!±8± Once it was a coffee roastery Canvas Print / Canvas Art - Artist Mandy Tabatt

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Once it was a coffee roastery Canvas Print / Canvas Art - Artist Mandy Tabatt

• Museum Quality Canvas Print
• Gallery Wrapped on 1.5" Stretcher Bars
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Once it was a coffee roastery Canvas Print / Canvas Art - Artist Mandy Tabatt

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Java-101, a Trip Through Central Java Coffee Growing Areas

!±8± Java-101, a Trip Through Central Java Coffee Growing Areas

The drive from Jakarta to Semarang on the north coast of Central Java takes around 10 hours. The trip takes you up out of Jakarta and then through the small towns of Indramayu, Brebes, Tegal, Cirebon and Pemalang before you arrive in Semarang. At this time of year the drive is slow- the rainy season has started and in many places outside the cities the road is still only a two way highway with no median barrier separating on coming traffic. Typical Indonesian moments are frequent...where can you go when a bus is hurtling head on towards you at 100km/h and not slowing down? What to do when your car is mobbed by villagers voting for a new mayor...or passing the crushes carcasses of trucks, vans, minibuses and container trucks, you just have to wonder how long your luck will hold!

The route from Jakarta through to Cirebon follows the fertile coastal plain. This area is known as the "Pantura", from the Indonesian "Pantai Utara" or "northern beaches". Lust rice fields line both sides of the road. The encroachment of commercial development is unfortunately eating into the greenery. Large malls, Ruko (shop) complexes and industrial parks are being built everywhere. In between these however is still some of the prettiest rice land in Asia. The farms are still worked traditionally and the effort that goes into the management of these pieces of agricultural land is impressive. Where the road follows the coast mangroves and other shoreline vegetation are interspersed between rough wooden shacks selling Crab, fish and shrimp. The Indramayu area is famous for its mango's- so many varieties and so sweet they melt in your mouth.

After passing through the tea town of Tegal (Old Dutch buildings mixed in with new development) and skirting Cirebon- the road leaves the coast and climbs up through the foothills. Teak forests and rubber plantation replace the rice paddies. The going on this section is slow- especially if the rain is falling, but the scenery is well worth it. The road climbs through the towns of Subuh and Batang. Roadside stalls sell a variety of tropical fruits-including the exotic Jackfruit and spiky, smelly Durian. This is not coffee country but I did take the opportunity to stop at a warung and try a local Kopi. The coffee was mixed with nutmeg ad red sugar- sweet and bitter at the same time. It was wok roasted robusta- ground up using a traditional sandstone bowl and pestle.

Semarang itself is a port city- located on a narrow strip of land between the coast and a divide of large volcanoes. During Dutch times this was a major trading port- serving as a feed for the hundreds of plantations located in the narrow strip between the north and south coasts of Central Java. The Dutch built an impressive rail system that carried the coffee, sugar, rubber, cloves and tobacco from the hinterland to the warehouses located along the port cities canals. The city is still the provincial capital for Central Java and is a very pleasant place. The hills above the city give fantastic views across the city to the big blue Java Sea. From this cooler altitude the volcanic peaks behind are also majestic- towering and dominating- dark, heavily forested and quite threatening.

Semarang has perhaps the best preserved examples of both Dutch architecture and Dutch town planning in Indonesia. The downtown area is filled with examples of Dutch colonial buildings. There are numerous old warehouses, offices, hotels and churches that are still now in use. Old ornate lamps line the wide streets. In this part of the city the traffic flows in an orderly fashion. As one moves into to newer areas of any Indonesian city the lack of recent town planning becomes increasingly evident. One such place is Toko "Oen", a self proclaimed ice cream palace and patisserie; it has been operating for 67 years. The took (shop) is located on Jl.Pemuda (number 52- phone 3541683) in an old Dutch building. The interior of the shop is truly exquisite- high ceilings, stained glass windows, big shuttered windows opening onto the street. Lots of teak- the window frames, ceiling panels and of course the furniture. The ice cream is good as well, although the instant Nescafe coffee was out of place in such a setting.

After a brief walk around the city area we ventured out to the new warehousing area located behind the bus station and near Port Semarang. The area was hot and dusty, with evidence that during the wet season roads in this part of town flood. Holes are deep as a motor scooter had been carved through the asphalt and into the alluvial mud below by countless container trucks passing through. We negotiated the mud and holes and slowly made our way to one of the region coffee broker's warehouses. The warehouse complex was made up of 4 large buildings. When we arrived there were several 20' containers awaiting loading and we came just in time to see the workers finishing stuffing another container. The warehouse was filled with 60kg sacks of Central Java Arabica and Robusta. I guess I would estimate there were 20,000 bags stacked neatly in the warehouses (although as the broker exported over 11,000 metric or 611 x 20' containers last year, I may be under estimating!). Machinery sorting beans using the gravity sort method were working away furiously at one end of the place- sorting the grade 1 beans from the rest. Drying units, sortex machines and of course the workers themselves all contributing to grading the best beans for export. I was impressed with how well the place was run and the good natured attitude of the workers. I was also mightily impressed with the sacks and sacks of green beans and the wonderful aroma of the greens...a smell I truly love!

