Banana Coffee Smoothie.. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Good!

The dog days of summer are here and I live on ice cold smoothies.  I will admit that I am not a big fan of soy milk but it seems to make the best smoothies.   I have tried whole milk and vanilla yogurt and they are fine but there is something about soy milk that brings out the richness of a smoothie.    Here is one of my favorite smoothie recipes, banana coffee smoothie.  You will need to plan ahead ( 1 day) because of the frozen coffee cubes and bananas but it worth the wait.


1 cup of plain soy milk, vanilla yogurt or whole milk.
7 frozen ice cubes of french roast coffee ( we used Kenya AA or Brazil Santos)
2 frozen ripe bananas ( Sliced)

You will need strong espresso coffee.  I  used Kenya AA french roast coffee beans ground  for espresso.  The ratio of water to coffee grounds is 50-50 in a French press.  This allows the coffee to brew slow and strong. Brew the coffee for 5 minutes, cool to room temperature, fill an ice tray and freeze it for 24 hours. A good indication that the coffee is good and strong is the ring of crema around ice cube. Freeze 2 ripe, pealed bananas. 

Crema around the coffee cube

smoothie ingredients

Enjoy!

Add 7 frozen coffee cubes, 1 cup of cold soy milk, whole milk or vanilla yogurt and 2 sliced frozen bananas into the blender.  Blend until the smoothie has a smooth texture. Pour the smoothie in a glass.

Refrigerate the smoothie for a few hours to bring out a richer coffee taste and a thicker texture.

Enjoy your smoothie and remember BlackGold Coffee Company offers fresh roasted coffee and green coffee beans for the home roaster. Visit our store at www.blackgoldcoffeecompany.com


Enjoy your life.. Enjoy our coffee..

Deanna M. Helie, Morning Cupper
www.blackgoldcoffeecompany.com

Summer Treats - Cold Coffee

Cold Coffee has been around since the beginning of time, so I don't get it when I see and hear that there is a new drink on the market called 'cold press coffee'.  Does this coffee get pressed in the container when you open it, like an automatic french press?  Is the coffee brewed in a french press and the coffee is stored in the container and chilled.  I think not.  It is just market branding of an old idea for the summer.  Hey, guys and gals in the marketing department; think of something that is 'really new' for the fall.

We think of  ice, cold drinks during the hot summer days of July and August that give us a chill down our backs and makes us squeal with delight.   Cold coffee straight from the refrigerator with sugar and milk is wonderful.  To start off the summer blog of the dog days of summer, we will be sharing our favorite coffee drinks and icebox treats.   If you have a recipe that you wish to share, sent it us: sales@blackgoldcoffeecompany.com and place in the subject area "recipe".

Cold Coffee: This recipe is so simple and easy to do, my dogs can do it!

    8-12 cup pitcher

    1cup(packed) of ground coffee (bold or french roast)

   

    Measure 1 cup of packed ground coffee and pour it into the pitcher. 

    Fill the pitcher will cold water and mix the coffee grounds alittle.

    Place the pitcher in the refrigerator for 24 hours or more.  The coffee will keep for a week or more.

   

   This will give the coffee grounds time to absorb the water and  create coffee at a slow pace.  

   When the coffee is dark in color ( if you can see the coffee from the outside), it is ready to drink 

   Now here is the secret to good tasting cold coffee...

   Pour the coffee through a cup strainer into a ceramic cup.  The strainer will catch the coffee grounds.  The cold coffee will make the cup cold.  The coffee will not have much of a taste at this time because it needs to adjust to room temperature for the coffee to start pushing out taste.  

  

Pour some milk and sugar, mix thoroughly and wait for 5-7 minutes.  During this time period, the coffee will absorb the milk and sugar and the coffee taste will start to come out!   The coffee and cup will still be cold.

 

cold coffee  enjoy!

I make a small pitcher of cold coffee for myself during the summer months and love it.  I recommend Brazil Santos or Colombia Supreme 17/18 for a rich coffee taste without the bitterness (bold or french roast).

Visit our website store for a great selection of coffees; green beans for the home roasters and freshly roasted coffee from around the world.  The best quality coffee comes from BlackGold Coffee Company in Chamblee, GA.  We roasted our coffee to order, so the customer receives fresh roasted coffee and not months or week old coffee.  Delivery is free to metro Atlanta customers.

 Enjoy your life.. Enjoy your coffee..

 Deanna M. Helie,  Morning Cupper

  www.blackgoldcoffeecompany.com

 

 

The whole truth about coffee... It is REALLY GOOD FOR YOU!!!!

The facts and fiction about the health benefits of coffee changes as fast as you can blink.  We all know that coffee is good for you and most of us are coffee drinkers, so hold your cup high in the air and toast to the health benefits of this golden gem of a drink. Here is what we know about coffee today.



Long live your life
   A 2012 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that people from 50 to 71 who drank at least one cup of coffee per day lowered their risk of dying from diabetes, heart disease and other health problems.  Coffee has beneficial compounds such as antioxidants that ward off disease.

I am so happy!
   Coffee is not only a great 'pick me up' drink; it also has been linked to a lower risk of depression.  A 10 year Harvard study that tracked 50,000 women, found that those who drank 4 or more cups of coffee a day were
                                            20% less likely to develop depression and those who drank two or more
                                            cups of coffee were half as likely to attempt suicide as decaf or non coffee
                                            drinkers.  Long term coffee drinking may boost the production of
                                            "feel-good" hormones such as dopamine.

                                            Type 2 Diabetes
                                                Coffee drinkers are 11% less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than
                                             those who do not drink coffee.  But just because you are a coffee drinker
                                             does not give you a open door to eating sugar base food, like doughnuts!

                                             Coffee brewing does make a difference
                                                Cafestol, a compound in coffee grounds have been found to increase
                                              levels of LDL (bad cholesterol).  Brewing coffee with a paper filter
                                              removes some of this compound.  Coffee make in a French press or
                                              espresso have a higher level of cafestol.  The jury is out on how much
                                              this compound remains in the coffee.  If you make your coffee in a
                                              French press or you love your espresso, I would like lose any sleep over
                                              this. 
                                        
                                             Coffee is not for everyone
                                                 Too much coffee can cause effects including insomnia, irritability and
                                              restlessness.  How many nights do you watch the clock, not able to fall
                                              asleep because of the cup of coffee with the cake you had after dinner.
                                              People with acid reflux should avoid coffee because the acidity could
                                              exacerbate it.

        Well, there you have it.  Today's facts for today's coffee drinkers.  As the research continues, the conclusions and finding will change. Some good, some bad; so enjoy your morning with a good cup of coffee. 
Visit our website for a selection of fresh roasted coffee.  We roast our coffee per order to guarantee high quality, fresh coffee at a fair price. What better way to start the day but with a cup of fresh roasted coffee from BlackGoldCoffee Company    www.blackgoldcoffeecompany.com
Locally own and operated in Chamblee, Georgia.

 Enjoy your Life.. Enjoy your coffee..
Deanna M. Helie, Morning Cupper