Canada's Cafe Chronicles

Starbucks Canada Struggles to Keep Up with its U.S. Counterpart

2012-01-30T17:11:00.000-08:00

Yet another coffee-related story in Thursday's The Globe and
Mail: This time it was about higher coffee costs in Canada as opposed to the United States. It seems that President of Starbucks Canada Colin Moore is struggling with lower profit margins in almost every facet of his business. Higher costs for everything from milk (a key ingredient in lattes) higher shipping prices (which result from moving supplies across the vast Canadian terrain) to higher wages paid to employees as a result of increased minimum wages and benefits that must be paid to Canadians.

"There is quite a difference in margins in different parts of the geographies for us around the world," Mr. Moore told The Globe and Mail last Wednesday. "Specific to Canada, there are differences in the cost structure, not the least of which is the cost of dairy in Canada versus the cost of dairy in the U.S. Canadians pay one of the highest prices in the world for milk and cheese."

Mr. Moore is making every effort to increase efficiencies in his cafes by striving to increase the number of customers that move through the check-out lines and adding more products to the menu, products such as the single-brew K-Cups and the milder coffee known as the Blonde brew.

With operations in more than 55 countries, Starbucks is contending with an operating profit that is approximately 18 per cent, compared to 20 per cent or more in the United States. In an effort to improve performance, Starbucks is now reporting its financial results separately for the Americas region (the United States and Canada), the high-growth China and Asian Pacific region and the under-performing Europe, Middle East, Russia and Africa regions (EMEA). Prior to this time, Starbucks was organized into just two divisions: Starbucks U.S. and Starbucks Coffee International.

The new organizational structure "will enable us to accelerate our global growth strategy," according to chief financial officer Troy Alstead. Separating the EMEA region will allow the company to concentrate on that region, which is also hampered by higher operating costs, large distances, and a divergent cultural composition. In the EMEA, profit margins are in the single digits.

While in the United States Starbucks has a deal with U.S. giant Target Corp. to operate the store's cafes, the same arrangement will not necessarily apply in Canada. Nevertheless, Mr. Moore said he welcomes discussions with the company.

"We're trying to get our product everywhere we can for the Canadian consumers," he said.

An Average Cup of Joe: French Press Can't Work Miracles with Stale Coffee

2012-01-26T07:43:00.000-08:00

Having had a nap for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon, I
found myself unable to sleep as the night wore on. For awhile I occupied myself by talking with friends on the telephone and watching television with the sound off and the stereo playing in the background. This is an arrangement that seems most satisfactory to me, and is a practice that I am continually perfecting. Most of the time I will also make sure that I have a cup of tea close at hand. But as the night advanced I decided to change tactics and prepare some coffee, with the help of the French Press that has been covered in detail in this blog the last few months.

Having run out of anything close to fresh coffee, I finally opened a can of Nabob coffee that I purchased a couple of months ago from the grocery store. This coffee was of course completely stale as it had been not only roasted, but ground as well, having released a goodly amount of carbon dioxide and undergoing oxidation. Once roasted, coffee will not last much more than a couple of weeks before it begins to get stale as the coffee is robbed of its natural oils, essentially drying out.

How do you know you are drinking stale coffee? According to www.rudybaggs.com, bitterness is the most common characteristic of stale coffee. This is why so many purveyors of coffee served by the cup will opt for weaker coffee rather than strong, while others will offer a variety of other coffee-based beverages in addition to a simple cup of coffee.

Still, I was not without hope. I was curious as to how the French Press would fare with stale coffee. Could it somehow make the coffee a worthy drinking experience?

It turned out that the result was only fair. The coffee was undeniably bitter, and needed liberal amounts of milk and sugar to make it palatable. This was no great loss: I usually drink my coffee this way. Nevertheless, I find myself missing freshly-roasted and ground coffee.

Yes, it may soon be time to make the trip down to Port Credit and pay a visit to Destination Cafe again. The sooner the better, as far as I'm concerned...

Caffeine Therapy for Premature Babies Safe and Effective: Study

2012-01-22T13:08:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, The Globe and Mail did a write-up about a new report that examines the role of caffeine in the treatment of premature babies. The results of the ongoing study find that caffeine is safe and effective in the treatment of apnea and helps to lower the risk of cerebral palsy and other motor-function disabilities.

Since the 1970s, caffeine has been used to treat apnea -- sporadic arrests in breathing -- that affect premature babies. High doses of caffeine, the equivalent of between four to six cups a day, are administered to premature babies in a practice that continues to this day. In the past, this treatment was believed to protect children against cognitive disabilities up to the time they were 18 months of age.

By the 1990s, concerns were being raised about the safety of the treatment. Animal studies led researchers to believe that caffeine might be toxic for developing brains, leading some to believe that a short-term problem was being solved at the expense of longer-term ones.

The findings to date dispel this concern. Although the study finds that by the time the children were five years of age there was no difference in intelligence between children given caffeine and those who were not, it supports the continued use of caffeine in babies born prematurely. There is a significant improvement in children given the caffeine therapy in the earlier stages, both in terms of apnea and motor function disabilities.

"There is no other drug that we give in the neonatal unit that has ever been shown to have any benefits on any aspect of neurodevelopment up to five years," says Dr Barbara Schmidt, principal investigator for the study.

Gift Basket Delivers All Manner of Christmas Goodies

2011-12-26T21:25:00.000-08:00

Destination Cafe's gift baskets arrived on Saturday afternoon (Christmas Eve). Linda D., the cafe's business coordinator, delivered the two baskets (one for myself, one for my sister) with a smile and a Merry Christmas.

It didn't take long before I broke open the contents and investigated further. Sure enough, there was about a half pound of Peruvian coffee, freshly roasted and ground. This coffee is also fair trade and organically grown. Immediately I set about the task of making myself a cup.

While I was in the midst of doing so, my neighbor dropped by for a visit, representing the perfect opportunity for an unbiased opinion! My neighbor loves coffee, so I was full of promises for a special treat.

While boiling the water, I added about four heaping tablespoons of fresh Peruvian coffee to the bottom of the French Press. This coffee was coarsely ground to ensure that there were no coffee grounds in the coffee cup. Once the water was boiled, I poured the water into the press until it was about four-fifths full, which would allow room for the basket to be inserted later at the end of the process.

Stirring the water and coffee together occasionally, I allowed the coffee three minutes to work its magic and finish the brewing process. I then inserted the filtre and cover, pushing down on the metal stem attaching the two together so that the basket in turn pushed the coffee grounds down to the bottom of the Press.

Then came the fun part: drinking the coffee. It was absolutely delicious; my neighbor was as enthusiastic about the results as I. So there we were: drinking coffee and feasting on chocolate goodies that came with the gift basket. All in all, a very pleasant experience, and one well worth the $25.00 price tag.

So as the day waned and night advanced on Christmas Boxing Day, I decided to treat myself once again to some relaxing times with a good cup of coffee, also deciding to publish another post on the joys of good coffee. tea, chocolate (and even the occasional pop). Coffee of course remains the dominant theme in these Chronicles, but you would be surprised what posts get the most hits. Two of the biggest views come from a post I did on the Kola nut earlier this year, while the other is an analysis of Kirkland Signature Diet Green Tea. The Kola post in particular gets a lot of hits.

So as 2011 draws to a close I hope everyone who reads this blog will discover the joys of the little things in life; the small comforts that make living so much easier, whether it be a good book, a good song on the radio, good friends and of course good food and drink.

Have a healthy and enjoyable new year everyone!

Cafe's Gift Baskets A Holiday Tradition New to the Chronicler

2011-12-20T06:54:00.000-08:00

With the help of Peruvian coffee (the last of the batch Destination Cafe gave me in September), I have had a wakeful and fairly productive night. Early this morning, I received an e-mail from my boss Shirley H. containing detailed information about their holiday gift baskets. These baskets come in various sizes and range in price from $20.00 to about $40.00. These gift baskets have become a holiday tradition at Destination Cafe, which has been in business for more than five years now. Every year, I think about purchasing one of these products to try at home. Every year, something else takes priority. But now the time has finally come for me to sample what Destination Cafe has to offer.

So it was that I e-mailed the cafe early this morning before dawn detailing my desire to purchase two of the more moderately-priced gift baskets for $25.00 each. I asked the folks at the cafe to make sure that the coffee in one of the baskets was ground for a French Press, the other to be ground for use by a regular coffee maker (I plan to present my sister with that gift basket for Christmas). Because I don't drive, I also asked that the packages be delivered to my home at a mutually-agreeable time. Needless to say, I promise to keep readers posted about how the delivery process progresses over the next few days.

Readers can purchase their own gift baskets (the Corporate version of which is comparable to the one pictured above) by e-mailing the cafe with their orders at service@destinationcafe.ca or by calling Destination Cafe at (905)486-0148. In the e-mail sent to me, the cafe promises local delivery before Christmas if you act soon and live in the Mississauga area. Look for more Holiday posts reviewing the gift baskets from this site soon!

Superior Coffee Taste: The French Press Revisited

2011-12-20T02:05:00.000-08:00

Around midnight I decided to put to use the French Press that my boss at Destination Cafe, Shirley H., lent to me back in September. I have definitely decided to place one on my wish list for Christmas. If Christmas fails to deliver, by the time New Year has come and gone I will be shopping around for some deals. Whatever the outcome, I promise to keep readers posted on my progress.

As chance would have it, I had just enough of the Peruvian coffee that came from Destination Cafe back in the fall; enough for a couple of cups of good, bold coffee. It is of course quite stale by now. But given the fact that most of the over-the-counter coffee sold to consumers is in exactly that condition, I was not particularly disturbed by that fact.

I have by now become quite accustomed to using the Press for my coffee. It has yet to supplant my usual diet of tea, but it has become so superior to ordinary coffee purchased outside that I no longer need to make an excuse to prepare coffee at home. In general, I would say that the coffee I am now drinking at home is better than anything I can get outside.

I like my coffee hot and sweet, with milk or cream. Preparing the coffee tonight, I particularly noted the presence of the foam on top of the liquid as I poured it into the cup, a characteristic that has never failed to manifest itself. It indicated to me a rich texture that tonight in particular was reminiscent of good cocoa! (This was no doubt due to the liberal amount of sugar I introduced to the beverage.)

I will be curious about whether the type of French Press I end up purchasing will be capable of providing me the taste experience I am getting on a regular basis right now. For instance, do French Presses made of glass produce coffee inferior to those made of metal? One thing is for sure: To drink coffee like this on a regular basis is worth whatever money I end up spending in the search for my very own French Press.

Coffee, the French Press and a Friend

2011-12-02T10:03:00.000-08:00

This morning a neighbor of mine dropped by for a cup of coffee and -- since we both smoke -- a couple of cigarettes. I have been looking forward to this date since last night, when I first proposed it to her. I have been wracking my brains for the past several days for something to post about the French Press that was lent to me by Destination Cafe in September. This was only my third or fourth time I have used the press at home. Outside, however, I almost always drink coffee -- usually with a liberal amount of cream and sugar.

Spooning in the coffee into the empty French Press, I used up almost the last grains of the Peruvian coffee, meting out more of the coffee than I had in the past. The result turned out to be a bold, powerful coffee that I found quite acceptable -- though perhaps without the nuances experienced earlier on when the coffee was fresher.

Preparing the coffee for my friend and myself, I purposely used less milk and sugar than was usually my custom, desiring to see how coffee that was undeniably stale but prepared with the French Press would compare with coffee prepared using a conventional coffee maker. Drinking the coffee, my friend remarked on it being bitter (something I did not discern) and went back for more milk and sugar. As for me, I found the brew more than acceptable, providing a morning boost that I hope will see me through to the end of the day.

Another Stellar French Press Experience

2011-11-15T15:16:00.000-08:00

Had occasion to use the French Press again today. The fact that I am running low on Peruvian coffee gave me some concern, but I decided to throw caution to the winds and make another batch. The French Press that Destination Cafe lent me makes about two and a half cups of coffee (two and a half mugs, that is), so it really is something that can be enjoyed by at most two people at a time. Nevertheless, the coffee produced is so pleasurable that I am finding I am using less milk and sugar to mask the taste of the beverage.

The coffee itself is strong, but without the bitterness that is so frequently a part of the taste experience. It is interesting that so simple a device as a French Press can deliver great coffee at a cost that pays for itself over time. I will definitely have to shop around and see what I can acquire at a reasonable price.

I have also been very fortunate in that the coffee grind I have been using has not seeped into the coffee cup itself from which I am drinking. Evidently the metal filtre in the French Press is able to keep those nasty grounds where they belong: at the bottom of the Press.

The only immediate downside to all of this is that I had to purchase some more coffee today. The coffee I chose to buy was Nabob (none of that fancy fair trade, organic coffee for me, I'm sorry to say). Being on a rather strict budget, I need to purchase the commercially more competitive brands. I am not happy with this arrangement, but it's the best that I can do at the moment.

French Press Lives Up To Its Lofty Reputation

2011-11-01T06:26:00.000-07:00

Finally managed to make it down to Destination Cafe last Thursday. Got there around two o'clock in the afternoon, just in time for the Thursday Drop-In, an occasion during which people can drop by and have some coffee and chat awhile. I was one of the last to arrive, and I was fortunate: There was one chair left in the crowded room located upstairs from the cafe. Being a relative stranger to the drop-in, I found myself becoming the centre of attention for a while. One or two people were interested in the fact that I had written a novel; I was asked what it was about, which publishers had I sent it to and so on. During this time, I met a number of friendly people, even exchanging phone numbers with one of them.

After the Drop-In, I went downstairs to Destination Cafe itself to borrow the French Press my boss Shirley had offered to lend me; Rob D. the day manager showed me how to use it.

So in due course, after having pulled off another one of my all-night bouts of wakefulness, I have finally gotten around to trying out the French Press for the first time. Following Rob's instructions, I spooned about four heaping tablespoons of roasted and ground coffee into the bottom of the press, adding boiling water to the mix until it was about four fifths full. Then I let it steep for about three minutes, occasionally stirring. Once the three minutes had elapsed, I pushed the filtre as far down as it would go into the press and covered it with the lid, which was attached to the filtre. Then I poured the coffee into my favorite mug, which already had milk and sugar in it.

I was somewhat concerned that there would be a lot of coffee grounds in my coffee cup; I was using Peruvian coffee taken from the batch acquired while I was at Destination Cafe in September, so it was more finely ground than what Rob had recommended (he had told me that the coffee should have a coarse grind when it was being used in the French Press). My fears were groundless, however, no pun intended. The coffee was smooth and balanced on the palate, having a complex presence that more than compensated me for the time I took to prepare it.

I have almost finished the first cup of coffee now. There seems to be a complete lack of bitterness in the coffee. All in all, a delightful experience, and one that stands out as one of the best coffee experiences I have had the good fortune to enjoy.

Peru's Coffee a Relative Newcomer to Coffee Scene

2011-10-18T23:43:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago I brought home some freshly-roasted and ground Peruvian coffee from Destination Cafe, the coffee-shop that sponsors this blog. I have been enjoying the coffee off and on for some time now, finding that it seems to reveal new characteristics with every new cup. Finding it so rewarding, I have decided to delve a little deeper into Peru's coffee industry to perhaps discover what makes this particular coffee variety so special.

According to coffee.wikia.com, the coffee industry is one of Peru's most important agricultural exports. In 2004, coffee represented approximately 12 per cent of the total agricultural export revenue for Peru, making the country one of the largest producers of coffee. In 2006, for example, Peru exported 216 million kilograms of coffee to other countries. Currently, Peru is the ninth largest producer of coffee in the world, and the third largest producer of of coffee in South America, after Brazil and Columbia.

Around 200,000 farms grow what are (apparently) exclusively Arabica coffee beans in Peru. These farms are mainly small in size, averaging less than five acres each. Once harvested, the coffee is processed by way of cooperatives and then distributed by way of a few intermediaries before being sold for export.

The coffee industry in Peru did not really take off until the twentieth century. As late as 1922, coffee commentator William Ukers noted in his book All About Coffee the fact that Peru lacked a substantial coffee industry in spite of its possessing the perfect climate and soil for it. By the 1990s, Peru's coffee industry had become an important source for coffee to the world, replacing cocoa farming in that country as a principal export. During the recent fall in coffee prices, cocoa staged a return in Peru as a money-making crop, bringing in as much as 10 times what coffee did on the world market. Coffee growing in Peru takes place throughout the country, in both the north and south. The well-known Andes Gold Fair Trade coffee is grown on the northwestern slopes of the Andes Mountains, while coffee grown in the central region (Chanchamayo) is highly valued as well.

According to expressocoffeeguide.com, a good Peruvian coffee is "gentle, aromatic and flavorful with a mild acidity."

Note: For additional information on Peru and the coffee industry, see some of my earlier posts, written several years ago. Happy coffee drinking!

Dinner at the Pickle Barrel: Good Food, Lousy Coffee

2011-10-07T02:03:00.001-07:00

Last week being my birthday my Mom invited me out for an early dinner at a local restaurant near the hospital that I had to visit for medical appointments. The place we chose is called the Pickle Barrel. We arrived just before the dinner rush had ensued; as a result the restaurant was not particularly busy and the service fairly relaxed and prompt.

It being relatively early in the day I was not especially hungry, so being in the mood for something sweet, I ordered a brownie sundae and some coffee, while my Mom chose to order the smoked meat platter, which features a generous amount of smoked meat wedged between two slices of rye.

As we chatted about this and that and ate our meal, I surveyed my surroundings. Gleaming chrome fixtures dominated the establishment, and the place was both clean and airy. Indeed there was nothing to complain about, except (alas) for the coffee, which was quite anemic, tasting more like coffee-flavoured water than anything else. I pondered this sad state of affairs while I downed the coffee. Were the owners of the Pickle Barrel trying to cut down on coffee costs by watering the beverage down? Or were they trying to imitate the success of Tim Horton's, which are past masters at the art of serving watery coffee? I have no answers to these questions. Maybe the lack of robust coffee was an oversight, maybe not. Whatever the answer, it seems clear to me that the Pickle Barrel's oversight is a reflection of an industry-wide problem. We tend to take coffee for granted in this country (and I include the United States as well). As long as it is hot and wet and mildly stimulating it has served its purpose, according to current wisdom.

I suspect that the Pickle Barrel -- being the typical business venture that it probably is -- needs to cut costs wherever possible in order to maximize profits.

Post Script: I have yet to purchase a French Press for my home, which, if its reputation is accurate is a far superior way to prepare coffee. My boss, Shirley H., kindly offered to lend me a French Press from Destination Cafe, but I have yet to make it down to Port Credit to pick it up. Things have been getting busier at work lately; I have had to work late hours and on weekends in order to accommodate my clients, who being at work during the day, are only available after hours. This is regrettable, but I can see no easy solution at the moment. But I hope that one day soon I will be able to post another blog or two on the French Press: What it is, how it works and the calibre of the coffee it produces. I will definitely keep you posted.