A short while later we were on the road out of Semarang- hustling with the container trucks and buses for right of way. After crawling up out of the city we made our way to our first stop- a government owned estate about an hour outside the city. The estate grows both robusta and Arabica. The Arabica is a smaller bean, softer and very flavorsome. With the production of this estate being only around 50 metric ton of Arabica, most of the coffee is brought up by one European specialty roaster. The plantation was quiet- in between seasons the workforce required drops markedly. In the colonial days the private owners compensated for the lack of revenue at this time of year by diversifying their crops. This estate has hectares of rubber trees as well as some tea and cinnamon plantings. Even though we arrived on Friday at about the time Sholat Jumat (Friday prayers) begins, we were meet with typical Javanese hospitality and shown around the plantation.

Next stop was the city of Wonosobo and the famous Dieng Plateau. The Plateua is 120km inland from Semarang at an altitude of over 2000 meters. This area is cold, wet and apart from an uncanny resemblance to the New Zealand town of Taihape, is famous for its agricultural output of potatoes, carrots, onions and tobacco. It also has a well known temple complex called Candi Pendawa lima and (by the way) is the gateway to some very interesting and unique Indonesian Arabica coffees. It is very rare that I complain of the cold in Indonesia- but on the drive to Wonosobo I was really feeling it. The rain was bucketing down and even with the cars AC off I was shivering. Opening the window made things worse as the cool air mixed with the rain almost formed ice as it blew through onto my face.

It was dark when we arrived in the town (it was 15.30!) and nothing seemed to be open. To make things worse the rain had become persistent, carrying with it a dampness that is unusual for tropical climates. We checked into the wonderful colonial era Krisno Hotel- a fabulous place of 115 rooms which had occupancy of 0% before our arrival. The hotel is located on the way out of town and was a Dutch resort in the days before World War 2 and independence. Today it has been fully restored and probably deserves to have more guests. It's a pity that the weather does not play its part here and help out. Walking around the empty lobby I had the chance to admire the stained glass, the teak fittings and later had the pleasant experience of enjoying a beer in the empty bar. It may sound strange, by sitting in an empty bar in the middle of Java listening to Jazz and the soft clicking of the ceiling fans overhead IS actually an experience to be savored. Far from the literally maddening crowds of Jakarta....a feeling of real relaxation at last!

Wonosobo regency and the area between the town and Dieng Plateau did indeed have both Arabica and robusta plantings. The majority of the trees we found were in small hold plantations in and around settlement areas. Altitude is an important factor in growing quality hard Arabica greens. Certainly the altitude in this area of Java seemed ideal for coffee- although sometimes the high rainfall may affect the quality of the cherries. Being out of season it was difficult to tell. The coffee grows at this altitude well. The trees cling to the side of the hills in some places- some shaded with bigger tropical trees. A lot of the small villages up here grow Arabica for the buyers based in Semarang. The coffee is dried and processed up in the Wonosobo highlands. A lot of the location processing is done using dry processing, although with the availability of water in this area not being a problem wet processing is becoming more widespread. Once processed the coffee is sent to Semarang for finishing- sorting, drying and polishing using modern machinery. I did have the opportunity to try some Arabica from one of these small village growers- I have the greens with me and will test roast and cup them.

The drive down from the plateau through to the royal city of Yogyakarta is a drive past volcanic cones, rice fields and teak and cocoa plantations. Along the way coffee grows wild at the side of the road. Some of the robusta trees reach as high as 30 feet- untended they develop a sprawling, scraggly canopy. Through the change in altitude we actually did come across some trees with ripe cherries. Again these were mainly robusta trees. The Central Java Southern region also has some very good lower altitude Arabica plantations. With a different microclimate and soil conditions the beans cup very differently from those grown around Wonosobo.

Back at the roastery today- tired but satisfied. We are around 500 meters above sea level ourselves and up in the hills. At this time of year it rains religiously at around 15.00. As I type It is bucketing down outside...thankfully I have the San Marino up to heat and pressure and am onto my 4th double. Cheers everyone.

