Coffee News

Zaccardi’s is pleased to have been mentioned several times in the Wall Street Journal’s Catalog Critic articles. Several years back we were mentioned in an article on home coffee roasters. We were again mentioned in a great article comparing thermal coffee makers. Check out the article and some of the coffee makers still available that were featured including the Capresso MT500 and Zojirushi Fresh Brew thermal coffee maker.

Jura Capresso Impressa Z5

We were pleased to find an article on TheStreet.com highlighting the popular Jura-Capresso Impressa Z5 Superautomatic espresso machine and coffee center in their article Buy Buy, Baby: the $3,000 Coffee Maker. We were even more pleased to find that they referenced Zaccardi’s on page 2 for our innovative Cappuccino Calculator that shows how much money you could save by brewing your cappuccinos at home. Thank you to TheStreet.com for mentioning us (although we are actually Westchester N.Y. based and not Long Island based – but close enough )

TheStreet.com gives the Z5 high praise at the $3,000 price point but if you want to save even more, consider a factory refurbished espresso machine - we carry many models including the Capresso Z5 and Z6 when available. We have found these units usually are gently used and many times difficult to distinguish from brand new machines.  They also carry a full warranty from Capresso and save you a bundle of money.

According to a recent story by NPR’s Morning Edition, a new cafe in Michigan is helping a town boost its mood and stay strong throughout the economic downturn by offering a simple and effective remedy: a comfortable place and a nice cup of coffee.

The Front Porch Cafe is a non-profit cafe with a mission to help the people of Ellsworth, Michigan. After the town lost its diner, bait shop and grocery story, a local church decided that the people of Ellsworth needed a better place to gather and to build community of a warm cup of java. So they opened The Front Porch, a cafe that serves up affordable breakfasts, pie, and fresh brewed coffee. On any given day, you’ll find a fair amount of the town’s 500 citizens taking part in the community and brews at the cafe as the town looks to make it through the downturn. Thanks to The Front Porch, Ellsworth finally has a spot where residents can get a slice of pie, a cup of coffee and a sense of community.

How has coffee and community impacted your area in the downturn? What inspiring stories have you shared over a cup of joe?

Daniel Young’s new book, Coffee Love – 50 Ways to Drink Your Java, is for coffee buffs who love to debate the merits of their favorite beans while analyzing brewing and serving methods.

According to a book review in the El Paso Times, Young does not take sides; he recognizes that coffee preferences are personal. His goal is education – in a delicious fashion – and he’s served up 50 simple recipes for coffee drinks from baristas around the world. Plus, there’s great passages on the love of coffee, cafes, and coffee bars.

Here’s a passage from the inside cover:
Throughout the book, Young’s engaging profiles and evocative photographs bring the coffee experience to life. You’ll visit fabled coffee shrines such as Café Sperl in Vienna, you’ll meet Bologna’s most accomplished barista, and you’ll learn the secrets of the world’s most distinctive coffee drinks. If you love coffee and want to explore many great ways to enjoy it, this book is your indispensable guide.

Well brewed, Young. Well brewed.

Numerous studies have reached a consensus: coffee is good for us! It’s true; brewing some fresh java every now and then can have a positive impact on your well being, and as the authors of the Coffee Lover’s Blog, we at Zaccardis.com couldn’t be happier to hear the news.

Why is coffee so beneficial to our health? According to Sandy Procter, a specialist in human nutrition at Kansas State University, it could be due to the beverage’s anti-inflammatory properties and wealth of antioxidants. “Coffee contains four times more antioxidants than green tea — and brewing adds 300 more antioxidants to the 1,000-plus found in green coffee beans,” she says. “Roasting those green coffee beans adds even more healthful benefits.”

In one study, researchers found that people who drank three to five cups of joe per day were two thirds less likely to develop various forms of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease, and as noted in one of our blogs, coffee has also been found to lower the risk of stroke. Other studies have reported similar findings, including a staggering 80% reduction in cirrhosis of the liver.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that we should go overboard, and more research is needed in order to confirm these findings. However, things are certainly looking up, and that makes Zaccardis.com proud to support our fellow coffee lovers!

Women who love coffee have an even better reason to drink up on their favorite java blends.

New research conducted by Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health now reveals that some women can reduce their risk of stroke by drinking more coffee. The study of 83,000 women revealed that drinkers of five to seven cups of coffee a week were 12% less likely to have a stroke than those who just drank one cup per month. Keep in mind that all of these successes were otherwise healthy and did not have conditions such as insomnia, anxiety, high blood pressure, or cardiac complications.

According to  German experts on stroke prevention in Berlin, the benefit does not appear to come from caffeine. Those who drank tea and other caffeinated drinks did not experience the same reduction in stroke risk, said Professor Martin Grond of the German Stroke Society. It seems the positive health effects of coffee-drinking come from antioxidants in the beverage which lower inflammation and improve blood vessel function.

So there you have it ladies.

