Monday, May 21, 2007


"Man was put here to glorify God.

...

Then, to drink chai."


- Ancient Proverb

Thursday, May 17, 2007



Old Dead Quote
This Month's Quote From A Dead Guy

“Wheat in a barn is better than chaff in a church. - Just so. A few poor saints in the meanest room excel all the unconverted nobility and gentry of the district when assembled in the most magnificent cathedral.”

-Charles Spurgeon, The Salt-Cellars

Tuesday, May 08, 2007


Talking The Talk
Coffee-Lingo

Here's the scenario: you walk into a NY coffee shop and the girl in front of you steps up to the counter to order and says, "I'll have an extra hot doppio non-fat americano."

You feel a little uneasy as you wonder if you'll be able to get a regular coffee or end up with watery foam that you accidentally ordered last time.

Your palms begin to moisten, you feel hot and flushed as you make your way to the counter. A cheery girl with black-framed glasses smiles at you and asks, "What can I get for you today?"

You nervously reply "I- I'll have a tall medium-roast."

You squeeze your eyes shut and grimace waiting for the reaction.

"Sure, that's $1.22."

Yeah! You did it. Congratulations: You have made the first step in breaking through the "coffee lingo barrier."

You are not alone in your difficulty with ordering. Coffee has come a long way since the 9th Century. It is the second most-traded commodity (next to oil). Coffee production is expected to rise from 6.7 million tonnes in 2000 to 7 million tonnes by 2010.

Here's a little list to help you familiarize yourself with the basics of coffee lingo, so the next time you step into the coffeehouse, you can sound like a Barista as you say, "I'll have an Espresso can Panna, heavy on the nutmeg, and give it wings."

Americano - a shot or two of espresso that's poured into a glass and filled with water. One of the strongest coffees available.

Barista - A person who makes coffee drinks as a profession. It is respected job in Italy.

Breve - Cappuccino made with light cream.

Cafe Creme - A velvety smooth coffee, brewed fresh from the bean which results in a thick moussy crema ( crema is not cream, it's actually an indication of their freshness of the bean, see below).

Cafe Latte - A shot of coffee, filled with steamed milk, and topped with milk foam.

Cafe Mocha - Chocolate syrup (or hot chocolate in some cases), topped with espresso, steamed milk, whipped cream, and chocolate sprinkles.

Cappuccino - One-third espresso, one-third steamed milk, and one third frothed milk on top to contain the warmth.

Chiaro - An espresso drink prepared "clear" by adding more milk.

Crema - The tan foam that forms when you brew espresso. Crema makes a "cap" which helps keep flavours and aroma of the espresso within the cup.

Demitasse - A French term that means 'half cup'. Also refers to a small coffee cup.

Doppio - A double shot of espresso.

Double Dry Short - A double shot of espresso in a short (small) cup with no foam.

Dry - No foam.

Espresso - A one-ounce shot of rich black coffee made and served immediately. It is created by pumping hot water through fine espresso grounds at about nine atmospheres of pressure.

Espresso Lungo - A shot that is pulled long for a bit of extra espresso, produces a more bitter flavour not more caffeine.

Espresso Macchiato - Espresso with a minimal amount of steamed milk on top.

Espresso can Panna - A shot of coffee topped with whipped cream.

Froth or Foam - Milk which has been made thick and foamy by steaming it.

A "Harmless" - A double shot of decaffeinated coffee and non-fat milk.

Quad - An espresso drink with four shots of coffee.

Ristretto - The strongest and most concentrated espresso drink. Made with half the amount of water, but same amount of coffee as a regular espresso.