Spreadable Coffee, Anyone?

Whether it’s because you’re a business dynamo with a busy schedule of morning meetings or just because you’re someone who enjoys sleeping in until the last possible second, it can be hard to find time for a full breakfast. 

Still, no one wants to go through their whole morning on an entirely empty stomach, so maybe you find yourself settling for a cup of coffee and a slice of toast.

If so, Japan’s Megmilk Snow Brand (also known as Yukijirushi Megmilk), has a proven way to streamline the process, with Yukijirushi Coffee Soft. “Soft” might seem like a strange way to describe coffee, but this isn’t a beverage.

Instead it’s a spreadable coffee-flavored topping for toast. The flavor is based on Megmilk Snow Brand’s Yukijirushi Coffee. 

Since going on sale in 1963, Yukijirushi Coffee has become one of Japan’s favorite brands of “milk coffee”, a creamy mix of java and dairy. 

While Megmilk Snow Brand’s Yukijirushi Coffee Soft announcement doesn’t say whether or not it will give you the same caffeine kick as a cup of joe, it does say that the spread delivers the flavor of its beloved coffee brand, and recommends it not just for toast, but also for pancakes.This will be Yukijirushi Coffee Soft’s second time to appear on store shelves, as it made its debut a few years back. Like many unique edible innovations in Japan, though, it was only offered for a limited time, but Megmilk Snow Brand is bringing it back to celebrate the 60th year of Yukijirushi Coffee being on the market. Yukijirushi Coffee Soft is priced at 275 yen ($2.05) for a 140-gram (4.9-ounce) container, and is on sale since September 01.

Enjoy Coffee on the World's Highest Bridge

Visitors in China can now enjoy a cup of coffee while standing more than 2,000 feet above a river, thanks to the newly opened Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou province.  

The record-breaking engineering marvel, which opened to the public on Sunday – I had blogged about it on Tuesday – stretches across the Huajiang Canyon and stands about 2,050 feet above the gorge, making it the world’s highest bridge. 

I don't know why but the United States was mentioned; we're told that China's latest structure surpasses Colorado’s Royal Gorge Bridge in that country, which is 956 feet above the Arkansas River – the latter was said to be the world's highest suspension bridge from its completion in 1929 until 2001 when China's bridges overtook it! 🤔🤔🤔   

To enhance the experience, the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge includes a high-speed glass elevator that takes visitors to a coffee spot located 2,600 feet above the river. 

Thrill-seekers can also test their courage with a bungee jump or walk along a glass pathway suspended nearly 1,900 feet above the canyon floor. 

FYI, it has now set the record for both the world's highest bridge and largest span bridge (4,600 feet) built in a mountainous area.

US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on Monday he would impose a 100% tariff on all films produced overseas that are then sent into the US, repeating a threat made in May that would upend Hollywood's global business model. 

The step signals his willingness to extend protectionist trade policies into cultural industries, raising uncertainty for studios that depend heavily on cross-border co-productions and international box-office revenue.

However, it was not immediately clear what legal authority Trump would use to impose a 100% tariff on foreign-made films.

German Cafe Owner Declares War On Matcha

A centuries-old Japanese tradition, matcha, seems to have taken over the world by storm thanks to its versatility and buzz-worthy health benefits. 

But more than that, matcha has become a lifestyle symbol with even celebrities following the trend. Cafés and influencers have turned it into a fad, making the bright green drink a must-have for those who want to be part of the crowd.  

Amid the growing craze around matcha, a café owner in Germany has gone viral for taking a bold stand against the matcha craze – and people online can't get enough of it, with his post racking up over 900,000 likes on social media. 

Dritan Alsela, a well-known barista who owns three cafés and even runs his own barista school, is typically celebrated online for his impressive latte art. But this time, it's his open disdain for matcha that's stealing the spotlight. 

Launching what he calls an "anti-matcha campaign", Dritan first shared cheeky slogans on Instagram like, "Coffee lovers of all nations, unite against matcha". 

Now declaring war on the green powder, the barista has shared another post showing that he has taken the protest offline. The slogan reads: "Matcha drinkers not permitted. This is a coffee establishment. Respect the beans". 

