How to Remove Tea and Coffee Stains From Your Ceramic Mugs

It is a common occurrence for mugs used everyday to become badly stained by tea or coffee. The brown stains are unsightly and difficult to remove. Sometimes they become so bad that scrubbing in soapy water does not remove them. Clearly coffee and tea are strong staining agents!

"But what causes the staining?"

It is a combination of hard water, chemicals called tannins, and microscopically rough glaze surfaces. These conditions allow the stains to strongly adhere to the glaze surface. The staining is usually worse in the base of the mug or where there is a sharp corner to hold on to the stain.

"So how do I clean stained mugs?"

Various cleaning methods have been tried and tested including vinegar, bleach, baking soda and washing soda. All have been proven to be successful and are widely used. However Bar Keepers Friend and tooth cleaning powders are less likely to give long lasting damage to the glaze surface. Cleaning with other chemical compounds and scourers whilst successful can create damage to the glaze surface which will make them more susceptible to future staining. So please take special care with your best china or dinnerware and treat them gently for their long term protection.

"So how do I stop staining?"

Manufacturers of the top brands of dinnerware and mugs design their products to resist staining and damage in use. In essence this is done by ensuring the glaze is chemically and physically durable. However,with the widespread manufacture of mugs in many parts of the globe including Asia, it is not easy to know the source and quality of the ceramic mugs we buy.

It is almost impossible to assess how resistant mugs will be to staining by visual inspection. Smooth glaze surfaces with few corners will reduce the potential for the stain to adhere strongly to the surface. However, over time the glaze surface may be attacked by dish-washing agents. leading to the dreaded staining.

Cleaning the pottery soon after use with warm soapy water will certainly reduce the possibility of staining.

Summary

To reduce tea and coffee staining of your mugs, clean them as soon as possible after use in warm soapy water. Use quality mugs from top brands as they will have designed the mugs to be chemically and physically durable. Avoid harsh detergents for cleaning as this can damage the glaze surface and lead to greater staining. Bar Keepers Friend and tooth cleaning powders are preferred cleaners and less likely to create long term damage. If all else fails buy new quality mugs but recycle the old ones. Pottery is a truly 100% recyclable product!

More information and other technical articles on pottery and ceramics can be found at my website http://www.pottersfriend.co.uk Go now to sign up for my free newsletter. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ivan_Wozniak

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The Magical Espresso Coffee Machine

Ever since I was a teenager, the eternal search began for the perfect cappuccino - well at home at least. Without the use of that magical espresso coffee machine we had seen in cafes and bars up and down the city, we were left to our own devices as to how to procure that white, fluffy cloud that would appear on top of our delicious espresso coffee.

The wonder in our eyes, and the anticipation we would experience, would set our imaginations alive, the thoughts racing to emulate what this magical espresso coffee machine could do. The smell of espresso filling the café with the wonderful aroma of warmth and comfort, the click and clump of the espresso being attached to the body of the machine, and that enticing sound of the milk being transformed.

These outings to the city café with my uncles would inevitably lead my sister and I to spend our precious weekends trying to capture for ourselves those fluffy clouds of delight. The first experiment we tried was to boil the milk until it foamed; unfortunately this only succeeded in burning the milk! This was entirely my sister's idea, and what a waste of espresso.

The next week, come another idea, my sister proclaimed with great excitement that she had worked it out. Making our coffee with our mother's stove-top espresso maker, she delicately poured the espresso coffee into a cup, added a few drops of milk, then as if possessed by some coffee demon, frantically stirred and blended the mix. When she was done, she poured some hot water on top and announced, "This is it". Unfortunately not - good try but no bean.

I'd been thinking about it all week, and then suddenly my subconscious mind leads me to the straw. Yes, the straw. Simple; blow into the milk with the straw placed strategically so the end was not completely submerged, watch the foam form, and there! Cappuccino. Though sadly, the sludgy mess that I had produced was not the coffee I had quite imagined. My sister was completely disgusted and I must say myself, I didn't enjoy it. It's not as magical as the espresso machine and it tasted terrible. I had tried and failed miserably.

These days my sister and I, along with her friends, enjoy a coffee in my garden, with the help of my very own espresso coffee machine. I do still wonder if her friends, Richard and Robert, have the same fascination for espresso? Come to think of it, Richard was asking me for a straw last week.

