Coffee Love per Brockeim

Starbucks® Blonde Roast Coffee Press Release

2012-01-11T15:31:00.000-06:00

More Than Three Million Customers to Participate in National “Find the Roast You Love Most” Tasting Events

Starbucks(R) Blonde Roast Coffee Available in Retail and Grocery Stores Beginning Jan. 10, 2012. (Photo: Business Wire)

SEATTLE, January 10, 2012 - Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ:SBUX) today announced the availability of Starbucks® Blonde Roast, a lighter roast coffee from the company known for its signature dark roast, to meet the needs of the 54 million coffee drinkers in the U.S. who say they prefer a lighter roast coffee.* Starbucks® Blonde Roast will be available as a brewed option in Starbucks stores in the U.S. and is available in packaged coffee in Starbucks stores and where customers buy groceries in the U.S.

Perfecting a lighter roast coffee that delivers the great taste and quality customers have come to expect from Starbucks was achieved thanks to 40 years of sourcing, roasting and blending experience and an artful collaboration between Starbucks coffee quality team and roast experts.

“It took eight months and more than 80 different recipe and roast iterations before we landed on the exact flavor profile our customers told us they were looking for,” said Brad Anderson, master roaster for Starbucks. “They told us they wanted a flavorful, lighter-bodied coffee that offers a milder taste and a gentle finish. Starbucks® Blonde Roast delivers.”

The mellow and approachable coffee extends Starbucks Roast Spectrum to now include Starbucks® Blonde Roast™, in addition to the Medium and Dark Roast coffees on which the foundation of the company’s business was built. Starbucks® Blonde Roast selections include Starbucks® Veranda Blend™, Starbucks® Willow Blend™ and Starbucks® Decaf Willow Blend™.

To help coffee drinkers determine the coffee taste and intensity they prefer, Starbucks will host “Find the Roast You Love Most” tasting events in the U.S. from Jan. 12-14, at participating stores nationwide. The events will be hosted for three hours each day (times vary by market) and customers will be able to taste Starbucks® Blonde Roast alongside Starbucks® Medium Roast and Starbucks® Dark Roast coffees. Those who put their taste buds to the test will receive a sticker declaring their roast preference, as well as a free sample of Starbucks® Blonde Roast to brew at home, or a coupon for $1 off their choice of a pound of any Starbucks® coffee or any 8- or 12-pack of Starbucks VIA® Ready Brew. Similar tasting events will be held in Canada in early February.

“Starbucks® Blonde Roast is our answer to providing a premium lighter roast coffee to appeal to those that describe Starbucks® signature roast as too intense,” said Jeff Hansberry, president, Channel Development for Starbucks. “This new roast profile will allow us to increase our share of the brewed coffee market down the grocery aisle where a majority of coffee sales are in the light and medium roast categories. This segment of the market represents a $1 billion opportunity for the company in the U.S. alone.”

New Packaging Makes Finding a Favorite Coffee Easier
Customers spend approximately 60 seconds in the grocery aisle making a decision on what coffee to buy, and approximately 25 percent of shoppers leave the coffee aisle without making a purchase because either they can’t find what they’re looking for, or the premium coffee section doesn’t make sense to them.** Coinciding with the launch of Starbucks® Blonde Roast is the introduction of new Starbucks® coffee packaging organized by roast – Starbucks® Blonde Roast, Starbucks® Medium Roast, and Starbucks® Dark Roast – to help customers find their favorite Starbucks® coffee.
“We know customers are frustrated when it comes to finding the coffee that is right for them,” said Hansberry. “Organizing our coffees by Starbucks® Blonde, Medium, and Dark Roast will make it easier for shoppers looking for coffee to find the taste that appeals to them.”

Offering Variety is Important Given Coffee’s Appeal
In a recent study commissioned by Starbucks, 40 percent of coffee drinkers surveyed said they couldn’t live without coffee, even for a week, when compared to a cell phone, romance, sports, and social networking. When asked about their daily routines, 40 percent of coffee drinkers surveyed also ranked coffee over showering.***

Beginning Jan. 10, 2012, Starbucks® Blonde Roast will be available in the following offerings:

Starbucks® Veranda Blend™ as a brewed option in Starbucks stores in the U.S.
Starbucks® Blonde Roast whole bean in Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada
Starbucks® Blonde Roast whole bean and ground coffee where groceries are sold in the U.S.
Starbucks VIA® Veranda Blend™ in Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada
Starbucks® Veranda Blend™ K-Cup® Packs where groceries are sold in the U.S.
Starbucks® Veranda Blend as a brewed option in Starbucks stores in Canada in February

* Starbucks Consumer Research 2010;
** SmartRevenue Coffee/Tea Aisle Path to Purchase Research, May 2011;
*** Starbucks U.S. Regional Roast Preferences Study, Dec. 2011

About Starbucks Corporation
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest-quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at www.starbucks.com.

When the Going Gets Rough...

2011-12-20T11:25:00.000-06:00

When all else fails, try coffee.

Double Shot Thursday

2011-12-15T10:41:00.002-06:00

Today is Thursday. It is better than most Thursdays in that it is double shot Thursday. Two shots of espresso, pulled long.

Actually, it is like all other Thursdays here in Brockeimia, and much like all other days of the week. I have double shots of espresso every day.

What about you?

A-hunting we Will Go

2011-12-08T07:59:00.002-06:00

Somewhere out there is another espresso. Time to go hunting.

The next DIY frontier: roasting coffee beans at home

2011-12-01T15:22:00.000-06:00

The next DIY frontier: roasting coffee beans at home
Raw coffee beans get the do-it-yourself treatment as java aficionados jump at the chance to roast their own blend.

Story in the LA Times.

Coffee may prevent endometrial cancer: How much does it take?

2011-11-23T08:54:00.002-06:00

(CBS) Scientists have identified another possible health benefit of coffee. A new study ties drinking lots of the stuff to a big drop in the risk for endometrial cancer.

read more

The Best Cafes

2011-09-05T10:24:00.000-05:00

The best cafes sometimes serve the worst coffee, bringing in the fullness of humanity.

There are no tourists at these places. There is no ambiance that would draw people just because of whatever is on the wall. The owners did not hire an interior designer, or put fake bricks on the wall. No one talks about it as the place to be. It is not referenced as a "best dive cafe," as if it has that pretentious badge of ignominious honor.

It might serve espresso, but don't expect much. The beans might not be single plantation, and no cupper has ever tasted the nuances. Baristas don't wear goatees or unusual piercings, hoping to be artsy. They aren't even called baristas. They are called owners, or friends of the owner, or, simply called employees.

It is not next to anything. The university students don't go there after class, or to study, hoping a cute girl shows up. No after theater latte drinkers. No anything, yet it is next to everything.

People go there on their way to places, and from places. If they stop there, it is because it is convenient, big enough, and maybe offer free refills. No one goes there. People just end up there, and come back whenever.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is Ruining Coffee

2011-09-04T10:13:00.000-05:00

I'm getting tired of Schultz. He's just another billion dollar corporate suit ranting politics. Give me better coffee, Howard, not your political claptrap.

It is no help Schultz, according to Wikipedia, is worth 1.1 billion. The image of Starbucks is more organic than it is Montgomery Burns. Money buys great PR, but all we get is a guy making more money than 99.999% of the world.

My Starbucks boycott just began. Join me.

Starbucks' Facebook status update: Our ceo, Howard Schultz, is part of a National Town Hall conversation with America. Join him on the live stream, Tuesday night at 7:30pm edt / 4:30pm pdt

Upward Spiral 2011

Upward Spiral was inspired by the Letter to America written by Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks. Upward Spiral encourages individuals and businesses to join together in an effort to help our nation’s elected officials hear our collective voice and to prompt our national leaders to take the necessary action to restore trust and confidence in the US economy.

Great for Everyday Espresso: Intelligentsia Coffee Black Cat- Regular, Whole Bean Blend (Misc.)

2011-07-10T21:51:00.000-05:00

Great for Everyday Espresso: Intelligentsia Coffee Black Cat- Regular, Whole Bean Blend (Misc.)

This is what I drink (I usually rotate between Illy, Caribou's Sumatra and Black Cat). I first found it fresh in the Intelligentsia's Chicago Loop shop location, and now always buy it as fresh as I can. When I can, I prefer some of their single plantation beans, but the Intelligentsia Black Cat serves as nice everyday espresso.

Sweet, a blend of several beans (Minas Gerais, Brazil and Santa Ana, El Salvador in this case), it finds an excellent balance that successfully avoids the burnt-bitter taste of other espressos.

Feel good about it being direct trade, but buy it because of the quality. Help yourself enjoy it by purchasing it with as few middlemen as possible. I often get mine at a local grocer, but it is already a week old.

Enjoy your next cup.

--Brockeim

Intelligentsia Coffee Black Cat- Regular, Whole Bean Blend

Coffee may protect against Alzheimer's disease, study finds

2011-06-24T10:35:00.000-05:00

Coffee may protect against Alzheimer's disease, study finds

Coffee lovers, raise your cup to the latest research on the benefits of your favorite beverage. Researchers at the University of South Florida say there's a mystery ingredient in coffee that could protect coffee drinkers against Alzheimer's disease.

Coffee Tip: Espresso Pods

2011-06-20T16:38:00.000-05:00

If the espresso pod feels inconsistent, do not shake it. The fabric of the pod is thin and may break. I unfortunately proved this fact this afternoon.

Cleaning up finely ground espresso coffee is akin to clean up copier powder.

DeLonghi EC155 Espresso Maker

Overpriced Douwe-Egbert Coffee at a Not-so-lonely Table

2011-06-16T08:24:00.000-05:00

The Douwe-Egbert coffee was overpriced, but her company was beyond any value.

She sat at my table. I don't know why but I didn't ask.

Sometimes, no matter how flavorless a coffee, if the conversation is good, it tastes like the first sip.

No Java for You

2011-06-09T21:57:00.000-05:00

Why is there no picture of coffee?

She promised me coffee.
We met at sunrise, in the pouring rain.
There was no coffee.