Social media users had a field day with the post. While some joked and shared memes, others applauded the café's humorous stand on matcha. 

One user wrote, "Matcha is so overrated, people just following the crowd like lemmings these days". 

Another user supported, "As a coffee lover, I agree". 

"I don't care much about matcha drinkers but I would most definitely visit you just for this sign", wrote one Instagram user. 

"I don't understand how people love matcha. I mean, honestly I really wanted to like it but it tastes like grass", another user joked. 

At the $231,500 Qatar Classic in Doha on Sunday, world No. 7 Sivasangari Subramaniam sealed a place in the second round with a 11-5, 11-7, 11-6 win over world No. 48 Nadine Shahin of Egypt. 

Our Malaysian squash darling will face Belgium's world No. 11 Nele Gilis for a place in the quarter-finals.

Coffee Heist

Your next cup of coffee could be hotter than you think. 

Organized criminals in the US, Brazil, and Vietnam are stealing coffee beans by the truckload, reports Reuters. The price of green coffee beans has shot up to an all-time high due to floods and droughts in major coffee-growing areas like Brazil, Indonesia and Uganda. 

"Each truck load has about 44,000 pounds (19,958 kg) of green beans, which at current market value is worth around $180,000", reports Reuters.

Criminals in the United States even set up fake transportation companies. They approach importers with too-good-to-resist freight charges. Then they load up their trucks and drive off with the beans, never to be heard from again. Some market participants believe the gangs then try to sell the beans to smaller roasters, which are feeling the pain from sky-high prices. Some importers have started attaching tracking devices to the coffee bags, in an effort to protect their shipments.

And eggs too are dearly prized. [If you don't know why this is so, kindly read my March 04, 2025 post "Rent A Chicken"].

Since October 2024, US customs officials at the Canadian and Mexican borders have intercepted 3,768 shipments of poultry products, including eggs. That's compared to 352 seizures of fentanyl. 

Compared to last year, that comes out to 36% more poultry product seizures. It's illegal to bring fresh eggs and unprocessed bird bits into the US due to the risk of spreading disease–like avian flu. Of course, the avian flu outbreak has driven up egg prices which is exactly why people are smuggling them into the US.

World No. 5 Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan were forced into a three-game tussle before clinching a hard-fought 19-21, 21-15, 21-13 victory over the world No. 55 on Wednesday. 

The hard-fought win over unheralded Taiwanese duo Teng Chun Hsun-Yang Chu Yun lasted 65 minutes before the Malaysians secured their spot in the second round of the All England Open Badminton Championships (March 11–16, 2025). 

Waiting for Pearly-Thinaah in the round of 16 will be Indonesian pair Rahayu Apriyani-Ramadhanti Siti Fadia Silva.

Iced Latte Topped With Indomie Noodles

We thought we’d seen it all with boba fries and nasi lemak nachos, but the food world just keeps proving us wrong. 

 

If you’ve ever wondered what coffee, milk, and fried instant noodles would taste like in one glorious (or ghastly?) concoction, an Indonesian café has the answer. 

 

That café is Bilik Rumah Coffee located at Jl. Raya Sindangkasih, Sindangkasih, Kec. Sindangkasih, Kabupaten Ciamis, in Jawa Barat, Indonesia, which rolled out a drink that’s equal parts bold and baffling – an iced latte topped with Indomie, the nation’s favorite instant noodles. 

 

Yep, coffee and noodles in one cup. Launched on August 17, this drink is the stuff of viral Internet fodder, combining sugar water, milk, ice, and coffee, finished with a generous pile of fried instant noodles. For that extra pizzazz, the noodles are sprinkled with fried onion crumbs, slices of red chilli, and a wedge of calamansi lime. 

 

Unconventional? Absolutely. Delicious? Well, that’s up for debate. 

 

Naturally, this peculiar pairing didn’t escape the Internet’s ever-watchful eye. A TikTok video by @mr_m.a_ showcasing the drink, of course, went viral! 

 

I'm reminding myself that should I find myself in Jakarta again, I would drop by Bilik Rumah Coffee because I would love to try this iced latte topped with Indomie noodles.

