How to Make Restaurant Quality Coffee At Home

!±8± How to Make Restaurant Quality Coffee At Home

Have you ever wondered how restaurants get their coffee to taste so good?

First of all, restaurants are in the business of pampering you so they devote much more time to the perfection of a good cup of coffee. Sometimes I'll remember a restaurant just because of their excellent coffee.

So what are their secrets and how can you duplicate this recipe at home? It may surprise you to find out that the French Press brewing method could be the secret in achieving that restaurant quality taste.

Most fine restaurants use a press pot, also known as the French Press, which produces an extremely rich cup of coffee.

Press pot coffee is coffee steeped for 3-4 minutes between 195 to 205 degrees F. It produces a thicker and much richer taste than an auto-drip machine can produce.

A disadvantage of the French Press is it may leave trace amounts of coffee sediment. But the rich taste more than makes up for the small amount of sediment at the bottom of your cup.

So first, start off with a quality medium roast coffee, which is what most restaurants use. I can give you a couple of good recommendations.

Seattle's Best Breakfast Blend, Starbucks Breakfast Blend or Starbucks Sulawesi Coffee is 3 excellent choices. These are full-bodied coffees yet very smooth tasting. They are some of our best sellers at PerfectCoffees.com and work well for French Press brewing.

You want to grind the coffee slightly larger than you would for drip coffee. Too fine of a grind will produce a bitter cup of coffee. If your grind is too coarse, the coffee will taste weak. A quality grinder is the best thing you can do to improve the taste of French press coffee.

Remove the plunger from the press pot and put 1 rounded tablespoon of coarse ground coffee per each 6oz. of water into the pot. You can adjust this to your own taste.

Coffee is 99% water so use clean filtered or bottled water free from chlorine and other minerals that affect the taste of coffee.

Boil the water and remove it from the heat for five minutes before you pour it. This will give you the 195 to 205 degree water that is ideal to brew with. Now pour the 195 to 205 degree water over the ground coffee.

Stir the coffee to get total saturation of the grounds then place the plunger on top of the pot and let the coffee steep for 3 to 4 minutes.

Depress the plunger slowly to push the grounds to the bottom of the pot.

Serve all the coffee in the pot after the 3 to 4 minutes of steeping. Otherwise the coffee will keep getting stronger.

If you have any left, you can always transfer it to a clean, preheated air pot or a stainless steel Thermos. This will keep the coffee hot about an hour without hurting the flavor.

The French press brewing method definitely takes more time but gives us the result we are looking for. Restaurant quality coffee in the comfort of your own home.

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This article may be re-published "as is" (unedited) as long as the author's bio paragraph (resource box) and copyright information is included. The URLs in the resource box should be set as hyperlinks if used on a web page.

How to Make Restaurant Quality Coffee At Home

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Gifts for Dad

!±8± Gifts for Dad

Whether the dad in your life is a rough and tumble kind of guy or prefers Armani suits to t-shirts and jeans, there's a gift out there that will show him how much you appreciate all that he does for you. Whether he'd rather spend the afternoon improving his handicap or playing video games, there's something in this Holiday gift guide for your dad, husband or significant other. We're skipping some of the more obvious big-ticket items like TVs and grills. Instead we're giving you some fresh and creative ideas. And if that special guy isn't a dad, he'll love these items too!

Corporate Dad

He's Polished with a capital P. Down to his shiny Italian leather shoes, the guy in your life wouldn't be seen without a crisp buttondown and a pair of pressed dress pants. Or, maybe he needs a little nudge in the right direction. Either way, he'll appreciate the luxury and quality of these snazzy duds.

The Classic White Shirt

Nothing looks more elegant that a crisp herringbone white buttondown with French cuffs like one from Forzieri.

Ties (guys like them, really!)

Ties get a bad rap as the stand-by gift for men but if your guy works in an office, he wears ties! And any savvy businessman knows that all components of his work ensemble send a message. A luxury silk tie is the only way to go. Trust us, he will love it (and wear it).

The timeless watch

Corporate Dad is a busy guy, so he needs a classy watch to keep him on time. Go for something original that will bring a smile to his face every time he checks the time. The Philip Stein Teslar watch with a black Ostrich strap is elegant and modern at the same time.

