What Michelle Does

     The weekend was drawing near and as always, trying out a new coffee shop was going to be the highlight of it all. I initially planned on going to a cafe in Banilad since I've been eyeing it for months now but my colleague (hi Jet!) told me about this cafe and the name just caught my attention.

     Hello everyone. Meet Devil's Coffee. Yes, you heard the name right! A cafe that doesn't portray all cutesy and innocence. ಠoಠ We braced through the crazy weekend traffic and excitedly jumped off the car. The place was quite one-of-a-kind as it had a beach house-kind of feel The bright red color brought life to the plain, unvarnished wooden floors and dark mahogany sliding glass doors. I liked because it looked modern and refreshing(◣∀◢)ψ

   If you don't want to have coffee then have some beer! You can choose among Brew Kettle, San Miguel Pilsen and San Miguel Light. They also have fresh fruit shakes, juices and food to pair such as cake and sandwiches.


     We ordered the usual --- The good ol' Americano for him and latte for me. The sizes were bigger than expected.  I could tell the coffee was extra strong since it kept me up til 1:00 a.m. It gave a punch indeed! The aroma was earthy and surprisingly sweet-spicy. Plus, it didn't have a sour-ish aftertaste. Sooo good! Now that's value for money!





     The staff were accommodating even though they had a handful of stuff to do. I'd give them a thumbs up for that!

Veni, Vidi, Vici

     Coffee is an essential part of my daily life. In other words, I absolutely cannot do without coffee. We have all experienced days wherein even our coffee---needs coffee. Especially on Mondays when everything feels like a drag!

     Let's talk about instant coffee. Don't get me wrong...instant coffee is good when you need a temporary mood lifter. The problem here is that when your caffeine tolerance reaches a certain high, you simply cannot settle for less because, in my case, I have noticed that whenever I do, I get headaches, I get sluggish and it's like I have a huge boulder over my shoulders. To cut it short, I'm already dependent of coffee. On a scale of 1 -10, I'd probably say that I'm on an 8. I like my coffee black but I haven't reached the point wherein espressos and free flow coffee have become a thing.

     So during my lunch break last week, I stopped by Family Mart and saw Kratos. The cans somehow reminded me of Monster Energy Drink. It comes in four variants: Vanilla Latte (single shot espresso), Original Latte (double shot), Black (double shot) and Cafe Mocha (single shot) Kratos is the son of the titans Pallas and Styx and is merely the personification of strength and power. (shout out to Nicole!). I guess that explains the design and the whole idea of it. It's hard to find Original Latte and Vanilla Latte in Family Mart or 7-11 Branches but I was able to able to purchase them at Robinsons Supermarket at a cheaper price!

 "Brewed for the urban warrior, Kratos Strong Coffee is a new ready-to-drink coffee product made from dark roasted coffee beans. Infused with single and double shot of espresso to give you that strong, refreshing taste, ready to enjoy anytime, anywhere – keeping you focused and always in the game, whether at work, surfing waves, or just out with your friends. This is Kratos Strong Coffee -- the way coffee should be."

Tuesday. I tried Cafe Mocha this morning at work. I felt like a zombie because of the drowsiness, which is good, because it allowed me to tell if it really does have that kick! Out of 10, I'd give this a mere 5 because it isn't that strong nor is it weak. If you like sweet coffee then you might find it..okay. The taste is similar to Nescafe's Cafe Mocha, too. Sweetness level is an 8. It's sweet. Too sweet that it already masks the bitter taste I prefer my coffee to have. 

     What is milk kefir?

     If this' the first time you've heard about such thing. Let me give you a quick intro about it. Milk kefir is a probiotic that is made by fermening milk with kefir grains or with powdered kefir starter culture. It is healthier than yogurt because it contains more vitamins and has a lesser sugar content. It's easy to milk kefir at home! All you need is the starter or the grains, which, I have to say, is a little hard to find. Once you do though, you'll be keeping them for good if you take care of the grains! I'd like to think of it as having a new "micro sized" pet. Grains give out more probiotics than the powedered starter. The starter can only last so long and it eventually cannot ferment anymore. Powedered culture starters are easier to find (check Healthy Options).  ʘ‿ʘ

     How is it made?

Benefits?

Kefir is rich in:
B12
Probiotics
Vitamin K
Biotin
Folate
Magnesium
Riboflavin
Phosphorus
etc.

Not only that. It also:
Supports detoxification
Aids in digestion
Builds bone density
Curbs unhealthy cravings
Boosts immunity
Fights allergies
and heals the pesky mouth sores! (I can attest to this!)

With lactose intolerant people, based on my experience, it is safe to start with about 1-2 tablespoons.  People who aren't lactose intolerant should also start with that amount. Just to be safe. ⊙▽⊙

Side effects?