The Devil's Cup is a great book.

We get great coffee here in New Zealand. Lots of fair trade and organic roasts to choose from. Although over here cafe's are normally full of hipsters or middle/upper class twits or business people. There's still a few cool places around though.

coffee, the arty bean

Other cafes evolved into centers for the arts and sciences. Isaac Newton hung out at the Grecian Coffeehouse; Will’s Cafe was the haunt of writers like Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope and painters like Hogarth frequented Old Slaughter’s.

Intelligent people discussing interesting things in an intelligible manner. Quite a concept. Coffeehouses had made civilized conversation into a popular sport.
-from stewart lee allen’s the devil’s cup

stewart lee allen-
"The Net is the latest manifestation, or equivalent, of the coffeehouse as a social institution, a place where anybody can gather, regardless of social standing, and exchange intelligible opinions."

coffee and america

Like their counterparts in Mother England, America’s colonial cafe’s quickly developed a reputation for brewing bad coffee and big business. Boston’s Merchant Coffeehouse was the scene of the first public stock auction, while Wall St.’s Tontine Coffeehouse became the New York Stock Exchange.
-from stewart lee allen’s the devil’s cup

jules michelet
For this sparkling outburst of creative thought [the Enlightenment] there is no doubt that the honor should be ascribed in part to the great event which created new customs and even changed the human temperament- the advent of coffee.

what happened to all of those olde english coffee houses?
Essentially, England, […] had failed to acquire any significant coffee-growing plantations. […] This meant that every cup of java downed by British subjects put money in the pockets of European competitors. […] So the Brits began trading Indian opium for Chinese tea. […] and Europe’s first great cafe society became an historical footnote.

But first!…

The women of London found these scenarios of withered and flaccid manhood [supposedly from coffee] particularly alarming. By the 1670s their city; was overrun with coffeehouses. When the medical reports became common knowledge, a group of females petitioned the mayor to band the “hell-brew” coffee in order to preserve their sex lives. Their 7-page petition gives some compelling reasons. British gentlemen it said, were the “ablest performers in Chrisndom…with lusty lads of eight hundred years fathering Sons and Daughters.” These amazing feats of sexual prowess, however, came to an end when that”abominable, heathenish liquor called COFFEE…dried up thier Radical Moisture…leaving them with nothing but their snotty noses, and nothing stiff but their joints.”
But a fuller extract is in order.

The Humble Petition and Address of Several Thousand of Buxome Good-Women, Languishing in Extremity of Want…”
SHEWETH
That since ‘tis Reckon’d amongst the Glories of our native Country To be A paradise for women, it is too our unspeakable Grief we find of late that our gallants are become mere Cock-sparrows, fluttering things that come on with a world of Fury but in the very first Charge fall down Flat before us…all these qualities we can Attribute to nothing more than excessive use of the most pernicious Coffee, where Nature is Enfeebled and our men left with Ammunition Wanting; peradventure they Present but cannot give Fire…Certainly our Countrymen’s pallettes are become as Fanatical as their Brains. How else is it possible that they should run a Whoreing to spend the money and time on a little base, black thick, nasty, Bitter, Stinking, Nauseous, Puddle-water (also known as Ninny’s Broth and Turkish Gruel) so that those that have scarce twopence to buy their children bread must spend a penny each evening in this insilpid stuff…Wherefore we pray that drinking COFFEE be forbidden to all Persons under the Age of Threescore and that Lusty Nappy Beer and Cock Ale be recommended to General Use…so that our Husbands may (in time) give us some other Testimonies of the being Men, besides their Beards, and that they no more shall run the hazard of being Cuckol’d by Dildos.

In Hopes of a Glorious Reformation
London, 1674

-from stewart lee allen’s the devil’s cup

coffee helped midwife modern democracy

Aside from sobering up the workplace, coffeehouses gave Brits an alternative to taverns in which to meet and talk. Taverns were not the safest place to discuss politics or religion. Everybody was armed or drunk, usually both, and proprietors sensibly discouraged heated discussions. Coffeehouses, on the other hand, encouraged political debate, which was precisely why Charles 2 banned them in 1675 (he withdrew the ban in 11 days).

Coffee, however, was more than a mere substitute for beer. It is a stimulant, both physical and mental, and its usurpation of a depressant like alcohol caused changes.

