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From The Bean To The Cup: What Does Coffee Contain?

Many drink it every day, whether in the morning to wake them up, in between for moments of pleasure or simply out of habit: coffee.

Many even drink it several times a day. But what ingredients does coffee really contain?

As the second most important commodity, coffee is given a major role by many people. Regular coffee consumption is said to have many positive properties. But what ingredients does the coffee bean really contain? Coffee contains over 1000 ingredients, not all of which have yet been chemically decoded. The type of coffee, growth conditions and type of roasting determine how high the actual proportions of the substances in the coffee beans are.

The most important components of coffee

Since not all the ingredients of the coffee bean are known – and only a comparatively small number of them are really important – only the most relevant substances are listed here. These include: carbohydrates, fats, water, proteins, acids, alkaloids (caffeine), minerals and vitamins as well as flavorings. However, many of these ingredients in green coffee do not make it into the coffee drink.

About a third of the coffee bean consists of carbohydrates. During the roasting process, these are converted to other compounds or even broken down completely. However, the remaining water-insoluble sugars end up in the coffee grounds during the infusion. Around 10-20 percent take in fats. These are also largely insoluble in water and are therefore found almost exclusively in green coffee. Before roasting, the coffee bean has a 10 to 13 percent water content, which shrinks to two to three percent during the roasting process. During storage, the coffee again absorbs some moisture from its surroundings. Proteins make up another ten percent. Due to the high heat exposure during roasting, these either combine with other substances or are destroyed. The more than 80 different acids make up between four and twelve percent, with chlorogenic acid accounting for the largest share. Other acids are linoleic acid, palmitic acid, acetic acid, citric acid and malic acid. Many of them are largely responsible for the aroma of the subsequent coffee drink.

The most important components of coffee are the alkaloids. Alkaloids are nitrogenous substances, including the stimulating caffeine. Around three to five percent of the raw coffee contains minerals, of which around 90 percent end up in the coffee drink. The minerals mainly include potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Sulphur, manganese and iron also occur in small amounts. There are also vitamins in coffee. One of the best known is the B vitamin group. These include vitamin B2 (riboflavin), niacin, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). The relevant components of coffee also include the aromatic substances. There are over 800 flavorings, but these are only created during roasting through a reaction called Maillard. The Maillard reaction (named after the French scientist Louis Camille Maillard) is a non-enzymatic browning reaction and should not be confused with caramelization. However, both reactions can occur together. Accordingly, the green coffee is rather odorless.

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Cooking Tips

Coffee Preparation – From The Past To Today

The history of coffee goes back a long way. From Ethiopia to Europe, coffee has made a long journey, during which the way it is prepared has also developed.

The long coffee journey to Europe

Coffee enjoyment is said to have its origin in Ethiopia. Europe learned about coffee in the 16th century and the first coffee houses in Constantinople, Venice, Hamburg and other major European cities opened in the 17th century. The coffee was traditionally prepared in different ways. We present the history of coffee preparation to you in more detail.

From Ethiopia to Europe

The coffee is said to have its origins in the Kaffa region in south-west Ethiopia. Coffee was drunk here as early as the 9th century. In the 14th century, coffee made its way to Arabia and from there to Europe via the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. The seeds of the coffee cherries were roasted, ground and boiled in water to make the coffee. The early coffee preparation in Europe was also similar to the traditional Ethiopian one, in which the beans are roasted in an iron pan and then pounded with a mortar. The ground beans are then filled with water and some sugar in a jabana, a bulbous clay jar, and boiled. This method of infusion is used in many countries to prepare coffee, such as in Italy with the Italian mocha pot.

The coffee grinder

In order for the coffee to be enjoyed in the coffee houses established throughout Europe in the 17th century, the beans had to be ground. Since reducing the size with a mortar was too strenuous and not very efficient, the coffee grinder found its way into Europe in the 16th century. The design of the mills varies depending on the degree of grinding that is to be achieved. Before electrification, the beans were still ground by hand. Cone mills were used for this. These had a truncated cone-shaped grinder and, due to their low speed, did not heat up much and were therefore gentler on the aroma during grinding.