Coffee Tip: Milk or Cream

2011-06-04T01:16:00.000-05:00

Adding cream to coffee? Microwave it a few seconds to take the cold out. This will help keep the coffee hot.

Watch out to avoid nuking too long. You do not want to cook the milk.

Free Coffee Today at Starbucks and Caribou - Earth Day - April 22

2011-04-22T09:43:00.000-05:00

Bring in a reusable mug and receive free coffee at either Starbucks or Caribou.

"On April 22 we’re inviting everyone to bring in a reusable mug or tumbler and get a free brewed coffee or tea. Your choice of brew, hot or iced – it is spring after all!" - Starbucks

"Participating stores only. Must bring in and use a reusable drinkware to redeem offer. Offer valid Friday, April 22, 2011 only." -Caribou (from an e-mail)

I'm off to Caribou. See you later!

Search Amazon.com for Starbucks

Search Amazon.com for Caribou coffee

Cafe Ballou from the Outside Not Looking In

2011-04-12T23:34:00.001-05:00

Cafe Ballou, from the outside, looks like that trendy urban high school kid who spent extra on clothes that have strategic holes, or which don't match so much that he looks hip. Like they go out of their way to look like...

But they serve Intelligentsia Coffee. But on their website is a photo with fewer neighborhood postings than the one I took last week. http://www.cafeballouchicago.com

Inside, from the photos, it looks like somewhere between a community cafe and a Caribou Coffee Shop.

Cafe Ballou
939 North Western Avenue # 1
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 342-2909 ‎
Cuisine‎: Bagels‎, Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt‎, Salads‎, Sandwiches
Parking‎: Street‎, Metered
Meals Served‎: Breakfast‎, Lunch
Seating‎: For 30
Ambiance‎: Casual, Family Friendly
Reservations‎: Not Accepted
Amenities‎: Kid-Friendly, Wifi Hotspot
Wi-fi Hotspot‎: Available
Price Range‎: $ (Under $9)

Yin and Yang: Espresso in March, with a Drop of Cream

2011-04-10T19:57:00.001-05:00

Yin and Yang

Yin and Yang: Espresso in March, with a Drop of Cream
No latte art made this coffee. Pure circumstance. Sipped in the late morning, I found the moment, and I found eternity.

In Taoist philosophy, yin and yang (☯) arise together from an initial quiescence or emptiness (wuji, sometimes symbolized by an empty circle), and continue moving in tandem until quiescence is reached again. For instance, dropping a stone in a calm pool of water will simultaneously raise waves and lower troughs between them, and this alternation of high and low points in the water will radiate outward until the movement dissipates and the pool is calm once more. Yin and yang thus are always opposite and equal qualities. Further, whenever one quality reaches its peak, it will naturally begin to transform into the opposite quality: for example, grain that reaches its full height in summer (fully yang) will produce seeds and die back in winter (fully yin) in an endless cycle.

It is impossible to talk about yin or yang without some reference to the opposite, since yin and yang are bound together as parts of a mutual whole (i.e. you cannot have the back of a hand without the front). A way to illustrate this idea is to postulate the notion of a race with only men or only women; this race would disappear in a single generation. Yet, men and women together create new generations that allow the race they mutually create (and mutually come from) to survive. The interaction of the two gives birth to things. Yin and yang transform each other: like an undertow in the ocean, every advance is complemented by a retreat, and every rise transforms into a fall. Thus, a seed will sprout from the earth and grow upwards towards the sky – an intrinsically yang movement. Then, when it reaches its full potential height, it will fall.
Wikipedia on Yin and Yang

Coffee Joke: The Blonde and the Winnebago

2011-03-15T11:31:00.003-05:00

Sometimes, I read something and think I wish I had written it. This is not one of those times.Smirk as you like. It's cute.

A blonde goes into a coffee shop and notices there's a 'peel and win' sticker on her coffee cup.

So she peels it off and starts screaming, 'I've won a motorhome! I've won a motorhome!'

The waitress says, 'That's impossible. The biggest prize is a free lunch.'

But the blonde keeps on screaming, I've won a motorhome! I've won a motorhome!'

Finally, the manager comes over and says, 'Ma'am, I'm sorry, but you're mistaken. You couldn't have possibly won a motorhome because we didn't have that as a prize.

The blonde says, 'No, it's not a mistake. I've won a motorhome!'

And she hands the ticket to the manager and he reads...

'W I N A B A G E L'

Larien Bagel Biter

5 health reasons to not quit coffee

2011-03-07T10:47:00.000-06:00

The Editors of EatingWell Magazine wrote about why we should drink coffee. Their five not very scientific reasons are old news to we coffee lovers, but they flesh it out more. See the below for more.

1. It protects your heart
2. It diverts diabetes
3. Your liver loves it
4. It boosts your brain power
5. It helps your headaches

The details here: 5 health reasons to not quit coffee

http://brockeim.com

Speedy, Adequate Espresso: review: Nescafe Dolce Gusto for Nescafe Dolce Gusto Brewers, Espresso, 16-Count Capsules (Pack of 3)

2011-02-28T09:20:00.000-06:00

I own and use regularly an espresso machine. The Nescafe Dolce Gusto machine isn't that. It is a single-cup brewer. What it is, however, is a solution when time is in the way.

My home is open, and friends know they are welcome to stop by without much notice. The beauty of this is I can enjoy the company of wonderful people. The challenge is that my time to prepare is minimal. Using a single cup system, I meet their needs, while focusing on hosting duties. Given time, I can grind beans, whip cream, and more. Without time, guests can still enjoy a better than average espresso.

The term 'espresso' is used here loosely, but accurately. Unlike some single cup systems, high pressure is used to make the espresso. Is it the same as a standard espresso machine? No. It is not that sophisticated. Still, for what is asked of this machine, the espresso flavor is very good. There is a nice crema, and the roast is medium to slightly dark. Those looking for a stronger flavor ought look elsewhere, but, for the average chain coffee house customer, this will be more than adequate.

A better solution for those looking for speed with a more authentic espresso should invest in a standard espresso machine and ESE pods. The pods are single-serve, ready-made. However, if you own the Nescafe Dolce Gusto machine, and love its convenience (great for other flavors), give these a shot. Keep them handy when friends honor your home with an unexpected visit.

--Brockeim

Nescafe Dolce Gusto for Nescafe Dolce Gusto Brewers, Espresso, 16-Count Capsules (Pack of 3)

Ten Cups Worth of Simple Grinding - Toastmaster Coffee Grinder reviewed

2011-02-23T13:49:00.000-06:00

We spend mornings together. Evenings are better spent separately, but mornings are when our friendship is the most piqued and perky. At about 6:00 a.m. I awake all haggard and gravel-voiced, not seeing any clear reasons for daylight. My view and the sun both lift more quickly when this coffee grinder is at work.

I like coffee fresh, and carefully prepare it from carefully storing my beans to using only the heaviest cream and clover honey to sweeten the taste. To have the flavor I prefer most, I grind each pot's beans. Of all the options, the Toastmaster Coffee Grinder is all I need.

When it whirs, it purrs, happy to help me through the day's waking labor. I treat it well, never abusing it with harsh cleansers or hot water.

I have made ten cups of coffee ground from this device. That is probably the limit of the grinding bowl.

I never ask much of this one-speed friend. It turns on when I press the button. It turns off when I release the button. How fine a grind is based on how long it grinds. I only make one kind of coffee, so additional settings are not necessary. It wipes clean with a dry paper towel. Most of you only use a simple brewer, and will be happy with this grinder.

Toastmaster 1119 Push-Button Electric Coffee and Spice Grinder

Reclusively Drinking Starbucks in a Basement Hidden from Hundreds

2011-01-31T11:32:00.001-06:00

Starbucks Cup

"Stuck inside these four walls," sang Paul McCartney and Wings in Band on the Run. At the moment, those four walls hid me in quiet solitude.

Starbucks supplied the coffee where I would be meeting hundreds of people, as well as the cups. I was thankful.

No one here. Not here, not in the lowest floor, in farthest corner of a large building. Above me was an auditorium unaware that I sat a long table catching my breath and energy. Cacophony there, but silence here.

Peace is good. Give it a chance.

Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run

Lamentations of a Future Truck Driver

2011-01-24T10:59:00.002-06:00

When old friends fly in from the country up north, from the farthest direction possible, sharing with them unfettered, friendly time is the only course possible.

I knew him years before when I was his teacher, hired to help him struggle through books he likely never read. Biology too. He passed unimpressively, but my recommendation to a small college convinced them he could survive. He didn't, leaving after a year. Instead, he found a bride on 2,200 miles away, and took work in a factory which fired him. It was probably his fault. It usually is.

He sought an ear, and this I offered, and coffee. We met a Caribou Coffee a chain coffeehouse and drank for hours. Finjal, Ethiopian, organic. A not quite medium roast, unremarkable, but expensive. It offered nothing the non-organic did, It was mid-day, and people came and went, but we remained. There was much to say.

He lamented, yet hoped truck driver would be the answer. So we talked about truck driving.We might have talked about the books he never reads, but the truth stepped in the way, as it always does.

It is a hard life to live, but perseverance and hope define him more than failures.

Will you buy coffee from the mermaid? Does it matter what logo you drink from?

2011-01-12T13:46:00.000-06:00

A new, simpler logo from Starbucks has generated some buzz, but why? They are losing the words, leaving the half-naked mermaid.

Am I obsessed with the logo, or the contents of the cup?

I've seen this before here. Chicago is strange how they like to be marketed to. Even though Sears had long sold their building, some were upset the branding of the building was changing. Even though Marshall Fields sold themselves to Target's mother company long before, they, though shoppers frequented to store less often, went into a tizzy when Macy's put their logo on the door. Didn't matter that Macy's sold the same things.

RedEye: Will you buy coffee from the mermaid?

Coffee Will Not Make You Sober

2010-12-31T15:30:00.000-06:00

Remember, as you salute the year, coffee will not make you sober.

Coffee: A sure way to sober up?
By Mayo Clinic staff

Coffee's about as helpful as a cold shower or a brisk walk in sobering you up. That is, it's not helpful at all! Your blood alcohol level starts to rise with just one alcoholic drink. The only way to lower your blood alcohol level is to stop drinking and wait. It'll simply take time for your body to metabolize the alcohol.

