The Percolator was preferred way to make coffee in 1950's. Now coffee drinkers see light that coffee made this way was thin, watery and bitter. Most people may remember it by perking pot and aroma it gave off.

The Neapolitan flip device is made up of two segment. The whole product comes in aluminum, copper or stainless steel. An area in between two segments holds coffee grounds. The lower part is poured with water and put directly on stovetop to heat. While boiling steam goes through a hole under grounds. After that, pot is removed from stove, flipped over to drip water on grounds, which go into serving pot. The down side to this is that it only makes about 3 or 4 cups per serving.

There are two different types of espresso makers, stovetop and household electric counter top model. A nice characteristic about counter top model is it can steam milk for cappuccino and latte’s. Stovetop on other hand have two parts similar to Neapolitan flip method only no flipping needed.

French Press is a trendy European way that allows for more oils and coffee solids that give you a cup of coffee with a lovely smell and has a dense body. More of your strong coffee drinkers would prefer this technique. Although good and strong, some grounds may enter coffee during process. Vacuum procedures are more involved and are used for ceremonies mostly by Japanese. They are rare and very hard to find.

The Middle Eastern way is popular of course in Middle East and also Greece and Turkey. Their form of making coffee is also very different and comes out to be dark, thick and syrupy tasting. Because it is so rich, one or two cups a day would probably be all I could drink.

Last but not least on list, cold water method simply soaking coffee grinds in cold water for about a day, straining grounds, and storing liquid in a refrigerator for a few weeks. When you want a cup, boil some water and add liquid to desired taste.

Makes a rather mild cup for those of you who like it that way.

If you’re not into roasting beans yourself, your choices are still many. Coffee manufacturers have given us an almost unending list of different blends and flavors. How coffee’s ground after its roasted will have a major effect on taste of coffee. There are regular, coarse and finely ground coffees.

The taste is also affected by combination of type of coffee used. The two categories of trees from which coffee beans come from are called Arabica and Robusta. The Arabica is a milder coffee and Robusta a much stronger coffee.

Another important addition to coffee world has been addition of many flavorings, and flavored creamers. If you haven’t browsed through coffee selections lately, you owe it to your taste buds to check out many varieties and flavors of coffee.

The vineyards are aware of demands of younger customer - newer wine drinkers who prefer more fruit driven wines with less oak anf higher levels of alcohol.

The other main competition to Rioja wines are from vineyards in other parts of Spain itself. Areas such as La Mancha, Toro and Jumilla are fast making reputations for themselves for wines in Rioja style but without price tag.

La Mancha however has a little bit of an image problem to address due to in past churning out high volumes of lower quality wine which spoiled its reputation.

Nowadays however you can pick up some excellent Rioja quality wines from region for under $13 and even blind taste tests cannot pick out true Rioja from some of newer Spanish vineyards.

One of best qualities of Rioja wines is that they tend to taste just as good at home as they do when drunk in Spain in summertime with tapas on a terrace, so drinking often leads to pleasurable associations and memories.

Indeed Rioja goes brilliantly with all types of food, while also tasting just as good on its own as a treat in early evening.

If you like your wine smooth and fruity with creamy vanilla oak flavours then Rioja could be wine you are looking for. Give it a try instead of your usual wine this month – you will not be disappointed.