Nishimura's Real Ice Coffee

From July-August only, at Nishimura Coffee Shop (or Kobe Nishimura Kohi-ten, 神戸にしむら珈琲店), in Kobe, Japan, you can order this special iced coffee for a unique experience. 

 

Instead of being filled with ice cubes, this delicious looking coffee is served inside of a giant, square ice cube.

 

Apparently, using a giant block of ice for a cup keeps your coffee cold and strong for hours.

 

While this gimmick might seem like it’s made for a generation of social media users, there is apparently a method to this madness. In fact, it’s not just about the great pictures you can post on Instagram. The magic of using enormous blocks of ice like this, is that they actually melt quite slowly. Ice-cold coffee can be sipped out of the ice over the course of hours without getting warm or watered down.

 

The best part of this drink looks like the ice you can scrape from the sides of the cup, which forms into a tasty looking coffee slushie over time.

 

This elegant cafe, which is a 12-minute walk from Sannomiya station, was started in 1948, and is known for their delicious tea, pastries, and now, their ice block coffee which was introduced in 2022.

 

 

Yesterday, Liverpool began their defence of the EFL Cup by coming from behind to thrash West Ham United 5-1 at Anfield and teeing up a fourth-round meeting with Brighton.

 

The visitors took the lead in the twenty-first minute, with a scramble in the box following a corner seeing Wataru Endo clear the ball into Jarell Quansah for an unfortunate own goal.

 

The Hammers' lead lasted just four minutes as Federico Chiesa marked his first start for the Reds with an assist after the winger's acrobatic volley into the ground bounced up for Diogo Jota to head the equaliser. The Portugal forward scored his second in the forty-ninth minute with a low and composed finish in front of the Kop after a lovely pass by Curtis Jones.

 

Liverpool again found the net as Mohamed Salah finished from close range in the 74th minute. And then, Cody Gakpo piled on the misery for West Ham by scoring Liverpool’s fourth and fifth goals when he rifled into the bottom corner in the 90th minute and added his second with a deflected effort in the 93th minute.

Durians To Blame For Making Coffee More Expensive

How much is too much for a caffeine fix?

 

Prices like £5 in London or $7 in New York for a cup of coffee may be unthinkable for some – but could soon become a reality thanks to a "perfect storm" of economic and environmental factors in the world's top coffee-producing regions.

 

The cost of unroasted beans traded in global markets is now at a "historically high level", says analyst Judy Ganes. And experts blame a mix of troubled crops, market forces, depleted stockpiles – and the world’s smelliest fruit.

 

So how did we get here, and just how much will it impact your morning latte?

 

In 2021, a freak frost wiped out coffee crops in Brazil, the world's largest producer of Arabica beans – those commonly used in barista-made coffee. This bean shortfall meant buyers turned to countries like Vietnam, the primary producer of Robusta beans, that are typically used in instant blends. But farmers there faced the region’s worst drought in nearly a decade. 

 

Climate change has been affecting the development of coffee plants (Genus: Coffea; family: Rubiaceae), according to Will Frith, a coffee consultant based in Ho Chi Minh City, in turn impacting bean yields. And then Vietnamese farmers pivoted to the durian (Genus: Durio).

 

The fruit is proving popular in China and is in high demand. And so, Vietnamese farmers are replacing their coffee crops with durian to cash in on this emerging market. In fact, Vietnam's durian market share in China almost doubled between 2023 and 2024, and some estimate the crop is five times more lucrative than coffee.

 

"There’s a history of growers in Vietnam being fickle in response to market price fluctuations, over-committing, and then flooding the market with quantities of their new crop", Frith says. As they flooded China with durians, Robusta coffee exports were down 50% in June compared to the previous June, and stocks were now "near depleted", according to the International Coffee Organisation.

 

Exporters in Colombia, Ethiopia, Peru and Uganda have stepped up, but have not produced enough to ease a tight market.

 

"Right at [the] time when things started to rev up for demand of Robusta, is right when the world was scrambling for more supply", explains Ganes. This means Robusta and Arabica beans are now trading at near-record highs on commodity markets.

