insects and Coffee

I’ve had this idea to make an espresso based drink with Bee Pollen in it… and today was the day. Took some pollen down to the cafe and worked on a few different ideas. Alas, none of them turned out good at all. :(

The pollen mixed with the espresso turned out a drink that was just too pungent, earthy, and well… the idea of “Here, drink this! It’s good for you! ”

Not what I’m lookin’ to make.

What I am after is a drink that brings my to worlds together… that of Bugs and Coffee, and tastes great. Well, it’s back to the drawing board for me.

getting around to uploading some of my Insect photos from the trip to Mexico we took in December… and to getting some of my older photos off the old server and up on to Flickr.

Here is a great shot from June 30, 2007 >>>

<<< Potato Bug(Woodlouse), infested with Parasitic mites… these mites look(at this magnification) just like the Varroa Mites that are causing the Honey Bees of the world so much trouble.

Note: Not sure if I put this specimen in my freezer collection for further investigation. I’ll have to check, and if so bust out the microscope.

Update: I did not put this specimen in the deep freeze… kicking myself for not doing this, it would have been nice to get some micro-scope photos of these mites.

and here are some ant photos from Mexico… lapping up the water sweating from a Pina Colada >>>

<<< I need to get a better Macro Lens.

so… here it is the makings for Cola.got to it last night and today made Cola Cappuccinos in the Cafe. over all response was good to excellent.

I think I’ll try tweaking the recipe, making it a little spicier using some hot pepper, maybe a little more black pepper(spicy Cola—just sounds good to me).also tried this syrup in seltzer water! Zing!!! it was great! hand crafted Quick Cola. twas good, real good, much better that trying to make it in to a coffee/espresso beverage. then again I’m just not a fan of sweet flavored coffee beverages, so I’m not the best judge of my Cola creation.

Notes: for this Cola batch I used the Ethiopian Limu, I was looking to put some of that coffee fruitiness in the Cola.

Update 02/27/2008: got to thinking about this recipe… I think there is too much vanilla in it… could not place my finger on the flavor that I was tasting… but now I know! Cream Soda! this recipe was more of a cream soda syrup than a cola syrup. >>> if I make this “cola” again it will be a lot different… I guess that would make it not this recipe at all.

To the Point: Too Much Vanilla.

sugar, water, lemon juice, lemon zest, cracked black pepper, crushed coffee…

boil until sugar is melted, cool, strain.

>>>Cola Syrup.

…at this point one can add the syrup to anything: soda to make a Quick Cola Beverage. brew it like a traditional yeast soda. add to coffee …ect.

black pepper… I’d like to figure a way to get this into a coffee drink; I think it would go well, in moderation of course.

tonight I concocted a rosemary simple syrup. it is very light in flavor, I might need to try it again and use more rosemary. I’ll take it to the Cafe tomorrow and see what the baristas think.

still need to get Fraiogh onto her hot pepper drink, have her get it into the shop that is.

Emeril’s Cola Syrup Recipe:

1 cup granulated sugar
10 whole black peppercorns, cracked
1 lemon peeled (wide strips no pith), juiced and strained
1 cup water
1/4 cup crushed coffee beans
1 cinnamon stick
Whole vanilla bean(split and scraped).

Simmer all ingredients for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature, cover, and steep refrigerated for several hours(up to overnight).

Strain through a fine sieve.

Yield: about 1 3/4 cups syrup

Shot this fly down in Cape Kiwanda, OR.

The only bug I got close enough to shoot all weekend.

Got out for a short walk today… my bees(as much as one can call any Apis their own) were flying, the sun was out and I took the opportunity to hunt down some Hazelnut trees… to see if they were in bloom yet, and to see if the bees were collecting pollen from them.

Alas, the catkins are in bloom, at least starting to bloom, did see two honey bees in the tree a few blocks from my house… not the frenzy that I was hoping to see, but as there was not much pollen going into the hives it was no surprise.

It’s always good to see the bees flying this time of year, there is always the worry that they will not make it thru the winter, and to see the pollen coming in is true excitement… pollen being the protein source for the raising up of new young bees(with out this boon of pollen in late winter there might not be enough bees to bring a hive in to spring with any hope of survival).

This year is the first that the catkins have bloomed this late… it seems that the past 6 years they have been in bloom right about the second week of January. The weather has been very cold this winter. Most of this week is is going to be flying weather for the bees… I expect to see the pollen flowing any day now.

Expected tempuratures for the next five days: Highs: 48/58f(9/14c) :: Lows: 29/39f (-2/4c)

that’s all I had to say. sweet, heavy, cherry, chocolate, bright and
wonder-full.

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