CoffeeGeek Podcast 033 - The Newbie Show!

Show Notes Newbie Show: Today’s guests, Beata Siwinski and Julie! (1:52) Beata and Julie ask Mark their coffee questions: When did people first start drinking coffee? (3:29) - A brief history of coffee: Mark describes the discovery of coffee and the rise of coffee’s popularity throughout Arabia and Western Europe (3:50) - A very brief history of espresso: Mark describes the development of modern espresso and the first spring-loaded piston espresso machine in 1947 by Achilles Gaggia (9:08) When were cappuccinos and lattes first created? (12:13) - History of the cappuccino:  Mark traces the creation of the cappuccino from the French café au lait in the mid-1800s to the development of the steam wand in 1910. Some discussion about Caffe Reggio (NYC)'s claim to inventing the drink. The Coffee Scene in Italy - Espresso, cappuccino, lattes and cafe correcto: Julie’s coffee experiences in Italy (14:29) - The Italian café scene: not so many laptops (16:31) - Features that Mark, Julie and Beata would like to see in local cafes (18:11) Why are some coffees stronger than others? Should you add salt to get rid of bitterness in coffee? (27:01) - Different tastes reflect differences in coffees and differences in roasts Will there be more newbie podcasts (perhaps about the importance of proper grind)? (31:30) - Yes!