Thread: "I need a coffee"? Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by NJA (# 13022) on :
 
Are you addicted and does it matter?
Regardless of recession, expensive coffee shops continue to appear and do well.

Would having to go without make you unhappy?
If you are a self-confessed addict, what would happen if you went without for a day?

According to the Daily Mail , a mug of tea is 75mg, 500-600mp/day can lead to the same effects as withdrawal.

Insomnia
Nervousness
Restlessness
Irritability
Stomach upset
Fast heartbeat
Muscle tremors

Wiki lists various positive effects so maybe non-drinkers should be encouraged more?

Personally I find the smell makes me want to drink some, even telling myself "I need a coffee", but I find that if I just walk away so does the perceived need. But I enjoy both coffee & tea, except in really hot weather, so in moderation it's a blessing from God, not a curse.
It stimultates / refreshes and seems to make people feel good and promote interaction and business, as it has always done:

...in the major cities of England, Austria, France, Germany and Holland, coffee houses were quickly becoming centers of social activity and communication. In England 'penny universities' sprang up, so called because for the price of a penny one could purchase a cup of coffee and engage in stimulating conversation. By the mid-17th century, there were over 300 coffee houses in London, many of which attracted patrons with common interests, such as merchants, shippers, brokers and artists. Many businesses grew out of these specialized coffee houses. Lloyd's of London, for example, came into existence at the Edward Lloyd's Coffee House.

(source)
 

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Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 
I don't need a coffee.

I need another coffee.
 

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Posted by Morlader (# 16040) on :
 
I came down this morning to the aroma of ground coffee from the filter machine. Very tempting, but I can't drink it now, gives me heart palpitations. Nearest I can manage is decaff from a jar .. Not the same thing at all.
 

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Posted by Fineline (# 12143) on :
 
I love coffee. I don't need it - I'm better without it, as the caffeine affects me badly, so I have no more than five cups of coffee per week. I love going to coffee shops though - I can see how they are doing well in the recession, because they are somewhere where you can sit on comfy sofas for hours and use free WiFi, just for the price of a cup of coffee (albeit overpriced!). You have the sense of going out and treating yourself, rather than staying home. Way cheaper than the cinema, or going out for a meal.
 

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
I drink redbush tea - no caffeine, and I love it.

BUT I have one lovely frothy coffee every day at 10:30 (now!) with a read of the Ship.

I would miss that one!


 

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Posted by daisymay (# 1480) on :
 
I always put coffee with milk and sweetness too. I got told at the hospital to drink at least one a day to help me! Wow! I have one always at lunchtime.
 

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Posted by Zacchaeus (# 14454) on :
 
I love my morning coffee, it has to be 'proper' coffee, in buckets. And yes I am addicted, if I don't get it I have a withdrawal migraine.

Coffee................
 

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Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
As NJA mentions "Many businesses grew out of these specialized coffee houses. Lloyd's of London, for example, came into existence at the Edward Lloyd's Coffee House."

I don't think it is a coincidence that coffee drinking became popular at a time of growth in business and trade. Lloyd's and other trading centres can appear staffed by people on a caffeine high and I suspect this was more so before computer-guided trading.

Now, where's my mug .....
 

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Posted by Alan Cresswell (# 31) on :
 

quote:

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Now, where's my mug ..... [/QB]

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quote:

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Originally posted by PeteC:
Otherwise I drink tea. Black, green, white pekoe, darjeeling, ginger pekoe, chai, tisanes, anyone?

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I like coffee, but I love tea. Even herbals, sorry Professor Elemental..
 

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Posted by Porridge (# 15405) on :
 
Tea addict here, though I do drink coffee on mornings when some client crisis has deprived me of sleep the night before. Home brew, drunk black, to get me through the usual 6 a.m. chaos of re-scheduling everything because a staffer's out sick.

Otherwise, I drink strong tea, with lemon and sugar. I drink it all morning, have another tall mug at 4 p.m., and one after supper (sometimes before bed, too), but the latter ones are with milk.

I don't think it's withdrawal, but I get sad & cranky without my tea. The 4 p.m. one especially is my comfort fix.
 

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Posted by Zach82 (# 3208) on :
 
I'm not addicted to caffeine. It's just physically painfully to go without coffee in the morning.
 

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Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
Yes, I am a caffeine addict. I've had to give up coffee because of caffeine sensitivity but I love going out for a decaff* coffee and cake at the weekends (decaff mocha and I'm happy).

I'm also semi-addicted to dark chocolate. I can kick the habit for a few days or even a couple of weeks, but not permanently.

* It never is 100% decaff but it's at a level I can handle.

