WILDE THYME

Coffee, if you do not know yet, is the key to someone else’s sanity. No joke there, a cup of good coffee is not just a beverage for some but a good source of comfort, clarity, and energy. There are many ways to describe it, as well as many ways to make it.

For coffee lovers, a perfect cup of coffee always saves the day. But how do we really make “the perfect cup of coffee”? Let’s run through the basics and find out how to to make your simple cup a perfect one.

1. Find The Right Coffee

You must understand that there is an overwhelming amount of coffee beans and flavours all over the world. You can go through all available information over the internet or simply go to the coffee bean shops and learn about these, there are also some places to buy great coffee online. You get to know the process the beans go through up to the grounding.

You can smell beans for the first-hand experience and if you are lucky enough, you may be able to taste a few. If you do not want to go through all these, there are lots of online shops that offer different types of ready grounds you can try out.

2. Ingredients And Process

There are many ways to make your coffee, you can use the conventional coffee maker or opt to do it the manual way. Check which way makes the consistency or output you want and which one works better for you. Avoid buying a cheap filter that may alter the overall taste of your coffee, best if you would invest in a good quality reusable coffee filter.

It’s also important to know the type of coffee you want for you to be able to prepare necessary ingredients such as creamer, sugar, and milk. When it comes to water, it is best to use the one you are comfortable with, but coffee experts suggest to avoid using distilled water as it won’t give the best potential taste for your coffee grounds. Lastly, use a freshly ground coffee bean.

3. Know Your Preference

Or should I say, know the preference of the one who will drink. There could be so many factors to consider such as the amount of coffee ground and the temperature of the water, but this all won’t matter if you are serving the “inappropriate” coffee. Know the type of coffee that is needed for the mood and simply to the process accordingly.

Making the perfect cup of coffee shouldn’t be complicated. What matters most is that you consider the timing, the mood and of course, the ingredients. Mix it all three, pour it in your favourite cup and serve it with love and wallah, there you have it! Your perfect cup of coffee.

Latest CESA Guide aims to address the issue of serviceable catering appliances entering the waste stream too early.

CESA has published a new guide containing specialist industry insight into best practices for the reuse of second-hand catering equipment with the parting caveat: “save it or sell it, don’t just scrap it”. The guide tackles the problem of tens of thousands of second-hand catering appliances being unceremoniously scrapped each year. Many materials from catering equipment that enter the waste stream are recycled; however, the association believes that this should not be the norm but rather serve as a last resort.

CESA (Catering Equipment Suppliers Association) represents over 190 commercial equipment suppliers in the UK who supply the catering industry with equipment from utensils to full kitchen schemes and is perfectly poised to offer guidelines, based on specialist industry insight, on how to deal with second hand catering appliances in a more sustainable and profitable way.

According to John Whitehouse, the Chair of CESA “The scrapping of serviceable appliances undermines the credibility and sustainability aspirations of the foodservice industry and is also a waste of money as the value of equipment unnecessarily scrapped amounts to tens of millions of pounds per year on the second-hand market”. In terms of sustainability, he says the refurbishment of second-hand catering equipment can make a real contribution to the circular economy.

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive, WEEE, was created to recycle components from appliances that are no longer working, but sadly it does not prevent serviceable appliances from being scrapped too soon.

The guide provides industry insight into the facts of the issue and offers guidelines on how to tackle the problem. The guide is available as a free download on the Info Hub of CESA’s website -cesa.org.uk

Whitehouse said that they are not suggesting that operators should not replace old equipment with new ones when upgrades, refurbishments or changing menus mean that old equipment can no longer do the jobs required of them, but that scrapping is not the only solution. Reconditioning of serviceable equipment is not only a greener alternative, but it will also contribute in a major way to a campaign to discourage misguided caterers from buying cheaper domestic appliances despite the risks to health and safety. A ready supply of perfectly good second-hand equipment will be more affordable and encourage caterers to step up the commercial standards of the industry.

The guide points out that by arranging responsible reuse, PR and CSR opportunities will be enhanced and it will obviously help any company with their sustainability targets. In addition, there is also the option available for low budget companies such as new business start-ups, social enterprises, charities or third world projects to use the income from the sale of the equipment.

The guide also notes that the main reason for the ‘scrap it’ mentality in the industry is a lack of knowledge regarding other available options which it seeks to address. The guide concludes with the motto: Save it or Sell it – Don’t Just Scrap it!