Let's Not Get Too Serious

Of course, there are lots of serious things a coffee or tea lover can talk about, but I just wanted this and the next couple of posts to be silly. So, just relax and share a few laughs with me.

you can buy this mug at Zazzle

lol these are priceless...

Ah, the French...French Press Coffee

I found this great little movie about making French press coffee =).

"Before the Taking of Toast and Tea"

 "Time for you and time for me, And time yet for a hundred indecisions, And for a hundred visions and revisions, Before the taking of a toast and tea" - T. S. Eliot 

So, it seems I have come full circle -- right back to T. S. Eliot. It seems I can't drink a cup of coffee or tea without thinking about his poem, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock". Go read it if you haven't yet =). Well, now since I've gotten on the subject of literature and tea/coffee, there are two writers who I truly believe lend themselves to tea and coffee respectively: Basho, a Japanese poet of the 17th century, and Rumi, a Turkish/Persian poet of the 13th century. Warning: once you start reading these poets you might fall in love. Here is a poem from each to get you hooked: 

A monk sips morning tea

it's quiet, 

the chrysanthemum's flowering. 

-- Basho 

I am your moon and your moonlight too

I am your flower garden and your water too

I have come all this way, eager for you

Without shoes or shawl

I want you to laugh

To kill all your worries

To love you

To nourish you. 

-- Rumi

If you can't tell from the poetry itself, Basho was inspired by somewhat Daoist beliefs, and Rumi is nothing less than a Sufi mystic...but you will need to look up those religions for yourself. Explaining Daoism and Sufism is a little beyond the scope of this blog; however, I do encourage you to learn more about them if you decide to read the poetry.

How do you say "tea"?

Ok, here is the continuation of my last post.This is how you say tea in various other languages:

Dutch  Thee
French Thé
German Tee
Portuguese Cha
Hindi and Swahili Chai (Yes -- that means when you say chai tea you are being a redundant fool =) )
Turkish  çay (pronounced chay)
Arabic Shay

I forgot to tell you last time, but the Arabic word for coffee is qahwa. I probably should have listed it in Arabic first since we kind of got the whole coffee drinking idea from the Middle-East. Oh, and I have definitely decided to start writing a New Orleans blog which I will attempt to start tonight.

I lied...Anyway, can you say

So, I realized that a while back I said I was going to start my reviews with places in mid-city, and it turned out I lied =). Oh, well. That just means I will continue to skip around reviewing coffee houses as I please. Anyway, this post is going to be about coffee and foreign languages! I am going to list for you how to say coffee in as many languages as I can, and tomorrow I will do a post on tea. Ready? No? Too bad...=)

Dutch  Koffie
French, Portuguese  Cafe
German Kaffee
Italian Caffe
Russian  KOH fee yuh
Turkish Kahve
Swahili Kahawa
Japanese Koh-hee

Apparently the word coffee doesn't change much from language to language...

Oh, and homework! Go to google and type in "coffee monster" in the images section. I thought most of the images were really funny...

Tao of New Orleans?

So, I've been thinking about it, and there is a possibility that in addition to having this blog, I would like to make a website that would report on all the cool places and events in New Orleans. It would be full of history lessons, historic places to go, places to eat, and would give me a wonder excuse to explore my home town to its fullest =). Anyway, check out this website:

www.teaviews.com

Tea and Coffee are Multfaceted Gems...

In China, unlike in the West, tea drinkers often steep more tea leaves in less water for a succession of varying times in order to enjoy every aspect of the tea's flavor. But tea is not only multifaceted in its flavor, aroma, and color. The subject of tea, and even coffee (as I have said before), has a plethora of different aspects just waiting to be explored by tea and coffee lovers such as ourselves. That is why I have dug up some links to websites and journals that offer more information on some subjects that have not been discussed in this blog.

Tea and Coffee trade journal has been around for over one-hundred years. I have presented you with a link to their archives which all are free to peruse. For those of you who are more interested in the economic side of tea and coffee, namely, the trading of it, this is an excellent site. You can also order the physical journal from the website.

 UK Tea Council -- tea from the British perspective. I absolutely love this website! They have a little section reserved just for interesting, random little tea facts, as well as a sort of tea news section which includes everything from the growth of tea consumption to a "3D animation...about a woman who loves tea". Thank you Britain for passing onto the rest of the West your love of tea!

British Journal of Cancer I know you are wondering what cancer has to do with tea. Well so were some scientists in the Netherlands. Tea and Science...what could be more stimulating =).

We Americans have a similar website that is a little easier to read, and it is actually a government site.

I also found a few websites on coffee and ecology:

Rappahannock Coffee -- gives some basic info on how coffee is grown, the climate needed, etc.