 

But industry figures caution that a high market price for coffee may not necessarily translate into higher retail prices.

 

Felipe Barretto Croce, CEO of FAFCoffees in Brazil, agrees that consumers are "feeling the pinch" as consumer prices have risen. But he argues that is "mostly due to inflationary costs in general", such as rent and labor, rather than the cost of beans. 

 

Consultancy Allegra Strategies estimate beans contribute less than 10% of the price of a cup of coffee. "Coffee is still very cheap, as a luxury good, if you make it at home".

 

Besides, the cost of lower-quality beans rising means high-quality coffee may now be seen as better value. "If you go into a specialty coffee shop in London and get a coffee, versus a coffee in Costa Coffee, the difference [in price] between that cup and the specialty coffee is much smaller than it used to be".

 

From what I've read, don't expect price relief anytime soon. It is already said that in the long term, climate change already poses serious challenges for the global coffee industry.

 

A 2022 study "Expected global suitability of coffee, cashew and avocado due to climate change" by Roman Grüter et al, affiliated with the Institute of Natural Resource Sciences, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Wädenswil, Switzerland and published in Plos One had concluded that even if we drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the area most highly suited for growing coffee could decline by 50% by 2050.

 

One measure to future-proof the industry that has the support of Croce is a "green premium" – a small tax levied on coffee given to farmers to invest in regenerative agricultural practices, which help protect and sustain the viability of farmlands.

 

So while the durian is partly responsible for price rises now – a changing climate may ultimately strain the affordability of coffee in the years to come.

 

Durian Latte

They’re spiking their drink!

 

Coffee has become the latest canvas for including seemingly incongruous ingredients like butter, olive oil and even meat, like Starbucks’ notorious pork latte in Shanghai, China. 

 

As the espresso splicing trend percolates, in the US, of all places, New York City's East Village fruit-centric coffee shop Not as Bitter has concocted possibly the wildest rocket-fuel hybrid to date: the durian latte. 

 

Not as Bitter owner Jeffrey Wang said its unique flavor translates surprisingly well to the latte, which is reportedly a top seller. 

 

“That drink tastes very [good] because it’s sweet”, the bold barista, who hails from Tianjin, China, told The New York Post. “It just adds a flavor to the coffee and then some creaminess to it”. 

 

Step aside, pumpkin spice.

 

The $8.50 durian latte is essentially like a funkier coffee cocktail – not as Bitter’s dark interior on East 10th Street even evokes a speakeasy – with undiluted durian purée, coconut milk, simple syrup and two shots of espresso sourced from Guangzhou, China-based roasters. 

 

Wang and company select the whole fruit daily from special vendors that procure them from either Malaysia or Thailand and then prepare the smelly sweetener on-site – no prepackaged powders from concentrate here. 

 

Any durian not used by the close of business day is tossed, which stings given that there’s up to $2 worth of fruit in each cup. 

 

“The only way you can taste the fruit is by putting that much, and because the puree is 100% durian, there is nothing else”, Linda Wang, co-founder of Not as Bitter’s parent group UME Hospitality Group, told The Post. 

 

The fruit’s presence is so strong that when you suck the coffee through the straw, hunks of durian hit the back of your throat like pungent bubble-tea pearls. The finish, meanwhile, is surprisingly sweet, evoking a tangier, more aromatic mocha base that belies the fruit’s supposedly overpowering pong. 

 

Cutting coffee with fruit is nothing new. The Not as Bitter crew was inspired by a trend in China, where macchiato mixologists have combined coffee with fruit and beyond. The pairings might sound strange, but Chinese gourmands believe that tropical chasers “balance out the so-called bitterness in coffee” for the local palate, according to Linda – hence the shop’s name.

 

And the durian latte appears to be paying off, given that the fructose-infused fuel is the shop’s “top seller”, according to Linda. 

 

“It sells a lot more coffee than all the other fruit ones combined”, she added. 

 

But Jeffrey said the “king of fruit” is an acquired taste. 

 

“Honestly, not everyone can handle the taste of that”, he explained. “I’ve had customers ask me what the most popular flavor is, and I would tell them that our best seller is fresh durian, and they would want to try that, but they never had durian before. 

