The Blue Pod Coffee Co Pty Ltd Blog

Can coffee be used to predict the future?
Known to little, many consider coffee to be a useful tool to predict one’s fortune. The practice of predicting the future by ‘reading’ coffee grounds (the same way a fortune-teller will ‘read’ palms) is known as tasseomancy , or tasseography. Today, it is most commonly used by ladies residing in Southern Italy, who learnt the practice during the 1950’s. The practice consists of interpreting the shapes left by coffee in the cup and saucer. Once the coffee has been drunk, the subjects wait a few moments to allow the coffee residues to settle on the inside of the cup, at which point the relevant symbols apparently become visible. The symbols on the inside of the cup represent the future, while the residues left in the saucer represent the present day. Some common interpretations of the symbols (kindly provided by ... continue reading
5 Reasons why Coffee is Good for Your Health
People are always telling us that too much coffee is bad for our health. But luckily for us, those people are lying! Here are five reasons that studies suggest we should keep up the caffeine: Depression reduction Results from a recent study at the Harvard School of Public Health have been revealed, and the news is good for women. Nearly 51,000 women took part in the study. It was found that those who regularly drank four cups of coffee a day have a 20% lower risk of clinical depression than their coffee-fearing counterparts. True, we've always known that coffee makes you happy, but its nice to hear Harvard agree. Improves Concentration Recently, British mother Christie Haske has begun medicating her ADHD-inflicted 7 year old son with coffee. Christie recommends it to those hoping to avoid potentially dangerous prescription drug... continue reading
How to make an Espresso Martini!
If you’ve tried it, you’ll know that the Espresso Martini is the greatest invention known to man. The mixture of vodka, coffee and Kahlua works surprisingly well. The caffeine boosts the spirits while the alcohol pleasantly loosens them. But for your martini to be a success, you’ll need fresh, good espresso coffee – which is where we come in! Ingredients and Equipment One Lavazza coffee pod and one Blue Pod coffee machine! 45 ml vodka (one and a half shots) 15ml Kahlua (half a shot) 30 ml espresso coffee (one regular espresso shot) 2 large cups for mixing 1 strainer 1 martini glass Method Make one regular short black (30 ml coffee) ... continue reading
Historical Figures on Coffee
Ever wondered which historical figures drunk coffee, and what they had to say about it?... No? Well we have, so we put this post together for you. Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) "If this is coffee , then please bring me some tea. But if this is tea, please bring me some coffee ." The 16 th president of the United States. He is renowned for abolishing slavery, appearing on the American five dollar bill, and having an awesome beard. Favourite Blue Pod coffee blend : Being an advocate for ethical conduct, we think Abraham would have preferred our fair-trade blend, ¡Tierra!. T.S. Eliot (1888 - 1965) "I have measured out my lif... continue reading
Coffee Inspires Acts of Kindness
Can coffee change the world? About a month ago, Jonathan Stark, an American programmer, put $30 on his digital Starbucks card and uploaded the photo to his blog. The idea of these cards is that you can pay for the coffee simply by showing the digital image of it on your iPhone/smartphone. Here's what it looked like: This meant that anyone on Jonathan’s blog could download the photo, and buy themselves a coffee thanks to his generosity. To Jonathan’s surprise, people started to upload more money onto the card. Within a month, ‘Jonathan’s Card’ became a national phenomenon covered by the media – people all over America were uploading money onto the card so that others could have free coffees. Everyone involved were both surprised and inspired by the generosity of strangers. Stories like this one can be found posted all over the ‘Jonathan’s Card’ faceb... continue reading
Five Reasons why Coffee Beats Tea
If you’re choosing between tea and coffee, here’s some advice that may help you make the right decision (which is coffee, by the way). 1. Food is better with coffee : Sure, there is some food that may go better with tea… But these tend to be of the cucumber sandwiches and plain scones variety. If you like to eat with gusto, then it’s coffee that should be accompanying your panini, pancakes or prosciutto. Not to mention the food that has coffee in it – have you tried our delicious affogato recipe ? 2. It smells better . One of the advantages of working for Blue Pod is the enticing aroma that exudes from our many coffee machines; it’s often one of the first things that guests compliment us on. I doubt the offices of say, Twinnings , could have such an invigorating smell! 3. Coffee is... continue reading
5 Great 'Coffee Songs'
