parallel evolution?

While visiting Istanbul's Sahaflar Çarşısı (Old Book Bazaar) last month, I came across some beautiful examples of Ebru, or Turkish Paper Marbling. What struck me initially was the similarity between the various marbling designs (mainly flowers and hearts) with our own "folk art" practiced in the coffeehouse - latte art. Upon returning from my trip, I found videos online showcasing some of the techniques used in creating such intricate, dazzling patterns.

We owe the emergence of the coffeehouse to Istanbul's dynamic history. Now I can say that we also share kinship in the creation of intricate designs using the simplest of materials (although ours is inherently ephemeral in order to be enjoyed fully).

Coffee prices on the rise

We've been hearing about this for some time now. Read a discussion on coffee production, consumption, commodification and culture at The New York Times "Coffee, the New Shaky Commodity".

South of Laptopistan

In this article in the NY Times, David Sax profiles a cafe in Brooklyn where laptops rule the tabletops and 5/6 of the overall space. I'm not wishing to move the cafe toward that particular business model - I believe we've achieved a careful balance within our small space. However, Sax was able to personalize the laptop drones who he originally believed "were just sitting around e-mailing other writers in other cafes around the world."
I've have met many writers, business people, moms, professors, students in Modern Times Coffeehouse; some of you have been calling this your "third-space" before that term was coined. I can't keep up with every one who comes through; so, inspired by this article, I'm asking you to introduce yourselves - here, on our Modern Times Coffeehouse blog.
What are you typing away for over there? What has been haunting your screen lately? The classic DC question: What do you do? Who are you?

You say cafe, I say coffee bar

...and then there's also coffeeshop, coffeehouse, etc. Adding to the neverending discussion on the place of wi-fi, computers, and the like in coffeeshops, read: The New Coffee Bars: Unplug, Drink, Go

what's the deal with iced coffee?

We've been serving cold-brewed coffee for a few years now, but ever since last summer the notoriety of iced coffee has skyrocketed. Convenience stores, fast food joints, and corporate coffee chains are marketing iced coffee as the cheaper, but just as delicious, alternative to an iced latte. (Iced lattes are more expensive for this reason: they involve the barista pulling regular espresso shots to order, then a full serving-- usually 8 oz. or so of milk and sometimes a flavor shot is added.)

We were highlighted briefly in the Express last summer about cold-brewed iced coffee, and then the Post followed up with an article, quoting awesome food scientist Harold McGee on the flavor marriage of milk and coffee; also highlighted was the cold espresso-based drink the "shakerato" (which for you oldschoolers-- we actually used to serve at MTC).

Also mentioned was an incident with a now-defunct coffeeshop where a customer was refused espresso over ice (and threatened, via a blog post, with a very specific form of punishment) because the establishment wouldn't serve a coffee beverage where the form/quality of the espresso was compromised.

Why all the hullabaloo? Coffee beans for espresso are roasted and blended to preserve unique flavors that bloom under the intense pressure and temperature of the espresso machine. When that hot, concentrated shot of liquid is shocked with ice, it tastes completely different than the fragrant, savory, sweet, and creamy treat that it was meant to be. Most of us agree that taste is well, bad. We also don't like to see those carefully roasted espresso beans covered up in a drink with tons of milk and most likely, sugar.

Lurking in the background is another reason why some people have been known to order espresso over ice-- they simply use the "free" self-serve condiment milk to fill the rest of the cup up, essentially making their own iced latte for the cost of just ordering a regular espresso. There's even a pejorative term for it, but I don't like to use it. One can understand the motivation behind this-- but considering that vast majority of people only use 1-2 ounces of milk in their coffee, someone taking 8-10 ounces of milk for their on-the-sly iced latte cuts into the bottom line of a business. At our store, the additional dollar you pay for the iced latte vs. a double espresso accounts for the milk, the ice, and the barista pre-mixing it for you.

Cold-brewed coffee tastes completely different than say, hot-brewed coffee that is just leftover and then stuck in the fridge until cold. It can be enjoyed on its own, or with a little bit of milk or simple syrup (sugar that has been pre-dissolved in water) to enhance the natural flavors. If you like your espresso unaltered or like to drink regular hot coffee black, you'll probably find cold-brewed coffee a refreshing, flavor-packed substitute when you need a cold jolt on a hot day. And if you usually drink iced lattes, try iced coffee with milk-- you will be surprised of the flavor difference.

For the record, there are some specific methods out there for brewing coffee directly over ice to actually capture flavors at the point of chilling-- notably the Japanese method, which uses a pour-over brewing style, filtering the concentrated coffee directly onto ice cubes; or Vietnamese-style iced coffee, which brews a single serving of coffee over ice and sweetened condensed milk.

