Comments on: Personal History: My Two-Year Journey Into the Caffeine Desert http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/2007/01/giving-up-coffee/ Rants and Raves on Espresso Sat, 22 Nov 2008 06:56:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Case Larsen http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/2007/01/giving-up-coffee/#comment-3294 Case Larsen Sun, 04 Nov 2007 18:31:09 +0000 http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/?p=341#comment-3294 I went down the road of cutting out all caffeine for two months -- i.e. not even decaf coffee which still has caffeine, chocolate or foods containing chocolate (think mole sauce). It didn't make me feel any better and I still had a craving for chocolate when I remembered how good it tasted - memories prompted by seeing the food on the shelves. It's hard to live caffeine free when most desserts and even savory foods have chocolate in them. So i'm back on the chocolate, but still on decaf. I went down the road of cutting out all caffeine for two months — i.e. not even decaf coffee which still has caffeine, chocolate or foods containing chocolate (think mole sauce). It didn’t make me feel any better and I still had a craving for chocolate when I remembered how good it tasted - memories prompted by seeing the food on the shelves.

It’s hard to live caffeine free when most desserts and even savory foods have chocolate in them.

So i’m back on the chocolate, but still on decaf.

]]> By: Richard http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/2007/01/giving-up-coffee/#comment-2923 Richard Fri, 22 Jun 2007 17:44:01 +0000 http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/?p=341#comment-2923 You made an interesting point on <a href="http://www.sixthdig.com" rel="nofollow">my site</a>, in response to <a href="http://www.sixthdig.com/2007/06/21/an-uncaffeinated-lifestyle/" rel="nofollow">uncaffeinated lifestyle article</a>, about people's opinions about decaffeinated coffee being a potential litmus test for whether they treat coffee as a drug or as something consumed for pleasure. Unfortunately for me, it's a bit of both. I enjoy decaffeinated drinks but (at times) can really use the stimulating effects. Sounds like you and I have gone down similar roads in trying to kind a place for caffeine and coffee in our lives. I know I'm struggling with their roles in my current life, and I'm eager to see where I'll end up. Anyways, for anybody else interested, here is an article I wrote. Greg has a great comment: <a href="http://www.sixthdig.com/2007/06/21/an-uncaffeinated-lifestyle/" rel="nofollow">http://www.sixthdig.com/2007/06/21/an-uncaffeinated-lifestyle/</a> You made an interesting point on my site, in response to uncaffeinated lifestyle article, about people’s opinions about decaffeinated coffee being a potential litmus test for whether they treat coffee as a drug or as something consumed for pleasure. Unfortunately for me, it’s a bit of both. I enjoy decaffeinated drinks but (at times) can really use the stimulating effects.

Sounds like you and I have gone down similar roads in trying to kind a place for caffeine and coffee in our lives. I know I’m struggling with their roles in my current life, and I’m eager to see where I’ll end up.

Anyways, for anybody else interested, here is an article I wrote. Greg has a great comment:

http://www.sixthdig.com/2007/06/21/an-uncaffeinated-lifestyle/

]]> By: Espresso News and Reviews - TheShot.coffeeratings.com » Espresso done right is intense — a full-bodied, stop-time moment to savor http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/2007/01/giving-up-coffee/#comment-485 Espresso News and Reviews - TheShot.coffeeratings.com » Espresso done right is intense — a full-bodied, stop-time moment to savor Thu, 11 Jan 2007 08:13:28 +0000 http://theshot.coffeeratings.com/?p=341#comment-485 [...] Unfortunately, conventional wisdom in this country suggests that espresso is a “hot, bitter brew” — with the maximum caffeinated effect. This reflects just how poor the American cultural standard for espresso really is. I would argue that if it’s hot and bitter, you’re not drinking espresso — you’re drinking something else. In a country where our beverage choices are either “freezing” or “scalding”, espresso should be served a touch closer to room temperature. And if it’s bitter, whoever made it likely over-extracted the shot, and it should be sent back like a corked wine. [...] [...] Unfortunately, conventional wisdom in this country suggests that espresso is a “hot, bitter brew” — with the maximum caffeinated effect. This reflects just how poor the American cultural standard for espresso really is. I would argue that if it’s hot and bitter, you’re not drinking espresso — you’re drinking something else. In a country where our beverage choices are either “freezing” or “scalding”, espresso should be served a touch closer to room temperature. And if it’s bitter, whoever made it likely over-extracted the shot, and it should be sent back like a corked wine. [...]

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