Drinking Espresso

Georges Dubceuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2009

2009-12-18T08:28:00.000-08:00

When reviewing a wine there are really only two major questions that I think need to be answered -- Would I drink this wine again? and Would I buy this wine again?

Whether the wine has hints of oak, or strawberry, or pine bark might be interesting and useful but it's still just of secondary interest.

What kind of food the wine blends well with is a question that might be an important part of the Would I drink this wine again? question.

To answer the questions about this years Beaujolais, this wine was quite drinkable and I'd certainly drink it again. At $8.99 it was decently priced but it was sufficiently unremarkable that I doubt I'd buy it again.

McDonald's coffee

2008-09-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

Product placement with Fox News

h/t aldo coffee

A new espresso machine

2008-06-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

I got a new espresso machine last year and have been using it a while so I'm finially getting around to reviewing it.

I bought a DeLonghi EC5 Steam-Driven 4-Cup Espresso and Cappuccino Maker, Black

My previous espresso maker was a Mr. Coffee ECM20-2 Steam Espresso Maker and it finially broke on me.

One of the things I have a habit of doing is forgetting to turn off the machine after use. That's just something I'm going to do (or not do). The Mr. Coffee machine gets hot if you leave it turned on, very hot. The on/off is a large knob and when it gets very hot something expands and it becomes very hard to turn. Hard enough so that I'd have to grab it with a pair of pliers and twist. Do that enough times and the knob breaks off.

It's actually the second one that broke on me so I decided to try something else this time.

With the DeLonghi I don't have that problem. I still forget to turn it off, but the switch is a simple little switch that doesn't get hot and seize up when it overheats. So when I notice that it's been on all day I just switch it off, no problem.

Also, the Mr. Coffee never made really quality coffee with creme (that tan foam on the top). The DeLonghi does make some creme -- giving a richer, higher quality cup of coffee.

Espresso: A shot of masculinity

2007-10-18T13:45:00.000-07:00

That's the title of research paper. If you're on a university computer you can probably get a copy here. Here's the abstract.

Coffee was once viewed as a masculine beverage. When coffee crossed the threshold of the home and entered the kitchen, it lost its male exclusivity. The espresso shot has not made this journey from the public to the private domain. History has shown that the home is the female center of control. Men must journey outside of that domain for control. The "third place" provides this, the classic example being the tavern. The drinks that accompany this third place are inherently masculine. Also, if modern culture maintains that strong drinks are for strong bodies, the association between espresso and men applies. As a shot of liquor is concentrated alcohol, espresso is concentrated coffee and provides an accelerated caffeine "intoxication." While coffee evolved beyond its masculine origins, the espresso shot has retained its masculinity by virtually avoiding entrance into the home and by the nature of the drink itself.

Espresso powder?

2007-10-17T04:03:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of something called espresso powder? I hadn't. But it appears to be something you can buy in a store for use in specialty cooking of some kind.

But it also says you can substitute fresh brewed espresso which, to me, just seems like the better choice.

Anything to fill up the newspaper page

2007-10-17T03:50:00.001-07:00

Here's part of a Q/A out of a story in the Arizona Republic.

Question: What does Average Joe need to know when ordering coffee?

Answer: Drip coffees should be brewed within a couple of hours of being consumed - otherwise, they start to lose their flavor and the acidity comes out. They become bitter. With espresso, what you want to make sure of is that the espresso is used immediately. You're getting a more intense flavor when steam is forced through the coffee . . . the oils emulsify and they end up at the top. It's called crema. The air bubbles (from the steam process) burst in the back of your throat, and that's what gives you that lasting taste. Blended coffees should always use fresh espresso. If they don't, you lose flavor.

The answer given is of course the answer to the question "What does the average Joe need to know when serving coffee?" It's not an answer to the question asked.

The Average Joe ordering coffee just needs to know that the idiot giving that answer is owner of a place called Over Coffee and can pretty much not be counted on to listen to you if you try to place an order. Go someplace else.

Espresso and cholesterol

2007-10-03T01:01:00.001-07:00

Cholesterol levels is one of the few health areas that hasn't fallen apart for me, I have sugar problems and blood pressure problems, but so far my cholesterol levels are okay.

But is seems that if you do have a cholesterol problem you shouldn't drink espresso without running it through a paper filter.

How much espresso?

2007-08-19T10:23:00.000-07:00

She had 14 shots. I've never really kept count, but I've probably had close to that in a day. But she did it in 4 hours. Personally I kind of have some doubts about the story -- I just don't think anybody is that compulsive that they'd actually keep count and know that they'd had exactly 14 shots.

