Japanese coffee culture

I'm a coffee addict, I admit it. And fortunately for me, baristas in Japan do magic with coffee. In fact they obsess over it in ways we westerners didn't think possible, specifically the hand pour. I recently found 08COFFEE, a sweet little coffee spot that reminds me there's a lot to love about Japan. (Sometimes I forget.)

Not only is their art-filled space well designed, bright, and relaxing, but 08COFFEE also does artisan small batch roasting on-site. The young, gracious owners offer select high quality beans as well as top-notch espresso drinks (somehow served at precise drinking temperature) as well as delicate, not-too-sugary cakes. Good stuff.

I love the unpretentious attention to detail and how they used flat white paint, raw wood, and other natural materials like linen sheets with grommets as curtains to bring their funky little space together. This kind of effortless, tasteful design in Japan has proven less common than I'd hoped. But I'm gonna find it if it kills me.

Photos by me | iPhone + VSCO

★

Tea Time

A daily affair in my family. (My relationship with caffeine began early.) Having tea with others has a strange power to improve everything slightly. I don't know why.

I'm not talking high tea here so teabags are standard, by the cup or several brewed in a pot. The best in my opinion are PG Tips and Twinings English Breakfast. Organic varieties from hipster companies in places like Portland and Boulder are fine, but I prefer the authentic brands.

 

For many Brits the word tea means dinner (or supper) but for my family tea time is right around 4PM and usually involves just the tea and some sweet baked items. Cookies, chocolate, even graham crackers. But when we're being very proper (which is almost never) we have scones, strawberry jam, and Devonshire cream. I like American scones as much as the next person but when I want to do it right I use this recipe for sultana scones from Saveur Magazine. They're more buttery, not as sweet as the US version, and are more like biscuits only better. The cream you can buy or make with whipped heavy cream plus either marscapone, cream cheese, or crème fraîche. Here is a blog post with links to a few recipes from someone who knows a lot more about it that I do.

Note: These are not my photographs - my spouse has our camera with him in China. I'm not that talented anyway.

Fasting 101

A few times a year I fast for three days. I don't bother with the praying part, but I get it. To each their own. Fasting ain't no big thing. And it makes me feel great. A corporeal jump-start, if you will. There are myriad ways to fast but I came to this method by trial and error over the last decade. Here's what works for me:

1. The day before starting the fast, skip a meal. This is when people tell me they can't possibly because, oh no, they'll pass out. Really? Have you ever tried it? So not true. Just because your body is used to food ingestion, doesn't mean you actually can't go without food. Stop being a pussy. Do you have any idea how resilient the human body is? We can go for weeks without food as long as we stay hydrated. In case you have doubts watch Hunger, it's a very good film about the Irish hunger strike of 1981 in which a group of imprisoned IRA members starved themselves to death in protest of their incarceration by Margaret Thatcher. The group included Bobby Sands who died on the 66th day of his fast. Sixty. Sixth. Day. That's 1584 hours. Don't tell me you can't go 72 hours. Those guys weren't even doing it for the health benefits. On a side note, can you imagine having that much conviction for anything? Impressive.
2. Start hydrating. With PLAIN WATER. Get over yourself and do it. Drink a lot of water throughout the fast. If you start feeling hungry, drink some water. Surprise yourself and see what happens.
3. Buy a bunch of vegetable juice and some broth. This is what will sustain you through the fast. Amazingly well in fact. To the point of really questioning what the big deal about fasting is.
4. Simply begin in the morning by not eating solid food. Period. It's noon on the second day of my fast and I've had nothing but one large cup of coffee with milk. I'm fine. Not weak or lightheaded. Just a bit peckish. Have 12 to 24 ounces of vegetable juice for lunch and the same of broth for dinner.
5. Drink more water. Use a straw if it's so damn difficult.
6. Stop worrying about feeling hungry. Get used to it. Embrace it even. Ask yourself, when was the last time you were really hungry? Why is it such a terrible thing? We won't die and we shouldn't eat just because food commercials tell us to. Hunger pangs don't last long, you'll eventually forget about them. Consider incorporating them into your daily schedule. They'll help you fend off your inner fat bastard.
7. Immediately delete those recipe-of-the-day email messages you get. Don't even think about opening them. Put away your food magazines too. If your friends and colleagues don't enjoy torturing you, they'll kindly stop talking about food. It's only three f-cking days people.
8. If you're addicted to caffeine and like booze with dinner, there's no reason to stop with those habits during a fast. That would be asking a bit much. Save it for rehab. Maybe cut back a little on the vices, but that's it. 
9. Expect to be in a craptacular mood, particularly the first day. With that, however, comes a heightened sense of everything. Smell especially. That street food isn't spiced differently or stronger this week, it's just that you're perceiving it that way. Enjoy it. Your body is functioning as it should. Sight could also improve slightly. I assume it's a throwback to prowling for small animals to kill and devour. Squirrel!! Try to resist the urge to hunt.
10. That's right, more water. Even if it means you visit the loo ten times before noon.
11. You will lose weight. I typically lose 5 to 8 pounds. Meaning I actually weigh what my driver's license says and hey, that feels good. Weight loss won't last as you return to your normal eating routine, so unless you permanently lower your calories, don't get all upset when the pounds return.
12. On the second day reward yourself by planning how you'll break the fast. I usually do it with a small healthy dinner at home. My boy is a talented chef so I leave that up to him. It's something you've earned and will taste ten times better than it ever has. You'll feel full much sooner than normal. 
13. Try to sustain your newly discovered talent by eating smaller portions post-fast. Oh yeah, keep up the water consumption if you can.