Latte Talk

Hand Over The Mocha And No One Gets HurtStarbucks is getting put in an awkward position by handgun enthusiasts, even though the nation's biggest coffee chain is trying its hardest to remain neutral.  In late February, the "Open Carry Movement" began encouraging people in so-called "open carry" states to wear their handguns everywhere - including Starbucks.

In an "open carry" state, you can carry a handgun, as long as it is prominently displayed.  In some states, the gun must be unloaded (although you can carry the ammunition in your pocket, ready to load).  The "Open Carry Movement" has been encouraging people to use their right to bear arms to the fullest, and has been encouraging people to wear handguns anywhere they can.


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Via Metafilter today comes word of a new espresso drink which has taken the city of London by storm.  The "Flat White," which was reportedly developed in New Zealand (or perhaps Australia - but trust me, it's best to stand back and let the two of them duke it out) and quickly became popular in damp dreary London.

The Flat White can best be understood by the American audience as a double short no-foam latte.  It begins with two shots of espresso pulled ristretto - short - in order to maximize flavor while minimizing bitterness.  There are three ways to pull a ristretto shot:

1.    Grind the beans more finely, and pull a normal amount of water through them.  Since the water has less contact with the finer grinds, it will extract less bitterness from them.

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Here is a virtual shot of espresso in case you are stuck in a baristaless environment.

I confess that, after living in Washington for a little over a year, I've not yet really sampled the local coffee culture. I know, it's inexcusable, particularly since I'm exceedingly fond of coffee. I don't really have an excuse. I want to experience the full panoply of Washington's fine coffee emporiums and roasters, I really do. There's just one small problem. You see, long ago, I discovered Hawaiian coffee, and fell deeply in love with it. Not just the Kona brew you hear so much—but coffee from Kaanaipali, in Maui, or Kauai or Molokai. You don't hear much about Hawaiian coffee except for Kona, and honestly, most of the state-side Kona if you check the label is actually something like 10%, with the rest made up of Arabica.

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