8 STUDENT LIFE | SCENE
Senior Scene Editor / Erin Fults / scene@studlife.com
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 16, 2007
SAppreciating CENE coffee in the college lifestyle BY JAKE LEVITAS SCENE REPORTER Personally, I used to think coffee tasted like dirt. Instead of being this great drink that everyone raved about, I always saw it as tasting more like the ground it was grown in than something that people would actually want to consume. Well, all of that changed last semester when I took a journey south of the border to the mountains of Nicaragua, where I worked on a real-live, organic, shadegrown coffee farm. There I drank coffee that had been grown literally feet away and it was so delicious that it barely needed any sugar—I still hesitate to drink coffee that demands any significant amount of additional flavor. But besides becoming somewhat of a coffee snob, I developed a huge appreciation for the process that goes into the fuel driving millions of Americans’ days. Indeed, with 2/3 of the country saying they
would have difficulty getting through the day without a cup o’ joe, it’s a wonder that people know surprisingly little about where it all comes from. I think a lot of people might have skewed perceptions of coffee’s journey to our mugs—I know I did before my fi rst-hand experience. Namely, the steps between the seed and the bag of grounds I saw at the grocery store were a little blurry to me, so I was glad to have the chance to see how it all actually works. On the farm there are thousands of dark green, thin-trunked trees each about 6 feet high, with branches stemming out radially bearing densely packed leaves. On the branches are clusters of small, berry-like pods containing the beans, which remain pulpy and white until they are separated, dried, cleaned and roasted. On a shade-grown farm, a variety of other trees tower above, making the area feel less like a farm and more like a lush forest. In fact, these taller trees provide lots of habitat as well as
diversifying the area. Coming back to campus this semester has given me the opportunity to bring this sense of the coffee process full-circle. Now whenever I stroll through Whispers and see people sipping a machiatto, I see much more than grounds and cream. But one of the most interesting aspects of all of this is seeing how this magical bean affects life—student, faculty and otherwise—in a university community such as our own. Most people I’ve spoken with say that caffeine is clearly their main motivation for drinking coffee. Often a morning ritual, it seems at times like the entire universe hinges upon getting that one latte before class or work. As one author put it, “A morning without coffee is like sleep.” But coffee may affect our lives and productivity in ways we don’t even realize. Most of us have had a late night that we never would have made it through without a hot cup or two (or three, or four…) to keep us
JENNY SHAO | STUDENT LIFE
Coffee is the popular caffeine of choice among students at Whispers Café. Students are adding cream and sugar to their coffee on Thursday, Feb. 15. going. Around campus, I’ve also heard of people drinking insane amounts of the stuff before tests to increase their concentration. And in the wake of Valentine’s Day,
Coffee lingo: a short dictionary of coffee terms BY JACKIE ALLEN
Chicory: root of this plant roasted and ground for inclusion in “New Orleans” or “Creole” coffee; also called succory .
SCENE REPORTER Americano: a shot of espresso topped with hot water . American roast: medium roast producing a medium strength coffee; also called regular roast. Arabica: coffee variety known for its fruity and acidic taste and low caffeine content. Breve: when half & half is substituted for milk . Café brûlot: a coffee drink from New Orleans flavored with spices, orange, lemon peel and brandy, then set aflame. Café filtré: Coffee made by pouring water over a fi lter containing coffee grounds; served in demitasse cups (see below). Café macchiato: espresso with small amount of steamed-milk foam served in an espresso cup.
Riddle’s Penultimate
Demitasse: tiny espresso cup or the strong black coffee served in such a cup. European roast: blend which is ²/³ heavy roast beans and ¹/³ regular roast beans. French press: coffeepot where coffee grounds are at the bottom and then boiling water poured over them; fi lter is pushed down to suppress grounds. French roast: heavily roasted beans that produce a darker, stronger coffee. Greek coffee: strong coffee made by boiling water and fi nely ground coffee together three times in a long-handled, open copper or brass pot called an ibrik and served in demitasse cups so grounds settle; sugar and spices sometimes included. Mélange: Austrian mocha made with water and milk and topped with milk foam; served in a large cup.
Mochaccino: chocolate-flavored cappuccino. Robusta: coffee variety known for robust flavor and high caffeine content. Swiss water process: one of two processes used to decaffeinate coffee; beans steamed and caffeine-rich outer layers scraped away (other process involves chemical solvent). Thai coffee: black coffee mixed with sweetened condensed milk. Turkish coffee: strong coffee made by boiling fi nely ground coffee, water, and sometimes spices such as cardamom or nutmeg together three times in a pot called a jezve or ibrik, letting the brew cool briefly between each boiling; served in tiny cups and grounds allowed to settle. Bubbly froth on coffee surface means good luck. Viennese coffee: strong coffee sweetened to taste and topped with whipped cream. Viennese roast: blend where ¹/³ of the beans are regular roast and are ²/³ heavy roast.
