Cult of the Bean
The aroma. The taste. The ritual of the preparation, and the anticipation. It’s more than just a drink.
Coffee is an integral part of cycling and cyclists lifestyles. But, like Campa versus Shimano, or white socks versus black, the way we imbibe the magic bean can be just as polarising.
We received an email from a reader with a suggestion for The Rules. Rob infers that anyone partaking in a soy-based brew, or a ‘lite’ milk additive, should be ceremonially beaten. “Harsh but fair” he believes, such as we always imply with The Rules.
Already I am receiving unflattering, downright tempestuous emails from my fellow Keepers regarding my soy intake confession. Yes, I unashamedly admit to this ‘foam pas’ and will accept any abuse like a man. A soy-drinking man, dammit!
But no matter how you enjoy your bean, there’s one thing for certain; coffee is good. Some say it should only be consumed black, sans sugar, in a ceramic cup. Others, like Rob, suggest it can be enhanced with a small amount of milk, i.e macchiato. While everyone has different tastes, I’m sure most of us would agree that caramel, butterscotch and excessive amounts of foam, sprinklings and flavourings have no place in any cup.
Hm…I’m not sure how you defend drinking soy; sounds a lot like defending the “superior” design of a recumbent.
And, as the Dutch say, they’ll let anything pass in Belgium.
You mean like Boonen passing Dekker, or PVP passing Boogerd?
And we all know Cervelos are two-wheeled recumbents…
@brett
I get what you’re going at, but I don’t think Boonen and PVP ever rode in the same race as Dekker and Boogerd, and – if they did – which race it was would depend on who passed who. I don’t think Boonen is a man for Amstel.
My point was that in Belgium, it’s anarchy. Those people are crazy and they’ll let you do whateverthefuck you want.
And speaking of recumbents, I have to ask: do you ever spill your soy coffee on yourself as you’re climbing aboard yours? Does it ever get on your pony-tail or leave a stain on your hemp t-shirt?
Well, they were the only two Dutch riders of any note I could think of. And I was more referring to Thomas, not Erik, who could actually ride.
My pony tail was last spotted in the early 90’s, and the only hemp products I endorsed weren’t employed on the outside of my body!
@brett
Well played, good sir. Well played.
Feel free to beat me thoroughly – I don’t drink coffee at all. And I live in Seattle – well, the Seattle area anyway. Nope, not a drop. Never liked it, never will.
I do drink gallons of iced tea however. Sometimes even hot tea – with lemon and honey – like some sort of old lady.
Maybe I should move to England?
Awesome Dan O, way to take the heat off me!
1. Legs not shaved
2. Massive Beard
3. Hemp on the inside
4. Soy milk in my coffee
Bring it on Nancy.
Nice post btw.
@Dan O
Because I know you commute close to 365 days a year in wind, rain, and ice, I am going to cut you some slack. But if you so much as BREATHE the word “crumpets”, we’re going to have words.
@Marko
1. I thought we discussed this. This better change come summertime.
2. I thought we discussed this. This better change come summertime.
3. Better than on the outside!
4. Given 1-3, I’m not surprised.
@Frank
365 days a year? I wish. I do get some commuting time in though.
Crumpets? Not on the menu. I eat way too many Clif bars however.
@Dan O
Well, I’ll let it go on the commuting days, but if you ever eat a crumpet, I’m not kidding…
I was always a PowerBar guy myself, but I’ve recently been moving over to the Cliff bar…seems much more palatable somehow. Especially in winter when it gets cold, it seems the PowerBar becomes a brick. Hell, I bet you forge a shelter out of them if you had enough frozen bars.
Snickers.
@Marko
Do they satisfy you?
@frank
Sure do. Granted they’re not as “balanced” as an energy bar they do the trick for me, taste way better IMO, and are half the price.
@Marko
Trudat. Plus, they are chocolate. Everyone knows how Science says chocolate is rad.
What’s wrong with crumpets?
What have crumpets got to do with drinking coffee? The only things to be eaten with coffee are cake or croissant. Crumpets have no place in cafe society, they must only be eaten at home; with butter, jam and a mug of tea.
@Jarvis
Okay, good. Frankly, I prefer golden syrup on them, but with tea at home. Good ’nuff. I was afraid there was a larger, overarching rule about crumpets I didn’t know about.