Enjoy the pleasures of an espresso coffee machine at home making great cappuccino with your espresso coffee maker... http://espressoexclusives.com Enjoy your coffee. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Albert_Scalise

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K Cups for Coffee - K Cup Brews and Coffee Makers

K Cups for Coffee is the entire new craze in the industry, since our love for hot beverages has been noticed by large brands such as Starbucks over the last decade.
These devices are small plastic container cups which hold the perfect blend of Tea, Chocolate and Coffee.

According to the companies that make these K Cups they have been made with the right amount of mixture, which is required for the best possible flavour and texture, and apparently due to this we can't get enough of them, with millions and millions being sold and distributed every day.

Now all coffee admirers would tell you they love nothing more than to start the day with a mug of their favourite hot beans. However with the many café stores available it can be a little daunting as to which to select on a daily basis, not to mention the many selection of variations such as espresso, cappuccino, decaf and latte to name a few. Add this with the long queues and this is fast becoming a stressful start to the day, and to think many of us face these issues on a daily basis.

So the smart K-Cup brands have decided to come up with a number of products to deal with such issues as this, such as developing specially designed coffee machines, to use with their ranges of K Cups. Now the top model in this industry tend to be developed from Keurig, who are the biggest company in the market, selling over 2million K Cups on a daily basis, so they have the best inside knowledge as to what their customers want.

These systems tend to mostly be built for an individual cup to be dispensed at a time. While the model and ranges vary from Keurig the MINI Plus Brewing System, is great for those with a, lower budget or individuals taking weekend trips out of town. Yet still has many features like coming in over 6 colours to fit perfectly into any kitchen scheme, a removable drip tray excellent for those days when you're in a rush, being compact for light travel, and has got to be the best gift idea for all K Cup for coffee lovers.

The Platinum Brewing System- is a great model and has the ability to brew the perfect cup of Tea, Chocolate or Coffee in an instants, well under 1 minute to be exact, and boast some amazing aspects such as the ability to set the water temperature, choice to inform your favourite cup size of hot beverage, and even come with an energy auto saving button, and is extremely stylish and easy to use.

With the arrival of many of these machines, K Cup junkies now have the choice to enjoy their favourite brew in the comfort of their homes, and with a wide variety of K Cups to choose from such as many top flavours, and manufacturers such as Green Mountain Coffee, Caribou, and Tully's you can now enjoy more of what you like, not to mention the great diversity of the K Cup which can be used as a great mixture for those hot summer days. Anyone for Ice Tea?

For more information or product ranges on some of the best K-Cups, Makers and accessories plus how to get that perfect K Cup for Coffee visit http://www.kcupsforcoffee.org Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_B_Thompson

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The Fine Art Of Turkish Coffee Preparation

Even though modern day Turkey has been exposed to the likes of espressos and cappuccinos, the ever present faithful of Turkish coffee still plays a significant role in social culture within Turkey. In fact, Turkish coffee is actually drunk the world over, with Turkish emigrants taking the fine art of coffee preparation across the globe.

In fact, even in today's modern world, the age old tradition of the elders where coffee is used to help select a bride is still practiced. This common practice allows for a young woman to serve her prospective in-laws so that they can inspect her beauty and grace. The manner in which the coffee is prepared and served is scrutinized to the last detail, and so a good showing in this specific ritual can ensure a prospective bride access to the man she wants.

Nowadays, coffee has become more of a social drink, and it is common for the men to spend hours in coffee houses, and they usually become very animated in discussions over politics and religion or any topic that is making headlines, wherever in the world the coffee drinkers may be. The Turkish coffe is usually served after a meal with a piece of "lokum" or what is known as Turkish delight. However, it cannot be denied that a poorly prepared cup of coffee will infuriate the often temperamental Turkish coffee drinkers.

For a successful preparation of the coffee, various special apparatus are used. A defined heating source is required, along with a brewing pot, sugar and teaspoon. These are the main items that are required for the purpose.

After successfully brewing the coffee, it is served in a specially designed cup. These cups may contain a handle, or some actually do not have handles. The cup is very small in size, as the coffee is very strong. The heating is controlled to ensure that the brew does not boil too fast. In delaying the boiling, all nutrients contained in the ground particles are released. Modern heating sources are widely used in brewing. These however do not produce a good quality brew. The best quality is obtained by brewing the traditional way. In this way, the boiling pot is not exposed directly to heat but rather it is placed on sand, whose container is that which is exposed to heat. This style of heating allows for even and gentle boiling, which is necessary for obtaining quality brew.

