Siren's Eye

So first off, what on earth is a siren? Why is it the logo of Starbucks? And who even came up with the name, "Starbucks"?

I stumbled upon a great article that answered all of these questions, and I have pretty much summarized it below.

Basically a brief history of the logo will show you that what you see today has undergone some major modifications. The original logo needed to change because their were complaints of it being way too sexual. There was essentially a naked woman on your cup of coffee. So a simpler logo was designed and we eventually arrived at the current design today.

A siren by definition is a cross between a mermaid and.. wait for it.. a "Sheila-na-gig".
Yeah, exactly what I said when I first read it.
"Sheila-na-gig: a reference to a female figure that displays their genitalia to signify the power of female sexuality and fertility.

So think about it. Kind of a smart design. Starbucks is basically using the lure of female sexuality to draw the customer to their coffee. Another example are the sirens in "The Odyssey" that would lure the sailers off course into treacherous waters.

So that's the logo, but why the name? Well have you ever read Herman Melville's 'Moby Dick'?
Apparently the owners of Starbucks wanted to originally call the company "Moby's Coffee" - yes, referring to the giant whale named Moby in the classic novel. This image of a fat whale was decided to be potentially unappealing to coffee drinkers.
Clearly the owners were big fans of the novel though and still wanted to maintain a connection. 'Starbuck' is actually the name of the coffee- drinking first mate from Nantucket in the novel.
The name also brings to mind two different images, stardom and big bucks. Both of which are things the typical American consumer loves.

Clever Starbucks..well played.

 

Fenkl, Heinz. "The Mermaid." Www.edicott-studio.com. Endicott Studio, 2003. Web. 29 Mar. 2013. <www.endicott-studio.com/jMA03Summer/theMermaid.html/>.

Moka

I'm willing to bet that most of you do not open your kitchen cabinet and see this contraption sitting there..

This is a Moka pot, commonly found in any Italian kitchen. It is quite simply a stove-top espresso machine. In fact, it is also fairly simple to use (even if you don't have years of Barista experience).

So if you happen to come across one of these, just follow these simple instructions below and prepare yourself a nice, strong cup of Moka-brewed espresso.

1. Unscrew the top half from the bottom half.
2. Fill bottom container to indicated line with water.
3. Fill middle chamber with finely ground coffee beans, level out with a spoon.
4. Screw the top back onto it's base, and place on stove-top.
5. Boil at a medium temperature until you see the water eventually rise into the top part. (when you start to see steam bubbles and hear a gurgling noise, the lower chamber is empty)

-The high brewing temperature causes more caffeine and flavor to be extracted, also resulting in a stronger brew more similar to espresso than "drip coffee".

Starbucks

So, I was recently employed with Starbucks for quite some time, and I had always wondered about the history of why you can't find any Starbucks within Italy. So I checked it out. And this is the gist of it.

Basically this guy named Howard Schultz becomes President and CEO of Starbucks in 1987. At the time they really only sold whole-bean coffees in stores across the US. But hey, 20 years later and instant popularity. They've expanded to 12,000 stores with more than 150,000 full-time employees. So why is this 30 billion dollar franchise not present in one of the coffee capitals of the world?

The espresso culture in Italy is too different to compare. In fact, when Howard visited Italy in the mid-1980s, he was so fascinated by the atmosphere in the authentic Italian café, that he was inspired for Starbucks. Really the evolution of Starbucks absorbed the Italian coffee culture, but was built around an American society.

Starbucks just would not work in Italy.

The coffee experience for Italians is such an intimate experience, one that is far more personal than any Starbucks could offer you. It basically comes down to this concept of "slow-food" vs. "fast-food". Plastic cups? In Italy? Wait, we're allowed to leave the café with this?

Should Starbucks risk their corporate image by attempting to succeed in Italy?

Well, that's the question that Mr. Schultz probably wonders on a regular basis. Italy could be a gold mine with all those Italians obsessed with getting their espresso 4 times a day. Can you imagine? Starbucks changing the Italian tradition? Call me a stubborn Italian, but it wouldn't work. The benefits of attempting this feat and succeeding are far smaller than the losses of trying and failing, and losing their corporate image.

Might be some weird strategy Howard's got going on, or maybe he just won't take the risk..

*as a side note, ever wonder what the deal is with the Starbucks logo?

Jan Von Holleben

www.janvonholleben.com

Il Caffé

The barista, orchestrating a series of requests in rapid succession; espresso, cappuccino, macchiato, doppio, lungo, ristretto, corretto... That hissing of the milk steamer, the thumping of filters being emptied, the clatter of the cups, and that heavy aroma in the air; a feast for all the senses. Il Caffé is the place to hear all sorts of conversations, but in no way are you meant to linger. Sitting down and getting comfortable is a rare sight in an authentic Italian caffé. Your espresso is meant to be consumed rather quickly, and it's a sure sign that you are a tourist if you order a cappuccino after 11 am or after a meal.

Ordering coffee in Italy can be somewhat intimidating for a first timer. Where are the Frappuccino options? Well, you won't find anything like that. Below I have listed some different options for ordering Italian coffee drinks.

Il Caffé - ordering un caffé implies that you want a shot of espresso. It will be served to you in a tazzina with a little stirring spoon.

Caffé Macchiato - Macchiare, in Italian, means to "stain" - when ordered, this espresso is literally 'stained' with a scoop of hot, frothed milk. (This is not a mini cappuccino).

Caffé Macchiato Freddo - You can probably guess that this Macchiato is served with cold milk. Most caffés will have a separate bar with milk that you can add yourself though.

Cappuccino - Easily the most well-known coffee drink. It is espresso with steamed and foamed milk.

Marocchino - Also referred to as a Mocacchino, this coffee drink consists of a shot of espresso, milk foam, and sprinkled with cacao (chocolate).

Latte Macchiato - This is precisely the opposite of a caffé macchiato. It is steamed milk, 'stained' with coffee.

Caffé Corretto - An espresso, with a shot of liquor. Ex. grappa, Sambuca, cognac, Baileys, etc


These are your most basic coffee drinks found in an Italian Caffé, but there are definitely other options available in different parts of Italy. Just know that if you walk into a caffé and order a 'latte', you will be receiving a glass of milk, and a glare from the barista.

Fili, Louise, and Lise Apatoff. Italianissimo: The Quintessential Guide to What Italians Do Best. New York: Little Bookroom, 2008. Print.

Pete Turner

http://www.peteturner.com

Pablo Picasso

Espresso 101

Michael Kenna

You can see more of his work here: http://www.michaelkenna.net