Search Amazon.com MP3 Downloads for New Year's Day

A Beautiful Trio: Espresso, Croissant, Cappuccino

2010-12-25T11:51:00.000-06:00

Espresso, croissant, cappuccino

Cold? Snowy? Every day is sunny in Brockeimia. If not, I go to where it is beautiful.

At a cafe on the east coast, sitting outside in an area cordoned in by short black painted fence on a sidewalk, I enjoyed a full meal. First, a shot of espresso, then the main entree, a nicely prepared cappuccino, with a croissant on the side.

Search Amazon.com for espresso cups

Coffee Cup Before Pouring

2010-12-23T23:07:00.000-06:00

At a favorite cafe, I might order just one thing: coffee. I might add a bagel or slice of toast, but it is usually just a simple cup of coffee. Let's pretend nothing here: The coffee is not the same quality as in a finer coffee shop. The ambiance is what a diner's is... filled with everyman, from all walks of life. You get what you pay for, but this is the life of the average coffee drinker. They are not interested in syrups, whip cream, Kona, brown vs white sugar, pull technique, or any other factor in coffee or a coffee drink.

That's what you see. The average man's $1.50 mug, basic sugar and flavored creams. America drinks this everywhere. The brown cup is hazelnut, the blue is vanilla, and the white is plain half-n-half. The white envelopes are plain sugar. The blue envelope is some kind of non-sugar sweetener. I took the picture a week or two ago.

The job gets done. A basic coffee and a basic set of flavor options. Much of life happens at the table pictured above. I have met with friends, clients, vendors, old, new and potential.

It may lack the romance of a misty cafe in Vienna, but Vienna misses the romance of an intimate table in America's heartland. No Austrian accents or talk of Beethoven, but conversations about city politics, traffic and baseball teams fill the air.

What I See
A waitress who thought skipping college was the best choice so she could make quick money wistfully looks at the men in suits, wondering if they will notice her in her new sundress beneath her diner apron. The men in suits argue about the cost of real estate, only glancing at the girl who, at 19 is half their age not realizing she knows this, but is OK with it.

A few men in from a construction site working on the interstate rush in for a late morning early lunch, and eat too fast to notice any of this.

A retired man in a rich blue shirt with a golf logo reads a newspaper where he sits every day, and the waitress calls him Tom.

A young buck brings in a Bible and discusses its finer points with a friend, see the young waitress and tip her more than their meal was worth. That $20 will help her more than they know. An older waitress sneers at her, because she has given up hope. This coffee shop is her bitter life, and she is afraid the younger one will leave before her. When she was 19, she got those tips too, but did nothing with them.

All on a Monday. Tuesday will be much the same. The coffee is good enough.

Search Amazon.com for coffee

Tasty But Not Overpowering Coffee Candy, Fit for a Picnic

2010-12-22T13:36:00.000-06:00

I unwrapped a piece of United Coffee Candy while Nancy and I sat for an afternoon in a park. Dulcet, yet strong flavors filled my imagination as we cleared the branches for our blanket. The candy's metallic maroon wrapper soon lay tossed in a pocket, or a bag, who knows where?

A mid-city stream during a quiet picnic can be as cacophonous as a mid-state river. Rapids, wind, gulls all called out to each other as autumn began its march through the wane of summer. Undeterred, Nancy and I read the poetry of the day: our own, and that found in an old professor's reading list. Many hums and other murmurs of agreement brought us through a dozen pages and an hour of reading.

We asked, "Is that a complex form or does it just organically resonate mellifluously?"

Not all questions can be answered while distracted by the pleasant confluence of her eyes, the falling leaves and the coffee candy. All blended into a gentle sweetness: to see, to smell, to taste.

Now, three months later, I find the wrapper in my satchel, and the stream rushes just as hard. The gulls are gone, but the poetry remains. May your bag of United Coffee Candy reach as deeply, taste as complex, and remind you of poems read on a bank.

--Brockeim

Mandy Patinkin - Coffee in a Cardboard Cup

2010-12-10T08:58:00.000-06:00

Mandy Patinkin - Coffee in a Cardboard Cup

Mandy Patinkin is the complete performer singing about the hurry of today's life. Coffee is the metaphor for life, that we pour it too quickly, drink it too quickly, and miss out on relationships in the process. Lyrics below.

I agree.

Mandy Patinkin CD including song Mandy Patinkin - Coffee in a Cardboard Cup from the musical 70, Girls, 70

The trouble with the world today, it seems to me,
Is coffee in a cardboard cup.
The trouble with the affluent society
Is coffee in a cardboard cup.
No one's ever casual and nonchalant,
No one waits a minute in a restaurant,
No one wants a waitress passing pleasantries
Like "How're you, Miss?"
"How're you, Sir?"
"May I take your order please?"
The trouble with the world today is plain to see,
Is everything is hurry up.
It's rush it through, and don't be slow,
And BLT on rye to go,
With coffee (I think she said)
Coffee (I know she said)
Coffee in a cardboard cup.

The trouble with the helter-skelter life we lead
Is coffee in a cardboard cup.
The trouble, the psychologists have all agreed,
Is coffee in a cardboard cup.
Tell me, what could possibly be drearier
Than seafood from the Belnord cafeteria?
Seems to me a gentleman would much prefer
"Afternoon!"
"How've you been?"
"Would you like the special, sir?"
The trouble with the world today is plain to see,
Is everything is hurry up.
There's ready-wear, and instant tea,
And minute rice, and my oh me,
There's coffee (I think she said)
Coffee (I know she said)
Coffee in a cardboard cup.

The trouble with the world today, beyond a doubt,
Is coffee in a cardboard cup.
The trouble is the way we like to take things out,
Like coffee in a cardboard cup.
No one knows the meaning of utopia
Is dining at the corner cornucopia,
Seems to me we wouldn't be such nervous wrecks
With "Hello, there!"
"Be right back!"
"Would you care for separate checks?"
The trouble with the world today is plain to see,
Is everything is hurry up.
It's all become looney tunes
With sugar packs and plastic spoons
And coffee (I think she said)
Coffee (I know she said)
Coffee (I'm sure she said)
Coffee (She must have said)
Coffee in a cardboard cup.

Excellent Christmas Gift for Teachers, Writers and Book Readers (Who Love Coffee)

2010-12-06T09:42:00.002-06:00

Excellent Christmas Gift!
http://cafepress.com/brockeimcoffee

Books are good food. wash them down with coffee.

In your life, and in mine, are coffee lovers and book lovers. Librarians, teachers, students, editors, writers, and that friend you always see huddled with a book on the train or in the cubicle next to yours. It might even be a pastor, priest or rabbi you want to simple say thanks to.

Priced cheap for Christmas (the mug pictured is just $11.49), there are tons of mugs, t-shirts, bumper stickers and more.

Thankful: A Cup of Coffee in a Beautiful Cup

2010-11-26T12:18:00.000-06:00

Coffee, as served... from a kind host after dinner is perhaps the most delicious found on this Earth.

No matter how perfect the bean, none compares to the coffee poured by dear friends after a gracious and satisfying traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I am thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving from my home to yours.

Tryptophan Slowing You Down?

2010-11-25T10:57:00.000-06:00

Lots of turkey today? No time to sleep this afternoon in that beached-whale-food-hangover-fetal position?

Try coffee.

Or, if you are not drinking coffee today, or eating turkey, but trying to sleep, try reading about Tryptophan. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tryptophan)

Latte Macchiato via Nescafe Dolce Gusto Single-Serve Coffee Machine

2010-11-10T12:38:00.003-06:00

Familiar Like the Girl Next Door: Latte Macchiato Meets a Delicious Need

A Latte Macchiato.
The product of my
Nescafe Dolce Gusto Single-Serve Coffee Machine.

My Nescafe Dolce Gusto Latte Macchiato was born on my counter, not royal, nor so humble that I would not enjoy her company. Finding companionship with wine glasses, she smiled at me, and together, we ran through the morning with celebration of sugar, caffeine and artificial milk. It lacked the superb richness of a true, cafe-birthed Latte Macchiato, but brought me a plebeian convenience, like a girl next door's beauty and familiarity.

The process for her creation was three-step. First, the mere heating of the machine. Second, the insertion of the milk-foam capsule and pulling hot water through it. Third, and lastly, inserting the espresso-like coffee capsule, and likewise pulling it.

I can, and often do, make a more sophisticated latte macchiato, but the time it takes, though worth it, is not always available. I enjoyed tasting this drink, knowing fully what it could be, but accepting it as it was.

--Brockeim

Nescafe Dolce Gusto Single-Serve Coffee Machine review: Good Coffee Drink, Hard to Find Pods

2010-11-05T12:32:00.000-05:00

Do you remember watching old Star Trek reruns, and seeing the special effects were not on par with modern techniques, but loving the show anyway? The end product, all of it together, from Captain Kirk to the Klingons, the story was good and often insightful. The Nescafe Dolce Gusto Single-Serve Coffee Machine is like that. It cannot equal the carefully made latte or espresso produced with a $1,000 machine using the finest beans. It makes no pretense of doing that either. Its sell is its quick and easy-to-use convenience, with enough quality to satisfy the average coffee drinker.

Why do I like it? When friends come over who are casual coffee drinkers, who might not appreciate the difference between a French and Colombian roast, but would like a hot tasty drink, this helps me serve them quickly. Like other single-serving machines, like Keurig's devices, it delivers coffee speedily, and can do so to the unique tastes of my guests. I can make a fresh pot of standard coffee, or espressos, but to offer variety without adding flavored syrups or taking a long time, I need a single-serve machine.

Some drinks require two pods: one for the milk-like foam, and the other for the coffee itself. First, make the foam, then, make the coffee. Others only need on pod, and from it (depending on the pod), you can make either regular coffee, or an espresso-like drink. The directions are clear for every kind of drink. For anyone who finds Caribou or Starbucks acceptable, this will provide a smile. Because Nescafe controls the amount of coffee and the grind, the drink is the same every time.

Pods are not as easily accessible as Keurig's are, as various coffee producers do not seem to make theirs to fit the Dolce Gusto, and so I cannot give this top ranks.