But the lesson here seems to be to keep it down to one triple-shot per hour. Or maybe one double-shot of Premium and one double shot of decaf per hour.

Selling espresso

2007-07-31T05:01:00.000-07:00

Cowgirls espresso isn't the only one in the "scantily clothed young women selling espresso" market. The Seattle area has two new entries in the market, Hot-Chick-A-Latte and Bikini Bottoms Espresso.

Not everybody likes the idea.

Cowgirls Espresso might have some competition selling espresso on the side of the road, but the two upstarts don't have pictures on the web I can link to like Cowgirls Espresso does.

Espresso and diabetes

2007-07-31T03:27:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned before that coffee might help prevent diabetes.

It appears that coffee has fiber, good for diabetics, good for people with cholesterol problems. All in all just a good thing.

And, although instant (ugh) has the most fiber, espresso has more than standard brewed coffee.

Instant coffee contained the most -- about 1.8 grams of soluble dietary fiber per cup. Espresso had 1.5 grams of soluble dietary fiber per cup, and filtered coffee contained 1.1 grams, the study shows.

Vodka Espresso

2007-07-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

Vodka Espresso seems to be what all the cool kids are drinking these days.

And the really cool blogs can't let a post go by without some Cowgirl Espresso link bait.

Turn her on with a cup of coffee

2007-07-16T10:41:00.000-07:00

It appears that

Coffee 'boosts female sex drive'

Coffee could help boost a woman's sex drive, a US study says.
Scientists from Southwestern University found caffeine increased the female libido

in experiments with rats

Update:
Here's some more rational experimental subjects, from Cowgirl Espresso

Coffee and diabetes

2007-07-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

Drinking coffee helps cut the risk of diabetes. How cool is that?

Of course if you have diabetes things might be different, what with high blood pressure problems being a risk for diabetics.

A $40 machine

2007-06-04T13:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a review of a $40 espresso machine. All the reviews at Amazon seem to like it also.

Prices on the Las Vegas strip

2007-06-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

Typically a double espresso runs about $2. That's been my experience at most places. At almost everyplace I've run across on the Las Vegas strip it runs $3.50

Coffee Prices

2007-05-16T03:07:00.000-07:00

A cup of coffee is pushing $2 most places, and those fancy, flavored espresso drinks are running $4 or $5. So, on the surface it seems like the coffee market is booming.

Well, not if you're a coffee grower. Commodity prices of coffee beans are hitting new record lows year after year.

This has been going on for a while, due to combinations of factors. The commodity market for coffee is unregulated, dominated by few big buyers and many growers, and many source countries for coffee have unstable currencies.

It's really not clear what effect this might have on the future, there's a human cost going on which could have unpredictable political effects.

The BBC has a recent podcast on the coffee market.

The Boston Fed did a report on the international coffee market about 5 years ago which is still somewhat relevant today.

Even the Mennonites got into the act a few years ago.

Coffee Politics is a blog that keeps up with this stuff from the farmers perspective.

It's really all kind of a mess.

I first read about it when Bayesian Heresy pointed me to the BBC podcast.

Tax grabs

2007-05-14T08:29:00.000-07:00

I guess tax grabs are good things if it helps the environment.

Most java junkies polled are in agreement with a recent proposal by a Toronto city councillor to levy a 30 cents tax on every non-recycled coffee cup and food container.

Glenn De Baeremaeker said the works department proposal will be voted on by city council this fall and if passed would impose a tax on companies using non-recyclable or Styrofoam containers and other in-store packaging after a certain date.

"Millions and millions of coffee cups go in the garbage every year," he said yesterday. "I would be glad if we didn't have to tax anyone."

Sitting on a King St. E. Starbucks patio last night, Mark Nguyen said he was all for the idea as long as it isn't just a "tax grab."

"If it is a tax grab I'm against it. But if it is to help the environment, I'm all for it," said Nguyen.

Thirty cents a cup tax on coffee? Wow. Those Canadians don't fool around.

The old Huey Long story is that he says to you, "We're not going to tax me. We're not going to tax you. We're going to tax that guy over there sitting under that tree".

The way they heard the story in Canada is "We're just going to tax all you dumb sonsofbitches".

2007-05-09T17:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a blog that has some good coverage of the Barista competition I mentioned the other day. He says,

We were disappointed with the coverage during the 3-day event from both the traditional media as well as the blogs and forums and agree with suggestions from the coffee community that event organizers should consider contracting coverage to a PR firm that has experience organizing media coverage for a large, championship caliber event.

