The name says it all… Putting Weird Things in Coffee is the creation of Canadian student and writer Phronk. He’s got a lot of interesting concoctions (his only rule is that he’ll put anything in coffee that people would normally eat on their own) like curry coffee and salad dressing.

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… or so the saying goes.

But leave it to a Harvard educated biomedical engineer to come up with a way to inhale (no, not snort) coffee. The Le Whif coffee inhaler is the latest product from Harvard professor David Edwards that allows you to inhale particles of your favorite indulgence via a lipstick-like case. It started with a breathable chocolate powder that has been sold out since April of 2009. The coffee flavored Le Whif launched on March 11th and is supposed to give “the kick of coffee without the cup” according to Edwards.

At a purported $3 a pop, it is available via the Le Whif website (if supplies last). Already a hit, the chocolate flavored version comes in three flavors: pure chocolate, raspberry chocolate, and mint chocolate. It allows up to 8 puffs per cylinder and the flavor comes from actual chocolate and coffee particles that are small enough to become airborne but too big to enter your lungs. It’s even made of biodegradable plastic, so you don’t have to worry about disposal too much.

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A few months ago I read about the Coffee Talkie, and coffee mug with a built-in two-way radio for conversations with friends around the office and I immediately thought it should have been called the “Coffee Dorkie“… who actually buys this garbage?

It’s pretty funny until you realize that this goofy thing (and others like it) are hoaxes. They come from a company called Prank Pack which specializes in making professionally designed packaging for silly products that don’t actually exist. Things like Motorized Rolling Pins and GPS equipped golf equipment are other products they make. The boxes are extremely realistic, featuring professionally shot photos, copywriting, and graphics. They make me think of the anti-motivational posters from the guys at Despair, Inc. This is the perfect office prank gift for office retirement parties and bachelor parties. Here are pics of the other boxes like the motorized rolling pin and the wearable fishing net.

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This is a guest-post written by Gareth Hobbs. Gareth writes humourous movie reviews at Dodgy Movies. Reviewed!

Until recently, coffee was the domain of the urban undead. It satisfied the morning cravings almost as well as brains, but had the advantage of being socially acceptable. However, the ritual of coffee making has started to be used by the enlightened urbanite as a meditative technique. At first, it seems like coffee and meditation are at odds. After all, meditation is supposed to allow for relaxation and “stilling of the mind” something  that the stimulant effect of coffee supposedly prevents. Although, watching an urban zombie’s attitude change as that morning coffee satisfies the craving, you’d have to reconsider. As the proverb goes<i>, it’s not the destination, rather the journey that matters Similarly, it’s not so much the coffee itself, but the ritual of making it that promotes the meditative aspect. For the perfect cup, the steps need to be followed meticulously much like the Japanese tea ceremony. Of course, the ceremony varies according to tastes, but you’ll find that the generic steps are the same.

First, the water needs to be placed into the coffee maker. While this may appear a simple task, careful planning is required to ensure that the coffee is neither too weak or too strong. Complete presence is needed to determine the exact number of cups of water to be added. Pouring the water into the reservoir is a complex task. The body must be in perfect balance to prevent spills. Once the water is safely contained, the mind turns to the preparation of the coffee beans. Pre-ground coffee is acceptable, but, sticking your nose into a bag will never give you the same sensation as the aroma that is released from the beans on grinding. The grinding sound can be a little harsh at first, but, with practice, the nuances present themselves and the precise moment to stop the grinder can be sensed. This is an art, and critical to the perfect cup. too coarse, and the water filters through the grounds too quickly and the final product will be weak. Too fine, and the opposite occurs. The black on white as the grounds are placed in the filter is a wonder to behold, with each morning bringing unique patterns. And finally, the machine is ready to be switched on. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee permeates everything around it, and the anticipation of the first cup builds to a climax. With the first sip, taste finally gets a part in the morning drama, and it is the most important one. The silky smooth overtones followed by the bitter tang makes leaving the sanctuary of the duvet worthwhile. Of course, if this all sounds like too much effort for you, you could always use my foolproof 5 step approach.

Step 1 – Walk into the coffee shop. Step 2 – Order “the usual”. Step 3 – Pay. Step 4 – Collect the freshly brewed coffee. Step 5 – Enjoy. While not as sensually fulfilling as the full meditative approach, it does have one advantage. I get an extra 20 minutes sleep.

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This article is a guest post written by Victoria of Ratelines.com, a financial portal to find the best money market rates.

We all love it, its smell, taste, and the aura it produces when around us. We could be in the middle of work, sitting at home on our couch, sitting in traffic on the way to work or sitting by the beach. Wherever we are, the small and thought of it takes you to another world. That’s the feeling of the rich, strong, bold and sometimes sweet flavor of our beloved friend, coffee.

Since most of us aren’t coffee snobs, aficionados, etc. It’s helpful to understand the differences between the most common types of coffee. For example, the difference between coffee and espresso. Coffee is not as strong as espresso, and when brewed, espresso has a much richer taste than coffee. When espresso is brewed, it is pushed and padded into a small compression, and hot water is pushed through the pressed coffee, creating a strong, bold flavor, also called an espresso shot.