This democratic inclination manifested itself most forcefully in london’s famous Turk’s Head Coffeehouse, where the ballot box [!!], the foundation of modern democracy, first appeared so customers could safely voice their opinion on controversial political topics. This innovation occured after the repressions of Oliver the Great and ensured that the government spies who plagued the cafe could not identify “traitors”.

Coffee’s ability to swell our wealth was manifested most noticeably in Britain, where coffeehouses became headquarters for some of the world’s most powerful businesses, including Lloyd’s of London (Lloyd’s Coffeehouse) and the London Shipping Exchange (Baltic Coffeehouse) and East India Company (Jerusalem Cafe) .
-from stewart lee allen’s the devil’s cup

the joffe coffee theory of expansionism

“Bad coffee equals expansionism, imperialism, and war; good coffee drips with civility and pacifism and lassitude. I prove it. Quick, who makes the best coffee in the world?”

“The Italians?”

“And when was the last time the Italians won a war?”

“Hmm, -what, AD 300?”

“And when did you Americans finally learn to make coffee?”

“Oh, I guess in the 60s sometime.”

“And when was the Vietnam war?”

“I see. Am I to understand that you’re saying, for instance, that the current round of Chinese expansionism is the result of their inability to brew a decent cup of coffee?”

“Absolutely. If we really wanted to end Chinese aggresion today we would bomb them with Gaggia coffeemakers.”

“Perhaps the UN peacemakers should carry Melita drips and Ethiopian Sidamo.”

“Instead of machine guns? Precisely.”

“What’s the coffee like at the UN, do you know?”

He shook his head sadly. “It’s not a pretty thought.”
the devil’s cup, by stewart lee allen

Awesome! I can't wait to give this one a go.

A Hot, Spicy, Sweet & Delicious  Soup to dispel colds, hangovers, werewolves etc...

(Yield: Serves Lots)  Best served with corn bread I think.  Vegetarian friendly if you don't use butter or add sour cream.

----------------- VAMPIRE SLAYER SOUP -------------------------
4 - Large Sweet Potatoes
3 – Carrots
1 - Ginger Root (Twice the size of your thumb)
-----------------------------------------------------
1 - Complete Head Of Garlic
2 or 3 – Jalapeno Peppers
2 - Red Bell Peppers
2 Tbsp. - Mexican Chili Powder
2 Tbsp. - Curry Powder
Quarter cup - butter or olive oil
salt to taste   
---------------------------------------------------------
GARNISH - Sour Cream & Cilantro
---------------------------------------------------------
METHOD:
1)  Cube, Peel carrots, sweet potatoes & slice garlic thin while boiling half a large pot of water.  Toss the ingredients into the boil – Ginger on top!
2)  Crush garlic, Chop peppers & Garlic  Sautee slow in a frying pan with butter or oil on low heat.
3)  When pot has boiled for thirty minutes: Remove Ginger, strain & Save The Water!  Mash sweet potatoes & carrots.  Stir water back in.
4)  Stir in sauteed Garlic & Peppers & Spices.  
6)  Pour in bowls.  Garnish with sour cream & chopped cilantro
7)  I wouldn't suggest adding a shot of Bourbon to a bowl of this......
........well O.K. Maybe I would!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Baba Ghanoush

Ingredients

1 eggplant
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Place eggplant on baking sheet, and make holes in the skin with a fork. Roast it for 30 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally, or until soft. Remove from oven, and place into a large bowl of cold water. Remove from water, and peel skin off.

Place eggplant, lemon juice, tahini, sesame seeds, and garlic in an electric blender, and puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer eggplant mixture to a medium size mixing bowl, and slowly mix in olive oil. Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.

Noted!

Eats is pretty much a skanky hippie dump, better to get your heart attack snack next door at Zesto with a double decker or up the block at The Varsity, Atlanta's landmark chili dog palace.

Sounds good, when the Motards would come back from tour they would always say that they wished there was a Waffle House in Austin!

Do you go to that place Eats?

