| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Off topic: What's your favorite store/chain/brand in the world for 'translation' coffee? Thread poster: Preston Decker
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I'm from the Boston area, and when I'm home, hold true to my roots and go for an Iced Coffee from Dunkin Donuts 80%+ of the time for my 'translation' coffee.
When I'm not home in the States, I live in a medium-sized, seaside city in China that is full of small, cozy coffee shops, but still prefer Starbucks frappuccinos for my 'translation' coffee, mostly because they bring back memories of home, but also because Starbuck's wifi is dependable, it's relatively comfortable and they do... See more I'm from the Boston area, and when I'm home, hold true to my roots and go for an Iced Coffee from Dunkin Donuts 80%+ of the time for my 'translation' coffee.
When I'm not home in the States, I live in a medium-sized, seaside city in China that is full of small, cozy coffee shops, but still prefer Starbucks frappuccinos for my 'translation' coffee, mostly because they bring back memories of home, but also because Starbuck's wifi is dependable, it's relatively comfortable and they don't allow smoking inside. I save the other coffee places for leisure, non-translation occasions.
Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts? The choice between the two is pretty simple: give me a D&D's iced coffee and a glass of extra ice, and I'll be happy any day of the week.
Some advice for your D&D's iced coffee: 1. Go for the extra ice. Sucking on the ice (don't chew!) prolongs your drink for an extra hour, and you can even put in a dollop of ice cream over the ice to really give yourself a treat. 2. Understand that Dunkin Donuts is far more than a mere chain. Nay, it is a cultural experience. Put it this way, going to Boston and not enjoying a Dunkin Donuts is akin to visiting New York and not visiting whatever that statue is out in the bay. And what better way to fit a bit of 'culture' in your life than stopping in at a Dunkin Donuts in some out of the way, forsaken place far from Boston-California or Bangkok are some places that come to mind here.
Enough from me- anybody else have a favorite coffee place/chain/brand?
[Edited at 2013-10-14 11:04 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Home-brewed Fairtrade | Oct 14, 2013 |
I discovered the Danish Coop's Fairtrade Nicaragua coffee when I worked in-house. I did not know at first what we brewed - but it tasted good, sometimes better than others. When it was my turn to go and buy new supplies, I asked about what we had been drinking, and was told a couple of brands, but the one I really liked was this Fair Trade brew.
My husband does not drink coffee, so I brew a whole pot in the morning, drink a cupful, and let the rest get cold. I warm up a cupful at a... See more I discovered the Danish Coop's Fairtrade Nicaragua coffee when I worked in-house. I did not know at first what we brewed - but it tasted good, sometimes better than others. When it was my turn to go and buy new supplies, I asked about what we had been drinking, and was told a couple of brands, but the one I really liked was this Fair Trade brew.
My husband does not drink coffee, so I brew a whole pot in the morning, drink a cupful, and let the rest get cold. I warm up a cupful at a time in the microwave during the day - and it still tastes freshly brewed.
I also make instant coffee when I'm in a hurry. Again, I went for the flavour first, but discovered to my delight that it is Fair Trade.
Café Direct Classic has a rounder, less bitter flavour than many of the other brands. I buy supplies for several months when I visit the UK, to take back to Denmark.
When out, I go for some of the special-blend coffees, or ask for tea. Costa is more bitter than I really like, and Starbuck's have apparently developed an odd idea that it is not safe to sell coffee hot. Their thick mugs suck the last heat out of it, and it is lukewarm to cold unless gulped down. It helps slightly if you can have a cardboard cup 'to go'.
One branch of Morrison's I visit now and then still has great coffee, though the rest of the café has gone downhill since they took over from Safeway.
I don't like iced coffee except on really, really hot days, so I only drink that occasionally.
[Edited at 2013-10-14 12:57 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:51
Member (2008)
Italian to English
When I went to live in Italy (many years ago....) one of the first things I was taught is that unless you want to have a heart attack, you should only have 2, maximum 3 cups of espresso per day, and sip it slowly, savouring the flavour.
Twice a day I make myself a cup of espresso. Lavazza Qualità Rossa.
Time for my second cup !
P.S. I have never been in a Starbuck's in my life and I intend to keep it that way.
[Edited at 2013-10-14 15:48 GMT]
| | | | Kay Denney 
France
Local time: 05:51
French to English
| Italy, Costa, Italy again | Oct 14, 2013 |
Tom in London wrote:
When I went to live in Italy (many years ago....) one of the first things I was taught is that unless you want to have a heart attack, you should only have 2, maximum 3 cups of espresso per day, and sip it slowly, savouring the flavour.
Twice a day I make myself a cup of espresso. Lavazza Qualità Rossa.
Time for my second cup !
[Edited at 2013-10-14 14:31 GMT]
Ah Italy! But why on earth would anyone have an espresso when you can have capuccino???
