I like coffee. Real coffee. I know what a real coffee is. Starbucks used to do good coffee but now they have dumbed down. Our 16th C house has a shop part and we ran a small coffee shop for a while. We had a real machine and good instruction. The grind is important, the time of the pour and the temperature of the milk. There must be a 'crema'; the light brown top to the coffee which is proof you have got it right. A cappuccino is so called because the milk disperses the crema to the outside of the cup and so gives the appearance of the hoods of Franciscan Minor Friars. It should be one third each of coffee, milk and foam. I experienced the real thing in Rome. The Tassa D'oro. No chairs or tables just stand at the counter, have your expertly poured coffee, drink, enjoy and leave.
Back home I confess I contribute to to the ruin of the planet by driving into town to a little place off the cobbled high street that provides good coffee. Better than that it is 'manned' by attractive Polish wenches that make perfect Baristas. I have to get to town early to beat the rush hour and the parking restrictions. There is often an interesting car parked in the high street. Today I think it was an Armstrong Siddeley. Both set me up for the day.
6 comments:
What a simply beautiful car. It's as much the colour as anything. A very post-war utility green, once used on vehicles like Morris J electricity board vans. And coffee is so important, obviously for you Tommy because you used three quarters of your blog to go on about it. But I agree. My favourites are the little pottery mugs of something delicious served-up by pretty girls in my local art gallery. I do look at the paintings, honest.
There is a strong connection between a good coffee, that car, real ale and many things that Los Bloggos enthuse about. It's about Right is Right and that products that involve variables and are involve human beings are somehow better for it. A good barista will work to a number of old established principles and produce a unique cup. A machine will follow the basic rules but it will always be the same...and not so good. The body of that car was hand crafted; it is unique. When we whinge about this modern world it is generally because it is low standard, dumbed down, simplified and/or mechanised. Take me back with you to Old England Mr Ashley.
Nothing could replace my three cup mocha machine with Lavazza Rosso eased into it, then cut like cocaine to get even more in. A triple expresso is essential to every morning. Lovely Armstrong Siddely. My mate's Dad had one in the sixties.
Tommy, I am polishing the wing mirrors of my Bristol 406 now, the better to look backwards as we reverse back into Old England. You'll have to put up with Nescafe out of that little brown and cream tin, but the milk will be in a glass bottle with a silver foil top, perhaps even with a bluetit pecking his way in.
Tommy, Tommy?
Sbux might not make the best coffee but they did raise the game in general....got to give them that.
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