Cuff links

The well-heeled dad needs a set of sharp cuff links to hold those French cuffs together. Try Tahitian Pearl Cufflinks (that's right, guys can wear pearls too) from PurePearls.

Watch & Cufflink organizer

Okay, so corporate dad is a high-roller kind of guy but he may need a little help keeping all those pieces organized (watch, cuff links, etc.), so give him a watch & cuff link box-just be sure not to call it a jewelry box, he might get a little touchy.

Luxury Briefcase

To complete Corporate Dad's look he needs a briefcase-but not just any briefcase. While he may not admit it, you'll recognize the twinkle in his eye when he opened a package and smells the smooth calf skin leather of his new luxury briefcase, like the one from Pierre Cardin.

On the go Dad

On the go Dad is always going somewhere, so give him the gift of stylish (and comfortable) travel with these ideas.

Travel bags

If your dad or significant other is always on the go, he doesn't need a gigantic suitcase but he also doesn't want to wind up with wrinkled suits. A fold-up garment bag from Glaser Designs is the perfect solution to short trips.

And no businessman will travel anywhere without his laptop in tow. A designer laptop bag protects Dad's laptop and data in style.

Travel Neckpillow

Traveling can take a toll on the neck and shoulders. Dad will appreciate this simple, yet invaluable, travel neckpillow from Magellans.

Audiobooks

Whether the dad in your life flies a lot or drives cross-country, he'll love this collection of heart-warming stories about fatherhood. The NPR Driveway Moments for Dads is a collection of humorous and touching stories from the National Public Radio archives that capture the essence of fatherhood. They're so good, he may never even leave the driveway!

Enthusiast Dad

Season tickets

Whatever your dad's favorite sporting event-or maybe it's the opera!-season's tickets is the gift that keeps on giving.

Golf clubs

Seasoned golfer or novice, all golfers know The Big Bertha. Get him what he's always wanted but never bought for himself. He's a good dad, he deserves it!

Connoisseur Dad

Wine cork set

Take the headache out of opening wine with a gourmet wine cork set. You can find them virtually anywhere, including Bed, Bath & Beyond, Cost Plus World Market, liquor stores, department stores and online.

Wine Accessories

Stumped for a gift idea? Give Dad a gift basket filled with wine accessories like wine stoppers, wine totes, wine labels and a wine journal. For a truly one-of-a-kind gift, there's the Wine Enhancer, which uses a special technology to make wine smoother and brighter, and improve the drinkability of young wines.

Gourmet Coffee

Lots of guys gotta have their morning cup of Joe. Go beyond the Folgers or Starbucks and get him gourmet coffee beyond his wildest dreams. Coined as the "most expensive coffee in the world" at 8.00, Arabica Kopi Luwak ground coffee is one of the most sought after by coffee connoisseurs globally. This rare coffee is harvested and roasted in the Indonesian Archipelago. Extremely limited, only 700 pounds are produced annually.

Tea maker

Okay, so tea is not usually the first gift idea to come to mind for a lot of dads, but hear me out. The hassle of tea balls and infusers is too much for many guys. Adagio has a solution: the triniTEA, an electric tea maker that simplifies preparation of loose tea. This all-in-one device prepares tea with a flip of a switch. A warming plate beneath the carafe keeps tea hot so it may be enjoyed for hours. They also stock fragrant loose teas and gourmet teabags.

Smoking Jacket (aka Robe)

Give Dad a luxury robe to wear while he sips his favorite beverage, like the Brioni cashmere herringbone robe. Looking for one less expensive? Try a silk robe from Dillards. And what's a robe without slippers?

Gear Daddy

Wireless Weather Forecaster

Dads dislike getting caught in unforeseen weather like the rest of us. They also like to know when the weather is going to be nice so they can fit in a round of golf. Get him the wireless weather station from Brookstone to keep Dad up to date with real-time reports received via radio signals from AccuWeather. No wiring, computer, or TV required!

