COFFEE NEWS

Americano:

A coffee made with two shots of espresso and hot water.

Breve:
A latte made with half-and-half (heart attack city, but Yum!)

Cappuccino:
A drink made with espresso and equal parts steamed milk and thick foam. It has a stronger espresso flavor than a latte.

Chai:
A coffee alternative (Gasp!), premium Tazo black tea mixed with exotic spices, steamed milk and honey.

Con Panna:
Italian for “with whipped cream”

Creme:
At Starbucks, it refers to a coffee-free beverage, such as Vanilla Bean Frappuccino blended cream.

Demitasse:
French for “half cup” - it’s the little cup used to serve espresso.

Doppio:
Italian for “double,” but used only when referring to a two-shot espresso (One orders a doppio espresso con panna, but a double latte.)

Double:
Two shots of espresso in a drink.

Dry:
More foam, less milk.

Espresso:
Coffee’s purest, sweetest, most intense form.

For-Here Cup:
A cermic cup for enjoying your drink in the store.

Grande:
Starbucks second-largest beverage size, 16 fl oz.

Half-Caf:
One shot of regular and one shot of decaf.

Latte:
A drink made with espresso and steamed milk, with a thin layer of foam on the top.

Light:
Less of something in a drink, such as “light syrup” or “light whip”

Macchiato:
Italian for “marked” or “stained.” For example, the Starbucks Carmel Macchiato.

Misto:
Italian for “mixed.” A combination of drip coffee and steamed milk.

Mocha:
A drink made with espresso, chocolate and steamed milk.

Personal Cup:
A reusable cup you bring to the store.

Quad:
Four shots of espresso in a drink.

Ristretto:
A short pull of espresso, capturing only the sweetest part.

Shaken:
Icea tea or coffee mixed with ice in a shaker for a bright refreshing flavor.

Short:
Starbucks smallest beverage size, 8 fl oz.

Single:
One shot of espresso in a drink.

Skinny:
Made with nonfat milk.

Solo:
One shot of espresso by itself (old school!).

Tall:
Starbucks regular beverage size, 12 fl oz.

To-Go Cup:
The white paper cup used for coffee to go. This is the default cup that is used for an order unless you specify otherwise.

Triple:
Three shots of espresso in a drink.

Unleaded:
Decaffeinated.

Valencia:
An orange syrup.

Venti:
Starbucks largest beverage size - 20 fl oz. for hot drinks, 24 fl oz. for cold.

Wet:
More milk, less foam.

Whip:
Short for whipped cream.

With Legs:
To go.

With Room:
Space to add milk in a drink, usually an americano or brewed coffee.

Forget about samovars. They are as unfamiliar in today’s Moscow as an espresso machine on the stage in Anton Chekhov’s plays.
      Coffee is gradually replacing tea in the Russian capital with an increasing number of cafés belonging to several chains. While salaries are going up in the country, people can spare a few roubles for a latte or a cappuccino, which cost EUR 3-5 per cup in trendy cafés.
      Compared with last year, the Russians’ disposable income increased by 10 per cent over the first quarter of the current year. Moreover, the trend is expected to continue.
     
Starbucks, the leading international coffee and coffeehouse chain, primarily based in Seattle in the USA, opened its first coffee shop in Moscow last autumn.
      Prior to Starbuck’s long-awaited entry into Russia, competitors including local brands such as Kofe Haus, Shokoladnitsa, and Coffee Bean, the first Moscow coffee chain, had already surfaced in the Russian capital. Today they are all present on Tverskaya Street, the most exclusive shopping thoroughfare in downtown Moscow.
     
”This is the first time for us to visit this café”, said students Anastasija Bures, 19, and Anna Torohova, 18.
      ”But we go to a coffee shop every day after lectures”, adds Torohova.
      The young men who are studying at the same institute as the ladies knew that this Coffee Bean shop is a good place, which is why they invited Bures and Torohova there, too.
      At Coffee Bean, one can buy a cup of coffee and a slice of cheesecake for less than ten euros.
      ”This café has democratic prices”, notes Anna Torohova, meaning that the prices are reasonable.
      Kirill Milkus, aged 18, regards the prices in Moscow cafés as on the pricy side, but this prompts a torrent of protests among the other students at the table.
      These second-year students would also be willing to work in order to afford sitting in cafés. They say that it is customary that third-year students work while studying.
      ”Many students work in banks”, says Anna Torohova.
      ”If you take daytime courses, you can work in the evenings, while those who choose evening classes can work in the daytime”, explains Nikita Mullin, aged 18.
      At Coffee Bean one can hang out only until 11:00 p.m., while some cafés are open around the clock.
     