Ineedcoffee -- This is a very interesting, albeit very scientific article on how fungi is ecologically important for the growing of coffee. Thank you Fungi =).

Steeping Tea

Yes, there is a correct way to steep tea, and this is your guide =).

Black Tea: 190 degrees, 3 min
Oolong: 180 degrees, 4 min
Pu-ehr: 200 degrees, varies to taste
Green: 170 degrees, 2 min
White: 160 degrees, 2 min

My Personal Favorite Coffee Shop -- Puccino's

So far all you probably know is that sometimes Puccino's gets so cold that I turn blue and have to go outside, but I must say I have not done them justice. Puccino's is actually my favorite coffee hang out. As far as I can tell, Puccino's is a cafe inspired by the beauty and convenience of the Italian bar. They offer all types of lattes, cappuccinos, coffees with liquor, Italian sodas, and an awesome granita. They also have some pretty tasty pastries as well as extremely delicious paninis and sandwitches. The breakfast is beyond good for a cafe, and the egg puccino (their big, savory breakfast sandwich) is buy one get one free during the week. They do offer internet, but you must buy five dollars worth of products and then pay one dollar for every two hours of internet. This place is definitely not cheap, but every location is always clean as a whistle and the products are consistently good. There are witty sayings and quotes on random spaces of the walls, and the decor is a mixture of Italian inspired coffee art, old French advertisements, and slightly humorous statues. It usually draws a crowd of older, slightly more upper-middle-class individuals, students, and "the regulars". Over-all the goers are pretty diverse. I've met and re-met some of the coolest people I know there, and for that Puccino's will always have a special place in my heart. I even met my boyfriend for the first time there last year =). Bottom line, Puccino's is a great place to bring a date, a bunch of friends, or the family. It has the elegance of a brunch focused restaurant, with the poise and easiness of a regular coffee shop. I would recommend it to anyone who likes being able to have a glass of wine or shot of limoncello in a classy environment...or just a cup of coffee in a relaxed but upscale environment.

Puccino's is located at:

5200 Veterans Memorial Blvd

Metairie, LA 70006

(504) 780-9970

and

Lakeside Shopping Center Annex

17th Street and Severn Avenue

Metairie, Louisiana

(504) 835-3151

Hope to see you there!

Z'ot's -- Best Over-All Coffee/Tea Hang Out in New Orleans

So, my grandmother wasn't feeling so well, and I decided to go to one of my favorite coffee/tea hang outs of all time just to remind myself of all the reasons I can't get enough. Z'otz is a slightly Gothic, earthy, underground type hang out, that offers, as far as I know, the widest tea selection in the City (there is an entire tea menu), and some really tasty coffee. Everyone who works there and goes there is very laid-back, and the atmosphere is uber relaxed. There are sofas and all manner of cool, found items to sit on. The entire place is decorated with slightly creepy, yet intriguing found-item art...painted, mutilated, and rearranged mannequins being a favorite. The best part is...wait for it...it is open from 6:30 am to 2 am. The cafe itself is lodged in an entire old shot-gun style house -- even the small backyard is decorated and equipped for patrons.  For those of you who aren't familiar with shot-gun houses (this is a very New Orleans thing), a shot-gun house is usually composed of a sting of rooms, with the kitchen and bathroom being at the end. So, usually, you have to walk through a room, or two, or three =) to get to another one. What a stupid way to build a house, you might say? What would ever posses a being to do such a thing? I will tell you. Well over a hundred years ago, when there was no air condition, and the people of New Orleans sought a means of rescuing themselves from the stifling, suffocating heat, a very very smart individual realized that if you make a house like the shot gun house is made, complete with incredibly high ceilings, one can open the front and back doors up and receive a nice cooling breeze that will keep a person alive in the murderous Louisiana heat. Anyway, I digress...The tea menu is so complete that even high quality, medicinal herbal teas are available. I will shamelessly tell you that whenever I go there, I always get the pms tea. Not only does it really work, the Barista never makes me feel awkward about buying it. Oh, and I forgot to tell you, a cup of tea is only two dollars flat =). The internet is free for as long as you want to use it as long as you have your own computer. They do charge a small fee if you want to use the desktops which are located in the first room. The second room also has a shelf full of board games and cards, as well as a shelf chalk full of the most random and interesting books you will ever find in a cafe. The bottom line...if you can't think outside the box, don't go to Z'ot's, cuz this place is completely redefining the word "Coffee HOUSE" haha...get it? It's in a house? Ok, I'm sorry....but seriously, Z'ot's is definitely not a place for those with no imagination. If you have none, no one there will care, but you probably just won't have much fun. Actually, if you have no imagination you probably don't have much fun in the first place, but you get my drift =). Definitely check out the cafe's myspace page, and more than definitely, go check it out in person.

