Instant coffee is a beverage derived from brewed coffee beans that enables people to quickly prepare hot coffee by adding hot water or milk to coffee solids in powdered or crystallized form and stirring. Instant coffee solids (also called soluble coffee, coffee crystals, coffee powder, or powdered coffee) refers to the dehydrated and packaged solids available at retail used to make instant coffee. Instant coffee solids are commercially prepared by either freeze-drying or spray drying, after which it can be rehydrated. Instant coffee in a concentrated liquid form, as a beverage, is also manufactured.
Advantages of instant coffee include speed of preparation (instant coffee dissolves quickly in hot water), lower shipping weight and volume than beans or ground coffee (to prepare the same amount of beverage), and long shelf life—though instant coffee can spoil if not kept dry. Instant coffee also reduces cleanup since there are no coffee grounds, and at least one study has found that it has a lower environmental footprint than drip filter coffee and capsule espresso coffee, on a prepared beverage basis, disregarding quality and appeal of the beverage produced.
Instant or soluble coffee was invented and patented in 1890, by David Strang of Invercargill, New Zealand, under patent number 3518 sold under the trading name Strang's Coffee citing the patented "Dry Hot-Air" process. Some modern sources have credited French humorist and writer Alphonse Allais with the invention.
The invention was previously attributed to Satori Kato, a Japanese scientist working in Chicago in 1901. Kato introduced the powdered substance in Buffalo, New York, at the Pan-American Exposition. George Constant Louis Washington developed his own instant coffee process shortly thereafter, and first marketed it commercially (1910). The Nescafé brand, which introduced a more advanced coffee refining process, was launched in 1938.
High-vacuum freeze-dried coffee was developed shortly after World War II, as an indirect result of wartime research into other areas. The National Research Corporation (NRC) was formed in Massachusetts as a process-development company employing high-vacuum technology. It developed high-vacuum processes to produce penicillin, blood plasma, and streptomycin for US military use. As the war ended, NRC looked to adapt its processes for peacetime uses. It formed Florida Foods Corporation to produce concentrated orange juice powder and originally sold its product to the United States Army. That company later changed its name to Minute Maid.
A concentrated coffee/milk/sugar mixture was produced for the Union army during the American Civil War under the name Essence of Coffee, a teaspoonful of which was mixed with a cup of hot water. It had the consistency of axle grease, and proved so unpopular with the troops that it was soon discontinued. The brand Camp Coffee, a coffee and chicory essence, was first produced in 1876 by Paterson & Sons Ltd in Scotland.
Instant coffee is available in powder or granulated form contained in glass and plastic jars, sachets, or tins. The user controls the strength of the resulting product by adding less or more powder or granules to the water.
Instant coffee is also convenient for preparing iced coffee like the Greek frappé.
In some countries, such as Portugal, Spain, and India, instant coffee is commonly mixed with hot milk instead of boiling water. In other countries, such as South Korea, instant coffee commonly comes pre-mixed with non-dairy creamer and sugar and is called "coffee mix". Said to have been popularized in the UK by GIs during World War II, instant coffee still accounts for over 75 percent of coffee bought to drink in British homes, as opposed to well under 10 percent in the U.S. and France and one percent in Italy.
In the United Kingdom, instant coffee granules are sometimes used to enhance the flavour of sauces used in preparing spaghetti Bolognese.
If you want to read a lot more about instant coffee, go here;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_coffee
This fun spin on the classic meatball recipes that you know and love is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters. You see, the pineapple and the bell pepper mix together to make the best Hawaiian Meatballs that you've ever tasted!
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/2 cup finely crushed butter-flavored crackers
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks in syrup, with syrup reserved
- 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Preheat oven to 350º. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine beef, onion, crackers, egg, water, onion powder, salt, and black pepper; mix well. Form mixture into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet.
- Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until no longer pink in center.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, soy sauce, and reserved pineapple juice. Cook until mixture starts to thicken. Add pineapple and bell pepper and continue to cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until thickened and heated through.
- Place meatballs in a large bowl. Pour sauce over and toss until evenly coated.
On December 18th, National Twin Day celebrates all the siblings who enjoy the unique connection because they share a birthday.
Whether fraternal or identical, twins share everything right from the beginning. While their personalities may be different, they often know what the other is going to say before the words are spoken. Distance isn’t an issue either. Twins manage to stay connected across the country or around the globe.
Of course, mythology teaches us about twins from the very beginning, as does the Bible. From the rivalry of Esau and Jacob to Aphrodite’s twin sons Phobos and Deimos as well as the mortal and immortal twins of the constellation, Gemini, we explore a host of human conditions.
Notable Twins
Through the years, we’ve been fascinated by twins, too. Literature embraced the twin duplicity with enthusiasm. Take Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, for example, and the confusion that ensues with Sebastian and Viola. Even modern-day sitcoms keep us in tears when twins are portrayed. Phoebe Buffay of the sitcom Friends and, more recently, Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory humorously depicted their twin lives.
But real-life twins intrigue us, too. When twins move into the White House, we are sure to pay attention, as was the case with Barbara and Jenna Bush in 2001. Of course, when they play magical characters like James and Oliver Phelps did in the Harry Potter series, we feel like they’re family. Their roles as Fred and George Weasley kept us coming back for more.
Some twins have the same interests. For example, Mark and Scott Kelly both became astronauts and have contributed not only to space exploration but also to scientific study. Twins Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux’s love of hockey brought them together on the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team.
Twins share so much more than DNA. Many of them don’t even look alike. One thing is for sure, they share National Twin Day.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL TWIN DAY
Give a shout-out to your favorite twins. Whether they are friends, family, or famous ones, let them know you’re thinking of them. If you’re a twin, tell your best twin memory. Share photos. Host a twin party. Invite all the twins you know and celebrate!.
Educators, visit the National Day Calendar Classroom for projects designed for observances throughout the year, including National Twin Day.
NATIONAL TWIN DAY HISTORY
In 2019, National Day Calendar® proclaimed National Twin Day to celebrate all things twins and to be observed on December 18th, annually.
Relevant Observances
Twins Days Weekend – Twins converge on Twinsburg, OH to celebrate being twins during the first full weekend in August.
Twin FAQ
Q. What’s the difference between identical and fraternal twins?
A. Identical twins develop from a single fertilized egg while fraternal twins develop from two separate fertilized eggs.
Q. How many sets of twins are born each year?
A. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) twins comprise approximately 3.4% of the population.
Q. Is it possible for twins to have different birthdays?
A. Yes. The most common reason for twins having different birthdays is due to one twin being born before midnight and the other after midnight. However, sometimes twins are born days, weeks, or months apart. One reason for this may be due to multiple births being high risk and while one twin is delivered early, the other remains in the womb for the rest of the gestation or as long as possible for development.
