A Coffee Queenpin?
Hm.
Somehow, I doubt that the denizens of this thread will view me as anything other than a mere dilettante in caffeine related matters or those akin o espresso.
That's what they all say to hide under the radar!
If you must know why I always joke about you being some magical force behind the world's trade is that several years ago I happened across an author who penned several coffee related amateur sleuth or cozy novels. Cleo Lowell is what I recall her name being. At the time I was using a suggestion service that's now defunct. The genre isn't my cup of tea as I prefer some form of nefarious wrongdoing in my mystery novels, but they were rather enjoyable reads that revolved around coffee. I'm sure there have been novels revolving around a coffee kingpin or food kingpin of some type but those are often novels from before either us were born when farmer's markets or growing your own fruit and veg was the absolute norm, and markets of any other type being pure fantasy. I distinctly remember having a very old turn of the century novel in tatters as a child that dived deep into the world of a mobster controlling the world's nut trade. I remember it being an incredibly strange book when I read it as a child. It's probably served as someone's compost now seeing as decades have past and it's several thousand miles away.
There's a film that Jolie of the now defunct Pitt and Jolie made in regard to the genocide in Serbia in the early 1990s. A period, which if you recall I mentioned a long time ago, was the reason I couldn't visit the region during my travels. The film wasn't very good, but it was called Blood and Honey, and the title was based on what I read many years ago to be a bit of folk lore dating back a few centuries or more. Though that folk lore was aptly named using milk and honey, not blood. Though that may have been a carry over from settlers many years ago if the bible has any truth in bearing the title of modern day Israel or the area of the time the land of milk and honey.
As you can see the reason I never got into academia is because I'd likely find my students hanging themselves with make-shift nooses during a lecture because of the long-winded tangents I go on. Granted my field of study is neither the arts or history, but I'm sure I'd find some remote connection.
[doublepost=1483067317][/doublepost]And to get on topic here, currently having two lovely, large, plump and rich Turkish figs with some French Press of a light blend. I saw these at the store today and couldn't resist. I must have walked past them 10 times before picking up a few pounds. Rather pricey but so worth it.
Unfortunately, it seems we have a lot of dates in the house and I need to find out a way to use them before the weather warms up in a few months and they sour. I don't like putting them in the fridge because the flavor changes and the sugar manages to crystallize. Albeit very tasty sugar.. A friend from another board suggested I make sticky toffee pudding, but I hate that dish. Too sweet!
The idea of an Afghan style pilaf with toasted nuts, raisins and dates comes to mind. Lend me your expertise here, Sceptical. I remember eating an Uzbeck style pilaf during my travels. Not so similar to their national rice dish, but it had what I recall being a sweet dried fruit, currants or possibly barberries, minced carrot and coloring and flavor added by what I think was sea buckthorn mashed, strained and filtered. The meat which was a fatty cut of veal was layers and cooked slowly over a pit fire. This wasn't remotely near Uzbeck area. The people there are very friendly.