Making coffee today

The basic principle of coffee preparation has not changed much since coffee was created. Even today, the beans have to be ground up. The type of preparation determines the degree of fineness. The coffee bean becomes a drink by pouring hot water on it. As a rule, the coffee is prepared using two different methods:

Maceration: Maceration means leaching or dodging. The ground coffee is placed in boiling water and allowed to steep for at least five minutes. This is how Turkish mocha is prepared, for example.
Percolation: Percolation means straining. (Almost) boiling water runs through the ground coffee. The percolation process is always used when preparing coffee in fully automatic coffee machines.

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Lifestyle

Tips on Cleaning Baby Clothes from Breast Milk

Tips for cleaning dirty baby clothes. When a baby’s clothes are affected by breast milk feces and other stains, then they need special cleaning. We clarify the most important questions about getting baby clothes clean again.

Anyone who breastfeeds their child has certainly experienced that when the baby has a bowel movement, something often gets into the baby’s clothes. Then the laundry is difficult to clean again. So these tips will help you.

How do get baby clothes clean again?

All sorts of stains collect on baby clothes and basic equipment. It can sometimes happen that the burp lands on the clothing and the porridge are spat out again. And then there are the little accidents when the bowel movement literally “goes in the pants”. But how do you get this dirt out of baby clothes and which detergent is suitable for baby clothes?

1) Clean baby clothes properly

If the baby’s clothes have become dirty from feces or other stubborn stains, then you should soak the clothes in warm water to pre-treat them. Then add a little Vanish Oxi for whites and let it sit for a while. You may need to give it a quick scrub with a brush. Then wash it with the normal laundry. Then the stubborn stains are gone. The same goes for removing carrot stains or getting rid of spinach stains.

2) Pre-treat baby clothes with gall soap

You can also use classic gall soap to clean baby clothes. To do this, wash them out in warm water and rub the affected areas with gall soap. Then leave it on for 30 minutes and rinse it off. Then wash with the normal laundry.

3) Remove breast milk stains

Breast milk contains protein. Therefore, you should remove stains from breast milk or other milk by soaking the clothes in cold water. On the other hand, hot water causes the milk to coagulate, making stain removal more difficult. You can also do preparatory work here with gall soap.

4) Which detergent to use for baby clothes?

All detergents are suitable for cleaning baby clothes. Parents have to find out for themselves which ones are suitable for their baby and which ones are not. Therefore, many parents prefer organic detergents for baby clothes. Many detergent alternatives are also popular.

5) At what temperature do you clean baby clothes?

Depending on the fabric, you can use different temperatures to clean baby clothes. In general, 30 to 40 degrees are sufficient. So you can wash them with the rest of the family’s laundry. However, if the laundry is affected by dirt from gastrointestinal disease, it is better to wash it separately.

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Lifestyle

Remove Deodorant Stains from Clothing

Since many people use deodorant every day to prevent sweat odors, deodorant stains are common. Consequently, consider clever tips for removing and getting rid of deodorant stains from clothes.

Deodorant is one of the most important hygiene items and we can no longer imagine our lives without it. However, deodorant often leaves unsightly yellow stains. These stains will not come out even after multiple washes.

1) Remove deodorant stains with citric acid

To remove the deodorant stains, you can pretreat them before washing them. To do this, put the affected clothing in 1 liter of hot water. Likewise, add four tablespoons of cleansing citric acid and leave the clothes in for several hours. However, you should note that the acid has a whitening effect. Accordingly, this method is well suited for light-colored clothes. Also, read how you can remove spinach stains and which home remedies work against grass stains.

2) Use of vinegar against deodorant stains

Radiant white stains from the deodorant on the black T-shirt. Who doesn’t know them? To completely remove these stains from your clothes, use vinegar as a household remedy. So let the clothes soak in lukewarm water and a dash of vinegar. After that, wash the clothes as usual and the deodorant stains will be gone. Also, note tips against carrot stains.

3) The classic baking powder

For light-colored and white clothing, you can also use baking soda to get rid of deodorant stains. To do this, you have to mix baking soda with water to form a paste and apply it to the deodorant stain. Let it all soak in. Then rinse the clothes clean and wash them normally.