True, my favorite cafe's business will not be challenged, but as I can find the pods, I will keep a stock on the ready when unexpected guests arrive.

--Brockeim

Useful Dog Tricks performed by Jesse (A Coffee Loving Jack Russell Terrier)

2010-11-05T11:53:00.001-05:00

Puppies are, by default, caffeinated. When God was making their blood, an angel was walking by, bumped the table with the ingredients, and God's coffee spilled in. Not once in the history of puppies has anyone ever said, "Now that puppy has no energy."

However, this has led to addiction problem with Jesse. He wants more. Throughout the day, he, like I, pursues another cup of coffee. Smarter than the average dog, he can help himself.

Understandably, he does whatever it takes. What I want to know is how he, without these very useful opposable thumbs, lifts the espresso cup to drink?

Jesse: http://justjesse197.blogspot.com/

Music: Josh Woodward, "Coffee." Check out more of his music: http://joshwoodward.com and
http://youtube.com/joshwoodward

Coffee, Raisin Toast and Voting

2010-11-02T08:21:00.000-05:00

The early morning brinked with a slow greeting as I considered my opportunity. Today is voting day. Election day. I am one who finds most of politicking distasteful, bringing out the worst of friends and the media. But, still, to vote is what I must. Decisions were to be made about Congress, local funding, judges and other issues. Some mattered to me more than others.

The beautiful Katie served me, ready and awake long before dawn in near-empty cafe on the Brockeimia southern border. Overlooking a highway, I saw others en route to vote, and smiled. This is America. We are not the only country with the freedom to vote, but we do have that freedom we consider, I consider, so dear.

So I ate quickly, swallowed the coffee, now sweeter than usual, bid Katie good morning, and left for the mile trip up the road to cast my ballot.

If you haven't, please do.

Books Are Good Food Coffee FUNtainer Food Thermos

2010-10-25T18:03:00.000-05:00

Books Are Good Food Coffee FUNtainer Food Thermos

Newest Brockeim coffee container. Soup works too. Not quite a mug, but pretty snazzy for you travelers.

$18.09 for you discriminating buyers.Great Christmas gifts.

Books are good food. Wash them down with coffee.

Intelligenstia and Two Old Friends Bringing Two New Friends

2010-10-04T01:53:00.004-05:00

My nap ended as the bell rang. 5:30 pm on a Saturday? Two smiles with three bags of two kinds of coffee stood in my doorway. Delivery.

Knowing fully well my desire for good coffee, but not always able to access it, these friends pursued for me what God alone could create: delicious Yirgacheffe Adado and Finca La Soledad.

Coffee would wait until morning, and it did. Its patience for me is more enduring than any lover.

In the meanwhile, these friends laughed and told stories about our adventures through the years, and of things currently important in our lives. They told me too about drinking coffee at Intelligentsia, a new and exotic place for them. We shared a meal, and we shared friendship, as old as it is new again.

The Coffee
First, the Finca La Soledad from Guatamala. This is as mild as it is delicate, perhaps not ready for an espresso. My espresso tastes are darker, but I will tomorrow experiment with a few cups of it dripped.

Two half-pound bags of Yirgacheffe Adado from Ethiopia... one I brought to the home of a friend who often enjoys coffee with me at hours earlier than known to songbirds. The other will wait a few days.

Organic Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Adado
Succulent and floral, high notes of jasmine atop lime candy, lemongrass and bergamot. Fresh fennel, currants and sweet herbs surface at the apex and taper into an aromatic aftertaste while the finish - long and velvety - brings notes of maple and malt.

Itzamna, Guatemala: Finca La Soledad
A complex mouthfeel which is balanced, lofted and active frames the rest of this cup. Grilled fruit, peaches, and fudge-like notes in the finish coax out the genuine character of Finca La Soledad.
http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/store/overview/Coffee

You Can't Afford This Coffee Maker

2010-10-01T14:12:00.000-05:00

A $11,000 coffee maker.

Looks to me like a sophisticated French press. See link. What do you think?

Good to Almost the Last Drop: A Hurried Illy Adventure

2010-09-30T10:23:00.000-05:00

Empty Espresso Cup

Finished. Sad words to any great adventure, I know, and sadder still as remnants of the relationship remain scattered inconveniently.

My espresso... I've had better, and purer. This was sugared. Creamed. Delicious, yes, as they always are, but this one was rushed in preparation.

I had no time. I found time. I made time. What didn't exist came into existence, and in this time, I made a common double espresso with Illy beans.

In my hurry, I did not attach everything tightly, and some ground coffee filtered through. Regrets, of course, but deadlines called sharply, and I had to move on.

As I sometimes do, I added heavy whipping cream, lightly whipped with a spoon of sugar. This magnifies the acuity I sense when sipping.

"Found my coat and grabbed my hat. Made the bus in seconds flat," sings Paul McCartney in A Day In The Life. A bus was not required, but with my hat and coat in tow, arrived in good stead.

Do I say the drink was a success? I finished it amid the difficulties presented by my watch, but pledge to attune more carefully to the day before me. Success enough.

Today, now, a day later, I found my cup where I left it. It was not carefully laid in the sink or dishwasher, but on a bookshelf in my office, near where a collection of Mark Twain is kept. The remnants are dry, but its sweetness endures.

Things you can buy from Amazon that will help me purchase more Illy. Click, then buy anything.

Monday Morning Kitty Needs a Cup of Coffee

2010-09-28T23:09:00.001-05:00

Can anyone help this poor cat? She needs a cup of joe.

Lavazza and the Big City

2010-09-25T18:56:00.000-05:00

This espresso drips while barely a glimmer in my eye. My host offered it proudly when I traveled east. In an office in the thick of a major city, a contrast of a beautiful building and homeless citizens sleeping and begging on the sidewalk, we found our way to the seventh floor. How hard is to walk on by knowing how much easier my life is... I felt no guilt, but only wondered what I could do.

After stopping at his office to discuss our business of the day, we moved on to more pleasurable things. Business, after all, is a trifle unimportant when there is espresso to be enjoyed.

Lavazza Espresso Point Machine

I am a sipper. My host drank two shots quickly, like whiskey bar shots without the accompanying beer chasing. The machine (Lavazza Espresso Point Machine) served Lavazza Super Crema Espresso. Durable, and light enough for the sensitivities of a varied office place, Lavazza was a fine choice. I took my time, and moved on.

Afternoon Coffee is Like a Lover Leaving

2010-09-24T14:54:00.001-05:00

I am always a little sad when I finish the last from my afternoon double espresso. It is like a a lover leaving on a morning train.

How the sweetness comes to an end. There will be no more. Not today. I can reach, I can reach, but the train still leaves. Attached fingers must let go. Last drops must be sipped.

Monkees
Last Train To Clarksville
by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart

Take the last train to Clarksville
And I'll meet you at the station,
You can be here by four-thirty,
'Cause I've made your reservation, don't be slow,
Oh, no, no, no,
Oh, no, no, no.
'Cause I'm leaving in the morning
And I must see you again,
We'll have one more night together
'Til the morning brings my train and I must go,
Oh, no, no, no,
Oh, no, no, no,
And I don't know if I'm ever coming home.
Take the last train to Clarksville,
I'll be waiting at the station,
We'll have time for coffee-flavored kisses,
And a bit of conversation, oh,
Oh, no, no, no,
Oh, no, no, no.
Da-da-da-da-da-da, etc...
Take the last train to Clarksville,
Now I must hang up the phone,
I can't hear you in this noisy railroad station,
All alone, I'm feeling low.
Oh, no, no, no,
Oh, no, no, no,
And I don't know if I'm ever coming home.
Oh...
Take the last train to Clarksville,
And I'll meet you at the station,
You can be here by four-thirty,
'Cause I've made your reservation, don't be slow,
Oh, no, no, no,
Oh, no, no, no,
And I don't know if I'm ever coming home.
Take the last train to Clarksville,
Take the last train to Clarksville,
Take the last train to Clarksville,
Take the last train to Clarksville.
fade out...

Uma Thurman, A Nice Hot Drink (of Coffee)

2010-09-22T11:59:00.000-05:00

Uma Thurman, A Nice Hot Drink of Coffee.

What more do you need? Hot, sweet, easy to drink, quick buzz, and the likelihood of a satisfactory encounter. And the coffee looks good, too.

Search Amazon.com for Uma Thurman

Kitsch Commercials - Folgers Coffee #1

2010-09-16T13:27:00.000-05:00

Folgers Classic Roast Ground Coffee, 22.6-Ounce Packages (Pack of 3)

Kitsch Commercials - Folgers Coffee #1
video below

Lady in Waiting

2010-08-16T14:27:00.000-05:00

Lady in Waiting
by Brockeim

As I waited,
I saw I was
not the only one.

No WiFi in Cafes? Bad, Good or...

2010-08-08T20:02:00.000-05:00

There are a least two good reasons not to have WiFi in a cafe.

Takes up tables needed for income producing customers.
Brings in customers who actually want to talk with each other.

A recent L.A. Times articles looks at a growing trend among shop owners to knock of WiFi access from their list of perks. Your opinion?

Coffee shops are taking Wi-Fi off the menu: To stimulate sales, coffeehouses are pulling the plug on the Net.

Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea: My Cappuccino Review

2010-08-02T11:40:00.001-05:00

My cappuccino.

Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea. One of their guys won a big best barista award. When I happened to be in Chicago on business, I stopped in. Beautiful women and men are all around, as you can see.

A Taste of Heaven?
I bought the La Tortuga, Honduras bean. They describe it as "Right from the start, lime zest and fruit punch swell the palate. There are floral tones of jasmine and a body like vanilla bean. A move forward unveils the peach and citrus finish; clarity and focus define this cup." $17. Quite possibly, the best cappuccino I have had. It set me in my place. I take care when making these at home, but simply haven't the chops or equipment to deliver this kind of flavor. Good beans help. I have those now, but I still have yet to meet the mark. Intelligenstia hit it squarely on the top.