[ 26. October 2013, 13:42: Message edited by: Ariel ]
 

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Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :
 
I usually arrive at work 15 to 20 minutes before the shift starts, the reason is that gives me time for a cappuccino. It is only after that that I can function well enough to do the job.
 

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Posted by Eigon (# 4917) on :
 
It took me some time to realise that the terrible headaches I used to get while I was away at re-enacting shows were caused by drinking water all weekend rather than coffee. I tried to give it up, and did for a while, but now I just make sure that I go off and have a non-Medieval coffee once a day over the weekend.
 

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Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Coffee with chicory, mmmmmmmmmmmmm. I'm not addicted, but a cup in the morning helps me face the pain of reading certain authors.
 

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Posted by Signaller (# 17495) on :
 
Don't like the taste, don't like the pretentiousness that goes with it, and positively hate the idea of becoming addicted.

Smells nice though.
 

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Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
My working day always seemed to go amiss if I didn't have a cup of coffee when I got to the office.
A friend of ours in college used to drink filter coffee. He'd start off with one scoop in the filter, and gradually work up to about 6 scoops to make one mug of coffee. He'd then go cold turkey before starting the cycle again.
 

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Posted by Margaret (# 283) on :
 
I realised I was addicted when I joined my husband on a trip he'd organised for students on his new religious movements course. I'd had my usual three or four mugs of coffee by the time we set out after lunch to drive to Bhaktivedanta Manor, just north of London, to stay overnight with the Hare Krishnas. They generously provided us with breakfast in the morning, and that was fine, except I rather missed my coffee (they don't drink tea or coffee). Ah well. Then we set off round the M25 for the London Mormon Temple. I was starting to feel slightly headachy, and some of the students complained of headaches too.

We got to the Temple Visitors' Centre, to be welcomed warmly, - with Barleycup and herb tea, suitably caffeine-free Mormon drinks. By this time I was feeling really ill, sat there through the videos about the joys of Mormonism they showed us with my eyes closed, and finally had to head for the ladies' loo where I threw up (it was right next to the auditorium so everyone could hear me ). I huddled in the back of the minibus for the last stage of the journey, to visit the Scientology HQ at East Grinstead.

Whatever you think of Scientologists, there is at least one thing they're very good at, and that's brewing strong coffee. A kind Scientologist took me to somewhere I could lie down and made me coffee - several cups, in fact, until I felt human again. The rest of the party got coffee, too, before we set off home, so we all recovered. But my husband never tried taking students on a similar trip again...
 

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Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
Mrs Sioni tried to ditch coffee and caffeine years ago when she was diagnosed with arthritis. We checked the do's and don'ts and caffeine was firmly in the latter so she dropped coffee, cola and all similar drinks. It was OK for about 12 hours, then the nausea, headaches and tetchiness set it and it was hell for another two days until she decided that everyone had suffered enough. I suppose that makes it a dependency rather than an addiction.
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Tea is my main beverage in the mornings, but I have become very fond of having an iced coffee afterwards.

I went to D Donuts for a while, but that was expensive. Then I found that Mickey D's iced coffee was pretty good, and only a dollar!

My joy was complete when I found iced coffee in cartons at my local grocery! It's not the best, but I doctor it a little with sweet cream, and really enjoy my little treat which is also less expensive!

Should I buy one of those Keurig things, or not?
 

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Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
I've been drinking daily coffee since I was probably 14 or so. my mother is a coffee snob. Her family were all coffee snobs. I became a coffee snob. My daughter is a coffee snob and now works at a professional roastery as their head barista. We're basically a pretty hardcore lot.

And yet - at times when I'm broke and out of coffee, I get bitchy about it but I've never gotten the headache or nausea other people do. which surprises the hell out of me because I'm a very habitual drinker and I certainly do crave the stuff, I've just never had withdrawl. and I'd rather go without than buy cheap robusta.

I tend to always purchase from small local roasteries; none of the big national brands really cut it by the time I can get them, I assume it's a freshness issue. If I have to choose a national brand it would probably be Peet's from San Francisco. But generally, I'll find the local roastery and hunt down their best through trial and error. The best coffee in my somewhat limited experience is Alaskan (with the exception of Lava Java in Maui. Hawaiians seem to "get it", too. The peabody beans in HI are outstanding.) While I've not been all over the world by any modern standards, I can say that I've not found coffee that matches AK coffee in Seattle or Paris, at least.

At home: piping hot from a press, black. if I'm reheating a cold cup I'll add heavy cream or coconut oil. out and about: if the beans are good, espresso or americano (with about half the water they usually add) sometimes with a glop of heavy cream or a latte if I need the calories. no sugar or syrups. ruins everything!
 

