The History of Coffee Makers

It was love at first sip. Once man discovered the taste of coffee and the stimulating effect of caffeine on the body, he was hooked. The road to a quality coffee maker has been bumpy. Original coffee makers had a slight problem in that they occasionally blew up. Sometimes they burned the coffee.

According to some, women who ran houses of ill repute were among the first great coffee makers. In 1674, men were spending so much time drinking at local coffee houses that the women in England tried to outlaw coffee. Coffee makers in the 1600's and 1700's were designed in an array of styles, most featuring a fat bulge in an effort to help retain the coffee grounds when pouring out the coffee.

Some creative individual put coffee in a sock in an effort to contain the grounds in 1780. This heralded the birth of the Mr. Biggin coffee maker. The Mr. Biggin used a cloth filter. Coffee fans tried cotton, wool, burlap and other fabrics and materials to filter coffee. Cloth wasn't working real well. In 1802, the metal coffee filter came into use.

The 1800's were a time of rapid coffee maker development. Madame Vassieux of Lyons, developed a vacuum coffee maker. Madame Richard also created a vacuum style coffee maker. Vacuum and percolator coffee makers were widely used. In 1818, a Parisian metal smith invented the first coffee percolator. In America, the Cowboy Pot was the coffee maker of choice.

During the years of 1835 to 1850, many, many coffee makers are invented. Glass balloon coffee makers, vacuum system coffee makers, piston system coffee makers, pressure steamer coffee makers, a Naperian balancing siphon coffee maker and other coffee makers, roasters and grinders are invented.

The birth of the Manning-Bowman Percolator ocurred in 1890. House Furnishings Review magazine promoted the Cafetiere double blown-glass coffee maker. The Raparlier coffee maker featured a filter made of hemp. This style of Hydropneumatic coffee maker was used as late as the 1960's.

Vacuum and percolator coffee makers continued to be created in different syles. Plunger filters were first introduced in the 1900's. The principle is still applied to coffee makers today. Some say that it is virtually impossible to make a bitter cup of coffee with a plunger style coffee maker.

As the 1900's progressed, Willy Brandl invented one of the first ever electric coffee makers. The major development in this case was the switch that automatically turned the coffee maker off when the liquid level was low.
Coffee filters as we know them today were born in 1912. Frau Benz invented Melitta coffee filter paper. Goodbye linen and cloth coffee filters. Hello paper. Easy to use and easy to get rid of.

The first true espresso machine arrived in 1946 when Achille Gaggia designed the first espresso machine that didn't involve using steam. Within fifteen years, modern coffee makers using paper filters began to be used commercially. Bunn introduced the paper filter as it's known today in 1957. The first 'pourover' coffee maker was introduced by Bunn in 1963.

Mr. Coffee was born in 1972. The automatic drip coffee maker hits store shelves and start showing up in homes and businesses everywhere. After Mr. Coffee signed Joe DiMaggio to be the company spokesman in 1974, Mr. Coffee became a household name.

When the price of coffee beans skyrocketed in 1977, Mr. Coffee created a coffee saver coffee maker that used less coffee. The first thermal coffee carafe is born around this time, giving coffee drinkers the ability to easily keep coffee hot for long periods. By 1979, timers appeared on coffee makers and have come a long way from the Cowboy Coffee Pot. It will be interesting to see how the machines evolve over the next hundred years.

Spaghetti Etiquette in Italian Food

The most popular and widely recognized Italian food today is spaghetti. However, it seems that no other Italian food has caused such consternation in figuring out the polite way to eat it. It has become so bad that when taking a date to eat Italian food, both parties will avoid the spaghetti in order avoid making a mess or looking less than attractive while eating it. Spaghetti is a delicious Italian food and there doesn't need to be all this stress associated with eating it in public. Forget what you've been told what follows is how you eat spaghetti.