Z'otz Cafe is located at:

8210 Oak St
New Orleans, LA 70118-2042
(504) 861-2224

Just a Little Rant

For all of the wonderful people out there who own coffee houses and cafes. For all those who bring us the beverages we so desire most: please do not turn your a/c on so high that I can hardly move my fingers to type while I'm completing my mid-term essays. You usually make more money on iced drinks anyway. Not pointing out anyone in particular (*cough* Puccino's *cough*)....

Love,

Your best customer,

Jessica 

How can you not see how cold I am!?!?!?!??!

Looking Forward

Ah! There's nothing better than waking up to a cup of tea or coffee. Today, I'm having a cup of vanilla black tea, which is actually my favorite black tea =). This is actually my last bag, but I'm so picky about the brand I think I may have to find it online. Anyway, I've decided that once a week I would do a review on a coffee house or cafe that's in New Orleans. Since I started with Angelo Brocato's, I'm going to begin with places in Mid-City. Mid-City is just what it sounds like...its the New Orleans area (mostly residential) that lies between Downtown and Uptown. Its a very family-friendly area, and boasts many good restaurants, bakeries, and cafes that are usually very unique and affordable. My grandmother (whom I call "Mawmaw"...this is a New Orleans thing I guess) and I are going to take you on a journey tomorrow, but I'm not going to tell you where =). It's a surprise...a very tasty one. So, check in tomorrow night and find out about the next cool place you should be going for your favorite beverages.

Beauty and the Teas

If you are anything like myself, the suggestion of natural way to beautify is always most welcome...and if we are even more alike, you'll get especially excited when you hear that the remedy includes tea. Stash Tea has a bunch of great remedies for anything from a toothache to hair-care. Having problems with acne? According to this article on HealthDump.com, Green tea can be a great way to improve skin problems.

Oh, and don't worry, I'm working very hard to come up with new ideas to make this blog MUCH better than it is now. So, hang tight and keep following! =)

Coffee Art

Want to know something really addictive? Watching coffee art. The best way to describe it is performance art. An individual with some espresso and milk or cream creates a magical image or design. It will leave you exclaiming..."that's just too pretty to drink!" So..go to YouTube and type in "coffee art", and I guarantee you won't be able to get away for half an hour.

Think Outside the Cup

While most of us think of coffee and tea only in beverage form, there are plenty of brave individuals who have decided to take tea and coffee to new heights. Imagine...a luscious fillet of flounder, topped in tomatoes, scallions, and seasonings, and marinated in a strong cup of pu erh dante tea! That actually sounds good, doesn't it? If it doesn't, there are plenty of other recipes I am sure you will find savory, and they are all available (FOR FREE!) on the easily accessible site, TeaChef. Not much of a tea drinker? Feel the need for more caffeine? Don't worry, I've got you covered too. Folgers (of all the boring coffees in the world...heaven forgive me...) actually has an amazing section on their website that features entrees, desserts, and creative drinks that can be made with coffee. Who knew the best part of waking up would be Folgers in your almond mocha cookie bar? My dad will be very pleased with this =). But all joking aside, Gone-ta-pott also has some nice coffee recipes that I hope you will try and your tummy will be pleased with.

Angelo Brocato's: Best Italian Coffee in New Orleans!

    With my brand new, trusty little Sanyo camera, and lots of pent-up enthusiasm, I am ready to present to you, my first coffee review. I'm proud to say that the first place I thought of going was Angelo Brocato's, since I knew from past experience it was sure to be a winner.
    In Mid-City, New Orleans, Angelo Brocato's has been serving up delicious gelato, pastries and of course, espresso for over one-hundred years! It's no wonder that it's survived so long either. The pastries are so fresh and enticing, it will take you more than ten minutes to decide just what you will want to pair with your delicious latte or cappuccino. I decided on the amaretto cheesecake myself, and a marvelously foamy cappuccino. The cappuccino was amazingly bold and full-bodied, and it didn't take me long to guess the brand of espresso...Lavazza. Lavazza, aka, Italy's favorite coffee, is not a beverage to be taken lightly. Having forgotten this, I drank down my entire cappuccino with little thought that it would keep me up until three in the morning. Oh, and I drank it at about nine. With this being said, enjoy this delight carefully, but you must certainly try it at some point or another.
     The best part about this experience for any visitor is that it will definitely get you in touch with some New Orleans' roots. Angelo Brocato's is nothing less than an important piece of the city's history, and an amazing example of the cultural richness that New Orleans' Sicilian community has contributed to the city's unique flavor. I urge you to follow the link and read up a little on the history of this wonderful little haven for coffee lovers and pastry lovers alike.

http://www.angelobrocatoicecream.com/aboutus.shtm

Oh, Premium Teas and Coffees, Where Art Thou?