Peruvian Coffee Makes the Trip to Cafe Worthwhile

2011-09-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

Last week I attended a staff meeting for those working for Destination Cafe. It was a great opportunity to meet with those whom I have never met before as well as seeing some familiar faces. The meeting itself was largely concerned with housekeeping details of a confidential variety, but was conducted in a spirit that was both positive and welcoming. My supervisor, Shirley H., led the meeting. The mood at the meeting was quite relaxed; almost everyone had something to contribute.

After lunch, I had a chance to chat with Rob D., the day manager of Destination Cafe. While I was talking with him, I had the opportunity to bring up an issue that has long been on my mind, one that has to do with the proper way of preparing coffee once it has been roasted and ground. In an earlier post, I mentioned that most coffee makers do not get the water sufficiently hot for optimum results. Rob recommended that I purchase a French Press, which involves using boiling water that is poured into the top. He said that they range in price from $100 (for a metal French Press) to glass ones that cost around $20. I will be definitely purchasing one in the near future and promise to post the results on this blog.

Staff at Destination Cafe also very kindly provided me with some freshly roasted and ground Peruvian coffee which I sampled shortly after I returned home that day. The coffee turned out to be a robust, complex blend that was well worth the trip to Destination Cafe to obtain it. Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to sample the coffee since then. I don't drink coffee at home for the most part, being more of an inveterate tea drinker. As a result of this, I'm afraid the coffee has become stale since then.

Personally, I believe that the Peruvian coffee that I received from Destination Cafe will still be superior to most of the coffee purchased over the counter. I have long maintained that coffee and tea drinking remains a subjective experience; tastes differ, after all. Granted, an experienced barista will probably argue this point. But in a world dominated by those who frequent Tim Horton's for their coffee, how could things be otherwise?

Random Notes From A Late Night Tea Drinker

2011-09-11T04:29:00.000-07:00

I think this post is something of a first for me. According to my computer clock, it is now precisely 3:44 AM on a Sunday morning. Never before in my memory have I attempted to write coherently a blog destined for this web site in the wee hours of the morning; long before dawn arrives and well after the time most people have retired for the night. What has given me the confidence to attempt this unprecedented exercise is the tall cup of Tetley Orange Pekoe tea that I have to the left of me and the knowledge that I have a busy couple of days ahead (no rest for the wicked, I guess.)

Don't get me wrong. I think coffee is a wonderful drink from both a cultural and gastronomic point of view, but to me there is no matching a simple, well-prepared cup of tea. Granted, what constitutes a "well-prepared" cup of tea may vary with individual taste. But assuming that the criteria are met and the tea is to your satisfaction, how can one find fault with it? Its surpassing versatility makes it ideal for not only early morning but as a nightcap too. It is a drink that is stimulating, but in a way that is more subtle than is the case with the average cup of coffee. Its mild, unassuming taste is appropriate to almost every social occasion.

So here I am drinking tea and writing a blog about it. What could be more delightful an occupation for a very early Sunday morning?

Note: I have been invited to attend a staff meeting at Destination Cafe this Monday, where lunch (and hopefully coffee) will be provided. If all goes well, and my supervisor agrees, I will post another blog and report back to you. At the very least I hope to obtain some freshly roasted coffee to take back home and enjoy for myself, sharing the experience with my readers in the only way I know how: By writing about it.

Remember, dear readers, that coffee really needs to be freshly roasted and drunk within a few days for the beverage to truly live up to its potential. Anything other than freshly roasted coffee is second rate. That is the unfortunate reality. But is there really a difference, or is it a taste that can only be savoured by a true connoisseur? These are all questions that can ultimately only be decided by the individual themselves, but I will try and help point the way in future posts.

An Assortment of Trivia for the Coffee Curious

2011-09-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

More interesting factoids lifted from Gourmet-Coffee-Zone.com: In Japan, there exist over 10,000 coffee cafes in just Tokyo alone. These cafes are called "Kissaten" by their denizens. Japan is the third-highest consumer of coffee in the world, according to this site, after the United States and Brazil.

Brazil is the largest producer of coffee in the world today. Much of this coffee is not eco-friendly, however, and is produced in large commercial operations. In 2006, 44 million bags of coffee were harvested from four billion coffee trees. Twenty-seven million bags were exported to other countries for trade.

An acre of coffee trees can produce on average as much as 10,000 pounds of coffee cherries. Each cherry from this acre of trees contains two coffee beans, yielding approximately 2000 pounds of beans after processing, and 400 pounds of coffee beans after roasting.

Generally regarded as the largest retail coffee chain in the world, Starbucks actually sells more milk by volume than coffee. Some believe that the reason for this rests upon Starbucks' reputation for producing strong, bold, dark roasted coffee, reflecting a customer tendency to tone down the perhaps "over-roasted" coffee.

In the 1950s, the average price of coffee in North America was ten cents, with some places still selling it at five cents. And that included refills. In the 1650s, a cup of coffee could be had in England for a penny, leading some to refer to the coffee shops prevalent in that day as "penny universities."

Web Site Serves Up Catchy Coffee Facts for Readers

2011-08-13T15:08:00.000-07:00

The following coffee facts were taken from Gourmet-Coffee-Zone.com: As recently as 2007, Starbucks has been raising the price of coffee, particularly to cover the costs of dairy products. The average cup of straight coffee at Starbucks costs a little over two dollars a cup, while lattes are priced at a little over four dollars. According to Gourmet Coffee, if you want to order a latte with extra foam or cream, you'll easily pay five dollars or more. The rise in prices has not deterred consumers, however. According to a study by the National Coffee Association, gourmet coffee consumption rose by three per cent in 2007 over the year before, while daily coffee consumption in general fell by two per cent during the same period. The NCA estimated that specialty coffee revenue in 2006 to be a whopping $12.2 billion. Seventy-five per cent of these sales took place in cafes and with coffee beverage retailers.

Johann Sebastian Bach composed a cantata about coffee between 1732 and 1734. At the time, coffee had been a popular drink in Europe for hundreds of years, while coffee houses were a frequent meeting place, including Leipzig, Germany, where Bach lived at the time. According to Gourmet-Coffee-Zone.com, the musical composition in question was more of "satirical comedy" and relates the tale of coffee addiction, considered to be a serious problem in society at the time.

The first wholesale coffee roasting company in America opened its doors in 1790. The same year the first advertisement for coffee in a newspaper was published.

The well-known and popular latte in coffee circles is considered to be an American phenomenon. If you ask for a latte in Italy, you'll get a glass of milk (often warm milk). If you want a latte as it is known in America, you need to ask for a caffe latte (coffee with milk).

The first coffee filtre was created in 1908 by Melitta Benz, a housewife in Dresden, Germany. She used a blotting paper to create the first filtre. The same year, she and her husband, Hugo Bentz, started the Melitta Bentz company, a name synonymous with coffee filtres to this day.

According to legend, a cup of Maxwell House coffee was served to President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907, who declared the coffee to be "good to the last drop." Later, in 1926, the Cheek-Neal Coffee company, which at the time owned the rights to Maxwell House, registered the Presidential remark as a trade mark slogan, a slogan that continues to this very day.

I will be posting more interesting trivia from Gourmet-Coffee-Zone.com in the next blog.

Signature Blend Delivers a Quality that Endures

2011-07-28T08:55:00.000-07:00

Having pulled yet another one of my well-known all-nighters last night I have decided to stay up for the day and retire early tonight. I have to work on Saturday with a long-standing client of mine and have some appointments tomorrow (Friday) that I very much want to keep, not to mention some laundry that I am planning on doing this morning. So I decided that now would finally be the time that I sampled some coffee that I had almost completely forgotten about. The coffee in question had been lying dormant in the back of my freezer for at least a year now. It was given to me the last time I visited Destination Cafe, a time that seems ages ago. The coffee might even be two years old now (it seems to me that I got the coffee from then-day manager Jeff Taylor, who passed away at far too young an age in 2009.

A biodegradable brown paper bag held more than 300 grams of none-too-fresh Signature coffee, a blend unique to Destination Cafe. (The blend in question is a mixture of Peruvian, Ethiopian and Sumatran coffee -- the exact proportions of each are a trade secret.) Nevertheless, I was not unduly alarmed. Having become inured to drinking coffee that is neither freshly roasted or ground, I decided that I would give it a try. (Waste not, want not, say I.) Taking an empty can of Nabob that as I recall held yet another batch of Destination Cafe coffee, I carefully poured the contents of the bag into it, managing a minimum of spillage. Then I took out a clean tablespoon and proceeded to add three well-rounded helpings of the blend to my aging Black and Decker coffee maker. Then came the water, clean and cold and fresh from the tap. My coffeemaker tends to produce a little less coffee than the amount of water I pour into it warrants, so I added a half cup more of water, just in case.

I like my coffee with milk and sugar. Stirring a large mug filled to the brim with coffee, I carefully observed the colour and general look of the coffee, finding it more than acceptable. Filled with anticipation, I took the coffee over to the computer and began to write this post. The coffee in question is very smooth, quite mild in fact. It lacks the boldness and complex presence of truly fresh coffee, but compares extremely well with over-the-counter brands that I am accustomed to drinking. Not bad for a coffee that is at least a year old and has been sitting in the freezer ever since!

Link Between Caffeine and Fertility Unclear

2011-07-25T19:24:00.000-07:00

For many women, cutting down on caffeine when trying to get pregnant is something that is done as a matter of course. Doctors routinely tell expectant mothers to cut down on their caffeine intake. According to About.com, The March of Dimes recommends that mothers-to-be cut down on their caffeine to no more than 200 mg per day. But what is the actual connection between caffeine and getting pregnant?

According to one website called UptoDate (a trusted reference source for doctors and patients) approximately 20 per cent of adult Americans consume more than 300 mg of caffeine per day. Some studies have reported that large amounts of caffeine usage (greater than 300 mg per day) is associated with a modest but still significant decrease in fertility. Other studies have found no effect. The web site goes on to say that the "mechanism by which caffeine consumption affects fertility is unclear." Some studies have found a link between caffeine consumption and such things as estrogen production and tubal factor infertility. The study in question concludes by saying "There is no strong evidence that caffeine consumption by the male partner influences fertility."

There are other issues to consider as well, according to About.com. So far the current research is unclear as to whether it is the caffeine that is the culprit (if indeed it is) or whether there are some other factors at work. For example, many women who drink a lot of caffeine tend also to drink alcohol and may smoke as well. Also, no one is quite sure whether it is the caffeine in coffee, tea or soda or some other ingredient that is at work.

All this may be of little help to those wishing to get pregnant. My best recommendation is that if you are having difficulty conceiving, cutting down on caffeine may help. And if you are already pregnant, cutting down or eliminating caffeine may be the best option.

Tight Supplies Not Deterring Growth of Coffee Shops

2011-06-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

The following post contains more information about the Reuters report on rising coffee futures and its impact on the coffee industry: Last Saturday, we discussed how fierce competition in many mature markets has managed to keep prices for coffee down in spite of rising costs. Nevertheless, there is no such thing as a free lunch: someone has to pay, sooner or later. In this case, it is the coffee roasters that have suffered the worst drop in revenue. To cite one example: Germany's largest coffee roaster Tchibo said last month that surging coffee costs are likely to cut its profits this year.

The Reuters story goes on at some length to discuss how tight supplies have driven the cost of arabica coffee on the International Coffee Exchange to the highest level in 34 years earlier this month, peaking to a record high of $3.089 per pound. It has since fallen slightly to around $2.68 a pound but remains at double the level traded a year ago. Coffee supplies have struggled to keep pace with demand, with a number of key coffee-producing countries reporting smaller crops.

All this is not deterring many large retail coffee chains from embarking on their expansion plans in many countries around the world. Teddy Esteve, Chief Executive Officer of ECOM Coffee, a trading and processing house based in Mexico City, does not expect high coffee prices to stall the growth in coffee house chains. "I don't think the prices of coffee have an impact on the growth of coffee shops," he told Reuters earlier this month. "Those that plan on growing will not stop because of a momentary blip in coffee prices."

Surge in Cost Fails to Dampen Demand for Coffee

2011-06-25T17:13:00.000-07:00

One of the more newsworthy events in coffee's recent history has been the more than doubling of the cost of coffee in the past year and how that increase in cost has not led to a decline in the demand for coffee worldwide. Global coffee consumption rose 2.4 per cent in the past year. And that trend is expected to continue, according to the International Coffee Organization.

"There's no impact (from high prices) in terms of a reduction in demand. Demand is still very dynamic," ICO Chief Economist Denis Seudieu said to the Reuters News Agency earlier this month.

"We base our estimates on what's happened in the last 10 years and the average growth is 2.5 per cent per annum. We think that trend will continue."

According to one German trader, "rising futures are largely being absorbed by roasters because retailers will not accept price rises." There exists already in most mature markets fierce competition between retailers that tends to keep prices for coffee down, according to the news story.

Scandinavian countries are the world's top coffee drinkers on a per capita basis, with Finland (not Norway, as was previously reported on this site) leading the pack. The United States and Brazil are the worlds biggest coffee consumers, in absolute terms.

Coffee remains big business. China and India in particular are seen as being responsible for the ongoing increase in worldwide coffee demand. Starbucks is planning to more than triple the number of its cafes in mainland China from 450 currently to 1,500 by 2015. In India, the rise in coffee costs has failed to deter customers wishing to buy it, although some companies have begun using the cheaper robusta coffee instead of the arabica variety in some of their blends.

Coffee and Computers Indispensible to Each Other

2011-06-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

In the middle of pulling another all-nighter today. Is now well into the morning, close to the time when the businesses will be open for the day. Looks like another beautiful day today; the sun is out and there is a fresh breeze in the air.

Have been struggling with my computer of late. Time to buy a new one. The one I have is over five years old and seems to be on its last legs. It is very slow and unresponsive and gives a number of error messages from time to time. All this is seriously impeding my computer time: To compensate for it I find myself drinking a good deal of Rockstar (and lately a drink called Monster) Energy Drinks. This morning I switched to coffee, something I haven't done lately but is something to which I have been looking forward. I found an unopened bag of finely ground coffee in the freezer a few days back and have been curious as to its taste. The result was not bad, though a bit watery (must have added too much water to the coffee maker).

All this caffeine has made me exceptionally ambitious; I decided to brave the perils of my ailing computer and post a note on the Chronicles. By the time I post another, I will have (I hope) purchased another computer and completed setting it up. The amount of time involved will be doubtless considerable, but it will be worth it.

So as June 2011 comes to a beginning I close a chapter of sorts on the Cafe Chronicles. One hundred and seventy-seven blogs have been written on this computer, a computer that has served its purpose extremely well, in my opinion. May the new computer turn out to be as productive and time-saving as the old one has been in its day.

Coffee and Addiction More Closely Linked: Study

2011-05-22T17:46:00.000-07:00

How many times have you heard somebody start the morning with the words "I need my morning cup of coffee" or words to that effect? Most of us have long known that coffee is more than just a morning pick-me-up; it involves meeting a need that is beyond just the merely psychological.

A few years back there was an article in the Seattle Times' web site about coffee addiction. The Times pointed to a study by a team of researchers at John Hopkins University who conducted "the most comprehensive review and analysis of the effects of caffeine abstinence to date." Researchers assessed the results of 66 previous studies and found that missing your morning cup of coffee can lead to fatigue, irritability, nausea and muscle pain. Results of the study lends credence to the idea of caffeine addiction, and could lead to inclusion of the disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM for short.

"We need to recognize that caffeine really is a drug and accord it respect as a drug," said Roland Griffiths, professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at John Hopkins. "People need to know what it (caffeine) does when they take it and what it does when they cease to take it and make an adult decision about that."

This was not good news for the National Coffee Association, which hastened to place its own positive spin on the story. Joseph DeRupo, a spokesman for the NCA, noted that the average American coffee-drinker consumes 3.4 cups of coffee a day. What is really addictive, according to DeRupo, is the coffee drinking "routine."

This statement is refuted by the recent study. According to the John Hopkins researchers, 50 per cent of people studied had headaches when they stopped drinking coffee, and 13 per cent "had clinically significant distress or impairment of function."

So like many things in this world, drinking coffee is no longer the "no brainer" that it used to be. While it confers benefits on the drinker, there exist some risks to it as well. One should always exercise caution when it comes to how much coffee is drunk.

Is CBC Radio Host Also A Closet Coffee Trivia Buff?

2011-05-06T08:45:00.000-07:00

It would seem that I have something in common with CBC Radio Two broadcaster Bob Mackowycz, the man who hosts the morning radio show Monday to Friday on 94.1 on the FM dial: We both like coffee trivia.

Lately Bob (that's him pictured above) has been sharing stories on coffee (and I believe tea as well) with his listeners. The latest one -- the one about "dancing goats" (to use Bob's phrase) eating coffee berries in ninth century Ethiopia -- should be already familiar to long-time readers of this blog. The other, first anecdote of Bob's about coffee had to do with the fact that Scandinavians are the world's heaviest coffee drinkers, with Norway topping the list. There was another related fact about tea drinkers that I can't quite recall (such are the perils of radio and its reliance on the spoken word, I guess).

Anyway, my morning is starting agreeably enough, what with some nice Nabob coffee to drink and lots of music on the radio. Next time I will tackle a more serious subject, one that I promised I would deal with several weeks ago: The question of caffeine addiction.

By the way, in case anyone is interested, this happens to be the 175th blog that I have written on this site. We are now already well into the fifth year of blog writing. We first took to these pages in March, 2007. I still don't consider myself an expert on coffee and coffee drinking, though. My own coffee habits are still quite plebeian in comparison to many other people. I am little more than a dilettante compared to even the average trained barista. So long as the coffee is not "burnt" or too watery I am content.

Have a great weekend everyone!

A Little Goes A Long Way With Rockstar Drinks

2011-04-30T17:14:00.000-07:00

Instead of writing on a serious subject like caffeine addiction, I thought I would shift gears this week and write about something that I like to drink once in a while, when I feel like something special, even a little bit exciting.

Day began in an ordinary sort of way: Woke up mid-morning and took my medication with my tea. With nothing especially to do today I turned on the radio to CBC Radio Two (94.1 on the FM dial) and began to relax on the couch. After an hour or so of this I decided to head over to the local convenience store, where I purchased milk, ice cream and a couple of cans of Rockstar. These drinks are notoriously high in caffeine content and feature ingredients such as taurine, ginseng, and even yerba mate!

Reading the can as I drank from it, I noted that one can per day was the recommended amount to be consumed. But I drank two, figuring that being the strapping six-footer that I was would compensate for the extra boost.

Indeed, as I write this, I feel no ill effects, other that an increased sense of mental alertness and physical energy. These drinks are more expensive than your run-of-the-mill can of pop, but one can tell from tasting that Rockstar has some high quality ingredients in it. Nevertheless, the product is almost three times the price of a regular pop, so I would recommend having this drink only once in a while.

I will do more research in the future to see if there are any red flags attached to this product. (So far all I have noticed is the heavy marketing efforts that surround the Rockstar brand, and little beyond that. But since I am one of those who have succumbed to Rockstar's marketing message, maybe I should examine that as well.)

The Problem of Caffeine and Children

2011-04-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

The question of caffeine and its effects on children has been one of those perennially perplexing subjects that has no easy answer in society. The problem is both complex and difficult to solve: What are the risks and benefits (if any) to children? At what age is it safe to ingest coffee and tea?

