipe that’s notoriously hard to get right, especially if one isn’t a seasoned brewer. For the perfect brew, you’d need to get elements like dosing, grinding the beans, and tamping the ground beans just right. All this before you even get the espresso machine up and running! Coffee pods, however, come already ground, measured, and tamped for ideal extraction, and make for great espressos even if you’re using them for the first time.

A Relatively Longer Shelf Life
 
Coffee pods are packed with freshly ground beans and then hermetically sealed; this is great for their durability and shelf life.

With traditional methods, unless coffee is consumed as soon as it is ground, it deteriorates. With the pod, however, the flavour and distinctive aroma of freshly ground beans remains intact right till it’s used. This means that you can buy multipacks of these without having to worry about their longevity.

No More Messy Clean-Ups
 
Right from when you buy them to when you drink your coffee, the grounds never leave the sealed pod. This means that there is absolutely no risk of spillage when dosing and tamping, which tends to happen during the traditional coffee-making process.

The coffee pod is here to stay, and you’d do well to take advantage of this convenient alternative to painstakingly-hard methods of brewing coffee. While some purists may argue that espressos can be made better through careful measurement and brewing, the pod is the pragmatic, modern answer.

Wednesday, 23 September 2015

Do You Know the Tale of Tea Flavours and Fragrance?

03:58 Posted by Caffe Ottavo No comments
What do you remember first when you hear the words flavour and fragrance? Did you say tea? Bang on! A cup of this hot drink does wonders to your body as well as your mind. All your day's tensions are gone and you feel fresh and ready even to climb Mount Everest. Big or small granules of leaves when boiled in hot water, gives an extract which can be consumed with milk, lime or honey making a perfect beverage. Over years, the trend has changed and the brewers have come up with unique flavours simpler techniques of tea making. For example, you can carry them in your pocket in the form of Nespresso tea pods. These pods can be put into an instant Nespresso tea maker and you get steaming hot tea for yourself in just a minute. Some of the famous and mouth watering pods available in market are:

Chamomile Pods

Chamomile is a medicinal herb that can help to relieve anxiety disorders and stomach problems too. It has a calming effect on the mind and brain. The tea pods made out of buds of Chamomile, diffuse into a wonderful extract that is delicate, floral and relaxing when sipped slowly. This can give an instant relief from stress and daylong tiredness or morning hangover.

Classic English breakfast pods

The English people are known for their excellent breakfast menu. From croissants to mulberry muffins, from cup cakes to a perfect tea everything in their menu is mouth watering and gastronomic. This classic English breakfast Nespresso pods are a proportional mix of Ceylon and Assamese leaves that leaves a bright colour and a malty taste in every sip.

Green Tea Pods

Are you health conscious? Then all you need is the green pod that when put inside the machine, gives you the most energetic and refreshing drink that acts as an anti-oxidant and gives a freshness like never before and a everlasting glow on your face.

With so many choices that taste divine, all you need to do is to try out any of the above mentioned flavour enriched and fragrant Nespresso pods and get your combination pack delivered at home. But whichever flavour you may choose, make sure to get them from renowned stores and suppliers to enjoy the benefits of the best products. After all, you can compromise with any other thing, but not with your morning or evening tea!

Give Your Mundane Morning a Happening Start

03:56 Posted by Caffe Ottavo No comments
A late night movie, hang over of the previous night party or a bad dream; can make your mornings grumpy and irritating. In such scenario, a fresh cup of hot coffee or tea can make you feel better. It gives you the energy to start your new day with agility and more confidence. But if you are living away from home with no kitchen set up, where will you rush in the wee hours of morning to get yourself a steaming cup of coffee or fragrant tea? To solve this problem of bachelorhood, the automatic instant coffee making Nespresso machines were launched in the market. All you need to do is to buy a Nespresso machine and you can get your hot beverage as and when you wish.

Wonder machine

You would have heard stories from your grandparents as how coffee beans were blended in a hand machine to prepare exceptional and aromatic beverage. The technology has revisited this concept and created a wonderful Nespresso machine which can give you awesome hot beverages at a push of a button. Crafted by Italian masters, this sleek and not so heavy automatic machine can be carried along your luggage easily. Easy procedure, perfect coffee in quick time can be a perfect definition of these amazing pods.

Pocket pods

The machine is ready and so are you. But without the Nespresso Compatible pods, you cannot get your tea or coffee instantly. The coffee and tea pods look like capsules that when dropped into the machine, extracts your tasty tea or coffee in the texture and colour you wished. All it takes a light soothing aroma and a sip to wade away your musing mornings. You will get your favourite taste every morning without any change or compromise.