At least the Long Beach newspaper had some good coverage.

Even though she's only 24, Heather Perry is ready to retire.

The San Dimas resident can add "nation's best barista" to her resume after winning the United States Barista Championship on Monday.

She doesn't work for Cowgirl Espresso, but she has the looks for it.

Sex and Cowgirl Espresso

2007-05-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

Some of y'all may have seen this on TV a few weeks ago -- young, attractive women dressed in lingerie, bathing suits, or catholic school girl fantasy outfits, serving espresso from parking lot stands.

One recent afternoon, there was a long line of cars at the tiny, black-and-white, cow-painted Cowgirls stand in front of a Tukwila casino.

Candice Law, leaning provocatively out the drive-through window in a black bra that didn’t quite cover her shiny purple pasties, and Toni Morgan, wearing a skimpy halter top, see-through red lace panties and chaps, seemed to know every customer.

Sexy espresso stands seem to be popping up all over the Seattle area.

"If I'm going to pay $4 for a cup of coffee" said one male customer, "I'm not going to get served by a guy."

That attitude has been a boon to Cowgirls. Bowden, a former vending-machine-company owner, has acquired seven drive-through stands, with a total of 26 employees, all of them women.

Though most of the stands in the area pay minimum wage, Law said she makes more in tips than she ever did as a waitress at Hooters. One recent morning, she served 400 customers between about 6 a.m. and noon.

"Your customers freakin' adore you. Everybody's excited to see you," Law said. "You spend a few minutes with them and they leave."

Franchises are available.

Starbucks -- earnings rise, share price drop

2007-05-06T14:29:00.000-07:00

Starbucks recently announced a rise in earnings, but share prices dropped on the news. I guess they are doing well but not as well as investors expect from them.

Despite flat traffic in U.S. stores, Starbucks' aggressive global expansion helped second-quarter profit jump 18.5 percent, executives said.

In a separate announcement before the quarterly results were released Thursday, Starbucks and the Ethiopian government said they expect to complete a licensing, distribution and marketing deal with Ethiopia this month that would settle a dispute over trademarks for three coffees produced in the African nation.

Starbucks shares slipped 46 cents, or 1.45 percent, to $31.16 in early trading on Friday.

A coffee roast off

2007-05-05T22:45:00.000-07:00

One of the neat things about the internet it that it's easy to frequently scan just a whole bunch of newspapers from all over the country (all over the world for that matter). Here's a story from the Long Beach Press Telegram on a competition preaparing espresso specialty drinks

Crimson Sage did it for her in 2005, and Phuong Tran hopes Summer Eclipse will put her back on top this year.

Steve Fritzen is banking on his Adado Temple.

You wouldn't guess by the names, but Tran and Fritzen are among the dozens of coffee slingers who have come to Long Beach to claim the title of the nation's top barista.

The Specialty Coffee Association of America's 19th Annual Conference & Exhibition kicked off in the Long Beach Convention Center Friday with the United States Barista Championship. Forty-eight competitors from all over the United States will compete, with the winner being sent to Japan this summer to vie for the title of world's best.

Not all of the espresso drinks made during the competition sound so passive. There were several appropriately caffeinated names - like the Godzilla.

Competitor Alex McCracken hustled on Friday to finish his signature drink, made with honey, thyme and hot water mixed with espresso.

"I don't really have a fancy name for it," the St. Louis resident said.

Fancy names or no, many drinks made at the competition can't be found in your typical coffeehouse. Many are too labor-intensive, and can't be affordably made in mass quantities.

However, several baristas this year promised to make efforts to bring their fancy drinks to local coffeehouses.

See the article for more details.

I Love Coffee

2007-05-04T20:36:00.000-07:00

Click right here for a book review of I Love Coffee!: Over 100 Easy and Delicious Coffee Drinks and
and the book Small Bites, Big Nights: Seductive Little Plates for Intimate Occasions and Lavish Parties

Espresso Brownies

2007-04-23T06:21:00.000-07:00

A recipe for Espresso Brownies

Some cups

2007-04-22T06:44:00.000-07:00

Here's some double handled espresso cups and some handmade espresso cups.

Cookbook additions

2007-04-22T06:42:00.000-07:00

I've added Triple Chocolate Espresso Cookies and Cowboy Steak with Coffee and Chili Rub to the CookBook

A hattip to a commenter at ChowHound for the Cowboy Steak pointer.

A high end espresso machine

2007-04-22T06:33:00.000-07:00

This is an espresso machine that costs more than I usually pay for a car (I tend to buy old used cars).

Hat tip to Uber Review.