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Posted by Stercus Tauri (# 16668) on :
 
When I was getting cancer treatment I didn't touch coffee for a month and didn't miss it. Then one day I felt like it again, and was soon back to six or more mugs a day when I'm working at home. If I'm away from home the lack of coffee doesn't bother me, mostly because I prefer my own brew and never drink it in the car. If I can't get to sleep at night, or wake up in the night, I'll often read for half an hour, drink a mug of coffee, and then go back to sleep soundly. No - I'm not addicted...
 

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Posted by Starbug (# 15917) on :
 
I have a mocha when I arrive at work, but apart from that, I don't really like coffee. For the rest of the day, I drink tea. The smell of coffee makes me feel sick - the last time I went to New York, I thought I was pregnant, but it was just the smell of coffee that seemed to be everywhere first thing in the morning.

Earlier this year, I went to an Amy Grant concert in London and was caught in roadworks on the way back. By the time I got on the motorway, it was the wee small hours of the morning and I was worried about falling asleep at the wheel, so I stopped at the services and bought a triple shot cappucino. It kept me wide awake all the way home - and for the rest of the night, when I was desperately trying to sleep! I finally felt the caffeine leave my body at 10:30 the next morning. That was a fun day at work!
 

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Posted by georgiaboy (# 11294) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by jedijudy:


ive!

Should I buy one of those Keurig things, or not?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Jade Constable:
Is a French press the same as a cafetiere?

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So I hear.
 

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Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
During the day I don't mind good instant, although at home I'll use a cafetiere.

But first thing in the morning its the old-fashioned two part percolator on the hob with Greek coffee - I suppose the first cup is the equivalent of a quadruple espresso?

The plus side of the cafetiere and percolator is that the grounds go onto azaleas which love them.
 

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Posted by OddJob (# 17591) on :
 
Coffee has taken the place of tobacco in Britain.

Five or ten years ago smoking was seen as normal and practised by a broad cross-section of society, whereas drinking coffee in the street looked silly, verging on bad manners. Now the opposite is true.

As a non coffee/tea drinker (I genuinely can't see the point of it) I feel increasingly left out of social interaction when it seems to revolve around coffee. It seems that church and secular business meetings increasingly revolve around a coffee fix for the majority. Actually I don't mind if people choose to drink coffee, but I do object to the declining availability at meetings of other drink options such as good drinking water or orange juice/squash, compared to a few years ago.

On a positive note, at least the 1960s/70s pursuit of time-wasting coffee mornings shows no sign of being resurrected.
 

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Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
Another percolator user here.
 

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Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
Ah I'm sorry. I just found out that what I'm using isn't called a percolator but a moka pot.
 

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Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Until I moved to Canada I really only drank coffee after meals in restaurants (and not always then). However, since I moved here, I've discovered Timmy's™ and as there's a branch at w*rk, I usually buy myself a cup when I get in.

I don't think I can be properly addicted though: I've just realised that I haven't had any coffee at all today and I don't feel any ill-effects. When we go back to the UK on holiday I might not have any for nearly three weeks, and although we might make a bee-line for Timmy's as soon as we're through Canadian customs, it's more out of habit than actual necessity.

At home we both drink Earl Grey tea; we've got a couple of cafetières but only use them when we have visitors.

eta: Apparently during the war, Norwegians would say, "when the war is over a ship will come bearing coffee, and then a ship will come bearing the King, and then another ship will come bearing coffee." Mind you, Norwegian coffee is very good.

[ 27. October 2013, 00:13: Message edited by: piglet ]
 

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Posted by Zach82 (# 3208) on :
 
Scandinavians also drink a staggering amount of it.
 

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Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on :
 
Coffee is one of the proofs of the existence of a benign deity.
 

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Posted by Porridge (# 15405) on :
 
I brew my coffee, when I drink it -- not that often -- either in a ceramic drip cone with filter or my all-stainless-steel cafetiere / French press. Wouldn't have a Keurig as a gift. I have a phobia about plastics in combo with hot water. I swear I can taste something toxic afterward.

And with tea, I brew it from loose leaves in a scalded china pot. No bags.

One thing I miss, though. Years ago, I had a little "tea egg," which finally cracked and broke. A friend gave me a replacement, but the inside top's too small, and once the tea's brewed you can't pry the sodden leaves out short of 20 minutes' hard work.

Do UK shipmates know where I can get a proper tea egg with a proper opening? I only ask because I hear you Brits drink lots of tea . . .

[ 27. October 2013, 00:39: Message edited by: Porridge ]
 

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Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :
 
Who needs "proper" when there are so many fun options.
 

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Posted by NJA (# 13022) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by OddJob:
Coffee has taken the place of tobacco in Britain.

