London's Derisory Coffee: EAT, Coffee Republic, and the other Bandwagon jumpers.
Peter Foster
a bandwagon it is well past the time to get off, or at least
avoid its inhabitants.
London's "Quality" Coffee joints, for example.
Take Coffee Republic in Smithfield. They appeared to have two
staff when I visited - a poor school-leaver, and a crop-haired dyke
with an attitude problem.
The school-leaver took my order for a "latte, with the milk's
temperature measured at 200F". The dyke barked: "Can't do that,
it'll boil". The cowered school-leaver then asked if "180F would do?".
(So why would I have _specified_ 200F)
I said: "Forget it.". (Water boils at 212F, and milk at a similar temperature.
(STP))
EAT in Selfridges proclaims theirs "The best coffee you'll ever taste".
The upper management of this outfit seem to me to have no idea on how
to organize a fast-food restaurant, but I know that they have no idea how
to make espresso. Yes, they claim to use 100% Arabica. Good. Many
espresso vendors claim that a nice helping of Robusta in their coffee
makes it authentically Italian; so they say. And there's that useful price
saving. too...
Whilst occasionally good, EAT's coffee is more usually a disgusting, or a
much worse, beverage for its GBP1:85 asking price for a "latte grande".
(In terms of London standards, "disgusting", ranks amongst the highest
available.)
Typical espresso extraction times at EAT are under fifteen seconds,
but, today, it was under ten. (A _simple_ grinder readjustment would
have rectified the fault.) Neither times are suitably long, though.
When I complained, the manager merely waved her hand at me as if swatting
a way a fly, and walked off.
FRANCO PROCTOR
etc, but I do know that Starbucks' / Coffee Republic etc's coffee is shite
and the atmos in both establishments are dreadful. Music which makes me
want to rip the speakers off the walls and coffee which has no flavour, no
body and would make my Italian Mother spit it in your face.
Regards
Franco
"Peter Foster" <p...@foreskinacefox.com> wrote in message
news:964909414.5436.0...@news.demon.co.uk...
Ken Wilson
but the game plan is to highlight the Centres of Excellence,
and praise them when they can handle a 200F milk request without batting an
eyelid when the Authorities (1), and presumably their whole training, tell
them not to overheat it.
Right - now where is good?
--
Ken
(1)Schomer - 160
Davids - 165
Me - whatever it gets to - but recently, I admit, hotter than
hitherto.
PS - I am unimpressed with anybody asking for a latte - thats what my baby
son drinks (lit.). Can't we start calling it something English like "A mug
of milk with a little splodge of concentrated coffee"
PPS :-)
Peter Foster wrote
Fringe Ryder
today. After ten minutes, the barista had completed a single drink for one
customer and was halfway through the second in line, leaving me at least
fifteen minutes (two more people) back in line. We gave up.
I can't comment on their quality (due to the service), but the ambiance
reminded me of some of the coffee houses (and Gorky's) in Hollywood in the
mid-80s. Noisy, artsy, not really aimed at making consumption of espresso
a pleasure. The menu also seemed to be quite heavy on teas and (italian)
sodas, raising the question of the popularity of their coffee.
"FRANCO PROCTOR" <xl...@dial.pipex.com> sez:
>I have to admit to ignorance about the preferred temp of milk for coffee
>etc, but I do know that Starbucks' / Coffee Republic etc's coffee is shite
>and the atmos in both establishments are dreadful. Music which makes me
>want to rip the speakers off the walls and coffee which has no flavour, no
>body and would make my Italian Mother spit it in your face.
>
>Regards
>
>Franco
>"Peter Foster" <p...@foreskinacefox.com> wrote in message
>news:964909414.5436.0...@news.demon.co.uk...
>> It is, of course, axiomatic, that when every incompetent jumps upon
>> a bandwagon it is well past the time to get off, or at least
>> avoid its inhabitants.
>>
>> London's "Quality" Coffee joints, for example.
>>
- EMail must delete "delete" embedded in domain
D. Ross
| PS - I am unimpressed with anybody asking for a latte - thats what my baby
| son drinks (lit.). Can't we start calling it something English like "A mug
| of milk with a little splodge of concentrated coffee"
Won't this get you a something cold, and flavoured with a squirt of that
Douwe Egberts liquid stuff?
- David R
A Wander
Can anyone tell me their definition of a double latte??