Portable entertainment

The Sony Play Station Portable (PSP ) is the ultimate portable entertainment device. For tech loving Dad's the PSP can be customized to any personality. The PSP is the perfect mobile entertainment device for gaming, listening to MP3s, watching movies and sporting events, checking RSS feeds, surfing the Net and much more. A recent partnership with T-mobile enables PSP users to take advantage of six months free WiFi at any T-Mobile hotspot found in airports and Starbuck's coffee locations.

Gifts all dads will love

Personalized gifts

Dads love to show off their family, so why not give him something to remind him of what a great family he has with a personalized gift? These days you can get almost anything personalized, from mouse pads to pens and notepads to picture frames and mugs. Vista Print has everything you need for the perfect Holiday gift.

Dad's Own Cookbook

In addition to divorced fathers, there are 15 million dads in families where both parents work and Dad is expected to take his turn making dinner. Never has there been a time when kitchen skills have been so desirable but also so necessary for fathers. So what's a culinary-challenged Dad to do?

Dad's Own Cookbook (Workman, .95) is the one-stop culinary school for the bewildered. It is for every single dad facing new responsibilities in the kitchen, or married dad who has to step up to the plate...and serve it. Filled to the brim with 150 easy and delicious recipes, the book dispenses indispensable tips and techniques, from the basic, such as preheating an oven, to the elaborate, such as creating the perfect birthday party menu for a child.

Digital Photo Frame

For the modern dad, a digital photo frame is the perfect gift. The Pandigital 7" Digital Photo Frame allows Dad to copy your photos, videos and MP3s directly from your memory card, digital camera or PC. Frame easily stores up to 298 two megapixel photos and has two interchangeable frames.

ManGroomer

Giving this gift may be a delicate matter but believe us when we say Dad will thank you (even if it's silent). The grooming of back hair is not only sensitive for men, it's also hard to do! The MANGROOMER is the essential do-it-yourself electric back hair shaver for men. The unique design enables a man to remove unwanted back hair by himself in the privacy of his own home or while traveling. It's quick, easy and painless.

Shave kit

Every man needs a shave kit. Do it up in style with a calfskin shave kit from Cole Haan. If Dad is a friend of the environment, he'll like this Shaving Soap Gift Set from the Napa Soap Company. The long-lasting shaving soap is packed with French clay, aloe vera and soothing oils for a smooth shave. Comes in a reusable, environmentally-friendly antiqued mug with a badger bristle brush. Available in three fresh blends: Lavender Cedar, Cool Mint Rosemary, or Ocean.

What is your perfect Holiday gift for Dad?

Gifts for Dad

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Presenting - Authentic Austrian Cooking and a European Coffee House Atmosphere at Konditor

!±8± Presenting - Authentic Austrian Cooking and a European Coffee House Atmosphere at Konditor

When you travel to Toronto, this multicultural metropolis, you'll have a chance to sample delicacies from all over the world, but one of the national cuisines is not well represented: Austrian cuisine. Canada experienced a big wave of Austrian immigrants right after World War II and into the 1970s, but since then the number of newcomers from this small European nation has dwindled considerably, resulting in a shortage of Austrian eateries.

As an Austrian immigrant myself, one place caught my eye a while ago: an authentic Austrian café / pastry shop called "Konditor", German for "sugar baker". Over the last few months I have tried several times to drop by and try some Austrian dishes that I had grown up with, but every time I swung by I inadvertently picked a Monday or Tuesday when the establishment is closed.

Well finally, today after doing my interview with Sheila Blinoff and Carole Stimmell from the Beach Metro Community News, I decided to pay another visit to Konditor, and given that it was a Thursday today, I had finally picked the right day of the week. I came in right around noon into a small yet tidy establishment in Toronto's Beach neighbourhood, on Queen Street just west of Woodbine Avenue. This compact café has nine tables and three of them were occupied with enthusiastic patrons. The mood in the place was amazingly cheerful, with patrons chatting back and forth from table to table, and I overheard a conversation between two different groups of customers who both agreed that Konditor has the best apple Strudel and the best coffee.