One issue is that while parents have no problem restricting tea and coffee from a child's diet until they have reached late adolescence/early adulthood, they routinely permit much younger children to drink soft drinks, which often contain caffeine as well (see my blog on the kola nut, written earlier this year).

There is little doubt that when it comes to most children, a certain amount of caffeine is a fact of life. The problem is not likely to go away; indeed, children drink on average 20 ounces of soda per day, twice as much as they did ten years ago, according to a web site entitled DrDolgoff.com. This web site argues that it is wise for parents to keep consumption of caffeine to a minimum, citing a whole host of problems that go along with caffeine use, including anxiety, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping, increased heart rate etc.

Much of what is contained in the above web site is conventional wisdom; it represents the viewpoint of most responsible health care professionals. But I did come across one rather odd web site that argued the opposite about caffeine and children: After pointing to one study that finds coffee can prevent ailments such as Type II Diabetes (but only when one drinks up to six cups a day!) and Alzheimer's, the article goes on to say that children have improved concentration and a reduced incidence of depression when given coffee with their milk...

The article hastens to add that "a child's caffeine consumption should be closely monitored" and that it should be remembered that caffeine is an addictive substance.

The question of caffeine and its potentially addictive chemistry will form the subject of my next blog. My understanding at this point is that caffeine is only mildly addictive -- although that may vary with the individual. In any event, I will investigate further and let the reader know.

Meal at the Symposium Cafe Soothes Frayed Nerves

2011-04-06T22:27:00.000-07:00

Somewhat of a hectic day today. Have been busy the last few weeks taking care of my tax return, as well as putting the finishing touches onto some paperwork I have to submit to a housing authority that provides rent-geared-to-income to those who (like me) need it. Had to wait ten years before I was finally accepted, so (needless to say) I want to stay on their good side. Have also been waiting for one of my doctors to okay a change in prescription that I prefer over the one he prescribed to me. Before you get the impression that I am the sort who thinks that he knows better than his doctor, let me say that both medications in question are essentially identical.

Also headed into northern Mississauga (Meadowvale, to be exact) to see another doctor for yet another prescription (ah, the joys of late middle age) that I am running out of. But there was a silver lining to all of this: I had telephoned my Mom the night before to see if she was available for a late lunch/early dinner at the local Symposium Cafe. She was available, so we met at the appointed time and proceeded to have a very agreeable time chatting about this and that while having a drink. After that we ordered lunch, followed by some of Symposium's well-known coffee. All in all, a nice way to end the day and take a break from what will be another busy day of paperwork and deadlines...

Mate: A Traditional South American Drink

2011-03-18T13:21:00.000-07:00

Today we are going to veer off the beaten track in our exploration of all things related to tea, coffee and caffeine related products and discuss a South American drink that is little known in the rest of the world. This drink is known as Mate. Mate is made from the Yerba Mate plant, the leaves of which are dried, chopped and ground into a powdery mixture known as yerba.

Mate is a traditional South American drink containing 50 mg of caffeine per six ounce cup. It is prepared by steeping the dried and chopped leaves of Yerba Mate in hot water. Mate (pronounced mahtay) is served with a metal straw traditionally made out of silver but more commonly nowadays out of nickel silver, stainless steel or a hollow-stemmed cane. The calabash gourd containing the drink is known as a mate or guampa.

Tea-bag type infusions of mate have been on the market in Uruguay and Argentina for a number of years under such trade names as "Cruz de Malta" and in Brazil under the name of "Mate Leao." These drinks are considered completely different from the traditional Mate, however.

The preparation of the mate infusion varies considerably from region to region; which method is best is a hotly debated issue. Nearly all methods have elements in common, however. The beverage is traditionally prepared in the same type of gourd in which it is drunk. The most common preparation involves the careful arrangement of the yerba within the gourd before the hot water is added. With this method, the gourd is first filled one half to three quarters of the way with yerba. Too much yerba results in what is called a "short mate" -- too little yerba leads to a "long mate." Neither is considered desirable.

Sometimes additional herbs are added for health or flavour benefits; this practice is most common in Paraguay. When the gourd is adequately filled, the preparer usually grasps it with the hand, covering the opening and sealing it with the palm of the hand. The mate is then turned upside-down and shaken vigorously but briefly and with lessening force. This allows the finest, most powdery particles of the yerba to settle towards the palm and the top of mate. Once the yerba has settled, the mate is carefully brought to a near sideways angle and shaken very gently with a side-to-side movement, which allows the yerba to further settle and the finer particles to move to the opening of the mate.

Now the mate is ready to receive the straw, called in some Latin American countries a bombilla or bomba. Many people add warm water into the mix before inserting the straw, while others prefer to add the straw into the yerba when it is dry. The straw is inserted with the thumb on the upper end of the straw at an angle perpendicular to the slope of the yerba.

Next comes the brewing. If the straw was inserted in dry yerba, the mate must be filled once with cool water. Once the cool water has been fully absorbed by the yerba (which usually takes no more than two or three minutes), hot water is added in the same manner as the cool water, until the water reaches the top of the gourd and the yerba is fully saturated. The mate brew is now ready to drink.

A Coffee Brew Steeped in Tradition

2011-03-06T08:48:00.000-08:00

As we have stated in previous blogs, coffee has its origins in Ethiopia and Yemen. By the year (approximately) 962, the first coffeehouse opened in Constantinople, now known as Istanbul, Turkey.

Coffee has influenced the Turkish culture so profoundly that the word for breakfast in Turkish is kahvalti, which literally means "before coffee," while the Turkish word for brown is kahverengi, which means "the colour of coffee." Recently, Turkish coffee has become less popular than tea, instant coffee and other modern styles of coffee.

Turkish coffee is normally prepared using a small, narrow-topped boiling pot called a kanaka, which is basically a tiny ewer, as well as a teaspoon and heating apparatus. Very finely ground coffee is used, though no particular type of coffee is employed; there is no such thing as Turkish coffee. A moderately low heat is used so that the water does not come to a boil too quickly. The finely ground coffee is placed in the pot and water is added, and sometimes sugar as well. The whole mixture is then brought to a boil. While there are variations in detail, preparing the best Turkish coffee involves using fresh coffee that has been very finely ground just before brewing. The coffee grounds are then immersed in hot (though not boiling) water. While the prolonged boiling of coffee gives the brew an unpleasant "cooked" or "burnt" taste, the very brief boiling of Turkish coffee does not. The amount of cold water necessary to making Turkish coffee depends on the number of demitasse cups desired (around three ounces or 90 ml) and between one and two heaped teaspoons of coffee per cup. The coffee and the sugar are usually added to the water first.

Interestingly, Turkish coffee is used in matrimonial customs. Prior to marriage, the groom and his family have to visit the bride's family to ask for their permission and blessings for the marriage. During this visit, the bride has to prepare and serve coffee to the guests. While preparing the coffee, the bride uses salt instead of sugar for the groom's coffee. If the prospective groom drinks his coffee without any sign of distaste, then the prospective bride assumes that the groom is patient and understanding.

Note: In the first paragraph of this blog entry, I state that coffee was first introduced to Turkey in the year 962. This is not the modern calendar date, however. I believe the 962 date reflects the year according to Islamic traditions. In any event, the date in the modern Gregorian calendar would be in the year 1554 to 1555, according to Wikipedia.

Kola Nuts: Another Common Source of Caffeine

2011-02-24T18:27:00.000-08:00

As mentioned in another blog entry belonging to Canada's Cafe Chronicles' distant past, caffeine is a surprisingly common substance found in a number of plants, some with esoteric-sounding names like Yaupon Holly and yerba mate. There is one plant however that many of us are more familiar with: the kola nut, which grows on the kola tree.

According to Wikipedia, the kola tree is native to the tropical rain forests of Africa, and is related to cocoa, which itself is native to South America. The kola tree is an evergreen tree, growing up to 60 feet in height. It is thought that the caffeine found in the kola nut acts as a natural pesticide that kills a number of insects feeding off the tree.

Wikipedia tells us that the kola nut has a bitter flavour and is known to suppress hunger. It is often used to treat whooping cough and asthma. The caffeine present in the kola nut acts as a bronchodilator, and expands the bronchial air passages. Kola nuts contain 2.5 to 3.5 per cent caffeine and are commonly used in soft drinks such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Studies have shown that kola nuts enhance alertness and physical energy, elevate mood and increase tactile sensitivity. In medicine the refined extract of the kola nut is used as a cardiac and central-nervous-system stimulant.

Starbucks and Tata Enter into New Agreement

2011-01-15T15:13:00.000-08:00

Interesting article in yesterday's Toronto Star about a new deal between Seattle-based Starbucks and India's Tata Coffee Ltd..Starbucks is planning to open up business in Asia's third largest economy. In India, western-style coffee shops have become increasingly popular in recent years, the article went on to say.

Starbucks will likely open its first store in July or August of this year. "Acquiring real estate is currently a challenge in India, but Starbucks will hopefully overcome that," says Krishna Kumar, chairman of Tata Coffee. The two companies said they will also explore opening cafes at retail outlets and hotels associated with the Tata Group.

In India, an increasingly affluent and urban population with western tastes are embracing cafes like Starbucks, paying much more for a cup of coffee than at traditional restaurants. A cup of plain coffee at a basic restaurant in India costs about 10 rupees (or .22 U.S. cents), compared to 50 or 60 rupees at one of the Western-style restaurants that began appearing about 10 years ago.

Profit margins of global coffee retailers like Starbucks were under pressure in 2010 after coffee prices rose 77 per cent during the year due to shortages of supply. The alliance with Tata could help ensure steady supplies.

Under the terms of the agreement, Starbucks and Tata Coffee will consider jointly investing in additional facilities and roasting green coffee for export to other markets. India, the world's fifth-largest coffee producer, exports 70 to 80 per cent of its coffee output. The organized coffee market in India accounts for about $140 million of the country's total domestic consumption of $667 million.

A Few of the Benefits (and Risks) of Coffee Drinking

2011-01-08T15:45:00.000-08:00

Like many things in this world, coffee drinking affects people in different ways. According to the New Scientist, a study conducted in 2005 revealed that coffee improves short-term memory and speeds up reaction time.

The study utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to understand how coffee acts on various centres in the brain. According to the study, coffee produces a higher brain function. Participants in the study were told to fast for four to six hours and abstain from caffeine products and nicotine for 24 hours. They were given either a cup of strong coffee containing 100 milligrams of caffeine or a placebo drink that was caffeine-free. After 20 minutes the participants were given MRI scans while carrying out a memory and concentration test. A few days later, the test was repeated, but this time the the two groups were provided with the other drink.

Those who received caffeine during the study were found to have "significantly greater activation in parts of the pre-frontal lobe." These areas are involved in tasks that involve memory, concentration, planning and monitoring.

Others argue that the risks associated with caffeine intake outweigh the benefits. According to an article posted on the web entitled "The hidden dangers of caffeine," caffeine sets the body up for a "roller coaster" ride of highs and lows that lead to daily fluctuations of alertness and energy levels. Coffee stimulates the adrenal gland, according to this study. Prolonged coffee intake leads to adrenal exhaustion. Coffee drinkers as a result need more and more caffeine to reach the same level of alertness that they did previously. This article goes on to say that even low to medium caffeine intake can cause such problems.

Pizza and Pop an Unsettling Combination

2010-12-09T00:14:00.000-08:00

Tonight was one of those evenings in which everything seemed great on the surface. I was with a very good friend whose company I enjoy very much and I was on a bit of holiday, not needing to be anywhere in particular until Sunday, when my mother was having a birthday dinner for my brother Perry.

So it was that my friend and I decided to order some pizza for the night, as well as some Pepsi to go with it. I am not much of a pop drinker for the most part, but every once in awhile I like to indulge. In spite of the fact that I had not eaten all day I was not very hungry, settling for only two slices of pizza and a couple of cans of Pepsi. But for some reason, the Pepsi did not affect me the way I expected. Perhaps it was the fact that it was relatively late at night. More likely, however, it was the combined effect of a lot of sugar and caffeine mixed together that left me with an uncomfortable feeling. They say that pizza is a surprisingly nourishing meal, but for some reason it did not strike me that way. I had downed a fair bit of tea and coffee already that day, so it is quite possible that I had reached my limit of caffeine on this occasion. I felt nervous and jumpy, and could not settle down to any extent.

I have another theory about my frayed nerves as well. Winter is already here for the most part here in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, and the opportunities for enjoying the outdoors are limited for me to short walks to the convenience store and excursions by bus to other destinations (I don't drive). As a result I feel rather like a can of pop myself -- one that has been vigorously shaken and is ready to explode. I really need to find a way to counter my sedentary lifestyle and let off some healthy steam once in a while.

A little less caffeine, sugar and fat and a little more fresh air and exercise is what I prescribe myself. Here's hoping I actually do something to bring that about....

The Straight Goods on Chocolate: Part Five

2010-11-28T14:49:00.000-08:00

Cacao pods are first harvested from the tree by cutting the pods from the branches with a machete or knocking them to the ground with a stick. The beans are removed from the pods along with the surrounding pulp and placed in piles or bins to ferment. It is this fermentation process that gives chocolate its characteristic taste. According to Wikipedia, it is extremely important that the beans are harvested when they are fully ripe. If the beans are unripe, they will have a low cocoa butter content, or else there will be insufficient sugars in the white pulp for fermentation.

After fermentation takes place, the beans must be quickly dried to prevent mold growth. Climate and weather permitting, this is accomplished by spreading the beans out in the sun for five to seven days. The dried beans are then transported to a chocolate manufacturing facility, where the beans are cleaned, roasted and graded. The step involves removing the nibs from their shells. The nibs are then ground and liquefied, which is chocolate in its pure form: Chocolate liquor. The liquor is usually further processed into two components: cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

Chocolate liquor is blended with cocoa butter in a variety of amounts to make different types of chocolate. Conching is a further refining step that involves keeping the chocolate mass at a high temperature by use of frictional heat. High quality chocolate is conched about 72 hours, while lesser grades are conched for four to six hours.

The final process is called tempering. This is an extremely complex subject that I will not attempt to explain here. For further information, I suggest you consult Wikipedia on the subject.

The Straight Goods on Chocolate: Part Four

2010-11-27T12:34:00.000-08:00

According to Wikipedia, in spite of chocolate's South American origins, roughly two-thirds of the world's cocoa is produced in Western Africa, with 43 per cent of that amount from Cote d'Ivoire, where the practice of child labour is a common occurrence. According to the World Cocoa Foundation, 50 million people worldwide depend on the production of cocoa as a means of support.

Cocoa is produced from the cocoa bean, which grows on cacao trees, trees that require rich, well-drained soils in which to grow, as well as temperatures that range from 21 to 32 degrees Celsius and approximately 2000 millimeters of rain a year. Cacao trees cannot tolerate a temperature lower than 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit). There are three main varieties of cacao beans that are used in the making of chocolate: Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario.

According to Wikipedia, Criollo is the rarest and most expensive cocoa on the market. It represents only about five per cent of the total cocoa on the market. It is native to Central America, the Caribbean islands and the northern point of the South American states. Criollo beans are particularly difficult to grow as they are subject to a variety of environmental threats and are low in yield.

The most commonly grown bean is Forastero, which is native to the Amazonian basin. The African cacao bean is exclusively of the Forastero variety. These trees are significantly hardier and possess a higher yield than Criollo, and is the source of most chocolate produced in the world. Forastero beans produce a typically chocolate taste, but are lacking in the subtler, secondary flavours, producing what Wikipedia refers to as "bland" chocolate.

Trinitario beans are a natural hybrid of Criollo and Forastero -- in other words, it occurs naturally and is not man-made. These beans occurred in Trinidad after Forastero trees were introduced to the Criollo crop that was being grown there. According to Wikipedia, nearly all cacao beans produced in the last 50 years are of the Forastero or lower grade Trinatario variety.

The Straight Goods on Chocolate: Part Three

2010-11-15T20:12:00.000-08:00

As we mentioned in the first blog of this series, the use of chocolate as a drink dates back three thousand years to around 1100 B.C. In November of 2007, archaeologists reported finding evidence of the oldest known cultivation and use of cacao at a site in Honduras. But it was not until the 16th century that Europeans heard of the popular drink from Central and South America. It was not until the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs that chocolate was imported into Europe.

In Spain, chocolate became a court favorite -- 100 years later it had spread to the rest of Europe as well. To keep with demand, Mesoamerican people were sometimes enslaved to produce cacao. It was not long before the Spanish had established plantations, using an African workforce to run them.

The very first chocolate house opened in London in 1657. In 1689, noted physician and collector Hans Sloane developed a milk chocolate drink in Jamaica, a drink that was originally used by apothecaries but was eventually sold to the Cadbury brothers in 1897.

Chocolate in its solid form was invented in 1847. Joseph Fry and Son discovered a way to mix some of the cocoa butter back into the dutched chocolate, and then added sugar, thereby creating a paste that could be moulded into various shapes. The result was the first modern chocolate bar.

An invention by a Dutch family, the van Houtens, made the first modern, mass produced chocolate bar possible. In the 19th century, mechanical mills were created that squeezed out cocoa butter, which made hard durable chocolate possible.

Dark chocolate is made by adding fat and sugar to the cacao mixture. The U.S. Government calls this "sweet chocolate" and requires a 15 per cent concentration of chocolate liquor. Europeans require a minimum 35 per cent cocoa solids. White chocolate is produced by a mixture of sugar, cocoa butter and milk solids. Although its texture is similar to milk and dark chocolate, it does not contain any cocoa solids. Interestingly, Wikipedia reports that because white chocolate contains no cocoa solids, white chocolate does not contain any theobromine, the substance that makes chocolate toxic to dogs and cats.

The Straight Goods on Chocolate: Part Two

2010-11-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

To continue our discussion about chocolate: There are many who avoid chocolate because they want to stay away from the caffeine. In point of fact, however, the actual amount of caffeine in chocolate is small when compared to what is found in a cup of coffee. This doesn't mean that there are no stimulants in chocolate, however. The sugar found in most chocolate makes the consumer more likely to feel stimulated or agitated.

There are three main ingredients found in chocolate: phenethylamine, tryptophan and theobromine. Although phenothylamine does have a psychoactive effect on the consumer, it mostly doesn't reach the brain after ingesting chocolate and has very little effect. Tryptophan, conversely, has a calming effect on the body, and doesn't lead to adverse side effects.

One of the distinguishing alkaloids in chocolate is theobromine, the presence of which gives chocolate its characteristically bitter taste. Theobromine is, chemically speaking, closely related to caffeine, and has some of the same effects as caffeine. There are approximately 20 mg of theobromine in a gram of cocoa -- not a negligible amount, by any means. Like caffeine, theobromine has diuretic properties and is also a heart stimulant. Theobromine is responsible for most of the effects that many attribute to caffeine in chocolate.

As for caffeine in chocolate, there is very little to be found, although the caffeine in chocolate increases as the chocolate becomes darker. One ounce (30 mg) of milk chocolate contains six milligrams of caffeine, compared to 19 mg of caffeine in an ounce of coffee. White chocolate contains virtually no caffeine, whereas the amount of theobromine is much higher in all types of chocolate, with the exception of the white variety, which because of the absence of cocoa solids has very little theobromine in it.

