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Being in China I have had the worst and the best cups of coffee of my life. If you know anything about me you will know I have a sick obession with coffee. I am always looking for the best beans, the best brewing process, the best roast, etc.

Worst cup of coffee: Pudong International Airport in Shanghai. 7:00AM in the morning after waking up at 5:00AM to catch the flight to Hong Kong I was desperately in need of java. The only place to buy it was a little café inside the international terminal. In the end I paid $7.50, that is U.S. dollars for a cup of instant coffee. They claimed it was Colombian (I have learned that in China that translates into crappy coffee). Aside from that it was a really bad instant coffee. No amount of cream or sugar could salvage this cup. All I know Chinese are not big coffee drinkers, they prefer tea.

All this mentioned only to contrast… Best cup of coffee: Shanghai in particular has a large European influence. Michelle and I have found this great teahouse that we spend Sunday afternoons at to reflect and connect with one another. It is part of our Sabbath, and it is just a few blocks from church. Afternoon tea includes a bottomless pot of tea and an assortment of bit size sandwiches, and desserts (the crème bruele is my favorite). This past week I opted to try the coffee option instead of the tea. Expecting a pot of coffee, they brought me just one mug. This mug however contained the creamiest most enjoyable cup of coffee. It was as thick as espresso and it redeemed all the bad coffee I had in China over the past weeks. Aside from that it was served with frothed cream and brown sugar. The cream is hot so it does not cool of the coffee, and the froth gives it a pseudo cappuccino feel, but much stronger than a cappuccino. May I add that brown sugar is much much better than white sugar in coffee, something I am definitely bringing back to the States.

So now I am finding these coffees all over the place.

Here is to coffee
Posted by Joe at 7:32 PM 
Joe and Michelle! I have no email for you and I needed to contact you. You need to know that Josh and I watched July 27 and 28 pass by with no Germanfest!! I am not guilting you, just missing you much. Reading both of your blogs for the first time really hit me. I jsut realized I am sending this in your blog and the whole world could read it... a little strange. I hope that things are wonderful for the two of you. love, margaret and Josh
 
Too bad I don't drink coffee. It almost makes me want to start. The tea sounds brilliant though, so to speak.
 Mike Rohde said...

Thanks for the update! Good to hear you can find good coffee in China (as well as bad). Hope you guys are doing well, letting God shape you through your experiences in China and Asia! We miss you guys!
 tory dolan said...

JOE! Emily B and I were discussing the brown sugar in coffee thing today because of your blog entry, and I believe we have both been inspired to try it! Thanks for sharing your wonderful coffee moment! Hope your time abroad is amazing!