A group of three local business people sat down at the next table: Ernesto Monte is the owner of Meat on the Beach, known for its high quality meats; Arthur (Arturo) Bossio runs a local pest control company while his brother Tony is a general contractor who does a lot of work in the Beach.

Soon jokes were flying back and forth and Arturo started to inquire about the reason for my visit. He indicated that he is originally from Italy, from the southern region of Calabria, but came to Canada when he was a small child. Then Arturo joked with one of the owners, Benedetta Stellino, who also hails from Italy.

People sometimes say that Toronto residents are rather reserved, and strangers are hesitant to talk to each other. Well, at Konditor, witty comments were flying back and forth, and complete strangers (including myself) were ribbing one another, having a good time.

The real reason I had come here for was to finally sample some Austrian cuisine, some munchies that reminded me of my time growing up in the Austrian Alps. So I ordered my favourite Austrian soup: Fritattensuppe (pancake strip soup) and a gourmet pork roast sandwich. Tasting the food of my birth country again, right here in Toronto, was great and the filling meal definitely hit the spot. The gentlemen beside me were already wondering how I was going to polish away a sizeable bowl of soup plus a nice size sandwich, but no problem here, this girl can eat....

Guests kept streaming in, and Benedetta kept them entertained with her charm and an enviable gift of the gab. She definitely has a great knack for making anyone feel welcome, as if they had been friends for many years. She explained that on weekends this place really starts to hop. Finally, I had a chance to meet her business partner, and the pastry chef herself. Burgi Riegler grew up on a farm in Mürzzuschlag, a town in the beautiful province of Styria, only about 30 km away from my own home town in Austria. We sat down and chatted for a bit in our native German dialects, and then switched to English when the formal interview started.

Growing up on a farm, Burgi was introduced to cooking early on, having to prepare meals for her large family. At nine years of age she had already figured out her ideal job: she wanted to become a chef. She figured she might as well get paid for her favourite activity. After her local apprenticeship she spent some time during the winter tourist season in the Austrian province of Tyrol, working as a chef and skiing to her heart's content. Although she would sometimes work 20 hours a day in the winter she would have the summers off.

But the big city kept calling her: Vienna. She spent several years in the Austrian capital, working in such esteemed establishments as the Hotel Bristol, the Hilton Hotel and Restaurant Corso, one of Vienna's most renowned restaurants. She worked with some of the most well-known European culinary experts. While working in Vienna, she fell in love with pastries (who wouldn't?), and took an evening apprenticeship as a pastry chef. Part of the reason was also to prove one of her previous supervisors wrong who had told her she was a "total loser with cakes". Now Burgi had official credentials as an executive chef as well as a fully qualified pastry chef.

After a few years in Vienna, that Austrian city became too small. The big wide world was calling - Burgi wanted to go to America. But she was unable to obtain a green card and a friend suggested she should go to Canada. Burgi was actually recruited by the Royal York Hotel in Toronto as they were attempting to increase their profile with high end desserts. Burgi was game, and in 1987 she arrived on Canadian soil. I myself had arrived here in 1986, so we realized that both of us have about 20 years of Canadian living under our belt.

Burgi's first impressions were that the country was so big, the city was huge (in comparison to Greater Toronto's 5.3 million people, Vienna, by far Austria's largest city, only has about 1.5 million residents). Just like me, this Austrian transplant fell in love with Toronto. She felt that the people were friendly, and within half a year she had found a Canadian who was so friendly that she decided to marry him. Over the next few years Burgi and her husband started a family in Toronto.

After the Royal York Burgi also spent several years as pastry chef at the prestigious Badminton & Racquet Club until Benedetta came up to her and said she was wasting her talent and should pursue her life-long dream: to open her own coffee-house. Burgi liked the idea, quit her job, and Burgi and Benedetta ended up becoming business partners. The big breakthrough came when Ben was listening to a radio show where Kerry Stratton, conductor at the Toronto Philharmonia Orchestra, commented that he was unable to locate a decent Sacher Torte (a real Viennese specialty) in Toronto.