FYI At Las Vegas' Heart Attack Cafe a guy actually had a heart attack! People were taking pics 'cause they thought it was a publicity stunt! Here

The Waffle House provides the perfect rock and roll hangover food in the south.  It's cheap, greasy, open 24 hours, has a location on every other corner, a jukebox filled with awesomely corny 45 rpm theme songs, and you never know when a fight is gonna break out.  Get your coffee black, your hashbrowns "scattered, smothered, and covered," and your toast with raisins, of course.

Cheers to you Mardy for the free-range comment, I still feel guilty when I eat bacon (top meat tied mit der barbequed brisket)!

Canned condensed milk morphs into Dulce de Leche

Talk about easy, just keep an eye on it!

Drop a can of condensed milk in a pot of boiling water, and boil for 3 hours (yes). Make sure the can is always completely submerged, and after boiling, don't open the can until it has cooled. When served warm, it's fantastic!

{Yep, that's why ensuring that the can is always completely submerged in the water is so critical - if the pot boiled dry, the can would explode. I use my pasta pot to make sure there's no chance of there NOT being enough water.}

[Dunno if it would be even better with sweetened condensed milk (like you find in a Vietnamese coffee), or not.]

--------------------------

Related, and also simple:Banoffee Pie recipe (think it's a UK thing).

Ingredients:

1 ready-made graham cracker pie crust (or make your own crust for a pie about 25cm across)
1 (400 ml) can sweetened condensed milk
3 bananas
300 ml cream
hot chocolate powder or cocoa , for dusting

Directions:

1 Place the UNopened can of condensed milk (don't open the can!) in a saucepan and cover with water.

2 Bring the water to the boil then reduce slightly and let the can boil covered for 2 1/2 or 3 hours (if you're patient enough to wait for 3 hours it is better).

3 IMPORTANT- Don't ever let the saucepan boil dry.

4 Keep checking up on it and adding water if necessary.

5 Remove the can and wait a few minutes before opening it very carefully in the sink.

6 The condensed milk will look like creamy brown caramel.

7 Stir the caramel in the can with a fork to remove any lumps, then pour into your pie crust and let it cool, then refrigerate till cold.

8 Slice bananas thinly and lay them on top of the toffee filling.

9 Whip the cream and spread it over the bananas.
10 I usually just cover the bananas, but if you like more cream, spread it as thickly as you want.

11 Dust the cocoa or powdered drinking chocolate on top for effect, using a sieve.

12 Serve in thin slices with coffee.

13 Enjoy!

Collard Greens with Bacon Recipe

Chef's tip: don't overcook the bacon. It should be barely brown around the edges and still somewhat raw-looking in the middle.

Ingredients

4 strips thick-sliced bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Several dashes hot sauce
1/4 cup apple-cider vinegar
2 pounds collard greens, stems removed, sliced into 3-inch-wide strips (can substitute kale or chard)
1 cup chicken broth (or water)*

Method

1 Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Cook the bacon in the skillet until it just begins to brown around the edges, stirring occasionally. Add the onions and cook until they have softened and are just starting to brown.

2 Add the garlic, salt, pepper, sugar and hot sauce. Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, about a minute. Add the vinegar, bring to a simmer, and cook until the amount of liquid is reduced by half, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

3 Add the collard greens and the chicken broth (or water) and bring to a simmer. Reduce the temp to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the collard greens have wilted and have lost their brightness. Season to taste with additional vinegar and hot sauce. Serve with some of the pan juices from the pan.

Serves 6 to 8.

[Note: You can omit the bacon and use a ham hock if you'd prefer]

Mushroom and Potato Curry Soup

1 1.2 lbs potatoes, unpeeled
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds
3 tbsp finely chopped garlic
3 tbsp finely chopped ginger
1 tbsp salt
2 1/2 tbs ground coriander
1 tbsp crushed cayenne pepper
1 tsp turmeric
5 cups water
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
6 oz mushrooms, chopped

1. Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil on high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and boil for 45 minutes, or until potatoes are soft but not mushy when pierced with a knife. Drain potatoes and set aside to cool.

2. Once potatoes are cool, use your fingers or a sharp knife to peel off and discard the skins. Roughly mash the potatoes, using your fists or a potato masher. Be sure to leave the potatoes a bit chunky, as you want some texture in the soup.

3. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil on medium high for 45 seconds. Add cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle for 30 seconds. Add garlic and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden. Stir in ginger and saute for 30 seconds, then add salt, coriander, cayenne and turmeric, and saute for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium-high, add the 5 cups of water and stir thoroughly. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low.

