CAFE SESSION WITH STEVE: JANUARY 2023

January - the month of New Years resolutions, NFL playoffs, and bundling up like human burritos to brave the cold and make it into work - is almost at an end. Sure, as we enter February, we are still likely to have to deal with the  age-old debate of "polar vortex" vs "just a little chilly”, but we also have the super bowl to look forward to - and what a show that will be! I can’t speak for others, but I personally know I’m stoked to watch the Kelcee Brothers face-off (though I do feel for their Mom - how to choose a side!?). Other than that, as we bid farewell to the first month of 2023, (many of us struggling to make those New Years resolutions last past January), we invite you to perhaps forget about that kale smoothie for now, embrace that love for the bitter, dark elixir of life, aka coffee, and read on to discover what we’re talking about in this new Cafe Session!

WHY DOES SMELLING COFFEE BEANS SEEM TO CLEANSE YOUR NOSE PALLET?

Coffee isn't just a delicious and invigorating beverage, it also has a lesser-known role as an olfactory palate cleanser. Similar to the way that ginger is used between bites of sushi to reset your tastebuds, coffee has the ability to refresh your sense of smell. When you're continuously smelling the same sorts of scents, such as searching for the perfect body wash, or picking the best smelling candle, your nose can become desensitized to various aromas, leading to what is known as "nasal fatigue." However, taking a big sniff of coffee beans can help alleviate this nose fatigue and rejuvenate your sense of smell by resetting your smell receptors. Thus, leaving your nose much like a blank canvas, and allowing you to fully experience and appreciate all the different notes and nuances of each aroma you sniff.

So the next time you find yourself sniffing your way through a sea of body wash scents, maybe take a moment to ask a sales associate for a jar of these flavorful beans (or bring them yourself if you’re a real planner), take a deep breath in, and give your nose the refresh it deserves.

DOES ADDING CREAM TO YOUR COFFEE ACTUALLY KEEP IT HOTTER FOR LONGER?

You may have heard that cream actually keeps your coffee hotter for longer (We did list this as one of the interesting coffee facts in our blog ”15 Facts That Make Coffee Cooler!”). That said, you wanted us to delve deeper and explain why, so we are going to give it a go!

Obviously, adding anything cold to something hot will, in the immediate sense, cool off that beverage. However, in the long run, adding cream to your coffee does result in a different level of sustaining said coffee’s temperature. How? Well, cream adds a lot into your regular old cup drip coffee, (besides toning down the bitterness levels). For example, there are nutrients in milk not found in coffee — most important of which, for this question anyways, is the fat of the milk. When pouring cream into your coffee, it creates a heavier body to the coffee, thereby making it a more viscous beverage. As science has taught us, vicious liquids, evaporate slower than less-viscous liquids, and evaporation carries away heat. Therefore, adding cream to your coffee inherently keeps your coffee warmer for longer, despite the immediate drop in temperature.

Take a look at this experiment, done by checking the temperature of two cups of coffee, one with cream added and one without. Granted there are some variables to account for such as the type of coffee used, type of mugs or cups used,  whether there are lids to keep the coffee warm, etc. However, this does give a good visual to the idea that cream can keep your coffee warmer longer despite the immediate drop in temperature. Also, note that if you really want that piping hot cup of coffee with milk or cream added to it, ask for it steamed to top off the coffee and get the best of both worlds!

If you have a topic or question you’d like me to tackle next month, don’t hesitate to ask! Submit a question or problem in the comments below!