Department: Coffee
Coffee Definitions
This via Boing Boing...
Sometimes there can be confusion at the counter as to what each coffee on our menu actually is. Not everyone has the same definition of what a cappuccino or a latte should be and if you're not a coffee aficionado (and certainly it is not a requirement) all those fancy sounding names can be a little confusing and pretentious. If you are a coffee expert and thus used to all the jargon and terminology, you should keep in mind that the language of coffee is open to some interpretation.
I liked very much this well designed chart system of coffee definitions ... though to illustrate my point above, I'm not sure I see any discernable difference between what they're calling a "latte" and "cappuccino" - the North Star latte is more of what they're calling a "Flat White". But a lady who called in to the deli last week and asked for a "Flat White" was horrified when we suggested she might want a latte! It's the same darn thing madam!
The perfect cuppa…
This via Boing Boing...Only yesterday I selflessly offered to make tea for the staff - admittedly a rare, if unprecedented occasion - but all the same, I was a little irritated when the complaints at my handiwork flooded back.
"It's too milky."
"It's too strong."
"It's not strong enough."
Wish I'd had one of these mugs, available for both coffee and tea from Suck UK.
Top 10 Uses for Used Coffee Grounds
This from Curbly via Lifehacker...
I don't have a clue how much North Star produces in coffee grounds over the course of a year - but thinking about it, we go through a good few kilos of coffee per week and all those grounds just get tipped into the bin. I've often thought that there must be some sort of use that all this waste can be put to (to be fair, I was aware that they made decent compost, but then again, I don't have a garden!) ... so here is a definitive list entitled "The Top Ten Uses for Used Coffee Grounds".
It's a shame they're all a bit lame! I was hoping for some alchemical method of turning them into gold dust!
The Liquid Donut
This from Coffee Geek, a site for aficionados of ... well, coffee, obviously.
I can't help but admire those who enter the barista championships and work hard to develop their signature drinks. On the other hand, it must be nice to have the time to be that self-indulgent! I can't quite imagine using liquid nitrogen in our coffee prep here at North Star, as the Australian national barista champion apparantly did with his winning creation - it'd mean you having to wait longer for your order (did I just hear someone say even longer???).
UK barista champ, James Hoffman came up with this extraordinary creation - The Liquid Donut - an odd and fascinating coffee concept, though in the same way that many of the outré confections that appear on the fashion catwalks of Milan are too outlandish for our proletariat tastes, there is little commercial potential for a coffee that takes this much trouble to put together.
I am, however, thinking of creating a North Star equivalent - this would involve a donut that you dunk in your latte! Any takers?
How to make latte art…
This is gacked from Lifehacker (a hugely useful site!), who in turn gacked it from WikiHow (also very useful!).
Ever wondered how we make those pretty patterns on top of your coffees? Well follow the links for some insights. These articles presuppose that you have access to a professional coffee machine, so (unless you do, of course) you might not be able to get these effects at home. If you're managing to make these drinks without the use of a machine, come in and see me - there's a job for you at North Star any day!
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