the potential for coffee as a stimulant or aphrodisiac was surely explored by at least a few adventurous couples. Whatever our reason for drinking coffee, there’s no question that it plays a significant role in productive American life. Who knows how many lectures would be cancelled on account of “health” reasons if this substance weren’t such an integral part of our daily lives? How many papers would remain unwritten? With so many applications, it’s obvious why some students take their coffee so seriously. Its aura affects each individual’s life in a unique way as well. I’ve seen people using it as a cool-down break from work; a sweet treat after a meal; something to sip while running to class in the morning; a warm break from the winter weather; and of course, a late-night pick-me-up. The possibilities are nearly endless, and with so many different coffee drinks now being created by the local baristas, there is literally a coffee drink for every occasion. It seems that here at Wash. U., the “work hard, play hard” lifestyle demands coffee much more than we give it credit for. You would be hard pressed
to go through a day without talking to a professor or fellow student that hadn’t banked on their morning java to give them that little extra push. But now we’ve become so accustomed to having this wonderful liquid that we grab a cup on the go, down it, feel the buzz and forget about it. Of course, the American lifestyle is very different than the Nicaraguan lifestyle. Days are packed with meetings, assignments, and obligations without even taking into consideration the attempt to maintain a social life. Still, it’s amazing to think that what is seen as a luxury in some places has become so embedded in our culture that we often spend time in institutions built principally for the sole purpose of consuming it. Cafes like Starbucks and Kayak’s are now not only places to get our fi x, but places to work, study, and (almost) live. They’re as commonplace and visited as any other type of restaurant. But I’ve learned that good coffee is one thing that should never go underappreciated. As university students, it might as well be our lifeblood. So next time you grab your cappuccino, pay a little homage to the force that makes us go. And don’t add too much sugar.
Rating:
6307 Delmar Blvd. University City, MO 63130 314-725–6985
BY ALEXA NATHANSON AND MARGOT DANKNER SCENE REPORTERS On Tuesday night, during the umpteenth snow storm of the season, we realized that we had another Stepping Out article due. It had been a long day for the both of us; trudging to class in the blistering snow was tiring to say the least. We didn’t want to stray far because of the icy roads, so we made our way to Riddle’s on the loop. Though the restaurants along Delmar seemed deserted, and we all but plowed into a snow bank to park, the warm and cozy bar at Riddle’s was sporting a small crowd. It was a perfect spot for such a cold night, with a live band warming up at the front, beer flowing from the taps and groups of people huddled at the bars. We took a seat in the back of the restaurant, where our very friendly waiter swiftly took our orders and brought out a large basket of freshly-made rolls. We immediately felt at ease in this homey environment and sensed the stress of the day
melt away as we slathered farm fresh butter on our soft baked rolls. Riddle’s has a diverse menu that changes daily and is largely composed of locally grown organic ingredients. It was difficult to decide, but after some careful thought we decided to start our meal with some of their “HoMade” chili and a fresh garden salad. The chili came with large, flavorful kidney beans, hearty chunks of green pepper and grass-fed Missouri beef cut into thick chunks. The steak did not taste like typical ground beef, which can be bland and lose composition in a hearty chili. Instead, this meat was flavorful and juicy and perfectly accompanied by fresh peppers in the stew’s spicy, deeply flavored sauce. The salad was the typical garden salad one would expect, but perfectly fresh and paired with a delicious homemade spicy Italian dressing. Picking entrées proved to be a seemingly difficult decision. Since we’d been to Riddle’s before, however, we already knew that all the vegetables served
were of top quality. Therefore, we felt inclined to try the vegetable plate, which comes with your choice of four of the day’s vegetables. The platter arrived looking somewhat akin to a kindergartener’s collage—the brightly colored vegetables lined up next to each other looked like a rainbow of bounty. All the vegetables were full of flavor and tasted very fresh. Carrots with an amaretto di saronno glaze arrived tender but not overcooked with a sweetness that was just right for the tender root vegetables. Perfectly roasted beets won the award of the night for “best dressed,” sitting in a deep magenta sour cream sauce that provided a tangy counterpart to the sweet red slices. Butternut squash baked with butter and cinnamon and brussel sprouts with pine nuts and shallot butter were equally delicious. These homegrown vegetables had a rich and flavorful taste that even a meat lover could enjoy. For our second dish we had the Chicken Rose, one of the regulars on the Riddle’s menu.
MARGOT DANKNER | STUDENT LIFE
Stepping Outer Alexa Nathanson enjoys the collage of flavors at nearby Riddle’s Penultimate on the Loop. The juicy chicken breast was served in a sweet and sour wine sauce dotted with onions and peppers. It was so good that it disappeared in just a few minutes. Although full, we were not ready to brave the cold and our work, so we decided to look at the dessert menu. We were not surprised to see that all the ice cream and many of the desserts were homemade. After some debate over whether to order chocolate or raspberry sauce, we decided to get raspberry sauce (made with rasp-
berries from a Missouri farm, of course) on top of French vanilla ice cream. We also were in the mood for something warm so we ordered apple cinnamon and peppermint tea. The tea came on a charming platter with a small silver tea pot that held extra water. The tea was not store-brand, pre-packaged tea, but instead tasted like Riddle’s own. We had a wonderful time sitting there and talking as we sipped our teas. The dessert was just as good as the entrées. The raspberries had the same fresh flavorful taste
as the vegetables. It was a lovely, relaxing evening meal amidst a stressful, busy week. And although the weather outside was frightful, our experience at Riddle’s was delightful. This is definitely our favorite restaurant in the Loop and one of our favorites in St. Louis. Riddle’s also has an impressive wine menu, voted as “the best in town” by the Riverfront Times. We suggest checking out the bar to sample their wine and to hear some good live music.