The Latte: Besides the cup of coffee (which is a very American thing), the latte is the most common type of espresso drink. Depending on the size, the smallest latte size (American small) has one shot of espresso, 3/4 a cup of steamed milk, and topped off with the foam from steamed milk. Sometimes people go the extra mile by adding a shot of vanilla or hazelnut syrup.

The Cappacino: Commonly confused with the latte, the cappacino is a widely-known drink in Europe. The smallest size comes with one shot of espresso, approximately ¾ cup of steamed milk foam, and about 1/3 cup of steamed milk. Again, the capachino is highly recommended plain, or with a shot of spice.

Caffe Americano: Not as common for the Starbucks lovers, but the Americano is rightly named for its founding in the American way – the love for a fresh cup of coffee. The Americano is probably the freshest ‘cup o’ joe’ you’ll order at Caribou or Starbucks. The rich, bold taste will enchant you but the way the Caffe Americano is made will shock you. A small Americano is made with two shots of espresso and the rest is hot water, mixed to perfection, don’t let the make of this bold cup fool you on the surprisingly robust taste.

Cafe Au Lait: Also called a “Cafe Misto” for the Starbucks junkies , the Au Lait is the perfect blend of regular coffee and steamed milk or cream with a small amount of foam on top. Usually not ordered with syrup, it also tasts nice with a shot of peppermint or raspberry.

Espresso Macchiato: More of a French espresso drink, this is ordered not by the size but by the shot of espresso. A double is two shots of espresso that is poured over not steamed milk, but just the steamed foam.

Espresso Con Panna: Again, another European language, this drink is served as a shot over whipped cream. Ordered by the shot amount, not by the size.

Written by Victoria of Ratelines.com, a financial portal to find the best http://www.ratelines.com/money-market-rates/“>money market rates.

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I’ve been looking at a lot of coffee related infographics and came across this stunning caffeine chart. It came from CoolInfographics.com and is worth a look. It charts the amount of caffeine in drinks from the common cup of coffee up to the most caffeine-laden energy drinks.

Got a death wish? Then check out the Death by Caffeine app. It shows how much caffeine it’ll take to kill you. Choose the energy drink of choice and enter your age. The app will tell you how many cans of your favorite energy drink it’ll take to kill you. But like they say, people can actually die from this stuff, so please don’t be stupid.

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I saw this on CrunchGear this morning and thought it was too funny. It was created by Japanese designer Case-Real, but it’s not actually in production. This kitty-hammock-coffee-table will probably be very well received by your cat. The sound of coffee cups clinking on the tabletop will probably freak her out, so I’m not sure it’ll be her favorite hiding spot, but it’s pretty unique nonetheless.

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I just read about this futuristic coffeemaker at TheAppliancist.com. It’s called “The Pure ” and it’s an induction coffee maker. The manufacturers says it is made of environmentally friendly materials. Its design helps speed up the brewing process it is quite easy to use. It has a ballpoint pen mechanism that helps control how much coffee is poured. Additionally it is made of double glass tubes which help insulate the coffee, and of course protect your hands from getting burned.

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If you’re looking for a classic coffee maker, you need look no further than the Moccamaster. This hand crafted coffee maker, made in the Netherlands, has looked the same for over 40 years. It has many loyal fans in European coffee strongholds like Sweden, Finland, and the Netherlands. Not only is it stylish, but it is a high quality coffee machine that holds a consistently high temperature, and brewing a good pot of coffee quite quickly. Just look at one of it’s fans had to say:

“can HIGHLY recommend this coffee maker–have had it for about 7 years.
LOVE it. we have the one with the thermos, which is just great. heats
up the water to a higher temperature than any other drip maker–it’s
terrific.”

This coffeemaker is certified by the Specialty Coffee Association of America. As noted in the comment above, it singular heating element in Scheuer is a Debruin temperature remains less than optimal 200°F throughout the brewing cycle. at one cup per minute, it can crank out 10 cups of high-quality coffee faster than most conventional home coffee makers. No wonder it’s a kitchen favorite for real coffee buffs.

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Here’s a goofy article I read at the Miami Herald today about creative uses for the common coffee filter. Apparently you can use them for a lot more than your coffee maker. It’s not a particularly practical list, but there are some pretty funny uses:

• Coffee filters are great to cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave

• Coffee filters are lint-free so they’ll leave windows sparkling; use them for mirrors and chrome too

• Place a coffee filter between good china plates to protect them

• Put a coffee filter in a cast-iron skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust. (my wife just bought a cast-iron skillet and will love this tip)

• Use a coffee filter to recycle used cooking oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter

• Weigh chopped foods. Place ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale

• Line the pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes. This will help you stop the soil from leaking out of the pot

• Do you think we need expensive strips to wax our eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters instead. Ouch!

• Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors

• Use filters to strain soup stock. Or tie fresh herbs in a coffee filter and put the bundle in soups and stews

• Show kids how to sprout seeds. Just dampen the coffee filter, put seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout

• Use as a disposable “snack bowl” for popcorn, chips, etc

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