Behind me is Randolph Street. On my right is a shelf of beans they sell. To the left of the picture, there are tables, and a bar facing the wall. I sat there next to a Spanish dancer. I smiled, and she smiled, but she was lost in her laptop. We both had other things to do, other places to be, and other lives to live.

The freshness of the beans brought an uncommon thrill to me. Beans, as most of you know, as found on most grocery store shelves, are at least a few months old by the time they are there. No amount of vacuum packing can manage what coffee roasted two days earlier can pull off.

Latte art is always fun. The design on mine was hardly as complex as they can be, but this was around noon. The ordering line was nonstop.

Jesse, my barista that afternoon, was fantastic. Managers, give that boy a raise. Though busy, they answered my questions about beans, preparation and storage. Each drip brewed cup is made individually. The explanation was that with a normal drip brewer, the kind most of us have at home, the water is not well distributed. The result is that the beans do not steep equally, extracting varying amounts of flavor. In my blurry shot below, you will notice he is pouring from a small container. Each cup receives some water, then he repeats it.

As I had only time for a cappuccino, I did not try anything else.

Millennium Park Coffeebar
53 E. Randolph St.
Chicago, IL 60601
312.920.9332

Buy stuff from Amazon. Just click and buy. Or check out my other sponsors.
Search Amazon.com for latte art

Stale Beans No More. Coffee's Continued Popularity and Growth

2010-07-01T18:33:00.000-05:00

We have come a long way from stale beans ground for months to make percolated coffee. I sometimes wonder what my great grandparents would think of today's coffee.

The short version of a very long history is, in America, by the time coffee beans reached even the most major of cities, months may have passed. Then, they were roasted, ground, and stored. Not so good. Coffee of 1890 was not coffee of 2010.

From all I have read, those in more rural areas would themselves often roast the beans, but that this has fallen out of practice. I am hoping to learn to do this.

Now, with a huge push by chains like Starbucks, the average person can enjoy what used to be difficult to acquire. A market for high-end coffee drinks was developed, and a plethora of shops and other resources has grown to the point that anyone can buy top-quality, freshly roasted beans, grind them at home, and pull their own espresso.

Tiny shops thrive, big chains thrive. Coffee fans indulge.

These are good days. Oh, how I would love to make a pot of this blessed drink, and linger with my ancestors. I think they would approve, so long as I didn't give it a goofy marketing department-generated name.

Friends don't let friends drink Starbucks - funny bumper stickers (Large 14x4 inches)

What Is A World Champion Barista? Michael Phillips At Intelligentsia Wins, But Why?

2010-06-30T11:22:00.001-05:00

Intelligentsia's world champion barista could be serving at Lakeview cafe

Michael Phillips beat all comers in the 2010 World Barista Championships. What's that?

The article isn't about baristas or why he won. That there is a winner in such a world intrigues me, however. As much as I love coffee, there is a lot I am still learning. Your input is coveted.

First off, congratulations Michael Phillips. You took your job seriously, worked hard, and now have this laurel that I hope you can convert into more success.

What is a Barista?

A barista is the person who makes espresso and other drinks at a coffee shop. It can refer to anyone from the 16 year-old slugging cappuccinos from a machine that does everything automatically, to a highly trained adult who carefully pulls each shot to make a myriad of recipes. The term is gender neutral. It originates from Italy, where it means bartender. I'm not clear, as per the Wikipedia entry, if it includes all bartenders, like the ones at a wine bar, or just certain kinds.

Phillips, an employee of a leading Chicago-based roaster and retailer Intelligentsia Coffee beat the world in London last week. Not that I am not impressed, but I don't know what the criteria is. What makes him so good? I know what a mediocre barista is, but world champion? Maybe I have only enjoyed very good espressos but not world class ones? If a barista has good beans ground just so, using a good machine, isn't there a low ceiling? Outside of latte art and such, what divides the very good from the great?

Barista Brockeim

I had a short stint as a barista in college, but, in all honesty, never learned a thing. I didn't drink coffee then. Great place, far beyond the ordinary shop. They sold beans from across the world, could seat 150 people (I'm guessing, but it was a lot), and could make anything. Eclectic to the nth degree, as groups of all flavors would meet peacefully. Any given day, you could see a Christian Bible study a few tables away from a GLT issues group, with the college Young Republicans in the back and the alternative newspaper staff in the front. They since closed and a new shop opened up that is essentially a vegetarian cafe that sells coffee, and the amazing social and coffee diversity has ended.

But I'm digressing. My point was to acknowledge I have, in fact, worked in a cafe, but never received real training, or lasted long enough to learn the trade. I have no doubt I made mediocre baristas look like the Julia Child of coffee.

Cynical? Hardly
Don't get me wrong. I'm not cynical. I'm hopeful. Something makes Phillips better. I don't know what it is or what I, a lover of coffee would experience differently. I have enjoyed great coffee, based on great beans.

They have contests for these things. Bragging rights come with the honor. Maybe a promotion at his local cafe, or, as in this case, the guy became a trainer.

He wears the requisite black shirt, scruffy but trimmed beard and close-cropped hair on his head. Very cafe-chic. Maybe that's just the photo the PR people took. Looks the part, that kind of restaurant chef sophisticate style. They don't give prizes, however, for fashion.

According to the World Barista Championship (WBC) website, it looks a combination of skill and knowledge.

WBC Certified Judges from around the world evaluate each performance on the taste of beverages served, cleanliness, creativity, technical skill, and overall presentation. The ever-popular signature beverage allows baristas to stretch their imagination and the judges’ palates to incorporate a wealth of coffee knowledge into an expression of their individual tastes and experiences.

That's nice, but what's in it for me? I like the cleanliness part, but presume this as normal operating procedure for any barista. That is, if I ask for a wet cappuccino, a somewhat standard request, will Phillips' version be different than the one cranked out by Sarah, a diligent and friendly high school senior working evenings at my local Caribou Coffee?

I looked the results of the 2010 competition, the one Philips won. See below. He is the first winner from the United States in an event strangely dominated by Denmark. 5,540,241 in their country, and four of them, at least, are champion baristas. Good for them. Truly a global event. I presume this means each barista beat many of their countrymen to advance to this stage. I don't know. All new to me.

1st – Michael Phillips (USA)
2nd - Raul Rodas (Guatemala)
3rd – Scottie Callaghan (Australia)
4th – Colin Harmon (Ireland)
5th – Soren Stiller Markussen (Denmark)
6th – Stefanos Domatiotis (Greece)

2010	London, United Kingdom	Michael Phillips (United States)
2009	Atlanta, USA	Gwilym Davies (United Kingdom)
2008	Copenhagen, Denmark	Stephen Morrissey (Ireland)
2007	Tokyo, Japan	James Hoffmann (United Kingdom)
2006	Berne, Switzerland	Klaus Thomsen (Denmark)
2005	Seattle, USA	Troels Overdal Poulsen (Denmark)
2004	Trieste, Italy	Tim Wendelboe (Norway)
2003	Boston, USA	Paul Bassett (Australia)
2002	Olso, Norway	Fritz Storm (Denmark)
2001	Miami, USA	Martin Hildebrandt (Denmark)
2000	Monte Carlo, Monaco	Robert Thoresen (Norway)

Verdure After Sunrise: A View of Royalty, Coffee, and Nature

2010-06-26T14:55:00.002-05:00

Jane Austen, in Mansfield Park, wrote of days like this, "I shall soon be rested," said Fanny; "to sit in the shade on a fine day, and look upon verdure, is the most perfect refreshment."
Fanny Price understood what I knew this morning. All was as a castle should be, without the horses or knights. The view was alive, delicious, and equally peacefully and sustaining.

A pond, well-kept trees, a lawn so smooth golfers could play... the breeze, still gentle, greeted all comers with a friendly hello before moving on.

Beautiful princesses could be seen on the grounds this early Saturday morning, wearing gorgeous garments acknowledging the mix of Springtime and youth.

Young noblemen weakly courted them as suitors. Bold romance, they had none, leaving them romantically invisible to the elegant delicacies they sought. I had no doubt their intentions would remain unnoticed, and platony would prevail. From a distance I smiled or grimaced (I am not sure which), seeing futility in the men's feeble efforts, thinking that they had somehow thought their androgynous strategy would be seen as kindness.

Brunch was my goal, and this I found in an oversized chicken pot pie with a puffed pastry top. Pearls onions, carrots, peas in a soft cream sauce.

I started my meal with Douwe Egberts, a decent choice for a place one did not expect connoisseur-quality coffee.I lingered, sipping, tasting the coffee and absorbing the morning a long while before ordering.

"Leave the pot," I told the waiter. He, though not a coffee drinker himself, obliged. He earned his tip.

The cream was safely, but unfortunately chilled. This is for safety, of course, because it is a dairy product and spoilage can arrive quickly. The temperature, though, also reduces the heat of the coffee.

Boxing up the remainder of my meal, careful not to indulge beyond measure, sat, watched, wondered about the tree you see, the romances being missed in the wind, and if another cup was a good idea. It was.

Mansfield Park (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

Douwe Egberts Aroma Rood Whole Beans Coffee, 8.8-Ounce Packages (Pack of 3)

Coffee's Mysterious Benefits Mount

2010-06-24T15:02:00.001-05:00

Coffee's Mysterious Benefits Mount
source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/coffeesmysteriousbenefitsmount

Remy Melina
Staff Writer
livescience.com – Tue Jun 22, 5:45 pm ET

From lowered cancer risks to a sharper memory, more studies are showing that coffee is good for you - but why?

Patience is a Virtue

2010-06-23T13:24:00.001-05:00

Coffee Tip: If you have patience (and caffeine addiction won't kill you first), wait an hour or two before your first cup.

Monday Morning Bliss

2010-06-21T05:22:00.003-05:00

Coffee Tip: Wanting to enjoy the first cup of coffee even more? Drink a glass of cool water. Cleanse your palate.

A Port in a Storm: Green Mountain Coffee Keurig Machine Saves Me

2010-06-17T08:02:00.000-05:00

Students at at the university near Brockeimia (there are several) will know this machine. Though five minutes late for a 7:00 pm Tuesday meeting, yet in need a one-minute pick-me-up, I found this port in the storm. Down a long, empty hallway, in an alcove on the right at the end, beneath some undetermined fluorescent lights, shone the bright green colors of a Green Mountain Coffee Keurig Machine. A more welcoming lighthouse I have not seen. Not on the second floor of a building.