As for Costas who seem to have taken Britain by storm, sorry, don't like. Like all these faceless chains, it's a place where if you order a cup of tea, you get offered all sorts of fancy stuff. Last time I went, I actually got mad with the poor guy behind the counter. English as they come, but he had to trot out an unlikely list of flavours designed to enhance my tea-drinking experience. I cut him short and said "just give me a proper cup of tea". He was about to launch into his list again but I bulldozed on with "like your Mum makes". At which point he decided to use a bit of nous and suggested an English Breakfast.
I had to drive on and took the cup along to drink a bit later, then was furious when I realised he hadn't put milk in it. Of course, the "tea-drinking experience" involves picking up the little carton first doesn't it!
At the risk of sounding like my dad, you can tell the country's going to the dogs when you can't even get a proper cup of tea.
At home (best place for tea or coffee) we have an Italian coffee machine without those pesky pallets, which even grinds the beans, making mornings delightful. And my tea and coffee are both fair trade, as a matter of principle, because the taste is just the same as far as I can tell.
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Daniel Bird
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:51
German to English
| No affiliation here | Oct 14, 2013 |
but HasBean do some cracking roasts to order online and I've a hometown favourite in Climpson and Sons.
Someone crank up the Moka Express I need a double !
| | | | Phil Hand
China
Local time: 11:51
Chinese to English
| UBS does surprisingly good coffee | Oct 14, 2013 |
I used to go to UBS to get out of the house to translate sometimes, and for a while they had an amazing range of really good coffees. I think they've streamlined the range since then, but what they've got is still pretty good.
At home, my wife's just bought a capsule espresso machine, but I can't take to it. I've settled on a Douwe Egberts instant that I really like, and it takes a really good coffee to beat that.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:51
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Texte Style wrote:
.... why on earth would anyone have an espresso when you can have capuccino
Because capuccino is only ever drunk at breakfast, or perhaps at other times in winter, if it's very cold outside.
The really disgusting thing that tourists do: order a capuccino at the end of a meal. Like eating bread with pasta, that's an absolute no-no !
[Edited at 2013-10-14 16:57 GMT]
| | | | | You're so right! | Oct 14, 2013 |
Texte Style wrote:
...
As for Costas who seem to have taken Britain by storm, sorry, don't like. Like all these faceless chains, it's a place where if you order a cup of tea, you get offered all sorts of fancy stuff. ... an unlikely list of flavours designed to enhance my tea-drinking experience.
I had to drive on and took the cup along to drink a bit later, then was furious when I realised he hadn't put milk in it. Of course, the "tea-drinking experience" involves picking up the little carton first doesn't it!
At the risk of sounding like my dad, you can tell the country's going to the dogs when you can't even get a proper cup of tea.
...
We ex-pat British used to tell each other: 'You've been in Denmark too long when you accept their tea - full of weeds and dead flowers, made in the cup with the water off the boil, and no milk...'
My son calls that kind 'flower water' (blomstervand) to this day!
My father-in-law's response when offered tea was: 'No thanks, I'm not ill!' (Chamomile tea is supposed to be good for invalids...)
The other response was: 'You know why the English drink tea - when you've tasted their coffee!'
We used to love stocking up with Darjeeling, Keemun and Gunpowder at Cardew's in Oxford Market.
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| Douwe Egberts for sure | Oct 14, 2013 |
I always hated the taste and smell of coffee untill my military training. There was just coffee, nothing else, in the field. I drank it with lots of sugar and evwn more creamy milk. Now I need two or three cups of coffee to wake me up. Around 10 again and nowadays without the sugar. I like capuccino and macchiato with all kinds of flavours, like caramel or almond.
Douwe Egberts is a Dutch brand with a strong taste. We have a great coffee machine that crushes beans, makes macchiato, capucc... See more I always hated the taste and smell of coffee untill my military training. There was just coffee, nothing else, in the field. I drank it with lots of sugar and evwn more creamy milk. Now I need two or three cups of coffee to wake me up. Around 10 again and nowadays without the sugar. I like capuccino and macchiato with all kinds of flavours, like caramel or almond.
Douwe Egberts is a Dutch brand with a strong taste. We have a great coffee machine that crushes beans, makes macchiato, capuccino, espresso, ristretto and .....tea.
[Edited at 2013-10-15 04:33 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 05:51
French to English
| English tea! | Oct 14, 2013 |
Christine Andersen wrote:
We ex-pat British used to tell each other: 'You've been in Denmark too long when you accept their tea - full of weeds and dead flowers, made in the cup with the water off the boil, and no milk...'
My son calls that kind 'flower water' (blomstervand) to this day!
My father-in-law's response when offered tea was: 'No thanks, I'm not ill!' (Chamomile tea is supposed to be good for invalids...)
The other response was: 'You know why the English drink tea - when you've tasted their coffee!'
We used to love stocking up with Darjeeling, Keemun and Gunpowder at Cardew's in Oxford Market.