So the next time you experience a "rush" when eating chocolate, don't blame it on the caffeine. Blame it on the sugar and theobromine instead.

The Straight Goods on Chocolate: Part One

2010-10-26T20:45:00.000-07:00

This blog entry marks the beginning of an ongoing series on chocolate: its origins, history and production. According to Wikipedia, chocolate is made up of a number of raw and processed foods added to the seed of the tropical tree Theobroma cacao. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. The earliest documented use occurred around 1100 BC. The majority of Mesoamerican people, including the Aztecs, made a chocolate beverage from cacao, known in their language as "bitter water." (The seeds of the cacao tree have an intensely bitter taste and must be fermented to develop the flavour.)

After fermentation has taken place, the beans are dried, cleaned then roasted, after which the shell is removed and the seeds (called cacao nibs) are removed. The nibs are then ground to a cocoa mass, which is pure chocolate in rough form. This cocoa mass is usually liquefied and molded with other ingredients, or else processed into cocoa solids and cocoa butter. Unsweetened baking chocolate (bitter chocolate) contains mainly cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions.

Most chocolate consumed today is in the form of sweet chocolate that combines cocoa solids, cocoa butter or other fat and sugar. White chocolate contains cocoa butter, sugar, milk but no cocoa solids. Cocoa solids contains important alkaloids such as theobromine and phenethylamine, which have physiological effects on the body. Chocolate has also been linked to serotonin levels in the brain. Some research has found that chocolate (eaten in moderation) can lower blood pressure. In dogs and cats, however, the presence of theobromine renders chocolate toxic to them.

Chocolate has become one of the most popular food types and flavours in the world. Gifts of chocolate have become traditional on many holidays, especially during Christmas and Easter.

Coffee Shop Lacking In Customer Service Area

2010-10-03T13:59:00.000-07:00

To continue my saga of ongoing wakefulness: Earlier this afternoon my friend invited me to walk down to Starbucks with her. It is a couple of miles south of where she and I live. Nevertheless, I had to think twice before accompanying her on the trip. I have fallen back into the bad old habits of smoking cigarettes the past few months now; all summer in fact. So it was that I hurriedly took my inhalers and got dressed to meet the time for departure.

We set off at an unhurried pace. The weather was on the cold side and cloudy. We were both wearing fall jackets, which we needed to ward off the wind. I had to stop several times along the way to restore my seriously depleted lung capacity to something approaching normal breathing. I persisted, however, walking ever shorter distances as we approached the cafe and ordered our beverages. My friend ordered a double shot of espresso while I asked for my usual medium mild brewed coffee. Both drinks were served in paper cups equipped with a cardboard sleeve around the body of the cup. We sat outside in the brisk outdoors, smoking our cigarettes and chatting amiably away. My friend was a wearing a new brown car coat that she had purchased the day before, one that featured a fox-lined hood that she was not wearing on this occasion. She had payed only about half price for the garment, but was debating whether to return the item in favor of a warmer coat to be purchased later in the season, when winter coats would be on hand.

We ordered more coffee, with my friend switching to a small bold brewed coffee and me having another medium mild. I was frankly relishing the chance to sit down in the cold air and savor something hot and stimulating. We talked for a time of continuing our journey onto the local mall so that my companion for the trip could run some more errands. Then we talked of merely taking the bus back home. For awhile it seemed that my friend wanted to save the bus money and walk home, but then at the last minute we agreed to split the cost of a taxi home, saving our bus tickets for another day. Desiring to take a look at hats and boots at the local Shoe Company that was located next door to Starbucks, she suggested that I borrow a phone from inside the cafe and order the cab while she took a quick look the shoe store. Finishing my smoke and coffee, I entered the interior of the coffee shop and approached a clerk operating the cash. After some delay, he went into the kitchen of the shop and returned with a phone that did not light up when "talk" was pressed. There was another delay while a second phone was secured that lit up but possessed no dial tone.

Somewhat annoyed by this time, I left the phone on the counter and walked outside, heading for the Shoe Store, where I hoped that I would have more luck. Once outside, I saw my friend sitting beside a table. Quickly, we headed into the Shoe Company, where I managed to use a phone beside the clerk's cash. We spent an agreeable time browsing the racks of shoes, then headed back to Starbucks exterior patio. In due course the taxi arrived and we made it home in good spirits, none the worse for the frustrating delay experienced at Starbucks Cafe.

Baileys Irish Cream Spices Up Afternoon Coffee

2010-10-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Note to the Reader: I am in the middle of pulling one of my legendary all-nighters at the moment. My friend Dave F. dropped by yesterday afternoon for conversation, coffee and chess, not necessarily in that order. He brought along a couple of treats, including a small bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur and some blueberry muffins. We had a very agreeable time drinking coffee, talking and playing chess (it was a draw, with each of us winning a game). Dave is an old friend of mine from my Port Credit days; I have known him at least ten years now. Oddly enough, I first made friends with Dave in a coffee shop located not far from the apartment building in which we both lived. Dave works for Home Depot in the warehouse, where part of his responsibilities include placing stock on the shelves of the giant store in front.

Having become somewhat stimulated by the party-like atmosphere of the day, I spent the night watching movies on television and listening to CBC Radio Two. I also played a couple of chess games on the computer, none of which got beyond the twentieth move. I also switched to tea from coffee during this time, having long since run out of Irish Cream.

Tea Party Key Event in Revolutionary War

2010-09-29T09:15:00.000-07:00

We have already cited in these blogs the fact that tea has played an important role in historical events. The Boston Tea Party is another example of this.

According to Wikipedia, the Boston Tea Party was a direct act of civil disobedience against the British government and played a key event in the development of the American Revolution. On December 16, 1773, in response to the British government's decision to raise the taxes on tea imported by the British East India Company, a group of colonists boarded ships carrying tea and destroyed it by throwing it into the Boston Harbor.

Colonists objected to taxes on tea for a variety of reasons. In particular, Americans felt it to be unconstitutional because they believed it violated their right to be taxed only by their elected representatives.

After the Boston Tea Party, British Parliament responded by introducing the Coercive Acts of 1774, which among other things closed Boston's Harbor to commerce until the British East India Company had been compensated for the destroyed tea. American colonists responded by committing additional acts of protest and by convening the First Continental Congress. The crisis escalated, and the American Revolutionary War began near Boston in 1775.

Shortage of Tea Leads to a Happy Ending

2010-08-22T15:45:00.000-07:00

For the past several days (nights) I have been keeping very late hours. I have avoided leaving my apartment for the most part, only going to the local convenience store for a few items such as milk for my tea and coffee.

This doesn't mean that I have been socially isolated. Far from it, in point of fact. I have a couple of friends in the building in which I live. Both of these friends are relatively new additions to my life, and I enjoy their company very much.

I do most of the entertaining actually. This means that I often don't have time to attend to the myriad of tasks that having a home and professional life entail. It's very convenient to have friends that I can relax around and not worry about keeping the image up too much.

But sometimes being too available can lead to unfortunate situations, such as running out of tea. While I feel comfortable with my new friends, I don't feel comfortable with the idea of leaving them in my home while I run an errand.

But for now, all is well. My friend Joseph has just offered to bring me some tea from his home. He is back now and brought 20 or 25 tea bags. He also brought along his dog for a short visit, an English Bull dog that is very tractable and easy-going. All in all, a very nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Have a nice weekend, everyone!

Coffee Mate: A Convenient Substitute for Milk or Cream

2010-08-18T10:36:00.000-07:00

The subject of non-dairy creamers is a rather controversial one in the coffee world. These additives come in liquid or granular form and are intended to act as a substitute for milk or cream in coffee, tea or other beverages. There are some who think such substances detract from the taste of coffee; I happen to be one of them. Nevertheless, such substances can act as a useful substitute for those who are lactose-intolerant or for other reasons cannot tolerate the taste of milk or cream.

According to Wikipedia, the first non-dairy creamer was introduced by Nestle in 1961. To replicate the "mouth feel" of milk fats, many non-dairy creamers contain vegetable-based fats, although non-dairy non-fat creamers/whiteners also exist. Other common ingredients include sodium caseinate (a milk protein that does not contain lactose), corn syrup or other sweeteners, and flavorings.

One interesting fact is that non-dairy creamers are highly flammable. A small spark can set fire to the substance if the powder is dispersed into the air. According to Wikipedia, this phenomenon was demonstrated on the television show "Mythbusters."

Although there exist a variety of non-dairy creamers on the market, Nestle's Coffee Mate remains the most popular brand currently sold. Today, Coffee Mate has expanded their products to include a variety of regular and fat-free flavors. Among the most popular of Coffee Mate's current flavors is Original, French Vanilla, Irish Cream, Hazelnut, Vanilla Nut and others. The powdered form has a shelf life of approximately two years, while the liquid version expires after 14 days. In 2005, Nestle also introduced reduced carb and sugar free flavors.

Anytime is Tea Time at Home

2010-08-07T23:17:00.000-07:00

One of my enduring habits in the morning is to make myself a cup of hot tea when I awaken. I like my tea strong and sweet and usually drink Red Rose orange pekoe blend. During the day on average I might drink as many as seven cups of tea, all contained in an oversize plastic mug from Tim Hortons that I have had for several years.

I don't know precisely what it is about tea that I like so much. I like its bold, unassuming taste, certainly. I like the way that it is not overpowering like so many cups of coffee I have had. I like the way a large mug of milky tea stays hot for long periods of time. But most of all, I like the slow, almost imperceptible way that the caffeine in tea energizes the mind and stimulates the senses.

I could probably learn to do without coffee if I had to, but tea is something else again. It is truly one of the real pleasures in life. It is the perfect accompaniment to the quiet, unpretentious bookish life that I most enjoy living.

Aside from morning tea, the time of day that I most enjoy drinking tea is when I have had dinner and I am settling in for the evening, perhaps working on my second novel or writing to publishers about my first. Tea makes me feel productive and alert, but doesn't seem to affect my nerves the way coffee can.

Needless to say, I am a great admirer of the beverage. It is a great all-purpose drink that is perfectly suited for the serene, contemplative life to which I aspire.

Kirkland Signature Diet Green Tea: A Brief Overview

2010-08-02T22:59:00.000-07:00

Earlier this evening a friend of mine invited me over to her place for a visit. She had just got back from Costco and had purchased among other things some bottled diet green tea known as Kirkland Signature Diet Green Tea, a bottle of which she very kindly offered to me. We got to talking about tea and she began reading the ingredients off, wondering out loud whether any of the agents was harmful. I promised to do some investigative work and get back to her later.

According to the information on the label, Kirkland Diet Green Tea contains the following main ingredients:

1) Purified water

2) Green Tea

3) Sodium Hexametaphosphate

4) Sodium Benzoate

5) Potassium Sorbate

6) Aspartame

7) Colour

Number three is used in foods mainly as a water softening agent. It also has a number of industrial uses, including the manufacture of soap, the pulp and paper industry and metal plating. All this sounds pretty awful until one remembers that this ingredient is only one of many thousands that go into the manufacture of these items.

Numbers four and five are commonly-used food preserving agents. Potassium Sorbate is also used in toothpaste as a whitening agent.

Aspartame is not nearly as straight-forward a case. Aspartame has received a good bit of negative publicity over the years, with some claiming it to be responsible for a legion of maladies too numerous to mention here. The actual evidence is not so clear-cut. According to Wikipedia, aspartame has been more studied by the United States Food and Drug Administration than any other item currently in use, and yet it is still considered by that agency to be a safe product.

A cursory survey of Kirkland Signature Diet Green Tea on the web revealed a generally positive reaction to the product. It is available at Costco at a very reasonable price, a price that works out to about 35 cents a 500 ml. bottle. Personally, I don't like the taste of artificial sweeteners. I avoid buying diet products for the most part. But if you happen to be someone who enjoys drinking diet products, I would say that you probably stand a pretty good chance of hanging on to your health even so.

Two Bite Brownies: A Delicious Chocolate Treat

2010-07-23T00:03:00.000-07:00

As I have stated in an earlier blog, I regard chocolate as a kind of "miracle food" that is virtually without parallel in the modern world. It would be probably the perfect food were it not for the fact that it is highly fattening and contains a good deal of sugar to boot. At least this is the case for sweetened chocolate.

One of my personal favorite indulgences are the Two Bite Brownies that are often found gracing the shelves of your more upscale convenience and grocery stores. These delectable bite-sized morsels contain 90 calories of pure chocolate magic per piece. In the larger bags (which are the only ones that I will purchase, on economic principle alone) there are perhaps an even dozen brownies. This brand of brownies are perhaps the best of their kind on the market today. Rich and creamy, neither too dry nor too moist, they are complemented perfectly by a tall glass of milk.

On the back of the package there is listed the nutrition facts, which contain estimates of the total fat, cholesterol, protein and carbohydrates for two of the brownies (which are considered an average serving). But I have to be perfectly honest here: I have yet to stop at two brownies; I will often eat at least half the bag before I am completely sated, and I have even been known to pack away the entire bag in place of a meal.

Needless to say, this is one indulgence that I can have only once in awhile. But if you have never had the pleasure of eating these delicious tidbits, and you are neither allergic to chocolate nor any other of the ingredients or trace elements, then I highly recommend them as being a high quality food that is bound to appeal to your sweet tooth.

One Hundred and Fifty Blogs and Counting: A Retrospective

2010-07-14T16:50:00.000-07:00

Today represents another milestone for this blog. This blog entry is the hundred and fiftieth (150) that I have written for Destination Cafe. It has also been over three years since I began writing blogs on coffee, tea and chocolate.

Tea and chocolate are latecomers to this web site. My reasons for adding these were mainly due to the fact that I felt I was running out of coffee material to write about; I needed to expand the subject matter somewhat in order to keep the blog fresh and interesting.

Much has changed in the three years that I have been researching and writing these blogs. Destination Cafe will soon be opening another outlet in Brampton to service clientele in that area. My own experience has been an educational one. I have come to have the utmost respect for those working in the coffee and tea industry. Not only is coffee and tea a complex and fascinating area to work in, it is also an extremely competitive area in which to be involved. The average coffee shop is in many ways a microcosm for the coffee and tea industry in general; the pressures faced by your typical coffee shop are largely the same as those faced by the industry in general. The economic pressures are largely the same for large and small alike.

What has changed, in my opinion, is a growing public awareness of the plight faced by the small coffee and tea farmer, which has in turn forced the large coffee companies to become ever more cognizant of these issues as well. Increasingly, successful coffee and tea companies have recognized that to remain successful they need to become socially conscious as well as economically efficient. Business can no longer afford to operate in a social policy vacuum; they need to to become aware of the effects of their business on the environment and the public in general in order to maintain their viability. All this is good news for the average consumer, who (surveys show) is generally willing to pay a little more for their coffee and tea if it can be shown to be produced in a socially responsible way.

I hope readers have enjoyed reading these blogs as much as I have enjoyed writing them. And of course, readers should always feel free to leave comments if the spirit moves them.

Nabob Aims to Promote Sustainability in its Coffee

2010-07-10T10:35:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been purchasing Nabob coffee instead of Maxwell House. My reasons for doing so are not exactly clear to me. Perhaps it is because I like the name. A search on the internet revealed that the word Nabob refers to a person of wealth and prominence -- hence the association of the coffee with a person who can afford the best coffee available.

Nabob coffee is a brand that is sold in Canada and produced by Kraft Foods. The Nabob Coffee Company originated in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1896. After several buy-outs, it was eventually purchased by Kraft Foods in 1994. Nabob also produces several blends, including Medium and Dark roasts, which are further sub-divided into a variety of blends, including Swiss water decaffeinated. Its slogan is "better beans, better coffee."

According to the Nabob web site, the company is in partnership with the Rainforest Alliance to support sustainability in three key areas: Environmental (to give wildlife a safe habitat, protect deforestation, and limit the use of chemical pesticides), Social (to provide workers a safer and healthier work environment, as well as better access to medical care, education and housing), and Economic (to improve farming practices, which results in improved profitability for the farmers and fair wages for the workers). There is no actual mention of Fair Trade buying practices, however.

According to the Nabob web site, the Rainforest Alliance was formed in 1987. Working in concert with a variety of non-governmental organizations, the Alliance has developed a socio-environmental certification program for agriculture. This program combines "respect for people and their environment with consideration for rural traditions and local cultures."

Each year, an audit team from the Alliance visits the farms to determine how the farm measures up to the comprehensive social and environmental standards developed by the Alliance. These audit teams are made up of local people who talk to the workers to determine what improvements should be made.

At present, all Nabob Rainforest Alliance coffees contain a minimum of 30 per cent Alliance certified coffee. The company plans to increase this percentage over time to further support sustainability in its coffee production.

Mixed Reviews for Starbucks' Fair Trade Claims

2010-06-30T18:14:00.000-07:00

Fair trade coffee has become an increasingly important commodity these days, as the typical coffee farmer has become more impoverished than ever before, falling further and further into debt and losing their land due to falling coffee prices. In spite of these dire trends, many coffee companies are not doing enough to ensure that coffee farmers are paid their fair share of coffee prices, even though the idea of "fair trade" coffee is becoming a fashionable alternative to the usual cut-throat business practices currently in use.

According to the Global Exchange web site, which in turn cites Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International, only about 20 per cent of fair trade coffee production is sold at a fair trade price. The remainder is sold at world prices, which is almost always significantly lower than fair trade prices.

One of the purported exceptions to this generality is the Starbucks Corporation, which according to its own web cite prides itself on purchasing coffee at fair trade prices. For its coffee, according to Starbucks, the corporation pays "premium prices that are substantially over and above the commodity-grade coffee price."

The Global Exchange, however, writes a somewhat different version of this story. Since 2000, according to this web site, consumers have been asking that Starbucks offer brewed coffee at fair trade prices, instead of only charging that price for the roasted whole bean. This the corporation has yet to do, although many Starbucks outlets will brew a pot of fair trade coffee if they are asked to do so by the customer.

According to the Global Exchange, as a result of a campaign by thousands of activists in the year 2000, Starbucks bowed to collective pressure and instituted fair trade coffee for whole bean purchases.

The Magic of Green Tea in the Making

2010-06-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

We have already stated in these blogs the less than well-known fact that the four main types of tea (green, white, oolong and black) are derived from the same plant -- the Camellia sinensis, the leaves of which undergo various degrees of processing and oxidation. Green tea is the variety of tea that has undergone the least amount of processing: it possesses what some have called a "grassy" flavour.

According to Wikipedia, green tea originated in China, around the time of the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279 A.D.). Since that period, green tea has been associated with a number of countries, including Japan and those found in the Middle East. As a matter of fact, green tea is so popular in Japan that it is often called "Japanese tea."

According to Wikipedia, green tea was first introduced to Japan by a man named Myoan Eisai, who was a Japanese Buddhist priest who also happened to introduce the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. One popular Japanese web site called O-Cha.com, which is based in Fukushima, Japan, goes into some detail as to how green tea is grown in that country.