Benedetta said to Burgi "your Sacher Torte is awesome" and they sent a sample to the conductor. The sweet delicacy went over really well, and Burgi was invited to provide the sweet table for the prestigious Viennese Ball organized by the Toronto Philharmonia. Other highlights in Burgi's career include an appearance on the popular "Christine Cushing Live" cooking television show, work for the Italian consulate, as well as the annual Salute to Vienna Concert at Roy Thompson Hall. People were definitely taking note of this gifted Austrian pastry chef.

Today Konditor and the partnership between Burgi and Benedetta is well established. While Burgi prepares sinful treats in the kitchen, Benedetta handles the customers in the front. Ben is definitely a character; she has a great natural sense of humour, and doesn't shy away from ribbing customers in a good-natured way. While I was there, a regular customer came in and Ben told him off for hanging out too much at Starbucks, her competition. The patron came right back with a quick-witted answer and a little humorous banter was flying back and forth.

Not surprisingly, Benedetta's background is in sales, she spent many years in the headhunting business, saying that she "sold heads for cash", prior to starting a business with Burgi. Although the last three years have been a ton of work, both entrepreneurs agree that their foray into business ownership has been very rewarding.

Their recipe for success consists of providing an authentic Austrian coffee house atmosphere, with high quality meals and desserts. In addition to delicious merchandise, they strive to create an environment that makes people feel comfortable, just as if they were at home. Benedetta has a knack for engaging people in conversation, and patrons chat freely with one another. Ben, an avid poet, said she is keeping track of all the goings on at her establishment, and one day she'll write a book about it where she is going to dish out the goods and share the juicy tidbits that she has witnessed in her café. I joked that I better behave myself so as to prevent any compromising news from leaking out.

Ben adds that Burgi's desserts are second to none, and they taste even better than they look. And people who have traveled to Austria confirm that this place looks like an authentic Austrian pastry shop. As an Austrian myself I can attest to that. For Mozart's 250th birthday celebrations last winter Burgi made a special three tier cake which was enjoyed by a crowd of 200 patrons. The attendees were fortunate that it was one of the warmest days in January with temperatures around +10 degrees Celsius. Patrons were able to hang out on the patio outside.

I inquired as to whether there were any special events at the restaurant. A recent initiative at Konditor consists of regular poetry readings called "Poetic Justice", held every first Thursday of the month. One or two poets present their writings, and audience members have a chance to read their own work at the open mike.

A mouth-watering strawberry Cremeschnitte represented an enjoyable highlight to the end of our conversation; I figured I couldn't leave this place without at least trying one of the sweet treats. Finally I had made it to Konditor, this little Austrian nook that reminded me so much of where I grew up, and you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be back (using Arnold's famous words), not just for the food, but for the company.

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SBK11003418 Ready Brew Italian Roast Coffee, 3.3 grams, 200/CT (SBK11003418).

!±8±SBK11003418 Ready Brew Italian Roast Coffee, 3.3 grams, 200/CT (SBK11003418).

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Starbucks Coffee Italian Roast, Whole Bean, 12 oz (Quantity of 4)

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How To Use A French Coffee Press

!±8± How To Use A French Coffee Press

Auto-drip coffee makers may be more convenient, but the French coffee press is unmatched in flavor and design. The press makes a thicker, stronger coffee than conventional brewers because the coffee's essential oils aren't caught in a filter or lost in the filtration system. Below I will explain how to use a coffee press.

1. You should use coarsely ground roasted coffee beans. A burr mill grinder is recommended because it gives a more consistent grind than blade grinders. The ground coffee should be coarser than that used in an auto-drip machine. If your coffee is too finely ground it won't get caught in the filter and will make it more difficult to depress the plunger.

2. Boil your water before you start grinding the beans. The water will be allowed to cool to the appropriate temperature and won't scald your coffee grounds. The temperature of the water should be 195-205° F. To insure the best tasting results, use filtered water.

3. Place the coffee grounds into the coffee press carafe. You should use 1 to 2 tablespoons of coarsely ground coffee per 8 oz of water. You may have to experiment with the amount of coffee in order to achieve your desired taste.

4. Slowly pour the hot water over the coffee grounds. You may gently stir the water with a plastic or wooden spoon. This will cause most of the floating coffee to sink to the bottom of the coffee press.