Java-101, a Trip Through Central Java Coffee Growing Areas

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A Food Lover's Walk Through Wellington, New Zealand

!±8± A Food Lover's Walk Through Wellington, New Zealand

An island nation in the south-western Pacific Ocean, New Zealand was one of the last countries on Earth to be inhabited by humans. As such, it still retains much of the unique flora and fauna that draw people to New Zealand. Walking through the cities and trekking through the countryside are great ways to get to know the individual aspects of each area. But if you prefer a more gentile experience rather than camping in the wilds, and like your dinner served to you instead of catching it for yourself, why not do a guided culinary walk through the capital city of Wellington?

Wellington is the third most populous city and is located on the south-western tip of the northern island of New Zealand. Walking around the city with a knowledgeable tour leader will show introduce you to the ins and outs of the culinary capital of the country, which has more restaurants per capita than New York City.

Coffee - Wellington is the coffee headquarters of New Zealand. Walking just a few steps from any inner-city boutique hotel will lead you to one of the many coffee houses where you can get your fix. One of the first stops in the morning on any guided walk through Wellington's culinary scene, should be at Mojo, located at Shed 13, 37 Customhouse Quay. This coffee house and roastery is arguably the centre of New Zealand's coffee scene and is housed in a 'Historic Places Trust - Category One' registered building. It provides artisan-roasted beans to a variety of other cafes and restaurants in Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch as well.

Chocolate - In New Zealand, walking from location to location may be the best way to see the culinary sights while allowing you to indulge at each individual stop. This is especially the case in Wellington when you join a chocolate-based guided walk around the city's chocolatiers! One of the best stops for chocolate lovers is the L'affaire au Chocolat located at 464 Adelaide Road, Berhampore. Here you can watch chocolatier Jo Coffey expertly craft the chocolates and you can even have a tasting session while learning about the history of chocolate and the process involved in taking the cocoa bean from the tree to your hand.

Michelin Starred Dining - To round out your day of guided New Zealand walking in Wellington, your tour leader should make you reservations at one of the city's most exclusive restaurants, Zibibbo, located at 25 - 29 Taranaki Street. The restaurant was opened in 2000 by Adam Newell, one of only two Michelin starred chefs in New Zealand. Once you arrive, you will be treated to exceptional service and an array of Spanish inspired dishes with wine pairings. If you really enjoy yourself and want something even more special, you can also book in for a cookery master class, where you will learn to make a three-course meal with Newell himself.

A Food Lover's Walk Through Wellington, New Zealand

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Coffee History, Grinders and Mills

!±8± Coffee History, Grinders and Mills

Coffee is a very popular caffeine-based drink prepared from roasted seeds, usually called coffee beans. It was first discovered in the 19th century in the Ethiopia highlands. It then spread to Yemen and Egypt. Soon enough, it became popular throughout the world.

Coffee plant is native to Southern Asia and subtropical Africa. It belongs to a genus of 10 species of flowering plants. Coffee is a small tree or evergreen shrub that can grow about 5 meters long and 6 centimeters wide. It produces a cluster of fragrant and white flowers that bloom simultaneously.

Coffee is commonly propagated by seeds. The usual method of planting coffee is to place 20 seeds in each hole at the beginning of the rainy season. Coffee is frequently intercropped with food harvests like beans, rice or corn during the first few years of cultivations.

There are two main cultivated species of coffee plants - Coffee Arabica and Coffee Canephora. Arabica coffee is more suitable than Robusta because Robusta coffee tends to taste more bitter. The cultivation of Arabica coffee accounts to about three quarters of coffee cultivations globally.

Most of the Arabica coffee beans originated from Eastern Africa, Latin America, Asia or Arabia. Robusta coffee beans, on the other hand, are grown in Central and Western Africa, all over Southeast Asia and in some parts of Brazil.

Coffee beans are brewed or grounded in making coffee. Roasting the grounded coffee beans can be done at home, in a roastery or in the grocery store. Coffee beans can be grounded in many ways. It can be steeped, pressured or boiled. The earliest method of brewing coffee was boiling. In fact, Turkish coffee uses this method.

Coffee grinders and coffee mills are two advanced means of making coffee nowadays. It comes in different models, and some of these are discussed below.

The Ascaso M.101 Anthracite Grinder Color Coffee provides commercial quality grinding with more than 9lbs of production per hour. It has a 700 rpm motor, optional electronic timer, built-in MRS or Micrometric Regulation System, and 250 watts of power. The large 600 gram hopper of this coffee grinder helps position the nozzle, for simple pouring of the grounded coffee.

The Black and Decker SmartGrind Deluxe Bean Burr Mill features removable beans and a coffee container. It crushes beans rather than grinding it to preserve the aroma and flavor of the coffee. The bean container can hold more than 20 cups of coffee. The settings can be adjusted to make espressos, medium drips and coarse percolators.