@steampunk
there is: it is that you don’t do anything as perverted as put golden syrup on your crumpets. Freak.
@Steampunk
@Jarvis
Hey, I’m in on putting golden anything on my crumpet!
@Jarvis
Oh: it’s on! This is going to get ugly fast.
@Steampunk, @Jarvis
Please help us Americans out. I can’t remember if “tea” translates from English into American as “Coffee” or “Beer”.
@Rob
I can’t figure this out. Are you English or American? Or is it the same as my Dutch-ness? Dutch is my first language and that’s why my name is pronounced like the gay guy in Father of the Bride, but I was raised here in the You Ess of Aye.
@frank
“American” and “aestheticism” don’t have much in common, do they? Tea is the stuff Americans threw into Boston Harbor (thereby making palatable only to Americans).
Re. coffee: I’ll take an espresso, but none of this after ride nonsense. A new café just opened down the road. Named Domestique, and yes: proprietor is a cyclist and master roaster. Life is good.
@Steampunk
Indeed. Espresso pre-ride is de riguer (God I love French). Post-ride = pub and a nice, cool (cellar-temperature, not refrigerated) ale.
@frank
Oh, I hate to do this: It’s de rigueur. Sorry: I’m a douche (another French word.
I’m really sorry. That was bad form. Chalk it up to a bad week coming to a close. Solo hill repeats at dark-thirty tomorrow morning. Will add an extra one by way of penance.
@Steampunk I love that – not Catholic but it seems that this could be a great way to get the lapsed Cognosetti back on the straight and narrow. Penance riding – hill repeats, telephone pole sprint repeats and best of all motor pacing at dawn.
And hey in case you had not noticed “Douche” is an accepted vocab word here with no stigma attached.
@frank Fronkster, I’m nothing, maybe mid-atlantic? Born in New Hampshire but spent way to much time in London but now I am getting a Lawn Giland accent! So its tea and crumpets when I’m not having double espressos.
@Frank (or is that Fronk?)
I don’t think I can start to explain, but I’ll go with neither coffee or beer. Tea is difficult to make well and even the British can’t agree on how it should be made or indeed have much ability in making consistently good tea.
@Steampunk
Oh, I would be living in that cafe, as long os the coffee was up to standard.
@All
while the subject of nationality crops up, neither myself of my velomihottie are English, we are Welsh. Ta.
Coffee very much up to standard””and well beyond. Proprietor used to build frames and worked extensively in the bike industry, building frames with both Mariposa and True North, and national team mechanic. Also a master roaster. I can’t drink coffee anywhere else, because this place puts everywhere else to shame.
To boot: a Steve Bauer yellow jersey is framed behind the counter. Out front, a couple of autographed Team Sky jerseys, a 2008 Sastre yellow (signed), 2009 Thor green (also signed), and, get this: Zabriskie’s 2005 TdF TT bike (yes: that one). All hung on the wall, along with a couple of beautiful older steel bikes (including this one), dozens of race passes, and a Moser hour-record poster down the stairs. This place is a shrine.
On the coffee subject, though, I’ve taken to liking a puddle of condensed milk in the bottom of my espresso. Apparently, it’s popular on the Pro Tour (I do it, though, because it’s yummy). I see this as different than the butterscotch, caramel, and foam line of thinking, which I find abhorrent, but thought I should make sure.
@Marko
im liking it.
More on my little mecca. I could probably have upgraded a whole stable of bikes if I wasn’t dropping by two or three times a week…
@Steampunk
What a fucking awesome little piece of Heaven you’ve got there, Mate! Read the whole article and totally want to make a trip there for a ride and an expresso! Too awesome! That place is just perfect!
6 months in Italy did not change my mind about espresso. you guys can have it. I’ll stick to my American coffee.
@RedRanger
You’re not serious right? Each to their own but not liking espresso and preferring that brewed stuff over a barista made one? Madness I tells ya! May be you didn’t find a blend you liked? Some of the Italian blends can be quite bitter and strong.
Don’t give up yet!