Acording to this web site, growing conditions can be broken down into two main categories: those tea plants that are grown in the sun and those that are grown in the shade. The green tea plants are cultivated so that they grow in rows and produce young shoots in a regular pattern. The plants are generally harvested three to four times a year. The first "flush" occurs in late April to early May, while the second crop normally takes place in June or July. The third and often final harvest takes place in late July or early August. The first harvest is considered the premium crop, bringing the best leaves and the highest prices.

Processed green teas are known as "aracha" and are stored in 30 or 60 kg. paper bags under low humidity, near-freezing temperatures. The tea has not yet been refined at this point -- that must wait until the leaves are fired in successive bursts and then dried and rolled. By the time the final drying takes place, moisture content in the tea leaves has been reduced to around five per cent. When the leaves are finally refined, stems and other debris are removed, and sometimes (depending on the type of tea) ground and roasted.

Green tea is enjoying a surge in popularity in the West as more consumers become aware of its health benefits. Green tea is known to help prevent cancer and heart disease, although claims that it can prevent obesity have been exaggerated.

"Tea time" Widely Taken in Former British Colonies

2010-06-12T18:22:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia, the term "tea" is often used in countries that make up the former British Empire to express one of several different meals. In Africa, the concept of "afternoon tea" has declined in usage, but is still employed by the more upscale restaurants, cafes and hotels.

Many Australians and New Zealanders refer to the early evening meal as their "tea," though some will call it "dinner." The terms mean the same thing in these countries. "Tea" in these countries is a reflection of the term "high tea" in northern England, Scotland and Wales. During the workday, having a "tea break" or just having "tea" is equivalent to the North American "coffee break." "Morning smoko" is a slang term employed by tradesmen and builders that traditionally meant having a cup of tea, a light snack and a cigarette to follow.

In Guyana, "tea" refers to either breakfast or the traditional mid-afternoon meal. Guyana is a country rich with British customs. This is a country that enjoys cricket, and uses the term "tea" to correspond to the game's half time.

In Hong Kong, like Great Britain's "afternoon tea," the term tea refers to an afternoon's light meal that is served between the hours of 2 pm and 6 pm. More elaborate versions of this meal are often referred to as "high tea" by those living in Hong Kong.

In spite of its origins as a British colony, Canada does not have a well-defined tradition of tea time. The single exception can be found in Victoria, British Columbia, which is well known for its custom of afternoon tea.

In Great Britain, the custom of drinking tea originated in England, when Catherine of Braganza married Charles II in 1661 and brought with her the custom of drinking tea in the afternoon from Portugal.

Nowadays, however, because of changes in custom and working hours, most Britons will rarely take afternoon tea. "High tea" however, which corresponds to an early dinner, is still in use in that country.

The Sordid History of Tea Drinking in Great Britain

2010-06-05T15:48:00.000-07:00

According to an article by James Norwood Pratt, the eighteenth and nineteenth century saw a rise in the popularity of tea in Europe, especially in Great Britain, where millions of pounds of tea per year were being purchased from China by 1750. The problem for British interests was that most of this tea had to be purchased with silver or gold bullion (the goods the British had to offer in exchange were by and large not needed in China).

The solution to this dilemma lay in opium. Through the East India company, the British had access to India's enormous opium crop. This drug was in the 1600s unknown to China, but then the Dutch introduced "one of the most evil cultural exchanges in history" -- the combination of opium and the Native American tobacco pipe. The Chinese were already growing tobacco by this time but it was not long before they were demanding opium as well, the drug being a highly addictive substance with euphoric properties.

The British sold the opium drug yearly at auction in Calcutta, India. There it was purchased by British and Persian companies that traded Indian goods with China by arrangement with the British East India company. There, according to Pratt, British responsibility ended. The only caveat that the British had was that the opium be paid for in silver. Thus at one stroke the British had hit on an elegant if amoral solution. Soon they were paying for Chinese tea with silver that had in turn come from Chinese looking for the "quick fix" that opium represented.

In response to this problem the Chinese emperor issued an edict in 1800 that forbade the importing of opium under any circumstances, and introduced harsh penalties to those who disobeyed. This law was largely ineffective: all that happened was that the Chinese government was defrauded of any tax revenue that might have accrued to them. The trading of opium became an underground industry that took place in secret on an island in the middle of Canton Bay off the coast of China.

The situation eventually led to the Opium War in 1840 between China and Great Britain and the Treaty of Nanking in 1842, which according to Pratt "was dictated at the point of a few thousand British bayonets." China was forced to accept "free trade" and eventually the outright legalization of opium by 1857.

All this hardly ever reached the ears of British teetotalers, who were as a rule completely ignorant of the fact that their tea was being purchased at the cost of Chinese well being. By 1844, the British were importing 53 million pounds of tea annually -- well over twice as much as they had at the beginning of the century.

Coffee on Victoria Weekend Adds to BBQ's Success

2010-05-23T22:02:00.000-07:00

Today I was invited over to my sister's residence for a barbecue and a day to be spent in her large backyard. The weather was just right for an occasion like this one. The sun was shining, the breeze perfect and the temperature hovering in the low 70s (or 21 or 22 degrees Celsius). To keep us company were two dogs, a number of cats that lived in the surrounding neighborhood and were almost exclusively of the outdoor variety, as well as the usual assortment of bird life that can be found in the surrounding trees and bushes of any suburban locale.

Driving up to Brampton from the Mississauga area, my mother displayed her characteristic sense of whimsy and stopped at a local gas station that sold coffee. Once there, I hurried into the shop and asked if they sold hot coffee. Fortunately, they did; I was directed a few yards down the aisle where a counter with two formidable and futuristic-looking coffee dispensers could be seen.

Having located the milk and sugar, I proceeded to pour coffee into two paper cups. To me the coffee looked as if it had been waiting all day to be consumed. Nevertheless, I hurriedly paid the attendant several dollars and got back into the car -- but not before handing through the window my mother her coffee. We then spent a very agreeable interval driving the rest of the way to Brampton. The coffee was surprisingly refreshing, and on the strong side.

Later that evening, after an afternoon playing fetch with the dogs and dining on burgers and potato salad, we had some dessert and strong coffee. I distinctly remember us having a conversation about the merits of strong coffee over weak. Personally, I don't mind drinking strong coffee -- I just drink less of it, as it achieves all the necessary effects with the first cup. We all agreed in any event that strong coffee is to be preferred over the weaker version, and that it is better to have a strong cup of coffee than none at all.

The question that begs to be answered is whether a cup of weak coffee has any real merit and when it becomes time to switch to tea. Personally, tea is one of those constants in life that help my time go by so pleasantly, affording all the effects of coffee as well as a few of its own.

Readers should feel free to leave their own thoughts on what makes for a nice time: coffee or tea, and on what sort of occasion.

A Toast to Chocolate in all its Incarnations

2010-05-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

On certain special days I like to make myself a hot cup of chocolate. The brand I particularly favour is Nestle Carnation Hot Chocolate mix (with marshmallows). Once I add hot water, I like to top it up with evaporated milk. This gives it an especially creamy taste that is almost unequalled (except for possibly the taste of a strawberry milkshake on a hot summer's day).

Chocolate is indeed a special food. I have a very particular preference for it. The problem is most chocolate foods have a high degree of sugar in them, which causes all kinds of health problems, including weight gain and diabetes.

Nevertheless, I regard chocolate as a kind of "miracle food" that is almost without parallel in terms of its composition and effect on the human nervous system. Its unique and glorious taste finds favour with young and old alike, in almost all circumstances. The forms and variations of chocolate virtually exceed estimation. Chocolate is constantly finding a new fan base with every new generation.

How Coffee on Mother's Day Led to a Minor Culinary Disaster

2010-05-09T23:58:00.000-07:00

Today being Mother's Day, my brother invited my mother, sister and me over to his home for dinner. As I don't drive, my mother kindly offered to drive me over for the occasion, which was scheduled to take place at around 4:30 pm.

My brother Perry had also asked me to pick up a couple of bottles of white wine, so I asked my mother to make a short stop at one of the newer grocery chains in the area, where a small wine shop could be found. All this seemed simple enough. But it so happened today that my mother decided that she would like a coffee, and suggested that we stop off at Tim Horton's to get one. Not being an especially big fan of Tim Horton's coffee or their customer service, however, I suggested that we instead visit the Symposium Cafe, which was also in the area.

Having purchased the wine, I strolled over to the restaurant in question, outside of which was a sign reading Under New Management. Inside I found my mother seated in a plush chair with a latte near at hand, reading a Mother's Day card that I had given her earlier.

Although the cafe was busy, I was quickly approached by an attractive dark-haired girl with glasses and asked if I would like anything to drink. I asked for plain coffee, along with cream and sugar. My mother and I then proceeded to spend an agreeable interval admiring the cafe's opulent decor and exchanging family news.

Soon it was time to go, however, so I paid the bill, which came to around seven dollars, leaving a three dollar tip for the young server whom I had found so attentive and pleasant, even though the establishment was far from empty.

But alas, not every occasion is a perfect one. It turned out that my mother and I had let time get away from us. We were a full hour late arriving at my brother's house -- and my sister was even later than that! Dinner was as a result overcooked, and the hors d'oeuvres uneaten entirely.

Needless to say, my brother Perry was annoyed. But it was Mother's Day, after all, and my mom did want her coffee so much... But for some reason, in all that time, it never occurred to my mother or myself that we could make coffee at Perry's house instead. And it was not as if he didn't have coffee, either. I know for a fact that he did, because we had some with our dessert.

The coffee this evening was excellent by the way, though dessert was also slightly burned...

A Short History of the Russian Samovar

2010-05-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

Today I thought I would discuss one of the oldest and most famous forms of preparing tea in the world. This method is commonly known as the Russian samovar.

According to Wikipedia, samovars come in different body shapes, including the urn or crater-shaped vessel, the barrel samovar, or those that are cylindrical or spherical. A typical samovar consists of a body, base and chimney, cover and steam vent, faucet and key, crown and ring, chimney extension and cap, drip bowl and teapot. A samovar is used traditionally to heat and boil water, and is employed primarily in Russia, as well as in other Central, South-Eastern and Eastern European countries and the Middle East, including Iran. Though traditionally heated with coal or charcoal, newer samovars use electricity and heat water in a manner similar to the electric kettle. Samovars normally have a small six to eight inch smoke stack to allow the steam to run off. After the fire is off a teapot can be placed on top to be kept heated with the hot air escaping from the top. The teapot is used to brew zavarka, the Russian word for the strong concentrate of tea made there, which is then diluted by the kipyatok (boiled water) drawn from the main container below. The ratio of boiled water to tea concentrate is usually around ten to one.

Samovars are especially well-suited to tea-drinking in a communal setting over a protracted period. The Russian expression "to have a sit by samovar" means having a leisurely talk while drinking tea from a samovar. The phrase is similar in meaning to the German Kaffeeklatsch, the Turkish Nargile Culture or (to a superficial extent) the Japanese Tea Ceremony.

Samovars at one time were an economical source of hot water. Various slow-burning items could be used for fuel, including charcoal or dry pine-cones. These were placed in a pipe inside the samovar and burned.

Samovars were at one time an important attribute of a Russian household. Sizes and designs varied, from those that held 400 litres of water to those holding a mere one litre. Samovars were often constructed out of plain iron, brass, copper, tin, nickel or even gold.

In modern times, the samovar is mostly associated with Russian exotica and nostalgia, though they are also quite popular with Iranian immigrants and their descendants. Nowadays electric samovars are available. Samovars may also be purchased in Europe. In the United States and Canada they can be found in neighborhoods with heavily Slavic populations, including Winnipeg in the Canadian province of Manitoba, New York's East Village, Coney Island in Brooklyn, and in areas with large Iranian populations such as Los Angeles, California.

Art of Making Great Tea Requires Attention to Detail

2010-04-27T19:16:00.000-07:00

How does one properly prepare tea? For the answer to this question, read on...

According to a web site called TeaSource, there are seven factors that affect the quality of brewed tea:

1) The quality of the tea itself.

2) The quality of the water used to brew the tea.

3) Correct measurement of the tea and water.

4) Correct steeping temperature. (Steeping may be defined as the act of tea brewing in the water).

5) Correct steeping time (The amount of time the tea is brewed in the water.

6) Allowing the tea leaf to expand fully in the water as it is being brewed.

7) Separating the leaf from the liquid at the end of the steeping process.

One should always use the best tea available. Good tea that costs $100.00 a pound costs only 50 cents per cup when steeped.

When making the tea, be sure that good water is used. Water makes up over 90 per cent of the end product. One simple solution to ensuring that the water is good is to buy a portable water filter such as Brita. Spring water also works well. Never use distilled water, however.

When measuring the tea to be steeped, use approximately 1 teaspoon per 8 oz. cup of water. This is only a guideline, however. With very dense tea that is fine in texture, one would use less than that, while with a very bulky tea, one would use considerably more that.

Different teas require different steeping temperatures. Black tea should be steeped with water that is at a full boil, while oolong is made with water a little less hot than that. Green teas should be steeped using water that has the steam gently swirling out of the kettle, while white tea is steeped with water even cooler than that, such as when the steam is first making an appearance.

Different teas also require different steeping times. Black teas should be steeped four to six minutes, while some oolong teas require either more than that (six to eight minutes) or less (three to four minutes). Green teas should be steeped for much less time (two to three minutes), and white teas should take two minutes, although some can be steeped for much longer with good results.

All teas require room for the tea leaf to expand greatly in size as it steeps in the water. Brewing tea loose in the pot works well in most cases, as this allows the tea room to expand.

Finally, when separating the tea leaves from the liquid, one may use a strainer or a tea infuser. Tea balls do not work well as they do not allow the tea leaf adequate space to expand.

The Ins and Outs of Oolong Tea

2010-04-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

Today I thought it might be appropriate to discuss oolong tea, a traditional Chinese tea that in terms of oxidation (drying out) is somewhere between green and black tea.

In Chinese tea culture, semi-oxidized oolong teas are collectively grouped as qingcha (which means literally "clear tea"). Oolong has a taste more akin to green than black tea, but has neither the rosy, sweet aroma of black tea nor the strong grassy notes that typify green tea. Several sub varieties of oolong tea, including those produced in the Wuyi Mountains of northern Fujian and in the central mountains of Taiwan, are amound the most famous of Chinese teas.

The literal translation of oolong tea is "black dragon" tea. It is often scented with jasmine flowers after having been wilted in the sun for a short period of time. The tea leaves are then shaken in baskets, which bruises the leaves. The juices in the leaves are then exposed to the air, which begins the process of oxidation. The leaves are then spread out to dry. After two hours or more, the tea is fired in hot woks and cooked very quickly. This stops the fermentation process.

When brewing the tea, 2.25 grams of tea per 170 grams of water, or about two teaspoons of oolong tea per cup, should be used. Oolong teas should be prepared with water that is in the range of 180 to 190 F (82 to 88 C) -- not boiling -- and steeped for three to four minutes. High quality oolong can be brewed several times from the same leaves. Unlike other teas, oolong improves with re-use. It is common to brew the same leaves three to five times, with the third or fourth steeping usually being the best.

Post Script: There are some who tout oolong tea as being a way to slim down, but the consensus seems to be that you won't lose weight any more than you will with any beverage that stimulates the metabolism. And stay away from herbal products that purport to help you lose weight, as these can be dangerous to your health, mainly because they are diuretic in nature, by which I mean they will cause one to lose an inordinate amount of fluids. Of course, tea and coffee are also diuretics, so one needs to be careful when drinking these as well.

An Evening with Coffee and Panama Jack's Liqueur

2010-04-07T16:58:00.000-07:00

Last night a neighbor dropped by for a visit and coffee. The conversation was pleasant and the coffee quite good -- thanks to some espresso coffee called Forza and a wine-based liqueur known as Panama Jack's.

Though I don't have an espresso machine, I made coffee using the espresso coffee anyway. According to my brother's partner, Julia, it is quite acceptable to use espresso coffee in this manner. One need only use a little less coffee in the brewer than usual, as the coffee is more finely ground than is usually the case.

Although the liqueur Panama Jack's is in fact made with wine rather than whiskey, it tastes quite similar to Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur, and goes together with coffee equally well. Indeed, the combination of Panama Jack's and the espresso coffee made for a remarkable taste experience.

And in case you were wondering, Panama Jack's is also quite economical in price, retailing for about $16.95 Cdn. for a 750 ml. bottle.

Stay at Credit Valley Hopsital an Enjoyable One

2010-03-31T08:48:00.000-07:00

Recently I experienced some health problems that required me to be admitted into the hospital for several days. (Actually, it has been approximately 10 days since I was admitted). But believe it or not, I have actually quite enjoyed my stay here. The food may be lousy, the beds uncomfortable, but the company has been quite good. My fellow patients have been for the most part friendly with a good sense of humour; and the nurses caring and understanding. Indeed it has been very much (as my doctor quipped) like a "one star hotel" with an exceptional staff and clientele.

The hospital has a number of retail establishments, including a Tim Horton's and a Hasty Market. I buy most of my coffee from the Hasty Market. They serve Columbian, French Vanilla and decaffeinated coffees that are quite tasty, considering the price I pay (one dollar per cup). By evening, they have run out of coffee and I switch over to Tim Horton's, where the coffee is both more expensive and to my way of thinking inferior in taste. The only benefit to drinking Tim Horton's is that they are running a "roll up the rim to win" contest. I have won several cups of free coffee and a donut in this way -- actually my mother has. We often have coffee together when she comes to visit me. She has won free coffees several times, and invariably passes the prize on to me when she does.

When the weather is good, I take my coffee outside to the front of the hospital and sit on the benches. This is especially pleasant during the sunny weather, of course. Since I no longer smoke cigarettes, I savour the relatively fresh air that the outdoors affords to me.

All in all, not a bad way to start the spring season. Just goes to show you, even hospitals can be pleasant places to spend time in when there is decent coffee, good company and pleasant nurses around.

Tea and Coffee Without Cigarettes No Big Change

2010-03-13T11:52:00.000-08:00

Today I think it might be a good idea to address a rather controversial subject that I have been skirting around for some time: The one concerned with smoking and the consumption of caffeine.

For approximately 37 years I have been a smoker of cigarettes and a drinker of coffee and tea. The two habits have gone along with one another in all that time with no complications or problems. But recently I have found it necessary to give up the smoking of cigarettes and all things related to tobacco.

You might think that this change of habit would have resulted in a change to my coffee and tea drinking as well, but in point of fact it has not. I still enjoy my coffee and tea-drinking with the same gusto that I always have. It has been precisely two months to the day since I have given up smoking and I find that drinking coffee and tea remains as satisfactory an activity as was the case beforehand. If anything, I savor my tea and coffee even more now than previously.

My non-smoking behavior remains a day-to-day challenge that is in constant danger of reverting to the previous situation in which cigarettes played an important role in my life, but for now I revel in the new-found freedom that not smoking affords to me. No longer do I have to include the cost of smoking into my budget. And now that I am off the patch as well, I can actually start to save some money.

So here's hoping that tea and coffee can play an even more important role in my life than before, now that smoking has been eliminated from the equation....