You just reminded me of a hilariously British scene.
I was taking my French boyfriend to stay at my parents'. We crossed London but when we got to Liverpool Street it was CLOSED FOR THE WEEKEND. So we had to venture out to Stratford in the hopes of getting a train.
My French boyfriend was amazed at the fact that the Brits were just getting on with it. Major Monopoly board railway station closed? OK we go to Stratford. He said if the Gare du Nord were to close for a weekend there would be pandemonium and he was quite right. The only complaint we heard was a guy whose mate had just come back from the cafeteria with some hot drinks: "If it's coffee you brought me, bring me tea, if it's tea, bring me coffee"
(And in case you're worried about whether we ever got to our destination, we were told a train going to my home town would be along at 10.20. A train duly rolled in at exactly 10.20 (of course, I should have been suspicious at that!), no intelligible announcements were made, we got on anyway and of course it went right through my station and we had to get another train back, but we mustn't grumble hey, we're Brits!)
| | | | Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 21:51
Dutch to English
+ ...
| Only in Canada eh? | Oct 15, 2013 |
We have a chain called Second Cup and one called Good Earth, neither as popular as Starbucks but both have really good coffee. At home I use Melitta, my favorite brand for many years. I make a large pot mid- morning that takes me through the day. I don't drink much tea, except for a cup of Jasmine green for breakfast.
| | | | | A 3 liter bottle of Mountain Dew | Oct 15, 2013 |
I don't drink coffee and rarely drink tea. My caffeine of choice is Mountain Dew, or one of its many knockoffs. My local convenience store knows me as "the guy that speaks like 10 languages and is fueled by carbonated beverages".
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Alison Sabedoria (X)
United Kingdom
French to English
+ ...
| No chains here! | Oct 15, 2013 |
Just a dozen little independent bars and cafés.
On work days, coffee is usually at home, either with breakfast or mid-morning. My favourite at the moment a recent discovery: Carrefour's fair-trade organic. They do a "strong" grade that hits the mark.
If the schedule is fairly relaxed, I sometimes meet a friend for coffee in town. Two cafés roast their own beans, a couple of others serve very good coffee, a few I avoid (mostly for the atmosphere and clientele).
| | | | | Portugal, too | Oct 15, 2013 |
Christine Andersen wrote:
We ex-pat British used to tell each other: 'You've been in Denmark too long when you accept their tea - full of weeds and dead flowers, made in the cup with the water off the boil, and no milk...'
My son calls that kind 'flower water' (blomstervand) to this day!
My father-in-law's response when offered tea was: 'No thanks, I'm not ill!' (Chamomile tea is supposed to be good for invalids...)
The other response was: 'You know why the English drink tea - when you've tasted their coffee!'
We used to love stocking up with Darjeeling, Keemun and Gunpowder at Cardew's in Oxford Market.
Same in Portugal. After too many Portuguese expressos (they don't sip them, they swallow them - 6 or more a day) I was really getting ill and changed for tea, the British way - with milk. If I enter a café to order a cup of tea, it is usually a complicated business (tea? never heard of that), and eventually (Ah - it's those paper bags with herbs inside!) I will be offered all kinds of herby, flowery things. Many times there is no common black tea to be ordered at all (unless one lives in any area where the British have passed, like Douro or Beira Interior). If there is real tea, I have to make sure they don't just pour the milk in together with the water. ("With a little bit of milk in an extra glass" helps to get it right.). I prefer to drink my tea at home.
Coffee chains? Never, I entered one only once in my life and ran out again immediately. Too confusing.
| | | | PAS
Local time: 05:51
Polish to English
+ ...
Don't mean to sound mean, but I never, ever drink coffee in any place that serves it in a paper cup. There is absolutely nothing more foul than drinking coffee with a deep note of environmentally friendly recycled cardboard.
The best coffee I recall ever was served to me in a greasy gas (petrol, if you prefer ) station in Italy, somewhere close to the seacoast and the French border.
At home I use a classic... See more Don't mean to sound mean, but I never, ever drink coffee in any place that serves it in a paper cup. There is absolutely nothing more foul than drinking coffee with a deep note of environmentally friendly recycled cardboard.
The best coffee I recall ever was served to me in a greasy gas (petrol, if you prefer ) station in Italy, somewhere close to the seacoast and the French border.
At home I use a classic Italian Zanzibar coffee machine (the kind you put on a stove). I don't know how old it is, but it belonged to my Grandfather.
I buy Lavazza's Qualita d'Oro, I also find Tchibo coffees quite good (not the supermarket brands, but the ones they sell by weight in their own stores).
I like my coffee very strong, but I always add a bit of milk and sugar, so I drink it in a larger cup than the typical espresso.
And I don't drink very much each day. A cup of instant coffee in the morning (yes, I am not without sin!) and a cup after dinner in the afternoon. I almost never drink coffee at work.
Cheers,
Paweł ▲ Collapse
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