The Bosch Blade Coffee Grinder is easy to operate, even by left-handers. Its housing is made of durable shock-resistant plastic. It can also be used for grinding shelled nuts and certain types of spices. The slant basket and special beater blade system produce consistent and uniform grinding.

The Bodum C-Mill Blade Coffee Grinder has a very precise and strong motor. The C-Mill blade is not only used in grinding coffee, it can also be used in grinding shelled nuts and other types of spices. It has a convenient cord storage, and safety on and off switch.

Coffee History, Grinders and Mills

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Coffee Bean Roaster

!±8± Coffee Bean Roaster

The coffee bean roaster is fast becoming a "must have" in today's kitchens. The flavor and freshness of coffee is at its best when it is roasted in small batches at home.

Roasted coffee is very susceptible to oxygen damage when it sits on store shelves and in café bins for days or weeks at a time. It spells disaster for specialty coffee beans creating stale, flavorless coffee.

Today, the coffee bean roaster is a coffee enthusiasts dream, bringing the freshness and quality of roasting fresh gourmet coffee at home. It is the beginning of a new era in coffee history and a major step in the return of great tasting coffee.

You'll be surprised to learn how easy and fast it is to roast your own specialty coffee beans at home. Once you experience the flavor of fresh gourmet coffee like this you'll want to share it with everyone you know.

There are basically two types of home coffee bean roasters: fluid bed roasters and electric, radiant heat drum roasters.

Fluid bed roasters work like hot air popcorn poppers. They have a glass-roasting chamber so you can watch as the coffee beans are roasted and stop at the desired roast. These are good for beginners and a great way to get started in home roasting.

The radiant heat drum roaster is more like the professional coffee roasters use. These do not allow you to watch as the beans are roasted so you have to roast by smell or sound.

How about having a roasting party with friends or the family? Home roasting is a lot of fun. You can try some of the best coffees in the world and roast them just the way you like them. What's even more fun and tasty is creating your own custom blends.

So if you haven't tried home roasting, get ready for an amazing treat. Your coffee drinking experience will never be the same once you taste the fresh gourmet coffee you made with your home coffee bean roaster. "Enjoy"

Copyright © 2005 Best-Coffee-Makers-Online.com. All Rights Reserved

Coffee Bean Roaster

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Creative Coffees Roastery, Special Project

!±8± Creative Coffees Roastery, Special Project

Your coffee purchase benefits the children of Royal Seed Orphanage in Ghana, Africa. Purchases can be made from Creative Coffees Roastery, 604 N. Main St. Winchester, Ky or online at www.creativecoffees.com.

Creative Coffees Roastery, Special Project

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A Tour of Las Vegas Casinos

!±8± A Tour of Las Vegas Casinos

Las Vegas is undoubtedly the casino capital of the United States, if not the whole world. In every square inch of Las Vegas, you will find a casino. They are so many casinos in fact that visitors in Las Vegas do not even get to visit all of them.

Bellagio, is one of the first-class hotel casinos that you should not miss when going to Las Vegas. Operated by the MGM Mirage, Bellagio features 3982 rooms and suites. In addition to its casinos, this gigantic megaresort also features a theater, the O Theater, some lounges and bars such as the Fontana Bar, Allegro Bars and the Nectar Bar.

It also boastsgreat dining venues such as the Picasso, Prime Steakhouse, Le Cirque, Sensi, Osteria del Circo and MICHAEL MINA and six outdoor pools and a spa. One of the main attractions of the Bellagio is its Fountains, an eight acre lake that provides stunning views at night. There is also the Conservatory and the Botanical Gardens as well as the Dale Chihuly glass sculpture.

Buffalo Bill's, which is located in the Primm Valley, is 30 minutes away from the Interstate. This hotel-casino has 1,242 rooms including the suites that are used for wedding packages. Some rooms even have wet bars and Jacuzzi tubs. Among the dining sites that Bufallo Bill's offers are the Baja Bar & Grill, Wagon Master Coffee Shop, La Salsa Mexican Grille, Miss Ashley's Buffet, and Frisella's Roastery.

The hotel casino also has a huge entertainment venue called the Star of the Desert Arena, which has 6000 seats. This is where concerts and other shows are held. In addition to this, Bufallo Bill's also has a movie theater and comedy bar, where tourists can relax and wile the night away. One of the main attractions that this hotel-casino provides is the Desperado rollercoaster as well as the Turbo Drop Thrill ride.

Circus Circus sits in South Las Vegas. This is the first themed resort in the city, which is operated by the Mandalay Resort Group. It has 3770 rooms, some of which have video check-out counters. Dining venues in the hotel include the The Steak House, Stivali Italian Ristorante, Blue Iguana Las Vegas, and The Pink Pony. Part of the attraction in Circus Circus is the AdventureDome indoor theme park and the circus shows in the Big Top.

