Attn:: All Concerned Parties

Starbucks will be closing Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at five thirty for all retraining of Barista’s.

Exciting isn’t it. Well perhaps that could be debated. But undebatable is how daring this move is on the part of Howard Schultz it just another example of the care and concern he has for this company. The praise he and the company have gotten about being honest with their mistakes and desire to “bring it back to the basics” was noted.

One so called “mistake” was the breakfast sandwiches. And there does not seem to be a whole lot of complaint about their absences. Perhaps it is just a lack of awareness but with only fifteen members on the official Save the Breakfast Sandwich site the impact on Starbucks goers doesn’t seem ginormous.

Anyway, don’t plan on ordering your usual Starbucks drink Tuesday night and you can forget about the breakfast sandwiches in future.

My favorite Original Combinations

No way! You can order things of your own creation?

Okay so working at Starbucks has allowed me to experience drinks beyond my original triple grande latte. And I thought I’d share.

Hint for ordering new items at Starbucks. Often if you tell your barista you’d like to try something new, but don’t want to waste four dollars on an experiment drink, they’ll be more than happy to make your original if you hate your concoction.

So next time you have some time to hang out at your favorite Starbucks try one of these fabulous drinks.

1) The Passion Tea Lemonade with Juicy Raspberry instead of the classic syrup

2) A Strawberry’s and Cream with two pumps White Mocha. It really makes it taste like a strawberry milkshake.

3) Next weeks premiering Honey latte, it’s really good, and to modify it try adding Cinnamon Dolce flavoring.

Coffee Addicts and Coffee Snobs are NOT the Same Thing…

You’re an addict when…

-Instant coffee is sufficent
-Your hand writing is so jittery it resembles your 92 year old grandmother’s
-The half a dozen travel mugs in your car aren’t an accumulation of weeks but rather days
-There are multiple brands of coffee in your cabinet (hopefully not your freezer)
-You’ll drink it hot, cold, ten days old…just as long as you get it now
-Your friends know your mugs and your corresponding mood
-The best Christmas present you received was an enlarged car cup holder (for your over sized mug)
-You can’t think strait
-And walking becomes a hazardous cantor
-Your not too concerned about Starbuck’s national closing Tuesday, February 26, at 5:30 pm; there is always JoeMugs


While on the other hand those who inevitable fall into the “snob” qualification would gladly place themselves there to avoid the first catastrophe.

Snobbish behaviors incorporate:

- A single provider of coffee (be it Starbucks or other)
- A personal drink always ordered with a lengthy list of details
- An fervent repulsion to any thought of instant coffee
- All friends know your preference and order accordingly
- Or are to overwhelmed to attempt it
- When you have your coffee is as important as how
- Believes coffee is an experience, not just a way to support their caffeine addiction
- Would never admit to an addiction, but rather claim it as a life style
- Would be greatly disturbed to hear that their favorite coffee company is closing at a random time
- Would most defiantly be sure to stop by before if necessary

One triple short one pump toffee nut Espresso con Panna

I must admit that while I love coffee it can be limited in options and kind of boring. But if you are looking for a quick fix, I’ve found the perfect drink.

Actually it’s more like a swallow. Yes, it is strong, and has a major kick.

What it is:

Three shots of espresso with a little bit of toffee nut flavoring (any flavor can be added, I just like toffee nut personally) topped with a beautiful swirl of whipped cream.

Reminder:

Do not drink in combination with any other form of caffeine unless adequate tolerance has been built up.

Statement or Standard?

So with Starbucks’ up and comming jump to AT&T I inevitably started thinking about the
i-Phone. Up until recently I was very content with my Waffer, though not as pleased with my server, but that’s another story. Then I beheld the i-Phone.

No way, I want one of those! (my first reaction) Then repulsion hit me like a brick wall. Ugh. Every teen in America within the next five years will have an i-Phone, and if not, will be begging and drooling for one.

They are really cool though.

But do I want to be apart of that culture crazy that constantly wants the next newest and hottest item?

Just think about the name for two seconds; “i” pod, “i” phone, “i” everything is what our culture is screaming at us, and yet we passively allow ourselves the pleasure (it is fun) of falling for that amazing and glorious new piece of technological gadgetry, such as the i- Phone.

Brewers Coffee Company

I just discovered the cutest and most original café in Fort Myers (at least so far). Tucked away behind Jason’s Deli off Cypress Lake Drive, Brewers Coffee Company, has made my top ten. Don’t get me wrong, I still love Black Hawk.

Brewers is light and airy, with a very clean and bright feeling (the numerous windows help). There are lots of tables, a cozy corner nook, and a variety of coffee choices with breakfast/lunch spread. Free internet, which is a must in my book, is provided.

What totally sold me (surprise surprise) was their ice cubes! My usually bland Wendnesday was turned around when I ordered an iced latte. I usually order less ice so that it doesn’t get watery. Well, when I received my “less ice” latte I was surprised to find beneath my whipped cream, cubes of frozen coffee! Who would have thought…

Happy Valentines Day!!!