New to me was that K-cups can also serve up tea and hot cocoa. Nice choices. Twelve options in all. Good to know, but, tonight... no matter. I saw what I needed. Second button from the left, top row. Sumatran Reserve. Yes, not decaf. Different button.

My wallet was filled with one dollar bills. Why? I rarely carry cash. Would I need them? Would the machine hastily accept my submission?

On my left, unseen in the picture, was the Keurig machine. Three buttons in question that determined how strong the coffee would be. I needed caffeine, not a lingering cup of coffee. Espresso was not an option. I chose the strongest.

Who invented the single-cup delivery system? Whether via Keurig or some other process, the idea is brilliant. Instead of beans sitting half-brewed in a pot that's half-warm six hours after coffee seemed like a good idea, I had a fresh cup. True, true... it is not the same as a freshly ground cup, but, for my situation, in a nearly empty university campus, this was salvation.

The meeting itself required it. Five people I never met discussed a topic I knew more about than they realized. I did my best, and my silent friends from Sumatra did all they could to back me up. Two hours later, the coffee's impact dwindled, but I was OK.

We discussed some interesting things off topic. Two different men had sons who play music professionally. Really professionally, not just scraping a few bucks on a Friday night at the Holiday Inn bar after a long day selling insurance. You may have heard one of them open for one of today's most alternative rock popular bands. The other is lesser known as a drummer, playing across the major jazz venues in a major city.

Fine people they are, but I was happy I did not come alone. We may meet again (both the Keurig machine, and this gathering), and then, we will greet each other as old friends.

Keurig Single Serve Coffee and Tea Brewing System Select B77

Search Amazon.com for Keurig machines

http://www.greenmountaincoffee.com

Join the Coffee Klatch on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=53289456412

Coffee is in the Clear (This Time)

2010-06-14T16:59:00.000-05:00

Coffee is not listed. It is the beans? The hot water? No. It is the sheer kindness of God to spare us one indulgence that won't kill us.

Food Safety: Protecting the Nation's Food
Help Keep You and Your Family Safe

Drinkable, But Hardly Perfect, Lavazza Il Perfetto Espresso 100% Arabica Coffee 8.8 oz. reviewed

2010-06-04T08:56:00.001-05:00

Lavazza Il Perfetto Espresso 100% Arabica Coffee 8.8 oz.

I am finishing my first two shots of "Lavazza Il Perfetto Espresso." I anticipated this since last night. Too late to drink, I thought, but in the morning, it will be so sweet a recharge as the sun rises.

This coffee I wisely choose over a can of more expensive Illy beans. Wisely, I say, because I based my purchase decision on reputation and price... both impressive. I have had good Lavazza before, but it must have been a different blend.

I am disappointed. Like in the 1990s, when the Jaguar automobile lost its luster to become merely just another nice vehicle, I trusted the famous coffee brand to retain the quality on which its fame rests. No laurels lasting any longer with Lavazza. I bought this specifically to share with a fellow coffee lover tomorrow as we break a loaf of Amish Friendship Bread. Hang my head I will, having introduced mediocrity into his cup under the guise of the brilliant. He will know better of me, but we will not speak of this error. Pleasantly, our friendship is stronger than my coffee.

As another reviewer carefully describes (see Amazon review), the crema is weak. What crema there was dissipated quickly into the espresso.

I have 8.8 oz., with two shots worth gone. I will make the rest, and it will be adequate. The flavor is decent, but milder than I expect of an Italian roaster, especially as finely ground as this is. However, when again I am going through the aisle of at the imported goods grocery, I will turn away from the black box Lavazza sells.

--Brockeim

Q4WZFUDUK7UJ

Espresso in the Woods

2010-05-31T13:10:00.000-05:00

Espresso is not about place. It is about the drink. How the drink is made depends on the tools available. Being prepared, as any good Boy Scout will tell you, is most of it. I was able to enjoy a shot in some woods where the hills are rolling, and all is verdantly alive with green and life, far from the urgent urban life where most of my days are spent.

Deep in the woods, where rains fall just because the steam is too heavy for the sky to carry, where mosquitoes run the show and humans are wary to wonder, I was.

Alone I was not. With me were a few others in an arduous traipse through thickets of bristle and thistle. One traveling with me has camped with only minimal supplies. Thankfully, this was no such day. He brought supplies. Besides the less essential things, like a first aid kit, emergency food and a great knowledge of the woods we explored, he brought coffee, a heating device and a non-electric espresso maker.

Though the day started with a heat only Lucifer would appreciate, a hard, unexpected rain began just as we found shelter. Cold. The temperature dropped 20 degrees Fahrenheit in minutes, and with our sweat-soaked clothing, all of us were chilled. To the rescue... the espresso you see above. Complete with a good crema, as hot as anything my home machine can muster, and a taste as delicious as the finest of wines.

Through the mist, I looked out as I sipped. I saw as far as eyes can see our great land, and thought of our soldiers, and paused. Here's to you, my fellow Americans. May your espresso taste as sweet as the free land within which we live.

Mugs for Sale with a Coffee-Book Lover Quote

2010-05-27T14:35:00.000-05:00

Books are good food.

Wash them down with coffee.

Buy now

http://www.cafepress.com/brockeimcoffee

Just $11.49 for the mug (subject to change), but see t-shirts, thongs, tote bags and plenty of whatever is what-not.

Lido's Caffé: Great Coffee, Amazing Service As Barista Discovers a Cubano

2010-05-25T17:15:00.011-05:00

Cubano, I said. Can you you make a Cubano? The last barista I asked said no. My hopes were low, but as this is a bustling cafe almost in hard knocks Chicago. I delivered my request recognizing one barista introduced me to it, and he was new the idea. It could happen. The possibility to do the miraculous always exists so long as those involve don't know it is impossible, I concurred with myself. Yes, maybe she can.

'She' was the enthusiastic, effervescent Dana, a barista at Lido's Caffe, I met while weekending and meeting a business contact. Delightful in all ways.

"What's that?" she said, pointing out she took seriously her role, and loved learning new coffee recipes. Can't recall hearing a barista inquire like this at a Starbucks.

I explained the easy way of making a Cubano: Two shots espresso, with a bag of sugar atop the ground beans before pulling, with a bit of whipped cream. There's a fuller, more complex way, but this would do well enough on a hot May day. I did not have much time.

"I'll try. Tell me how I do." She did, and I did, and I'm saying it again here.

Perfect. The intensity of the Lavazza beans used (and sold). (Not all Lavazza beans are equal: read my review of one choice.)

Nice Reversal, Compared to Judgmental Neighbor
Dana's positive view pleasantly contrasted, delivering so much better than the bitter person managing visitors at the Ernest Hemingway Birthplace House around the block. She pointed out with horrid discrimination her distaste for the politics of Oberweis Dairy (buy from them just to show closed-minded people cannot suppress good ice cream or coffee). (Later, I did try Oberweis's ice cream, and found it equal to the best I have had.) My guess is she is against non-hormonal dairy products or possibly the free speech of an owner. I had been advised that Oak Park was unique in Illinois to be among the most free thinking, but not in this case. I, and my guest, turned away from the Hemingway Birthplace in disgust, and worked our way to the very delightful Lido's. In coincidental irony, Good Night, Good Luck (about Joseph McCarthy's fearful anticommunist blacklisting) was on TV tonight. It would seem the ghost of Joe McCarthy lives on and receives unwitting guests at a prolific American author's home.

I'm more equal opportunity than that. 2010, not 1950.

Back to My Cubano Espresso
Dana landed it. She landed it in her first try. Not that a Cubano is difficult, but she not only tried, but she tried with willingness, without pretension or guile. It does take the essential skill of making a good double espresso. Not all baristas can accomplish this. Dana did.

There really is a Lido, I learned, straight from Italy. That's his first name. Lido Petrucci. A real guy. No silly coffee shop affectations. Just a real guy trying to make a few bucks selling good coffee.

That he uses Lavazza (an Italian brand) made sense, and any coffee aficionado would agree he made the right decision. Outside of roasting his own beans, it is a dependable, high-end bean and brand. Local roasters might have freshness on their side, but not always consistency.

Big place, with a room in the back where bands often play. This night, a blues band was playing, but my time would end long before then. Too much sun bakes a Brockeim.

As I left, after lingering outside enjoying the air-borne brush of lilacs and a Venezuelan restaurant next door scenting my people watching, Lido himself offered (and I accepted) to take my cup.

Lido's offers more than coffee, but that's all I had. Gelato, pastries, some sandwiches and more, but that is left for another reviewer to discuss. Great service, great coffee. That's what I know Lido's offers.

When will I be here again? Only the wind knows, and I am from, and go, where it blows. But if I'm near this strange little town of freedom and folly, I will. However, for now, duties as king of Brockeimia require my services and time a long way from Dana's Cubano.

Lido's Caffé
122 North Marion Street
Oak Park, IL 60301
(708) 660-0060

(Disclaimer: The cafe did not know they were being reviewed until I was leaving.)

See an edited version for the Chicago Tribune's TribLocal.

Double Lungo and the Temptations: Espresso Coffee Love

2010-05-21T08:58:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, we fall in love... sometimes, our love is embodied in something that reminds us of all that good.

From this, we find joy, a kind of contented pleasure that causes quiet smiles. For me, today, it was in the form of a double lungo espresso.

Accompanied by The Temptations My Girl (A Cappella).

http://brockeim.com and http://twitter.com/brockeim

Brockeim: Writer. Amazon reviewer. Humorist, parodist, nonsense artist. Friend of coffee & romance. Teller of tales, weaver of whimsy. Playful literary adventurer.

When Is the Best Time to Drink Coffee?

2010-04-30T02:01:00.000-05:00

Middle of the night. Wake me up first thing in the morning. Mid-morning doldrums. Post-lunch. After dinner. All good times for coffee.

Illy roasted coffee beans. Box of six 8.8oz cans.