Another big thing in Las Vegas is the Excalibur hotel which is also nestled in the South. Another project of the Mandalay Resort Group, Excalibur has 4008 rooms all in all. Because of its King Arthur time theme, restaurants in Excalibur are named after places and people in King Arthur's court such as the The Steakhouse at Camelot, The Camelot, Sir Galahad's Prime Rib House, and the Round Table Buffet. There are also frequent dinner shows and comedy acts in their comedy bars. In keeping with their theme, the casinos are transformed into a Renaissance Faire complete with jugglers, magicians and troubadours.

The Luxor is actually named after a place in Egypt, which is an tourist destination. Its building is topped with the brightest beams of light in the whole of Las Vegas. In fact, it can actually be seen when you are riding the space shuttle. It has 4408 rooms, which are divided into the Pyramid and in towers. Like the Excalibur, the names of the restaurants in the Luxor also have Egyptian flavors to them. Among the restaurants that you should try when visiting there are the Sacred Sea Room, Papyrus, Nile Deli, Hamada's, and of course the Isis.

A Tour of Las Vegas Casinos

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How to Taste Espresso Coffee

!±8± How to Taste Espresso Coffee

Twenty years ago the word espresso was enough to send people running - drink /that? /The mere idea of offering half a cup of coffee at twice the strength and often twice the price, espresso was hardly a household word.  It is only recently that espresso can claim to have stolen the limelight away from its other coffee competitors.   The invention of the spring piston by Gaggia in 1946 revolutionized the method by which pressure is achieved without boiling water.

Since I consider espresso to be the at the forefront of the complete coffee experience, let me explain my bias.  The complex technology of the espresso machine (scientific) must be combined with care and a skilled technique (artistic) to pull a perfect espresso.  The result marvels both tongue and eye; the tongue because the complexity of flavor from the first quick sip is so full of promise, and the eye because, like wine, you can learn a lot about what you are about to taste from just looking at it.

If you do a lot of things right when you are making espresso, it will taste as good as it smells.  I'm not making this up.  But there are a lot of variables that can mess up your espresso and it's a long list so I'll tell you about them in my next article but controlling these elements is worth the result especially if you're a bit of a fanatic - this article is about tasting espresso.  Meanwhile you've got your short espresso in front of you.  Before you taste it, stick your nose into the cup and breathe in.  The intense aroma should please you, even with a sharp edge to it.  This is the moment where you anticipate the taste.  Sip a small amount and let it follow to the back of your tongue, and around your entire mouth.  Now douse the entire shot.  Now, think back a moment - was the "crema" a creamy caramel color unbroken and thick?  Can you recall more than one taste?  Did you drink it neat?  How many tastes could you discern?

In developing our Cafe Espresso house blend, we start with a strong base note of dark-roasted Mexican coffee, somewhat acidity and yet sweet.  We add some Ethiopian medium roast for chocolate and floral overtones and finish the blend with a lighter Kenyan AA or sometimes a Guatemalan for a brightness often described as citrus.  The competing depth of flavors from sip to finish should invite you to linger.  Want another?

How to Taste Espresso Coffee

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latte art jammin the abode # 2 affair "show me your swan" (ona coffee)

!±8± latte art jammin the abode # 2 affair "show me your swan" (ona coffee)

lets start by saying FUCK sony music for getting youtube to remove my first version of this movie. i made the whole first version around the song, anyway not to let the vids go to waste heres the new version lol now thats done this is another quick jam done out at the roastery about 2 weeks ago now. we all had a lot of fun and it was nice to step out from behind the roaster and get my pour on. anyway enjoy and keep posted fro the next jam which should be happening soon!!!

latte art jammin the abode # 2 affair "show me your swan" (ona coffee)

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Cairo, Egypt by Night

!±8± Cairo, Egypt by Night

Whether conventional or chic, there are a wide variety of places to have a drink in Cairo. Nearly every street in the city also supplies access to a traditional coffee house, which has served as a common male social gathering that dates back hundreds of years.

In addition to that, you will come in contact with everything from stalls filled with fruit to bakeries to up-to-date cafes that serve a wide-range of European coffee selections. Accompanying the traditional Turkish coffee and tea, patrons gain easy access to the likes of hibiscus tea, kerkedeeh (depending on the season - warm or cold), sugarcane juice, mango and date drinks, Tamr hindi, sahleb (coconut drink for the winter), and fakhfakhenna (fruit salad).

Conventional Coffee Houses

When it comes to one of the best places in the world to experience the culture associated with a traditional coffee house, Cairo tops the lists. While standard Arabic refers to the coffee houses one thing, the local dialect transforms the term into another entity.

