The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 09

[JessiQueVix]

Seems like a perfect place to hang out here. Though i am new to this coffee shop but not new to the Lit culture.
Hope everyone is in good health.

Hello to everyone.

 

[Carmina24]

Is this where stories brew stronger than the espresso?
Mind if I pull up a chair and sip on something warm—maybe conversation, maybe curiosity?

 

[JessiQueVix]

Is this where stories brew stronger than the espresso?
Mind if I pull up a chair and sip on something warm—maybe conversation, maybe curiosity?

May be you should sit on my table. I am here sitting alone while reading a book. I would love it if you sit with me.

 

[Candy_Kane54]

Welcome everyone! There's several tables to sit at and visit. We also have a cappuccino machine if you do want an espresso.

It's a rainy morning here and will probably rain on and off all day so a good day for writing. The new grass is peeking through the straw so I'll have to get out there soon to rake it up.

There's a fresh pot of coffee brewing and the teapot is hot for those who prefer tea. By the way, what's with the mushroom coffee being advertised? There are various pastries on the counter for anyone with a sweet tooth.

I'll be over in the corner working on my story between bouts of staring out the window. Feel free to say hi, but don't be surprised if it takes some effort to get my attention. When I'm engrossed in my writing, the world goes away ...

 

[NotWise]

There's a fresh pot of coffee brewing and the teapot is hot for those who prefer tea. By the way, what's with the mushroom coffee being advertised? There are various pastries on the counter for anyone with a sweet tooth.

I haven't experience mushroom coffee. If the product were local, then it would probably be psychedelic. You might need a prescription.

Welcome to the shop everyone! Tell us what you're curious about.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Welcome, @Carmina24! Welcome, @JessiQueVix!

It's a nice place to put your feet up and let your hair down. CK has taken over management since the lamented passing of our patron and she's one heck of a baker.

Edit. Just ignore the rumblings in the basement. The dragon is useful on occasion.

 

[Carmina24]

Welcome, @Carmina24! Welcome, @JessiQueVix!

It's a nice place to put your feet up and let your hair down. CK has taken over management since the lamented passing of our patron and she's one heck of a baker.

Edit. Just ignore the rumblings in the basement. The dragon is useful on occasion.

Thank you for your warm welcome!
Hello, JessiQueVix

 

[TheRedLantern]

I haven't experience mushroom coffee. If the product were local, then it would probably be psychedelic

Hmm, I'll take 2 of these if they're psychedelic. One for now, and the other one in the coffee mug I take to meetings.

 

[filthytrancendence]

By the way, what's with the mushroom coffee being advertised?

Just a guess, and I'm loathe to even say this out loud, but there's all sorts of problems around the sustainability of coffee in its current form, from ecological to economic and ethical. Very likely companies are testing replacements preemptively to see what works.

 

[MrPixel]

Imitation coffee. Yummy. (Wretch!)

I guess it might not matter to Starbucks, etc., aficionados where the beverage of choice is some manner of burnt-coffee-flavored milkshake, but for those of us who prefer the real thing without accoutrements, I'll pay the price. My supply is good for six months or so, so we'll see where we are in 2026.

 

[iwatchus]

Welcome everyone. Seems a little more crowded today.

 

[MrPixel]

Welcome everyone. Seems a little more crowded today.

You're in my spot!

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Just a guess, and I'm loathe to even say this out loud, but there's all sorts of problems around the sustainability of coffee in its current form, from ecological to economic and ethical. Very likely companies are testing replacements preemptively to see what works.

At the risk of bringing politics into the discussion, the trade dispute between the USA and Brazil seems to be heating up. Brazil is the largest coffee supplier to the USA, is under threat of tariffs and Mr Trump has just announced a 50% additional one. Mushrooms might be seen as an alternative, I guess. Ick.

 

[iwatchus]

I will stick with my tea, thank you.

 

[filthytrancendence]

Imitation coffee. Yummy. (Wretch!)

I guess it might not matter to Starbucks, etc., aficionados where the beverage of choice is some manner of burnt-coffee-flavored milkshake, but for those of us who prefer the real thing without accoutrements, I'll pay the price. My supply is good for six months or so, so we'll see where we are in 2026.

Being snobbish about one's favored preparation of coffee is a time-honored tradition. I expect it will continue in some form or other no matter what happens.