5. Replace the lid and plunger unit with the filter raised to the top. Allow the coffee to brew for 3 to 5 minutes. The longer the brewing time, the stronger the coffee.

6. Depress the plunger slowly and gently.

7. Pour the coffee slowly into a coffee cup. Let it set for a minute to allow the sediment to
settle to the bottom.

8. Don't let the coffee sit in the coffee press after it has completed brewing. The coffee will continue to brew, causing it to become bitter. If you are not serving all of it at once, pour the remaining coffee into a thermos.

I hope these instructions on how to use a coffee press have been helpful. Many coffee lovers swear by the superior flavor the coffee press provides. It produces the most rich, full bodied coffee to be tasted. They are affordable and easy to use. The brewing process is a little more involved, but the results are worth it. The intense flavor and smooth taste make the coffee press unbeatable.

How To Use A French Coffee Press

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The Mansions of Prosper - PROSPER, TX - Apartment Rentals

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PROSPER Apartments - The Mansions of Prosper apartments for rent in PROSPER, TX . Visit www.apartmentfinder.com Experience First Class Living At The Mansions of Prosper! Our setting captures your attention, but our service will define your experience! Nestled in the charming and rapidly growing region just north of Dallas, The Mansions of Prosper combines tranquility, luxury and a thriving community to make for a new life adventure. The signature Mansion Collection is an amazing collaboration between architect and builder. Influenced by features from around the world, our interiors are elegant and breathtaking with no detail overlooked. Rich color palettes enhance the grandeur of a host of impressive amenities including imported Italian marble entries, fireplaces, top-of-the-line appliances, marble jetted Roman garden tubs and granite kitchen countertops. All residences have first floor entries, individual interior staircases and attached direct-access garages. We provide a vast array of community features. Enjoy remote access to our on-site 6000-sq-ft clubhouse with a list of private resident privileges. A host of unique amenities are available at the clubhouse including lounge areas, a Starbucks Cafe, a game and billiards room, a California Health Club, private tanning and a sauna. Whether you're roasting s'mores in the fire pit or relaxing in the spa sauna, our impeccable amenities offer a stunning addition to your new home! Come experience a lifestyle of royalty here ...

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The Coffee Culture in the USA

!±8± The Coffee Culture in the USA

It wasn't until I moved to the US that I started drinking coffee regularly and became what they call in the Netherlands a 'koffieleut', which translates literally into 'coffee socialite.' Although the average European drinks more coffee per year than the average American, the cultural importance and its effects on the average European seems to me smaller than that on the average American. After all, coffee is a cultural obsession in the United States.

Chains with thousands of branches like Dunkin' Donuts or Starbucks dominate US daily street life. Especially in the morning (90% of coffee consumed in the US is in the morning), millions of white foamy cups with boldly imprinted pink and orange logos bob across the streets in morning rush hour and on the train. Coffee drive-ins are a saving grace for the rushing army of helmeted and tattooed construction workers. During lunch break, men and women in savvy business suits duck into coffee shops.

Students chill out from early afternoon till late evening on comfy couches at coffee lounges around campus. Police officers clutch coffee cups while guarding road construction sites on the highway. In short, coffee drinkers in the United States can be found just about anywhere you go.

This mass-psychotic ritual causes Americans to associate Europe above all with cars that oddly do not contain cup holders (to an American this is like selling a car without tires), or with the unbelievably petite cups of coffee European restaurants serve, so small that my father-in-law had to always order two cups of coffee. It is my strongest conviction that the easily agitated and obsessed nature of the 'New Englander' can be blamed on the monster-size cups of coffee they consume. Not without reason is the word 'coffee' derived from the Arab 'qahwa' meaning 'that which prevents sleep.' Arabs have cooked coffee beans in boiling water since as far back as the 9th century and drank the stimulating extract as an alternative to the Muslims' forbidden alcohol.

These days coffee is second only to oil as the most valuable (legally) traded good in the world with a total trade value of billion. Interestingly, only billion reaches coffee producing countries. The remaining billion is generated as surplus value in the consumption countries. Small farmers grow 70% of world coffee production. They mainly grow two kinds of coffee beans: Arabica and Robusta. About 20 million people in the world are directly dependent on coffee production for their subsistence.