Drink up on your favorite coffee blends at Zaccardis.com and do your bean a favor by preventing strokes.

According to a new study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, one’s risk of skin cancer can be reduced by moderate consumption of coffee and tea. When skin cells are damaged by ultra violet rays, they repair themselves by producing a protein called ATR. However, if they can’t produce enough of it, the cells remain damaged and allow cancer to breed. Fortunately, caffeine creates a direct route for the travel of ATR, so the chance of cells becoming cancerous is significantly lowered.

In addition to fighting cancer, coffee and tea are full of antioxidants, which are beneficial to our skin and overall health. Of course, caffeine can have negative side effects as well, but they only arise through constant consumption. Moderate amounts will actually do wonders for our bodies, so we should revise our diets accordingly.

This is excellent news for coffee lovers, and it makes Zaccardis.com even happier to support them!

When it comes to coffee, finding the best cup may take you around the world and back again. To simplify the task of finding fabulous coffee while traveling, WorldHum.com has released a story on the best cities in the world to drink coffee. Each of these choices were rated on criteria for environment, coffee quality, price, and several other factors that are sure to delight even the most discriminating java drinkers. Here’s their picks:

Vienna, Austria

The coffee tradition in Austria dates well into the 17^th century. Today, Vienna is known for it’s grand 19^th century cafes. Coffee in Vienna is more than just a drink – it’s an experience and a rite of passage.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Strong espressos and a friendly atmosphere draw millions of visitors to Amsterdam’s cafes and coffee shops each year. Not to mention, it’s very affordable to enjoy a good cup of joe in this exciting city.

Rome, Italy

For the finest espressos in the world, look no further than Rome to find the perfect serving. While tourists may enjoy the outdoor cafes, the real coffee experience lies in a walk-through event in less obvious locations. Just follow the lead of the locals and stand at the bar, order your espresso, and be on your way to enjoy the rest of the city.

Melbourne, Australia

Australia’s coffee capital owes much of its rich brewing tradition to an influx of Italian and Greek immigrants in the wake of World War II, but it wasn’t until the 1980s that Melbourne’s coffee culture really took off. Today, it’s now loud, proud, and incredibly rich in flavor.

Wellington, New Zealand

As the arts and culture capital of New Zealand, Wellington is known best for it’s creative setting – the perfect backdrop to enjoy cups of joe from some of the European-inspired coffee cafes and local roasters. As a matter of fact, Wellington is said to have more cafes per capita than New York City, so it’s easy to find a coffee treat.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

The entire culture of Argentina plays into the way people drink coffee in this beautiful country. Coffee-to-go isn’t the method of choice for most Argentinians, as they prefer to sit back and relax in cafes to drink some of the finest South American coffees.

Seattle, United States

Known best for it’s gray skies and Starbucks, Seattle is one of the finest places in the US to get coffee. However, contrary to popular belief, this fine coffee tradition lies not in the success of Starbucks, but in the spirit of local roaster, independent coffee houses, and a varied selection of beans.

So let us know, where do you find the best cup of coffee? We’d love to hear about it!

Regular coffee consumption reduces the risk of stroke in women, reports a new study featured on WebMD.com. The study, published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, shows that women who drank four or more cups of coffee a day had a 20% reduced risk of stroke compared to women who had less than one cup per month. Drinking two to three cups per day reduced risk by 19%. Drinking a cup five to seven times a week reduced risk by 12%.

“The beneficial effects of coffee can only be applied to healthy people,” says Esther Lopez-Garcia, lead author of the study and assistant professor of preventive medicine at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Spain. “Anyone with health problems that can be worsened by coffee (insomnia, anxiety, hypertension, or heart problems) should talk to their doctor about their specific risk.”

The benefits do not appear to come from caffeine. Participants who drank tea and caffeinated soft drinks did not experience the same reduction in stroke risk. “This finding supports the hypothesis that components in coffee other than caffeine may be responsible for the potential beneficial effect of coffee on stroke risk,” Lopez-Garcia says. It could be antioxidants in coffee lower inflammation and improve blood vessel function, reducing the risk of stroke; however, more research is currently under way to prove this theory.

Since our inception, Zaccardis.com has striven for only purity and excellence in the coffee business, and now, it seems that our persistence has finally paid off.  We at Zaccardis are proud to announce the company’s addition to TheFind100, a veritable Valhalla as far as online businesses and retailers go.

Each year, TheFind.com compiles a list of the top 100 online retailers in various shopping categories, and Zaccardis has been selected from a pool of more than 500,000 stores.  Words simply cannot express our appreciation and honor for this distinction, and with so many people to thank, we can only say this: this award is the result of anyone who has ever supported, bought from, or taken an interest in Zaccardis and the various products we’ve had to offer.  It’s a pleasure to receive this distinction, and we can only hope for the same continued support the future.

Thank you all for helping Zaccardis thrive; we couldn’t have done it without you!