Glossary of slow culture
Short, clear definitions of the terms we use in Slow Made City - from bloom in V60 to bean-to-bar in chocolate and lactofermentation in kimchi. One term - one sentence answer, plus a little context.
Coffee
Specialty coffee, brew methods, extraction, equipment
- Specialty coffee Coffee scored above 80 out of 100 by certified Q Graders per the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) standard, with traceable origin down to a specific farm or cooperative.
- Bloom The first 30-45 seconds of a V60 or other pour-over method, when a small amount of water is poured over freshly ground coffee to release CO₂. Without bloom, extraction is uneven.
- Extraction The process by which water dissolves and extracts soluble compounds from ground coffee. Under-extraction yields sour, watery taste; over-extraction yields bitter, dry finish. Target extraction for most brew methods is 18-22% of coffee weight.
- Grind size The coarseness of ground coffee, which controls extraction speed. Finer = slower water flow = higher extraction. Espresso requires very fine grind (like powdered sugar); V60 - medium (like sea salt); French press - coarse (like coarse crystal sugar).
- TDS The concentration of dissolved solids in the brewed drink, measured with a refractometer. A typical V60 falls in the 1.30-1.45% TDS range; espresso - 8-12% TDS. TDS is not the same as extraction - it measures strength, not the percentage of solubles extracted.
- Origin The geographic source of a specific coffee. "Single origin" means all beans in a bag come from one country, region, or even a single farm - as opposed to a blend, which mixes origins. Origin is the specialty equivalent of "terroir" in wine.
- SCA The global organization that defines quality standards in specialty coffee - cupping protocols, evaluation rubrics for beans and drinks, certifications for Q Graders and baristas. SCA was formed in 2017 by the merger of SCAA (America) and SCAE (Europe).
- Cupping A standardized coffee evaluation protocol developed by SCA. Freshly ground coffee is brewed in cups with hot water, then scored for aroma, flavor, acidity, body, balance and other criteria - blind, in a group. This is the procedure that gives coffee its specialty score.
- Pour-over A brewing method where hot water is poured manually over ground coffee in a filter. V60, Chemex, Kalita Wave and Origami are the most popular pour-over devices. Produces a clean, transparent finish where the origin is heard.
Cacao
Bean-to-bar chocolate, couverture, conching
- Bean-to-bar A chocolate-making model where a single producer controls the entire process from cacao bean to finished bar - sourcing, fermentation, roasting, conching, tempering, packaging. The opposite of the couverture model, where finished chocolate is bought in bulk.
- Couverture A standardized chocolate with high cocoa butter content, sold as a production ingredient to pastry chefs, baristas and chocolatiers who re-melt and mold it into bars or pralines. The opposite of the bean-to-bar model.
- Conching A step in chocolate making where the chocolate mass is mixed and aerated for hours or days (typically 24-72 hours for quality chocolate). Evaporates unwanted acids, develops flavor, smooths texture. Invented in 1879 by Rudolf Lindt.
- Single-estate cacao Cacao produced by a single farm or plantation, as opposed to blends from multiple regions. Allows the maker to highlight terroir - the characteristic flavor of a specific place, climate and cacao variety. The cacao equivalent of single-origin coffee.
Artisan
Sourdough, fermentations, honey
- Sourdough Bread fermented with natural leaven - a culture of wild yeasts and lactobacillus, maintained by the baker. No commercial yeast. Fermentation takes 12-72 hours, which develops flavor and makes the gluten easier to digest.
- Lactofermentation A process where lactic-acid bacteria convert sugars in the product into lactic acid. It preserves the food and develops deep, tangy flavors. Kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, kefir - all are lactofermented.
- Raw honey Honey that has not been heated above 40°C (104°F) and has not been machine-filtered. Preserves enzymes, pollen particles, and micro-nutrients that pasteurization destroys. Crystallizes naturally after a few months - not a defect, but a sign of quality.
SMC
Concepts specific to Slow Made City
- Brand Residency Slow Made City's editorial model: a thematic 3-6 month season where a brand enters the media as a co-author of meaning, not as an advertiser. The editorial team controls tone and angle on individual pieces. See the full definition at /en/what-is-brand-residency.
- City Loop A gamified mechanic in Slow Made City where readers earn points by scanning QR codes in partner cafés, reading articles from a brand residency, and posting photos on Instagram. At the end of the season, points convert into rewards from the brand resident.
- Slow Made The editorial axis of Slow Made City: products, places and rituals made with a focus on meaning over speed, process over product, culture over noise, and care over chaos. Not an official movement - a compass for what we cover.