Within any Cairene coffee house, Turkish coffee continues as the unchanging ingredient. Shisha, waterpipe, and tea are also quite popular. Many viewed this practice as outdated for quite awhile, but today, younger people are catching on. They even smoke a waterpipe, which is no longer associated with just the men. Locations are different, as one may offer a small setting (chairs and tables made of plastic that line the street) or provide access to impressive cafes situated in upscale regions.

When paying a visit to a Cairene coffee house, numerous people are looking forward to the sheesha (or waterpipe), which serves as a main attraction. Two variations are typical: pure tobacco and apple-flavored. Additional varieties of fruit are also on hand. Coffee houses tend to vary, as some are decorated in a more elaborate manner, while others are simple counters offering plastic chairs and tables for people to enjoy in the street.

While international travelers are always made welcome, some women tend to feel awkward when checking out the coffee houses in conventionally, underprivileged sections of the city. On the other hand, travel to downtown Cairo and other tourist areas associated with Islamic Cairo and single or female-only groups shouldn't encounter more than the typical irritation.

Turkish coffee (also known as qahwe turki) is handed out either sweet (helwa), medium sweet (masbout), with a bit of sugar (sukr khafeef), or with none at all. Sweet in this case means very sweet.

Tea (shai) is served either as the customary loose tea (kushari which is not to be mixed up with the Cairo macaroni-rice staple kushari), which is also referred to as dust tea in English, or better yet - a tea bag. The majority of coffee shops generally provide fresh mint leaves upon request that is then placed in the tea. People may also enjoy a variety of soda. Many times, hibiscus tea is available, which is served warmed during the winter season, as well as heated throughout the warmer times of the year.

A Communal Tradition

During the 1600s, coffee was first introduced to the Arab and Islamic world, where the Islamic clergy tried to outlaw the drink. Nonetheless, people began to greatly desire the drink, which changed the minds of the sheikhs. To this day, the most devout followers of the Islamic faith would not pay a visit to a coffee house.

However, most Egyptian males saw coffee as a significant communal tradition, which would take place close to their residence, at the local mosque, as well as the church. This became the time to converse, discuss the latest tidbits of news, browse the newspaper, enjoy a television show or sporting event, or simply watch the people pass by while smoking a waterpipe. A lot of people will state that more than 20,000 coffee houses are found in Cairo. As of today, the downtown section and Islamic part of Cairo are some of the best locations to enjoy a rather important piece of Cairene life.

Fruit Stalls

As the heated Cairo summer lingers, fruit stalls are known to sell fresh juice (as well as the occasional fruit salad or soft drink). They really come in handy. At these locations, fresh-pressed juice of fruits of the season is sold.

Common selections include orange, lemon, strawberry, and mango. Depending on the season and availability, a collection of costs and quality are encountered. All over the city, you will encounter these places, which are quite commonplace in the hot spots that tourists frequent. The traditional coffee houses or fruit juice stalls of the city may supply some or all of these drink selections.

Contemporary Cafes and Pastry Shops

The latest cafes and pastry shops are scattered about the city. Usually, they provide light food items, such as salad and sandwiches, which join espresso-based coffees and pastry delights. The majority of these locations are chains that bear names, such as Cinnabon, Orangette, Cilantro, Beanos, as well as the Bakery and Coffee Roastery. Many of these sites, such as the chains previously mentioned, supply wireless Internet connections. Chains on the international level (like Costa Coffee and Starbucks) are also quite popular throughout Cairo.

Entertainment and the Nightlife

For the latest details regarding the movies, nightclubs, and concert halls, check out the daily called the Egyptian Gazette (LE 1; on Saturday, the Egyptian Mail), the weekly English edition of Al-Ahram newspaper (LE 1), as well as Egypt Today (LE 12), which is published on a monthly basis.

The Movies

Though international flicks are offered throughout the year, a higher number of selections are offered in the wintertime and Ramadan. It is suggested to check out the listings posted in the Egyptian Gazette or al-Ahram.

Since the movies provide Arabic subtitles, it is not uncommon to hear the audience chat it up while vendors sell snacks. The soundtrack is often interrupted, so it is recommended to position yourself close to the front in order to hear a word.

Over the past couple of years, a collection of pricey new movie theaters have sprung up in many shopping outlets. This includes the Al-Tahrir Cinema on Sharia Tahrir, in Dokki (02/335-4726; LE 15-25); MGM (located on the top floor of the Maadi Grand Mall; 02/519-5388; closed on Saturdays; LE 20); as well as Ramses Hilton Centre, positioned opposite the hotel (02/574-7436; LE 20-25). All theaters possess plush seats, stereo sound, and air conditioning (which is rather cold). Talking during movies and smoking are not allowed. When visiting these cinemas, it is suggested to book ahead of time, while in other places it is OK to purchase tickets (LE 10-15) an hour or more before the start of the film. On the other hand, during Ramadan, arriving earlier is a must, as the performances in the evening (such as the Metro Cinema on Talaat Harb, and the Al-Tahrir) provide various movie selections on a nightly basis. Usually, this attracts a large crowd, where tickets are bought rather fast and seats are not on reserve.

