4 ms·
I'm really intrigued as to how much of the coffee connoisseur's appreciation of a coffee is down to the flavour and how much is actually down to a placebo style
by sequence7 12y ago
I'm really intrigued as to how much of the coffee connoisseur's appreciation of a coffee is down to the flavour and how much is actually down to a placebo style effect and the enjoyment of the ritual.
I love an espresso and make myself one every day but I can't shake the idea that if there were some blind taste tests 95% of the people who say they can really taste the difference between different pourings/grindings etc. (including myself) couldn't tell an aeropress from an old school drip filter machine.
- nesyt 12y agoI think you're right that the ritual accounts for a lot of the pleasure, and I'm okay with that. Another drink I love, yerba mate, is all about the ritual. I don't know if this is universally the case, but the protocol I was taught includes the proper way to prepare the mate in the gourd, that the host always pours new hot water in, that making the sucking sound when you're out of hot water is okay (and I think even encouraged), and that everyone drinks from the same gourd together. It's an acquired taste, but the company and friendship that the ritual begets is worth the initial palate shock.
- aestra 12y agoAmazing insight! Ritual food and drink are certainly common around the world. The thing that pops into my mind is the Japanese tea ceremony.[1] There's nothing at all saying people can't have a personal ritual - indeed it is very common. Also I think it might be having a sense of more control over the process is made gives a sense of pleasure as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_tea_ceremony http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_tea_ceremony