One of my favorite sites surprised me with an early Valentines Day post. Of course with all the amazing ideas you’d need a few days’ heads up to organize them. One of my favorites, and one I’m thinking about executing, is the coffee paring idea.

“If you're in charge of the dinner plans that evening and you decide
you're staying in, try your hand at coffee pairing… If you have a french press
or vacuum press, make sure to utilize it; the ensuing coffee will hold flavors
that otherwise would have been left behind. Also note that it's always safer to
pair coffee with desserts then with non-desserts, so unless you're feeling
confident don't do coffee and dinner (experiment with pairing at a time of less
pressure).”

Valentines Day is a chocolaty, sweet, flavorful, romantic day that vast numbers of people attempt to make unique and special for that one “someone” in there life. A perfect pairing then, I think, for this romantic holiday would be Café Verona. This Columbian blend of rich dark roasted coffee has a slight coco-ish flavor. Granted it’s hard to distinguish if you’ve never done a coffee tasting before, but trust me on this one. Interestingly the reason this blend has a subtle coco taste is because when shipped, the coffee and coco beans often get mixed together on accident (coffee and coco beans look very similar before roasting). Therefore, as you might have guessed, Café Verona pairs excellently with chocolate. So this Valentines Day perhaps try your hand at a coffee pairing, there will be piles of chocolate handy!

How To:

After brewing for four minutes in a French press, take a small sample, fist swirl and smell, next taste, finally sample your chosen pairing, and try the coffee again. Note how it changes the flavor of the coffee and sample. Enjoy!

Finnnalllly!!!

Admittedly I very rarely “hang out” at Starbucks when my study buddy is my computer. Mostly this is because of the outrageous prices for internet access. But according to the Associated Press this is about to change. It never made sense to me, despite the fact that I love Starbucks Coffee and Tea and even work there, to pay for my internet connection. There are a bazillion little coffee shops in every neighborhood willing and able to offer you free access in exchange for your business. It always seemed greedy to me of Starbucks to make you pay $10 an hour (or something close) for access. Granted this did, in my mind, cause a distinct and marked difference between quaint neighborhood café’s, and the Starbuck weed (I say that with the utmost affection). But Starbuck finally seems to be catching on. As of this spring the switch will be made from T-Mobile to AT&T who will be offering a mixture of two hours free internet access with the use of a Starbucks card followed by a $3.99 charge per hour after that. AT&T customers will get automatic access. So I guess now I will have no reason to leave work.

Cultural Pairing

Culture. In the definitions I read on Dictionary.com it seemed to generally be in the context of cultivating society and oneself in the arts. With this understanding, what comes to my mind when I think of a “coffee culture” is a group or society that is fundamentally in pursuit of a better understanding of the art of espresso, and coffee brewing.

One element of this coffee culture that I am so fascinated with is coffee paring. When you take different blends of coffee and strategically combine them with your favorite desert, fruit, nut, and cheese anything that is hinted at in the coffee itself.

As a culture that is looking to extract the most from its coffee experience, there is a great deal to be said of the coffee life style, and what it typically pairs with.

How about a good book for instance? A classic like Jane Eyre or a more recently published book such as The Kite Runner; either of these would provide the perfect accomplice to a quiet afternoon with a cup of your favorite brew or espresso drink.

Music too is an inevitable pairing. My most recent purchase from i-tunes was Jack Johnson’s newest album Sleeping Through the Static. I love Jack Johnson. For me it’s the culmination of the Relaxation!

As Film is such a great part of our culture it naturally touches the realm of very sub culture. Any genre, depending on your taste can add to this cultivation of the coffee culture.

But anything really can go with coffee. As long as what ever you choose does not interfere with your perception of what that espresso drink represents to you, you have the gist.

Music, Books, Coffee, Art, Time, People these are the things that make up a culture. But every individual has to create their own culture out of combinations of these. We are all circles, and its when these touch, and mix that our cultures change ever so slightly to accommodated one another. And thus, no two coffee pairings are ever exactly alike.

AeroPress

Okay so let’s forget brewing coffee with a drip machine, and French Presses, and Espresso makers; what’s left? Nothing. Or at lest so I thought until recently.

Originally, the pictures were the only thing that saved Tim Wendelboe’s blog and relating web site from being lost forever in the marches of past links that I had trumped through, till today when I was searching for something new. I was caught by the title of his most recent post the first unofficial aeropress champion is and decided to navigate deeper into this AeroPress device.



Apparently, there is more than three ways (mentioned above) to extract that tantalizing and often addicting juice from its beans.


This new thingamabob extravaganza was designed by Alan Adler a mechanical engineer at Stanford University. Unfortunately for Mr. Adler, as I was perusing the website for his handy-dandy new fangled contraption, the tone it took on didn’t set well with me. I felt like I was reading the script for the Home Shopping Channels advertisement of the AeroPress. The page itself was boring, and the pictures corny. Mr. Wendelboe’s pictures were much more appealing.

