Fall Colors Canadian Style - Giving Thanks pre-Election day · Monday October 13, 2008 by colin newell
On a recent trip to the U.S.A. I spoke with quite a few folks standing in the queue to get on the boat back to Victoria – We had just spent the weekend in Seattle, Washington – arguably one of the coolest, sweetest, hippest and politically savvy cities in the Union – perhaps in North America – and we had a productive visit to Coffee-Fest – and we were coming home.
People misunderstand Americans. Especially from a global perspective. And unless you can actually reach out and touch one, you really do not understand what they are all about. What they are, from my observations, are really hard on themselves – especially these days. Their economy is in the tank and it is effecting economies Worldwide – and their military adventures have been less than successful this decade.
And yet I like Americans – virtually every one I have ever met. And they return the favor. What I experienced, more than anything else, was their thankfulness to be living next to a peaceful country like Canada – apparently we influence them on some level – at least that is what I was told.
Well thanks.
Canadians are so different, we celebrate Thanksgiving earlier… weeks earlier – this weekend in fact.
This weekend we give thanks – for what is left of our retirement savings… if we are brave enough to look. Thanks to our government and financial institutions for being regulated enough not to find ourselves in the mess that our friends to the South are experiencing. Thanks.
Thanks that we have a roof over our head. Thanks that the people around us are reasonably healthy. We live in a city that has seen increasing issues with poverty and homelessness. I give thanks to those who work tirelessly to solve some of these challenges. To those alone in this city, living without family – on a day where one could get seriously depressed being reminded what they do not have – I offer them best wishes and hope for the future.
To fate. That gave me two strong arms and a healthy body… once again, I say thanks.
Tomorrow we have a federal election – a democratic process that I have learned to appreciate during my life. Thank you to those who fought for this.
Oh yea. In the picture above. Thanks to the Irish Times pub that let us split a burger for lunch – along with a couple of small glasses of beer. A tribute, if you would, to those that have little.
Thanks.
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Fall Colors Canadian Style - Specialty coffee in a failing marketplace · Monday September 29, 2008 by colin newell
The last few radio appearances that I have done have focused on one thing – Specialty coffee consumption during shaky financial times.
“What do people do when their financial portfolio starts to shrink? How does it effect their consuming habits?”
Interestingly, specialty coffee, like lattes and cappuccinos are the first to go in times of money trouble.
“Why is that?” Well – Coffee… the good stuff that is, is largely considered a luxury item… a treat, if you would… and people, rich and poor – regardless of how wealthy or poor they are, generally cut back on the coffees, the cupcakes, the muffins, the lunches out and so on. It should not be too surprising that coffee is near the top of the heap when it comes to items than can be trimmed…
“Why?”
Because it is easy to sub in the caffeine somewhere else… cheaper… and still get that kick without the kick in the pocketbook. I mean, it would be nice to have a great cup of coffee everyday – but if there is a crunch, there is always way to make a cheaper cup and achieve the primary objective…
“Which is…?”
Brace yourselves folks… The clear majority of North Americans drink their coffee for the caffeine kick. And you can find that kick in Folgers, many cheaper grocers brands, super-store coffee at $1.99 a pound and yes, even the dreaded instant coffee.
In summary, the specialty coffee marketplace in North America is totally at the mercy of financial fluctuations – we have seen what happens to the megalith Starbucks when the tides turn. And that was months ago.
In late September of 2008, we have not hit the bottom of the barrel on Wall Street and Bay Street – we can, however see the bottom of a drying coffee pot.
Fall Colors Canadian Style - Boom or Bust in Coffee World · Saturday September 27, 2008 by colin newell
The local TV station, CHEK News arrived on campus on Thursday to have a chat with me… about coffee culture in Victoria.
I am not that much of a TV person. I mean, who is? But I did my best.
On Friday past, there were 25 or 30 local cafes that gave away mugs of coffee to downtown employees between the hours of opening and 10 AM. It was kind of an appreciation day.
The downtown Victoria business associations point was two-fold – express appreciation to Victoria residents that work down town, suburban residents that work downtown – and to make an eco point about people toting their mugs with them everywhere. The free coffee, after all, was for people with their own travel mugs. Good thing.
And CHEK TV’s questions? What is it about Victoria B.C. Canada that makes it such a hot-bed for coffee consumption?
Several things. Victoria is a government town. Victoria is a University town. Victoria is a college town. And it rains in Victoria – not a lot compared to Tofino, Ucluelet or Vancouver – but it rains. And rain makes great coffee.
We love our coffee. But why so many good and really good cafes? It cannot be just the weather – because the weather is not that bad. Seattle, to our South is arguably the coffee hot-bed of North America. Heck, they invented the latte.
Apparently we invented the London Fog – a beverage of steamed milk and Earl Grey Tea. Invented in Victoria no less. Now that is ironic.
Part of it, I think, is because Victoria B.C. Canada is one of the most desirable places to live in this country. You could say the same for Seattle… or Vancouver. We are a happy lot – perhaps happier… and coffee, generally the better coffee, makes people happier. And more alive. Even sexier perhaps… if I can be so bold.
I sat in Bubby Roses Bakery cafe this morning as the weather turned from gray to sunny and mild. I was chowing down on the best Challah French Toast and I noticed that everyone was ebullient, smiles on all the faces, everyone flirting with everyone else… couples smooching coyly in the line up for coffee, bakery and breakfast. It was contagious. Why today? Why here?
Currently, we are on the eve of a potential financial melt-down in international markets… And yet on Vancouver Island, there are more jobs than people, more hope than sadness, more optimism than pessimism. It is really an Island.
