I agree, not a replacement in all circumstances, but rather a stopgap ready to provide emergency relief in the barest of times.
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Espresso Enthusiasts
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No, not Starbucks.
Not now, not ever.
Water is preferable to what they offer, which I would argue is a thin, stale, bitter, over-extracted, beverage.
If one must ever partake, the Blonde Espresso is a better tasting, less bitter espresso. I do occasionally succumb when I’m traveling.
Fair enough.
Needs must, and all that.
However, I tend to prefer to patronise small, locally owned businesses and coffee shops.
In my experience, these are also the places that tend to source their coffee from small producers, producers with small holdings, often family owned, where the coffee will be quite often single origin coffee, meticulously cultivated.
Starbucks set up in Australia some years ago. I think they didn't last a year before they pulled out. I did try it once (as did many Aussies), and never went back.
It only took MacDonalds two weeks to fix their bad coffee and start producing acceptable coffee. Is Starbucks so set in their ways that they would rather give up than produce what the customers want?
Starbucks provides sugar with caffeine for the American market, and comfy chairs and a hot mug of warm milk with caffeine for the Europeans. That's my made-up summary
Are you sure there's still coffee in that item? My neighbor claims that it's been replaced with a squirt of dark brown food coloring.....so he says anyway
I'll say that there are times when circumstances and necessity leads me to get a latte at Starbucks.....life isn't always sitting comfortably under an umbrella on an otherwise sunny patio that provides a view of the ocean.
There was a time when Starbucks greatly improved the quality of coffee that was available....it's sad how far their quality has fallen over the decades
Early Grey (I like the Tazo brand) used to be my favorite tea. It was recently replaced by a Middle Eastern cardamom black tea.
Cardamom (the taste, flavor) is hard to describe, as I don't come from a Middle Eastern (or Indian) culture. But the first time I tasted the cardamom tea, it reminded me of those Persian mint teas. In any case.... delicious!
So my #1 would be the Cardamom black tea.
My #2 would be Earl Grey
My #3 is an authentic (imported from Japan) Genmaicha.... Japanese green tea with roasted (brown) rice, in tea bags or looseleaf. The family business that grows, produces and exports this tea has been making tea since Japanese samurai (feudal) period, according to their website, since 1690.
Yamamotoyama
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Actually, I have had cardamom tea (time consuming to prepare, and delicious to consume) in Asia; the first time I had it, some of our Afghan staff had invited me to join them wehn they prepared some. It was a strangely elegant and formal occasion, as one chatted while waiting for the tea to be preapred and to soak.
And I agree with you, it is delicious, and I have discovered that I love cardamom tea, and will gladly accept it whenever it is offered.
I am also partial to the Indian style of 'chai'.
Moreover, in both Turkey and Kenya you will find superb tea.
The tea you have listed at No 3 - the Japanese Yamamotoyama tea - sounds absolutely amazing, and I would love to be able to sample it at some stage.
To be honest, while I quite like Earl Grey, it wouldn't feature in my top three teas; cardamom tea, most certainly would, however, as would some of the 'white teas' I have been fortunate enough to sample.
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This is an espresso thread! j/k Fascinating I would love to try cardamom tea myself, I believe it is actually used in the Lebanese variant of Turkish coffee which I really love. I have tried Japanese tea served during a tea ceremony years ago during my MA study in Canada by an RA (residence admin) in my Grad residence who had spent some years in Japan and had been taught it. Funny seeing a very tall blond woman doing the ceremony but some Japanese exchange students in the residence were impressed. Fun times (early 90s).
j/k Fascinating I would love to try cardamom tea myself, I believe it is actually used in the Lebanese variant of Turkish coffee which I really love. I have tried Japanese tea served during a tea ceremony years ago during my MA study in Canada by an RA (residence admin) in my Grad residence who had spent some years in Japan and had been taught it. Funny seeing a very tall blond woman doing the ceremony but some Japanese exchange students in the residence were impressed. Fun times (early 90s).
Oh totally agree there. I always look for good, local shops if I’m staying somewhere, but in a pinch when I’m driving all day, sometimes I cave. Having the app to find nearby locations and pre-order doesn’t hurt either. I’m psyching myself up because I have an impending road trip to VA - trying to make it sound more appealing. Lol
Yes, cardamom is in Turkish coffee. I had an amazing Turkish latte in Seattle. That’s what prompted me to make the cardamom syrup recently. It did not disappoint. I am funny about spices like nutmeg and clove, but I adore cardamom.
This is an espresso thread!
Well, an espresso and coffee thread.
However, @Solomani had recommended tea substitutes as I had run out of coffee.
The thing is, I have always loved coffee, and used to suffer tea for politeness sake, until I started to travel widely.
However, I now know that there are tea varieties that I like - cardamom tea is an obvious example, I was bowled over by it, and thought it wonderful.
Yes, I have also had cardamom served in coffee - you will find this in the Caucasus (I lived and worked in Georgia for two years), and, of course, Turkey. It is delicious.
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Treated myself to a coffee (Colombian) in one of my favourite coffee shops, and also (finally, belatedly, eventually) replenished my coffee supplies.
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I picked up my coffee mug to take a sip and found it was empty!!! Already?!?!?
I find this happens on a regular basis. I have remonstrated with my coffee cup several times, but to no avail.
It seems to happen regardless of the size of the coffee cup (small, medium, large, etc).
I suspect that there is a leak to an alternate universe, perhaps one related to where all the missing socks are.
I am considering wrapping my coffee cup with tinfoil to see if that minimises the problem.
Have you asked Arthur Dent or Ford Prefect whether either of them are in a position to shed any enlightenment on this matter?
I have a mutually beneficial agreement with that mug....it doesn't run out on me and I won't switch to a new mug!
Fortunately the situation was easily remedied.