Went to Ritual Roasters a week or two ago to refresh my supply, since the beans I've been buying from Whole Foods haven't been that great to me lately (I typically buy Ritual or Barefoot at the Whole Foods in Oakland). I decided to go to the source directly, since that's where the rarer offerings would be.
I purchased a pound of their Kenya Kiandu, for $15.95 IIRC. In a French press the coffee has a medium body, with flavors of pink grapefruit and chocolate coco powder. Acidity is a bit bigger than the body but overall the cup is balanced. Touch of hazelnut lingers on the tongue in the finish. In a pour over I had today, I got some grassy notes in the finish.
Nice coffee, certainly better than others I've had recently.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Coffee Dinner
Just got word that the Dissident Chef in San Francisco will be having a coffee pairing dinner later this month, with each course paired with a cup of Ritual Roasters coffee. He was inspired by a cupping at Ritual (watch a mildly humorous (at least to me) video of the cupping here).
Tickets are about $100. You can sign up here.
I have never heard of a coffee-pairing dinner. You can get a wine-pairing dinner at any nice restaurant (I still dream of being able to splurge one day for the "Grand Tasting of Fine and Rare Wines," for the eight course chef's tasting menu at Cyrus in Healdsburg that costs $185 in additionto the food).
Less costly, but probably more fun, would be a beer-pairing course at Magnolia Pub & Brewery on Haight street. They have some interesting things brewing over there, including their Oysterhead Stout I tried at one point (Tomales Bay oysters are actually thrown into the tank when they make it, or so I was told).
But a coffee pairing dinner? That's crazy talk! I wonder how long until we see more of this happening in other foodie-centric places with a third wave coffee scene like Seattle, Portland, Chicago (Intelligentsia is a force to be reckoned with) and now New York (check out ManSeekingCoffee's recent round up of the growing specialty coffee movement in Manhattan - it's quite extensive and heartening to hear).
Plus, in these difficult economic times, coffee pairings is an interesting, different thing chefs can do to entice diners to come out for something new without breaking the bank.
Tickets are about $100. You can sign up here.
I have never heard of a coffee-pairing dinner. You can get a wine-pairing dinner at any nice restaurant (I still dream of being able to splurge one day for the "Grand Tasting of Fine and Rare Wines," for the eight course chef's tasting menu at Cyrus in Healdsburg that costs $185 in additionto the food).
Less costly, but probably more fun, would be a beer-pairing course at Magnolia Pub & Brewery on Haight street. They have some interesting things brewing over there, including their Oysterhead Stout I tried at one point (Tomales Bay oysters are actually thrown into the tank when they make it, or so I was told).
But a coffee pairing dinner? That's crazy talk! I wonder how long until we see more of this happening in other foodie-centric places with a third wave coffee scene like Seattle, Portland, Chicago (Intelligentsia is a force to be reckoned with) and now New York (check out ManSeekingCoffee's recent round up of the growing specialty coffee movement in Manhattan - it's quite extensive and heartening to hear).
Plus, in these difficult economic times, coffee pairings is an interesting, different thing chefs can do to entice diners to come out for something new without breaking the bank.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Blue Bottle Ferry Building Update
Got a cappuccino at Blue Bottle's Ferry Building farmer's market stand today, and asked the barista for an update on when their new cafe would be opening (the sign, posted last year, outside the shuttered shop said it was going to open "this winter"). She said April 4th, or April 9th, or 10th. So sometime early next month. She also said they'd have manual lever machines there pulling espressos, though she blanked on the manufacturer. Blue bottle has a Bosco Napoli two-head manual lever machine at their Mint Plaza location, which pulls quite a nice shot.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
2006 Rosenblum Abba Vineyards Syrah, Lodi
Picked this 2006 Rosenblum Abba Vineyards Syrah from Lodi up last weekend as part of a club shipment (club price: $20, retail:$25).
I picked up wild blackberries and some woody notes on the nose of this thick, dense Syrah. In the mouth I was hit with black cherries, plums, a touch of heat on the finish along with bubblegum sweetness and black pepper spice.
Only 2,550 cases were made. The wine was aged in French (90%) and American (10%) oak from grapes grown by Phil Abba.
Nicely crafted wine, and for $20 not too bad quality price ratio (QPR).
Monday, March 2, 2009
Cafe Grumpy
After my return visit to Gimme! Coffee, I decided to branch out and see one of the other major third wave cafes in New York City, Cafe Grumpy in Chelsea.
I ordered a double espresso of their house blend, called Heartbreaker. It had a strong nose dominated by red berries. In the cup it was very jammy - like reduced blackberry sauce, and thick as oil. It had a long finish.
I also had a cup of Nimac Kapeh, Atitlan, Guatemala Roasted by Barismo. This was one I've tried and reviewed before (see it here.) This time around, with the coffee prepared in a Clover, I found lots of cinnamon and baking chocolate in the cup, a lot different from last time I tried it.
I really liked this cafe. From a coffee geek's perspective, I love the fact that they offer several different coffees from various roasters, prepared in the Clover. They also have a couple of espresso choices as well, including a single origin option (when I went it was a decaf, which is why I didn't try it).
The cafe itself is one of those neighborhood places you can imagine hanging out in for hours reading or writing and just observing the world go. I'm definitely going to make a trip here the next time I'm in NYC.
I ordered a double espresso of their house blend, called Heartbreaker. It had a strong nose dominated by red berries. In the cup it was very jammy - like reduced blackberry sauce, and thick as oil. It had a long finish.
