Lately, I’ve been checking out a lot of new coffee shops. When I’m not in school, I like to study Chinese. Unfortunately, if I’m anywhere near my computer or in my bedroom, I get absolutely nothing done. So, I’ve been trying to find some good coffee shops where I can study Chinese and sip on some deliciousness.
When I first mentioned to my Taiwanese friend Michael that I was planning on going to Tainan for New Year’s weekend, he said that when he went he yi zhi chi yi zhi chi. In English that means that he was constantly eating. He reminisced that they would go eat one thing and then his friend would say, “but save room for more later, you have to eat this;” afterwards, they would go eat some new small eat.
It’s official. It’s impossible to find a good cup of coffee here in Taiwan. I miss Crema. I find myself often at cafes since I get tired of my apartment and I’m a lot more ?? (hard-working) when I’m away from the Internet. But, I’m always disappointed in the espresso drinks here. Sure, they sweeten them like crazy and it tastes like a great creamy dessert, but it’s nothing like the latte’s of Nashville.
If anyone knows where I can get a solid cup of coffee or a masterfully-poured latte, please let me know.
I’m not really a fan of Starbucks, but I can’t deny that they have the most convenient hours and locations. So, I went to Starbucks to get some work done while getting my daily dose of caffeine and ordered a grande iced coffee. There I am, sitting next to the window just doing some work, minding my own business, when the lady that rung up my order comes over to talk with me. In appearance she seemed Chinese and somewhere between her mid-40s to 50s (you can never really tell with Asians, seriously). She asked where I was from and I shared how I don’t speak Mandarin because my mom and dad speak different dialects of Chinese and she shared how she understood Cantonese and Mandarin.
Next thing I know, she’s offering me a free refill on coffee. I politely reply, “Oh, it’s okay, I don’t want too much caffeine” (true story, by the way, since Starbucks basically injects extra caffeine to keep Consumer USA up and running). She then offers that the next time I come to Starbucks she can give me a drink for free. I thank her and then go on doing my business. I turn around, and she’s back, offering me a complimentary lemon tart (which was pretty delicious, too). I was so taken aback by my interaction with her; if she weren’t an old Asian lady, I’d say she was hitting on me!
From my small conversation with her, there was a sense of minority connection–or more specifically Chinese connection. We didn’t even exchange names; although, in hindsight I regret not asking. But, I really have been noticing one of the great blessings of Chinese culture is that sense of family ownership. I mean, think about how pretty much every Taiwanese living in the DC metro area knows every other Taiwanese person here. There was some immediate sense of almost shared experiences and community just because of our Chinese or Taiwanese heritage.
The past few weeks, I’ve been reminded of a conversation I had about cultures in God’s kingdom with a friend. Sometimes I don’t think we see our culture or race or heritage as a blessing from the Lord or even something that should be seen or discussed. But, just as our gender has a role in God’s kingdom, so does our race and ethnicity. They are purposeful blessings that we should use to further God’s kingdom not just ignore.
As many of you know, I love coffee and espresso. I enjoy a fresh cup of coffee or a carefully pulled espresso coupled with exquisite steamed milk pouring. The art of pouring the hot steamed milk on top of the espresso is often referred to as latte art. Rosettas and hearts are very common depictions. Many, possibly bored or adventurous baristas, have also tried other forms like dragons, bunny rabbits, butterflies, etc. All delicious & tasty.
But apparently that wasn’t satisfying enough. It seems that the next step, soon to be introduced, is the Latte Art Printer, patented and developed by OnLatte, Inc. continue reading »
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