4) Remove gall soap for deodorant stains

If you want to remove stains, using classic gall soap is usually the right remedy. To do this, wet the stain and rub it with soap. Then let it soak for an hour and rinse it off. Then wash it in the washing machine to remove the deodorant stains from the clothes.

5) Laundry soda as an eco-friendly stain remover

To get deodorant out of your clothes, use the eco-friendly washing soda. Again, you can pretreat the stain with the soda and then rinse it off. Finally, the laundry goes into the washing machine. But note the brightening effect and only use it on light-colored clothing.

6) Remove denture cleanser to stain

The Okotest recommends denture cleaners against deodorant stains. This is because it effectively removes deodorant stains from clothing. Accordingly, give two tablets in half a liter of warm water and let the affected clothing soak. Then wash everything in the washing machine as usual. In addition, read how you can make deodorant yourself without aluminum.

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Lifestyle

Tricks for Removing Wax Stains from Wood

Removing wax stains from wood is very easy. Especially in the wintertime, people like to make themselves comfortable with candles. But when wax gets on the wooden furniture, it’s annoying. But the following tricks will help you remove the wax.

Once you weren’t careful and some wax got onto your beloved wooden table. Or you discover a wax stain on the beautiful wooden floorboards. But how do you remove the wax without leaving scratches on the wood? We have collected simple tricks.

1) Remove the wax from the wood with a hairdryer

Removing wax stains from wood can be really easy. Because all you need is some kitchen paper, a hairdryer and vinegar water for polishing. Accordingly, first, heat the candle wax with the hairdryer until it can be removed with a paper towel. Then briefly wipe the affected area with cleaning vinegar water and the wax stain will have disappeared.

2) Get rid of stains with an iron

The principle is the same as with the hairdryer. Because in order to be able to remove the wax stain on wood, you have to heat the wax. To do this, place a cloth or blotting paper on the wax stain. Then go over it with the iron until the wax liquefies. Then wipe everything clean with a cloth. Also, read tips on how to clean the iron.

3) Remove wax stains from wood with hot water

If you want to remove the wax stain on wood without much effort, use hot water. As with the other methods, take an old cloth and place it over the stain. Then pour hot water over it and wipe away the stain as soon as it liquefies. But be careful not to burn yourself! You should also be careful with untreated wood. Because that could get water damage. In addition, note tips for removing wax stains and candle wax and how to remove grease stains from wood.

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Food

Soy From the Rainforest?

“But the rain forest is cut down for your soy” – this is still a popular bogus argument against a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. Apart from the fact that soy is a staple food for very few vegetarians, the content of the argument is also very weak.

Who eats tofu contributes to deforestation? We are certainly not the only ones who can no longer hear this and have got to the bottom of this claim.

Rainforest deforestation because of soy?

It is true that more than three quarters of the global soybean harvest comes from Brazil, the USA and Argentina (see FAO). In Brazil in particular, deforestation for arable land is a well-known problem.

However: The vast majority of the soybean grown worldwide is processed into animal feed; according to various sources it is 75 to 85 percent. A large part of the remaining soybeans becomes soybean oil. This means that the proportion that is processed into other foods for human consumption – such as the often cited tofu products or soy drinks – is comparatively small.

Soybeans also grow in Europe

However, one could argue that rainforests may have been cut down for soy. Theoretically yes. In practice, this is very unlikely, at least for German goods. Soybeans, from which tofu, soy drinks or other plant-based alternative products are made for the German market, almost always come from Europe, often even from Germany and neighboring countries. While that doesn’t solve all of agriculture’s problems, of course, at least in Europe, there’s no real need to worry about deforestation for soybean cultivation.

So if, at the next debate about plant-based nutrition, you are once again confronted with the claim that as a tofu consumer you are to blame for the destruction of the rainforest and are therefore actually no better than meat eaters and can actually save yourself the whole thing – who or what she can now calmly answer that this is unlikely because our soy does not come from rain forest regions at all.

On the contrary, the rainforest is much more likely to be cleared to make way for animal feed and therefore meat. So if you are seriously concerned about the rainforest, it is better to avoid meat and milk than soy products.