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quote:

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Originally posted by OddJob:
On a positive note, at least the 1960s/70s pursuit of time-wasting coffee mornings shows no sign of being resurrected.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Porridge:

Do UK shipmates know where I can get a proper tea egg with a proper opening? I only ask because I hear you Brits drink lots of tea . . .

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quote:

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Originally posted by OddJob:
On a positive note, at least the 1960s/70s pursuit of time-wasting coffee mornings shows no sign of being resurrected.

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You're making a certain (and incorrect) assumption there. Something only has the potential for resurrection if ...
 

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Posted by The Midge (# 2398) on :
 
My wife goes on a annual Coffee Cruise. The decent coffee is so much cheaper over the Channel. There is a bigger price difference than a bottle of vino.

Now I need to go and put the coffee maker on.
 

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Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Firenze:

quote:

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Originally posted by Porridge:

Do UK shipmates know where I can get a proper tea egg with a proper opening? I only ask because I hear you Brits drink lots of tea . . .

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Is it this sort of thing ?

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quote:

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Originally posted by OddJob:
On a positive note, at least the 1960s/70s pursuit of time-wasting coffee mornings shows no sign of being resurrected.

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My local library has regular coffee mornings. They're just not allowed to call it that any more - I think they have to call it something to do with reading, so they call it 'Reading Café'. But unofficially everyone calls it a coffee morning, and they chat about all sorts, not just about books.
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
There are several versions of tea eggs here.

It's cool enough this morning that an iced coffee would not be as nice as usual. Very glad to have my mug of pu-erh!
 

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Posted by Porridge (# 15405) on :
 
{{{{THANK YOU!}}}}

While there's no duplicate of my long-lost porcelain tea egg, I now have multiple excellent possible replacements, and the PERFECT Christmas gift for a tea-drinking buddy!
 

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Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
Watch the sizes of those tea eggs - I have one that works beautifully but doesn't fit inside any of my mugs.

I'm another coffee addict, nothing noticeable until I get a headache from withdrawal if I'm somewhere without a fix. But that's easy to resolve nowadays with coffee shops serving decent amounts of caffeine in their brews, unlike the old cafes.

But trying to persuade people to serve black coffee without sugar can be a challenge in a lot of places.
 

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Posted by Doublethink (# 1984) on :
 
Did anyone see the Nigelissima reciepe for coffee ice-cream ? So tempted to make it !

Plus you can surely do the same thing using coconut products for dairy intolerant dudes.

[ 27. October 2013, 12:28: Message edited by: Doublethink ]
 

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Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
Not sure that the coconut products would whisk up so well to produce the whipped textures. You'd probably have to use an egg white as the other thing I can think of that whips up in the same way.

(Sadly it wouldn't work for us, she's allergic to alcohol too, and you need that to keep it at ice-cream texture.)
 

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Posted by Kasra (# 10631) on :
 
I saw this thread as I got into the office today, and had to giggle.

This morning, I woke up with a pounding headache, caused by... no coffee yesterday. So I diverted from my usual route to the office to go via a coffee shop and am now inhaling my caffeine.

I used to drink a lot more caffeine, and was threatened by the Dr that if I didn't stop, I was going to make certain very minor health issues A Lot Worse. So I stopped drinking caffeinated sodas, and maintained my coffee intake.

These days, I'm on 2 cups per day (quite strong). Cup 1: Once I arrive in the office. It's my reward for having gotten out of bed at ungodly-o'clock and driven 55 miles to work. Cup 2: somewhere in the noon-2pm window, depending on whether I have to teach freshmen or go to a faculty meeting. Coffee makes those two activities less painful for all of us.

I can make it through the day on those 2 without physically feeling the effects, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't crave more.

Hi, I'm Kasra, and I'm a coffee addict.

Kx
 

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Posted by Zacchaeus (# 14454) on :
 
I am so addicted that I got withdrawal when the thread started discussing tea.
 

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Posted by Honest Ron Bacardi (# 38) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by The Midge:
My wife goes on a annual Coffee Cruise. The decent coffee is so much cheaper over the Channel. There is a bigger price difference than a bottle of vino.

Now I need to go and put the coffee maker on.

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Mmm - that depends on which sector of the coffee market you are buying from. There is plenty of well-priced generic blend beans available over the channel, but the single-estate and specialist end of the market is far cheaper in the UK - often it can cost over twice as much in France.
 

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Posted by Chamois (# 16204) on :
 
I'm definitely a coffee addict. One year I gave up coffee for Lent but allowed myself to drink extra tea instead. I was up to about 20 mugs of tea a day and it still didn't satisfy the craving. Never again.......

I've managed to cut down to 2 mugs of coffee on work days, 4 mugs on non-work days. But the temptation is to make the stuff stronger and stronger to compensate.

I don't smoke and seldom drink alcohol. Hey, a woman's gotta have some vices, right?
 