Benefits

The Nespresso machine and the compatible pods can be carried anywhere without hassle. Along with the machine, you will also get tester packs of different varieties of coffee and tea pods based on whose taste you can order your preference online.

Get your Nespresso instant pod machines and fix your Coffee or Tea date anytime anywhere. These undergo several tests to give you the perfect coffee every time you sip your coffee. You can be sure to have a great morning with the amazing and energetic hot drink. If you are coffee lover then it’s a must buy product for you.

Friday, 14 August 2015

Why Coffee Capsules Have Exploded into Popularity?

03:45 Posted by Caffe Ottavo No comments
Coffee capsules and pods have become immensely popular in the last few years. It is known as the most convenient and easiest way to prepare coffee. You just need to make sure that there is enough water in the water reservoir of the espresso machine and place a capsule in the chamber. With these products you can enjoy a fresh cup of this drink whenever you want it without any mess.

Easy to use and a no mess process

The capsules are sealed small packs which contain freshly ground beans. If you are a connoisseurs of gourmet coffee but don’t have much time to grind the beans to fill the pots, these small packages are the best solution for you. Each one contains seven grams of ground which is enough for a single serving. Using these packages you can easily escape the mess and cleanup process related to traditional espresso making. There is no grinding, tamping, spilling and cleaning with these products.

Preserve the richest aroma for a longer time

Owing to its packaging, these preserve the aroma of freshly ground beans in it until it is used. Unlike the aroma of normal one which starts to reduce as soon as beans are grounded the packages keep the richest aroma of freshly ground coffee intact in it sealed packaging. Unopened capsules or pods remain fresh for up to 18 months. These are generally sold in multi-packs so you can enjoy greater variety of these drinks. From creamy almond, hazelnut to normal string espresso, there are varieties of flavours you can enjoy with these special products.

Anyone can brew cafe like coffee

The most amazing fact about capsules is that you don’t need to be a skilled person to brew café like espresso. Just uncover the packet and put it in the pod chamber of your espresso brewing machine, that’s all!

Reusable versions allows for further use

If you are looking for some recyclable or biodegradable versions of this single-serve capsule, you can try nespresso compatible coffee capsules. The reusable ones let the users open and close the lid to fill it again with powdered beans for further use. Each single-serve coffee machine has its own set of capsules that can be used only with it. For example, you can brew a single cup of coffee with Nespresso capsule only on a Nesprsso machine. You can buy them from online stores dealing in these products.

Easy Learning Guide: How to Use Coffee Pods?

03:37 Posted by Caffe Ottavo 1 comment
A coffee pod is a small, paper bag that contains coffee grounds. When it comes to single serve brewing, the usefulness of these pods is inevitable. They can be used in both electric brewers, traditional espresso machines and on their own. With these products you can enjoy finest flavour and aroma of this drink without putting in much time and labour. Learning how to use these products is a really simple process. Here is an elaborate guide for the lovers of this drink who want to prepare their cup of delicious and aromatic using these products:



Using them with pod brewer

Remove the plastic wrap from the product. After removing it, you will find the packages individually wrapped and sealed in foil covers. This kind of packaging ensures that the aroma of freshly ground beans remain intact in it. It allows you to prepare each cup of coffee without exposing the rest of it to air and light. Open this foil pack and bring out the packages which look like normal tea bags.

Coffee brewing machines specially designed to handle pods feature a built in holder. There is a button on the brewing machine which helps to operate the holder. Most of the brewing machines which are compatible with these packages, have a handle that lifts up and opens up a chamber which you should place them. Place the sachet and lower the handle. The water reservoir of the machine features an easily removable lid. You just need to open it and pour in water, remember that the water doesn’t exceed the "maximum fill" mark. Press brew button and place your cup below the brew head. When the water is heated it passes though the ground in the pod.

Using them with espresso machine

Now- a- days you can find various espresso machines that come with filter baskets both for loose coffee and for pods. You just need to put the basket in the pod filter and place the sachet into it. And in a jiffy you will be all set to enjoy your cup of flavourful and aromatic coffee. Among all products the nespresso pods are the most convenient way to eliminate the hassle of preparing normal cups with a traditional espresso machine. Without much hassle and labour, these ensure great taste like traditional espresso coffee. It's really very tough to beat the convenience of single-serving coffee pods with any other brewing alternatives.