Head of Tata Group Known for Social Responsibility

2010-02-26T09:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday in the Toronto Star there was a story by columnist Haroon Siddiqui about the head of Tata Group, the company that owns Tetley Tea, a man some have called "the rock star of Indian business."

His name is Ratan Tata, a man who by all accounts is a true philanthropist, and a scion of an old money family that famously funded Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian independence movement. The Tata business was established in 1868; Ratan Tata is the fifth head of the company.

Tata lives a simple lifestyle. He drives himself around on the weekends and and has lived for 30 years in a modest apartment in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay). In 2008, following the terrorist attack on one of his hotels, he set up trust funds for all of those who were killed. The families of the dead employees will be looked after for life, and their children will be given jobs in Tata's company.

Former Canadian Deputy Prime Minister John Manley welcomed Tata to Canada last week, saying that "We honour you for being exemplary in corporate integrity, social consciousness and responsible capitalism." Tata was in Canada to take part in a dinner lecture on Corporate Responsibility sponsored by the family of the late Thomas Bata and York University.

The Tata Group conglomerate has an annual turnover of about $30 billion and donates approximately 15 per cent of its profits to charity. "Two thirds of the company's ownership is posited in two family charitable trusts," Siddiqui wrote.

Coffee, Pancakes and Sausages for Dinner

2010-02-20T12:29:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday, my mother invited me to a church-sponsored event in which pancakes and sausages were served for six dollars. The money collected was to be passed onto a charity known as Sharelife, an organization that among other things operates a food bank in the area for those in need.

The meal was held from five to seven o'clock in the evening, and took place in a school gymnasium. My mother and I arrived early, and the crowd was sparse; only about 50 people had arrived so far. Once seated, we were served two sausages and three pancakes on a paper plate, along with plastic utensils. Coffee was also served in paper cups. The coffee had been donated by Tim Hortons, and was quite acceptable, considering the venue.

Not having eaten that day, I was quite hungry, and quickly downed the meal. I found myself hoping that seconds would be available, to no avail. I was informed by a pretty young teenager that there would be only one plate per patron. Oh, well, I thought to myself, the meal was for charity after all.

After the meal, my mother and I lingered for a time, speaking to two of the parish priests who had recently arrived, as well as a couple of church-goers who had joined us for the meal. All in all, the event was a very pleasurable one.

The Many Health Benefits of White Tea

2010-02-12T12:09:00.000-08:00

More info, trivial and otherwise, on white tea: It is believed that white tea was discovered in China during the period 960 - 1279 AD., known to historians as the Song Dynasty. White Tea during this period was considered to be the "Emperor's drink." Commoners were not allowed to drink the beverage. When White Tea eventually became available to all, it was still extremely rare and expensive.

White Tea consists for the most part of the young buds of the tea plant, which are covered with a silvery white down that gives the unopened leaf a white look and delicate taste. A handpicked tea, this tea is usually a first flush leaf that is harvested in early spring and is extremely limited in terms of amounts available.

The health benefits of White Tea are considerable. White is among the purest forms of tea available, and has undergone minimal amounts of processing. This results in a beverage that contains a high degree of antioxidants. These antioxidants, along with the health-promoting phytochemicals that destroy free radicals (which are believed to be responsible for ageing), reinforce the body's immune system, operate as an antiviral agent and contribute to an active, healthy metabolism and circulatory system. White Tea is thought to combat obesity and is also known to reduce stress and relaxes the mind, making it what some believe to be the ultimate health drink.

Teaopia an Escape from the Everyday

2010-02-07T10:38:00.000-08:00

Last Monday while shopping at the local mall I chanced to visit a tea shop called Teaopia. It was a pleasantly upscale-looking establishment, reminiscent of Starbucks or Second Cup. The shop's menu was extensive, featuring dozens of various types of tea, which were arranged rather like wine bottles in racks that filled up an entire wall of the shop. Feeling rather overwhelmed, I selected the first tea that caught my eye, which was called "White Butterfly."

As I waited the requisite three minutes for my tea to brew, I mentioned to the server that I wrote a blog on tea and coffee. "In that case, you might like to have this," she said, handing me a booklet with the title "Teaopia." In this booklet was contained descriptions of a wide variety of teas, including White Butterfly, the tea I had selected from the menu. According to the booklet, White Butterfly "is revered as one of the finest Chinese White Teas. (It) is produced in the Yunnan province where only the youngest leaves are gathered in the few days of early spring."

Taking my brewed tea to a nearby table, I slowly sipped my tea from the paper cup that had been provided. The tea was a translucent gold, and possessed a taste that was delicate, clean and sweet.

All in all, my visit to Teaopia was a very pleasant way to end my visit to the mall, and well worth the three and a half dollars I spent for the brew.

A Brief Look at Tetley Tea

2010-01-31T13:56:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite brands of tea is made by Tetley, a fully-owned subsidiary of Tata Tea Limited. Tata Tea Limited is owned by the Tata Group, an Indian company that is spread over 40 countries and sells over 60 brands of tea. Tata Tea is the largest tea company in the United Kingdom and Canada and the second largest tea company in the United States.

Tetley Tea was purchased by the Tata Group in 2000 for 271 million pounds, and was one of the largest overseas acquisitions by an Indian company at the time. The Tata Group encompasses more than 90 companies worldwide; the Tetley acquisition greatly furthered the Tata Group's ambitions to become a global tea company. The newly-merged group is now the second-largest tea brand in the world, after Unilever, the producer of the Red Rose brand.

In 1822, Joseph and Edward Tetley began selling salt in Yorshire from a pack horse. They started to sell tea as well and became such a success that they set themselves up as tea merchants by 1837. Calling themselves "Joseph Tetley & Co," by 1856 they had relocated to London and had set themselves up as wholesale tea dealers. In 1953, Tetley was the first company to sell tea in tea bags to customers in the United Kingdom. In 1952, in an early example of cross-promotion, a song by Petula Clark called "Anytime is Tea-Time Now" was used to advertise Tetley on Radio Luxembourg.

The Subtle Difference of White Tea

2010-01-24T13:17:00.000-08:00

To continue our exploration of the four basic types of tea (green, white, oolong and black tea): According to Wikipedia, when processing, white tea is allowed to wilt slightly and lose the "grassy" taste of green tea.

White tea is a specialty of the Chinese province of Fujian. It comes in a number of variants, including Large White, Small White, Narcissus and Chaicha. Other white teas originate in Sri Lanka, India, and Africa.

A study that took place in 2004 showed that white tea had more anti-viral and and anti-bacterial characteristics than green tea. It also has more relaxing and mood-enhancing qualities than green and black teas. The caffeine content of white and green tea is similar, although both depend on such factors as the variety of tea, the cut and length of the leaf and the method used to steep the tea. White tea is also believed to contain less fluoride than green tea.

When brewing white tea, around 2 to 2.5 grams of tea should be used per 200 ml (six ounces) of water, or 1.5 teaspoons per cup of water. White teas should be prepared with hot water (not boiling) and steeped for two to three minutes. Many connoisseurs, however, prefer the tea to be steeped for much longer (about ten minutes) so that the delicate aromas can develop. This is usually done with the finer white teas rather than with lower grade white teas. According to Wikipedia, the temperature of the water used to brew the tea is crucial; if the water is too hot, the brew will be bitter and the finer flavours will be overpowered.

Earl Grey Tea a Change from the Everyday

2010-01-15T16:27:00.000-08:00

Today I thought it would be a good idea to write about one of my favorite types of tea: Earl Grey. Earl Grey, like orange pekoe, is often a black tea that is flavoured with an oil extracted from the rind of bergamot orange, a flavoured citrus fruit indigenous to Southeast Asia and grown commercially in Italy.

Traditionally, Earl Grey is a black tea, but today the term is often applied to other teas that contain oil of bergamot, or bergamot flavour. According to Wikipedia, the Earl Grey blend is named after the second Earl of Grey, British Prime Minister in the 1830s and author of the Reform Bill of 1832. Concerning Earl Grey's origins, there is a legend that Earl Grey tea was given to the Earl from a grateful Chinese mandarin after his son was saved from drowning by one of the Earl's men in 1803. The legend has no basis in fact; Earl Grey was never in China and the use of bergamot oil to flavour tea was then unknown in China.

In addition to Earl Grey, the company Twinnings has a brand of tea called "Lady Grey" that contains lemon and Seville orange in addition to bergamot. Both types of tea bear the official endorsement and signature of Richard Grey, the sixth Earl Grey. The company Snapple produces a tea beverage based on Earl Grey called Earl Grey Black Tea. There is also a beverage called "London Fog" that is a combination of Earl Grey tea, steamed milk and vanilla syrup.

Wikipedia says that Earl Grey tea is employed as a flavouring for many types of cakes and confectioneries, such as chocolates, as well as sauces. For sauces, the flavour is usually created by adding tea bags to the basic stock, boiling it for a few minutes and then discarding the bags. For sweet recipes, loose tea is added to melted butter and strained after the flavour has been infused with the tea.

Perhaps the most famous usage of Earl Grey tea lies with the character Jean Luc Picard in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" who is often heard to be ordering the replicator for "Earl Grey, hot."
I personally enjoy Earl Grey when I feel like something milder in flavour than what orange pekoe provides. Like my coffee and tea in general, I enjoy Earl Grey with milk and sugar. I find its flavour to be mild and subtle in taste and definitely a cut above the usual store-bought teas.

More on the Complex Subject of Tea

2010-01-05T14:59:00.000-08:00

Although opinions on the subject differ depending upon whom one consults, many would say that there are four different types of tea available. All four of these teas are harvested from the same plant: the Camellia sinensis tree, which has been known to grow as high as forty feet.

The differing types of tea are called green, white, oolong and black. They are produced using different processing methods (We will discuss the different methods used for each tea in a later blog).

Tea is native to China. According to legend, it has been used since the year 2737 B.C., when the Chinese Emperor Shennong drank tea that had been steeped in boiling water. Whatever the true origin, tea-drinking is deeply interwoven in Chinese history and traditions.

While black tea is the most popular world-wide, green tea is the most popular beverage in China. Green tea harvesting is hard work, as the very best tea leaves can only be harvested by hand and not by machine. The tea leaves and the bud must be picked using only the ball of the thumb and the index finger. Each tea shoot collected consists of a single bud, as well as the second and third leaves adjacent to the bud. This is called fine picking. Where black tea is involved, the act of picking is sometimes called a pekoe and a leaf or a pekoe and two leaves. Rough picking occurs when more leaves are taken with the bud, and results in a lower grade of tea.

A typical tea bush will generally produce around three thousand tea leaves a year. While this may sound like a great deal, it only amounts to about a pound of fully processed tea.

Coffee Freshness is Timothy's Hallmark

2009-12-30T13:51:00.000-08:00

Last week I paid a visit to Timothy's Coffees at one of their locations at a local mall. As I was ordering, I inquired about their roasting methods. I was told that their coffee was roasted once per week at a local roasting plant and delivered from there to the kiosk where the coffee was sold. "You'll like it," I was informed with a smile. And indeed, the coffee (I had the Breakfast Blend) was superior to most of the blends to be had out there.

Founded in 1975, with headquarters in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Timothy's operates close to 100 restaurants across Canada. Over 100 million cups of Timothy's coffee are served annually worldwide. Through a master franchise partner, Timothy's opened its first overseas coffee shop in Seoul, in the Republic of South Korea on May 19, 2007. Since being introduced there, Timothy's has become a significant player in the specialty coffee market, which has grown to 27 per cent of the 1.9 billion Korean coffee market (Korea is the eleventh greatest consumer of the specialty coffee market in the world.)

In 2002, Timothy's purchased mmmuffins Canada Corporation (mCC), which is made up of Levain World Bakery and two significant retail concepts: mmmarvelous mmmuffins and Michel's Baguette Bakery Cafe. This acquisition fulfilled Timothy's expansion plans and helped heighten its profile in North America. Today, Timothy's continues to operate Levain World Bakery and over 40 mmmuffins restaurants, as well as 14 Michel's Baguette in Canada.

Timothy's World Coffees is available in convenient pre-measured packages for commercial drip brewers. According to their web site, Timothy's coffees are sealed in fraction packages that are nitrogen flushed to lock in flavour freshness.

Tea Classification System Complex and Varied

2009-12-19T13:09:00.000-08:00

The terms used to describe tea leaves and their grades are among the most complicated this writer has ever encountered. So rich and detailed is the subject that tea experts are referred to in the same way that wine connoisseurs are: as sommeliers.

The most important thing to remember about orange pekoe, probably the most popular tea on the market, is that it does not refer to a flavour but rather as a grade of black tea. Tea is graded by leaf size and style. Some say the word Pekoe comes from the Chinese word "Bai choe," which means white hair or down. (This refers to the white downy hair found on the tea leaves.) According to Wikipedia, this purported Chinese origin is contradicted somewhat by the fact that "orange pekoe" is a term typically not used by the Chinese-speaking countries.

The "Orange" part of the term is also somewhat of a mystery. One explanation is that the Chinese sometimes used to use orange blossoms to flavour their tea. Others think that the term orange refers to the Dutch House of Orange, which was the governing entity of the Netherlands in 1815.

Orange Pekoe is in general an indicator of tea that is of medium quality, though the term has modifiers that serve to further classify the tea. Thus for example there are the terms Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe and Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe...you get the idea. If you don't, that's okay. I'm not altogether sure that I do either. I guess this will have to stand as one of the ongoing future projects for this blog: To try and make sense of the complex world of tea.

Readers should feel free to leave a comment if they can shed any light on this classification system or upon anything else related to tea or coffee that strikes their fancy.

The Proud Tradition of Red Rose Tea Briefly Recounted

2009-12-10T15:38:00.000-08:00

Today I thought it might be interesting to write a little bit about the history of Red Rose Tea, a tea that I enjoy on a regular basis.

Red Rose began as a primarily Atlantic Canadian company in 1894. It was created by a man named Theodore Harding Estabrooks, who was born in Wicklow, Carleton County, New Brunswick in 1861. Estabrooks was a local business leader in St. John, New Brunswick who came up with the idea of selling a quality tea that was consistent from cup to cup (at that time, tea was sold loose from large tea chests shipped from the Far East by local merchants and the quality of the tea varied a great deal).

From Atlantic Canada, Red Rose Tea expanded into other parts of Canada and the United States. Distribution in the United States was initially found in border cities such as Portland, Buffalo and Detroit. By 1929, the company was producing bagged tea suitable for single servings.

In 1932, a new chapter began for Red Rose Tea. The company was bought by Brooke Bond and Company of England. (See my post written on April 22, 2008 for a discussion of the history of Brooke Bond). Following the Second World War, Brooke Bond established their Canadian business in Montreal, Quebec; by the 1970s, the Red Rose brand was available in much of the United States and Canada. In 1985, Brooke Bond was bought by Unilever, which subsequently sold the United States rights to Redco Foods Inc. Unilever retained Red Rose rights in Canada and other parts of the world.

Red Rose tea contains black teas from Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon) Kenya, India and Indonesia.

Coffee's "Kissing Cousin" One of the New Focuses in Blog

2009-12-03T13:25:00.000-08:00

This week's blog marks a departure of sorts from my usual exploration of all things concerning coffee. In the future, I will be devoting a considerable amount of time in these blogs to the discussion of tea, a beverage that my sponsor Destination Cafe also sells to the general public.

While I don't wish to denigrate the role that coffee has played in my life, I must say that if anything tea has been even more important. Tea is my chosen breakfast drink, as well as a staple during the evening. I find tea to be less taxing on my system than is the case with coffee. It is both milder and easier to consume in large quantities than coffee.

I have no idea what my life would have been like without the benefit of tea to both stimulate my senses and lighten my mood. Tea to my way of thinking is both more versatile and appropriate to any number of situations that daily life affords to me.

My favorite type of tea is orange pekoe, particularly the Tetley brand, though I usually find it too expensive and buy Red Rose instead. Red Rose is of course also a popular brand and makes perfectly acceptable tea; it is a matter of personal taste.

I am a die-hard caffeine drinker for the most part. I enjoy the pick-me-up that drinking tea or coffee provides. But I find tea to be especially soothing on my palate, and I like the ritual of making and partaking of tea in the company of friends and family.

I believe that tea has been a great civilizing agent in human history, although there are some who might argue the point, citing for example the tea and opium wars of the nineteenth century.
But in general people can't fight each other and drink tea at the same time; like coffee, the beverage tends to foster the free flow of thought and the exchange of ideas.

So here's a salute to tea and coffee both! May they remain a source of pleasure and stimulation to people in the years to come!

Cuban Coffee A Pleasant and Enjoyable Blend

2009-11-20T20:00:00.000-08:00

Lately I have taken to drinking more coffee at home, especially in the evening. I am in the somewhat enviable position of having a freezer in which there are a few surprises. So it was that resting quietly in the rack was an unopened package of Cuban coffee by the name of Cubita.

A survey of the web revealed that the price for a 230 gram package of this brand ranged from $6.50 to $12.95 USD. The blend enjoys a positive reputation as being the perfect coffee to go with a fine Cuban cigar.

In spite of the fact that I used too much water making the brew, I found the drink to be extremely pleasant as well as stimulating. So inspired was I by the brew that I have taken the unprecedented step of posting two blogs in one day, the first time I have ever done so. So don't forget to take a look at the blog immediately before this one as well.

My only complaint -- if it can be called such -- is that I haven't enjoyed -- not recently, at least -- a fresh cup of freshly roasted and brewed coffee, such as what can be found at Destination Cafe. (I really should get down there at some point to have some).

In the meantime, I shall have to be content with enjoying some home-brewed coffee that is at least the equal of what can be found at most coffee shops.

A Brief Look At Tim Hortons' South American Initiatives

2009-11-20T18:55:00.000-08:00

To continue our examination of Tim Hortons, we will turn to its international development efforts in South America.

In 2005, Tim Hortons launched its first community partnership program in Guatemala. Since then the company has started projects in Columbia and Brazil. In Guatemala and Brazil they have helped support new farmer organizations, while in Columbia they have helped strengthen existing farmer committees as members of the National Coffee Federation. According to the Tim Hortons web site, these organizations are important to the success of coffee farmers.

The organizations are said to provide economies of scale in agricultural inputs (the goods and services that go into the production of coffee), more efficient warehousing and better cooperation with the export companies.

All these efforts are said to allow the growers of coffee a better yield and grade of the crop and other benefits as well.

In their web site, however, Tim Hortons makes no assertions that they support fair trade and organically grown coffee. They also provide no dollar figures as to how much the farmers have actually earned as a result of the new programs.

Tim Hortons An Enduring Tradition For Many

2009-11-10T12:28:00.000-08:00

No blog on coffee would be complete without a write-up on Tim Hortons, a Canadian company that has successfully gone international.

Tim Hortons was founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario. The first Tim Hortons stores offered only two products: donuts and coffee. This line was soon augmented by two original Tim Hortons creations: the Apple Fritter and the Dutchie. They became the most popular choices for consumers in the 1960s, and remain popular even today.

The chain's biggest drawing card remains the coffee. Tim Hortons special coffee blend is also available in cans, as are Tim Hortons hot chocolate, English Toffee and French Vanilla Cappuccinos. Personally, I find Tim Hortons coffee as it is served over the counter to be too weak and watery for my taste. I also find the calibre of the customer service to be lacking. Nevertheless, Tim Hortons remains a successful franchise that has expanded into the United States and onto a variety of military bases throughout the world.

