What is in your cup?

[GeoffC]

Coffee Black #(who cares)

[beppe]

Originally Posted by Iridal

Nespresso volluto (my favourite ), milk but no sugar.

I think that Volluto is really a very good coffee. Intelligent also, from the point of view of equilibrium between strength and depth. I like also the idea of the sustainable quality.

Unluckily for me, I am accustomed to stronger coffees. That stupid Italian taste for very black coffee. We drink Arpeggio that has a strength 9 (against the 4 of Volluto), and in smaller precentage Rosabaya de Colombia (6) that is a little more expensive. We might lean toward it a little more.

Next time that I buy the coffee I will get some Volluto to give it a serious try. Thanks Iridal. You are always a source of good things.

[happy_terd]

Coffee number 1.

Kids are at home and I gotta go to work.

[ProfCrash]

Water number 3. I have a cold starting and am hydrating. (sigh) Tea in a bit.

[Iridal]

Originally Posted by desertblues

Is that the one from the TV-commercial with that handsome George Clooney ?

It is. Although I wouldn't go so far as to call George Clooney handsome. I prefer men who are a little less ... sophisticated

Originally Posted by beppe

Unluckily for me, I am accustomed to stronger coffees. That stupid Italian taste for very black coffee. We drink Arpeggio that has a strength 9 (against the 4 of Volluto), and in smaller precentage Rosabaya de Colombia (6) that is a little more expensive. We might lean toward it a little more.

Volluto is pretty strong compared to the coffee I usually drink. It's only kind of Nespresso coffee I really like.

Originally Posted by beppe

Thanks Iridal. You are always a source of good things.

Yep, that's me: bringing joy and good coffee to the world
You're very welcome

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by happy_terd

Coffee number 1.

Kids are at home and I gotta go to work.

Why do you have to work today? Federal holiday, right?

Black coffee in my cup.

[happy_terd]

Originally Posted by bjones6416

Why do you have to work today? Federal holiday, right?

Not for all of us.

[wannabee]

Still finding my way around these forums. Peach green tea........

[maianhvk]

just had mocha latte and enjoyed it.

I'm considering learning one more language. I know English but haven't had any certificate (TOEFL or TOEIC or IELTS) yet (apparently just enough to surf the Internet and stay away from any technical/scientific topic), tried learning German and French some years ago and quitted with objective reasons - I don't mind coming back to those however. So, by your experiences with language, which language do you suggest? Or should I learn a brand new language?
(I know this is off topic )

[desertblues]

Originally Posted by maianhvk

just had mocha latte and enjoyed it.

I'm considering learning one more language. I know English but haven't had any certificate (TOEFL or TOEIC or IELTS) yet (apparently just enough to surf the Internet and stay away from any technical/scientific topic), tried learning German and French some years ago and quitted with objective reasons - I don't mind coming back to those however. So, by your experiences with language, which language do you suggest? Or should I learn a brand new language?
(I know this is off topic )

If you have the chance; learn all the languages you can. It's so much better reading books in the original language. Try at least to learn French, German and Spanish.
If you could only choose one, I would take French. French is very easy I find and also logical, which appeals to me. And it is beautiful to read the French poets in their own language, or Marguerite Yourcenar. Translations just aren't the same.
German and French have a more difficult grammar. But which language you choose, start to read in it right away. Much more fun learning a language then.

In my cup: cold Arabica-coffee and cold tap-water

[astra]

Originally Posted by desertblues

If you have the chance; learn all the languages you can. It's so much better reading books in the original language. Try at least to learn French, German and Spanish

Maybe I am stupid. No. No "maybe".
But...
I disagree with you.
I agree that

It's so much better reading books in the original language.

However, unless you are genius or have a superb talent for languages you will never be able to learn so many languages to the level when you can read books in the native language and really enjoy them. Enjoying the book in a foreign language is different from understanding the story. To understand all emotions, all shades of the same word but used in different situations, all the proverbs etc. It is not the same as understand the story 100%. It is a lot more than that. Let alone vocabulary. Thousands words are needed to understand in-depth the story, not just what the story is about.

It also depends on what is your first language. If you are from Western Europe, it is so much easier for you to learn other European languages than for people from Eastern Europe, let alone Asia. Somewhere out there I have seen a scale that determines your aptitude to learn English. IIRC there are were 5 levels of difficulty. The biggest challenge, 5th level, was for Japanese and Chinese. I belonged to the 3rd level.

I am rumbling, am I not? Sorry
Back to tea.

[astra]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

'Yorkshire' tea, one of their linchpin blends, is a delicious and hearty tea. So is their English Breakfast tea. Personally, I don't care for their Yorkshire Gold, but I believe it was Astra who did!

You know more about Yorkshire/Yorkshire Gold Tea than I do.
I didn't drink the tea. I drank tea dust, still do for breakfast and lunch So, my opinion is irrelevant.