Once the samovars have been forgotten, get used to this: The Coffee Bean clientele includes even grown-ups in addition to youths. A couple of men in their 50s are sitting down at a table. One of them has a cup of espresso while the other has a glass of fresh carrot juice.
      The Swedish Wayne’s Coffee also launched a pilot café in Moscow in 2006. The chain is now looking for partners with an objective of opening 15 to 20 new coffee shop outlets in both St. Petersburg and Moscow in the next 3 to 5 years.
      In addition to the coffee shop invasion, there are also some early signs of a health food boom on the horizon.
      On the other hand, ”a latte to go” is a concept that has not yet spread widely in Moscow, which is why it is possible to have good coffee in pleasant surroundings and with friendly service, but rarely any fast service.
     
However, some people say that it is coming and it’s only a matter of time: the Muscovites are quick to learn new ways of consumption, while the metropolis itself is always on the go.

Source:
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Moscow+is+pampering+coffee-drinkers+with+several+caf%C3%A9+chains+/1135236508702

Grounds for a coffee war?
You’d think that Starbucks, the too cool for school home of Double Vente Whatchamaccinos, has very little in common with fast food flogger McDonalds. When it comes to coffee, McD’s claim to fame (or infamy) has been that multi-million lawsuit filed over a scalding hot McJava. No longer - McCafé is here to save the day!

Clean & classy… and not a clown in sight!
Well, not exactly “here”… just a couple hundred of the world’s 1,300 McCafé’s are in the USA with the rest concentrated in Australia, New Zealand and since last summer, Japan. The Anzacs love ‘em - a decade after McDonalds launched the brand in Melbourne in 1993, the upscale chain became the largest coffee shop brand in both AU and NZ.

Japan may follow suit - check out this line-up of nearly 1,200 people waiting to get into the newly opened McCafé in Yebisu Garden Place, Tokyo! Those at the front of the line were standing for up to 2 hours before the doors swung open.

Japanese McCafés will retain the quaint coffee shop atmosphere refined down under and will offer customers healthy soups and sandwiches along with the usual slate of coffees, lattes & ‘ccinos. Prices are generally cheaper than rival Starbucks with drip coffee and espresso starting at 170 yen (about $1.60) a cuppa. This has got to be a thorn in the side of the Seattle giant, coming off a troubling year with reduced profits and increased criticism of their business model.

Are they sleepless in Seattle?
Is this an opportunity McDonalds should be exploiting? Perhaps - though in the US, the burger behemoth has to fight a half-century of ingrained public perceptions in addition to a down but far from out Starbucks. Overseas things are a little different - at McCafé, the coffee’s hot but it’s the competition who’s getting burnt!

Editor- Franke Coffee Systems is installing their superautomatic espresso equipment in 8,000 American McDonalds stores over the course of this year.  The coffee used is roasted by Distant Lands Coffee Roasters out of Renton Washington and Tyler Texas.  The coffee consists of a low grade of Colombian coffee as well some Indonesian beans. Their coffee is roasted by roaster operators who work for an hourly salary of $7.50 to operate antique Jabez Burns Thermalo roasters.  Despite Franke Coffee Systems advice, McDonalds insists on scortching and curdling it’s milk based drinks by frothing milk at 170 degrees F.  They claim that the customers want their drinks “hot” and cannot be reasoned with.  Stryrofoam cups covered in decorative paper as well as the Distant Lands “swill” are just a few more of their problems. 

Source:
http://inventorspot.com/articles/coffee_clash_look_out_starbucks_here_comes_mccaf_13262

So California company OnTech spent 7 years and 24 million bucks to develop a coffee can filled with quicklime so that you can have a hot latte in seven minutes. Its market: “the people who want to have hot coffee in their car without going anywhere or cooking anything at home” says OnTech Prez Jonathan Weisz.

“I’m not trying to replace your dinner, but when you’re on your way to work and you need some oatmeal and you can’t get to the microwave, we will be there for you,” “This is going to be a huge, huge part of society in the United States. In two years everyone will be drinking from self-heating containers.”

and throwing them out their windows. How do you recyle this? How do you justify this? How do we tell everyone to boycott Wolfgang Puck until he pulls his name off this? Will all the eco-celebs boycott Spago?

Source:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/05/wolfgang_puck_d_1.php

Face it: not everyone is capable of stunning latte art, but that doesn’t have to stop us from having a bit of fun with our frothy beverages. We spotted these stainless steel cappuccino stencils on GadgetCandy and were immediately intrigued. Just set the disc atop your latte or cappuccino and sprinkle with cocoa, cinnamon, or another coffee topper for a quick decoration.

Despite the cheesy clip-art design, we rather liked the idea of a quick way to fancy up our milky coffee drinks, so we Googled around and found these slightly more classy designs as well as this set of six stencils packaged in a round tin. Clearly the Brits are ahead of us on the coffee stencil front, because most of these links are to sites in the UK; you can find a few U.S. distributors listed on MySimon.