As globalization bestows its curses and blessing upon our tiny little world, many people are finding that it has been much easier to find specialty food and beverage items. The problem with this, for many people including myself, is the fact that getting speciaty items doesn't usually feel so special. For coffee, we can go to Starbucks and get premium roasts from around the world. For tea, most of us can go to the local Teavana for premium loose-leaf. I'm certainly not trying to insult these companies...I shop at Starbucks and Teavana
for most of my tea and coffee needs, and I am always impressed by the knowledge and friendliness of the associates. Heck, I even worked for Starbucks for a little while. With this being said, it still feels good every now and again to do business with lesser known, less commercialized establishments. That is why I've put together a list that I think you will benefit from. This is a list of tea and coffee stores that are accessible on the internet. I've tried to include as many "local" type stores as possible.

http://www.specialteas.com/

Special Teas offers many varieties of the best traditional teas, as
well as a great selection of herbal infusions, rooibos, spice teas

http://www.teaspring.com/

This website offers some really great yellow teas, which are difficult
to find and are often miscategorized as green teas. Usually, yellow
teas are very much like green teas, but are made in such a way that
they have a softer taste.

http://www.annateashop.com/index.html

A little tea shop in Liberty, Missouri, the selection is not
astounding, but it seems like a great and affordable place to get
your everyday teas.

http://www.thelondontearoom.com/

A tea room based in St. Louis that offers a nice little selection of
teas, some with names quite worthy of British whit such as
"The Naughty Vicar".

http://www.enchantedforrestteas.com/

Tea shop based in Alaska. Very cool website...seems very homey =).

http://www.orleanscoffee.com/

Based in the unlikely place of Kenner, Louisiana, this website
carries a large selection of coffees around the world.

http://www.cafferoma.com/

The focus is mostly on Italian coffee here, but who's complaining
about Italian coffee? It is a family owned and operated business
in San Fransisco and all the delicious blends can be bought by the
pound and sometimes, the half pound.

http://www.geishacoffee.com/

Located in Florida, this website has a great selection of specialty
coffees...some I've never even heard of! They also offer organic and estate
coffee.

Making Progress

Its just beginning to get cool in New Orleans, and I really couldn't feel better. It's breezy and sunny, and I better enjoy it while it lasts (we usually get a weird random heat wave a few times before it stays cold). Just last night I ordered a bumper sticker and a couple hundred business cards to start advertising. I'm also working on getting an inexpensive digital camera for all the pictures I'd like to take of my visits to coffee houses, etc. Anyway, I came across a great book on tea called The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook by Mary Lou Heiss and Robert Heiss. It really tells you everything a tea connoisseur would ever want to know about tea in the traditional sense (no herbal teas, tinctures, tisanes, rooibos, etc). I might even wind up referencing it throughout our little journey. In addition to that, I found a website on coffee that I actually like even better than my informative little book: http://www.professorshouse.com/food-beverage/beverages/coffee-facts-statistics.aspx . According to this website, the first coffee house opened in Europe opened in Venice, 1683! For those of you who don't see the importance of coffee and tea, I think these two sources will be very convincing. I'm still looking out for books on the history of tea and coffee...this may call for a little adventure all in itself =).

I've measured my life in coffee spoons...

     As a native New Orleanean, I've always had a preoccupation with food and beverages...but tea, coffee, and I go way back. We've shared some of the best and worst moments -- from the early mornings of Mozart and oolong, to the two-a.m.-I-don't-want-to-fail-algebra cafe au laits. J. Alfred Prufrock can stand aside -- I've truly measured my life in coffee spoons!
     I started drinking coffee and tea as a toddler. My mom would make iced tea consistently and slip me a little concoction called "coffee milk" every now and again. Don't get me wrong...she didn't raise a caffeine junkie. For her it was always about the flavor, and it still is for me today. That is my inspiration for this blog.
    So, now that you know why I've started this blog, allow me to really introduce myself. My name is Jessica, and my passion is writing. I know, now you are confused. But what better way to bring together two of my favorite past-times than blogging? The thought came to me while I was remembering something my boyfriend said to a man staring confusedly at a wall of tea boxes in the supermarket: "If you want to know anything about tea just ask my girlfriend...she knows ALL about that stuff." Of course, this was probably a tactic to embarrass me into buying less tea, but as you will see this was all to no avail.  I realized that he was right. I could probably write a book on it. But that just wouldn't be as fun as the ongoing adventure we call a blog.
    Anyway, although this seems to be a very narrow subject to focus on, I want to make it all-inclusive. I don't just want to tell you about coffee and tea. I want to show you how it fits into my life and the lives of others, where to get it, when, and why. I want to see how it is a part of culture -- literature, art, music, you name it. So come, go with me! (My, I'm feeling very T.S. Eliot today...)