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Right now I tasting Ahmad's English #1 and I must say... I'm impressed. It's a strong tea that really explodes on the tongue but in no way bitter. Just a lot of tea flavor with a hint of smoke in the after taste. Verrrry nice..

I know this one. Tried it. Not my tea. It has bergamot in it (like in Earl Grey). For some reason I cannot stand even the tiniest little bit of it.
Long time ago I bought Ahmad's English Breakfast and English Afternoon. I didn't know much about teas. I liked Breakfast. I can confidently say it was the first time I liked black loose tea (I actually felt the difference between what I brew and tea bags, which was a big surprise), maybe I would not like it now when I am a bit more experience, but I want to try it again. When I finished the tin I started Afternoon. I thought only the name will be different, so ...another surprise - didn't like. I think I tried it maybe 7-10 times and never liked but I was not sure why. I knew I bought black tea, something like English Breakfast. Not Earl Grey. So, why does it takes like Ahmad's Earl Grey??? I told my wife and she looked at me a bit funny. She said I imagine things, black tea is black tea, she tasted it and said there is no taste of Earl Grey, meaning no bergamot in it. I felt really foolish because I could feel it!
Classical RTFM? I read all the small text on the tin and realised it contains bergamot! A few months ago I came across Ahmad's English Tea #1, almost bought it. In the last moment I have noticed - yes, bergamot!
As I said before it is almost impossible to buy Ahmad tea in the UK. Tourist souvenir shops and duty free only (both sources unreachable for me, because I don't live in any of the UK's tourists' traps and very rarely travel abroad). Many years ago I sent email to them inquiring where I can purchase their teas. They told me that they are very sorry but they make tea only for export. However, there is one more place where I can buy it in the UK. It is called TK Maxx. One of the best shops here. They sell for a fraction of a price or 30-40% off things from all over the world. Brand new staff obviously. From time to time I see Ahmad teas there. Like today
I bought Ahmad's Hampton Breakfast.

Strong and rich tea. A strong blend of Indian, Kenyan and Ceylon teas. A rich and invigorating cup.

No mention of bergamot, fingers crossed.

There was also Ahmad's #1 and Earl Grey.
Unfortunately, you can't see Ahmad teas in TK Maxx very often. Their stock is unpredictable That's what my wife loves about it. She might buy some fashionable clothes, cheaply and more up-to-date in fashion world (and by big designer names) than conservative UK brands produce

[maianhvk]

Originally Posted by astra

It also depends on what is your first language. If you are from Western Europe, it is so much easier for you to learn other European languages than for people from Eastern Europe, let alone Asia. Somewhere out there I have seen a scale that determines your aptitude to learn English. IIRC there are were 5 levels of difficulty. The biggest challenge, 5th level, was for Japanese and Chinese.

My language is a Latin-alphabet-based one although Vietnam is located in Asia, thanks to a historic factor:
Vietnamese looks like this:

người ta cứ nói đừng quá yêu

so I have a slight advantage to learn Latin-alphabet-based languages, at least better than Chinese and Japanese, right?

well, my priority is still English because there is no 'gender' with nouns I can't figure out any method to tell at once if it is 'la voiture' or 'le voiture' instead of learning those by heart
No, really, I love the way English words are pronounced and how it is simple by grammar yet beautifully written in poems. That's why I try to study English to the limit where I hopefully be able to read works in their native form with understanding.

@ desertblues: I'm considering French and Spanish. Which one is an easier target?? I'll be studying English along the way so a tough one would be tougher than it already is.

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by maianhvk

My language is a Latin-alphabet-based one although Vietnam is located in Asia, thanks to a historic factor:
Vietnamese looks like this:


so I have a slight advantage to learn Latin-alphabet-based languages, at least better than Chinese and Japanese, right?

well, my priority is still English because there is no 'gender' with nouns I can't figure out any method to tell at once if it is 'la voiture' or 'le voiture' instead of learning those by heart
No, really, I love the way English words are pronounced and how it is simple by grammar yet beautifully written in poems. That's why I try to study English to the limit where I hopefully be able to read works in their native form with understanding.

@ desertblues: I'm considering French and Spanish. Which one is an easier target?? I'll be studying English along the way so a tough one would be tougher than it already is.

I'm going to say that Spanish is the easier of the two, but not that much easier. Your English is great from what I've seen so far, by the way!

[desertblues]

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

I'm going to say that Spanish is the easier of the two, but not that much easier. Your English is great from what I've seen so far, by the way!

I would say French, as Spanish has these verbs associated with ' going to' etc. I found French grammar somewhat easier and more logical, but Spanish is spoken by more people than French. I love French though; was once engaged to a Frenchman...oo..perhaps that's why.

Astra: you're right. One has to have a certain flair for it. But it can give you so much freedom; knowing a few languages.