I was always under the impression that it is a double shot of espresso with
heated milk, however most of the coffee houses serve you with a single shot
of espresso with extra milk.
Who is right?? me or them??
Annie
Ken Wilson
Yes.
Ok - what do they call this particular beverage in Italy, David?
As I understand "latte", as applied to a mug of steamed milk with a splodge
of espressed coffee, then it is purely an Americanism.
One could understand the Brits getting upset over, hypothetically I hope, a
"McTea" and boycotting the usage thereof, but do seem to be accepting the
"double skinny " lingo with nary a raised eyebrow. and yet, IIRC, we had
coffee before our American cousins - And "us europeans" had espresso before
you as well?.
--
Ken
D. Ross wrote
Ken Wilson
As Peter pointed out, even the higher thought of coffee houses will redefine
an "espresso" as a "10 second wonder" when a more worldwide definition would
undoubtedly include a number in the, drinkable, 20 to 30 second region.
Just as it is the barristas job to do the "menu of the day" bit ("and would
you like today's speciality of apple pie"), so the onus is on the more
knowledgeable customers (or those who care?) to specify their specific
requirements.
--
Ken
A Wander wrote
FRANCO PROCTOR
Italia and order a double espresso or a nice strong capuccino. My
experience of Coffee in America is that most places seem to make coffee as
weedy as possible....offering free refills seems like a threat rather than
generosity!
Regards
Franco
'I drink coffee now!, I can sleep when I'm dead!'
"Ken Wilson" <k...@naturesway.co.uk> wrote in message
news:8m1avu$m9u$2...@lure.pipex.net...
Julian Barkway
multitudes, agog with barely concealed anticipation:
>Ah.
>
>Yes.
>
>Ok - what do they call this particular beverage in Italy, David?
>
>As I understand "latte", as applied to a mug of steamed milk with a splodge
>of espressed coffee, then it is purely an Americanism.
>
>One could understand the Brits getting upset over, hypothetically I hope, a
>"McTea" and boycotting the usage thereof, but do seem to be accepting the
>"double skinny " lingo with nary a raised eyebrow. and yet, IIRC, we had
>coffee before our American cousins - And "us europeans" had espresso before
>you as well?.
>
Ah but people see it on TV and think it sounds cool to order a 'double
decaff latte' without thinking about what this really means. If I liked the
stuff (which I don't - I've had a Starbucks' cappucino and that was bland
enough), I'd ask for a 'caffe latte' or a 'milky coffee'. Which would
probably confuse the pimply youth doing the serving no end.
But the Americans love to complicate things and love to coin new words,
which is where 'raspberry lattes' and other abominations come in. Anything
to disguise the fact that the basic coffee isn't up to much in the first
place, IMO.
--
| Julian Barkway, | Walk in, buy a jar. |
| Stuttgart, Germany --------------+---------------------------------+
| jbarkway@s叩etic卡e <-----(Hint: anything that looks odd is a dot) |
D. Ross
| Ah.
|
| Yes.
|
| Ok - what do they call this particular beverage in Italy, David?
|
| As I understand "latte", as applied to a mug of steamed milk with a splodge
| of espressed coffee, then it is purely an Americanism.
In Italy you can order caffe e latte, or caffe con latte, though neither
will necessarily get you the same drink as in a US cafe, and either might
draw sniggers if you order them in Italy after breakfast time.
| One could understand the Brits getting upset over, hypothetically I hope, a
| "McTea" and boycotting the usage thereof,
Even outside of Scotland?
| but do seem to be accepting the
| "double skinny " lingo with nary a raised eyebrow. and yet, IIRC, we had
| coffee before our American cousins
An argument can be made that the recent resurgence in popularity of coffee
in England - especially fancier drinks - is a byproduct of the popularity of
the television shows Friends and Frazier (Frasier?) over there; if true,
then it stands to reason that the language of those show would be adopted
too.
|- And "us europeans" had espresso before
| you as well?.
Southern Europe certainly did - I don't know when espresso caught on in the
UK.
- David R.
D. Ross
certain.
- David R.
"A Wander" <a.wa...@btinternet.com> wrote:
| While we're on the subject of coffee houses (starbucks, et al) ....
|
| Can anyone tell me their definition of a double latte??
|
Fringe Ryder
>"Ken Wilson" <k...@naturesway.co.uk> wrote:
>|- And "us europeans" had espresso before
>| you as well?.
>
>Southern Europe certainly did - I don't know when espresso caught on in the
>UK.