The art of grinding the coffee can be undertaken using any ordinary grinding apparatus although such may not produce a very fine powder necessary for the brewing of quality coffee, and in that case a specially designed turkish coffee grinder is recommended. Specially designed coffee grinders are available in the market that one can use to grind fine coffee. Furthermore, ground coffee easily loses flavor with inappropriate storage, so the preparation from start to finish is vital in ensuring a successful cup of Turkish coffee.

Dave is a fanatical coffee drinker and has recently been exposed to the wonderful world of Turkish Coffee. He has even created his own site dedicated to the wonderful turkish coffee pot Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Kershaw

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Yama Vacuum Coffee Maker: A Coffee Lovers Review

If you like to have fun, with a small number of friends in a usual setting or with a large number of friends in a more unusual gathering a great way to accomplish that is by serving a phenomenal cup of java something that only Yama coffee machines guarantee. You cannot compare other vacuum coffee machines to this one because although its price is accessible it still provides the best coffee drinking experience.

To make some coffee in your machine first you have to boil some water in the first or the second chamber. Once the water is heated, it moves to the second chamber just over the first one. As soon as the water gets into the chamber with the java beans, the brewing process is initiated. After you make the coffee as rich as you want, it relocates to the lower chamber and is ready to serve.

With vacuum coffee machines, there is no need to worry about sediment, which usually destroys good coffee. Also, if you bought a type made completely out of glass, the brewed coffee would never be exposed to other materials, that ruin its taste. These coffee makers, have style, they are cheap, and easy to clean. Although the vacuum brewer was fabricated in Germany at the beginning, it was widely admired at many parts of Asia, and after that at North America and other places.

A number of times, these coffee producers are named "siphon" or "syphon" coffee producers because of the procedure the coffee follows when relocating from one enclosed space to another. Despite that fact, you will also meet creators that deal them using different names, like vacuum coffee brewers, vac pots, or vacuum coffee makers. The shops have a great deal of nice selections but the Yama coffee producer is one of the best. If the price is one of your worries, this model would be the best selection and you will see that when you check out some of the models, Yama has the lowest cost because it is produced in Taiwan.

Yama has a lot of different labels to choose from but do give an example we wanted to bring up the Yama Five-cup Tabletop Vac Pot Coffee Siphon. This brewer uses alcohol to heat instantly and its price is 65$. This size is the best for more friendly settings, and has the capacity of making five cups of coffee each about four ounces. Now, if you are thinking about buying this exact type, I can guide you through making every cup brewed substantial.

* For one, when picking out coffee, this coffee brewer does its best work with finer grinds.

* When you put water in the lower container, you must use hot water in all occasions. With the Yama vacuum coffee machine, it takes less than five minutes for the water to warm up so using warm water makes it a lot faster.

* To make siphoning smooth, we advise you apply five teaspoons of boiling water in the upper container.

* Once you have placed alcohol into the burner, what needs to be done is to relocate it exactly beneath the bottom carafe.

* When the heated water moves into the upper chamber, it combines with the coffee grinds and the brewing process begins. Following this, the coffee goes back into the bottom decanter for serving so to bring the temperature to the desired level, keep the burner there for two minutes or so. As soon as that time has passed, the burner can be taken off and confined, and an excellent cup of java is ready.

* Vacuum coffee machines can work with normal alcohol but to make the heating procedure quicker and make last the heat last, we advise you to use modified alcohol, which you can get in hardware and how improvement shops, and also in some retail shops.

John Thompson is a coffee enthusiast who specializes in the Yama vacuum coffee maker. For more info on vacuum coffee makes be sure to visit http://www.vacuumcoffeemakerweblog.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_G_Thompson

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Best Coffee Maker - Which Is the Best Coffee Maker?

The best coffee maker and how it would be able to qualify to get such a title are dependent upon a number of factors. Whether it is the best espresso maker, Cappuccino, Latte, or a Crema Coffee brewing machine it is often helpful to gain the opinion from coffee maker reviews and the best star rating that they been given. Cuisinart, Bunn, Tassimo are just a few of names available to choose from.

A basic appliance with a decent amount of flavour in it will be dependent upon the volume of water you insert into the water reservoir. An over abundant amount of water will diminish the taste, but a smaller amount will give a stronger flavour. There are measurement fluid markers placed at various distances apart so this should never really be a problem. The water within the reservoir compartment is heated as it moves on through a pipe. This is then directed into the area where the grinded beans are discharged. The water moves through the container soaking the beans, transporting the flavoured liquid into the bowl. This course of action continues until the brew process has completed.

Modern technology has ensured that the best coffee maker machines of today will make a cappuccino, latte, or espresso a relatively stress free process.There are various brand manufacturers names available to suit each particular persons taste and budget.