 

“I got two or three customers come back to me and said, ‘Oh, no, I cannot do it. Never again'”.

 

I wanna try! How about it, Malaysia?

Starbucks Sue Siren-themed Coffee Brand Again

There's a dispute over the "siren" logo between Starbucks and an Alaskan, US-based coffee and apparel company and it has been ongoing for six years now.

 

Starbucks are again suing the said company, Mountains and Mermaids. The former kind of half won a previous case in which they argued that the company's Siren's Brew coffee brand could confuse consumers. 

 

But now they're complaining that the company are continuing to sell coffee using the fish-woman name and imagery. The original hand-drawn Starbucks logo was created in 1971. The brand identity has evolved since then, but the logo continues to show a siren, which Starbucks thinks should prevent other brands from mixing the mythical sea creature with caffeinated beverages. 

 

FYI, the idea behind the logo was that it was believed that sirens lured sailors with their beautiful voices to a shipwreck off the coast. Drawing on this as inspiration, the founders wanted to give off the idea that Starbucks seduces coffee lovers.

 

The case goes back to 2019, when the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) rejected Starbucks' attempt to trademark the Siren's Blend name because Mountains and Mermaids had already trademarked Siren's Brew. [Note: Starbucks had introduced a new coffee, Siren’s Blend, on September 24, 2019!] 

 

Starbucks were miffed about that. They filed an opposition to Mountains and Mermaids' trademark, arguing that even the use of the word "siren" in relation to coffee infringed on their brand, not to mention imagery of the said siren drinking coffee.

 

Despite significant differences in style, the Seattle coffee giant argued that Mountains and Mermaids' illustrations of sirens play on their own logo design. They also claimed that the word "siren" is used as a verbal shorthand for Starbucks and thus constitutes a de facto trademark. 

 

They also complained about the brand's apparel, which features phrases like "A siren needs her morning coffee before a long day of wrecking ships & drowning men".

 

The result was mixed. USPTO's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) found that Mountains and Mermaids sirens could cause confusion when it came to coffee but not when it came to the clothing. 

 

Starbucks then offered to cover Mountains and Mermaids' costs if they would file a trademark for "Mermaid's Brew" instead of "Siren's Brew". The company turned down the offer.

 

And so, Starbucks are now seeking to stop them from using the Siren's Brew name and imagery.

The Worst Coffee, According to a Tripadvisor Review

Tripadvisor reviews can supposedly make or break a business – and that's why staff in establishments will go above and beyond when they're serving you, ensuring you have a great experience – that's the theory anyway.

 

But sometimes, no matter what you do, there will be customers who don't enjoy what you've served them. 

 

Some businesses will feel disheartened when they receive negative comments, but others will turn the negativity on its head and mock it, seeing the funnier side of the situation.

 

An Italian restaurant in Barrow-in-Furness, an industrial town and port in Cumbria in north-west England, UK left their customers cracking up after doing the latter and poking fun at a negative review they received, and the picture (left) resurfaced in a Reddit thread named Best of British Humor! 

 

Mario House claim to have been criticised by an unnamed female customer, who reportedly said their coffee was the "worst" she'd ever had in her life. 

 

Instead of taking the harsh words to heart, the owners of the restaurant decided to use it as an amusing way to engage with other customers, putting up a sassy sign outside their front door. 

 

An image of the handwritten chalkboard sign was shared on the restaurant's Facebook page. The sign simply reads: "Come in and try the worst coffee one woman on TripAdvisor had in her life". 

 

Many people found the sign hilarious and couldn't help poking fun at the review. 

 

On Reddit, one person wrote: "Cappuccino, with cashew nut milk heated to 62 degrees. 18g of your finest Columbian medium roast beans, freshly fine ground. Milk poured with latte art of Sean Connery's face [...] served with a sprinkle of Lindt 99% dark chocolate”. 

 

Someone else quipped: “One overly-specific weird coffee coming up!". 

 

Speaking about the sign a spokesperson for Mario House said that it was only meant as a "joke" and that they were trying to be "ironic". 

 

They told The Mirror: "It was a joke, I had customers who spoke ugly about the restaurant but still order from our restaurant”. 

