Velvet in a cappucino cup (Whittard Santos & Java Coffee)

Member Name: Dido72

Product:	Whittard Santos & Java Coffee
Date:	23/09/05 (683 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Luxurious

Disadvantages: None

I worked for Whittard of Chelsea for 2 years, about a lifetime ago. I applied for the job of assistant manager because I had just been made redundant and the ad in the paper said “Are you addicted to coffee?”….I thought yes I am, this is the job for me!

I couldn’t even begin to call myself a coffee expert, but as part of the job all Whittard’s staff have to pass tea and coffee certificates, so I suppose this means I know a little more than the average person on the street about the subject. Also I really do love the stuff and have become a coffee snob since working for Whittard’s…don’t even get me started on flavoured, canned and instant coffee’s.


***A few coffee facts***

*Coffee is grown in many countries, the best climate for coffee growing is warm and humid so the best coffee comes from warm and humid countries (obviously).

*Some coffee growing countries are: Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Columbia, Costa Rica, Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico and Ethiopia amongst others.

*Coffee is roasted for different lengths of time to suit the individual coffee and to increase/decrease the strength for example Jamaican Blue mountain is a light roast as it is a delicate coffee and any stronger roasting would just spoil it.

*Coffee is ground in different ways for different coffee makers, for example an espresso maker needs the coffee to be fine ground, while a cafetiere will take a more coarse ground coffee.

*Coffee beans will last longer than ground coffee before it starts to lose flavour as the oils evaporate faster once it is ground.


***How to brew coffee***

The easiest way is in a cafetiere.

*Fill your kettle with freshly drawn cold water and boil.

*For an 8 cup cafetiere use 3 scoops/desert spoons of medium coarse ground coffee.

*Once the kettle has boiled leave it to cool for a few moments as boiling water will burn the coffee.

*Pour the water into the cafetiere and leave it to “brew” for a couple of minutes.

*Stir the coffee and water and press down the plunger.

*Enjoy.

For the many different types of espresso/cappuccino makers on the market just follow the manufacturers instructions or pop into your local Whittard’s as they are always willing and able to give good advice.


***A bit about Whittard’s***

*The company was founded by Walter Whittard in 1886.

*They always strive to buy the best quality coffee that they can find.

*They have a fair to farmers policy (similar to fair trade) so that wherever possible the profit made from selling coffee goes to the growers, not the government.

*Whittard’s sell 18 different kind of coffee beans which you can buy whole or have it freshly ground in the shop.

*Coffee is sold in 125g, 250g and 500g bags.

*Prices for 125g start at £1.80, then £2.10, £2.50 all the way up to £9.50 for Blue mountain Jamaica!!

*They also sell flavoured and instant coffee(!), loose tea, flavoured tea and tea bags, hot chocolates, coffee and tea makers and a lovely range of china (as well as other things at different times of the year).

*There are over 100 Whittard’s shops country wide and 21 outlet stores in outlet centres across to country.


***Santos and Java***

*This is a blend of Java, for the rich smoothness and Brazillian for that coffee kick.

*It is a strong roast coffee to give it the darkness that is ideal for espresso and cappuccino.

*It has a thick smooth taste which is rich and dark without being bitter.

In my opinion to have a cappuccino made from Santos and Java coffee from Whittard’s is the ultimate cappuccino experience. You could almost do away with the chocolate topping as Santos and Java is so rich and smooth it is almost chocolatey on it’s own.

So make your cappuccino in your favorite way, froth your milk (semi-skimmed warm, not boiled) add a dash of chocolate sprinkles, put your feet up and wallow in the deep dark warmth of Santos and Java.

If, on the other hand you are a latte kind of a person, this is probably not the coffee for you. If you like your coffee sweet and milky, I would probably go for a Columbian or Costa Rican, but if coffee that bites back is your thing than Santos and Java is the one to try!

Summary: I don't work for Whittard's anymore-honest!