america's sweetheart

From a recent episode of the The Simpsons, which includes among many other things: parodies of heist films and young adult fantasy novels, satirical commentary on the world of children's book publishing, and a guest appearance by Neil Gaiman(!!!):

Lisa Simpson, planning to write the next great teen novel series, opens up a laptop in Springfield's favorite local bookstore/coffeeshop "Bookaccino's".

"Sitting in a coffeeshop, I couldn't feel more like a real writer."

Sighs with satisfaction.

"Oh! Better set up with wi-fi, in case I need to do some research".

Stops to contemplate.

"But if I'm gonna use their free internet, I really should buy something."

Joins the line at the coffee bar.

"God, I love being a writer."

19th Century Secretary of the Smithsonian on the subject of Coffee

Samuel P. Langley (1834-1906), in a letter to his niece Mary, wrote about the preparation of the "best coffee in Carlsbad,"in Bohemia.
I imagine that the legend of figs used in the preparation of the coffee came about because of the blend, the combination of four different varieties of coffee and perhaps their unique roasting technique. It's not uncommon to find fruit notes, even mango and raspberry, in some cups of coffee.
If I could only travel through time....any historical figures with whom you could imagine sharing a cup at Modern Times?

(from the Smithsonian Air and Space blog)

what jerks!

"black coffee. freshly ground, fully packed"

An ode to black coffee, strength and independence:



From the 1972 Ike & Tina Turner LP "Feel Good."

"coffee gives you the time to dream it"

If David Bowie, Cicely Tyson, and Kurt Vonnegut are doing it, then count me in.

Jaybird Coleman - Coffee Grinder Blues

Ain't nobody, it ain't nobody
Ain't nobody in town can grind a coffee like mine

I drink so much coffee, till I grind it in my sleep
I drink so much coffee, I grind it in my sleep
And when it get like that, you know it can't be beat

It's so doggone good that it made me bite my tongue
It's so doggone good it made me bite my tongue
Will keep it for my daddy, ain't gonna give nobody none

I ain't ever loved it this-a way before
I ain't ever loved it this-a way before
And I hope the Lord that I won't love it any more

I've got so now that I can't control my mind
I've got so now that I can't control my mind
I go to bed blue and I get up cryin'

It's so doggone good that it made me talk out of my head
It's so doggone good it made me talk out of my head
And it's better to me than any that I have ever had

Now I grind my coffee, at the 2 and 3 dollars a pound
I grind my coffee, at the 2 and 3 dollars a pound
And it ain't no mo' cheap like mine in town

It's so doggone good until it'll make you bite your tongue
It's so doggone good that it'll make you bite your tongue
And I'm a coffee grindin' mama and won't you let me grind you some?

Review: David Lynch Signature Cup Coffee

Background: David Lynch is a coffee fan, so much so that the beverage plays a near-supporting role in several of his works, most notably the television series Twin Peaks, where characters such as Agent Dale Cooper and FBI Regional Bureau Chief Gordon Cole (played by Lynch himself) declare regularly their love of a good cup of coffee.

"DAMN good coffee! And HOT! --Dale Cooper

"I was wondering if I might trouble you for a cup of hot, black coffee." -- Gordon Cole

Flavor: Brewed in a press pot, the Organic House Roast beans produced a light to medium bodied coffee w/ mild, slightly sweet and warm flavors of chocolate, spice, nuts.

Source: Proprietary cooperative in Oaxaca, Mexico

Fair Trade: From the David Lynch coffee website: "While the Fair Trade Certified label guarantees that certified cooperatives of coffee growers (as opposed to single family farms) receive a minimum floor price for their product, we don't pay to use the Fair Trade label on our packaging. Instead our supplier focuses on building direct relationships with our producers and signing multi-year contracts at fixed prices which they negotiate with the producers themselves."

Rating: Mild and pleasant, this would be a good coffee to have at breakfast, or a la Gordon Cole, with a slice of cherry pie for an afternoon pick-me-up.

that cup

So, we now continue our expansion into this digital sphere, an exciting and vast, possibly endless, digital universe. Here, we'll try to keep it simple; in fact, instead of contemplating the vastness of information and enticing nuggets that await us within the confines of of our computer screens, I would like to have my first post be something of a reminder that every once in a while we need to focus on what is directly in front of us.

Of course, being in the coffee business, my call is mainly for those who frequent establishments like our own, where dedicated, caring individuals prepare wonderful concoctions in front of your eyes. We often forget or lose ourselves in whatever it may be - conversation, music, the glare of the new and the fast - that there is a great-long-chain of people, places, methods and activities, chemical reactions, dirty hands and sweaty foreheads, organic processes, digestion(?), and obsessions that end up in that cup on the table in front of you. The same can be said of any of the other artisanal products that we are proud to offer like Polly's, no-fuss just GOOD, baked goods or Diane's seasonal pies (believe me, you'll want to write an epic poem about those gorgeous pies!) - folks that hand produce everything from scratch and even have time to stop by and have a chat with us during their deliveries.

We're proud of our growing endeavour and hope you continue enjoying fully all we have to offer. As evidence that we as a society have not only been drinking coffee and tea for quite a long time but also thinking and writing about it, I leave you with a few of my favorite quotes and musings from times past.


I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.
- T.S. Eliot

Coffee leads men to trifle away their time, scald their chops, and spend their money, all for a little base, black, thick, nasty, bitter, stinking nauseous puddle water. ~The Women's Petition Against Coffee, 1674

The Pleasures and Pains of Coffee by Honore de Balzac

A Nice Cup of Tea by George Orwell.

The white man has scoffed at our religion and our morals, but has accepted the brown beverage without hesitation. - Okakura Kakuzō

Why Coffee Is Better Than...

From the Java City menu in Bangalore, India:

Why coffee is better than women:

• You can make coffee as sweet as you want.
• Coffee is cheaper.
• You can take black coffee home to meet your parents.
• If you put chocolate in your coffee, it doesn't put on weight.
• Coffee doesn't care what kind of mood you're in.
• Your coffee doesn't talk to you, and doesn't ask you to talk either.
• Coffee is good when its cold too.
• Coffee never runs out.
• You can warm it up.

Why coffee is better than men:

• A cup of coffee looks good in the morning.
• Coffee is out of your system by the morning.
• Coffee smells and tastes good.
• You can always ditch a bad cup of coffee.
• No matter how ugly you are, you can always get a cup of coffee.
• A big cup or small cup? It doesn't matter.
• Coffee is ready in 15 minutes or less.
• Never says "I have a headache."

Thanks to RYG for dispatching this post from the field. Keep 'em coming!