Best coffee & tea books according to redditors
We found 347 Reddit comments discussing the best coffee & tea books. We ranked the 83 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 347 Reddit comments discussing the best coffee & tea books. We ranked the 83 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Here's a few things I think most Coffee lovers would enjoy.
Gear
For home espresso enthusiasts
Mugs
Books
Misc.
edit: continually adding things as I think of them
Tempurature preferences in drinks tend to be based on culture. In the United States, we prefer to drink our beverages cold. This has to do with lot of different things; For example, we have access to municipal water supplies that are almost always perfectly good sources of clean water, access to electricity and refrigeration (things that are still luxuries in many parts of the world), and the fact that cold Coke and beer just plain taste better to us.
Many other parts of the world prefer their drinks hot. This stems from the origninal need to boil water to prevent disease, and has been ingrained in multitudes of cultures through traditional drinks like tea and coffee. Many cultures that prefer hot beverages hold the belief that cold drinks are not good for you.
Something that we all have in common is that we don't tend to like tepid drinks that have been left out. The exceptions to this rule are most alcoholic beverages which, notably, do not need to be heated to kill bacteria, or chilled to prevent spoiling, since the alcohol takes care of preservation.
If you're very interested in seeing the ways different cultures have been influenced by drinks, or how drinks have been influenced by cultures, you might enjoy A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage. It's a very good read.
This is my favorite book on Kombucha, lots of brewing tips, history, and health notes.
I've been brewing and drinking the stuff for about a year now. I like it because it induces a good solid bowel movement out of me every time. Digestively...definitely some changes down there but I don't want to be too gross. Can't say it has cured cancer or AIDs or even a cold.
I keep up the habit because I do like to dabble in historical eating. People used to consume a lot more active yeast and bacteria via beer and I am open to the notion that this played a key role in digestion. I combine my kombucha habit with fasting to help with digestive issues and I'm mostly cleared up these days.
This is by no means a complete answer (I honestly think that one could write a book on this topic and still not come to a fully satisfying answer) but I hope that this will shed some insight into the history of the taboo and it's social causes.
The earliest academic reference I could find that tried to explain why speaking of money was a taboo was, unsurprisingly, Freud. And, even less surprisingly, he related it to anal eroticism. (As a quick aside, I'm really beginning to wonder if a cigar was just a cigar) 1. There is good reason to believe that the taboo persisted well before that, but it is the earliest reference I could personally find.
Without a definitive start date, some may be inclined to believe that we've always had this taboo-- or at least some type of it. Personally, that's the attitude I went into this question with. After all, money has been around for over 4,000 years 2 and our tribal psychology invites trepidation into situations where our social standing is on the line. Indeed, some have speculated that discussions of money fall under such situations 2 since we often tie worth to income and to financial price 3. This could reasonably lead people to conclude that it's simply inherent to human thought. Talking about money can dredge up a lot of social comparisons and expectations which could trigger that tribal instinct saying "let's not put ourselves in a lower position on the social strata so that we're not eventually ostracized 5."
There's only one problem with this: If it was universal, we would expect different cultures to have a similar reticence to income. But they don't 6. Even countries as geographically proximal as Japan and China have different attitudes about money as indicated by their folklore 7.
So we are left with the idea that this is a western construction. To be clear, I definitely think that the proclivity to tie social worth with the amount of stuff one has probably dates back quiet a while as it would be a handy hint throughout much of human history. But the actual taboo seems to be western in origin.
I don't think that we'll be able to find a specific date, time, or even location to pin this origination on. However, if allowed to venture an educated guess, I would posit that they came from our coffee shops.
It's well known that coffee and tea shops were instrumental to the formulation and actualization of many western uprisings 8. These institutions looked to turn the current social status quo on its head. Inside the shops, everyone was theoretically equal. A certain code of conversation developed, largely thanks to the propagation of two magazines: The Spectator and the Tatler 9. I cannot find any direct quotes from either publication that specifically dictates that one ought not to make note of the socioeconomic differences that exist outside of the shop-- however, there is decent evidence for tacit recommendations via the emphasis on maintaining a tempered and productive conversation 9. I contend that it's difficult to have a good chat when you're being actively singled out as an impecunious peon. Such an account would work fairly well with our theoretical understanding of taboo construction. As it goes, taboos are extremely strong norms and mores that deliver intense social (and possibly even official) sanctions 10. They can develop from social rules and evolve along with the society; hence why some taboo subjects are less taboo as they used to be and others are even more forbidden. I would venture that the taboo for discussing income developed on this track. It could have started off as an expression of politeness and proper etiquette and developed more bite as western society grew more infatuated with the idea of human equality. There aren't any studies that directly prove or disprove this theory (possibly due to a dearth of literature on the topic of money 2), so take it with a grain of salt.
I would also like to recommend the book that U/David_divaD did as well as The Psychology of Money by Furnham and Argyle.
Three that come quickly to mind:
A History of the World in Six Glasses
Salt: A World History
The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony that Shaped America
I was a fan of the Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee.
Fun, anecdotal, and very informative. Plus the hard cover looks great on a coffee table. I often have guests flip through it when they come by.
I get asked this question a lot, and if you're looking for something to go from start to finish, answer a lot of beginner questions and yet also give enough info to leave you wanting more, I always recommend [The World Atlas of Coffee by James Hoffmann.] (http://www.amazon.com/The-World-Atlas-Coffee-Explained/dp/1770854703)
It also doesn't hurt that it's a beautiful ahem coffee table book - excuse the pun!
He also lured over a whole bunch of Chinese tea growers who knew how to properly grow and process tea. There is a book I love about the whole episode, For All the Tea in China.
A couple of years ago I read [Blue Bottle: Craft of Coffee] (http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Bottle-Craft-Coffee-Roasting/dp/1607741180/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409583577&sr=1-1&keywords=blue+bottle+craft+of+coffee+by+james+freeman). It covers growing, roasting, and drinking (including intensive info on brew methods). It was interesting and somewhat entertaining, but I can't say I read the cookbook in the back.
I really enjoyed "The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee: Growing, Roasting, and Drinking, with Recipes" :: http://www.amazon.com/The-Blue-Bottle-Craft-Coffee/dp/1607741180
It is kinda specific to Blue Bottle's business, but worth a read and was insightful.
Yes, this was commonplace for 10,000+ years before coffee in the 17 century. Beer/wine was safer to drink than water due to its fermentation. It's laid out pretty nicely in A History of the World in Six Glasses which I am currently reading. I highly recommend it, it is a very easy read.
In terms of general knowledge of tea, I've found these books immensely helpful.
The Story of Tea This is the official textbook of the Tea Association of Canada's Tea Sommelier certificate program (of which I'm taking) and is probably the best tea book out there right now, in terms of amount of content and quality of content. At least of the ones I - and everybody I talk to in the community - have come across. Comes in paper and in e-book form.
Tea I've had the chance to talk to Kevin, one of the authors of this book. He, not to mention his co-authors, are immensely knowledgeable. He and the three others are taster-importers, and have been in the business for twenty years. This book has beautiful pictures, and is a great general resource on tea. I used to manage a tea shop owned by a taster-importer, and once I started, he held up the book and asked "Have you read this book? Yes? Good. Because it'd be the first thing you do on this job if you hadn't." What I'm trying to say is that it's a good book. Not on e-book, to my knowledge, but it's a great thing to have on hand.
The Tea Companion This was the first book I picked up on tea, and after a fair amount of time, it's stayed among the books I'd recommend to people. It's an incredible, gentle introduction to the world of tea.
Finally - and this may be a little audacious of me - but I'm currently writing a tea book. I'm in the rough draft stage currently, but I'm uploading all of my content for free on a blog I run. When the time comes to publish, I think I'll set up a pay-what-you-want for the e-book format. I've gotten the thumbs up from one of the co-founders of the Tea Guild of Canada, and like to think the information is pretty good and relevant. It's not done yet; not even halfway done, but if you want an opportunity for a bunch of free content on tea, which will eventually become a book, here's my blog.
Hope you can find some use! (and by the way, if you guys have a problem of me promoting my to-be book, I will totally take down the last link. I don't monetize it, I don't have a shop, and truly just want to share my knowledge of the lovely camellia sinensis plant, but just let me know and it'll be gone!)
This for practical, everyday applications. For fun, historical stuff, try the New Tea Lover's Treasury
I quite enjoyed A Brief History of Drugs. It is not the deepest reads but is quite interesting look at drugs throughout history. Another book from a historical perspective but dealing with beverages is A History of the World in 6 Glasses it looks at 6 specific beverages (beer, wine, spirits, tea, coffee, and Coke) and how they shaped history. This isn't specific to drugs, though all 6 beverages contain drugs so I think it counts.
I have and idea for a paper that would connect caffeinated beverages to increased industrialization. Anecdotally, you have tea/coffee (Industrialization)->soda(19th/20th century)->hyper caffeinated beverages (the 21st century and a 24 hour world). But that's another story.
I would suggest looking at A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage for a look at the impact of coffee on the modern world.
Ontario-based tea snob chiming in.
Capital Tea has been one of the best tea shops I have ever had the pleasure of doing business with. Owner is a solid human being, and they have extremely accessibly priced, high quality teas. My favourite part of the shop is the absolute full transparency in its selling. Really recommend the shop.
Give Tao Tea Leaf a shot for China teas. They are a little on the pricey side, but honestly, they are the best China teas I've ever had. Tao, the owner, goes to China every year to buy from different estates. He grew up in China, and I believe his parents worked in tea, too, so he has the kind of knowledge and connections to get extremely good quality tea. Seriously. Buy some. Especially the "Award-winning" teas. They were picked out as winners, by professional cuppers, at the North American tea championship. Free shipping over $35. Can't go wrong. Don't bother buying non-China teas there.
For Indian teas, especially Darjeelings, go for House of Tea. They're online ordering isn't the best, but if you can make it into Toronto, they're worth checking out. In the springtime, call ahead and ask when they're getting their first flush Darjeelings in. It's better if you know what you're talking about before you go (I've had pretty unhelpful service there, a staff member didn't even know what I was asking when I inquired about the estate).
For blended teas, check out Herbal Infusions. The owner is, again, a solid guy, and a complete wizard with his tea blending. The mint cacao tea, and the grapefruit oolong have been two of the most memorable blended teas I have had.
Camellia Sinensis is really great, too, as /u/exmechanistic mentioned. All four taster-importers know what they're doing, and all of them are passionate about their work. I've met Kevin, one of the taster-importers and authors of this book, and they all seem crazy knowledgable about their product. There aesthetic is brilliant, their packaging, great. Their shop itself is all done perfectly. The one thing I'll say about them is that for the price point, the quality of some of their teas can be improved. I'm not blaming them at all, but if you have a very sensitive palate, some of the teas can be a little disappointing for the price. I was the tea consultant for a coffee shop that just opened in Toronto, and the first thing I did was taste like thirty samples from the shop. Some samples hit it out of the park. Others left something to be desired.
A book called "A History of the World in Six Glasses" explores the roles that beer, wine, distilled spirits, tea, coffee, and water played throughout history.
In the chapter on coffee, the author describes a period when Muslims were debating whether or not coffee should be outlawed due to the mind-altering effect of caffeine (as with alcohol). They literally had a trial in which they placed a vessel of coffee on the "stand" to be judged. Eventually, it was decided that coffee was innocent as its effect on the body could be comparable to that of spicy food.
Side note: From an interview on NPR with another author, apparently it has been common throughout history for animals and inanimate objects to be tried for crimes. For instance, a man was being tried for bestiality with a pig. They judged whether or not the pig should be punished for immorality but ultimately decided that it was innocent and let it go.
The author's book is "The Trial: A History, from Socrates to O.J. Simpson". I haven't read it, but it sounded interesting from the interview.
Okay, you've caught me; there's beer and wine books, too. Here's what you're looking at:
I run a cocktail bar, and I've been meaning to share my library for some time, but I have a knack for lending my books out to friends and colleagues so I keep waiting for it to be complete. Then I realized my collection keeps growing and will never be complete, so I may as well just share a snapshot of it.
Top row:
Sippin' Safari: In Search of the Great "Lost" Tropical Drink Recipes... and the People Behind Them by Jeff "Beachbum" Berry
Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails: From the Alamagoozlum to the Zombie 100 Rediscovered Recipes and the Stories Behind Them by Ted "Dr. Cocktail" Haigh
The Joy of Mixology: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender's Craft by Gary "Gaz" Regan
The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
The World Encyclopedia of Beer by Brian Glover
How to Brew: Everything You Need to Know to Brew Beer Right the First Time by John J. Palmer
Jigger, Beaker and Glass: Drinking Around the World by Charles H. Baker, Jr. (aka The Gentleman's Companion Volume II)
Tasting Beer: An Insider's Guide to the World's Greatest Drink by Randy Mosher
Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch by Michael Jackson
The Ultimate Guide to Spirits & Cocktails by Andre Domine
New Classic Cocktails by Mardee Haidin Regan and Gary "Gaz" Regan
The Book of Garnishes by June Budgen
World's Best Cocktails: 500 Signature Drinks from the World's Best Bars and Bartenders by Tom Sandham
The Complete Book of Spirits: A Guide to Their History, Production, and Enjoyment by Anthony Dias Blue
Cocktails & Amuse-Bouches for Her & For Him by Daniel Boulud and Xavier Herit
Imbibe!: From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to "Professor" Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar by David Wondrich
Middle Row:
Hemingway & Bailey's Bartending Guide to Great American Writers
The New and Improved Illustrated Bartenders' Manual; or: How to Mix Drinks of the Present Style by Harry Johnson (Espresso Book Machine Reprint)
Michael Jackson's Bar & Cocktail Companion: The Connoisseur's Handbook by Michael Jackson
The Craft of Stone Brewing Co.: Liquid Lore, Epic Recipes, and Unabashed Arrogance by Greg Koch, Steve Wagner & Randy Clemens
The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender's Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy by Jim Meehan
Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas by Brad Thomas Parsons
A Taste for Absinthe: 65 Recipes for Classic and Contemporary Cocktails by R. Winston Guthrie & James F. Thompson
The Bartender's Guide to IBA Official Cocktails by Jenny Reese (Espresso Book Machine Printing)
Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl by David Wondrich
The Home Distiller's Handbook: Make Your Own Whiskey & Bourbon Blends, Infused Spirits and Cordials by Matt Teacher
A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage
The Decorative Art of Japanese Food Carving: Elegant Garnishes for All Occasions by Hiroshi Nagashima
What to Drink with What You Eat: The Difinitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea - Even Water - Based on Expert Advice from America's Best Sommeliers by Andrew Dornenburg & Karen Page
The American Cocktail: 50 Recipes that Celebrate the Craft of Mixing Drinks from Coast to Coast by The Editors of Imbibe Magazine
The ABC of Cocktails by Peter Pauper Press
How to Make Your Own Drinks: Create Your Own Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Drinks from Fruit Cordials to After-Dinner Liqueurs by Susy Atkins
How to Make a World of Liqueurs by Heather Kibbey & Cheryl Long
I've been meaning to buy "How to make Coffee: The Science Behind the Bean" for awhile http://www.amazon.com/dp/1419715844 . Heard good things about it but don't remember where. Edit: also could be crap
Hey there. I'll give you a little summary of what I think most people on here will tell you in response to your questions.
Books: Blue Bottle ,Coffee Comprehensive and Uncommon Grounds are all good books to cover most of coffee and its processes.
This Capresso Infinity is considered a pretty decent burr grinder for the price. It will not do espresso but will be good enough for most other coffee brewing methods.
Getting a set up that is acceptable for "real" espresso is kind of expensive. A Gaggia classic is considered the bare minimum espresso machine for a "real" espresso. A Baratza Virtuoso is considered bare minimum for a decent espresso grinder. Now, you can (and many people do) find these items used, which obviously reduces the cost greatly. But depending on your area, finding these items up on craigslist or similar sites can be pretty rare.
I'm not from Rhode Island, but googling local roasters will provide some results. As for online ordering, tonx, blue bottle and stumptown are favorites around here for their price and quality. Beans are broken down on what region they came from, how they were processed and how dark they are roasted. Each region has different flavor profiles in their beans. African beans are known for being more fruity than other beans, for example. A little warning, most people on this subreddit believe Starbuck's espresso roast coffee to be too dark. However, many of Starbuck's light/Medium roast coffees have been reviewed as pretty decent. Most websites that sell the beans will list a flavor profile of the beans. The basic saying on this subreddit is that if you have crappy beans, no matter what, your coffee will be crappy. If you are going to overspend anywhere in the process, overspend on quality beans.
The espresso machines that you will be using at starbucks are machines that will basically produce espresso at the push of a button. They will grind, tamp and extract the espresso without any input from you. You should just know right off the bat that there is a whole other world to espresso making that is the exact opposite, with people grinding the beans to the right size, tamping by hand, and extracting shots with a lever that controls pressure. Neither way is right or wrong, you should just know that there are many different types of espresso machines and baristas.
I'll share a little bit of advise, take from it what you will. I was an ambitious college student coffee drinker just like you. I asked for a Breville espresso machine as my first real coffee making device (even before a grinder, how silly of me). I just wanted an espresso machine because that was all I was getting from these coffee shops. Since then I've gotten a nice grinder, a melitta pour over, french press, gooseneck kettle, aeropress, V60, moka pot, and chemex. I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't turned on my espresso machine in over a year. There is so much more to coffee than espresso. There are so many methods to brew coffee that are cheaper, more complex and more interesting. If I had a chance to do it all over again, I'd buy the burr grinder I linked, and an Aeropress or any french press (Starbucks sells some pretty nice ones. You could get one with an employee discount) and just learn to love coffee on its own, without frothed milk and flavorings.
There is a ton of info on this subreddit if you stick around for awhile. Questions like yours are posted all the time and answered by very knowledgable people. Your enthusiasm for coffee is extremely exciting to see. Please don't let any of my advise subtract from your enthusiasm. Everyone takes a different path while exploring coffee. That's part of the excitement. You will learn a lot at Starbucks and you will learn a lot if you stay here. Enjoy your stay.
James Hoffman's World Atlas of Coffee.
Also Google.
My understanding is that the story about the goat herder is, unsurprisingly, hard to prove.
I'd like to see more about how coffee has been served over time. For instance, when it was first popularized in Europe, the brew would be stored for months at a time before being served. I imagine it was not very similar to what we think of today.
Also, coffee was popular in England before tea was imported there. Blows my mind.
My "source"
Coffee appeared in Europe around the late 16th century and early 17th century. Of course, like many liquids, there were all kinds of opinions about its purported health benefits.
However, the main benefit was the fact that it lead to a decline in the consumption of alcohol. Alcohol had previously been the best way to consume uncontaminated water, so it was common for much of the population of Europe to be mildly intoxicated for much of the day. Coffee offered a better way to consume uncontaminated water without getting drunk, and the mild amount of caffeine was purported to encourage clear thinking.
Coffee was hailed as part of the age of rationalism. Coffee shops became centers of intellectual engagement as part of an increase in interest in philosophy and sciences more generally in Western Europe. While coffee was later surpassed by tea in popularity in the UK, it continued to be popular in continental Europe.
One of the better written sources on the subject is http://www.amazon.com/A-History-World-6-Glasses/dp/0802715524
The Story of Tea is, from my readings, one of the most thorough and well-researched books on the subject. While it places a heavy emphasis on history and cultivation, it delves deep into specific growing regions, the teas they produce, and the tea cultures of those regions. My only gripe is that they didn't mention samovars in their brief section on Russian tea culture, but a) it's forgivable, and b) now you know.
For similar breadth but (slightly) less thoroughness, Tea is an excellent choice. In fact, this is the book that I would recommend to anyone starting their tea journey. Of course, you can always read both. ;)
Happy reading!
I haven't read it myself (it's on hold at the library though), but I've heard this is basically the definitive guide to tea.
Blue Bottle's coffee table book about coffee is a nice introduction. It's a great prop to give to guests while you labor over serving them coffee. http://www.amazon.com/The-Blue-Bottle-Craft-Coffee/dp/1607741180
A great book is: "The Big Book of Kombucha".
https://www.amazon.com/Big-Book-Kombucha-Flavoring-Fermented/dp/161212433X
It's a great book and a great present.
I really like Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties. It's an overview focusing on the qualities of different kinds of tea and doesn't really focus too deeply on any one thing.
The World Atlas of Coffee by James Hoffmann
I recommend A History of the World in Six Glasses. It's generally interesting and entertaining, and also talks about the history of both beer and bread (which are quite similar).
This is argued to also be why coffee and tea became so popular. Check out A History of the World in 6 Glasses. It goes over the rise and effects of Beer, Wine, Liquor, coffee, tea, and soda.
I'm a bit late, but as a really really quick look at something similar to that is:
History of the World in 6 Glasses
Probably one of my favorites that is similar to what you asked for. I can direct you to more if you want, but that one is mainly the 6 drinks that changed the world
Ale/Beer, Wine, Spirits, Coffee, Tea, Cocacola
The history of food and drink really interests me. One of the coolest books I ever read from the library was A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage.
It traces the development of human civilization by what people drank. Starting off with beer and Egypt and Mesopotamia, then moving on to wine and Greco-Roman civilization. Jumping forward to British colonialism, it details the development of spirits and fortified wines, then moves on to tea and coffee, before springing forward again in time and talking about colas and soft drinks. Very, very interesting stuff.
I liked the book so much, I went out and bought my own copy, that sits proudly on a shelf of my bar, next to my scotches and bartenders guides.
Get an audio book of The History of the World in 6 Glasses and listen to it on your commute.
Or just read it.
I love this one
If you are interested in actual caffeine content in an infused cup, there's a LOT to it that results in wide variation. I recommend looking at the chapter on this in the book Tea: History, Terriors, Varieties which has a nice chart of test results with a wide variety of teas. A Google Scholar search will also give you studies on the subject, but many of them compare caffeine of dry leaf, or extracts of tea, rather than an infused cup of tea.
Craft Coffee: A Manual Brewing a Better Cup at home by Jessica Eastro is a must have in my opinion. Is very detailed about everything coffee from growing to brewing. Is also very easy to understand for people just getting into the coffee game as well as good information for people who have been into coffee for years.
www.amazon.com/dp/1572842334/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_uTCqDbQA8Y021
heres the book I was referring to, you would probably like it a lot!
A book that I found extremely helpful when starting out in the tea business was The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook. It'll cover all the bases regarding the different classes of teas, manufacture, terroir, how to store and age them, the history of tea, and a bunch of other useful information. Everyone at the tea shop I work at owns a copy, haha. It's like our tea bible.
How deep do you want to go? On one end you have text books on tea production:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0412338505/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1397106420&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40
On the other you have good survey style, coffee table books like:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1770853197/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1397106527&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40
This is another standard book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/9789578962?pc_redir=1396503919&robot_redir=1
"The Classic of Tea" is an ancient Chinese book often cited. I'm not sure what translations are available:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Classic_of_Tea
Wikipedia also has a good list of classic tea literature:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_classics
This question has come up before so make side to search the sub so you can get all our previous discussions.
In World War 2 Coca-Cola was so synonymous with the war movement that the company was exempt from war-time rationing. It was famously said that the goal of the Coca-Cola Corporation was to give any American soldier anywhere in the world fighting for their country the ability to buy a Coke for a nickel whatever the cost. Coca-Cola plants were built on military bases across the fronts. The reason Coca-Cola is the global company it is today, and one of the first global corporations, is because World War 2 brought it across the world.
Sorry to ruin the joke, I just think its an interesting bit of history.
Source:
http://www.amazon.com/A-History-World-6-Glasses/dp/0802715524
History of the world in Six Glasses https://www.amazon.ca/History-World-6-Glasses/dp/0802715524
Its from the perspective of the things people were drinking :)
"A History Of The World In 6 Glasses" does a good job of placing tea and coffee and their influence in their (Western focused) historical context.
Did you, by any chance, learn this from Tom Standage's A History of the World in 6 Glasses? It was a really entertaining read for my flight home.
[This book is pretty comprehensive](http://www.The.com/ Big Book of Kombucha: Brewing, Flavoring, and Enjoying the Health Benefits of Fermented Tea https://www.amazon.com/dp/161212433X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_sbI1AbSTPR4NM)
A little whimsical at times about the "miracle benefits" of the stuff, but tons of practical info on every aspect of brewing, taking it to the next level, troubleshooting, and so on
It comes from the amount of pressure produced by the old Italian spring pressure machines.
Source: This amazing book
The World Atlas of Coffee: From Beans to Brewing -- Coffees Explored, Explained and Enjoyed https://www.amazon.com/dp/1770854703/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Y.ILAbHXGCR0Q
This is a fantastic book on home roasting. It is well-written, interesting, and upped my own coffee-roasting ten-fold.
Not directly relevant, but I'm reading coffee life in Japan
right now, and it's fantastic! Sort of an anthropological study of the role of Cafe's in Japan, with examples from different coffee shops. As a bonus, at the end it's got a list of interesting shops from Kyoto, Tokyo and elsewhere, including both good, old-school cafes and third wave type places.
Highly recommend for any coffee person, but especially so if you're going to Japan!
A History of the World in 6 Glasses is a great read on how beer, wine, spirits, tea, coffee and Coca-Cola change the world...
Check out A History of the World in Six Glasses for a great overview of coffee & its influence on European society. I believe (though am not 100% sure) that this ad is referenced in the book.
Reminds me of this book.
Try some fresher styles.
For red you might enjoy Brachetto D'Aqui and I concur a white you might enjoy includes Moscato D'Asti.
If you want to try fortified wines, that are excellent for winter, seek out a Rutherglen liqueur Topaque or liqueur Muscat.
Find a local fine wine merchant and talk to them. They should be able to guide you to the transitional wines that you're seeking.
If you want to increase your knowledge of wine, two books I can recommend are Jancis Robinson's "24 Hour Wine Expert" and Tom Standage's excellent book "History of the World in 6 Glasses." both shed light on different aspects of this beguiling drink.
YES! It's pretty well documented in A History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage.
Also, the "How Beer Saved the World" documentary on Netflix mentions it. I assume you've seen?!
Awesome. It's a fantastic book and I highly recommend it. If you want to zoom out and casually take a look at a larger period of time and beverages, Tom Standage's A History of the World in Six Glasses is a really fun read.
My understanding is it partially started when the church of England split from the Catholic church. Coffee was strongly associated with the Catholic church at time, and to distance themselves, people in England began to stop drinking it, and instead started drinking tea. There is actually a theory that tea helped out the industrial revolution, because it has minor antibiotic properties. Right when people started really bunching up in cities, is when tea got popular. It also may have contributed to British naval superiority, due to it's vitamin C. This helped fight off scurvy, and major problem at the time.
I would check out this book http://www.amazon.com/A-History-World-6-Glasses/dp/0802715524 If you are interested in more information. It goes too far to the side of "this caused this" but as long as you keep in mind things are rarely as cut and dry as he implies, it has some great information.
You mean A History of the World in 6 Glasses https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802715524/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8D8WBb39Y5M4Y
A History of the World in 6 Glasses, by Tom Standage. Seriously, it is as interesting and informative as it is entertaining.
I don't have either, thought now I want both. If you're interested in something with significantly less depth and significantly less price, check out How to Make Coffee. It's brief but interesting.
I love this book.
"How to Make Coffee" by Lani Kingston
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419715844/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Very scientific approach to coffee. Explains the botany of coffee. Explains proper extraction and important factors therein. Also explains most of the methods of making coffee.
It's called The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide
After that guy deleted his post, it's like we're having a secret conversation about a secret mug and a secret book. I was almost tempted not to post the reply...
The Story of Tea is a great book. Tons of information and really beautiful.
I enjoyed The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook, which helped me to understand a bit more about the differences between all the different classes of tea.
Start with this. Do not skip it. Read it all.
In general Coffee's shelf life at room temp for optimal flavor is around 11-14 days. In the fridge the moisture is too high and will cause the oils to go rancid faster, but if you put the coffee into an airtight container in the fridge for storing it's fine - and only thaw beans when you're just about to brew them. It won't be as good as fresh coffee, but it may be up to 90-95% as good, so the improved shelf life may be worth it.
Source: The Professional Barista's Handbook by Scott Rao.
What's your machine like? If you've got a small boiler, maybe they just don't want you steaming and pulling shots at the same time, to hold up enough pressure for the espresso? Still, that would speak to a machine that really belongs in a kitchen, not on a shop counter.
I wouldn't go stepping on toes at a new job either, but maybe if you share some resources like coffeegeek and home-barista (.com) with your trainers, they might (hopefully) revise their training regimens. You could also check out Schomer's book or Rao's.
Good luck!
While your batch is probably safe to drink, you're likely not thrilled with the weird murkiness and funky flavors you'll end up with when the yeast is dominating. Maybe try using a tea with less caffeine, or doing a blend with white or green? Depriving the yeast of that fuel might allow the bacteria levels to thrive again and reclaim their power!
Have you read The Big Book of Kombucha ? It's basically the bible of buch brewing.
There's an entire chapter on troubleshooting that features a comprehensive section on rebalancing your brew--including what to do when the yeast takes over! It's really helpful and enlightening.
Automod: activate!
Some websites/articles I've also found useful are World of Tea, articles by Max Falkowitz (the same guy who wrote The Non-Judgmental Guide to Tea, linked in the sidebar), and a bunch of tea blogs (there are other r/tea threads about those). I've also heard Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties is a good book to read, if you want something in your hands!
I really enjoyed and learned a lot from the book Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties.
There are many bad books on tea. I recently have been going through my county library's collection and not finding much that I think improves on these two oldies:
Tea Lover's Treasury, by James Norwood Pratt. There are newer editions available.
Chinese Art of Tea, John Blofeld.
There are newer, glitzier books available but many are full of nonsense, and some of the more popular ones strike me as thinly-disguised marketing materials for the author's tea businesses.
These books, because Amazon is that one up-and-coming online bookseller, right? ;)
Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties
Tea Wisdom: Inspirational Quotes and Quips About the World's Most Celebrated Beverage
for general info about coffee:
https://www.amazon.com/World-Atlas-Coffee-Explored-Explained/dp/1770854703
For coffee brewing:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Everything-but-Espresso-Scott-Rao/1450708706/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483804715&sr=8-1&keywords=everything+but+espresso
http://scottrao.com/blog/some-observations-on-hand-pours/
If you were to just read one thing, I'd say check out the coffee compass. It enables you to tweak the brewing process to your liking instead of just following a recipe:
https://baristahustle.com/the-coffee-compass/
The World Atlas of Coffee by James Hoffman.
One of my favorites:
http://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Roasting-Revised-Updated-Edition/dp/0312312199
I got it to get an overview about roasting, but the book does a great job talking about coffee in general.
1: I would recommend buying a few pounds of the cheapest bean you can find. Bodhi Leaf has a Nicaragua for less than $4/pound. Don't worry about origin until you get the hang of it. How long it takes to get a handle on it will depend on what you're able to learn from each roast. I learned a ton from this book and I highly recommend it: https://www.amazon.com/Home-Coffee-Roasting-Revised-Updated/dp/0312312199
2: Smoke is going to happen; there's no way to avoid it and if you have smoke alarms near your kitchen, good luck. I take mine out when I do darker roasts that the Behmor's smoke suppression doesn't keep up with. As for chaff, a small desk fan isn't going to do it and even if it could, no bag is going to make it work. I take mine outside and shake the hell out of it.
My overall advice is don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. A hairdryer isn't going to move the beans at all.
The classic work is Home Coffee Roasting, Revised, Updated Edition: Romance and Revival
by Kenneth Davids.
The Devil's Cup is great! This guy tells the history of coffee (and world history) as he retraces its path from Africa to Arabia to the Ottoman Empire to Europe to the New World. Truly fascinating and written with incredible wit.
> The Devil's Cup
Link for those as lazy as me
for coffee, at least, I highly recommend the devil's cup by stewart lee allen.
This may be more niche than what you're looking for, but I enjoyed Coffee Life in Japan for the perspective on what coffee culture looks like in another area of the world. Seeing how the coffee shops in Japan have evolved over time was fascinating.
If anyone did, it was Tom Standage. http://www.amazon.com/History-World-Six-Glasses/dp/0802714471
Actually, I'm reading A History Of The World In Six Glasses . Is "Drink" any good? Should I add it to the queque?
You might enjoy this book: http://www.amazon.com/History-World-6-Glasses/dp/0802715524
Ok, this is from the book 6 Glasses that Changed the World. It's been a while since I read it, so take it with a grain of salt.
IIRC, it was more like they added wine to water in order to make it taste better (since, as you mention, they had shitty sources of water). In addition, the wine of the time wasn't as subtle, I guess. Their yeast wasn't as specialized, so it left more sugars, and it was sweeter and more cloying. So wine improved the taste of water and water improved the taste of wine. Finally, part of it was to avoid getting drunk. As Romans, they considered themselves the height of civilization and took pride in being cultured.
Of course they got drunk- they're human! They had parties, like everyone else. I'm sure you've heard of Bacchanals - literally a festival to the god of wine. At their parties, they had a guy who was in charge of maintaining the ratio of wine:water as the night went on, I'm guessing he made it stronger.
BTW, I'd recommend the book. It's a quick read and very entertaining,
Only loosely related: A History of the World in 6 Glasses
Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky. A surprisingly fun read and interesting read.
A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage. Another fun read. Touches on some great topics, like the "which came first: beer or bread" debate, but doesn't go into topics as deeply as I would have liked.
I haven't read these two yet, but it's on my list:
Spice: The History of a Temptation by Jack Turner
An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage
Si "aquâ vitae" loquendâ alcohol destillatum significatur, credo tantam potionem non factam esse priore Aevis Mediis tempore. Quidem liber quem legi, Historia Mundi in Poculis Sex (nexus Anglicus), de tantis dicit, nam tria "pocula" prima de quibus liber dicit sunt cervisia, vinum, alcohol destillatum (ceteris cafeâ, theâ, "colâ"). Num bene scriptum nolo loqui, sed quae didici bona aestimavi.
In "A History of the World in 6 Glasses", Tom Standage credits early inhabitants of the Fertile Crescent's survival with drinking beer which by having alcohol in it made it reasonably safe.
I haven't read At Home, so I'm not entirely sure what it's about, but based on the description on amazon it sounds like he uses everyday objects as starting points to discuss historical events. There are a number of similar books such as Salt and A History of the World in 6 Glasses. This genre is frequently referred to as "microhistory".
Hijacking top comment to recommend a book (kinda) about this. A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage, puchasable for $0.99, used, on Amazon.
It's well researched and iirc, it covers history (mostly western) from the Mesopotamian civilizations to the present day. The six drinks it does this through are Beer, Wine, Spirits, Coffee, Tea and Coke. I found it somewhat interesting that the first 3 drinks contained alcohol and the last three contained caffeine (not that this necessarily signifies anything), and I think he mentions that in passing somewhere in his book.
You may want to check out "A History of the World in Six Glasses," which looks at the history of some of the most ancient and popular drinks and the way they were used within different cultures:
http://www.amazon.com/A-History-World-6-Glasses/dp/0802715524
That was a pretty nifty watch. You might also like a book called A History of the World in Six Glasses.
A History of the World in 6 Glasses! I'm reading it for my AP World History2 summer assignment. It's really interesting!
Tom Standage argues that the Renaissance only happens because of coffee shops
Haven't heard anything about A People's History of the World, but I highly recommend A History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage
Tom Standage does a great job writing books which are thematically ordered, meaning he goes through history focusing on certain cultural phenomonam which influenced the time. His History of thr World in 6 Glasses" book is a great one. I'm currently reading his one on the first 2000 years of social media called Writing on the Wall.
Edit:
Links! - 6 Glasses
Social Media
A History of the World in 6 Glasses talks about coffee houses being the places for information sharing. Mostly for traders and thinkers and to accommodate people with international interests, they started carrying wide selections of periodicals. I like imagining them like a really proto-reddit. :)
Honestly, I think we call them thinkers mostly because maybe two dozen of them were great thinkers. I imagine it would be safe to assume a lot of dilettantes.
Thank you for providing a real response, rather than what you've over heard or speculation.
Most of what you said lines up with what I read from this book: A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage.
First chapter is solely about the history of beer.
>As has been stated several times in this thread, it's the reason why we became an agricultural society instead of just hunter/gatherers. It's the reason we have society.
The only difference, and I am not saying the book is correct, is that beer came about from humans settling down (traveling less). It wasn't the reason they started to travel less, but was the side effect of that. The assumption is that beer was an accident. Likely rain water getting into a clay storage area, and fermenting with the ingredients. The rest of you what you said though lines up.
It covers how it was used a form of payment, and that the workers on the pyramids were likely paid with beer. Good read if anyone is interested.
A good intro to that question is How to Make Coffee: The Science Behind the Bean. It's a really quick read, and gives a pretty broad overview.
From personal experience, I'd say both matter. Of course, some of that is going to be personal preference. My wife and I both love coffee, but she prefers a darker, more chocolatey profile, while I prefer a lighter, brighter taste.
I have a preferred roaster who I think is great, so when I get beans that seem sub-standard, I generally assume it was the crop, not the roasting. A lot of times, they just have less flavor to them - it's not that they're bad, they're just nothing special.
I recently visited a roaster in my area, though, who I can tell you straight up does not roast their beans properly. They have a very burned taste to them. It's not the worst coffee I've ever had, but it's certainly not good, either. They've destroyed the flavors.
Of course, as you mentioned, increased quality tends to also mean increased price. Finding a balance between those two can be a bit difficult. I'm also in a position where I can't afford my preferred roaster all the time. But then again, I really enjoy trying new and different coffees, so I suppose I'm about the "journey" as much as I am about the end result. (EDIT: Meaning, I'm always willing to try lower priced coffee, in the hopes I might strike gold, so to speak.)
As for fresher roasts, to be totally honest, I've never noticed that much of a difference in those I've had shipped to me, as long as they were roasted, shipped, and arrived within 2-3 days. But it's possible my tastes just aren't that refined, yet. I dunno. It takes me about a week to get through a bag, anyway, so obviously by the end it's not particularly fresh, either.
Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties is recommended pretty often here, haven't gotten ahold of it yet though. I'm currently reading The Story of Tea which is very comprehensive, but the writing could be better, the author's style can be a little jumpy, sometimes they pick up a thread a couple of pages later or they repetitively restate information from a few pages back.
According to my copy of Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties, Anxi TGY has 17mg and Mucha TGY 12mg of caffiene in a serving (brewed from 5g of leaves).
6oz filter coffee, according to Schott's Food and Drink Miscellany, has 105mg caffiene, and 12oz cola has ~50mg. (The same source claims that 6oz 'Tea' (unspecified type) contains 35mg caffiene...)
I have about 50 books on tea and this is by far the most complete and factual guide to tea: http://www.amazon.com/Tea-Terroirs-Varieties-Kevin-Gascoyne/dp/1554079373
How set are they in their device and method, and are they interested in reading/learning about brewing?
Rather than the beans or any particular device, I've been finding this book to be really valuable as a casual/at-home brewer. It's fairly method-neutral, does a good job of explaining how to tune your cup for strength/extraction using evidence, and has a nice mix of "prose" and "information-focused" sections. Plus, the printing quality and material texture of the physical edition is just really nice.
I've had The Story of Tea for several years and like it a lot.
Hmmm this one is one of the better general topic books. This one looks like it might be ok. Haven't read that one yet though. I tend to look at the more terroir specific books lately if I'm looking for info on tea.
Sure, https://www.reddit.com/r/tea/wiki/faq
The Story of Tea: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1580087450/
Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties https://www.amazon.com/dp/1770853197/
As for the relevance, your post states that Twinings is cheaper than Tazo, and I merely pointed out that a) that isn't necessarily true, and b) insistence upon the cheapest possible tea is arguably a bad thing.
The Story of Tea is a really great book that I've been enjoying.
Tea: History, Terroirs, Varietes: https://www.amazon.com/Tea-Terroirs-Varieties-Kevin-Gascoyne/dp/1770853197/
And the Story of Tea: https://www.amazon.com/Story-Tea-Cultural-History-Drinking/dp/1580087450
Going to a tea shop with a helpful and patient representative is the best answer - tea is not something to rush into so if you could locate a shop that sells tea nearby, that would be your best bet. Avoid Teavanna, they're dicks. Use Yelp, steepster.com, or teachat.com to find a local tea shop. Make sure you don't end up going into a shop that sells boba drinks - totally different thing.
If you're like me and there are no local shops nearby, then do a lot of research on tea. I bought this book and it helped me appreciate and brew tea. Otherwise you can read the Tea faq included here or any of the previous websites I mentioned. There is also an Alton Brown's Good Eats episode where he discusses tea. I don't agree with some of the things he says(the teapot strainer in the pot being one) but it still has useful information.
There is a correct way to brew tea(temperature, steep time, measuring) so it's a lot like cooking - you don't just crack an egg on the frying pan and expect it to be delicious, there are things you can do to improve the taste and quality of it.
Also, as a totally subjective viewpoint : Blended tea & anything that requires the addition of sugar(like the ones you have) sucks(and are for sissy girls). Most of them. They may taste good but being able to enjoy tea in its pure essence is a more enjoyable experience. Also, they last a lot longer since you can brew the same leaves 2-3 times.
The tea you bought probably NEEDS rock sugar to taste good - I don't think that should be true with good tea. Think of tea as a steak. You want to taste the steak itself and not any sauce that has been slathered over the meat. Blended tea is like a steak with sauce on it. Tea like this is a quality steak without any sauces.
I recommend purchasing non-blended tea in the green, oolong, or black section. http://www.adagio.com is a good start.
The way of Tea -which is more going into Taoist philosophy of tea but it does have some history.
Steeped in history, The art of tea -That book has the history of tea in every area plus great images.
The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook -Quick guide to tea from every region and how to steep. Plus some great pictures on the color of a hand full of teas.
Tea, A global History
The book of tea -A lot of people seem to like this book but I personally find it a bit preachy in the sense of West vs. East and those evil Westerners.
A Cup of Tea -I personally just like this book. It's not tea information but instead tea quotes and some recipes. Each page has a cute little tea cup with a quote.
These are just the ones I have read but there are many more out there. Check your library to see if they have any books on tea.
There's a book written by Harney & Sons that's not only an informative read about teas, but also touches on techniques to enhance your tea tasting experience. Might be of some help - at the least would be an enjoyable read most likey!
http://www.amazon.com/Harney-Sons-Guide-Tea/dp/1594201382
Books by Bruce Richardson and Jane Pettigrew are usually very informative. I have [this book] (http://www.amazon.com/New-Tea-Companion-Jane-Pettigrew/dp/0979343178/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343274244&sr=1-1&keywords=jane+pettigrew) in a previous edition, and it was excellent. Also, Harney and Son's [tea book] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Harney-Sons-Guide-Tea/dp/1594201382) was very educational as well.
Not really unfortunately. But if you're up for reading there are two books I'd recommend. The more readable of the two is God in a Cup. The more technical is The Professional Barista's Handbook.
They are both from 2008, and are somewhat dated as the coffee world has moved pretty quickly in the last decade or so. But they are still good books to understanding coffee. On a professional level (the Rao book) and on a global scale (the Weissman book).
Scott Rao has two or three introductory books such as: The Professional Barista’s Handbook and Everything But Espresso. I would also look around Barista Hustle. I’m currently taking their Advanced Coffee Making course in order to put together a wholesale training program, and it’s been super solid so far.
I can do books. https://www.amazon.com/World-Atlas-Coffee-Explored-Explained/dp/1770854703 https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1607741180/ref=pd_aw_fbt_14_img_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=5TBQC78QNAY5JDJ1SY1C
Yeah James Freeman the founder of blue bottle has a unique opinion of how to describe flavors that come from coffee. From my understanding James likes to tell a story about the state the coffee puts him in or how it feels to drink that coffee (Source). If you've never read it it I highly suggest reading The Blue bottle craft of Coffee by James Freeman. It is a great read and really shows his philosophy on coffee and how it should be prepared. Plus its great eye candy for your bookshelf.
The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee sounds right up your alley. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1607741180/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_o.03wb8PTNY93
The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee: Growing, Roasting, and Drinking and some Detour Holiday Blend
pic
Like most subreddits, take r/coffee with a shaker full of salt. There are coffee companies leading the charge in understanding coffee, creating and implementing sustainable strategies, and making the most delicious product possible. All of that is changing fast. So on r/coffee, I frequently see cutting edge information from 2005, or 2000 or 1990. And it's upvoted and encouraged with great enthusiasm.
If you are interested in learning about good coffee, I highly recommend this book. It's probably 100% accurate to what we know about making coffee so far, it's highly accessible to someone new to coffee, and it's beautiful. Linking back in to the thread, I feel absolutely no buyers remorse about buying this book, and totally leave it on my coffee table at all times to cheer me up.
Hi! new to this sub but I have a suggestion! Have you been vegan for long? I've been slowly making my way to eating less meat and more veggies. I also live in an area where "sushi quality" fish is hard to find and expensive (and yes, I know that "sushi quality" subjective term).
Anyway, it may sound weird but there's a way to prepare a SCOBY (like the mother from kombuhca) for sushi! In this book they give a recipe that involves thinly slicing the SCOBY and marinating it in things like sesame oil, soy sauce, etc. and putting it over rice in a nigiri fashion. The taste comes from the marinade and the texture is akin to squid. I'd write the recipe down but I can't remember it or find my copy of the book at the moment.
Definitely weird and "out there", may gross some people out. But I have tried it myself and served it at a sushi dinner party and it was a hit! The SCOBY doesn't necessarily have any nutritional benefits to eating it, but it doesn't really have anything to harm you either, outside of the risks that raw foods can have.
When you check it are you shaking it or moving it around? The scoby can sink if you do that. I recommend getting this book and actually using it. It will save you a lot of time and help you avoid a lot of mistakes.
https://www.amazon.com/Big-Book-Kombucha-Flavoring-Fermented/dp/161212433X/ref=nodl_
I purchased the Big Book of Kombucha, it has a ton of info. I actually rented it from my public library first.
The Big Book of Kombucha: Brewing, Flavoring, and Enjoying the Health Benefits of Fermented Tea https://www.amazon.com/dp/161212433X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_TY6PAb6MYSWXQ
"Tea Terroirs" has been an amazing source of information for me, on nearly every area involving tea (http://www.amazon.com/Tea-Terroirs-Varieties-Kevin-Gascoyne/dp/1770853197/), including some studies the fellow did on caffiene content and anti-oxidant content.
You might also consider online classes with the Tea Association of Canada: http://teasommelier.com/. You don't have to follow through all of them but just a few might give you a variety of sources of information to draw from.
Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties, I found it to be a great book. A little bit pricey but well worth it.
TLDR: Yes, I can tell a huge difference between Darjeeling and Assam, even between different grades of tea from the same garden- but I've been drinking quality tea for 12+ years now, and I especially like good Indian tea.
What are the specific teas in the sample box, what is the vendor, and how long have you been drinking loose-leaf tea?
Palate is like a muscle. I'd fail at telling a Burgundy from a Bordeaux (without some practice), because I don't have much wine experience. But science shows that, to use a term I really dislike, becoming a connoisseur of something (or say learning an instrument) even physically changes specific regions of one's brain.
I'd wager I could distinguish between any decent orthodox single-estate Assam and an equivalent grade Darjeeling, blindfolded, 999 times out of 1,000. I've had many thousands of cups, of hundreds of different examples of these over the years.
The two regions produce quite different product. Assam uses plants that are primarily C sinensis var assamica genetics, and Darjeeling mainly C sinensis var sinensis genetics, although this is an oversimplification. In any case, genetics, terroir (soil and climate), cultivation, and processing cause different regions to produce very different teas, esp to trained senses. The book Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties, by Kevin Gascoyne is a beautiful introduction to the topic.
I highly recommend James Hoffmann's The World Atlas Of Coffee. It covers in great detail all of the topics you mentioned plus just about anything else you would want to know about coffee.
Honestly, most of what I know about Ethiopia has been picked up from digging into Wikipedia after being confused by some of the sourcing information from roasters and various green coffee importer websites. The trading of goods provides a window into human history and the world we live in now.
Tracing lots of coffee back to their specific origin helps one learn more about each step of production in between the final product and the producer. It is humbling to me to realize the amount of labor and human effort that went into making my cup of coffee possible.
Resources:
This podcast episode was super interesting:
Green coffee importers with informative sites:
Roaster with an informative site:
Video about the history of coffee and its varietals by Peter Giuliano, President of the Specialty Coffee Association of America:
As far as books go, I am dying to read James Hoffmann's World Atlas of Coffee.
I didn't get any gear but I got this book.
Haven't gone through it all yet but so far it's awesome.
For All the Tea in China by Sarah Rose talks about how important tea was to the British Empire, how China were the only ones who knew how to make in prior to the 1800s; and they refused to open up despite Britain's gunboat diplomacy.
The book details the journey of Robert Fortune, a Scottish botanist sent into inland China to steal the secret to tea-making - the biggest industrial espionage of its time, which in turn led to tea being spread around the world.
I've found both A Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide and The Tea Enthusiat's Handbook: A Guide to the World's Best Teas to be quite good.
this guide is probably the best investment you could make. I still find myself referencing it.
http://www.amazon.com/Home-Coffee-Roasting-Revised-Updated/dp/0312312199/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372598138&sr=1-1&keywords=home+roasting+coffee
Home Coffee Roasting, Revised, Updated Edition: Romance and Revival https://www.amazon.com/dp/0312312199/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_QYjJDb0SZD2H3
Goes into the chemistry of roasting, history, and generally everything about coffee roasting. I’m using it myself and am learning a lot.
Happy reading!!
The Devil's Cup is a very good read about the history of coffee.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0345441494?pc_redir=1409143272&robot_redir=1
I own way, way too many coffee books. Most weren't worth buying. Of the ones I own I'd recommend:
Scott Rao's books (all of them) - http://www.scottrao.com
For history I prefer Anthony Wild's "Black Gold" over Uncommon Grounds (which is just more US centric, rather than giving an accurate global history of coffee). Wild's book is a little dated, especially when it comes to speciality and to C-market pricing (it has been a time of great turmoil since it was written!). However, no one has written a more accurate, myth-dispelling history.
Merry White's "Coffee Life in Japan" was thoroughly enjoyable, as she's more food anthropologist than coffee person, so it was very accessible and entertaining. She once scooped me up from a coffee shop in Cambridge, MA and drove me round a bunch of places before feeding me icecream and dropping me at my hotel. She's amazing.
Also - my business partner Anette Moldvaer has a book out here.
Finally, I also have a book coming out in about a month (6th Oct in the English speaking world, except North America which is 21st Oct) but I might do an AMA or something closer to the time if people are interested...
I read Coffee Life in Japan recently and it's pretty good. it tells a lot about the history of coffee spreading throughout Japan and how it became so popular.
There is also a book specifically about this subject:
https://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Life-Japan-Merry-White/dp/0520271157
So this book (Amazon-link) then.
The history of beer and most alcohol is quite amazing and mostly accidental. If anyone is interested there is a great book http://www.amazon.com/History-The-World-Six-Glasses/dp/0802714471 that is really fun to read. And that is coming from someone who doesnt read much
Relevant interesting book
TL;DR
An easy read with a unique approach is A History of the World in Six Glasses. http://www.amazon.com/History-The-World-Six-Glasses/dp/0802714471
A more established approached is A History of Civilizations. Naturally, the scope of the subject will cause these books to be general histories using a broad brush.
http://www.amazon.com/History-Civilizations-Fernand-Braudel/dp/0140124896/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346819170&sr=1-1&keywords=civilization+history
This might not be exactly what you're looking for, but I found this book to be crazy interesting.
A History of the World in 6 Glasses
Covers the history of wine, beer, spirits, tea, coffee, and soda.
http://www.amazon.com/A-History-World-6-Glasses/dp/0802715524
This is a great book that explores the questions you're asking and some other cool themes and ideas around the various drinks the world consumes.
Thanks for the informative write up, and as always with history, new discoveries, will change historical fact and discourse.
I was just talking about grape wine, from Tom Standage's book, published in 2006, so I take that for fact from then. Beverage history is not at all my specialty, but it was a fun book to read nonetheless.
A History of the World in Six Glasses is a nice, very approachable book for someone who's not very into history. It's not a deep book, but it has some interesting ideas and can serve as a jumping-off point for people.
Another very easy-to-get-into source is one that I cannot recommend highly enough: Larry Gonick's series of cartoon histories: The Cartoon History of the Universe, in three volumes, covers world history from the age of the dinosaurs to Columbus' journey, and his later two-volume series Cartoon History of the Modern World picks up where that leaves off, going all the way up to 9/11. They are surprisingly well-researched, with each volume having pages of references at the end. There are unfortunately few pages of this series online to read - here's one I found from the first volume, and here's another in low resolution from his later volumes.
They talk about this in A History of the World in 6 Glasses: https://smile.amazon.com/History-World-6-Glasses/dp/0802715524.
A pretty good book all in all, even if some of the connections seem tenuous.
I feel the best way to go about this is to gain a general sense of the outline of history, which isn't nearly so difficult as it may seem as first once you realize that the "history" that mainly gets talked about is only about 3000 years. Learn some sign posts for that span, and then from there you can fit anything new you learn into the general outline you've gained. A couple good books for gaining those signposts are:
A History of the World in 6 Glasses. A phenomenal starting book. Gives very, very broad strokes on the entirety of human development, from pre-history when we first made beer inside hollowed tree trunks (it predates pottery), all the way to the dawn of the global economy with the perpetual success of Coca-Cola.
Roots of the Western Tradition An incredibly short (265 pages!) overview of Ancient Mesopotamia up to the decline of the Roman Empire written in very accessible language. Phenomenal text.
The Story of Philosophy. A bit more dense than the other's, but a tour de force breakdown of the history of Western thought.
Obviously the above is very Western centric, I wish I could recommend similar books that cover Asian history, but sadly I can't think of any (though hopefully others will point some out in the comments). Still though, once you gain the signposts I talked about, learning Asian history will still be easier as you can slot things into the apporpriate time period. Like "Oh, the first Chinese Empire (Qin Dynasty) rose up in the same era as Rome was rising as a power and fighting it's wars against Carthage". Or, "Oh, the Mongols took power in Asia just about right after the Crusades."
As a little bonus, they may not be accurate but historical movies can still help pin down those first signposts of your history outline. Here's a little list.
I'm reading a book right now called A History of the World in 6 Glasses, which is history told through the most popular beverages of the time. It is awesome, and they talk about the development of beer. You should check it out!
http://www.amazon.com/History-World-6-Glasses/dp/0802715524/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301516319&sr=8-1
A lot of really mixed information here...
Coca-Cola got it's name from the Coca plant. Cocaine is made from this plant, but cocaine was never in the original recipe:
Hard liquor was never used as a substitute to unsafe water, and the beer or wine that may have been was no where near the alcohol content in today's versions.
Coca
boozy details
Edit: Additionally, unsafe water in the States likely didn't share a period of history with soda fountains. The water in the soda is safe to drink after all....
I actually came across this same idea in a book called [A History of the World in 6 Glasses] (https://www.amazon.com/History-World-6-Glasses/dp/0802715524). Good book. Had to read it for class but ended up enjoying it.
It mentions how beer/mead became a popular drink in early times because of this. It also goes on to explain why other popular drinks (coffee, spirits, Coca-cola, etc) spread so wildly.
Just thought I'd share!
http://www.amazon.com/A-History-World-6-Glasses/dp/0802715524
Very good book.
You are doing fine. Here are some thoughts...
Keep your current job! Do not quit until you have your next opportunity lined up. Your work experience isn't bad and the employed look more attractive in both the dating and hiring pools.
Love the hobbies. Particularly working out and reading - Keep your commitment to these everyday. (Consider adding a social/networking aspect by joining/starting a business book club and looking into league sports/meetups/fitness classes)
Job Transition Idea 1: Beer/Beverage Industry
Look for analyst or operations positions with goal of getting into account management (sales-ish but sales isn't so bad when you love the product).
Standout from the crowd: Start writing Beverage Industry/Co research on LinkedIn (similar to the project you enjoyed)
Apply to this today: https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=bf45becfe9f077f3&
Job Transition Idea 2: Personal Trainer
You like working out so get certified and help others with their workouts.
Will be tough at first as you build a book of clients so you might need a good part time job - Starbucks would put you in coffee with okay part time pay and benefits.
Check this out for an idea of PT opportunities: https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=part+time+personal+trainer&l=los+angeles%2C+ca
Job Transition Idea 3: Officer in The Chair Force
Commitment and big change.
Physical fitness matters. Readers are leaders. They allow coffee in the morning and beers after work. Other branches if AF isn't for you.
https://www.airforce.com/careers/browse-careers/
..
Bonus! Book recommendation: https://www.amazon.com/History-World-6-Glasses/dp/0802715524
Choose one of these or another path and fucking go for it. All in. All about it. All the time. But keep fit and well read.
Good luck!
You're welcome. One thing on math -- don't let your self think that you'll never use it again after passing tests, because it's not really true. Algebra teaches you how to problem solve and physics teaches you how things move in space. Just the other day I was sitting in traffic when a guy drove by me rather fast while hauling a trailer loaded down with bricks. I slowed down to avoid the inevitable accident when he had to hit the brakes and that mass of bricks kept the car moving forward like it was on rails, then bam! So study it all, I promise you it will come in handy throughout your life.
Not sure how much history is on the GED, but here's a couple of easy, breezy books to help you get through it:
The History of the World in 6 Glasses talks about how beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea and Coca Cola helped to shape our world. https://www.amazon.com/History-World-6-Glasses/dp/0802715524/ref=sr_1_1?crid=RLRKWTQUZJPH&keywords=history+of+the+world+in+six+glasses&qid=1570998109&sprefix=history+of+the+w%2Caps%2C513&sr=8-1
Don't Know Much About History: Everything You need to Know about American History, But Never Learned.
https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Know-About-History-Anniversary/dp/0061960543/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ZSIWW28WSLG8&keywords=don%27t+know+much+about+history+by+kenneth+g.+davis&qid=1570998056&sprefix=don%27t+know+m%2Caps%2C165&sr=8-1
Good luck op. I think you have more on the ball than you think you do. PM me if you need any study guidance.
This one?
That's a terrible article. Snopes has a much better explanation, which agrees with the section on toasting in A History of the World in 6 Glasses.
The book also mentions that alcoholic drinks used to be considered magical, so toasting to someone's health wasn't just a nice gesture, but a potent magic spell.
Distilled spirits were not widely known in Europe during the Middle Ages. And, from what I can tell, they were not considered a high class beverage even once they did become widespread. See, for instance, the Gin Craze in 18th century Britain. It's actually difficult to find the early history of some distilled spirits because they were popularized among the sort of people who wouldn't have been writing a lot of things down.
So that leaves beer and wine.
To an extent, the cultural prestige of beer vs. wine is geographic. Some parts of Europe are conducive to growing wine grapes and aging wine. Some are not.
So in places like Britain, where wine is not made locally, wine becomes a high-class beverage because it has to be imported from elsewhere. It's a valuable commodity, not your basic everyday beverage for the average joe. The everyday drink would have been beer, in wine-less places. And thus you get lots of paintings of nobles drinking wine and peasants drinking beer.
In the literature, too, beer is seen as a more local thing in non-winemaking places, whereas wine is an imported luxury. The average wife would have brewed her own beer, for example.
You can sort of think of it like the difference between tap water and Perrier, in the modern US.
But of course if we're talking about, for example, Italy, wine is made all over the country, and the everyday drink of choice is going to also be wine. (But probably rough plonk, not the fine wines reserved for the nobility and export to the ultra-rich in colder countries.) Southern Europe never really developed a strong beer culture, because there was plenty of wine to go around.
I unfortunately have no idea whether beer was imported to Southern Europe or whether it ever had the kind of cultural prestige that wine has had in Northern Europe, though my experience drinking beer in Italy in the present day implies that beer has never been a sought after luxury there. Peroni, ick.
The cocktail is a 19th century invention, by the way.
You might want to read A History Of The World In Six Glasses, if you like this sort of thing. It doesn't really answer your question about class and prestige, though, but it does touch on what drinks were invented when and what people would have been drinking at different points in time.
Have you ever heard of this book called A History of the World in Six Glasses?
http://www.amazon.com/History-World-6-Glasses/dp/0802715524
If not, then never mind I suppose. If so, would you mind giving me a quick rundown of your impression? Mostly dealing with accuracy and overall legitimacy, if you don't mind.
A History of the World in 6 Glasses
I've just started reading The History of the World in 6 Glasses. Chapter 1 is beer, so I suppose you're right.
Try A History of the World in Six Glasses, it goes through a basic overview of world history through 6 classic drinks. Sorry for the format of the link, I posted this from my phone.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0802715524?pc_redir=1407046477&robot_redir=1
This book is beautiful: https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Coffee-Manual-Brewing-Better/dp/1572842334 Pretty sure it will explain everything you need to know about grind size, water to coffee ratio and brew methods.
According to my sources (this book and this book - great reads BTW, i suggest OP check them out) it's made like green tea but there's an additional process after firing the leaves, called Smothering, men huang, or "sealing yellow" that involves multiple iterations of lightly heating/steaming the leaves -> wrapping them in paper/cloth -> letting them rest to "reabsorb their aromatics and breathe at the same time".
The descriptions in the two books differ, but only slightly:
Pettigrew specifies that the process is a "non-enzymatic fermentation" and the leaves are wrapped in something called "cow skin paper" (Heiss just notes it's "a cloth").
Heiss brings up the names smothering/men huang/sealing yellow, and notes that the heating method for this step is steaming (as opposed to Pettigrew's "gently firing")
The other tea book I have (Harney&Son's guide to tea) just confesses his ignorance on the process and makes a wild guess on how yellow tea is made. But since it's just speculation it's safe to ignore it.
fortissimo
This would be lovely, as would be a surprise of anything from my under $10 wish list :)
Thank you for the contest!
I like this tea book. It looks super neat!
I last licked a lime popsicle, and it was delicious! <3
If I could, I would love a gift card. But if you would rather gift a physical item, this would be fantastic!
There's also the Harney & Sons Guide to Tea.
The Professional Barista's Handbook: An Expert Guide to Preparing Espresso, Coffee, and Tea
Check out this book:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Professional-Baristas-Handbook-Preparing/dp/1605300985/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&amp;coliid=IVHVR7NS95DYL&amp;colid=CEF3GXQPLK7T
Twas recommended to me as a godbook of sorts for baristas. Donno from personal experience though.
There are ton of factors that need to be considered, but what's happening at your shop is unfortunate. It really sounds like it's one of those situations you should probably remove yourself from because it will take a lot of time and effort on your part to change the system and you'll likely see no reward for it.
Claiming you can pull a delicious shot in 5 seconds is like saying you can cook a full turkey in 30 minutes. Please don't get caught up in "It should be within 25-30 seconds" or whatever you may hear. Just your dose alone will change that a ton. So will roast profiles, ratios (ristretto is a ratio, not a time btw), grind size, roast date, etc.
You asked for resources though and I think to get a relatively unbiased opinion you should get the Scott Rao books The Professional Barista's Handbook and Everything but Espresso. Scott Rao isn't a cafe owner like Schomer or the Blue Bottle crew so the theory and methods aren't based on his own company's coffee. A lot of resources out there that say how a shot should be pulled are more specific to their coffee and the machines they use. I recommend these two books to everyone who wants to really learn coffee theory objectively aside from any one company's methods. Plus, this information will help you when moving from one shop to another since the theory stays the same.
Hope that helps!
https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Baristas-Handbook-Preparing-Espresso/dp/1605300985
Get this book, you will learn a lot and then you will be the one who “knows what their doing”
http://www.amazon.com/The-Professional-Baristas-Handbook-Preparing/dp/1605300985
This is a very technical book that has a lot of science and depth behind coffee. The Professional Barista's Handbook: An Expert Guide to Preparing Espresso, Coffee, and Tea
Also - Blue Bottle wrote a pretty freaking cool book. Lots of good photos and very specific brew methods included.
bracing for the Blue Bottle haters
The Blue Bottle book is good. Not espresso-specific (and half of it is recipes for food), but there's some good info in there. Looks nice on a coffee table too.
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https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Bottle-Craft-Coffee-Roasting/dp/1607741180
1- Light roast has the most flavour but most acidity as well,
medium roast has a balance and dark roast has lowest acidity but almost same flavour for any origin coffee you try
2- i cant comment exactly on this but what i have seem is anyone who uses whirley pot use it directly on stovetop.. you can add cast iron if you like.. its logically that it can even out the heat..
3- for online knowlegde, reddit is good but ill suggest join roasting forums, they can help you out and can anwser your queries alot better.. as for books you can buy/download pdf files like World Atlas of coffee and bluebottle ebook
4- im not from LA so cant help.. sorry.. but you can go to any local roaster and talk to them and as your questions they are helpfull.. maybe search on yelp for nearby roasts..
If you can get your hands on a beer brewing kit (Chapters has small ones) you can brew your own. The Big Book of Kombucha has a guide on how to do it. If you've brewed kombucha before, I would still recommend this book as it an excellent resource.
My sister bought me this book for Christmas. I've been taking it in slowly, as there is a ton of information in it, but anyways it is very good.
You might want to just step it up and get the world atlas of coffee, it's the most informative book on coffee I've bought. https://www.amazon.com/World-Atlas-Coffee-Explored-Explained/dp/1770854703
I've read this one and it's really good. Read the whole description to see if its what you are looking for. The author is a barista champ and one of the "thinkers" in the coffee industry and writes really well.
http://www.amazon.com/World-Atlas-Coffee-Explored-Explained/dp/1770854703
Invest it in coffee knowledge! Your Aeropress (or any coffee!) will taste better and be more fun after reading James Hoffman's Coffee Atlas.
I did a quick scroll through and didn't see it, but someone might have already said it. I highly recommend reading up in the form of The World Atlas of Coffee mostly because it is a very comprehensive look at specialty coffee from bean to cup and instills the humbling reality of what goes into every single cup and how many lives depend on the coffee industry. It goes on to explain brew methods, both espresso beverages and some pour overs/ immersion methods, and it's all around a very fascinating read. As far as knowing your stuff, finish that book and you're ahead of many many enthusiasts.
As for why you want to grind your own beans/ benefits of brews/ gear.... remember it all boils down (ha pun) to one thing- the flavor of your coffee. If you like what you have, that's great. If you taste a cup you like better, try to make it that way. If you grab a brewer of some kind, use things like the Coffee Compass and the Coffee Taster's Flavor Wheel to dial your brew to your liking. Everyone else in this thread has probably covered the basics, but I'll run through a couple as well:
Now, it is worth noting that with a metal filter in a chemex, you can emulate the mouthfeel and content of a french press brew, and with a finer filter in the press, perhaps you get a cleaner cup. Remember, these are just basic fly-bys for you getting started, and no brew method is set in stone.
Now, last topic is obsessing over water/ coffee ratios, brew times, grind size and consistency, and equipment in general. So unless you are roasting your own beans, your only job as a brewer is to take away as little from the quality of the bean as you can. You are never going to make a roasted coffee bean better than it is by brewing it a certain way. In this way, your entire job is minimizing the negative effects you can have. First is the grind. Once a bean is ground, it begins to lose quality with time as it oxidizes. Hence why we (in this sub) have our own grinders. The closer to the brew time you grind, the better it will be. Second comes grind consistency. Flavors in coffee come from water-soluble molecules that leave the bean and dissolve into the hot water during the brew. In order to get these extracted properly, you need to control all variables as much as you can. The first is the aforementioned grind consistency. If you grind your coffee and some grounds are tiny, some large, you wont get the same flavors from each ground at any given time, and you will over extract the small ground and under extract the large one. Basically, you want all of the coffee grounds to be perfect spheres and the exact same size. Since that is impossible, you spend money on grinders that can get as close to it as we know how. Next is temperature. This is simple to start and gets more complex as you experiment. You want hot water to penetrate and dissolve the coffee, but too hot and you'll have burnt flavors. Starting out, shoot for around 200-205 degrees F. You can look through research and recipes and play around with it later. Since you are just starting and they are cheaper, get a gooseneck kettle for the stove, boil it, let it sit for about 30 seconds to a minute off boil before brewing. Fourth is brew time. This is another critical step that doesn't depend on your equipment- this is all you. Brew time is important because those molecules I was talking about dissolve at different rates. Look at a standard pour over with a common grind size- in the first say 30 seconds of the brew, the lighter flavors (see coffee taster's flavor wheel above) like the floral notes and citruses will be fully extracted. Then the mids of caramel and some chocolaty notes in the next minute or so, then at the end comes the heavy flavors or smoke or tobacco. Why? Well it's because the molecules are different size and therefore take different amounts of time to dissolve. If you brew for too long, the really big molecules come out to play, and you'll be sipping on a delightful cup with a strong scent and notes of rubber and charcoal. No bueno. So brew time is another facet to dial in.
All in all, there are a lot of nitpicky points to focus on, but to take it back to the beginning, it's all about the flavor. These are some basics that other people have pointed out to me and that I have discovered, but all the knowledge in the world won't make the perfect cup of coffee because it doesn't exist, or rather it is different for every palette. Some lucky bastard out there may have taste such that McDonald's coffee really is the best there is. For the rest of us, we spend a stupid amount of time and money chasing something better. Welcome.
Sorry that got a little out of hand. I was going to keep it simple, but coffee isn't really simple for those that are in too deep.
By that I mean the non-pulsing method e.g. 12g coffee in, 24g off boil (~205F) water, 30s bloom, then add the rest of the water slowly in one pour, stir the top and let in drain. It is the method in James Hoffman's book but I will admit I haven't actually tried it...
If you struggle to fit all the water in over the course of a single pour you could always use an 02 size v60, and tighten the grind up a tiny bit to allow for the increased flow rate.
If you want to use v60 at work try a method you could replicate at work and compare it with your normal go-to method, you may find that the results are perfectly acceptable. For example, blooming is usually encouraged but you could probably get away with a more basic method (eg: add all coffee, add all water, stir at the top, drain), just might need to play around with grind size to get a ~3min drawdown
History of the World in Six Glasses https://www.amazon.com/History-World-6-Glasses-ebook/dp/B002STNBRK/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=history+of+the+world+in+six+glasses&qid=1554425816&s=gateway&sr=8-1
\^\^\^ A few of us use this for summer assignment/reading. I've used this in both AP and on-level classes to supplement textbook reading.
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Chris Peek wrote two amazing "Mastering AP World History" guides as well. Here's the teacher one (he has a student centered version too). https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1722350997/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook
The New Tea Companion
Liquid Jade
Read about TEA
You should read James Freeman's book. I don't have an espresso set up because I can't afford one and I'm not going to try and make good espresso on a bad machine. It's not possible.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Blue-Bottle-Craft-Coffee/dp/1607741180/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1376943354&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=blue+bottle+coffee