list – dragonsandflowers

A Dash Of Different: Five Fun Twists On Coffee And Tea

August 12, 2019 Ashe

One of the genius details about coffee and tea is just how flexible they are. You can really come up with almost anything. …Almost. I really don’t want to read the news one of these days and find out liquid gold is now being called the ‘new espresso’.

I keep an eye on stories like these because I want innovation to be just as fun as it is necessary. Stories on climate change and the impact it leaves on entire livelihoods is an essential conversation, yes, but it’s also a little draining. Making the world a better place to live means embracing it all. Change as complex as coming up with new farming methods…as well as thinking about how to chill coffee quicker. Change as vital as planting millions of trees in one day, as well as a faster, cuter way of recycling.

Let’s take a look at some recent developments in coffee and tea, from low-calorie alcoholic tea varieties to caffeinated popsicles.

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coffee

Pouring The Season Into A Cup: My Five Favorite Drinks For Autumn

November 20, 2018April 23, 2019 Ashe

What kind of drink gets you in the perfect autumn mood?

Halloween’s over and done with and Thanksgiving is right around the corner, so you can finally start pretending you didn’t just destroy your diet with fistfuls of candy…even as you stock up on eggnog. I’m certainly feeling the chill in the air (and the regret in the distance), figuring out how to keep my office space warm and admiring the fall sheen on the trees. This week got me to thinking about all my absolute favorite homemade drinks. Everyone’s got a thing that just never seems to leave the cupboard…and if it does, has to be replaced at all costs.

I’ve got a three cupboard’s worth of favorites, but for the sake of brevity I’ll sum up my top five seasonal go-tos below. Who knows? You might just discover a new love.

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coffee

Is That Your Final Answer? Fifteen Common Questions I Was Asked As A Barista

August 23, 2018August 23, 2018 Ashe

The human condition comes in a tall or a venti, it seems. After a few years of serving lattes in movie theaters and old-fashioned cafes I started seeing a different side to the mundane.

It’s not just bagging or grinding that inspires naval gazing, but sitting back with your hands folded in your lap and doing a tally of all the sometimes-funny, sometimes-frustrating questions brought to your attention during an average shift. Why do so few people seem to know what a cappuccino is? Why do so many expect a part-time employee to be omniscient? Is this the real life? Call it soul searching with a dollop of creamer.

Being a part-time or full-time barista may be a common job, but that still doesn’t put a dent in some of these questions! Thanks to these I can approach the vast world of coffee from multiple angles…and many of them humorous.