 

Yesterday, one game was an absolute borefest! Listless Liverpool failed to provide a boost to their Premier League top-four hopes as they were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace.

 

Quite aside from the dismal lack of technical quality, there were few runners, little bravery on the ball, an abject failure to win individual battles and countless horrid mistakes in possession in defense. 

 

Plainly put, this was an abject and cowardly performance bereft of belief or confidence, but also one missing any clear tactical plan. Liverpool continue to disappoint.

Coca-Cola Nourishes Giant Balls to the Size of Chinese Spy Balloons

US late-night news and political satire talk show, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” has released an updated version of Coca-Cola's "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" jingle, which promises to "nourish giant balls" to the size of "Chinese spy balloons"!

 

You may wonder, what on earth!

 

To the guys, especially, you ought to give it a listen. And it is no laughing matter.

 

This is based on actual research which suggested that soda consumption may increase testosterone levels and testicle size in men. 

 

The study, conducted by researchers at the Northwest Minzu University in China and published in the scientific journal Acta Endocrinol, set out to determine the impact carbonated beverages such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi had on fertility. 

 

As noted by the study authors, previous studies have linked soda consumption to harm to reproductive functions, reduced sperm quantity and reduced sperm motility. 

 

The researchers, who relied on animal testing to conduct the study, found the opposite was true when it came to testosterone, the male hormone produced mainly in the testes, and testicle size. 

 

To test their hypothesis, the researchers studied groups of male mice. The first group drank only water, while the remaining groups drank varying levels of Coca-Cola and Pepsi, respectively. Over the 15-day period, the scientists performed tests on the mice to analyse the effects of the carbonated beverage consumption, which included blood tests and weight and diameter measurements of the testis. 

 

The study found that the testes of the mice that just drank Coca-Cola or Pepsi were “significantly increased on day 15”. 

 

“The outcome demonstrated a high dose of Coca-Cola or Pepsi could promote testis growth and development”, the study authors wrote. 

 

In addition to increased testicle size, researchers also found that “the concentrations of serum testosterone in all mice were enhanced after the Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola treatment,” which “indicated that high doses of Coca-Cola and Pepsi could improve testosterone secretion of male mice”. 

 

“In conclusion, drinking Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola could promote testis development, enhance testosterone secretion, increase serum EGF concentrations …. Our findings provided the scientific basis for fully understanding [carbonated beverages] effects and their mechanism on development and reproduction functions of humans, but also benefit to prevent prostate dysfunction and cancer”, the study authors wrote. 

 

Although the study suggested that males may experience increased testicle size and testosterone production as a result of soda consumption, the researchers reiterated that the findings contradict previous studies. One such study includes a survey of 2,500 men that suggested sperm quantity was reduced by 30 percent when a one-litre carbonated beverage was consumed every day. 

 

The researchers also noted that previous studies have suggested links between soda consumption and fertility. One study found that carbonated beverages are associated with alterations in hormones that affect ovulation. 

 

The researchers claimed that, “so far, there has been little documentation regarding correlation between carbonated beverage consumption and reproduction function and fertility in humans and animals”. 

 

Although the researchers said more research needs to be conducted on the link between soda and fertility, the study acknowledges that carbonated beverage consumption “may lead to obesity, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes”, and that previous studies have indicated “health damage effects of carbonated beverages on adolescents and children were serious”. 

 

The recent study comes after a previous study “The associations of age, lifestyle factors and chronic disease with testosterone in men: the Tromsø Study” [J Svartberg, M Midtby, K H Bonaa, J Sundsfjord, R M Joakimsen, R Jorde, European Journal of Endocrinology, Volume 149, Issue 2, Aug 2003, pages 145–152] found that “massive consumption of coffee or caffeine increased testosterone production”. 

 

I, for one, am a regular Coke drinker and I am, therefore, already persuaded!

To Dunk Or Not To Dunk?

An influencer shocked followers by posting a video demonstrating “how to eat a croissant like a Parisian”. 

In the clip, Carolin Lauffenberger, who is based in Berlin, Germany dips the tip of the pastry into the foam of a cappuccino before eating it. 