Table 1: production in 2002/3

country % 70% Arabica

30% Robusta

Brasil 42.03% Arab/Rob

Colombia 8.88% Arabica

Vietnam 8.35% Robusta

Indonesia 4.89% Rob/Arab

India 3.74% Arab/Rob

Mexico 3.54% Arabica

Guatemala 3.1% Arab/Rob

Uganda 2.53% Rob/Arab

Ethiopia 2.44% Arabica

Peru 2.24% Arabica

Table 2: consumption in 2001/2world consumption % kg per capita (2001)

USA 30.82% Finland 11.01

Germany 15.07% Sweden 8.55

Japan 11.47% Denmark 9.71

France 8.89% Norway 9.46

Italy 8.59% Austria 7.79

Spain 4.90% Germany 6.90

Great-Brittain 3.63% Switzerland 6.80

the Netherlands 2.69% the Netherlands 6.48

Although the consumption of coffee per capita in the world is decreasing (in the US alone it decreased from 0.711 liter in 1960 to 0.237 liter presently), world consumption is still increasing due to the population explosion. Considering that coffee consists of either 1% (Arabica), 2% (Robusta) or 4.5%-5.1% (instant coffee) caffeine, the average American consumes at least 200 to 300mg (the recommended maximum daily amount) of caffeine a day through the consumption of coffee alone.

The place I frequent to down a cup of coffee is the Starbucks in Stamford, Connecticut. The entrance can be found on the corner of Broad Street and Summer Street, to the left to the main public library with its plain pediment and slim Ionic columns. The location right next to the library harmonizes with Starbuck's marketing plan. At the entrance of the coffee shop a life-size glass window curves around to the left, providing superb voyeuristic views of pedestrians on the sidewalk. As you enter, you step directly into the living room area with stacked bookshelves against the back wall. Velvet armchairs face each other with small coffee tables in the middle, creating intimate seating areas. The velvet chairs near the window are the prime seats, which people unfortunate to score a wooden chair prey upon. At the back of the long rectangular room is the coffee bar and a small Starbuck's gift shop. There is a dark wooden table with electrical outlets suited for spreading out laptops and spreadsheets, dividing the living room area from the coffee bar.

Since I have been cranky for weeks I hesitate to order a regular black coffee. It is very easy to get cloyed with a favorite food or drink in the US because of the super-sized portions served. The smallest cup of coffee is a size 'tall' (12oz.=0.35l.), after which one can choose between a 'grande' (16oz.=0.5l.) and a 'venti' (20oz.=0.6l.). Half a liter of coffee seems a bit over the top, and it sounds absolutely absurd to my European mind. I finally end up choosing a 'solo' espresso.

Sitting in one of the booth-like seats against the back wall, unable to obtain a prime seat, I feign to read my book while eavesdropping on conversations around to me. Three middle-aged men sit in three ash gray velvet chairs and converse loudly. A vivid dialogue develops, exchanged with half roaring, half shrieking, laughter. They mock a colleague in his absence and then clench their brows in concern while discussing the teeth of one of the men's daughter. Two African-American women sit at a small table opposite the reading-table in the murky light, one of them with a yellow headscarf with black African motifs. Close to the entrance, in the seating area next to the animated conversation, a vagabond is playing solitaire. One by one he places the creased cards with rounded backs over one another, as if he attempts to stick them together. He rendered a couple of dollars in exchange for a small coffee to feel, in the warmth of the front room, nostalgia for a cozy living room and relives a sense of intimacy of having your own house.

It's a bright, sunny, early autumn day, a typical New England Indian summer. Sunbeams radiate through the coloring, flickering foliage, and throw a puzzle-shaped shadow into Starbuck's window. Autumn's hand turns her colorful kaleidoscopic lens. The green ash tree near the sidewalk resembles, with its polychrome colors, somewhat a bronze statue: its stem sulphur bronze, its foliage intermittently copper green and ferric-nitrate golden. On the other side of the cross walk the top of a young red oak turns fiery red. These are the budding impressions of the autumn foliage for which Connecticut is 'world famous' in the US.