First off, if you are fortunate to be eating at an Italian food restaurant or Italian home that is actually in Italy, then you need to keep your hands on the table. Now when I say hands, I mean hands, still no elbows. Also, be sure to wait until everyone is served before you start to eat. The most often repeated Italian food advice given is to use a spoon to aid in eating spaghetti. Unfortunately this is also the most widely spread Italian food myth. Whatever you do, don't use a spoon. It is considered very bad form. Just use your fork, I'll explain how to do it and keep your Italian food on your fork and not on the table or your shirt. Another oft repeated word of advice is to simply cut the spaghetti noodles shorter. Again, this is erroneous. Spaghetti is about ten inches long and is the right length, you should never cut it. It's also important not to slurp the spaghetti.

Any sounds you make while eating are considered rude. Italian food is known for its wonderful sauces, be careful not to splatter them all over the table and your clothes. On this note, don't ever wear a napkin like a bib; it is very tacky and inappropriate. While spaghetti might be your favorite Italian food, it is not a dish that should be served for large or formal parties, largely because of the issues that cause an article of this nature to be written. Choose instead to serve an Italian food comprised of short pasta that is easier to serve and eat.

Now it is time to teach you the proper technique to use when eating that ever popular Italian food, spaghetti. Spaghetti is served in a bowl with a rim. You want to push the spaghetti to the center of the bowl, making room at the front. Now take a little bit of the spaghetti with your fork and push it to the front of the bowl. Now hold your fork vertically with the prongs against the rim and turn the fork clockwise in order to wrap the noodles around the fork. Then lift your fork and examine the length of the noodles hanging to see if it's a good idea to proceed with putting it in your mouth. It is always best to err on the side of caution and put too little rather than too much spaghetti on your fork.

If you need to, lower the fork back down and take a smaller bunch of noodles and twirl them again. Better to take a little time than to end up with Italian food all over the place. Following these tips will ensure that you impress your friends at an Italian food restaurant and get invited back to eat Italian food at a family's home.

Favorite Drinks of Mexico

Mexico offers quite a few unique drinks. Some include fruits, and nuts while others include milk. Some are served warm, while others are chilled. These drinks have become a favorite in Mexico. There are traditional drinks, some of which originate from Spain.

Horchata is a drink that originates from Spain. It is very popular in Mexico. It is perfect for hot days. Nuts are used for this drink. They are ground and mixed with water, sugar and sometimes lemon juice. The mixture is then put through a filter process. The drink is served ice cold. It refreshes and cools down the drinker. Horchata is also popular with rice added. It can be found at Mexican restaurants in the United States along with Mexican grocery stores.

Aguas Frescas are another popular drink found in Mexico. It consists of water, fruit juices and sugar. Many vendors in Mexico sell Aguas Frescas. Flavors you may find are Watermelon, Mango, Pineapple, and Strawberry. These types of drinks are also made in other countries under different names.

In Mexico you will still find brands for soft drinks that are familiar in America, such as Coca Cola, Sprite, and Pepsi. They also have their own brands, on being Sidral, which is apple-flavored. Coffee is also another popular drink in Mexico. You will be able to find Espresso and cappuccino in the cafes. For something more exotic there is the drink, café de olla. It is made by being stewed for hours with the ingredients being cinnamon and sugar, which gives it a sweet and rich flavor. Outside of the cafes, it is common to find people making instant coffee. Mexicans also enjoy tea. The tea of choice is usually mint or chamomile.

Mexico also offers many drinks of alcohol. One that is much known in America is the Margarita. Tequila is the alcohol in the drink. Margaritas come in a variety of flavors and colors. It is served with ice, or blended with ice making it a frozen drink. There are a few tales on who is the original maker of the margarita. It is known that people in the 1930s were enjoying these drinks. This drink is still popular to this day. Mexico also drinks beer. They have several brands, the biggest being Cerveza. Mexican-made brands that are popular in the United States include Corona and Sol. Pulque is a milky style beer that is popular amongst the poor. It is made from sap and is thick. It usually takes some time to get used to drinking. A drink that makes people think of Mexico is Tequila. It consists of agave cactus and is produced mainly in the Mexican state of Jalisco. It is served with a side of lime and salt.

There are many more drinks that are found in Mexico. There are recipe books that can help you create new drinks. Next time you are planning a backyard fiesta, try adding some new flavor. Your guests will not be disappointed to quench their thirst with south of the border drinks.