In 1995, Tim Hortons merged with Wendy's International Inc. and in March 2006, Tim Hortons completed an initial public offering and was fully spun off as a separate company on September 29, 2006. Currently, Tim Hortons trades on the New York Stock Exchange and the TSX.

We will be discussing more about Tim Hortons in the next blog.

A Coffee Ritual At The Local Convenience Store

2009-11-03T23:19:00.000-08:00

One habit of mine when it comes to drinking coffee has only been alluded to in passing within these blogs. That habit (or is it a ritual) consists of my almost daily visits to the local convenience store for a cup of Maxwell House-brewed coffee -- all for the low sum of $1.25 Cdn.

Sometimes (most of the time, actually) I will have two rapidly imbibed cups of coffee, complete with milk and sugar, and a couple of cigarettes. This habit of mine is among the most pleasant episodes of my day.

On pleasant days (like when there is no rain) I like to sit on a large rock located not far from where the convenience store stands. There are no benches in the area, so one has to make adjustments. I suppose I must make a rather odd figure: The sight of a middle-aged man with a beard seated upon a large white rock in the middle of the parking lot must draw some curious looks from time to time. I don't mind, for the most part. I enjoy watching the comings and goings of the car-bound as they drive up to the shopping plaza and run their errands. Sometimes I might strike up a conversation with a stranger or two, an occasion that breaks up what is often an unremarkable day. But quite simply, the chance to get out of my apartment for awhile (I work from home) is a worthwhile one.

The coffee itself is quite good. The machine from which it is made seems to be an efficient one, though I must admit to certain concerns when it comes to how often they clean it. But whatever; one can't afford to be too fussy in the real world of commerce. Not unless one has much more money than is the case with me.

Winter will no doubt put a considerable crimp in my daily routine. But then again there is always the possibility that I drink my coffee in the convenience store itself. I wouldn't be able to have my smoke with it, but I'm trying to cut down on smoking anyway.

In the meantime, I intend to savour the last few weeks of fall and outdoor coffee-drinking as much as I can until winter sets in and the snow begins to fly.

Instant Coffee Market Worth $21 billion Worldwide

2009-10-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

Starbucks has been touting its new instant coffee the past few weeks.

The new instant coffee line is called Via Ready Brew. Starbucks Corporation hopes to steal a big slice of the $21 billion global instant coffee market from established players like Nescafe and Sanka.

"This is the biggest investment we've made in a national launch," according to Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz. Starbucks has been trumpeting the new coffee line as a key ingredient in the corporation's economic turnaround strategy. Starbucks has experienced a sales decline of several percentage points the past year. They have been staging in-store taste tests the past few weeks as part of their promotion strategy.

Some analysts have questioned whether U.S. coffee drinkers will flock to Via, particularly since it will compete with more familiar, less expensive products. Schultz said that because of Via's higher quality, it would not compete with less expensive brands. He added that Via did not cannibalize Starbuck's main business in markets where it was tested.

A trio of single-serve Via packets sell for U.S.$2.95 in the United States. Twelve packets will sell for U.S.$9.95. These prices are significantly higher than Nescafes's Taster's Choice single serve packets that sell in Los Angeles for roughly U.S.$1.50 for six and around U.S.$4.00 for twenty.

Website Debunks Myth of Fresh Roasted Coffee in Packaging

2009-10-20T08:51:00.000-07:00

According to the website by Merchants of Green Coffee, the most authoritative study ever produced on preparing coffee beans from roasting to brewing to tasting was written by a chemical engineer named Michael Sivetz. His findings were published in 1963 in a book called Coffee Processing Technology and set standards for the global coffee industry. This book revealed that coffee quality is a function of green bean quality, freshness of the roasted bean and proper brewing methods.

In 1998, the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) republished this book. A year later, in 1999, the SCAA adopted the following definition for fresh roasted coffee. These definitions revealed that fresh roasted coffee should be ground immediately before brewing; brewed three to seven days after the coffee has been roasted, no matter how it has been packaged. As has been already stated in these blogs, most coffee retailers do not have the distribution capability to deliver coffee to the consumer in less than a few weeks.

What accounts for the short shelf life of roasted coffee? The reason is that after roasting, coffee produces seven times its volume in inert gases, which mainly consists of carbon dioxide. As this gas is produced, it binds with coffee oils and carries them into the air as aromatics. (Coffee oils are what gives coffee its fresh taste). The result is that 90 per cent of this gas and the coffee oils disappear within three days after roasting. After the gas is gone, oxygen readily penetrates the coffee and oxidizes the remaining coffee oils on contact. It is at this point that coffee develops its characteristic bitter taste.

It is a proven fact that the taste of fresh roasted coffee cannot be preserved. The notion that packaging can preserve freshness is entirely false.

Tia Maria: A Potent Coffee-Flavoured Liqueur

2009-10-10T19:06:00.000-07:00

This evening I thought it might be a good idea if we could discuss a liqueur that is closely related to Kahlua, a liqueur that I wrote about a number of months ago. The liqueur that I propose to write about is called Tia Maria, a coffee-flavoured drink that was made originally in Jamaica using Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

The main flavour ingredients are coffee beans, cane spirit, vanilla and sugar fermented to an alcoholic content of 26.5 per cent, subsequently reduced when sold to 20 per cent alcohol. The drink was invented by a Dr. Evans in Jamaica just after World War Two. Evans invited acquaintances from a country club in Kingston to try various formulas at his lab until the final version was accepted.

The Tia Maria brand was purchased in 2005 by industry giant Pernod Ricard through their Malibu-Kahlua International industry for distribution in France and the rest of the world. Tia Maria can be consumed with ice but is also frequently consumed in cocktails, with coffee or in desserts, such as the layered liqueur-whipped-cream-and-cookie confection known as the Tia Maria Torte. Tia Maria can be also mixed with milk and ice.

Other popular cocktails containing Tia Maria include the Terry, which combines Tia Maria with orange juice, and Jamaican Coffee, which features Tia Maria and Myer's Rum.

One famous drink that uses Tia Maria is known as the Black Russian, which includes one shot of Tia Maria, one shot of vodka and topped up with coco-cola. This drink is especially potent and should be drunk with extreme caution. I can personally remember drinking a Black Russian during one Christmas a number of years ago and getting a severe migraine afterward that lasted several days.

Used with care, however, Tia Maria is a delicious liqueur that can be enjoyed on any occasion.

The New Economic Reality of Coffee-Buying

2009-10-04T11:36:00.000-07:00

In spite of claims that the worst of the economic recession is now past, market researchers are now saying that consumer behaviour has undergone a permanent change when it comes to coffee-buying. "Frugality is the new reality," according to a web site that focuses on specialty coffee and the impact economic trends have on that sector.

Americans drank 146 billion cups of coffee last year and consumed nearly nine pounds of coffee last year on average. Three out of four cups of coffee are prepared at home, while nearly 20 per cent of the coffee dollars spent were on espresso-based drinks. And not all of the figures express doom and gloom scenarios. According to market reports, 67 per cent of whole bean and ground coffee retailers experienced sales gains in 2008. A similar percentage (62 per cent) reported an increase when it came to beverage sales.

While some of the economic trends are contradictory in nature, analysts believe that -- generally speaking -- specialty coffee retailers such as Starbucks and Second Cup will experience a market correction: Some estimates expect that the economy will experience a 20 per cent drop in the number of retail shops selling coffee. On the other hand, customers continue to make buying coffee at shops part of their everyday routine. The National Coffee Association's survey on coffee habits reports that 80 per cent of customers say they are not going to change their buying habits, while the other 20 per cent say they will cut down but not stop buying coffee outside their home.

The total number of dollars spent on both grocery and food service coffees will also increase, but the general trend seems to be that consumers will give up the four dollar lattes in favour of the less expensive varieties of coffee.

Cafe BBQ An Event To Remember

2009-09-23T19:16:00.000-07:00

Just arrived home after attending the annual Destination Cafe Barbecue, an event that allows staff at Destination Cafe to get together and spend some time with one another. It was also an occasion that allowed staff to honour the departure of Mary Craig, the former Supportive Housing in Peel executive in charge of Destination Cafe. Mary left in May to join another social service organization based in Etobicoke, which is located just east of Mississauga, the city Destination Cafe is located in. There were several speeches honoring the contribution Mary has made to the cafe. For me personally it was a bittersweet occasion; I am happy that Mary has found a position that she finds enjoyable, but at the same time it is with regret that I mark her departure from Destination Cafe. Mary Craig was the person to whom I reported directly when it came to these blogs; I have always found her to be scrupulously fair and encouraging when it came to her feedback on these blogs. She was also genuinely optimistic and enthusiastic in all matters related to the cafe. She will be missed very much.

The BBQ consisted of an assortment of hot dogs and hamburgers as well two kinds of salads, all of which were very tasty. To drink there was a variety of punches and sodas -- but no coffee, which some of us found a little surprising. But it was late in the afternoon, after all (after 4:00 pm) so perhaps this is not so remarkable. Even without the cafe's famous coffee, however, the meal was memorable and the company more than satisfying.

There was also a raffle held for staff in which a number of prizes were doled out. I personally won a gift certificate for $10.00 from a local grocery store chain. Other prizes included a deck chair, an umbrella, a clock radio and an assortment of gift certificates.

The weather gave some us concern: it had been threatening to rain all afternoon and actually did so briefly at the start of the event. But the sun soon broke out once more and all was well. All in all, it was a very enjoyable way to pass the time during an early fall mid-week day.

Drinking Coffee May Counteract Alcohol After All

2009-09-13T15:23:00.000-07:00

Most of us probably know that having coffee in order to sober up after a bout of drinking doesn't really work. But according to a study of more than 125,000 people, coffee may help to counteract alcohol's poisonous effects on the liver and help to prevent cirrhosis.

According to the study, one cup of coffee per day cut the risk of alcoholic cirrhosis by 20 per cent, and four cups of coffee cut the risk by 80 per cent. This effect held true both for women and men of various ethnic backgrounds.

It is unclear whether the effect stems from the caffeine in coffee or some other ingredient, according to study co-author Dr. Arthur Klatsky of the Kaiser Permanent Division of Research in Oakland, California. He noted however that there is an even better way to avoid cirrhosis: "The way to avoid getting ill is not to drink a lot of coffee, but to cut down on the drinking," he said.

Participants in the study ranged from those who did not drink alcohol at all (12 per cent of the total) to heavy drinkers (eight per cent). The researchers calculated the risk reduction rate for the whole group, not just the heavy drinkers.

Not all heavy drinkers develop cirrhosis (an irreversible scarring of the liver that impairs the organ's ability to filter toxins from the blood). Dr. Klatsky said the findings may help to explain why some who drink heavily never develop cirrhosis.

The same study found that coffee drinkers had healthier results on blood tests used to measure liver function, regardless of whether or not they were heavy drinkers. The study also helped support other studies that indicate coffee may reduce the risk of liver cancer.

Cirrhosis of the liver kills more 27,000 Americans and sends nearly 400,000 to the hospital yearly.

The Many Qualities that Make for a Good Barista

2009-09-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

In case you didn't know, a barista is someone that prepares your coffee for consumption. But what makes for a good barista? A survey of the Internet reveals that the answers are legion.

According to one barista who also happens to own two cafes, a good barista is someone who knows what their customers drink the moment they walk through the door. They know when the milk in the latte is at the appropriate temperature without having to use a thermometer. They know that beans that are good quality and freshly ground will make for an "amazing" cup of coffee. They know that light and air are the coffee beans' worst enemy. They know that cleaning your equipment at least twice a day will lead to a "good pull" and no build-up of coffee oils. They also know that a good to-go cup is constructed of paper but also has a textured Styrofoam outer layer to ensure a comfortable touch and a lid that fits tightly.

For others, a good barista is someone that prepares fine quality coffee promptly without a long wait. They are also people who have a good attitude, who are knowlegeable and who know what type of coffee you want even if the customer in question does not know the exact terminology to use.

Some people like witty banter from their baristas. Clever, amusing chit chat will fill up the barista's tip jar much faster according to these people than dull, routine conversation -- or worse yet, no conversation at all. Others however prefer a polite, no-nonsense individual that gets on with the task at hand and doesn't waste time trying to impress the customer with their fine sense of humour.

Many people are put off by baristas who are condescending and look down upon the customer. These baristas are the sort of people who take themselves too seriously and actually think they are doing the customer some sort of favour by serving them their coffee. For these people, baristas need to understand that customers are what it is all about. Baristas are after all working in the service industry; making the customer happy should be the prime directive of their job.

Finally, I would like to add my own opinion on what makes for a good barista. A good barista is someone who can assess within a few seconds what the customer really wants. He or she can weigh the various factors that make for a quality product and a satisfied customer. Such factors include price, taste, and time needed to prepare the beverage, while at the same time maintaining a polite and unhurried appearance. If a barista can achieve all these goals, in my opinion, then he or she can truly lay claim to the title.

The Rise in the Popularity of Coffee: A Brief Description

2009-08-24T15:56:00.000-07:00

More trivia on the origins of coffee and its rise in popularity: It may be hard to believe, but at one point beer was the breakfast drink of choice in the modern world. It wasn't until 1668 that the city of New York declared coffee to be the official drink for the beginning of the day. The world soon followed suit and in another hundred years -- around the time of the Boston Tea Party -- it was considered every American's duty to drink coffee at breakfast.

By the early 1900s, Germans had declared afternoon coffee to be a standard occasion. The derogatory term Kaffeeklatsch was coined to describe women's gossip at these affairs, but the term has been since broadened to mean relaxed conversation in general.

In 1901 a Japanese-American chemist named Satori Kato invented instant coffee in Buffalo, New York. Kato received a patent for his invention and coffee history was made. He even started his own coffee company -- appropriately named the Kato Coffee Company -- in Chicago. In 1903, the first decaffeinated coffee was created when a coffee importer gave a batch of ruined coffee beans to researchers, who proceeded to remove the caffeine without compromising on taste.

Coffee as a drink received a significant boost in popularity during the 1920s, during Prohibition in the United States. During World War Two, American soliders were issued Maxwell House Coffee in their ration kits.

The modern coffee break did not really come to pass until the 1950s, when workplaces in North America took to installing lunch rooms in facoties and office places for employees to sit and relax. The American Coffee Bureau saw a marketing angle in the situation and invented the "coffee break." It even invented a slogan: "Give yourself a coffee break -- and get what coffee gives to you."

In 1961, Carnation introduces CoffeeMate nondairy creamer, a powder composed of corn syrup solids, vegetable fat, sodium casseinate and various additives. But the idea of adding milk to coffee is one that dates back to the 17th century.

Coffee vs Tea: A Brief Comparison

2009-08-18T10:35:00.000-07:00

For years the debate over whether tea or coffee is better for your system has taken place in the literature. My own research into the question is that the answer depends on which source you consult.

Tea and coffee plants are both members of the evergreen family. If allowed to grow naturally, both plants would develop into fairly large trees. But both plants are trimmed to the height of a shrub, which makes them easier to harvest. And both plants produce a drink that is subtly affected by growing conditions, such as the content of the soil, moisture and surrounding vegetation. Both tea and coffee contain caffeine, a chemical that naturally induces stimulation of the central nervous system.

According to one web site, tea contains tannin, catechin, vitamin E, vitamin C, natural fluorine and polysaccharides. Tea (according to this particular web site) has been associated with preventing cancer and heart disease, while coffee does not.

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks for North Americans, and is also hailed as one of the most valuable commodities in the world. According to one web site, coffee is giving green tea a run for its money in terms of providing health benefits. Initially green tea was recommended by health professionals as being the best source for antioxidants, but it has now been found that coffee is also a good source for this substance. According to this particular web site, the best way to drink your coffee is without sugar or milk. This will lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson's and even Alzheimer's.

So which one is better? It all depends on your personal preference or taste. Both tea and coffee will provide important health benefits, and both can make for an enjoyable and refreshing drink.

Second Cup: A Successful Canadian Coffee Company

2009-08-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

In the last blog, I promised to do a write-up on Second Cup, Canada's largest specialty coffee cafe franchisor. Second Cup got its start in 1975 as a shopping mall kiosk in suburban Toronto. Since that time, the franchise has grown to more than 360 cafes in Canada and over 50 cafes internationally, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Syria.

The founders of the company were Tom Culligan and Frank O'Dea. Culligan eventually bought out the shares belonging to O'Dea and built the company up to a 150-store chain. Culligan then sold the chain to Michael Bregman 1988.

As Chairman and CEO, Bregman took Second Cup public in 1993 and in 2002 sold the operation to Cara Operations Limited. On November 16, 2006, Cara sold Second Cup to Dinecorp Hospitality Inc.. Dinecorp is controlled by former Cara CEO Gabe Tsampalieros, who is now Chairman of Second Cup.

Second Cup made the news in 2001, when Rheal Mathieu, a member of the Front de Liberation du Quebec, a terrorist organization seeking Quebec independence, was convicted of firebombing three Second Cup locations in Montreal. Mathieu targeted them because of the company's usage of its incorporated English name "Second Cup." After media coverage of the firebombings, many Second Cup locations in Quebec changed their signs to "Les cafes Second Cup."

After having called the Second Cup toll free telephone line without success (I was asked to leave a message) I telephoned one of the franchises and spoke to an employee there. I was told that Second Cup does not roast its coffee on the premises. In fact, I was informed, the coffee is roasted a full year before it is finally consumed! The roasted coffee beans, I was told, are placed in vacuum-sealed bags and are used within two weeks of having been opened.

There are no Second Cup locations near to where I live, so I have no opportunity to try the coffee at the moment. But given the fact that Second Cup coffee is not freshly roasted, I suspect that the quality of the coffee is no better than what can be found at Starbucks, which is the outlet that I usually visit.

A Memorable Blend by Second Cup

2009-07-17T16:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, after having pulled one of my famous all-nighters, I decided to indulge in some early morning coffee drinking. After having used up what was left of some Maxwell House that I seem to have had for ages, I found a small red package of coffee in the side of my fridge. Produced by the Second Cup organization -- which I believe is a Canadian company -- the attractive container called the coffee Sumatra Mandheling, below which in much smaller writing: Asia-Pacific. It characterized itself as a medium dark roast and was already ground.

I had a total of two cups of this blend and found it to be warm and woody with a slightly nutty aftertaste. There was only a hint of bitterness that was readily compensated by milk and sugar, which is how I like to drink my coffee. These two cups of coffee were definitely superior to another cup of coffee that I had later in the morning while over at the local convenience store.

All this makes me wonder what I am really missing. What would coffee that is freshly roasted taste like? The only place where I know such can be obtained is at Destination Cafe. Starbucks coffee, which I drink frequently, is roasted fully a month before it is finally consumed. I don't know the status of the coffee served by Second Cup, but I will investigate and let readers know in the near future. Look forward to a full write up of Second Cup as well.

Happy coffee drinking!

Drinking Coffee a Healthy Choice for Most

2009-07-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

The last 25 years have witnessed an upsurge in the study of coffee on the human body. No wonder: Over 400 million cups of coffee are consumed every day throughout the world.