Those who prefer an American-style cup of joe (or tea) can get arty with a Stamp Mug. The pricey ($59) vessel turns your java sloshes into lovely floral watermarks on your desk or papers. It would be a great way to give yourself and your coworkers something attractive to look at without, you know, actually cleaning.

Source:

http://www.cnet.com/8301-13553_1-9762650-32.html?tag=bl

Starbucks has been on a downward slide for years quality-wise, exchanging solid product for McD’s-style viral growth, ubiquity and speed. Since it’s not enough that their subpar coffee is on every corner in NY, they’ve decided to invade every room too, with a new automated vending machine co-produced with Pepsi that churns out your favorite poorly crafted “roasted coffee, various lattes, and hot cocoa.”

In truth, it’s not a far cry from the automatic espresso machines that reside on baristas’ counters in Sbux already, so the decision to go full-blown automaton was probably an easy one, despite Howard Schtulz’s handwringing last month—over none other than the “commoditization” of the brand. Gee Howard, what do you think a ‘Bucks vending machine in every office will do to the brand? (Not to mention the coffee. Yech.) What do you guys brew with?

Source:

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/coffee/starbucks-vending-machines-suck-more-soul-out-of-espresso-246894.php

 

If you’ve got some spare change laying around and want a super stylish espresso maker, check out the Achille Gaggia Espresso Maker ($1,318). This lever-controlled contraption lets you infuse the ground espresso into the filter and then extract the flavor from the grounds with simple movements. A dial gauge provides boiler temperature and pressure information, and an included turbo frothing wand lets you whip up a latte with ease.

Source:

http://www.uncrate.com/men/home/kitchen/achille-gaggia-espresso-maker/

Mt. Hope High School senior Susanna Jackson, an employee of The Coffee Depot in Warren, said she drinks a cup of coffee almost everyday, a routine she’s had for three years, since she was 14.

“When I first started working here I would drink, like, three [cups],” Ms. Jackson said. “I’d stay up until 3 a.m., doing homework, then after school I would take a nap and come back to work. It was a continuous cycle. I don’t drink a lot anymore.”

Coffee is easily one of the more popular drinks for the adult population, but more recently the caffeinated drink has seen a boost among the younger population. According to a recent National Coffee Association survey, coffee consumption among people 18 to 24 years old rose to 26 percent, up 4 percent from 2004. Locally, the younger java drinkers have been seen filling coffee houses and coffee shop drive-through lanes.

Mt. Hope High School Senior Kayla Murgo said she started drinking coffee about three years ago when she was 14, and said she likes how the drink offers a pick-me-up. She said she enjoys going to the coffee house to socialize and do homework; while she’s there she usually picks up her favorite drink: An iced vanilla latte.

“It tastes good and wakes me up,” Ms. Murgo said. “If I’m tired I drink a cup of coffee and I’m awake again.”

They like it sweet

Coffee distributors in town said high school students have become regulars in the morning rush for caffeine. The lone difference from most of the adult consumers: How they take it.

“[High school students] are in here all the time,” Dunkin’ Donuts employee Liz Pereira said. “A lot of them order espressos … medium, extra [sugar], extra [cream] and iced coffees.”

Sara Cobb, an employee at Sip ‘n Dip, said the students come in and order the same thing there.

“They usually drink the iced coffee extra [cream] extra [sugar],” Ms. Cobb said. “Sometimes they come before school and some usually after school.”

Ms. Pereira said students are always in the store in the morning. She added that a middle school bus stop is nearby and sometimes they will come in and order hot chocolates and sometimes even coffee.

“There are not too many [high school students] in the afternoon,” Ms. Pereira said. “Mostly in the morning. A lot [come in] in the morning. Sometimes they’re even younger than high school.”

Ms. Murgo and Ms. Jackson said when they first started to drink coffee they would load the cup with extra cream and extra sugar, because they didn’t like the bitter taste of coffee.

“The iced coffee is like a milkshake,” Ms. Jackson said. “It’s sweet coffee.”

However, now the girls enjoy the taste and sometimes even drink it black.

“I don’t use cream anymore,” Ms. Jackson said.

Ms. Murgo said she also cut back on the cream and sugar, but added most of her friends still use it.

“It’s more like a sugar high than a caffeine high,” Ms. Murgo said. “I don’t use sugar at all anymore. A lot of my friends drink the ice coffee with extra cream and extra sugar.”

Not allowed

Although the kids are stocking up on coffee in the morning before school, they’re guzzling it down before they can go inside, school policy doesn’t allow outside drinks indoors.

According to the Mt. Hope Student handbook on page 39, it states: “Only unflavored water is allowed outside of the cafeteria.” (Mt. Hope High School administration did not return any phone calls made by the Warren Times-Gazette on the subject.)

