NIPPONIA

NIPPONIA No.20 March 15, 2002

An international selection of coffee...

Coffee from about 20 countries all at one place—the Café Bach in Tokyo's Minami-senju district. The café attracts people from near and far. The "Bach Blend," a coffee brew developed here, was served during the banquet for world leaders at the Okinawa Summit in 2000.

This Viennese coffee offers a generous dollop of whipped cream floating atop coffee made from well-roasted coffee beans.

A cup of Burundi coffee, made from well roasted beans, offers a unique sour tinge that goes well with a piece of chocolat cake.

Espresso coffee has gained a strong following in Japan over the last few years. The Café Bach has always served an espresso coffee brewed directly over heat, partly at the suggestion from someone who had enjoyed it in Italy.

Inside the Café Bach. Some customers here drink more than 10 cups a day. The coffee is said to be gentle on the stomach because it is made from fresh beans.		The owner developed a unique type of filter paper and drip filter, while searching for the perfect brew.		Beans are taken from the roaster and cooled. The operator monitors the roasting process by listening carefully to the sound of the beans as they split open, and by examining their color.
The shelves behind the counter are packed with different kinds of coffee beans. Sit at the counter and discuss your preferences with the person waiting on you, and you are on your way to finding a fragrant cup.		A worker checks the beans before and after roasting, discarding each imperfect one and any unwanted material.

NIPPONIA