View Full Version : Coffee is Altruistic state of mind.
Wise Old Owl
04-26-2009, 18:10
I can't post this in the "Coffee Thread" it just wouldn't be right. My brother & I were driving back from a hiking weekend of hanging out with my dad and I was struggling to see the road. So I pulled over at gas station and bought some soda and began to feel better. We both agreed dad had served us "DECAF!" that morning......
It got me to think about Ultra Light again, and the issue of "it's bad for you" drinking sodas and coffee in general.
How about a flavored water with caffeine in it? Hmmm, "Propel Vitamin Water" Singles and Caffeine pill dissolved! Keep in mind there is little vitamin and more Kool Aid, but who Care's, it won't taste like water. CVS's OTC dissolves rapidly in water and has no noticeable taste.
What do you folks think?
I drink Zip Fizz.....it has no calories, no fake colors and 120 mg caffeine per tube (added to 20 ounces water). Yeah, lets say it gets one going :p
Mrs Baggins
04-26-2009, 18:55
Water with "fizz" in it? NO! Coffee is coffee is coffee and only coffee is coffee is coffee! Confirmed addict since I was 16 --- 37 happily addicted years and I am not about to try to use some "fizz" drink or soda or hot chocolate to sub for the real thing. Good grief. "Fizz" drinks...........I've worked in offices with people who boasted "I don't drink coffee!" as they bought their cokes from the vending machines at 8 am or made black pekoe tea or hot chocolate........... It's all caffeine. Get it from the purist source.
Bean juice forever baby! :D
Wise Old Owl
04-26-2009, 21:26
Bean juice forever baby! :D
Beans? My you must be popular at the lunch table!:eek:
Ok Sabar, I never heard of it, I take it is a liquid you add to water or not?
http://content.costco.com/Images/Content/Product/155515.jpg
Beans? My you must be popular at the lunch table!:eek:You know, I never thought of it from that angle but for whatever reason, ground coffee beans do not produce the same gastronomical effects as whole beans. Maybe it's just analogous to coffee beans. :-?
Wise Old Owl
04-26-2009, 22:59
Nope I totally misunderstood - I was thinking beans - Bush beans, sauce not juice..... I must be tired.
I love the smell of kawfee in the morning!
Mrs Baggins
04-27-2009, 07:55
I bought zip fizz a few years ago at Costco - add it to a bottle of water and shake. I only used it for working out on the treadmill or long walks. Still had my pot of coffee in the morning beforehand.
sheepdog
04-27-2009, 08:22
Expresso, Latte, cowboy coffee, perk, drip, french press, chocolate covered coffee beans anything but instant!!!
superman
04-27-2009, 08:40
Expresso, Latte, cowboy coffee, perk, drip, french press, chocolate covered coffee beans anything but instant!!!
Instant coffee is for people who have no respect for themselves or their guests. :rolleyes:
sheepdog
04-27-2009, 08:55
Instant coffee is for people who have no respect for themselves or their guests. :rolleyes:
It should be a crime, at least a high court misdemeaner.
superman
04-27-2009, 09:26
It should be a crime, at least a high court misdemeaner.
I was thinking more in terms of assigning them to the various levels of hell (but not in a religious or political way...more of a contemptable way). I'm thinking the lowest level might be sanka and postum.:D (smiley guy denotes humor)
I can't post this in the "Coffee Thread" it just wouldn't be right. My brother & I were driving back from a hiking weekend of hanging out with my dad and I was struggling to see the road. So I pulled over at gas station and bought some soda and began to feel better. We both agreed dad had served us "DECAF!" that morning......It got me to think about Ultra Light again, and the issue of "it's bad for you" drinking sodas and coffee in general. How about a flavored water with caffeine in it? Hmmm, ..........BLAH<BLAH<BLAH....ETCETCETCETC...What do you folks think?
Why not just pop a few NO DOZE tabs & chug some sugar water!:D
flemdawg1
04-27-2009, 10:43
How about a flavored water with caffeine in it? Hmmm, "Propel Vitamin Water" Singles and Caffeine pill dissolved! Keep in mind there is little vitamin and more Kool Aid, but who Care's, it won't taste like water. CVS's OTC dissolves rapidly in water and has no noticeable taste.
What do you folks think?
There's some stuff called Spark thats sold in the gatorade/Crystal Lite section thats baiscally what you're proposing.
This is the stuff I use:
http://www.zipfizz.com/
Now having said that, I use it the gym and for hiking - I still drink coffee though :p I was a barista for 9 years - and I do live in the land of espresso :D As I drive to the trail I have a latte with me, first place I stop on the way home is for a grande latte with at least 2 shots - I know where every latte hut/shack is on all the mountain roads in Washington :D Get past Montana and it gets hard to find latte joints though. I have found that once over the Continental Divide it is a hard find. Though I did have one of my best lattes ever in Moab, Utah. I was in love with that drink.
(And fine, I will admit I have used my Navi to find espresso on trips.)
Just don't get me going on how horrid it is finding a latte in Florida.
hammock engineer
04-27-2009, 16:27
Coffee is my feel good happy thing too. Nothing helps the cold or a bad day hiking. It helps now the place where I am working has one of those brew by the cup machines with a whole bunch of different options.
Tea is another good source of caffiene.
Pop and Caffienated Energy Drinks generally suck, but I do like a real coke with deli food.
I must be getting older though, because whenever we go to Subway or McDonalds or some place like that I'm always getting a coffee instead of fountain pop. My wife says only old men do that. Yeah old men. :)
Mrs Baggins
04-28-2009, 09:29
Tea is another good source of caffiene.
Pop and Caffienated Energy Drinks generally suck, but I do like a real coke with deli food.
I must be getting older though, because whenever we go to Subway or McDonalds or some place like that I'm always getting a coffee instead of fountain pop. My wife says only old men do that. Yeah old men. :)t f
We just get bottled water at fast food places when it's lunch or dinner. But breakfast at McD's requires a large cup of their coffee, cream and sugar. At home I drink coffee strictly black, but in restaurants I always add cream and sugar. On road trips, when the need for a caffeine fix arises, we look for McD's, not Starbucks. Waaaay cheaper and it's better coffee. As for "international" coffees, try to find a truly good cafe au lait anywhere in this country. We lived in Montreal for a year - best cafe au laits since we'd visited Paris in 1978. Cafe au laits and lattes are not the same thing.
flemdawg1
04-28-2009, 09:57
t F
We Just Get Bottled Water At Fast Food Places When It's Lunch Or Dinner. But Breakfast At Mcd's Requires A Large Cup Of Their Coffee, Cream And Sugar. At Home I Drink Coffee Strictly Black, But In Restaurants I Always Add Cream And Sugar. On Road Trips, When The Need For A Caffeine Fix Arises, we Look For Mcd's, Not Starbucks. Waaaay Cheaper And It's Better Coffee. As For "international" Coffees, Try To Find A Truly Good Cafe Au Lait Anywhere In This Country. We Lived In Montreal For A Year - Best Cafe Au Laits Since We'd Visited Paris In 1978. Cafe Au Laits And Lattes Are Not The Same Thing.
Blasphemy! ;)
McD's coffee is pretty good. Tim Horton's coffee is very good also. Places that have only one coffee usually try and get it right. Starbucks is way expensive and very hit and miss. We have a Java Moose that is better than Starbucks but still hit or miss until you find what works.
I went to one of those places, Starbucks I think, and ordered a Chai style Tea, figuring they might do a good job of that because they were promoting it up on their chalk board. Man did they ever get it wrong. They used this syrup for the tea, then dumped in WAY too much honey, and WAY too much cinnamon. I yelled stop as they were dumping in the honey and they were actually offended. I'm still not sure there was any tea in it, and very little milk also. How hard is it to make real Chai style tea? Hot milk, black tea, spices. Now I just make my own because I've been disapointed too many times. Spices are Cardamon, Cloves, Black Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Anise, but you can vary them to suit your taste. With enough hot milk you don't really need honey, but a hint of honey maybe. Great cool weather hiking drink, urban hiking included. :)
Starbucks and places like that are just messed up, and don't even know it.
Blasphemy! ;)lol
I know you kid. There are even worse places than Starbucks though, like in Airports. They sell total swill, and pretend its like Starbucks. Cinnamon shaker is a RED FLAG. :eek:
I mean why would a place pretend to be something that pretends to be something that it isn't? lol
I don't drink drip coffee. Haven't since I was 22 and got out of college. And then I only taste sipped drip on new blends at work to make sure they were OK (as in sip and spit).
I am a latte girl. Must have my milk, be it dairy or soy.....
Chai Tea at SB's is sweet.....well, because most people who drink it want sweet. It is like their ice teas. If you don't want sweet you have to tell them only 1/4 of the simple syrup.
Never had an issue with them changing my drinks - but I also know what goes in every drink so I can take down the amount of syrups when ordering if I want it. That helps a lot.
Out west a number of the McD's put in espresso machines to compete. The drinks are barely cheaper than SB's (we are talking 25 cents less) and taste awful. Imangine Hershey's Syrup combined with drip coffee. Yeah, not worth $2.50 to $3.50. Yick. If I wanted THAT I would go to one of the many $1 and $2 latte huts that line the commuter routes into Seattle. And those cheap lattes are actually not that bad.
You sound sweet, but you are not going to convince me that Starbucks knows anything about Chai style tea.
Hint - It doesn't involve any syrup.
If you love milk, you will love Chai style tea. You should make yourself some.
Easiest way is loose tea and spices in milk and microwave it, then strain.
I haven't found heating the milk to be any better than the microwave.
When hiking I use skim milk powder, which isn't as good, but its ok.
Oh it's you SARBAR. Sorry I didn't check. You sounded younger. ;)
Anyhow, I'll keep patronizing. :)
You can combine different spices in different way, and make your own starting with plain black tea. I am not sure but I think the main two spices are cardamon and cloves. For hiking it might be most fun and make the most sense to carry the spices separately from the tea so you can also use the spices for cooking. I bought one packet of chai style tea that listed the spices as follows:
Cardomon
Cloves
Black Pepper (that one surprised me the most)
Ginger
Cinnamon
Anise
Lol...I know how to make Chai tea - that in itself is quite easy. Simple yes and also very strong - something those raised on sugar don't always like. So why does SB's chai sell well? It is sweet and hot. Their base is actually pretty decent as it goes. The base is not sweet - it is the syrups added that are.
True chai isn't sweet - it is strong and spicy. One can drink it dark or add in milk for a more mellow drink. I don't go much for the chai flavored black tea bags - I would rather steep tea with fresh spices. But...I don't drink a ton of hot tea due to avoiding teeth staining (same with black coffee).
But with anything, the reason behind the sweetness is that is what sells. In all those years of pulling shots, if the drink of the week I came up with was tooth rotting sweet it would sell like crazy. Cause if 3 syrups combined well, 4 or 5 together was even better to many customers. (Again, sip and spit to get the flavors right)
The irony is I drink unsweetened ice tea by like 2 quarts a day. That and my latte a day. With minimal sweet added. ;-)
Love your good humour. Thanks for not smacking me around. :)
Glad to here you concur that adding your own spices is the way to go.
I have finally come to that conclusion myself but haven't done it yet and will start experimenting. I still have some old stuff to use up. Some is ok and I will use it as a baseline for comparison.
If ever in Canada Tim Horton's offers a good Chai by the way. You need to ask for Chai with 3 or 4 milk. I will give Starbucks another shot, tell them I don't want it sweet. I am curious to see how it compares to Tim Hortons if I don't add any honey or extra cinnamon.
A few queries for you.
1. What spices do you like in your Chai when you make it?
2. How do you make your daily latte? How much milk?
3. What do you do for milk when out hiking? Any way to make skim milk powder taste better?
For the record I do add honey if I am on a hike and need some extra carbs. The milk is often enough on easy hikes, but honey makes a great kicker. I am a big fan of honey as my extra emergency food because it is compact and I can just put it back on the shelf when I get home. Also has natural preservatives, which are supposed to be good for some first aid recipes but haven't had a need to try that out yet.
Maybe a dab of honey is the answer to take the edge off that skim milk powder taste? Also I think the spices help, which is another case for Chai while hiking. For coffee, when hiking, I usually add less milk because the skim milk powder taste is too overbearing. I would love a latte hiking, but not sure how to do it without real milk.
Mrs Baggins
04-29-2009, 09:19
Maybe a dab of honey is the answer to take the edge off that skim milk powder taste? Also I think the spices help, which is another case for Chai while hiking. For coffee, when hiking, I usually add less milk because the skim milk powder taste is too overbearing. I would love a latte hiking, but not sure how to do it without real milk.
Try Nido brand powdered milk. It's whole milk, not that watery skim crap. It's like cream. It's yellowish and sticky from the fat in it. My husband loves milk and we had Nido on our last hike for oatmeal. He just mixed some in his cup with water and drank it and said it was wonderful, far far better than any instant milks he'd ever had. You'll find Nido in the Mexian food aisle at grocery stores and in Wal-Mart.
And I've lived in Canada (Montreal) and we did enjoy Tim Horton's! They have some great commercials up there, too. Did you know they're owned by the same company that owns Wendy's in the states?
I've heard of that Nido stuff but can't seem to get it up here.
Next time I'm in Calais or Bangor I will pick some up for sure.
I will try Walmart here in town also, but Walmart Canada is a little different.
Yeah Tim's is owned by Wendy's up here now too I think. It was originally Tim Horton, the hockey player, then his family after he died in a car crash on the Queen Elixabeth, then it really took off under new management, and then as far as I know it was all sold out to Wendy's. It's still a franchise operation though, as far as I know. Funny though, because its a huge Canadian icon, but American owned, much like the NHL. ;)
Perhaps the idea is that it might expand south faster if American owned.
I guess I was a little off and out of date on the Tim and Wendy hookup.
Sounds like Wendy may have kicked him to the curb. :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Hortons
To give you an idea of how big Tim Horton's is in places like Atlantic Canada,
we have about 30 Tim Hortons in this city of only 100,000. I've lost count. Most other towns and cities here are the same. Still just about every Tim's is usually backed up, especially in the morning. A typical commute in this city is about 20 minutes, and 10 minutes of that is at a Tim Horton's drive through. :)
Surplusman
05-07-2009, 05:14
I've started to make Greek coffee when I go hiking. I know, it adds some weight to my pack, but to me it's worth it. I pack along some espresso, an espresso cup & saucer, and my little one-cup briki that I use on the Esbit stove. Good stuff.
Analogman
05-07-2009, 05:41
Drink the coffee and enjoy yourself. Plenty of time to worry about it when you're dead.
Valentine
05-07-2009, 09:42
Coffee isn't bad for you.
If you are used to drinking coffee the diuretic effect is minimal at best.
One cup in the morning and I am ready to hike.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/health/nutrition/04real.html?_r=2