About the Author: Vincent Gabriel
Vincent A. Gabriel always had tea at home for breakfast. Tea was always English Breakfast.
He went to the traditional coffee shops including the one at Lau Pa Sat, where he had the toasted slices of bread on one side with butter and the other with sweet rich egg kaya. He also enjoyed the cup cakes at the Red House, which was run by a family of a pupil. After Sunday Masses he visited Chin Mee Chin in Katong. Tong Ah in Keong Siak Street was visited when he went to invite a pupil to return to his class after the boy had been playing truant.
The multi-national coffee chains brought the world of coffee to Singapore. He was able to taste Blue Mountain (from Jamaica) Monsoonal coffee (from India) and the aromatic Arab coffee.
This book is a tribute to the coffee drinkers who keep smallholder coffee producers improving their crop and the roasters who bring out the best in coffee and tea.
It is the coffee shop. It is traditional. It is on the verge of extinction. Then the young discovered the joys of coffee from the multi-national coffee chains that began to invade.
Soon tea drinking, that was the characteristic of the culture of India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and China gave way to COFFEE-drinking.
Coffee drinking was hip. Coffee was trendy. The coffee shop becomes the coffee eatery. Now you, too want to tap the huge potential of three billion people drinking coffee and living the coffee (café) lifestyle.
As an entrepreneur, the history of the coffee lifestyle should shape your strategic planning.
The oldies will stick to their old ways. The retro-chains appeal to those who long for the past, but want a "past" that fit with their expectations.
The young embrace globalisation and coffee is indeed a worldwide commodity.
The well-to-do want coffee to state their status as the consumers of chic, class and considerable wealth.
At the end of it all, the cup of coffee is a careful mix of bean, hot water, quality milk, some sugar, some cream and all coming together in wonderful aroma and soul-stirring taste.
About the Author
Vincent A. Gabriel always had tea at home for breakfast. Tea was always English Breakfast.
He went to the traditional coffee shops including the one at Lau Pa Sat, where he had the toasted slices of bread on one side with butter and the other with sweet rich egg kaya. He also enjoyed the cup cakes at the Red House, which was run by a family of a pupil. After Sunday Masses he visited Chin Mee Chin in Katong. Tong Ah in Keong Siak Street was visited when he went to invite a pupil to return to his class after the boy had been playing truant.
The multi-national coffee chains brought the world of coffee to Singapore. He was able to taste Blue Mountain (from Jamaica) Monsoonal coffee (from India) and the aromatic Arab coffee.
This book is a tribute to the coffee drinkers who keep smallholder coffee producers improving their crop and the roasters who bring out the best in coffee and tea.