Personally, I'm team french press. You can't carry an espresso machine around with you, and pour-over feels to much like a rube-goldberg machine to me. French press strikes the right balance of portability to pretentiousness for me. Perhaps I'll join team espresso if and when I enter a less nomadic chapter of my life.

At the risk of bringing politics into the discussion, the trade dispute between the USA and Brazil seems to be heating up. Brazil is the largest coffee supplier to the USA, is under threat of tariffs and Mr Trump has just announced a 50% additional one. Mushrooms might be seen as an alternative, I guess. Ick.

Indeed. That was the economic factor I was alluding to. But even if that doesn't do it, there's a host of longer-term problems waiting in line behind to disrupt coffee culture. And since we're not keen on solving long-term problems as a species, I expect that's only a matter of time.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I've never heard of mushroom coffee. Chicory was used as a coffee substitute in Britain before and during WWII, but rapidly vanished except for bottles of 'Camp Coffee', basically thick coffee-flavoured liquid. It only really exists for cooking - I've only used the stuff for making undrinkably-shit whisky into drinkable fake Bailey's.

Loads of local coffee roasters in London now - no point in grinding ourselves when we can just buy it freshly-ground from a cafe up the road.

Cafetières are great (what Yanks call French presses), but I have to admit an Aeropress takes up less space if making one mug, and is way easier to clean. Geeks have come up with various theories on the best method, but that's getting too obscure for me.

 

[filthytrancendence]

Chicory was used as a coffee substitute in Britain before and during WWII

Sadly, a lot of the brown liquid that is called 'coffee' by us Yanks is still chicory. Folgers and Maxwell House and their ilk is chicory coffee, which has the advantage of being dirt cheap and so is still ubiquitous in the workplace, even if it is fairly rare at home.

Anyway, I loathe the stuff. Reminds me of a half dozen jobs I'd rather forget I had. Also tastes like battery acid mixed with humus.

 

[TheRedLantern]

I have a container of Maxwell House coffee grounds nearby and the ingredients just say 100% pure coffee. Is that "chicory coffee," @filthytrancendence ? Or would they have to list the ingredients as something different?

Also tastes like battery acid mixed with humus

I can confirm that what I'm drinking and what you're talking about at least taste the same.

 

[MrPixel]

I just flashed on the coffee substitute that has been incorporated into the breakfast bar at a certain hotel chain here in the states. The dispenser looks more or less like a soft drink fountain. It dispenses the foulest, most vile swill you could ever imagine. It was clearly syrup-based, which has been the trend in serving brewed non-carbonated beverages in casual environments for several years - iced tea, for instance (also swill).

The coffee was our last straw with this particular chain and affiliates. I guess in the travel industry they are testing the same service theory the airlines operate under - no matter how bad we treat the customer, they have few or no alternatives. That particular experience was at least 5 years ago (B.C. - before COVID), and we have not darkened their doors since.

 

[NuclearFairy]

I've heard of roasted hazelnuts and chicory as coffee substitutes, but mushroom?

Although my kids juice pouches seem to be escaping the creep of fake sugars via mushroom extract.

 

[filthytrancendence]

Is that "chicory coffee,"

To my knowledge, yes. I'm not versed in the FDA regs on what you can call coffee on a label, but the battery acid don't lie.

 

[JessiQueVix]

Welcome, @Carmina24! Welcome, @JessiQueVix!

It's a nice place to put your feet up and let your hair down. CK has taken over management since the lamented passing of our patron and she's one heck of a baker.

Edit. Just ignore the rumblings in the basement. The dragon is useful on occasion.

Its nice to meet u too. Hope that we all will have a great time here

 

[NotWise]

I will stick with my tea, thank you.

Have you made it home yet?

 

[iwatchus]

Thanks, I did last night, just in time to reclaim our cats. Unfortunately, my father just passed away. At least we were all there with him for the weekend. I suspect he had been hanging on for that.

 

[NotWise]

Thanks, I did last night, just in time to reclaim our cats. Unfortunately, my father just passed away. At least we were all there with him for the weekend. I suspect he had been hanging on for that.

Glad you're home, but sorry to hear about your dad. My maternal grandfather passed the same way, shortly after a family reunion.