from Howard...
advanced cupping: tastebud sequencing 101
We all know that, when water goes down a drain, it moves clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. Did you know, however, that our professional cupping staff has developed an advanced cupping method that respects these hemispheric phenomena and builds upon nature's mysterious wisdom?
We came across this little nugget on our latest "coffee cruise" through the Carribean, sponsoredf by the SCAA and Carnival Cruiselines. During a particularly lengthy cupping session that spanned across the equator, we noticed differences in our notes - cupping results radically changed with the change in hemisphere. Fortunately, we also noticed shortly after that, a slight change in cupping technique corrected the geographical error! We attribute this phenomenon to magic. There is no other plausible scientific explanation.
A lot has been written about cupping room technique but proper aspiration and spitting simply isn't enough. Our studies show that the tastebuds in the average person are arranged NOT BY GENETICS, but, instead, by global hemisphere. In fact, it is a little-known fact that one's hemispheric origin is the dominant indicator of a cupper's "tastebud sequence."
Did you know that, if a cupper rolls the aspirated liquid across the tastebuds in a clockwise manner, a stunningly more accurate and meaningful analysis will result? This has a lot to do with SCIENCE.This cupper (see photograph A), who resides in the Southern Hemisphere is tastebud sequencing in a correct counter-clockwise rotation.
Cupper "A" is actually able to detect 13.67 percent more umami than the improper clockwise rotator from the same Southern Hemisphere (see photgraph B). Cupper "B" actually referred to an Ethiopia Harrar as "citrusy" when a more accurate description would be "black currant and rosehippy."
Remember: Proper tastebud sequencing requires that the Northern Hemisphere cupper rotate in a "clockwise" direction. Southern Hemisphere cuppers should rotate in a "counter-clockwise" direction.
Equatorial Tastebud Sequencing
If the cupper resides ON THE EQUATOR (see photograph c), simply shaking the head with great vigor will produce the proper result. The cupper who is located on the equator is clearly enjoying his experience and would never confuse "baggy" for "resinous."
Of course all this is presupposes an accurate callibration of your cerebral gyroscope. Please, under no circumstance, should you EVER practice equatorial tastebud sequencing in a clockwise motion - particularly without callibrating your cerebral gyroscope.
This is total nonsense. But if you want to learn more about PROPER CUPPING TECHNIQUE, join us every Friday afternoon at 2pm for a public cupping at Kaldi's Coffee Roasting Company. It’s free… and we promise not to touch your cerebral gyroscope.
from Mike.....