Plenty of coffee found on Twitter as I chat with roasters, cafe owners, fans of coffee, and your everyday coffee addict.
http://twitter.com/Brockeim

Barnes and Noble & Starbucks

2010-04-24T22:50:00.000-05:00

Barnes and Noble & Starbucks: Two corporate beasts simultaneously meeting my needs this afternoon in the world south of Brockeimia.

I wanted to hunker down into a book, which, in this case was a Rex Stout book, Fer-de-Lance. His first. My first.

While there, I looked into History of the World in Six Glasses and read the section on coffee (around 40 pp), and thumbed through a less than impressive volume called B is for Bad Poetry, which, in fact, is.

This is a medium cappuccino. They call it something else. That is, the medium part. I can never keep it straight. Visiting as many coffeehouses, cafes and shops as I do, with many extending their nomenclature outside of the norm, I have too much to track.

I am neither a fan nor detractor from Starbucks, for those who care about such things. I am thankful they exist, even if they are not my first choice.

Search Amazon.com for Barnes and Noble (ironic, isn't it?)

Empty Seat Without a Book

2010-04-21T08:22:00.000-05:00

I was there. 6:40 am. Supposed to be 6:30. I was late having had a busy night meeting out-of-town guests (and their dog) for dinner the evening before.

At 6:33 am, I called. No one answered. I left a voicemail.

At 6:50 am, I ordered. Raisin toast and coffee. Neither were very good.

At 7:00 am, my toast was finished. It was cold when I received it. I sipped my coffee.

At 7:10 am, my waitress came by. We discussed geese.

At 7:20 am, I sent some text messages to friends I have not seen in months. Maybe next time, we could have coffee.

At 7:30 am, I left. The seat across from me remained empty.

If you go to the restaurant next to the 7-11 gas station, and sit in the most-west booth, second one from the south, facing the church across the street. with your back facing the market few people shop at, bring a book.

COYOTE Decoy Replica Goose Repeller by BirdX

Locked and Loaded

2010-04-13T11:17:00.000-05:00

Early, in the weeist part of the morning, I went to Dunkin' Donuts to buy a "Box o' Joe," as I was on my way to a meeting. While waiting, I noticed the cups looking as if they were cannons. And so they are. Full of energy, ready to explode.

Dunkin Donuts Original Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee 40 Ounce Value Bag

Free Espresso Shot at Caribou

2010-03-12T12:12:00.000-06:00

Caribou is the Official Coffee of Daylight Savings Time. At least, they think so. Either way, free is good, so check this out.

To help you get through the day, we'd like to offer you a free espresso shot (moose it) on Sunday, March 14th and Monday, March 15th, the toughest mornings of the year.

Coffee leads men to trifle away their time...

2010-03-03T21:36:00.000-06:00

"Coffee leads men to trifle away their time, scald their chops, and spend their money, all for a little base, black, thick, nasty, bitter, stinking nauseous puddle water." -The Women's Petition Against Coffee (1674) (buy the mug)

While the above may be true, it is also true that caffeine inspires even the most languid man. What woman would despise that?

Thanks to JavaJoe. He knows who he is.

The Tilted Cup

2010-02-28T17:38:00.001-06:00

The cup, tilted,
like a soldier whose energy was spent,
like a chessman whose effort was lost,
like a lover who left quickly
when breakfast was over.

Addicted to Love, Meg Ryan, Matthew Broderick, Kelly Preston

Calderito de tostar café (The cauldron for roasting coffee) by Eliades Ochoa

2010-02-16T21:03:00.002-06:00

Calderito de tostar café (The cauldron for roasting coffee) by Eliades Ochoa

Beautiful Spanish guitar, vocals.

Tribute to the Cuarteto Patria
Eliades Ochoa, vocals and guitar ; el Cuarteto Patria ; with guest artists
Note Produced by Eliades Ochoa

Recorded at Kirios (Madrid) & Egrem (Santiago de Cuba) by Clark Germain & Pedro Castro between March 1999 & January 2000

Lyrics and program notes in Spanish and English (17 p. : ill. ; 12 cm.) inserted in container

Contents

Yiri yiri bon = Yiri yiri bon (son) (5:00)
Son a la casa de la trova = A son for la casa de la trova (son) (4:59)
No quiero celos = I don't want no jealousy around (son) (4:13)
Calderito de tostar café = The cauldron for roasting coffee (son) (4:49)
Si en un final = If in the end (bolero) (3:32)
Cuando ya no me quieras = When you don't love me (bolero) (2:52)
Si sabes bailar mi son = If you know how to dance my son (son) (4:38)
Tiempo entero = Full time (bolero son) (7:13)
Por culpa de las mujeres = Blame it on the women (son) (5:59)
Que murmuren + Let them whisper (bolero) (3:08)
Me voy pá sibanicú = I'm going to sibanicú (son) (5:55)
Que sabroseao = What a feeling (guaracha) (3:49)

Hills Bros., A Drip of Unexciting Coffee

2010-02-10T12:54:00.003-06:00

Hills Bros. drip coffee. When visiting the troops around Brockeimia, my host poured me some of this. This is not the coffee you have at home. Cheap, with more aroma than taste, like its competitor, Folgers, serves one purpose: curing sleepiness.

And that it did.

Approach Your Lover With Respect

2010-01-09T06:37:00.006-06:00

Amateur love video. Approach your lover with respectful trepidation.

Coffee love, a panning look at a cup of beauty at a coffee shop bookstore... a local folk singer covers "Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay" by Otis Redding and "Blowin' In the Wind" by Bob Dylan.

Smooth Coffee, Slick Like Ice, Hot as a Radiator

2010-01-05T10:37:00.013-06:00

In the bright early morning, not all is bright. Not those attending a meeting I had at sunrise in a northern part of Brockeimia. The meeting organizers offered pastries and coffee (Papa Nicholas Coffee, a small roaster which sells throughout the midwest USA). They hoped to clear the industrious sleep, still working among those who pretended to have their eyes open.

Still drinking no caffeine, I made my choice. The sugar in a coffee cake crumble would need to do what caffeine was not there to manage.

Unadulterated by the defiling of half-and-half, I found it interesting to see the coffee so smooth, almost like the plastic display drinks in novelty shops. You know those cups filled with fake liquid which are set on their side as an office gag?

Land 'O Lakes Mini Moo's Creamers, 180 Unit Non-Dispenser Box.

Spilled Coffee Cup

Dreams of My Cappuccino

2010-01-03T10:12:00.001-06:00

In October of last year, I gave up caffeine. First, I dropped my overall coffee consumption to first thing in the morning. Then I edged down what percentage caffeinated beans I used. Finally, no coffee.

There were a variety of reasons, but good health was the most important one. Addiction is never a good thing, so I like to clear myself of it periodically.

But one Friday night, I slept. And slept. Woke up on Saturday, having given Rip Van Winkle a run for his money.

Ten hours. Three hours longer than my usual seven. The last two hours were in and out, mixed with dreams and sighs, comforted in the cool October by a thick blanket. My dreams hit all categories, including this bliss of sipping again that delicious drink, a cappuccino.

I looked around, and saw that the sky was damp with a gray reminder that summer ended. Before last night's rain, the trees in front of my place were a brilliant yellow, singing their last song of summer's glory. Now, this morning, they lay in a crumpled carpet upon the grass, solemnly giving way to a God they never knew.

My dream, though, need not end with waking to such an overcast day. I cranked up my machine, and ground my beans, frothed my milk, and pulled two shots of espresso into what you see here.

Styrofoam Cup Coffee

2009-12-27T08:20:00.000-06:00

Not all meetings provide great drip coffee. Do not offend a guest by rejecting your host's hospitality. Note, though, I only accepted a half cup.

This was at a meeting in central Brockeimia, in a bright room in a building well over 100 years old. We discussed a deal that went beyond favorably for the Brockeim household. A few papers were signed, and we both were sure we received the better end of the arrangement.

I am not a fan of coffee in Styrofoam. The environmental issue is part of it. My personal concern is that the chemicals may infuse into the hot coffee, hurting flavor and health.

Costa Rican with Love from T and E

2009-12-25T08:11:00.002-06:00

Costa Rican. Black, with raw sugar. At my favorite table where T and E, whomever they are, professed their undying love through an engraving.

Illy Coffee Bar

2009-12-21T08:08:00.002-06:00

Illy coffee bar... what I do not have at home. Espressos, and any other kind of coffee drink, are better with better beans and better equipment.

Beans on an Espresso Cup Saucer

2009-12-18T08:05:00.001-06:00

Beans on an espresso cup saucer. Tomorrow's breakfast drink.

M&Ms and Coffee

2009-12-14T20:44:00.000-06:00

M&Ms are surprisingly tasty with coffee.

Friendship Coffee

2009-12-11T20:30:00.000-06:00

Coffeehouses build friendships. Call a new friend for coffee today and see if it is true.

Klingon Coffee

2009-12-07T20:34:00.000-06:00

Star Trek's Klingon race was not famous for their coffee beans.

Bean Me Up: Sumatra and Columbia

2009-12-04T13:21:00.000-06:00

Sumatra and Columbia (whole beans), plus a triple espresso cappuccino. The book I brought along, "The Pearl Diver," I need to review for the Amazon Vine reviewer program.

Caffeine Fixes in London... A Look at Coffeeshops

2009-12-01T15:05:00.000-06:00

I have never been to London, but when I do, a few places I think I would like to stop for an espresso are found here. RedlegsinSoho describes a few of her favorites, complete with pictures.

What is your favorite cafe?

McDonald's Compromise

2009-11-28T13:15:00.001-06:00

She was that regrettable love, that love that is not love, but the sullen, dark mistake, the blackness in one's soul when desperation adheres itself in the bosom.

Most would be ashamed to have stop in this house of ill-repute, to saunter up to the bar and ask for what should never be named. Yet, I found some comfort there, as Paul Simon might confess.

A cappuccino, with hazelnut, at a McDonald's. Two bags of sugar. There are times many of us have walked where wisdom shook her head, and such have I today.

Coffee as a Vegetable

2009-11-23T20:47:00.000-06:00

Coffee, made from a bean… can it be counted as a vegetable? I eat meat, dairy, bread, with a cup of my favorite beverage, am I good?

