Seeker Magazine

Letter From The Editor

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August 01, 1996

Designer Coffee..What's up with that, anyway??

I just started working at one of those book stores..you know..the one's with the little cafes in the back? My new duties include working the expresso line. Yeeesh..in a world where quality seems to be secondary to price, morals secondary to financial gain, and comfort secondary to "hardbodies," why this sudden interest in designer caffeine??

Okay..I understand the flavor thing..heck..I enjoy an occasional cafe mocha myself..but steamed milk? Foam with body?? And not just any foam..it has to be exactly right, or it will be greeted with raised eyebrows and scornful sniffs. In the past week, I have had frappacinos tossed back because they weren't "stiff" enough, and cappacinos returned because they didn't have the proper "bite." Is this sane?

Are we now so aware of the dangers of alcohol that the once sacred snobbery of wines has been redirected to the world of coffee? And if so..why in the name of all that's consumable did we chose caffeine?? The last I heard, the stuff was bad for you!!

Just when the world seemed to be heeding messages about the frivolities of the "image" we come up with a new, psuedo-intellectual "snobbus" symbol. I live for the day when we strive to impress each other with our high ideals, our tolerance and our compassion for each other...without the caffeine jitters! ;>

Denise Ruiz
Editor - Seeker Magazine

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