Perkdup

I finally had the chance to experience what all the "buzz" is about. Everywhere I go in the East Bay and San Francisco, people are talking about "Have you had Philz ???" I had tasted Philz once at work when somebody brewed a pot, but with Philz, whose mantra is "One Cup At A Time," you have to visit the actual coffee shop to get the full effect. After waiting patiently for months and months, for the store to open in Berkeley, I checked it out yesterday. I had a cup of the barista's recommendation for a medium roast which was Philz House Blend . This guy knew a lot about his coffee and was super friendly which made my wait for the "one cup at a time" totally tolerable. They don't have sugar and cream, etc. at a separate table. Philz is "full-service," which means the barista makes it up for you just like a real barista should. So, all you have to do is enjoy. Bottom line. Great coffee. At 2.75 for a small cup, a little on

Okay, the name alone scared the beans out of me. I was afraid to try this coffee even though I'd heard that it was one of the best-sellers at Zocalo Coffeehouse . "Zoom and Boom," all I could think of was, hey that rhymes with "Gloom and Doom." I'm scared. I thought, "Is my heart going to jump out of my chest???" But, hey it's Friday and I figured - what the heck? If I die, I'll die with a smile on my face, right? So, I make a pot for me and my "partners in coffee crime," and what do you know? It is totally A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Deep, dark roast, smooth, not at all bitter and my heart is still beating at a normal rate. Don't be fooled by the name. "Boom and Zoom" is truly good coffee and you won't wreck your keyboard while drinking it. TGIF! Zocalo Coffeehouse 645 Bancroft Avenue San Leandro, CA 94577 (510) 569-0102 http://www.zocalo.com/

Check out some of coffee's mysterious benefits in this article by Remy Melina which appeared in LiveScience . (C) From lowered cancer risks to a sharper memory, more studies are showing that coffee is good for you - but why? Regular coffee drinkers have a 39 percent decreased risk of head and neck cancer, according to a new study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Those who drank an estimated four or more cups a day had significantly fewer cancers of the mouth and throat than non coffee drinkers, the study found. "Coffee contains more than a thousand chemicals, some of which have antioxidant and antimutagenic activities," Mia Hashibe, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Utah and the study's lead researcher, told Life's Little Mysteries. "Further research is necessary to identify which ingredients in coffee are responsible for the results we observed in our study." Scientists are still trying to

Oblong, thick, cookies designed to be dipped in coffee, cocoa, or wine. Originally from Italy, "biscotti" translates as "twice baked." *(These biscotti or is the plural biscotto - were handmade by my daughter using the recipe from the cookbook, "The Skinny Italian" by Terese Guidice of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey.". http://www.amazon.com/Skinny-Italian-Enjoy-Bella-Great/dp/1401310354

The good, the bad and the fancy about getting older. The Good: You've lived to see another year. The Bad: You will never be able enjoy a book or the newspaper without reading glasses. The fancy: You feel entitled to drink tea from a fancy pot any time you like because you've made it to this age and if not now, when? The bonus: You have great friends who love you just the way you are.

This is not your mother's Dunkin' Donuts Coffee . It's a medium-roast coffee with a smooth rich taste and an extra boost. I can use an extra boost in the mornings. Look for the 'Dunkin' Turbo Tour' coming to a city near you through September 2010. To find out when the Dunkin' Turbo RV will be in your area with giveaways and free coffee and coupons, visit: www.dunkinathome.com You'll find a full list of locations and times. Dunkin' is not just for donuts and Dunkin' Turbo is not for wimps! * I received a free bag of Dunkin' Turbo Coffee for this review

Congratulations to "Timber" and his team. http://baylist.sfgate.com/winners/best-of-the-baylist/4766/specialty-food-and-drink/coffee-shop Catahoula Coffee Company 12472 San Pablo Avenue Richmond, CA 94805-1914 (510) 235-0525

These "Cute Cakes" from Donsuemor(TM) make my coffee cup stand on its head and my tea kettle whistle "Amour!" From the company that brought you those famous madeleines that we all know and love, are these glorious little bites (chocolate or vanilla) covered in the most delicate icing. For more details on where to purchase these "Cute Cakes" and other Donsuemor treats, including, French Almond Cakes, Madeleines and Lemon and Chocolate Madeleines, visit their website. www.donsuemor.com "Let Them Eat Cake!" (They're so gosh darn cute) *I have a material connection to Donsuemor Bakery because I received a complimentary sample of their products for consideration in preparing to write this content.

