Starbucks for Spooks
I enjoyed this peek inside the CIA’s coffee culture. Not surprising, but a glimpse inside a hidden and curious world. I wonder if there’s a classified counter-culture of coffee geeks with Aeropresses and grinders in there? “Coffee culture is just huge in the military, and many in the CIA come from that culture ,” said...
Italian astronaut to bring espresso machine into orbit
Naturally. It’s an interesting little article, actually (check out the machine diagram). Brewing science is complicated and finnicky enough on Earth, let alone in the microgravity environment on the International Space Station. Check out the article over on NPR’s blog. Snippet below: Of course, drinking coffee up in space still won’t be the same as...
Instant Coffee Past and Present
Smithsonian magazine started a recent article with the question, “is there a future for instant coffee?” For most of us reading this site, the answer is probably no (right?!) but this is an interesting point of departure for a tour of the current instant coffee market and its history. They point out that the instant...
Orphan Espresso Hand Grinders – on NPR
NPR has a nice profile on a company many of you may have heard of – Orphan Espresso, an online shop that manufactures a range of beefy hand-made hand-grinders, and also sells parts and equipment. In the tiny town of Troy, Idaho, Barb and Doug Garrott have spent the past three years perfecting a machine...
Inside the Service Economy – Brooklyn’s Barista Class
A long, personal, winding tale of one barista’s experiences and ruminations. Take a look at what life is like on the other side of the bar, and how it feels to be part of the socio-economic evolution of New York’s gentrifying neighborhoods and the service industry that symbiotically subsists on it and helps the process...
UC Davis Food & Health Center adds coffee
This is interesting, and potentially good news for the long term development & growing sustainability of the specialty coffee industry: UC Davis has added a Coffee Center to its Food & Health Institute and will host a conference, and eventually a major in Coffee Science. The March 11 conference will cover topics such as the...
NPR Coffee Week
NPR (National Public Radio here in the US) is doing a special week of coffee related coverage. Here’s one of the first installments giving an overview of the global coffee industry and coffee in pop culture, with a nice amount of air time given to Counter Culture Coffee’s buyer & sustainability manager, Kim Elena Ionescu....
Heart Roasters Instagram Giveaway
Who doesn’t like free coffee, especially when it comes from Portland’s Heart Roasters? You can win a free bag in a daily giveaway they’ve started for the holidays. That’s my entry above, check out the details below to get in on this: 1. Post a picture that is heart or coffee related… whatever you...
The Social History of Coffee
If you’re in New York you should check out a lecture at Joe Coffee’s Pro Shop tomorrow night. Barista extraordinaire and scholar of cafe history Alex Bernson will be leading this class on the social history of coffee: Come join us for a special class that examines the history of cafes and coffee consumption in...