With regard to these various types of drink blends, it is worth knowing that effective bar pressure is imperative for creating a good crema. The speed of this will determine if the drink tastes bitter or mild. Fifteen to nineteen is the ideal bar pressure that will give you a great crema.

To create an espresso the machine uses the force of a pump to push steam within coffee grounds. The steam integrates with and progresses through the granules and trickles into the container or pot beneath. If the granules are of a fine consistency then it will take between twenty and thirty seconds for the steam to pass through them. The extra steam that is formed is released through another spout to heat the milk.

To find the best coffee maker you will need see that is accessible to clean and a suitable size for you kitchen work surface. Some people are captivated by visually striking apparatus that do not always work well in real life settings. So it will be important to locate that sublime balance of a machine that looks the part, but will withstand the workings of everyday use. There are some appliances being sold that use coffee that is packaged. With this all you would need to do is insert the disk and turn on the power.

There is even a coffee maker available that not only brews Crema, Cappuccino, Latte, but will also create tea and hot chocolate automatically with ease. Such a piece of apparatus would make this worthy of the title of the best coffee maker.

Discover which is the best coffee maker Here Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Gregson

Smell the Coffee: The Wonderful Espresso Maker

Most of us are coffee lovers even if you are not I am sure you can still all appreciate that amazing aromatic strong smell of coffee brewing or from your local coffee shop as they use the espresso maker. You all have to agree that it does get one or more of your senses activated, whether smell or your taste buds. You must have all have heard someone you know say "I got to have a cup of coffee to get me going in the morning". I know for me I need two cups of coffee before I'm fully awake, when I don't have my caffeine intake I am really not quite there, pretty grumpy. It is probably a thought pattern that I can break if I wanted to really.

If you have traveled around Europe or the rest of the world, some of those amazing coffee shops like the one in Lisbon in the old town of Chiado called "Brasileira" it has a bronze statue of a poet called Fernando Pessao. All the café's or pastry shops serve croissants and pasties de natathe most popular Portuguese pastry. An espresso is called a bica and a latte a galao.

Yes I am sure you all know New Orleans with its most famous open-air coffee house Café du Monde with the equally famous beignets. The smell of that gorgeous vanilla flavor coffee is something I have never forgotten, when I got back after a few years yes I could smell when I was near Jackson Square.

Ever bought or drank some of the amazing Blue Mountain Coffee from Jamaica?

It is grown on the east side of Jamaica in yes the hills are called the Blue Mountains, good rainfall, rich earth and misty conditions creates the perfect growing coffee that is full-bodied and as smooth as silk. It comes in decaf as well as Peaberry mix, which turn the fruit into a cocaish chocolate.

Starbucks has to be the most famous coffee shop around the world, imagine what life would be without a Starbucks around the corner. The choice of flavors or a Soya latte the variety of coffees on offer to drink and buy.

Seattle coffee shop is equally famous, even some in Cape Town, South Africa.

Or the Canadian coffee shop Baskin Robbins, all equally gorgeous coffee and scrumptious eats.

Of course the cruise ships also jumped on the bandwagon, you have Seattle Coffee on the Royal Caribbean Ships and on Celebrity the famous Italian coffee shop with those to die for delicious chocolates on the side.

How to make Greek Coffee, there is an art, you have this small pot type called a briki, then you measure the coffee with a spoon for how many cups you are making and add the sugar and the cold water. This gives you a medium sweet cup of coffee; you need to add 2 spoons per cup if you want it really sweet. Stir on the heat, then let it foam remove from stove pour the foam equally in each cup then add the coffee. Of course the Greeks are equally famous for their iced coffee, the frapee.

The Brazilian coffee or cafezinho, you boil the sugar and water first then adds the coffee to the boiling water. The Brazilians tend to love their sugar so it can be very sweet. It always looks like they are adding guarana to it in the mornings.

I am sure you all can also think of coffee experiences on your travels whether in India or somewhere equally exotic in the world, maybe even sitting in a Parisian coffee shop looking at the world going pass.

Coffee is at the end of the day and important part of our day, whether it is those coffee breaks, or coffee shops, it is equally the same thing all over the world. Though in some parts of the world it is more of a ritual, Greece or Portugal. I am sure everyone loves the smell of coffee, it is pretty distinctive that aromatic smell of coffee beans.

Bernadette Cole has been writing online for a couple of years now. She also writes on crystal jewelry, accessories, relationships, unique cheap baby clothes. You can also visit her latest site on the espresso maker and lists the best types to get. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bernadette_Cole