Discos

The city of Cairo possesses a decent amount of discos. Please note that the term "nightclub" is viewed as an old-fashioned reference that describes a venue where people sit down and enjoy a meal with a floorshow.

The music often consists of the hits of last year in America or the most recent hits in Egypt. Guests usually find that the dance floor is decent; out-of-control patrons are kept at a minimum; and even at the snazziest locations casual dress is still acceptable.

There is also a trend mounting that promotes a couples-only policy. While you may think this is to protect the females from being hounded, it is actually instilled to prevent gays and prostitutes from frequenting the discos. It is quite common to see women come to discos with an escort, but men that come without a female companion usually face more troubles. It is suggested to make a phone call to evade frustration.

Cairo, Egypt by Night

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Specialty Coffee - A Vibrant Industry, Or The Future Of Coffee At Crossroads Of Change?

!±8± Specialty Coffee - A Vibrant Industry, Or The Future Of Coffee At Crossroads Of Change?

Seattle; the home of Boeing, software giants, grunge music and...specialty coffee. Well, not quite. Contrary to popular belief, while Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Boeing and Oracle do indeed hail from the Pacific Northwest, modern specialty coffee has its roots much further south.

When Alfred Peet died in his sleep a few weeks ago he was a sprightly 87. He passed away peacefully hopefully dreaming of coffee trees laden with ripened cherries. While most people have never heard of him, Peet is widely recognised as being the father of modern "specialty coffee" in the industry. He was a Dutchman who became an American. He had traded tea for Lipton's in Java, lived in Sumatra, worked in the business in New Zealand before, finally, settling down (somewhat) in the University suburb of Berkeley, California. It was at Berkeley where he founded his roastery in 1966 and Peet's Coffee was born. Alfred Peet was passionate about coffee. His roasting exploits legendary and his ability to commentate, roast and put out fires simultaneously are famous. His experiences while living in Indonesia had given him an affinity with farmers who grew coffee, as well as a thorough understanding of the origin, the place where coffee was grown. This background, combined with his love of roasting, resulted in a place where coffee was not just a cup of Java, but something exotic, living and with a story.

From Alfred Peet's inspirational example came many of the coffee cultures that now are household names today in America and around the world- Starbucks being the most famous of these of course. The original founders of Starbucks- Baldwin, Bowker and Ziv Seigel originally leant their roasting trade from Peet, in fact Peet roasted for them in their early years. Many others in the industry in America today also passed through the Peet's Coffee experience. In fact when Howard Schulz purchased Starbucks, Bowker and Baldwin moved across and purchased Peets Coffee- Alfred Peet retiring to a role of Coffee Mentor for the Industry as a whole.

Today most coffee drinkers, from Surabaya to San Francisco, recognise Starbucks and its logo, but the name "Alfred Peet" often draws draws blank looks.

Specialty Coffee today is at a crossroad- an important junction in deciding which direction coffee will be heading over the next decade. In the last 10 years many new comers have entered the business. It is estimated that the global coffee sector today is valued at over US billion. It is no wonder that with these revenue numbers, the industry attracts a mix of business people with mixed agendas- who often see the potential bottom line rather than education and passion as being the driving force in what they do. Traditionally the specialty coffee industry has been built on the strong foundation of sharing knowledge and experience- with the supposition that by helping each other the industry will be strongly quality focused. However a number of the more recent arrivals in the market are perhaps choosing coffee for the perceived easy profits, rather than for a real passion for coffee or its heritage. As a result many of the traditional methods of exchange are not as effective, or used as frequently as they have been in the past.

Globally Coffee is in a position where consumption is beginning to slow down and opportunities to grow coffee are becoming more difficult to find in the traditional coffee consuming markets- Europe, USA, South America and Oceania. The easy answer if to look at new emerging markets- China, India, Pakistan and Indonesia are prime targets. These countries either have low coffee consumption (Indonesian's, for instance, consume 500gm per person per year vs. Norway's 12kg per person per year), or have reasonable consumption, but historically are tea consumers (India). The new markets are also very suggestible to western branding- in many cases the strength of branding has been shown to be more important than the product itself. This presents a number of opportunities to strong western brands and of course new local brands to emerge. However it does not necessarily equate to long-term longevity of specialty coffee in these new frontiers.