And no, that doesn’t make vegetarians and vegans better people, because there are still tons of pitfalls and conflicts that need to be weighed up. And it certainly doesn’t apply to all countries. But it might help, at least here, to counter paralyzing bogus arguments and make some meat fans think.

This is where the soybeans for tofu and soy drinks come from

We have researched – as an example and without claiming to be complete – at the large retail chains and some well-known brands where the soy for their tofus and drinks comes from. Although the selection only represents a section of the market, the results provide a very clear trend: the majority of the major supermarket chains and brands source their soybeans from Europe.

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Cooking Tips

Prevent the Dough from Collapsing

Tips to prevent dough from collapsing. We have collected a few tips for you so that your cake does not collapse while baking and keeps its beautiful shape.

Why cakes collapse:

Anyone who likes to bake knows the problem. The dough rises nicely in the oven and then collapses. But why is that? And how can you prevent the dough from collapsing? The reason why cakes collapse is usually the gluten they contain. Because this is released when kneading and stirring too intensively. Then it acts like glue and binds the dough. Consequently, the cake will collapse.

Tips to prevent dough from collapsing

If you like to bake and bake often, there are tricks to help you keep the dough from collapsing. You should always keep in mind that every type of flour contains gluten, which can be responsible for the breakdown. Therefore, use the following tips for healthy baking yourself:

1) Do not knead and stir dough for a long time

In order to prevent the dough from collapsing, the contained gluten should not be released. Since this happens when kneading and stirring the dough, only a little kneading and stirring is allowed. Consequently, 30 seconds or one minute will suffice. But avoid kneading the mass for several minutes. Also note tips for letting yeast dough rise properly.

2) Add flour at the end

Another good tip is to add the flour last to the dough. The same applies to the home remedy baking powder and starch. Because this means that it is not mixed for so long and the gluten is not released. In addition, the dough will not clump as quickly and your cake will keep its nice shape.

3) Preventing the dough from collapsing in the oven

If you want to prevent the batter from collapsing while baking in the oven, keep the oven door closed. Because with dough with baking powder, no change in cold air must disturb the baking process. In addition, every time the oven door is opened, heat escapes, which the oven then has to produce again. Consequently, every opening costs energy and money. So let the cake bake in peace and watch it through the glass pane to save electricity. So only open the door for a cooking test or to cover the cake with aluminum foil, for example, if the top is getting too brown. If you want to save energy, you can switch off the oven 10 minutes before the end of the baking time. Then the cake bakes in the still hot oven with the remaining heat.

More tips to prevent the cake from collapsing

In addition to the tricks already mentioned, you should observe the following rules when baking so that your cake does not collapse and baking cookies with the family is a success:

  • Bake with room temperature ingredients.
  • Don’t let the cake cool too quickly.
  • Temperature and oven function depend on the type of dough.
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Lifestyle

Protect Children from Dangers in Everyday Life

Parents always want to do everything right and protect their children. And rightly so, because especially in the first months and years of life, newborns and small children depend on the protection of their parents. Therefore use valuable tips for child protection.

Protect children in everyday life

There are many dangers lurking in everyday life. It can be dangerous not only outside but also in your own four turns. Adequate child protection is therefore important and should be taken seriously by adults. Small children in particular want to explore their environment and cannot distinguish between dangerous and harmless things. Consequently, parents need to protect their children and should pay attention to a few important aspects in the home and outside. Because if you know about possible dangers, you can identify and eliminate them more quickly. This gives your child a safe start in life.

1) Create a safe home

It’s hard to believe, but according to a study, more than 80 percent of injuries in small children requiring treatment can be traced back to accidents in the home or other facilities. It is therefore an essential precautionary measure to make your own four walls childproof. Consequently, make sure that stairs are fitted with gates and houseplants are out of the reach of small children. You should also check the garden and ensure more child protection here. Are there open water points, such as ponds, watercourses, or rain barrels? Then make them inaccessible with a fence or cover. Because even a few centimeters of water depth can pose a danger for small children.