Coffee Mug About Coffee and Books and Food (All at Once)

2009-11-19T16:29:00.002-06:00

Books are good food.
Wash them down with coffee.
Buy now

...just an ad to entice you to buy a mug so I can afford coffee...
Great Christmas gift for that coffee bookworm sort at work

Sunrise Gas Station Columbian Coffee

2009-11-19T13:19:00.000-06:00

Sunrise-time meetings 30 minutes from Brockeimia require drastic measures to be taken in order to survive. Today's coffee love comes from a gas station pot of Columbian.

Light House Roast on Checkboard

2009-11-15T13:16:00.000-06:00

In northeastern Brockeimia, in a cafe where I often dwell, I sipped of this light house roast.

When To Drink Coffee

2009-11-11T20:40:00.000-06:00

Coffee, when made in the morning, should be drank in the morning. And the evening. Come on, make some already.

Sumatra Today, Sumatra Tomorrow

2009-11-09T20:37:00.000-06:00

Nothing tastes better than the cup of Sumatra coffee in my hand right now… except tomorrow's cup.

Beans Reheated

2009-11-05T20:24:00.000-06:00

No matter how often you reheat coffee, it is never as good when it first left the carafe.

Downtown Pastry and Coffee

2009-11-02T13:06:00.000-06:00

Fresh baked wheat bread, an equally fresh apple pastry, and coffee that was not fresh enough with too much cream on a bench midtown.

Kona Blend Ensemble

2009-10-29T13:00:00.000-05:00

Kona blend with whipped cream, and unwhipped heavy cream and sugar. Late breakfast post meal drink.

Lungo Nescafe-Krups

2009-10-26T08:02:00.000-05:00

Lungo made from a single serving Nescafe-Krups device.

Morning Glory... Cup in a Cafe Window

2009-10-22T12:56:00.000-05:00

A cup at a cafe. The sun peaked over the window as I took the shot.

Beans are Seeds

2009-10-18T13:52:00.000-05:00

Coffee beans are not vegetables or fruits. They are seeds.

Bitterness

2009-10-15T13:46:00.000-05:00

Milk takes the bitterness from coffee.

Today is Take Your Mug To Work Day

2009-10-15T09:41:00.002-05:00

Randomly reading about coffee in the news this morning, I read about Carly Simon's lawsuit against Starbucks. It has something to do with poor sales of her recent album, apparently marketed exclusively at the famous coffee chain. I'm not clear on all that, as I found it on Amazon. I love that Starbucks exists, and believe it has been good for coffee culture, awareness, business and availability. I also like Carly Simon's music. Great voice, smart lyrics, and interesting music. I haven't heard the new album.

But it doesn't matter.

What does matter is much more important news (unless you are either Ms. Simon or own stock in Starbucks). Today is Bring Your Mug to Work Day. I have no idea whose idea this is but I like it. If you know the day's history, please let me know. You can post a comment on my blog, or contact me privately (it will take you to a form on my main website).

Stealing what a Facebook group dedicated to this says (for the record, I swiped their logo too)...

Take your mug to work on Thursday, October 15th, and create your own in-office coffeehouse. Start the day off with CoffeeHouse Inspirations coffee creamers to create an indulgent caramel macchiato or perhaps a rich white chocolate mocha. You won’t break the bank … you will help the planet.

I posted on the discussion board there:

Excellent idea. Working from home today myself, but always use a mug at work. Sometimes I still buy a cup somewhere. At cafes, I'll get a mug, not paper, but that wasn't an environmental decision so much as it was a preference of consumption. Only when I'm on the run do I use the paper cups. I'll need to come up with a better plan.

Today, I used a tea cup for a double espresso lungo. It is sadly now empty as I am cutting back on what had been prodigious amounts of caffeine.

It never occurred to me how much paper is wasted. Even if it is recycled paper, it is still wasteful.

Coffee lovers? Join my coffee klatch, post photos of your favorite mugs:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=53289456412

This Kind of Love

Visit Carly Simon's Amazon Music Store

Bottomless Cups of Coffee

2009-10-14T08:06:00.000-05:00

There is no such thing as a bottomless cup of coffee. What would hold the coffee in the cup?

Home Coffee Roasters: What Do You Know?

2009-10-12T11:33:00.001-05:00

In a Tweet this morning, I asked a fellow coffee fan:

@roastartist I have been thinking about a home #coffee bean roaster. Any insight?

I am relatively new to Twitter. My Twitter account is used as a mix of things related to coffee, my Amazon reviews (somewhat different than the usual lot, if you only know about me from my coffee thoughts), and my daily bits of nonsense (quips and such I write, some you also see here when they are about coffee). The connection through others is fascinating, and I am hoping to discuss coffee with other lovers of coffee.

I own an espresso machine, a French press, a Nescafe Dulce one-cup maker, a good drip maker, and a spare Mr. Coffee-style drip coffee maker. I own lots of mugs, flavors, a decent grinder, and am a student of the sport of coffee drinking. There is more I don't know.

What about coffee roasters? This is a subject I know little. I have spoken to people who own roasters at the cafe-level. While I think I learned a few things, I'm suspect what applies to a smaller scale.

Can I do as good of a job and/or save money? While my espresso machine, for example, is good, an industrial machine is simply better... mine, though, is good enough for daily use, especially balanced against cost savings? My espresso machine is a $150 one, not a $1,000 or $3,000, so I know better at home can be found. However, in the case of home wine makers, the hobby is as important to them as the product. They cannot compete with a 50 year-old bottle of Burgundy, That's not my goal. I am all about the product. I don't want to lose time and money to create an inferior bean.

What do you think?

Espresso in Process

2009-10-12T07:34:00.000-05:00

Joy... a double espresso made in a teacup.

Coffee Love per Brockeim

Starbucks® Blonde Roast Coffee Press Release

When the Going Gets Rough...

Double Shot Thursday

A-hunting we Will Go

The next DIY frontier: roasting coffee beans at home

Coffee may prevent endometrial cancer: How much does it take?

The Best Cafes

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is Ruining Coffee

Great for Everyday Espresso: Intelligentsia Coffee Black Cat- Regular, Whole Bean Blend (Misc.)

Coffee may protect against Alzheimer's disease, study finds

Coffee Tip: Espresso Pods

Overpriced Douwe-Egbert Coffee at a Not-so-lonely Table

No Java for You

Coffee Tip: Milk or Cream

Free Coffee Today at Starbucks and Caribou - Earth Day - April 22

Cafe Ballou from the Outside Not Looking In

Yin and Yang: Espresso in March, with a Drop of Cream

Coffee Joke: The Blonde and the Winnebago

5 health reasons to not quit coffee

Speedy, Adequate Espresso: review: Nescafe Dolce Gusto for Nescafe Dolce Gusto Brewers, Espresso, 16-Count Capsules (Pack of 3)

Ten Cups Worth of Simple Grinding - Toastmaster Coffee Grinder reviewed

Reclusively Drinking Starbucks in a Basement Hidden from Hundreds

Lamentations of a Future Truck Driver

Will you buy coffee from the mermaid? Does it matter what logo you drink from?

Coffee Will Not Make You Sober

A Beautiful Trio: Espresso, Croissant, Cappuccino

Coffee Cup Before Pouring

Tasty But Not Overpowering Coffee Candy, Fit for a Picnic

Mandy Patinkin - Coffee in a Cardboard Cup

Excellent Christmas Gift for Teachers, Writers and Book Readers (Who Love Coffee)

Thankful: A Cup of Coffee in a Beautiful Cup

Tryptophan Slowing You Down?

Latte Macchiato via Nescafe Dolce Gusto Single-Serve Coffee Machine

Nescafe Dolce Gusto Single-Serve Coffee Machine review: Good Coffee Drink, Hard to Find Pods

Useful Dog Tricks performed by Jesse (A Coffee Loving Jack Russell Terrier)

Coffee, Raisin Toast and Voting

Books Are Good Food Coffee FUNtainer Food Thermos

Intelligenstia and Two Old Friends Bringing Two New Friends

You Can't Afford This Coffee Maker

Good to Almost the Last Drop: A Hurried Illy Adventure

Monday Morning Kitty Needs a Cup of Coffee

Lavazza and the Big City

Afternoon Coffee is Like a Lover Leaving

Uma Thurman, A Nice Hot Drink (of Coffee)

Kitsch Commercials - Folgers Coffee #1

Kitsch Commercials - Folgers Coffee #1 video below

Lady in Waiting

No WiFi in Cafes? Bad, Good or...

Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea: My Cappuccino Review

Stale Beans No More. Coffee's Continued Popularity and Growth

What Is A World Champion Barista? Michael Phillips At Intelligentsia Wins, But Why?

Verdure After Sunrise: A View of Royalty, Coffee, and Nature

Coffee's Mysterious Benefits Mount

Patience is a Virtue

Monday Morning Bliss

A Port in a Storm: Green Mountain Coffee Keurig Machine Saves Me

Coffee is in the Clear (This Time)

Drinkable, But Hardly Perfect, Lavazza Il Perfetto Espresso 100% Arabica Coffee 8.8 oz. reviewed

Espresso in the Woods

Mugs for Sale with a Coffee-Book Lover Quote

Lido's Caffé: Great Coffee, Amazing Service As Barista Discovers a Cubano

Double Lungo and the Temptations: Espresso Coffee Love

When Is the Best Time to Drink Coffee?

Barnes and Noble & Starbucks

Empty Seat Without a Book

Locked and Loaded

Free Espresso Shot at Caribou

Coffee leads men to trifle away their time...

The Tilted Cup

Calderito de tostar café (The cauldron for roasting coffee) by Eliades Ochoa

Hills Bros., A Drip of Unexciting Coffee

Approach Your Lover With Respect

Smooth Coffee, Slick Like Ice, Hot as a Radiator

Dreams of My Cappuccino

Styrofoam Cup Coffee

Costa Rican with Love from T and E

Illy Coffee Bar

Beans on an Espresso Cup Saucer

M&Ms and Coffee

Kitsch Commercials - Folgers Coffee #1
video below