In the more mature markets, the patterns of consumption have changed markedly over the last 15-20 years. The traditional, lower quality coffee products such as instants, are being replaced by roast and ground coffee (drips, plungers etc) and of course Espresso Based Drinks (cappuccino, latte, espresso etc). Fresh roasted coffee has many advantages over the instant coffee. It is more flavoursome and more importantly has a greater link back to where it originally came from. This means that customer awareness is also on the increase- bringing into the spotlight the actual paper trail of where the coffee comes from, who picked it, what price the grower get from it etc. To consumers in countries such as New Zealand this is very important- as generally there is a linkage between quality of coffee and the return the farmer or grower gets. The correlation is the better the return to a farmers, the better the coffee will be. Higher returns means more time can be spent in the origin country looking after the crop, pruning, selective harvesting, proper intensive drying and packing/storing the coffee once it is dried.

The role the specialty coffee industry plays in all this is very important. Retail shops that source and supply only the best coffee help to sustain the industry both upstream and downstream. This means the farmers and workers will be rewarded and the consumers will have access to quality coffee, hopefully growing the business further.

Unfortunately the reverse is gradually becoming more often the norm. Cafes, coffee shops and roasters entering the market all over the world tend to look for short-term cost advantages to try and fuel their business models. To achieve this they either buy poor quality coffee, as cheap as possible or average quality coffee...likewise as cheaply as possible. Cheap coffee equates to, at the best, very average finished product. This in turn means generally a poor perception of the place selling the coffee. This would perhaps be OK if there were not so many cafes now selling poor quality coffee. As it is it means that poor quality coffee is often accepted a being the norm- hence having the result of putting people off drinking coffee.

In many ways the industry can be seen as having come almost full circle back to where it was in the early 1970's when instant coffee and coffee sitting on hotplates for 10 hours were seen and accepted as being normal coffee. This is what pioneers like Peet worked so hard to change. It is also why the crossroads the industry now stands at are so important.

The choices are really quite simple. For coffee to evolve and grow further there needs to be education of the retailer and the customer. The global industry is built around national organisations that play a varying role in providing advice and education to those in retail or wholesale. The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and the SCAE (Specialty Coffee Association of Europe) are two such organisations. However to become members of these organisations is as simple as filling out a form and paying a fee. Often the motivation of the people joining is just to get a sticker to put on their shop door, knowledge is a secondary motivator. There is talk that membership should involve some form of basic enter test and then continuing education via the internet- which would at least help to provide tools to pass information on to those drinking the coffee.

Looking at those in the industry who do things well, is also a great way of building and planning the future for specialty coffee. In the USA quality roasters and café operators such as Allegro, Blackstump Coffee and Intelligensia have taken industry standards to a new level. Buying quality coffee, hiring quality staff and imparting quality knowledge to customers buying their morning coffee has proven very successful for these companies. So much so that it is an unquestionable part of their corporate culture. All of these companies also practice something unique- they regularly visit their growers in countries such as Indonesia, Guatemala, Kenya, Brazil and Colombia. To take this one step further, they do not just visit and spend a few nights- taking photos of a grower's coffee trees, they maintain regular contact with those growing the coffee. This approach must be seen as the future for coffee in competitive, quality driven markets. It is true relationship coffee where the roaster becomes by default part of the farmers extended family.

Passing knowledge on to those who buy a coffee everyday, and arming them with information on what type of coffee they drink, how it is grown, who grows it, when it is picked, how it gets to them gives all power to the customer. It is a very important, yet lagging piece of the future of coffee globally. Being able to learn the differences in tastes/cupping qualities has some snob quality, but more importantly it helps the buyer to differentiate between good, average and poor coffee. Here lies the problem. A successful café founded on the principles of sustainability and true coffee culture has nothing to fear from education. A café selling poor quality coffee is unlikely, or perhaps unable, to want to educate clients about quality.

A failure to address quality, education and sustainability in the business sector (from the farmer to the retail customer) will ultimately result in consumption patterns falling further. Quality issues- especially over the counter and in the cup, need to be addressed. If not unfortunately those to suffer will be the grower or origin country, rather than the retailer. With current economics a grower in Indonesia receives only around 2-5% of the cost of the average cup sold in America or Europe. If demand drops off, the Arabica business ultimately will fall back into a cycle of commodity pricing rather than specialty pricing that many quality origins now enjoy. Competition from other beverages, and lifestyle choices, compete with the disposable income that coffee comes from.

If Alfred Peet was still alive, undoubtedly he would just carry on doing what he did well and loved, roasting coffee and sharing his knowledge and experience with anyone willing, and wanting to learn and listen- a model to all of us in the industry today.

© Alun H.G Evans, Merdeka Coffee, 2007. The writer reserves all moral rights to this article. May only be reproduced.

Specialty Coffee - A Vibrant Industry, Or The Future Of Coffee At Crossroads Of Change?

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