She hashtagged the post #howtobeparisian and #parisguru. 

The response was divided. 

“Please don’t do that”, commented user @_julialiliana_, racking up 126 likes in agreement. 

“That’s a crime, madam”, came one curt reply. 

“I once saw an American do this... my grandmother almost shed a tear”, responded another Instagram user. 

One follower called it “Blasphemy”, while another France-based viewer wrote: “Just tear a piece and then dip it... please”. 

Some followers defended Lauffenberger’s approach to the iconic flaky crescent, with one person saying: “For all the ones that think that it isn’t normal, every French person do it [sic], we take pain au chocolat or croissant and we put it in coffee/hot chocolate before eating it”.

And another wrote: "Yes! Another pastry dipper". 

Others agreed that the main offence was not tearing off pieces of the pastry before dipping them into the coffee. 

So which way is the right way? 

A blog post on “The art of the croissant” from the bakery chain Paul claims the influencer’s technique is accurate, saying: “[One] very French habit is to dunk your croissant briefly in your favourite hot drink – we recommend a nice milky coffee – before each bite”. 

Reading the above reminds me of youtiao (油条), also known as Chinese fried dough/ breadstick/ crullers. 

It is normally eaten at breakfast. You tear it lengthwise in two and just eat it as it is. Or as most people would do, they dunk it in soy milk. 

For me, I love drenching it in black coffee. 

Actually, you can soak it in any beverage you wish. 

Hmm, I'm just thinking. Maybe, the next time, I'll have youtiao together with my #1 drink, Coca-Cola!

Youtiao is also favored as an accompaniment for congee – where it is served by cutting into little sections and dip into the rice porridge to soften it before eating. 

There's, of course, a story behind this snack.  

Legend has it that during the Southern Song dynasty of China, the corrupted Prime Minister Qin Kuai 秦桧 and his wife were so envious of the loyal general, YueFei 岳飞, that they hatched a vile plot to frame him and then had him killed. 

When people learned of Yue Fei’s murder, they were filled with anger. Two street food vendors devised a way to express their views. One of them sculpted miniatures of Qin Kuai and his wife out of dough. The other conveyed his rage by twisting two doughs representing Qin Kuai and his wife and threw it into the wok. He yelled out loud that Kuai is deep-fried. 

Hence, people called this deep-fried dough youtiao which is derived from you char kuai 油炸桧, which means ‘deep-fried Kuai’. The word ‘char kuai’ is often supplanted by the word tiao 条, which means a strip of dough. 

Today, youtiao has become the more popular name for this Chinese street food.

September Indulgences

This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on September 21. Traditionally, a time to mark the end of the autumn harvest and give thanks to the gods. It is also a time of year that the moon is at its brightest, which is why lunar legends have always been associated with the celebration.

I had mentioned on Tuesday that mooncakes are the main highlight of the Mid-Autumn Festival. These sweet and/or savory indulgences are delectable delights. 

You’ll find the orthodox and snowskin versions and even avant garde mooncakes – imaginative creations that boast of fillings from just about anything which can be made into a paste. 

There are fillings with ingredients such as coffee, chocolate, cream cheese, black sesame, green tea, pandan, tiramisu, nuts (walnuts, mixed nuts, etc), fruits (lychees, melons, pineapples, strawberries, etc.), vegetables (sweet potatoes, taro, etc), and not forgetting, ice cream (myriads of flavors) have been added to give a contemporary twist to the traditional recipes. 

As well as Western ingredients, including champagne ganache, malt whisky, volcanic-salt caramel and even Black truffles, caviar and foie gras have made it into mooncakes.

The choices are bewildering! 

I declare I’m a durian lover and so, no matter what, I’ll still want my favorite, the "musang king" durian mooncake:

For sure, I'm still indulging in them. All hail the King of Fruits!

The Definitive Coffee Quotes

If you love coffee, you really love coffee. 

You love making it, tasting it and drinking it. You love thinking about it, reading about it, and talking about it. 

And it's probably for all of these reasons that you'll love this definitive round-up of the 18 all-time quotes about coffee. Really, these are the best things people have ever said about coffee: