Towns named “Coffee” in the U.S. are limited to two cozy little burgs, but three others use the word in their names as well. Some of these coffee places are just crossroads or scattered homes along a state highway, but others have cool origin stories. Why a blog post on this subject? Well, we’re coffee maniacs, so just having the word “coffee” in a town name is enough to set us off.
Read MoreSome folks say teapot cosies are on the wane, but we’ve seen lots of interest online. People are returning to the teapot cozy as our current slowdown for COVID-19 demands a slower pace for many, and virtual meetings last for an hour or more.
Read MoreFinish our four-part tour of historic coffee shops with cozy coverage of three fine 20th century examples from Prague to the USA.
Read MoreThe Way of Tea is considered one of the classical Japanese arts of refinement, with schools devoted to teaching the proper way to carry it out. We describe its nature, history, and content here.
Read MoreContinuing our review of historic coffee houses with a cozy tour of four from the 19th Century. They’re still operating in Vienna, Turin (Italy), Buenos Aires, and Budapest.
Read MoreContinuing our review of historic coffee houses with a cozy tour of four from the 18th Century. They’re still operating in Venice, Rome, and Padua (Italy), and Cairo (Egypt).
Read MoreCheck here for an update on status of tea production and supply under COVID-19—China, Kenya, and India—plus consumer news for the United States.
Read MoreOur tour of historical coffee houses starts in the 17th Century, with stops in Turkey, Vienna, and England. A cozy look at how coffee has influenced culture and taste for nearly four centuries.
Read MoreWhether or not CBD in coffee and tea works as advertised, this cozy combination conjures sales potential that is just beginning to show its promise in 2019-2020.
Read MoreLike me, perhaps you were unaware of coffee production’s cozy relationship with bees and bee pollination of coffee blossoms. In this post we introduce you to how bees contribute to increased yields on the coffee farms of Guatemala and the Chiapas region of Mexico. Enjoy!
Read MoreWith upwards of 50% of Americans now drinking tea and many more people moving to (or visiting) Denver, Colorado, it’s a good time to tell you tea drinkers about our five favorite area tea shops.
Read MoreIncreasing demand for high-quality arabica coffee could be too much, too soon for this disease- and climate-threatened variety. Experts predict production will have to be at least 1 million tons higher by 2028. Meanwhile, leaf rust, pests, and hotter temperatures in arabica growing regions have put the squeeze on yields around the world.
Read MoreTariffs on Chinese tea continue to loom over the U.S. and its 159 million tea drinkers. Given the volatility of President Trump’s deal-making and our up-and-down relationship with China, I thought it might be timely to talk a bit more about how tariffs on Chinese tea can affect our cozy habit.
Read MoreToday’s blog post captures reviews of fiction related to tea. The authors represented here likely would agree with Henry James’ opening in The Portrait of a Lady: “Under certain circumstances, there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”
Read MoreEvery year, millions of coffee lovers celebrate a once-a-year event that’s recognized by major food and beverage retailers and various associations. National Coffee Day was created to promote awareness of our amazing coffee culture.
Read MoreAs a popular alternative to soft drinks in the United States, iced tea makes up about 85% of all tea consumed. That’s probably why tea drinkers celebrate a national iced tea day and month in June each year. But hot tea holds its own in other countries, especially the United Kingdom, and no fewer than eight celebratory occasions honor this esteemed beverage around the world
Read MoreMy last post talked about chicory-root and dandelion-root concoctions meant to substitute for coffee by simulating its color and (some say) overall taste. This time, I’m going a bit further afield into grain- or nut- or even herb-based coffee substitutes: alternatives to drinking any type of coffee or tea.
Read MoreHave you heard of “coffee substitutes”? I don’t mean separate alternatives, such as matcha or kombucha, which don’t try to imitate coffee’s color and flavor. Here I’m talking about “coffee” made with chicory or dandelion roots—often without caffeine—that are intended to imitate coffee.
Read MoreWar has unfortunately been a part of world history for thousands of years, and we see its influence every day in American culture. Not surprising, then, that it also has influenced the history of coffee drinking and (sometimes) how people must adapt when coffee is scarce.
Read MoreA common theme in places where rulers banned public coffee drinking (see earlier posts in June) was the danger of coffeehouses as meeting places for talk against the king or government. Enforcement of these bans, from fines to beatings to beheadings, may have helped keep revolt at bay. But in 18th century France, the monarch’s luck ran out.
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