2) Door lock to protect children

Doors also pose a danger. Small children can quickly get bad injuries here. As soon as the dear little ones become mobile, you need a good mechanical door lock. Then your child cannot leave the room unnoticed or get stuck in the door. Here you can remedy the situation with a small bell that you simply tie to the door to protect children. As soon as the bell rings, you know that your little treasure is on a journey of discovery. Likewise, always lock the apartment or front door so that your child does not go hiking unnoticed.

3) Safe toy and use

As a child, pretty much anything becomes an interesting toy. You should therefore remove all dangerous objects and store them safely so that your child cannot steal them. But that’s not all. You should also carefully examine the toys that your newborn babies or children bought specially. Because most everything is tried out with hands and mouth. It is therefore important that your children’s toys are safe. Quality and test seals will help you with this.

4) Identify hidden dangers and protect children

Dangers are not always as obvious as a knife or scissors lying around. The situation is different if the danger is not visible to the eye. Chemicals and pollutants in particular often remain undiscovered. These include, among other things, softeners and dyes contained in clothing, such as aniline. These get on the child’s skin and can cause irritation there. The whitening agents used in children’s clothing for visual reasons are also suspected of triggering allergies. When buying new clothing, it is best to look for the “oeko-tex” seal or the European eco-label in order to be able to protect your children. In general, it is worth making the household more sustainable.

5) Pay attention to the ingredients of care products

It is also advisable to take a close look at the ingredients of creams and shampoos. Because even care products that are advertised for babies and small children can contain additives that are unsuitable for sensitive children’s skin. This is particularly problematic with chemicals that have a similar effect to hormones in the body. In animal experiments, these showed reprotoxic effects. When it comes to caring products, parents should therefore turn to manufacturers of natural cosmetics to protect their children. You can also easily make natural cosmetics yourself, so you know exactly what’s in them.

6) Protect children in traffic

It is also dangerous for children and adults on the road. Since children are not sufficiently sensitized to these dangers at a young age, you should never take your eyes off your children on the road. So leave her in the stroller or take her by the hand. In addition, it can be helpful to make them aware of the dangers and to explain them. You should also be careful that they don’t run away or get lost. Child protection is therefore essential, especially in road traffic. Playgrounds or playing in the sandbox should also be accompanied or observed up to a certain age.

7) More security on escalators

Today, escalators are found almost everywhere, especially in department stores, subway stations, train stations, and airports. So they are part of our daily life and nobody would think of an accident. But they can also be dangerous, especially for children. Therefore, they should never play on escalators. Likewise, small children should always be accompanied by adults for sufficient child protection. Other tips on how to behave on the escalator are as follows:

  • Never step on the black treadmill; because here the danger is particularly high.
  • Be careful with plastic sandals, sneakers, or plastic boots, the up to the four-millimeter wide gap between the movable steps and the fixed sidewall can become a trap.
  • Do not sit on the escalator, because clothing such as scarves, coats and long hair can get caught in the gears of the chain drive through the gaps, and, in the worst case, lead to strangulation. This also applies in particular to the ends of the escalator.
  • And this is how you do it right: stand in the middle of the escalator, hold on to the handrail, don’t wear overly long scarves, and hold the children by the hand.

You can find many more informative tips and advice on the subject of safety in the e-book on child safety.

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Coffee Curiosities From Around The World

Coffee: strange, bizarre or funny – the perception of some extraordinary stories is different for each viewer. In the past few weeks we have again found and collected some interesting mishaps, finds and deeds.

I forgot 24,000 euros while getting my coffee

Munich is known for its prosperity and the rather high prices for rents, goods and gastronomy compared to the rest of the country. So when you hear that two coffees have reached a value of 24,000 euros, you hold your breath. One inevitably wonders whether the coffee was served with gold leaf or expensive spices in a fancy restaurant, or whether these are particularly large cups of the most expensive coffee, Kopi Luwak. The story behind it is completely different.