A piece at The Age this week covered a Melbourne-based theatre group performing Johannes Bach’s “The Coffee Cantata” – a musical about a young coffee-addicted woman who is forced by her father to break the habit. In regard to Bach, the Age wrote: “Factor in his 20 children and you wonder how the great and reputedly pious fellow found time to sleep. That's where a second, less common theory for his hyperactive output suggests itself… Coffee.” This got me thinking – how many great pieces of music out there are written for, about, or are best enjoyed with coffee? I’ve come up with five of my favorites: 5. Coffee Cold – Galt McDermot This great instrumental from underrated jazz guru Galt McDermot is almost as smooth as our short black. The black and white, ultra-sexy film-noir style music video looks like it came straight out of an ad for Lavazza! ... continue reading
Recipe for a delicious Affogato
This week at Blue Pod we’ve decided to pay homage to one of the simplest, most delicious, yet strangely also most overlooked, desserts on the planet: the Affogato. “Affogato” (full title “Affagato al Caffe”) is Italian for “drowned in coffee”. The traditional Italian dessert consists simply of one or two scoops of vanilla ice-cream topped with espresso and liqueur. The hot-cold combination of ice cream and coffee makes for a deeply gratifying winter’s night indulgence. Here’s how you can make one for yourself: Ingredients One or two scoops of high quality vanilla ice cream One shot of strong espresso coffee (if you have your own Blue Pod coffee machine, we recommend you use our smooth, creamy ‘Aroma Top’ pod) 20 – 30 ml of your favorite liqueur (we used Galliano – but Amaretto... continue reading
Rules of drinking coffee in Italy
Coffee is so much a part of Italian culture, the idea of not drinking it is as foreign as the idea of having to explain its rituals. These rituals are set in stone and not always easy for outsiders to understand. As in any self-respecting cult, they are made deliberately hard to comprehend, so that the initiated can recognise each other over the bar counter without the need for a curious handshake (which would only lead to stubborn cappuccino stains). Some might object that the Italian coffee cult is now a worldwide church with branches in London, Dubai and Bora Bora. But while the Arabica coffee blend is often perfect, the cups just the right size and shape, the machines as "Made in Italy" as they come, Italian coffee bars outside Italy almost always adapt to the host culture - just like the vast majority of Chinese restaurants outside China. If you take your cue from your local high-s... continue reading
Fresh Every Time!
The word Barista simply means someone who is skilled at making great coffee. We all know what it's like first thing in the morning - the last thing you want is to have to go through a complicated process just to get your first cup of coffee, but starting the day with an instant coffee just isn't the same. The Problem: Coffee machines are expensive Coffee machines are complicated Even with an expensive coffee machine, coffee often goes stale Plunger coffee quickly goes stale and often leaves sediment at the bottom of your coffee Going out for coffee is inconvenient and expensive Instant coffee doesn't smell or taste as good as a properly brewed coffee The Solution: If you drink two of more cups of coffee a day, Coffee Machines at Home can deliver you a FREE Lavazza coffee machine... continue reading
Savouring -The Lost Art of Enjoying Life
Alright, so enjoying life may not exactly be a lost art, but there aren't very many of us who couldn't benefit from a little more "stopping to smell the roses!" Part of the Barista feeling is taking the time to truly appreciate coffee... Aroma: Even if you're not the one drinking the coffee, the aroma of a good coffee can bring a smile to the face, a big inhale and exhale, which is relaxing in itself. Taste: Instant coffee has its advantages - after all, it is instant! But taking the time to really enjoy the taste of a fresh cup of coffee is one of life's simple pleasures, and has been for thousands of years. The Lavazza pod system ensure that you can enjoy a great cup of Lavazza coffee , fresh every time.... continue reading
Great Coffee In The Great Country
Life in the country is just plain different - and many would argue it's better! Simpler, quieter, friendlier. But if you live outside of town, you'll know all too well that going into town can be a pain. And anyone from the country knows that there are some things that you just have to go to the city for. Whether it's rural Queensland's beautiful hinterlands, a farm in New South Wales, a holiday home in Victoria or anywhere else in Australia, Coffee Machines at Home will deliver you a FREE coffee machine - made by Italy's famous Lavazza coffee company. It really is simple - if you drink two or more cups per day, then this is a cost-effective way of having great coffee without having to set foot outside your house! We deliver you the machine, and every three months, we deliver you more coffee. You can choose different coffees for every order, and we bill you in three monthly installments. ... continue reading