And what I was trying to introduce… before I was distracted by my own effervescence – was the fact that we are in the middle of our own caffeinated gold rush. If you have any interest in working in a cafe… or owning or building a cafe… now could be the time.
If anything… to our far flung readers that have always wondered about here, here being Vancouver Island… well, come on out for a visit. If you come to Victoria as a result of reading this blog, coffee is on me!
Oh yea. And the TV News interview? When they asked me why I live in Victoria?
“It’s the coffee, stupid!”
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Fall Colors Canadian Style - Chris and Steven let us down · Monday September 22, 2008 by colin newell
About a month ago we got a call from the CBC asking us to come to Toronto to appear on the Steven and Chris show – and like every other media outlet, newspaper and radio station, we bend over backwards to get the message out about specialty coffee. After all, it is our thing. The more we talk about the World of Coffee, the better it is for the people that actually work in the fields, on the farms, the coops and the processing factories – to bring you that cup of Joe that you love so dearly.
It is about the 12 million family members that grow coffee. Not us. Them.
That said, you had better make it worth while to travel several thousand miles to appear on a TV show for three minutes… which is why I deferred the task to the lovely Sara Lee Spector of Every Day Gourmet Coffee – because the CBC does not have a penny for guests who travel from places like Victoria B.C.
Anyway. Sara was somewhat apprehensive about this task because it would mean taking 4 to 6 hours out of her busy day – Along with her hard working staff, Sara is the production back-bone of Every Day Gourmet Coffee.
But that is OK. The CBC and the producers of the Steven and Chris show (like virtually every TV show I have ever dealt with…) promise the moon in exchange for some of our precious time. In Chris and Stevens case, their producer and videographer, Barbara, guaranteed a mention of Every Day Gourmet Coffee and the CoffeeCrew website for our trouble. Hey, I even blogged the event further back in my archive giving Chris and Steven a good dollop of free publicity.
Me being the perpetual cynic, I figured… “Sure, whatever…” TV shows on the CBC with their paper thin budgets will make any number of promises to get the volunteers they need – and we cannot fault them for that – especially when we expect this kind of cheesy treatment.
Anyway – it still burns me up a bit. I contacted the producer today and she said… “Well, this season we are not keying in credits during the show…”
Uhm. Hello. I watched the episode. You were keying in the name and credentials of the guests. What was so difficult about giving credit where it was due?
Oh wait. I know. At the end of the Steven and Chris show, they were giving away Tim Horton’s coffee to everyone on the show.
Tim Horton’s. After a wonderful lecture from Sara on what coffee is all about… We get an ad for Tim Horton’s.
Something smells here, and it isn’t good coffee.
Steven and Chris. You guys can do better than this.
Colin Newell lives and dreams in Victoria B.C. Canada on the West Coast of Canada. He believes in good food, good coffee and great friends. And this is the first in the Fall series of blogs on Food, Drink and Fun for the Fall.
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Summer food fun and drink - Kopi Luwak at Coffee Fest 2008 · Wednesday September 17, 2008 by colin newell
This has been the first time I have been to the United States of America since 2002. And
it was good. Very good.
Last Friday we hopped on a morning Clipper to Seattle and were there in a smooth 2 hours or so. The Victoria Clipper is like riding in a jet plane… on the water. Moving along at 30 knots in a high speed jet powered catamaran is a pretty neat way of getting around. It works. In combination with a Clipper Vacation weekend, it makes for a great pre-paid get-away where you can pick your hotel… and go.
We have stayed at the Roosevelt Hotel before so this one was no surprise. I personally like quaint old boutique hotels – and the Roos never lets us down. The rooms are a tad small and rough around the edges, but the place is squeaky clean – and it has Von’s Restaurant and Bar – and dang, I love that place!
Anyway – smooth trip down. Only hitch was, there was a cruise ship in or going out and there was a dearth of Yellow Cabs. We called the number on my cell and we had 3 in about 10 minutes – which was great because we had a fan club shortly after docking.
The ride to the Roosevelt from the Clipper dock is about 7 minutes if it is 5. Check-in was courteous, pleasant and a breeze. We show our chit and we are in. Same for the taxi. It is paid for. You pull your wallet for tips – that is pretty much it.
After getting settled in the hotel, it was off to the convention to pick up our conference bag and credential holder. Another breeze.
Walking onto the coffee fest floor for the first time ever was a total knock in the socks for me. The air is filled with coffee, caffeine, chocolate and love. The Love was in the room. For 30 bucks one could spend 3 days drinking coffee and espresso, tasting chocolate and smoothies and rubbing shoulders with some of the brightest in the business. How fun is that?
The social side of this event is killer – next year I am going to plan more and get involved with more stuff. As it happened, I met up with numerous coffee friends and Seattle area buddies and turned it into a marathon. Andrea and I had a great time and will do it again next year.
Highlights? Tasting the free samples of farmed Kopi Luwak. For those folks who do not know what Kopi Luwak is… Wiki it.
For me, drinking it – even the 2 fluid ounce sample I was provided was like… ahem… kissing my sister on the lips. Yea. It was that yucky. Two sips and I was rushing for a mango smoothie. I have read all kinds of glowing reports about this coffee – my opinion: It tasted wierd and generally off… not something I would actually pay for. I did discover a neat drink made with taro that was awesome. I could go on and on about the particulars of Coffee Fest, but I think I will save that for my coffee website.
Our new motto: We drink the Kopi Luwak so you don`t have to!
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