From our food editor, Verla Burrell-Bordelon:
Starbucks introduced its “Blonde Espresso” today, the company’s first new espresso in forty years. However, it’s not the first time that a “smooth and subtly sweet” lighter roast has been introduced to the American public.
Starbucks introduced its “Blonde Espresso” today, the company’s first new espresso in forty years. However, it’s not the first time that a “smooth and subtly sweet” lighter roast has been introduced to the American public.
Back in the late-1800s Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed at her request) introduced the “blonde espresso” at his family’s coffee shop, and he even publicized it in a poem, “Apparently with great surprise” (below on the left). His poem not only inspired the public to consume great quantities of blonde espresso lattes, it also inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem “Apparently with no surprise” (below on the right).
| By Emmett Lee Dickinson: Apparently with great surprise At any happy Hour The Foam atop my latte’s laced In caffeinated power -- The blonde Espresso brewed this dawn – The Day proceeds in haste I measure off another Cup With an Approving Taste | By Emily Dickinson: Apparently with no surprise To any happy Flower The Frost beheads it at its play -- In accidental power -- The blonde Assassin passes on -- The Sun proceeds unmoved To measure off another Day For an Approving God. |
A great lover of Dickinson’s Coffee Shop – and of Dickinson’s light roast – was painter Edward Hopper. He frequented the Coffee Shop regularly and used the location as the setting for his painting “Automat.”
Pictured below left and right: Dickinson's Coffee Shop in historic Washerst, PA (the birthplace of poet Emmett Lee Dickinson) was frequented by American painter Edward Hopper. The coffee shop and automat was the setting for Hopper's painting "Automat."
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Pictured below: Edward Hopper's "Automat" was set in Dickinson's Coffee Shop in historic Washerst, Pennsylvania.
No poet has written more poems about coffee than Emmett Lee Dickinson. For the past five Februaries, we have shared some of his caffeinated poetry, and this “FeBREWary” we are serving up a “six cup” of coffee poems! Starting February 1, 2018, we’ll post the poems HERE.
In the meantime, click the buttons below to check out the coffee poetry from the past.
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