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Posted by Meg the Red (# 11838) on :
 
This thread reminds me - free coffee week at McD's starts tomorrow. If I've plotted my route correctly, I think I can nab 2 on my way to work.

Okay, okay - it's not shade-grown dark-roast nirvana, but it's still a darn sight better than the gritty brownish liquid that oozes from the office pot. And on a cold, dark Monday morning, I'll take it!


Did I mention it's free?
 

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Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by NJA:

quote:

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Originally posted by OddJob:
On a positive note, at least the 1960s/70s pursuit of time-wasting coffee mornings shows no sign of being resurrected.

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Yes, society has changed. Though even then I remember them being combined with "bring and buy", a sort of d.i.y. jumble sale.

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The Church Sale may be extinct back in Blighty, but sadly it's alive and kicking here in Newfoundland. We had the Cathedral autumn sale yesterday and, according to Ancient Tradition™, our duty as choir members was to bake for, and serve, the morning coffee.


 

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Posted by David (# 3) on :
 
Things must have changed - there wasn't a single good cup of coffee to be had in the UK last time I was there. I didn't try every joint of course, just enough places to let me know it was time to take a break from coffee for a month or so.

Must be picky.
 

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Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Curiosity killed ...:

But trying to persuade people to serve black coffee without sugar can be a challenge in a lot of places.

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quote:

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Originally posted by comet:

quote:

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Originally posted by Curiosity killed ...:

But trying to persuade people to serve black coffee without sugar can be a challenge in a lot of places.

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WHAT??? I cannot STAND sweetened coffee. none of it!

oh dear lord! now I don't know what to do if I visit over there someday. should I bring my own?!?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Meg the Red:
This thread reminds me - free coffee week at McD's starts tomorrow. If I've plotted my route correctly, I think I can nab 2 on my way to work.

Okay, okay - it's not shade-grown dark-roast nirvana, but it's still a darn sight better than the gritty brownish liquid that oozes from the office pot. And on a cold, dark Monday morning, I'll take it!


Did I mention it's free?

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quote:

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Originally posted by David:
Things must have changed - there wasn't a single good cup of coffee to be had in the UK last time I was there. I didn't try every joint of course, just enough places to let me know it was time to take a break from coffee for a month or so.

Must be picky.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Honest Ron Bacardi:

quote:

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Originally posted by David:
Things must have changed - there wasn't a single good cup of coffee to be had in the UK last time I was there. I didn't try every joint of course, just enough places to let me know it was time to take a break from coffee for a month or so.

Must be picky.

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Probably not. There is an ocean of bad coffee served in the UK. The great stuff is available but you need to research where first. Or buy and make it yourself.

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Be fair. We're versatile. We do a lot of bad food to keep it company.

The very worst coffee of all is that found on Sunday mornings, all over the country, in our churches. What is named the "coffee rota" is usually staffed by those who can make a half-decent cup of tea but seriously think coffee is a warm, milky drink. If anything it is worse if it is fair trade, as those making it feel that their duty has already been done (lower-middle class guilt and all that).
 

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Posted by Hugal (# 2734) on :
 
I am a coffee addict. Tend to have fairtrade instant most of the time, but do have a press. We have a branch of a British coffee chain a few doors down so go there a few times a week. I rarely drink tea. This year I have had 3 cups of tea and that is more than normal.
 

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Posted by luvanddaisies (# 5761) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by comet:

quote:

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Originally posted by Curiosity killed ...:
[qb]
But trying to persuade people to serve black coffee without sugar can be a challenge in a lot of places.

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WHAT??? I cannot STAND sweetened coffee. none of it!

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quote:

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Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Sugar in coffee? Not for me, ever, no matter what type of coffee.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Ariston:

Yes, honey. It's an Italian thing.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Spike:
I'm really finding it amusing at how many people are cheerfully admitting to their caffeine addiction and the withdrawal symptoms they suffer if they've not had their fix. I wonder if they'd be so open if it were alcohol or drug addiction.

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quote:

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Curiosity killed ...: But trying to persuade people to serve black coffee without sugar can be a challenge in a lot of places.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Pyx_e:
Black Coffee, that is all. Anything else is a softies, pagan, snivelling, weak-assed coffee flavoured beverage.

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I love a double espresso (no sugar) after a meal.

Does that count?


 

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Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Pyx_e:
Black Coffee, that is all. Anything else is a softies, pagan, snivelling, weak-assed coffee flavoured beverage.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Pyx_e:
Black Coffee, that is all. Anything else is a softies, pagan, snivelling, weak-assed coffee flavoured beverage.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Spike:
I'm really finding it amusing at how many people are cheerfully admitting to their caffeine addiction and the withdrawal symptoms they suffer if they've not had their fix. I wonder if they'd be so open if it were alcohol or drug addiction.