4. Pour buttermilk into a large bowl. To prevent the buttermilk from separating in the soup, use a ladle to spoon about 1 1/2 cups of the hot potato curry into the buttermilk. Whisk the mixture until it is well combined. Carefully spoon all of the buttermilk into the pot of curry. Using the whisk, mix well and, stirring continuously, bring to a boil on low heat. Add mushrooms and cook for about 2 minutes, or until slightly wilted.

Eastern North Carolina BBQ Sauce

Here's a great sauce with a real vinegar bite!

Ingredients

* 1 cup white vinegar
* 1 cup cider vinegar
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
* 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™), or to taste
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Combine the white vinegar, cider vinegar, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper in a jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 days before using so that the flavors will blend. Shake occasionally, and store for up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

Citrus-Spice Caribbean/Cuban Marinade for Pork, Beef, Chicken

* ¼ cup olive oil
* 2 tablespoons orange juice
* 2 tablespoons lime juice
* 2 -4 garlic cloves , minced
* ½ cup finely chopped onion
* 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* ½ teaspoon nutmeg
* ½ teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 dash ground cloves
* 1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

1 Combine all ingredients in a heavy-duty Ziploc bag or glass pan.
2. Add your choice of pork, beef, chicken or fish.
3. Marinate for at least two hours.
4. Prepare in your preferred method of cooking.

Steve Albini's cooking blog

Heh, remember that scene in Michael Keaton's Mister Mom- all of these interviewees are waiting in the reception room trading recipes when Keaton is called: and the rest of the room says, "It's no use, there aren't any jobs out there, HAHAHAHA!" something like that.

{er, wait, Is that funny?}

Just found this- Gastrointelligence: Why Comfort Food Works

I’m sure my stomach knows best. Give me a bad day, and my gut tells me to griddle up a grilled cheese sandwich made with whatever is in the fridge: cheddar, provolone, mozzarella—I’ll even take American singles, as long as they’re melted between slices of thick-cut buttered bread. The more the cheese oozes, the better I feel.

Now, in an emerging field dubbed neurogastroenterology, scientists are finding that the stomach knows more than we give it credit for. “The gut can work independently of any control by the brain in your head—it’s functioning as a second brain,” Michael Gershon, professor of pathology and cell biology at Columbia University tells Dan Hurley in Psychology Today. The brain in your gut, called the enteric nervous system (ENS), is made up of 100 million neurons and can work on its own, without any direction from the brain. And it does more than control itself; it can control your mood, Hurley reports.

Here's another garlic sauce, this one's really easy.

Take as many peeled garlic cloves as ya want and dump them in an oven-proof container. Then pour extra-virgin olive oil over 'em, enough to cover. Put it on the stove or in the oven, covered w/ tin foil. Cook until the cloves are soft, remove and let cool.

Put the cloves in a blender or food processor (may more than one trip) and put some of that olive oil in w/ 'em. Puree. Bottle.

Now you have garlic sauce and garlic-infused olive oil (Bottle that, too. Keeps for some time at room temp.).

Note to garlic newbies: This cooking makes garlic sweet, like cooking onions will do.

Don't be afraid.

Also, cuz this has been on my mind, a nice Garlic Sauce Recipe to slather on meats n veggies.

You can never have enough garlic or hot peppers [it's true!]...

This is famous, but just in case you haven't heard of it: VeganBlackMetalChef's Channel

Yeah, I'll vote for that! Start our own list of Rock Bars (like Emo's and Casino el Camino in Austin, TX)...

Those are all pretty swanky.  I've gone to the two Boston places (Drink, Island Creek), Pegu in NYC and Clyde Common in PDX but just for lunch.  I thought I was gonna see a list of all the cool rock bars.  Should we start our own?  For Boston I'd start with The Model in Allston and Charlie's in Harvard Sq. (talking places that are rock oriented but not full time live music venues).

I've also liked Red Palace in DC, Big Foot Lodge in LA, Motor City in NYC, Shady's in Phoenix, District in Tucson, that's all I can think of for now.

Well, it appears that "Andyuzz," the guy who was supposedly working on one of these for us, suddenly left the Hideout. No word on why he ditched us. Kinda odd, huh?