Iced cappuccino dangerous? And other thoughts on coffee.
By DavidFisher. Filed in Uncategorized |Tags: caffeine, coffee, drinks, espresso, John Firesheets, La Roma, Starbucks $tarbucks
I have put into consideration that perhaps I drink too much coffee. Maybe. I’m not convinced. I have drank high caffeine drinks all my life. I know as a toddler I’d drink my grandfather’s coffee. Hell, they likely put it in my bottle. Seems reasonable to me. I know my mother stopped smoking when she was pregnant with me, but I can’t imagine for two seconds that she stopped coffee.
I currently consume about six strong caffeinated drinks per day. As of 2pm today I’ve already had a quad iced Americano. Just pulled another two shots. These aren’t my last for the day. When I’m in the office I’ve been downing 2-3 large pots of French press coffee and then a few cups of black tea.
If I don’t drink coffee, I get headaches. Badly. Yes, there is a chemical addiction there, and I know it. All of my counter space in my kitchen is dedicated to making coffee. I only have an espresso machine, a turkish ibrik, a french press… and I’m thinking of getting a chemex. Ok, maybe I am a bit far in. What’s horrid, is that almost no coffee shop can make a drink that I actually like anymore. That’s what I get I guess for getting my first espresso maker at 13. Thank you John Firesheets (my good friend who for many years was my only guitar teacher. Amazing guy) for getting my drinking coffee that much more! 
So one thing that I can’t get ANYWHERE around here to make anymore is a decent iced cappuccino! They all claim that putting heated foam onto ice is dangerous and causes bacteria to spore. Maybe I’ve just had enough of the bacteria that my body no longer cares, but I see no ill effects from it.
They tell me all sorts of food-related things are dangerous. Very rare steak, rare hamburger, raw eggs, oysters on the halfshell, raw milk, raw cheese, moldy cheese, raw seafood at large, etc…
I have only once ever had my stomach ever feel bad in a way that I attributed to bad food, and I don’t even know for sure that it was the food then. I’ve eaten raw eggs, rare/uncooked seafoods and meats for a long time. No ill effects. I mean, I cook my pork well, but steak? Barely. Tuna? Never does heat touch it.
So I wish that these places would stop it with the liability bullshit and foam their milk right. I’ve tricked a few $tarbuck$ by telling them to give me an “iced latte with foam”. Some of them are stupid enough to not get it. La Roma by default no longer makes them right, although most of them will if I ask pretty. Espresso Royale at least still makes decent ones.
Is this something new??? When I first moved to NYC I got an iced cap at News Bar DAILY!!! Sprinkled a little cinnamon on it and was very happy.
Friday I ordered one at Starbucks on Wilshire in LA and was treated like a moron. But they never mentioned why I couldn’t have one. The barista was even giggling!!
Then the barista at my neighborhood Starbucks explained. Biy was I shocked. I have never been sick over an iced cappuccino. And there are plenty of coffee shops still serving them without batting an eyelash.
Is there any proof???
I’m sure some microbiologist could dig up ‘proof’ but proof that it’s harmful? I doubt it.
Mold and bacteria are on everything. Honestly the more of it you have generally the better your body knows how to deal with it. Boy in a Bubble if you don’t expose yourself to it. Your digestive system could not work without bacteria. Period.
Then again, like I said… I eat my beef rare, the idea of raw chicken doesn’t freak me out much (although I’ve had one or two friends say they did get a bit sick off it in Japan) even though I haven’t tried it, I eat raw fish about 2-3x a week, and I’m totally ok with unpastrized milk and raw eggnog.
who is john firesheets and where is he from?
John Firesheets is my long time friend and mentor on guitar that I’ve known for at least 15 years now. He resides in the Triad area of North Carolina.
If this is the native of greensboro, Firesheets, I beleive his wifes name is karen. Tell her after 28 years I still love her.