@il ciclista medio
It’s a bit like becoming a Velominatus. Little steps. Start out with lattes (caffe au lait but frothier and stronger), then go for flat whites (like lattes but less milk, so stronger), graduate to cortados (an espresso with a bit of milk), move from there to macchiatos (espresso with just a small layer of mildly frothed milk on top) then drop the milk entirely. If you need further guidance, move to Wellington for a while – seriously, we have gone from a coffee desert to a town of coffee–obsessed caffeine snobs in half a generation. I wouldn’t advocate the extremes that some here go to. It is, after all, just coffee. But, like micro-brewed beer to the Bud-hound, or Chainti Classico to the spritzer-freak, or Rule #33. compliant legs to the hairy-legged commuter, it is worth it in the end – though it does involve some adjustment, which is best done slowly and deliberately in sip-sized steps.
@RedRanger
Ah, that’s too bad. Espresso is a fine thing.
Has anyone ever used one of these old-school bad boys? I use a french press at home to make normal coffee, but I’d like to be able to make my own espresso at home as well, and I really have no interest in spending $200-$300 on a stupid machine.
The first time I had a little cup of espresso was while I was eating a cannoli. I damn near puked on the table. I think it was the huge contrast in flavors. In Italy my family is loyal to Lavazza and Illy. I just drank lattes(with real milk) the entire time. If anything that trip curbed my addiction to caffeine. there was no way I would be able to drink enough espresso to match my caffeine intake here in the states.
@mcsqueak
Super easy. both my Italian and Latino families use this. you just have to keep an eye on it. I think most people will tell you its the best way. and I to use a French press.
For the sweet tooth, start with a bon bom: an espresso with a good dollop of condensed milk at the bottom. Stir well. Absolute heaven!
If you guys are ever in Northern Sicily let me know. Ill direct you to the best bar/pastry shop on the island. this is a picture of the pastry part.
@mcsqueak
Yes – that’s all we use at home. That plus a grinder and a supply of good beans and you’re set. We have a small one for a single espresso, a medium sized one for camping, and a very large one for mornings. They’re a bit like bikes in that respect – the ideal number being n+1.
@RedRanger
One of my friends is taking his family to Sicily for a month shortly. I’m sure he’d welcome details. Cheers.
@RedRanger
Yeah, I’ve read they are really popular in Italy, but I’ve never really seen them used here. Most people have those “fancy” machines that seem to find their way to the back of the storage closet, probably because they are a pain to clean and pull a good shot.
@Steampunk
I’m going to have to try to condensed milk thing, sounds awesome. Here on the west coast with the influence from immigrants from Hong Kong, I’ve had a drink several times called “milk tea”, which is tea sweetened with condensed milk. I’ve also had a similar thing with coffee. Very tasty.
I also read the piece about your coffee shop, sounds like an awesome place to have in the neighborhood!
@G’phant
where is he going to be? this place is owned by my pops and is just outside Palermo.
@mcsqueak
Those little beauties are all one needs at home. As RedRanger mentioned, keep an eye on it otherwise they can burn the coffee.
G’phant has given a beautiful entree into the world of coffee. And yes cannoli with an espresso? Too much too soon.
Illy and Lavazza are quite good, though I think Lavazza is a little over-rated. My personal favourite is from a company here in Sydney – Belaroma. One of their owners actually travels to Italy to train Lavazza people so I’ve been told. I’ve been in the industry for a long time, as a chef and a cafe owner so I’ve come to appreciate, and IMO, know a good coffee supplier/roaster/barista when I taste one.
Has anyone tried the Vietnamese style coffee’s? They make a mean coffee using a small filter over a cup or glass; puts hair on your chest that stuff – black as night, as bitter and strong as you would find anywhere in the world and then finished off with a dash of the condensed milk, sensational and keeps one going for half a day. One of the many excellent influences from the French and Portuguese they have made their own.
Just stay away from the Gloria Jean’s (Starbuck’s etc) of the world. The Golden Arches of the coffee.
@G’phant
Sweet, glad to hear it works well for you. I guess it’s another thing to add to the Amazon shopping list, along with that electric razor…
@RedRanger
Dunno. Will find out. Cheers.
@G’phant
This place is called La Foresta. In the town of Carini. Carini is maybe 15km west of Palermo. Ask for filippo gallina and tell them Julian is a friend.
@il ciclista medio
Thanks for the tips!
Yes, Starbucks is not acceptable except in a pinch. I’m not such a coffee snob to say I hate them, but I’d rather support an indy shop.
I have a few places I’m going to try for a good espresso roast bean. Besides trying my hand at beer brewing at some point, I’d also like to dabble in micro roasting my own beans.