It's still battling "instant coffee" there, but the U.K. is hardly a fair
comparison for "Europe". Think of Tony Blair as "Clinton-lite" and build
your own rant.
the Reids
>>The school-leaver took my order for a "latte, with the milk's
>>temperature measured at 200F".
>
>If you behave like a twat, why are you suprised when you get treated like one?
I sometimes find your language intemperate Huge, but on this ocassion
LOL
--
Regards
Mike Reid
Spanish regional cooking at
"http://users.outdoor-pursuits.com/fellwalker/espania.htm"
Barry Jarrett
<a.wa...@btinternet.com> wrote:
>While we're on the subject of coffee houses (starbucks, et al) ....
>
>Can anyone tell me their definition of a double latte??
>
>I was always under the impression that it is a double shot of espresso with
>heated milk, however most of the coffee houses serve you with a single shot
>of espresso with extra milk.
>
>Who is right?? me or them??
both are "correct"... it all depends upon where you are and who's
making the drink.
Barry Jarrett
wrote:
>Ah but people see it on TV and think it sounds cool to order a 'double
>decaff latte' without thinking about what this really means.
No kidding: we sometimes get folks who'll come in the day after
"Frazier" airs and order whatever they heard uttered on the show the
previous night, no matter *how* incorrect/impossible/goofy it might
be.
Bluedog
Well if it isn't one Peter Foster.
Long time, no see Peter. Very good to see you back, and enjoy reading your
candid comments.
Bluedog
Andy Clapham
bring the internet to a grinding halt), what about recommendations?
My faves are Bar Italia (of course) and surprisingly Planet Organic (they
all seem to have been correctly trained - 25 seconds of properly tamped 90C
100% arabica espresso, and organic too).
BTW latte just means milk, as a freind of mine found out in Italy - "Oh
lovely, a glass of milk, just what I wanted".
Also, 200F will cause the milk protein to caramelise, so you must like the
taste of sterilised milk (just a comment, not an insult - each to their
own).
Peter Foster <p...@foreskinacefox.com> wrote in message
news:964909414.5436.0...@news.demon.co.uk...
> It is, of course, axiomatic, that when every incompetent jumps upon
> a bandwagon it is well past the time to get off, or at least
> avoid its inhabitants.
>
> London's "Quality" Coffee joints, for example.
>
> Take Coffee Republic in Smithfield. They appeared to have two
> staff when I visited - a poor school-leaver, and a crop-haired dyke
> with an attitude problem.
>
> The school-leaver took my order for a "latte, with the milk's
Andy Mabbett
Foster <p...@foreskinacefox.com> writes
>and a crop-haired dyke with an attitude problem.
As opposed to a bigot with an attitude problem?
--
Andy Mabbett
"I've been meaning to tidy up, but you know how it is:
you blink and - whoops - another year gone"
Peter Foster
[about a staff member I encountered at Coffee Republic, Smithfield...]
> >and a crop-haired dyke with an attitude problem.
> As opposed to a bigot with an attitude problem?
What? You were working there that day? No, it was
definitely the dyke.
--
Peter Foster
fitzrovia london w1 | p...@foreskinacefox.com
reluctant anti-spam measure: please circumcise me to reply.
Richard Caley
pf> Take Coffee Republic in Smithfield. They appeared to have two
pf> staff when I visited - a poor school-leaver, and a crop-haired dyke
pf> with an attitude problem.
Guess who tried to chat up the staff and got laughed out of the shop.
--
Mail me as rjc not s...@cstr.ed.ac.uk _O_
|<
Ian & Kathy May
Ross) wrote:
>An argument can be made that the recent resurgence in popularity of coffee
>in England - especially fancier drinks - is a byproduct of the popularity of
>the television shows Friends and Frazier (Frasier?) over there; if true,
>then it stands to reason that the language of those show would be adopted
>too.
I've often had Americans express surprise when I tell them I don't
much like tea - not the regular stuff anyway.
I've always preferred coffee, since I can remember. Personally, I
don't give a shit who eats or drinks what on TV. I like what I like
coz I like it.
Although coffee stores of varying quality seem to making a comeback in
the UK, they are few and far between outside of tourist towns. It is
by and large quite difficult to get good coffee in most provincial
English towns.
Regards from Ian
The Beer Garden - Gillingham Kent UK
http://www.bgarden.demon.co.uk
ICQ # 6154640
bruce....@gmail.com
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