But what I can’t figure out is the Norwegian Tim Wendelboe, and how he is connected with AeroPress. His Blog seems to be centered on this little machine. However, a lot of his comments are geared toward coffee roasting and creating his own blends. I suppose this will just require more digging and maybe a few lessons in Norwegian.

Until then, I suppose I should hold off any judgments of him, or this little machine till I’ve tried it at least.

Every Nasty Detail

After a casual conversation on calorie in take (more specifically “foofooy” coffee’s), this wasn’t he blog I wanted to run across on my nightly jaunts through my most frequented coffee blogs.

Brewed Coffee perused a topic I would have never ventured to begin. And though he did leave me hanging, once you start mite as well get every gross detail, I looked up all the calorie equivalencies for myself.

Mayo Clinic is very informational:

Coffee “extras”
(serving size 1 tablespoon)

Cream: Fat-6 Carbs-0 Calories-52

Half-and-Half: Fat-2 Carbs- 0 Calories- 20

Plain Nondairy Creamer: Fat-1.5 Carbs-2 Calories-20
(liquid)

Whole Milk: Fat- .5 Carbs-1 Calories-9

Fat Free Milk: Fat-0 Carbs-1 Calories-5

Sugar: Fat-0 Carbs-12 Calories-48


Starbucks Café Latte
Espresso (16 oz.)

Made with Whole Milk: Fat-14 Carbs-21 Calories-260

Made with Fat-Free: Fat-0 Carbs-24 Calories-160


Initially I didn’t want to get into all the artificial sweeteners but where is the fun in that.


Artificial Sweetener

Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal): ADI-50 mg per kg Equivalent-18-19 cans of diet cola

Saccharine (Sweet’n’Low, SugarTwin): ADI-5 mg per kg Equivalent- 9-12 packs of sweetener

Acesulfame K: ADI-15 mg per kg Equivalent-30-32 cans diet lemon-line soda

Sucralose (Splenda): ADI-5 mg per kg Equivalent-6 cans diet cola

*Acceptable Daily Intake


So there you have it all the nasty sticky ins and outs of it.

Bean Juice!

With every different ways to extract that aroma-rific scent dubbed coffee, there are inevitable those who are helplessly addicted. To those I give you Hoops and Yo-yo’s Coffee Jitters

Hopefully, you’ll appreciate it as much as I did.

Quick, Quick! Recovery Coupon!

For me life starts relatively similar every morning. Arrive at work at 4:45. Brew iced coffee, followed by regular and decaf. Open both espresso bars, and cold bar. Stock everything. Don a head set. 5:30 we open. A few people trickle in. Then the mad rush occurs.

In a recent New York Times article it was noted that

“Mr. Schultz faces a difficult task: He has to slow down the company to make
stores feel more like hip neighborhood coffeehouses while also delivering the
steady growth that investors have come to expect from Starbucks.”

Unfortunately the ebb and flow of a society aren’t in Mr. Schultz’s hands.

So can a cozy neighborhood café keep up with the high speed demands of our culture?
Honestly, customers, when they walk in and see a full café, or a backed-up drive-thru, understand and expect a little wait. It shouldn’t and doesn’t affect their café experience.

While human error has to be accounted for in any kind of customer service transaction, and I’m not excusing sloppiness on the part of any barista; those who make more than three drinks a minute will know that it is not uncommon to mix up drink orders, hand the wrong order through the window, accidentally use breeve instead of soy, or visa versa. Though these mix ups may be the result of a busy morning, in my opinion it is often the only effects that are felt by the customers.

Black Hawk Cafe

Comfy couches, high topped tables, and large windows all add to the quaintness of my favorite local café. With a “Free Internet!” sing screaming out to customers across the front doors. The atmosphere presents itself as a great place to hang out, get some work done, or set up a business meeting. Two large flat screen TV’s broadcast CNN in closed caption, while the radio plays acoustic version’s of all the most popular songs. Seating provided out side is a great place for a breath of fresh air, though almost always the tables are inhabited by smokers. And their baristas are fairly good for the most part, and know what their doing; thought on a couple occasions I’ve gotten a latte with a bad shot, but that can happen to the best of them. Though small, and often times crowded, this hip little café is a great place to sink into an over size chair and get lost on the internet, while sipping your favorite flavored latte.

The Way I See It #274

According to Katy Croff, as posted on the back of a Starbucks cup “The Way I See It #274” (let me know if you ever find #1) she says:

“People often ask me if it is worth it to work at sea , isolated from the world,
far from one’s loved ones, seasick, and running on three hours’ of sleep. To lay
eyes on something never before seen by anyone, to learn something new about our
plane, for that one moment of discovery—yes, its all worth it.”

Kathy is an Archaeological oceanographer and National Geographic Emerging Explorer, but when I first read her confession I thought of the life of any great writer/thinker/academic.


Its been said that no man is an island unto himself, yet without getting into anything philosophical, it is often on those lonely islands that the greatest thinkers have emerged. And I would agree with Kathy, in that as a critical thinker, when you stumble upon a great thought or idea, the results are worth the time and effort put in to it.