Just when you think you've met the "one," another one comes along and then you don't know which one you love more. That happened to me last week. I didn't think that I had room in my life for another favorite coffee. You know, one " that I just couldn't live without." But then I meet this "French" number from a place called Zocalo . Dark, like I like it, strong enough to take care of me but delicate enough not to be "pushy." Fresh as could be. I just couldn't keep my eyes off his shiny beans. But you know the saying, "if you love something, set it free." So, I did and introduced him to everybody in the office and turns out they all felt the same way. I mean, really, something this good should be shared. French Roast Coffee Zocalo Coffeehouse 645 Bancroft Avenue (at Dutton) San Leandro, CA 510-569-0102 "Zocalo Coffeehouse is an independent, locally-owned coffeehouse and roastery, located in San Leandro

Whether you take yours sweet or unsweetened, flavored or not, you just can't beat it - especially when the weather is hot!!

I wake up a lot during the night. It's not fun. I was thinking that maybe if I drank less caffeine in the evening that would help. It also helps if your digestive system is working properly. A cup of hot herbal tea can often do the trick. My mother-in-law just left from a recent visit and she was touting the benefits of ginger tea. So, here I am at the beginning of my journey to find - you guessed it - the best ginger teas. First up, Stash (TM) Premium Lemon Ginger Herbal Tea (Caffeine Free). 20 tea bags retail for about 3.99. While the lemon jumps out at you, the ginger sneaks up on you. Halfway through the cup, it started to tickle my tongue. That's not a bad thing. It was just unexpected. I only steeped my bag for about three minutes - for stronger flavor, you should probably steep for five minutes. But beware, if the ginger tickled my tongue with a three minute steep, you might end up laughing yourself to sleep if you steep for five. And guess what. . .I think

Way down yonder in New Orleans, lives some of the finest coffee from El Salvador roasted by coffee artisans who really know their beans. Years ago, way before gourmet coffee was all the rage, I used to order this wonderful coffee from New Orleans. My favorite blend at that time was the "Cafe Reveille." Hurricane Katrina came through wiped out the plant and office in New Orleans. But you can't keep a good coffee roaster down. They soon rebuilt in Kenner, Louisiana and continue to do what they've done best since 1983, roast and ship great coffee beans. I checked on them to see how things were going and to reminisce about the good old days and "Cafe Reveille." Well, "Roastmeister Bob" informed me that "Cafe Reveille" was so last decade! Bob said that while he still roasts a fine batch of Cafe Reveille , that he is also blending and roasting a bunch of other newer coffees which are also great. He said, "I'll send you someth

What goes great with coffee? A donut, of course. And June 4, is National Donut Day. To celebrate the holiday, Krispy Kreme is giving away free donuts to anyone who stops in. No purchase is necessary. www.krispykreme.com

The results of a new study on coffee have been released. According to the latest study which refutes the findings of the previous study which refutes the previous-previous study's results which turned the study before that on its head and the beat goes on. Seems that the Department of Experimental Psychology at Bristol University , led by Peter Rogers, determined that "we don't gain an advantage from caffeine." Okay, how about I say that I do get an advantage from drinking coffee because guess what? I enjoy drinking it. Dr. Rogers goes on to say: "Someone who consumes caffeine regularly when they're at work but not at weekends runs the risk of feeling a bit rubbish by Sunday," Rogers told The Guardian. "It's better to stick with it or keep off it altogether." Well, that's one bit of advice I'll take from the good doctor. I'll stick with my caffeine habit. How can you study the effects of waking up to the aroma of coffee waftin

We had a family party this weekend and my only responsibility was to bring the coffee. Pretty cool, huh? So, I thought what can I get that's great for a crowd which means coffee that tastes good, is pleasing to everyone and is not expensive? Trader Joe's House Blend ended up being the selection and what a great choice that proved to be. It's a dark roast, but not so dark that people who don't normally drink dark roast can't drink it and it's smooth and their coffees are always fresh and at 6.49 per can, the cost is right! The verdict? It was a crowd pleaser! Now that I've given Trader Joe's Coffee a fresh look, I'll be checking out other blends. Any suggestions?