For decades researchers warned consumers about the health hazards associated with drinking too much coffee. Now, however, recent studies have shown that the benefits may outweigh the risks. Caffeine, one of the main ingredients of coffee, has been long known to be a mild stimulant, and one that can aid digestion, which accounts for its popularity as an after-dinner drink. Coffee can temporarily raise blood pressure, increase the heart rate, and increase the presence of stomach acids. There is also strong evidence that coffee can reduce the incidence of colon cancer, although for that to happen, one must drink about four cups a day. But other benefits accrue at even moderate levels of coffee drinking.

Like wine, coffee contains anti-oxidants that help prevent heart disease and certain cancers by removing cell-destroying oxygen radicals from the blood. Some studies even suggest that the concentration of antioxidants is greater than that found in cranberries, apples or tomatoes. There is also some evidence that coffee can reduce the incidence of kidney stones and gallstones. Caffeine has been shown to reduce the constriction of airways in asthma sufferers in the case of moderate consumption. Caffeine also contains a natural bronchodilator that assists breathing.

There are also certain risk factors associated with coffee drinking as well -- including calcium loss for women and elevated levels of cholesterol. Most researchers, however, agree that the benefits of drinking coffee outweigh the risks.

The Coffee Tree Story: A Sequel

2009-07-04T20:38:00.000-07:00

More info on the subject of the coffee tree: The coffee tree is an evergreen with spear-shaped leaves, which are green and shiny on the upper side. As with all Rubiaceous plants, the leaves grow in pairs on either side of the stem and they are stipulated, which means the two organs responsible for nutrition are to be found at the base of the leaf stalk. It is interesting to note that the leaves of the Robusta tree are much larger than those of the Arabica tree.

The coffee tree grows on varied soil, including volcanic soil, siliceous clay, alluvial, peat and sand. The soil, however, must be deep, as the roots of the coffee tree extend one to two metres below the surface of the soil. Important growing factors include: Avoiding excessive cold and heat, exposure to 1200 to 1500 mm of rain per year, at least a few hours of sunlight per day, no strong winds and altitude -- the higher the better.

Coffee grows between 28 degrees North and 30 degrees South. Growing areas include Central America, the Caribbean region, Brazil, West Africa, East Africa, Yemen, Madagascar, India, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Botanists refer to the cherry (the fruit of the coffee tree) as the drupe. Green to begin with, the cherries ripen over several months, becoming yellow, then red, then garnet red, then finally almost black. The ideal time for harvesting is when the cherries are red. Inside the drupe, protected by the "mesocarp" or pulp, lie two small beans separated by a groove. These beans must be extracted and then roasted in order to make coffee.

The flowers of the coffee tree form little tufts made up of eight to 15 elements at the base of the leaves. They produce the same number of cherries. These flowers last only a few hours and wilt as soon as fertilization occurs; others quickly replace them, however. One tree can produce 30,000 flowers a year. It is also not uncommon to see leaves, flowers and berries on the coffee tree at the same time.

Coffee Tree Complex and Fascinating

2009-06-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

This evening I thought it would be worthwhile to talk about the coffee tree itself. The coffee tree is actually a shrub with a straight trunk, and can survive from 50 to 70 years. The first flowers appear during the third year, but coffee production is only really profitable from the fifth year onwards. Eighteenth century botanists first classified the coffee tree as a member of the Rubiaceous family, of which there are more than 4,000 species of plants. There are actually around 60 different species of coffee tree, but two alone dominate the coffee trade. The most popular is Coffea Arabica (Arabica), which represents about 75 per cent of coffee production; the second variety is Coffea Canephora, or Robusta, which take up the remaining 25 per cent of production. Robusta coffee is generally regarded as the inferior of the two varieties; its taste is generally harsher to the palate than is arabica. Robusta coffee trees are also a higher yield plant than is arabica and are more resistant to disease. The beans gathered from this plant are generally used in instant coffees and the more commercial blends.

Arabica coffee trees on the other hand grow best at higher altitudes than is the case for robusta trees. They have a much more refined flavour and contain about one per cent caffeine by weight, as compared to robusta's two per cent. Arabica beans also yield only one to one and a half pounds of green coffee per year, compared to robusta's two to three pounds.

The coffee bean's flowers are white with five or six petals. The pistil that emerges from the flower's cupule (the main body of the flower) is tipped with delicate stigmas, the shape and scent of which resemble that of jasmine. It is for this reason that the coffee tree was once referred to as "Arabian Jasmine" in the 17th century.

We will discuss the coffee tree in more detail in a later blog.

A Sunday Afternoon at Starbucks

2009-06-21T19:37:00.000-07:00

Went to the local coffee shop this afternoon, which happens to be a Starbucks outlet. While sitting outside and enjoying the sunshine, a young man who works there sat beside me and began talking. Turns out his name is Sean, and that he has been a barista there for about 14 months.

Sean had a lot of positive things to say about working there. In spite of only working part-time, he has access to a number of benefits, including medical and dental, as well as bursary programs and a good vacation plan. Clearly Starbucks is a corporation that values its employees and treats them well.

Together with his co-worker Christina (of whom I have already written) and another fellow patron by the name of Phil, who as it happen is also a writer, Sean is someone who makes going to Starbucks a rewarding experience for me. By Sean's own account, the people who frequent Starbucks are also a pleasant lot -- unpretentious and friendly. This jibes with my own experience as well. I guess there is something about going for coffee that makes it a relaxed and welcoming experience for most people.

Apparently the Starbuck's location that I visit is the oldest one in the city in which I live. It has been in existence for approximately 17 years, according to Sean.

Sean is modest when it comes to talking about what he does for living. He says the most challenging aspect of the job is preparing the lattes and cappuccinos for the customers. Nevertheless, he credits the company's excellent training programme for providing him his abilities as a barista.

All in all, a very pleasant way to while away an hour or so on a Sunday afternoon.

Caffeine: A Surprisingly Common Substance

2009-06-13T21:17:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia, the chemical substance called caffeine was first discovered by a German chemist named Friedrich Ferdinand Runge in 1819. When distilled, caffeine (or as it was originally called in German: kaffein)is a bitter white crystalline substance that is found in such plants as guarana (a climbing plant in the maple family), yerba mate (another plant that grows in South America), cacao and tea, not to mention the coffee tree.

Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the beans, leaves and fruit of certain plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects that feed on the plants. Caffeine is most commonly consumed by humans in infusions extracted from the cherries of the coffee plant and the leaves of the tea bush, as well as from various foods and drinks containing products derived from the kola nut. Other sources include yerba mate, guarana berries and the Yaupon Holly.

In humans, caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, and has the effect of temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness. According to Wikipedia, caffeine is also one of the world's most widely consumed psychoactive substances, but unlike many other psychoactive substances it is legally produced and unregulated in virtually all jurisdictions.

In North America, caffeine is consumed daily by 90 per cent of all adults. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists caffeine as a "Multiple Purpose Generally Recognized as Safe Food Substance." Caffeine has diuretic properties, at least when administered in sufficient doses to people who do not have a tolerance for it. Regular users however develop a strong tolerance to this effect, and studies have generally failed to support the popular idea that the consumption of caffeinated beverages contributes to dehydration.

Rise of Coffee in Europe: A Brief Description

2009-06-06T16:22:00.000-07:00

To continue our story about the spread of coffee throughout the world: From the Middle East, coffee travelled eastward to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) as early as 1505. It has been said that fertile coffee beans were first introduced to south west India by Baba Budan on his return from a pilgrimage to Mecca in the 17th century.

By 1517, coffee had reached Constantinople, following the conquest of Egypt by Salim the First, and it was established in Damascus in 1530. Coffee houses were opened in Constantinople in 1554. Their opening provoked for a time religious riots that temporarily closed the coffee houses, but the establishments survived their critics and became a regular rendezvous for those engaged in radical political thought and dissent.

Venetian traders introduced coffee to Europe by 1615; tea had been introduced a few years earlier in 1610. Once more coffee inspired controversy in Italy when some clerics (religious leaders) suggested that it be excommunicated as being the Devil's work. However Pope Clement VIII (1592-1605) enjoyed coffee so much that he declared that coffee should be baptized to make it a true Christian drink.

The first European coffee house opened in Venice in 1683. The famous Cafe Florian, in the Piazza San Marco, which opened in 1720, is the oldest surviving coffee shop in Europe.

Middle Eastern Cafes Forerunner to European Ones

2009-05-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

The first coffee houses were originally religious meeting places that later turned to social gatherings for gossip, singing and story telling. But it was these very celebrations that led to their criticism by devout Musims.

The governor of Mecca (whose name was Khair Beg) saw some people drinking coffee before a night-long prayer vigil. Furious at the sight, Beg drove the group from the mosque and ordered all coffee houses in the city to be closed. A heated debate soon followed, and it was only resolved when the Sultan of Cairo intervened and reprimanded Khair Beg for banning the drink without consulting his superior first. In 1512, when Khair Beg was accused of embezzlement, the Sultan had Beg put to death.

The picture of Arabic coffee houses as dens of iniquity were exaggerated by religious zealots. In reality, the Middle Eastern coffee house was the forerunner of the European Cafe society and the coffee houses of London. These coffee houses were enlightened meeting places for intellectuals, where news and gossip was exchanged daily and clients were regularly entertained by traditional story-tellers.

The Reputed Origin of Coffee: Part Two

2009-05-23T13:56:00.000-07:00

To continue recounting legends surrounding the origin of coffee, let us turn to the story of how coffee was brought to Arabia from Ethiopia.

According to one account, coffee was brought to Arabia (the Middle East) from Ethiopia by Sudanese slaves, who apparently chewed on the berries enroute to help them survive the journey. There is some evidence that the coffee berries were ground up and mixed with butter, and was then consumed like chocolate for sustenance. This method was reportedly used by the Galla tribe of Ethiopia, which is believed to lend some credence to the Sudanese slave story. The practice of mixing ground coffee beans with ghee (clarified butter) persists to this very day in some parts of Kaffa and Sidamo, two of the principal coffee-growing regions of Ethiopia. In Kaffa, the drink is brewed today with the addition of melted ghee, which gives it a distinctive, buttery flavour.

Coffee's invigorating powers have been linked to religion. Islamic legend describes the discovery of coffee as being linked to the devout Sheikh Omar, who found the coffee growing wild in Mocha, a well-known coffee producing region in Yemen. The Sheikh is said to have boiled some berries, discovered the stimulating effect of the brew, and administered it to the locals who had been stricken with an ailment of unknown origin, and cured them.

There are numerous versions of this story concerning the reclusive Sheikh Omar. One story has it that he cured the King of Mocha's daughter with coffee; another tells of how a wondrous bird led him to a tree filled with ripe coffee berries.

We will continue with our survey of stories and legends concerning the origins of coffee in the next blog.

One Hundred Blogs and Counting: A Celebration

2009-05-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

Today is an important milestone for this blog: This installment marks the 100th that I have written on the subject of coffee and Destination Cafe. The first blog was written on March 20th 2007, and discussed the opening of Destination Cafe for business.

You may ask which of the blogs represent my favorite writings. I have two, as a matter of fact, both of which were written early on. One was a profile on former Destination Cafe Day Manager Jeff Taylor, written on May 27, 2007. Jeff passed away earlier this year; he will be (and already is) missed very much.

The second blog was written earlier in the same month and year: May 6, 2007, to be exact. This blog was about a dinner and show that took place in a church basement. The blog was entitled "Dinner Cape Breton Style" and was written (as I recall) early in the morning on the weekend shortly after the event took place. Like the profile on Jeff, I thoroughly enjoyed the process of writing this blog.

Although I do in general very much enjoy the process of writing the blogs, I do face challenges. One of the most difficult of the challenges is simply the need to keep the blogs fresh and interesting. Having written 100 blogs, you can well imagine the difficulty in coming up with new ideas about coffee and coffee-related themes. For this reason, I am always open to new suggestions about what to write; if anyone has any new ideas, please let me know.

My own education on the subject of coffee has grown tremendously over the last couple of years, especially when it comes to my awareness of the taste and smell of good coffee. I am not a big fan of Tim Horton's coffee, for instance: I find it too weak and watery for my taste. Nevertheless, I am still no expert. If anything, writing on the subject of coffee has made me aware of how little I really do know about the subject. I also believe that the drinking of coffee remains very much a subjective experience, and that enjoying good coffee is something everyone can do if they so choose.

I hope you the reader has enjoyed reading these blogs as much as I have enjoyed writing them. May the next 100 blogs be as much fun an experience as the first have been. Happy coffee-drinking!

Origins of Coffee Steeped in Mystery and Legend

2009-05-08T19:05:00.000-07:00

The exact origins of coffee take a variety of forms. One account has it that more than 1,000 years ago a goatherd in Ethiopia's southwestern highlands (called by the natives Kaffa, which gave rise to the name coffee) plucked a few red berries from several young green trees growing in the forest and tasted them. The young herder liked the taste of the berries very much. He was impressed with the feel-good feeling that arose from them.

How did the goat herder (whose name was Kaldi) discover the red berries to begin with? Legend has it that he observed a number of goats vigorously prancing about and bleating loudly after ingesting them.

After trying the berries himself, the young Kaldi filled his pockets with the ripe cherries and brought them to the local monastery. Upon presenting the chief monk with his berries and relating his story, the monk in question proclaimed them to be "devil's work" and threw them into the fire.

Within minutes the monastery was filled with the smell of roasting coffee. The other monks gathered to investigate and the roasted berries were collected from the fire and placed in hot water to preserve their goodness. That night the monks stayed up late drinking the rich and fragrant brew and subsequently vowed that they would drink it daily to help them stay awake performing their nocturnal devotions.

We will relate other legends and accounts in a later blog.

Coffee Consumption Helps Night Workers Stay Alert

2009-04-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

When it comes to beginning a night shift, according to the web site Positively Coffee, the negative effects can be compared to taking a flight across eight time zones. Yet for many people, this is a phenomenon that must be accepted.

The health and safety implications are very real. People are naturally nocturnal animals; people's biological rhythms involve sleeping at night. This is because their energy cycles are usually lowest at between midnight and six in the morning. If this pattern is ignored or interrupted for some reason, mistakes can often occur, such as what was witnessed during the infamous "Three Mile Island" incident in 1979, in which a potential nuclear meltdown was narrowly averted.

Studies have shown that the effects of caffeine have the potential to combat many of the symptoms experienced by night workers, including the tendency to be less attentive and slower to respond to changing situations. Two large cups of coffee containing a total of 200 mg of caffeine can significantly reduce the tendency to sleep, as well as increase alertness and concentration, enabling night shift workers to perform at a level comparable to their peers who are working during the day.

Post Script: In the last blog I mentioned that coffee does not appear to increase cognitive functioning. I have since learned that this may not actually be the case. According to a study conducted by Dr. Martin Jarvis at the Institute of Psychiatry in London, which was published in 1993, there is a clear relationship between cognitive performance and coffee consumption. In other words, intellectual function tends to increase with the amount of coffee consumed.

Want to Boost Your Performance at Work? Try a Cup of Coffee

2009-04-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

Coffee and work go together like eggs and bacon. The effects of coffee on workplace performance have been well documented. Much of the research on this topic has involved the mental processes that underlie our ability to perform a variety of tasks. The caffeine in coffee is known to increase alertness and reduce fatigue. This is especially true in "low arousal" situations such as when working at night. Caffeine in coffee also improves performance in a variety of tasks that require a sustained attention span and response. These effects are the most obvious when a person's alertness is reduced, although there is some evidence to suggest that alertness will also increase when the person is unimpaired.

We have already documented in these pages that regular caffeine consumption is beneficial on an ongoing basis. Although those that consume more caffeine do not have better mental functioning, they are more alert at performing normal functioning activities. This fact does not appear to alter over time. When it comes to the performance of physical activities, the benefits are less clear. Caffeine consumption does however assist physical endurance, an important consideration when working long hours.

According to a web site entitled Positively Coffee, a study conducted by Psychology Professor Andrew Smith of the University of Bristol suggests that the effects of caffeine consumption changes through the course of the day. The study in question consisted of four separate situations. In the free-living situation, participants were permitted to follow their usual routine. The second and third situations consisted of the free choice of either caffeinated or decaffeinated beverages, including tea and cola. Consumption of caffeine in the fourth situation was limited to one cup of coffee at 10:30 A.M., one cup of tea in the afternoon at 3:30, and one glass of cola in the evening at 8:30. The mood of all participants was assessed at regular times during the course of the day. Results showed that consumption was greatest in the morning and that the pattern of consumption was similar for all concerned.

When it came to the participants' level of alertness, the study showed that the greatest decline was among those who consumed only decaffeinated coffee over the day. Results also showed that drinking caffeinated coffee led to positive effects in terms of alertness and performance. The implications for workplace performance are therefore clear.

The benefits of coffee and caffeine in the workplace will be discussed further in a later blog.

Kahlua: A Memorable Coffee Flavored Liqueur

2009-04-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago while visiting a friend's home I was offered coffee with a very special addition: Kahlua.

Kahlua is a liqueur. A liqueur may be defined as an alcoholic beverage that has been flavoured with fruit, nuts, spices, flower or cream and bottled with added sugar. Liqueurs are generally quite sweet; they are usually not aged for long but may have resting periods during production so that their flavours may marry. In some parts of the world the word liqueur and cordial are used interchangeably; they both describe liqueurs made by re-distilling spirits with aromatic flavorings. However, unlike with liqueurs, cordials are generally prepared with fruit pulp or juices.

In the case of Kahlua, the well-known Mexican liqueur, it is a heavy and sweet liquid that is made with coffee, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla beans. The alcohol content of Kahlua varies between 20 and 35 per cent, depending on individual markets. In 2002, a more expensive, high-end product called "Kahlua Especial" became available in the United States, Canada and Australia. According to Wikipedia, Kahlua Especial has an alcohol content of 36 per cent, has a lower viscosity and is less sweet than the regular version.

Kahlua is used to make cocktails such as the B-52, the Black Russian and the Mudslide. It can also be enjoyed in cold cream, milk or mixed with hot coffee.

Starbucks Employee Makes A Positive Impact In Her Work

2009-03-21T16:28:00.000-07:00

After having visited Starbucks yesterday morning with a friend for coffee and conversation, I decided to linger for a while and have another cup before returning home. It was a fine spring day; the sun was shining and the birds were chirping cheerfully. As I sat, savouring the fine weather, an employee at Starbucks named Christina approached me and asked if she could sit down. Seeing no reason why I should decline, I quickly assented to her request.

I had already marked when giving my order how bright and cheerful this young woman had been when serving me. I discovered in conversation with her that she was 20 years old and had been working at Starbucks for about four years. A trained barista, she said she wanted to be a teacher someday in English and History. I was suitably encouraging, finding myself charmed by her youthful presence and ready smile. She left a short while later to return to work. "See you on Monday," she said as she went.

Later, as I walked home, I reflected that I had made what could be an important new contact, one that was already leading to a more friendly and welcoming environment. It was pleasant to think about my brief meeting with my new acquaintance.