In the world of marketing and entrepreneurship, Starbucks is a success story. It is one of those stories of 'excellence' taught as a case study at business school. Founded in 1971, it really began its incredible growth under Howard Schultz in 1985, and presently has 6,294 coffee shops. But what does its success really consists of? A large cup of coffee at Starbucks is much more expensive than at Dunkin' Donuts: .69 compared to .40 for a Starbucks' 'venti'. But while Dunkin' Donuts offers only a limited assortment of flavors like mocha, hazelnut, vanilla, caramel and cinnamon, you will find exotic quality beans at Starbucks like Bella Vista F.W. Tres Rios Costa Rica, Brazil Ipanema Bourbon Mellow, Colombia Nariño Supremo, Organic Shade Grown Mexico, Panama La Florentina, Arabian Mocha Java, Caffè Verona, Guatemala Antigua Elegant, New Guinea Peaberry, Zimbabwe, Aged Sumatra, Special Reserve Estate 2003 - Sumatra Lintong Lake Tawar, Italian Roast, Kenya, Ethiopia Harrar, Ethiopia Sidamo, Ethiopia Yergacheffe and French Roast. So Starbucks offers luxury coffees and high quality coffee dining, reminiscent almost of the chic coffee houses I visited in Vienna.

Every now and then, I grin shamefully and think back at my endless hesitation choosing between the only two types of coffee available in most Dutch stores: red brand and gold brand. Even up to this day I have no clue what the actual difference is between the two, apart from the color of the wrapping: red or gold. Not surprisingly, Starbucks appeals to the laptop genre of people: consultants, students, intellectuals, the middle class, and a Starbucks coffee is a white-collar coffee, while a Dunkin' Donuts coffee is a blue-collar coffee. In Dunkin' Donuts you will run into Joe the Plumber, Bob the barber, and Mac the truck driver. But what is it exactly, that attracts the white collared workers in the US to fall back into the purple velvet chairs?

I imagine their working days filled with repetitive actions and decisions within a playing field of precisely defined responsibilities. How many of the players in these fields get through the day with its routines for simply no other reason than being able to enjoy their daily 30 minutes-escape into the Starbucks intimacy where, for a brief moment in the day, you regain the illusion of human warmth and exotic associations of resisting the coldness of high finance?

For 15 minutes you fall back into the deep, soft pillow of a velvet chair and randomly, and alas how important is that moment of utter randomness, pull a book from the shelves. While, in the background, soothing tones resound of country blues, with its recognition of deep human suffering, a blaze of folk with the primary connection with nature and tradition, or of merengue reviving the passionate memories of adventure and love, you gaze out the window and ponder about that simple, volatile reflection in the moment, strengthened by the physical effect of half a liter of watery coffee that starts to kick in and the satisfaction of chewing your muffin, bagel, cake, brownie, croissant or donut.

It is, above all, that bodily ecstasy caused by a combination of caffeine, sugar and the salivating Pavlov effect. You remember the struggling musician behind the counter taking your order, the amateur poet as you pay her for the coffee and give a full dollar tip, feeling a transcendental bound in your flight from reality. You stare with a fastened throbbing of the first gulps of coffee at the advertisements and poems on the bulletin board, and dauntlessly you think: They are right, they are so right! and what do I care? Why should I care?

But then you look at your watch and notice you really have to run again. 'Well, too bad, gotta go!', or people will start gossiping for being so long away from your desk. And while you open the door, an autumn breeze blows in your face, the last tunes of the blues solo die out as the Hammond organ whispers: 'I throw my troubles out the door, I don't need them anymore'.

Coffee in the US is a subculture that massively floated to the surface of the consumer's society. Starbucks is more than coffee, it's more than just another brand on the market, it is a social-political statement, a way of perceiving how you would like to live, in other words it is a culture. Starbucks is the alternative to Coca-Cola and so much more than just coffee: it's chocolate, ice-cream, frappuccino, travel mugs with exotic prints, cups and live music, CD's, discounts on exhibitions and even support for volunteer work.

The Coffee Culture in the USA

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