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quote:

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can feel the caffeine almost instantly; makes me jittery and uncomfortable.

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quote:

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Originally posted by The Undercover Christian:
I think I saw a TED talk once that hypothesised that, prior to coffee arriving in Britain, people could only drink wine or beer due to the water cleanliness and therefore the entire country was mostly drunk most of the time. Which is why basically nothing other than fighting happened for about a thousand years.

When coffee began to replace alcohol as the daytime drink of champions, the move from depressant to stimulant accelerated the development of art, science and industry.

I don't know how interesting any of that is for you, but you've got it in you brain cells now so you're stuck with it.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Penny S:
I have also heard that the availability of tea for the lower classes enabled the gathering together of people in cities and the development of the Industrial Revolution. Not only did the boiling of the water render it safe, but the tannins inhibited the absorption of bacterial nasties from the intestinal tract. (TV programme some years ago.) Coffee was probably more expensive.

When I first lived away from home in a bedsit, once a month on a Saturday I would have a terrible migraine with sickness. There were a number of precipating factors (one will be obvious), but I eventually stopped them by noticing that through the week I was having coffee in the staffroom about four times a day, but lay in on a Saturday, and had no coffee. Or breakfast. I had proper coffee for breakfast on Sunday. I cut down on the school mugs, and had a morning coffee and a meal on Saturday. No more Saturday migraines. At home, there had been several cups of tea and coffee throughout the day.
Now I have no caffeine after noon.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Ariston:

quote:

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Originally posted by Spike:
I'm really finding it amusing at how many people are cheerfully admitting to their caffeine addiction and the withdrawal symptoms they suffer if they've not had their fix. I wonder if they'd be so open if it were alcohol or drug addiction.

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Says the man with the coffee mug avatar.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Spike:
It's a tea mug you fool!

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quote:

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Originally posted by luvanddaisies:

quote:

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Originally posted by Spike:
It's a tea mug you fool!

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I believe you are mistaken. I have exactly the same one and it is a coffee mug.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Ariston:
And, what's more, there's no such thing as a "tea mug;" tea is served in teacups, which, while they may resemble mugs superficially, always have a smaller base than opening.

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Originally posted by Sir Kevin:
When I go to my favourite Starbuck's

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Originally posted by jedijudy:

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Originally posted by Ariston:
And, what's more, there's no such thing as a "tea mug;" tea is served in teacups, which, while they may resemble mugs superficially, always have a smaller base than opening.

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Ariston, when you come to visit at the Jedi temple, I hope you will take note of the tea MUGS which grace my table. Especially the one I use for those special times when tea is what keeps me from terrorizing the neighborhood. It holds about 3/4 of a quart of the lovely brown liquid.

You won't find any delicate little tiny sissy teacups here.

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Originally posted by Penny S:
Have started to have the visual aura occasionally, with no apparent trigger, but I've begun to notice a precursor state. I'm not bothered by it as it only lasts about 20 mins, and it's interesting to compare with Hildegard von Bingen's illustrations.

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First time I had visual aura I'd no idea what it was. Sitting at a friend's house quietly freaking out, wondering what the hell was happening. Much relieved when I found out what it was. No idea what triggers or cures, but I shall take your advice on the chocolate. /tangent

[ 30. October 2013, 04:51: Message edited by: lilBuddha ]
 

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Posted by Pyx_e (# 57) on :
 
Someone mentioned TEA ......arrrrgghhhhhhhh Pyx_e runs round room with pants on head.
 

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Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
Pyx_e

Not sure about the pants on head but I'm with you on T**. Vile stuff.

I've always wondered what it does to your insides, bearing in mind it can take a scourer with elbow grease to clean the tannin from a stainless steel teapot - just wondering....
 

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Posted by Honest Ron Bacardi (# 38) on :
 
Anyone drinking tea because they think they can avoid caffeine thereby can forget it. Ditto chocolate. In fact chocolate is particularly sneaky as it doesn't have much caffeine in it, but it does have more theobromine, which has the same effect as caffeine.
 

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Posted by Honest Ron Bacardi (# 38) on :
 
L'organist wrote:-

quote:

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I've always wondered what it does to your insides, bearing in mind it can take a scourer with elbow grease to clean the tannin from a stainless steel teapot - just wondering.... [Eek!]

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Originally posted by Ariston:


Mugs are for coffee. Cups and bowls are for tea.

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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

I *hate* having just a cup of tea (especially if it's good tea) - I'm just getting started on the stuff and then it's gone already.

