Thread: Coffee, What's what?

Originally Posted by solmanic

Cappuccino is derived from the Italian word for "hood" - hence there is a "cap" of milk froth on top

It was actually named after an order of Munks.

Originally Posted by Ralph1Malph

Follow me here...
When in Penang, Malaysia, I visited a local food strip, the outdoor kind with vendors selling all manor of stuff from the back of three wheeled bikes!
Bought my scoff and backhandedly mentioned that the nosh would be nice with a cappucino. "Can", "Can", uttered the stall vendor and proceeded to retrieve some whole roasted beans from somewhere in his cart. Mortar and pestle appeared and beans were ground. I had yet to agree to a cup! A very small ramakin sized pot of water was boiled and beans added. Stewed coffee I thought, Seppo style .
Then he opens a tin of carnation milk and proceeds to fill something resembling a cocktail shaker, which was placed over the gas burner for a minute or two. In goes the stewed brew and he shook the shoot out of it for 30 seconds or so, then he pours into a chipped mug.
Then some gibberish in Bahasa with the next door stall holder and the man from the next stall brings an open tin of coconut cream and spoons about a half teaspoon right onto the top and stirs gently.
"Cappucino, One Ringit Sir" was the call.
Best damn coffee I had had for ages. Went back every night!
Just goes to show!
BTW, I grew up on Army coffee (still serving) and I think that because of that, I will drink pretty much any coffee as long as its hot!
Ralph

I gotcha Ralph,
we get the same stuff here in Singapore...
a totally different type of drink, but very nice
what you got is called 'kopi si tarik'

there is another whole list of coffee (and Tea) variants in the malayan penninsula region

Originally Posted by JohnE

whats fair trade coffee?
, does that mean the grower gets 30c a kg for green bean instead of the usual 20c.
In the end someone makes money out of it, and its not the grower
the so called fair trade coffee, sells for the same price as non fair trade coffee.
if the o/s growers got a larger proportion of the green bean rate , they wouldn't still be 3rd world countries.
Over here the green bean in parchment rate is $8 per kg for locally grown. They don't pay that for fair trade.

well coffee is the second most traded thing on the planet - by the time it gets to the end user it's probably been bought and sold 30 times! *wishes he could get $8/kg green beans*

fair or not, the world is run by trade, it just means one or two of the middle men are cut out somewhere but the end user still pays the same so who do you reckon is getting the bulk of the 'difference' that fair trade coffee makes? 10:1 says it is the retailer!

Originally Posted by JohnE

Rat pac coffee, is certainly no taste sensation but it serves a purpose.


john

yes its a wonderfull fine grinding agent when mixed into a paste...

Even I draw the line at drinking it.

Originally Posted by EchiDna

well coffee is the second most traded thing on the planet - by the time it gets to the end user it's probably been bought and sold 30 times! *wishes he could get $8/kg green beans*

fair or not, the world is run by trade, it just means one or two of the middle men are cut out somewhere but the end user still pays the same so who do you reckon is getting the bulk of the 'difference' that fair trade coffee makes? 10:1 says it is the retailer!

yes mate know all that, but waynes comment about buying free trade coffee, I think is a bit of a misnomer.

but your right the retailer it the highest marker.
Even those blokes wiht the free trade coffee stands at markets and the like, they still charge the going rate.

i don't sell my bean to anyone, i prefer single origin local to mix and mashed blends.( personal preference)

its a bit like the macadamia industry, this year the grower prices per kg were at the lowest for years, coupled with a bad season. you'd be lucky to get $1 per kg for nut in shell( processor rates) you need at least $2 to cover costs.
the retailers they are still selling for over $30 per kg for nut.
I value added this year and did some market runs, made more for less, worked out really well.

i have a C and B pack in the cupboard my break them open and remind myself what rat pac coffee tastes like.

john

Originally Posted by JohnE

yes mate know all that, but waynes comment about buying free trade coffee, I think is a bit of a misnomer.

but your right the retailer it the highest marker.
Even those blokes wiht the free trade coffee stands at markets and the like, they still charge the going rate.

agreed, it's a misnomer in my opinion too!

what percentage of the market sold 'free trade' stuff is genuie you reckon?

Good one monotreme
A great marketing ploy for the gullible, feeling they are helping to properly clothe and feed some 3rd world coffee plantation slave. If they only knew!


john

I have just put on a fresh brew of Aussie "Organic".
Atherton Table lands? I think?

Old blue enamel "cowboy" type pot on the stove now.