6 posts tagged “coffee”
What is one of your addictions?
Submitted by Paperheart.
Coffee is my main addiction. It is one I really would hate to give up. The morning coffee, either a 4 shot americano (iced or hot with little water) or a large mug of dark, thick, pacific island arabica will do the trick. I am a huge fan of the coffee in the Netherlands, although I enjoy it in a larger quantity.
What's your morning beverage of choice? Coffee, tea, juice? Homemade or store-bought?
Mmmm, the morning coffee. It is about 30 ounces of homemade indonesian blends, brewed thick and black. It is supersized, but that is it all day. I like full-city roasts that have been freshly roasted and are ground fresh.
If you could open any sort of restaurant, what would it be like?
I would like a cross between a comfy coffee house with stacks of books on the wall and a French Bistro/Cafe. It would have killer croissants and scones to go with the coffee and teas. Coffee can be brewed or french press and teas steeped or french press. Espresso can be made with any of the roasts and varieties/blends. The espresso machine will require a well trained barista that understands perfect grind, press, outside pressure and humidity for that perfect shot.
The French cafe would focus on Lyonaise cooking with good sausage with onions, the house salad would would have frisse with lardons and a poached egg on top with mustard vinegarette or a peeled fresh grapefruit wedges, grilled onion, toasted pine nuts and goat cheese on mixed greens with a berry mustard vinagarette. It may even have a pallea dish on the menu, but you would have to wait for it as it has to cook properly. Quiche, omlettes, and the croque family will be on the menu. A cassolette with meat or vegetarian version would always be available. Fruit tarts would be the deserts and when the weather is cooler fresh chocolate truffles (the fresh soft kind with real dairy and dark chocolate). Everything on the menu would be organic and locally grown as much as possible.
The coffeehouse side would have deep chairs, comfy sofas, and reclaimed wood tables for games and drawing/writing. Free wifi would be around the whole place and have its own IRC channel. The cafe side would be reclaimed wood booths and thick round tables with wooden chairs. It would have some of the feel of Le Nimrod in Paris (on Cherche du Midi) as it is a real local bistro/cafe.
This would be in Portland, San Francisco, Berkeley, England, or anywhere sort of north but moderate.
What was the highlight of this past weekend?
Hanging out with friends I don't get to see enough while in Portland, Oregon, having great food and coffee and talking. I did not want this trip to end. It was too hot, but had great Thyme iced tea at StumpTown roasters, many great iced americanos, incredible Hot Lips Blackberry and Raspberry sodas, and fresh Blackberry Gelato.
I have had a great stay in Portland again. This one may have been the best in a long time. Today I essentially walked from 9:30 am until 5. I bounced around the Pearl District then up to Nob Hill walking both areas from Burnside to Lovejoy or beyond. I had great coffee and amazing baked goods. Lunch at Ken's Artisan Bakery on 21st was fantastic. I looked around Kitchen Kaboodle, which was my parents favorite store when we lived here, was one of the better cooking stores I have been in (the Sur la Table) in the Pearl was one of the better versions of that store I have been in.
Oh yes, I did go to Powell's, but did not go overly nuts. I found good deals on some things I have been wanting for a while and picked up a new cookbook. I wandered up around Pioneer Square and then back to Stump Town roasters on 3rd. It was a little cooler today, but I found many stores and cafes that I want to visit on my next trip or many next trips. Now I just need to get back again.
I am going to miss Portland deeply when I leave tomorrow morning.
Amazon had an Automatic French Press listed today in their Friday Sale. I would have never gone looking for an automatic french press. You know why? Because it is a manual tool, that is so simple. Add grinds, add hot water, wait 5-6 minutes and press. The tough part is getting the size of the coffee ground right and the measurement of the coffee and water right.
The coffee maker I do lust after (it is okay to say lust?) is the Krups 468-42 Moka Brew (which seems to not be available anylonger). Moka pushes steam up through the coffee for a really rich coffee. This can not be done by hand.