Ms. Murgo said students are asked to dispose of drinks when they come into the school. She said they are not allowed to bring them in and said there’s a garbage can at the entrance where kids usually throw away their coffee cups.

Ms. Murgo said that before the no drink policy was installed, a class actually began selling coffee as an experiment in the school lunchroom.

“Everyone bought it,” Ms. Murgo said. “They had to shut it down because no one was buying lunch.”

According to school nurse Ellen Estrella there could be adverse affects to students if they drink too much coffee.

“[Effects] would probably be the same as you and me,” Ms. Estrella said. “[They would be] jittery if they had too much, headaches when they don’t have it. Too much caffeine and your heart races. They probably feel caffeine makes them stay awake.”

Ms. Murgo said occasionally a cup of coffee will make her shake.

“I just shake if I don’t eat a lot before [a cup],” Ms. Murgo said.

Ms. Jackson said she quit the habit for a little while and when she began again she could feel the affects of the caffeine.

“I gave up drinking it this summer,” Ms. Jackson said. “Then I had one and I was talking like a mile a minute and shaking.”

The girls said although they may have some reactions to a cup, they don’t plan on quitting the habit anytime soon. They said they will continue going to the coffee houses to pick up one of their favorite drinks and to work on their homework.

“We come here for socializing,” Ms. Murgo said. “We get our homework done here, more so than at home.”

 

What’s in your cup?

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, many people are unaware of what’s brewing in their cup o’ joe. Here’s a look at some of the facts according to the CSPI:

* Average brewed 8 oz. cup of coffee: 135mg of caffeine

* Coffee grande (16 oz.) at Starbucks: 550mg of caffeine

* Coffee tall (12 oz.) at Starbucks: 375mg of caffeine

* Maxwell House 8 oz.cup: 110mg of caffeine

* Average instant 8 oz. cup of coffee: 95mg of caffeine

* Decaffeinated 8 oz. cup of coffee: 5mg of caffeine

* Tea 8 oz., leaf or bag: 50mg of caffeine

 

The CSPI also reported the following:

* “The average American adult consumes about 200 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day … As little as 200 mg of caffeine is enough to make some people feel nervous and anxious.”

* “Coffee accounts for about 3/4 of the caffeine we consume. Tea makes up about 15 percent, soft drinks about 10 percent, and chocolate about two percent.”

* “Smokers remove caffeine from their blood twice as fast as nonsmokers. That may be why smokers tend to drink more coffee.”

* “Within 30 to 60 minutes of drinking a cup of coffee, caffeine reaches peak concentrations in the bloodstream. It typically takes four to six hours for its effects to wear off.”

* “Caffeine can delay the onset of sleep. It can also interfere with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the stage when people dream.”

Source:

http://www.eastbayri.com/story/291367634622438.php

Starbucks, the nation’s largest coffee-shop chain, continued its rapid expansion Tuesday, opening its newest location in the men’s room of an existing Starbucks.

“Coffee lovers just can’t stand being far from their favorite Starbucks gourmet blends,” said Chris Tuttle, Starbucks vice-president of franchising. “Now, people can enjoy a delicious Frappuccino or espresso just about any time they please, even while defecating.”

The new men’s-room-based Starbucks, the coffee giant’s 1,531st U.S. location, will be open to both men and women when not “in use.” In addition to offering specialty coffees from around the world, it will serve freshly baked pastries, Italian pannini sandwiches and soups, as well as the rest room’s usual selection of toilet paper and soap.

“This is a great addition,” said Jonathan Connolly, a Boston-area banker who tried out the new Starbucks Tuesday. “I was enjoying my usual triple mocha latté in the main Starbucks, and I had to go to the bathroom, where three people were in line to use the stalls. The wait might have been a problem, but, to my great pleasure, there was another Starbucks right there, ready to serve me more delicious coffee. And the baristas were helpful and courteous.”

Connolly added that after he finished drinking his coffee and using the bathroom, he stayed for a poetry reading near the urinals.

“I was a little bit worried about the new restaurant cutting into our business,” said Dave Grobelkowski, manager of the original Starbucks. “But the only people going there are ones who have already purchased items from us anyway. And if we run out of stirrers or cream, we can just go to the bathroom and borrow some.”

According to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, the new location represents the beginning of a long-term expansion plan.

“Eventually, Starbucks rest rooms everywhere will sell coffee,” Schultz said. “But that ambitious scheme is at least five years down the road. In the meantime, we plan to open an additional location in this Starbucks’ ladies’ room within months, and are already drafting plans for a fourth restaurant along the corridor leading from the main seating area to the rest rooms. At some point a ‘Star-bucks Express’ window will eventually open in the walk-in closet of the men’s room Starbucks.”

“Drink our coffee,” Schultz said. “Drink it.”

Source:

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29030