This is especially the case at breakfast. My in-laws serve tea at breakfast in cups, not mugs, and I really can't stand it; the time I most need a decent sized mug of tea (especially if I haven't had one before breakfast) in order to function properly, and I just get a cup.
 

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Posted by Francophile (# 17838) on :
 
Are you not allowed to ask for a refill from the teapot?
 

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Posted by Stejjie (# 13941) on :
 

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Originally posted by Francophile:
Are you not allowed to ask for a refill from the teapot?

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It's normally all gone by that point (they only seem to make enough for one cup each, or father-in-law gets there first...)
 

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Posted by Francophile (# 17838) on :
 
I suppose they keep the teabag for a second or third brew.

I know someone who keeps the slice of lemon from her lemon tea for at least 3 tea breaks.
 

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Posted by Porridge (# 15405) on :
 

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Originally posted by David:

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Originally posted by Sir Kevin:
When I go to my favourite Starbuck's

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Thought this discussion was about coffee?

There, I said it.

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Originally posted by Honest Ron Bacardi:
Anyone drinking tea because they think they can avoid caffeine thereby can forget it. Ditto chocolate. In fact chocolate is particularly sneaky as it doesn't have much caffeine in it, but it does have more theobromine, which has the same effect as caffeine.

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Originally posted by quetzalcoatl:
Theobromine is the stuff which kills dogs, isn't it? Especially in dark chocolate.

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Theobroma means Food of the Gods. There is good reason this is the genus of the cacao.
How dare you imply any negative to this ambrosia.
I considered demanding satisfaction, but consumed chocolate instead and will allow you to continue living.

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Originally posted by L'organist:
Pyx_e

Not sure about the pants on head but I'm with you on T**. Vile stuff.

I've always wondered what it does to your insides, bearing in mind it can take a scourer with elbow grease to clean the tannin from a stainless steel teapot - just wondering....

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Originally posted by Pyx_e:
Someone mentioned TEA ......arrrrgghhhhhhhh Pyx_e runs round room with pants on head.

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I really hope that either a) these are pants in the American sense of trousers; or b) you are wearing trousers AND your pants turban!

Alternatively, you could imitate Lucy in "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown". She's bobbing for apples at a party. Snoopy is in the apple tub, and is biting the other side of the apple. Lucy starts running in circles, screaming "Uggh, uggh, my lips have touched dog lips! Ugh! Ugh!"


 

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Posted by Spike (# 36) on :
 
I'm not a great coffee drinker, but I do appreciate decent coffee from time to time.

Earlier this year, Mrs Spike & I spent a weekend in Venice, which is renowned for its fine coffee. The hotel where we were staying served very good coffee indeed.

Another British couple who were staying in the same place were in the habit of taking their own jar of Nescafe to breakfast. Sometimes when travelling abroad, I am embarrassed to be British. This was one of those occasions.
 

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Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
Aaah, Spike, you bring back memories that still make me hot-and-cold with shame.

Specifically, a middle-aged foursome (2 couples) loudly discussing what essential foodstuffs they had packed for their caravanning holiday in France on the quayside as they waited to be ushered onto a ferry.

"We've got a case of baked beans, a case of spaghetti hoops, 4 types of instant soup and 14 packets of Angel Delight because you can't get decent food in France."

My French companion still blames their later hernia on the heroic efforts required to keep their laughter in check...
 

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Posted by georgiaboy (# 11294) on :
 
L'Organist:

Inquiring mind needs to know: what is 'Angel Delight'? (Those travelling Brits sound both tragic and typical, I venture to say.)
 

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Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 

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Originally posted by georgiaboy:

Inquiring mind needs to know: what is 'Angel Delight'?

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Originally posted by Firenze:

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Originally posted by georgiaboy:

Inquiring mind needs to know: what is 'Angel Delight'?

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Goop. It came as powder in a packet, you mixed it with cold milk and it formed a kind of blancmange. Very 1970s. We used to refer to it as Angel Depression.

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Originally posted by Firenze:

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Originally posted by georgiaboy:

Inquiring mind needs to know: what is 'Angel Delight'?

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Goop. It came as powder in a packet, you mixed it with cold milk and it formed a kind of blancmange. Very 1970s. We used to refer to it as Angel Depression.

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Originally posted by Jengie Jon:
Here you are ingredients and nutritional information So that you also get Boogie's post polycell.

Jengie

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Originally posted by Jengie Jon:
Here you are ingredients and nutritional information

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Sugar, Modified Starch, Vegetable Oil, Fat-reduced Cocoa Powder, Emulsifiers: Propane 1,2 diol esters of fatty acids, Sunflower lecithin; Gelling Agents: Tetrasodium diphosphate, Disodium phosphate; Milk Lactose, Milk Proteins, Flavourings, Colours: Plain Caramel, Mixed Carotenes; Whey Powder from Milk, Anti-caking Agent: Silicon dioxide.