Wireless options

Since I just posted something regarding an interruption of wireless service this weekend, I want to get your thoughts regarding our current policy.
We get so many comments and complaints every day from other non-laptop users - customers who have been visiting this space for 10+ years - about how computers take up most of our tables throughout the day. Of course, it is unquestionable that computers have become ubiquitous inside most coffeehouses. In fact, I believe that they have become inseparable and that in order for a business like ours to be viable and attract customers, this service has to be provided.
So, my question is this: is it possible to create a good balance between our different demographics? What makes this space so amazing and great and comfortable is the fact that there is much history, a strong community, and the people who come here are usually aware, participating, and in dialogue with a larger world outside of these walls and this city. It's a shame that some folks feel that they are being pushed out by a new technology - one, that, honestly, I'm still coming to terms with myself. I understand that this sentiment is partly derived from a slight fear of the new and perhaps a manifestation of an increasing generational gap, but, nonetheless, it is a valid concern that creates conflict, worry, much argument and division. I must also note that many laptop users - writers, students, those working from "home"- here are aware of our spatial (and economic) limitations and try their best to share tables and purchase something every hour or so.
I guess the spectrum of possibilities range from not offering wireless at all, limiting it to certain times of the day or days of the week, limiting it to certain tables, charging an hourly fee (!), plugging up all the electrical outlets and have people rely on their batteries, to not changing anything at all. I don't want you - laptop users - to feel that we are waging a war against you, but want you to understand this ongoing concern of ours and that we want you to be part of shaping our new policy in this ever-changing landscape and environment. If you'd rather not comment on the blog, you can always reach me at javier@moderntimescoffeehouse.com

a recent NPR story on the subject

CNN on tech etiquette (from 2005)

Lastly, a poem from A Brief Description of the Excellent Vertues of that Sober and wholesome Drink, called Coffee, and its Incomparable Effects in Preventing or Curing Most Diseases incident to Humane Bodies (London: Paul Greenwod, 1674):

The RULES and ORDERS of the Coffee-House
Enter Sirs freely, But first if you please,
Peruse our Civil-Orders, which are these.
First, Gentry, Tradesmen, all are welcome hither,
And may without Affront sit down Together:
Pre-eminence of Place, none here should Mind,
But take the next fit Seat that he can find:
Nor need any, if Finer Persons come,
Rise up for to assigne to them his Room;
To limit mens expence, we think not fair,
But let him forfeit Twelve-pence that shall Swear:
He that shall any Quarrel here begin,
Shall give each Man a Dish t’Atone the Sin;
And so shall He, whose Complements extend
So far to drink in COFFEE to his friend;
Let Noise of loud Disputes be quite forborn,
No Maudlin Lovers here in Corners Mourn,
But all be Brisk, and Talk, but not too much
On Sacred things, Let none Presume to touch,
Nor profane Scripture, or sawcily wrong
Affairs of State with an Irreverent Tongue:
Let Mirth be Innocent, and each Man see,
That all his Jests without Reflection be;
To keep the House more Quiet, and from Blame,
We Banish hence Cards, Dice, and every game:
Nor can allow of Wagers, that Exceed
Five shillings, which oft-times much Trouble Breed;
Let all that’s lost, or forfeited, be spent
In such Good Liquour as the House does vent,
And Customers endeavour to their Powers,
For to observe still seasonable Howers.
Lastly let each Man what he calls for Pay,
And so you’re welcome to come every day.

How many lattes = a private jet?

Many members of the service industry transition daily from our places of residence into very different environments to do our work. So I'm always interested in hearing how people describe how "the other half" lives. Enter David Brooks' most recent Op-Ed in the New York Times "Ward Three Morality".

The real question is, will the people in Ward 3 set the standard for coffee consumption in these troubled economic times?

wi-fi 101

You might have noticed the new wi-fi rules in the house. Once you connect to the network and open a web browser, you'll be redirected to an agreement page and be asked to accept the terms for usage of our wireless (don't use us as your base for evil operations, etc.). And just to keep the evil to a minimum, during busy hours where lots of people are looking for a seat AND looking to spend money (yay for economic stimulation and for small independent businesses) we'll probably shut the wireless off. So channel that still-high-on-Obama feeling and share your table with your fellow Americans so we can all rise to meet the challenges that come with a free wi-fi society.

Can DC be "cool?"

well, read this:

Can Obama Make Washington the Capital of Cool?

I was not aware that, from my whole conversation with Alex, he was going to focus on my vague understanding of gentrification and economics and that I was going to sound like the "Debbie Downer" of the article, since the article begins on such an uplifting, "hooray-for-change!" tone. But I call it as I sees it - DC as "vibrant"- maybe, but it lurks just below the surface. Once an open dialogue has started and we can say that we have cohesiveness, acceptance, and a free exchange of ideas within our now-jigsaw-puzzle communities then can we call DC cool.

Maybe we need something like what "The Wire" did to Baltimore to make our "grittiness" cool.

Trust me, it's all in the coffee

The most excellent Radiolab recently did a show on the topic of choice. In one segment, a study was described where researchers determined that a person's opinion on the "warmth" or trustworthiness of another depended on whether they were holding a cup of either hot or iced coffee. Subjects who held the hot cup briefly before being asked about the likeability of a person unknown to them rated the stranger as being nicer than the testers that held the iced coffee. Of particular note are the implications this has about the relationship between a consumer's behavior in regards to physical interactions that the service provider offers. Are customers more likely to buy your product if you create a warmer environment for them? It's no secret that stores use different types of lighting and sound to create a more sales-friendly environment for shoppers, but hot coffee just makes me think McDonald's lawsuit waiting to happen, not customers blithely adding pastries and sandwiches to their order as they fight the morning caffeine withdrawal shakes. Maybe you'll want to think twice the next time the barista places a drink in your hands before asking if you want to add anything to your order. Or we could just make it painfully clear, the way this cafe in The Netherlands does.