At Munich Central Station, shortly before their train departed, two gentlemen quickly each got a coffee-to-go. A short time later, father and son noticed that they had left their shoulder bag in the shop there. As if losing a bag with normal contents such as a cell phone, wallet and documents wasn’t bad enough, in this case 24,000 euros in cash was a whole new type of loss. A conscientious member of security from the restaurant immediately reported the finding of this bag to the police. After the find was taken care of and the officials had counted the money, they were amazed. In addition to the 24,000 euros already mentioned, the two gentlemen’s passports and credit cards were also found. Luckily, there was no big search because father and son got in touch relatively quickly. For all those who now think badly: The origin of the money could be proven and was properly registered. Of course, the two men didn’t just carry the money around with them for fun – no – it was intended for an operation on their sick father in Germany. In the end everything turned out well again. The father thanked the finder for his honesty and the son promised to take better care of his belongings in the future. What a story!

Coffee container as a hiding place for drugs

Once again something was hidden between a load of coffee from Brazil that definitely doesn’t belong there. However, the dimensions are unmatched. Said container came from Santos in Brazil and was shipped to Antwerp. Afterwards we went to Switzerland comfortably by train. There the journey ended for the brown beans and the stowaway, because a sports bag was found when the freight container was opened. This was well filled, because the contents were 191 kilograms of cocaine with a market value of around 70 million francs. That’s the equivalent of around 65 million euros. For this amount you can treat yourself to a lot of delicious coffee specialties every day for a really long time. This find was of course immediately reported to the responsible police. According to this, it is the largest find of cocaine in Switzerland to date. For this reason, it is suspected that the drugs were not intended for the Swiss market. It is much more likely that this delivery was intended for the intermediate station in Antwerp. It is assumed that the unloading and distribution of the parcels failed there. Perhaps one had simply overreached oneself with this enormous quantity. Antwerp is generally known as one of the largest drug hubs. The degree of purity of the drugs is also significant. This is more than 90% instead of the conventional 40%. Either way, we cannot understand this act and would rather enjoy a coffee – and that 100%.

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Cooking Tips

Lemonade Made From Coffee – Coffee With a Difference

The lemonade made from coffee is refreshing and sweet, instead of aromatic and slightly bitter. It tastes like a hint of orange and honey.

Coffee cherry lemonade

The world of coffee is diverse and full of surprises. Or would you have thought that there is a fruity fresh lemonade made from coffee? It is an absolute trend drink, which is a great alternative, especially in summer. Instead of the typical coffee aroma, the drink is more reminiscent of orange soda. The soda is made from the coffee cherry, which is otherwise a waste product in coffee production. In fact, the coffee bean is only a small part of the entire coffee cherry. In this way, the “selosoda” showerhead contributes to the extensive use of the coffee plant. This protects the environment and tastes really good at the same time.

selosoda – This is how the coffee lemonade came about

Lara Zumbaum, who was once responsible for beverage brands in marketing at mymuesli, had the innovative idea for the lemonade made from coffee. In fact, one-third of the coffee cherries harvested go to waste when used industrially. The outermost layers are thrown away, although there is still a lot of flavor variety and natural caffeine. Lara Zumbaum recognized the potential and developed selosoda. After the founder initially used the coffee cherries as tea, the idea of ​​a soft drink came up. The very sweet coffee cherry allows for a tasty coffee waste-tea based lemonade that is less sweet and made with no additives.

In the meantime, however, selosoda was threatened with extinction, because the approval of the coffee cherry as a foodstuff was revoked in the EU in 2017 – because it was not consumed in significant quantities in the EU before 1997. But the founder decided against giving up and decided to rethink: Now the focus is on the green, unroasted beans – Selo Green Coffee is born. The taste deviates somewhat from the original selosoda, but the cold drink has lost neither its freshness nor its aroma.

This is what coffee lemonade tastes like

Anyone who thinks that the lemonade tastes like coffee is wrong. In addition to the coffee cherry, the ingredients are organic citrus juice and carbon dioxide. Although there is only 15.6 grams of natural sugar in one liter, the soda tastes sweet and both orange and a little honey. The lemonade cannot serve with a bitter coffee taste, although the caffeine content corresponds to that of a double espresso. That is why it is also ideal as a refreshing pick-me-up on a warm summer’s day. The lemonade made from coffee just complements the diverse world of coffee drinks.

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