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Originally posted by Chorister:
I don't think they'd ever heard of fresh ground.

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Cool Whip Original is made of water, hydrogenated vegetable oil (including coconut and palm oils), high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, skim milk, light cream, and less than 2% sodium caseinate (a milk derivative), natural and artificial flavor, xanthan and guar gums, polysorbate 60, sorbitan monostearate, and beta carotene (as a coloring).[3] In some markets, such as Canada and the United States, Cool Whip is available in an aerosol can using nitrous oxide as a propellant. Cool Whip was formerly marketed as non-dairy, but in Jewish dietary traditions, Cool Whip was classified as dairy rather than parve (non-meat and non-dairy) because of the sodium caseinate (which is derived from milk). Cool Whip now contains milk and cream.

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Posted by NJA (# 13022) on :
 
How do/did you make your instant coffee?

If you put a spoonful in a mug & poured on boiling water you were doing it wrong.

The instructions say to use 1-2 spoonfuls and non-boiling water, this preserves the flavour. For even better results warm milk first. Even el-cheapo Lidl GranAroma tastes ok like this.

But if there do not bother with their "heavenly delight" (butterscotch), it doesn't taste like butterscotch.
 

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Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
In Went The Day Well, all the Germans drink coffee and all the Brits drink tea. Enough said

Seriously though, I think I prefer to drink tea and consume coffee in ice cream/cake etc, although I will drink coffee if it's nice quality. Lately thanks to trying to see if I am lactose intolerant, I've been having tisanes - can't do hot black tea.
 

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Posted by Porridge (# 15405) on :
 

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Originally posted by Jade Constable:
In Went The Day Well, all the Germans drink coffee and all the Brits drink tea. Enough said

Seriously though, I think I prefer to drink tea and consume coffee in ice cream/cake etc, although I will drink coffee if it's nice quality. Lately thanks to trying to see if I am lactose intolerant, I've been having tisanes - can't do hot black tea.

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There's lactose in hot black tea?
 

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Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 

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Originally posted by Porridge:

quote:

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Originally posted by Jade Constable:
In Went The Day Well, all the Germans drink coffee and all the Brits drink tea. Enough said

Seriously though, I think I prefer to drink tea and consume coffee in ice cream/cake etc, although I will drink coffee if it's nice quality. Lately thanks to trying to see if I am lactose intolerant, I've been having tisanes - can't do hot black tea.

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There's lactose in hot black tea?

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Originally posted by Ariel:
Thankfully decaf these days is better than it was ...

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Originally posted by georgiaboy:
Thanks for all the responses about Angel's Delight. If it's anything at all like CoolWhip, which I do know, I'd want to stay as far away as possible.

A wise person once advised me 'Never eat anything which has more than one ingredient you either can't pronounce or know the meaning of.' The advice has stood me in good stead.

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Originally posted by QLib:
For coffee, maybe, but decaf tea just tastes WRONG.

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Originally posted by David:
FWIW, we have a Nespresso machine at home, and despite the cost and landfill issues the coffee is very good. Baristo-nazis will disagree of course, but I know people who roast their own beans by hand who think like me.

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Originally posted by Ariel:

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Originally posted by QLib:
For coffee, maybe, but decaf tea just tastes WRONG.

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It can be horrid. I haven't had a decent decaff tea so far, but as more people start asking for it, it may improve.

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Originally posted by Jade Constable:

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Originally posted by georgiaboy:
Thanks for all the responses about Angel's Delight. If it's anything at all like CoolWhip, which I do know, I'd want to stay as far away as possible.

A wise person once advised me 'Never eat anything which has more than one ingredient you either can't pronounce or know the meaning of.' The advice has stood me in good stead.

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Angel Delight (no apostrophe) is not like Cool Whip, it's basically instant pudding but with a whipped texture rather than a jello-like one.

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Originally posted by Chorister:

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Originally posted by David:
FWIW, we have a Nespresso machine at home, and despite the cost and landfill issues the coffee is very good. Baristo-nazis will disagree of course, but I know people who roast their own beans by hand who think like me.

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Coffee grounds and also filter papers can be put in food recycling containers and also in garden compost bins.

Fresh ground coffee (especially from fresh ground beans) is one of the loveliest smells I know. It lifts the spirit.

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Originally posted by Sioni Sais:

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Originally posted by Ariel:

quote:

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Originally posted by QLib:
For coffee, maybe, but decaf tea just tastes WRONG.

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It can be horrid. I haven't had a decent decaff tea so far, but as more people start asking for it, it may improve.

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I've been campaigning for a low-fat pork pie for decades and think we are both bang out of luck.

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