I also had a cup of Nimac Kapeh, Atitlan, Guatemala Roasted by Barismo. This was one I've tried and reviewed before (see it here.) This time around, with the coffee prepared in a Clover, I found lots of cinnamon and baking chocolate in the cup, a lot different from last time I tried it.
I really liked this cafe. From a coffee geek's perspective, I love the fact that they offer several different coffees from various roasters, prepared in the Clover. They also have a couple of espresso choices as well, including a single origin option (when I went it was a decaf, which is why I didn't try it).
The cafe itself is one of those neighborhood places you can imagine hanging out in for hours reading or writing and just observing the world go. I'm definitely going to make a trip here the next time I'm in NYC.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Gimme! Coffee
When I come to NYC, I like to go waaaay out of my way before work and head down to Gimme! Coffee on Mott St. in NoLita. Since my last trip a year ago, several other Third Wave cafes have opened in NYC, but I like Gimme's little shop. It's very narrow, with no room for seats, an L-shaped counter. They roast light and have at least two different coffees on tap. Plus they know their stuff.
When I came in last year, and starting talking shop, I got skeptical looks from the barista. "Who are you again?" he asked, after a brief discussion about natural vs. washed coffees, CoE and vacuum sealing at origin. Perhaps it was because I wasn't spotting hipster clothes and tats (I was wearing a tie and a jacket).
This time I talked to Jenni, and had a great conversation about some of the different beans they were selling. She was raving about their Panama Hartmann Honey, a small lot of mixed varietals that I'll call a field blend. It includes Caturra, Catuai, Tipica, Geisha, San Ramon, Pacamara and Bourbon varietals, and is semi-washed, where the fruit of the coffee cherry is stripped off but the mucus is allowed to remain on the bean while it dries. This imparts more fruit flavors on the bean than if it were totally wet processed.
Unfortunately she didn't have any for me to buy then, but will be receiving some tomorrow and I'll try to make it down to get a bag to bring back to SF.
I did have a nice Rwandan Bourbon Bufcafe that showed light tropical fruit flavors that Jenni pegged as cantaloupe. These were more present as the coffee cooled, then receded somewhat as it grew cold in temp.
When I came in last year, and starting talking shop, I got skeptical looks from the barista. "Who are you again?" he asked, after a brief discussion about natural vs. washed coffees, CoE and vacuum sealing at origin. Perhaps it was because I wasn't spotting hipster clothes and tats (I was wearing a tie and a jacket).
This time I talked to Jenni, and had a great conversation about some of the different beans they were selling. She was raving about their Panama Hartmann Honey, a small lot of mixed varietals that I'll call a field blend. It includes Caturra, Catuai, Tipica, Geisha, San Ramon, Pacamara and Bourbon varietals, and is semi-washed, where the fruit of the coffee cherry is stripped off but the mucus is allowed to remain on the bean while it dries. This imparts more fruit flavors on the bean than if it were totally wet processed.
Unfortunately she didn't have any for me to buy then, but will be receiving some tomorrow and I'll try to make it down to get a bag to bring back to SF.
I did have a nice Rwandan Bourbon Bufcafe that showed light tropical fruit flavors that Jenni pegged as cantaloupe. These were more present as the coffee cooled, then receded somewhat as it grew cold in temp.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Naughty Boy Vineyards
At the Wine Mine in Oakland Saturday, Jim and Emjay Scott from Porter Valley, Mendocino-based Naughty Boy Vineyards were pouring some of their wines, including two Chardonnays, two Pinot Noirs and a Dolcetto. I was really digging the Pinot Noirs - a 2006 and a 2005. The more recent vintage was actually drinking easier than the prior year. The 2006 was almost brick-like in color, with a moderate nose of bright fresh strawberries and grape candy. These were present as flavors in the mouth, and the wine really gave me a pepper zing on the tongue at the finish. It was very approachable.
The 2005 seemed more complex and Old World in style, with earthy notes not present in the 2006 dominating the nose, and more pepper and spice in the mouth. The fresh strawberry component in the 2006 was muted in the 2005, or more like the pepper was kicked up a notch.
According to technical notes on Naught Boy's website, the 2005 Pinot spent 18 months in French oak, with 28% being new barrels (the newer the oak, the more likely you're going to find oak and vanilla flavors in the wine). In fact, I don't think I tasted any oak at all in these wines, showing a nice handling of the barreling, compared to many American Pinot Noir producers who overdo that aspect of aging, leading to woody, heavy wines that aren't that interesting or even resemble Pinot Noir.
These small production wines (less than 1,000 cases produced) are made from organic grapes. I didn't get prices for all of them, but I think I saw the 2005 going for $14 a bottle.
The 2005 seemed more complex and Old World in style, with earthy notes not present in the 2006 dominating the nose, and more pepper and spice in the mouth. The fresh strawberry component in the 2006 was muted in the 2005, or more like the pepper was kicked up a notch.
According to technical notes on Naught Boy's website, the 2005 Pinot spent 18 months in French oak, with 28% being new barrels (the newer the oak, the more likely you're going to find oak and vanilla flavors in the wine). In fact, I don't think I tasted any oak at all in these wines, showing a nice handling of the barreling, compared to many American Pinot Noir producers who overdo that aspect of aging, leading to woody, heavy wines that aren't that interesting or even resemble Pinot Noir.
These small production wines (less than 1,000 cases produced) are made from organic grapes. I didn't get prices for all of them, but I think I saw the 2005 going for $14 a bottle.
Palate Fatigue?
I haven't posted about coffee in some time because I haven't been that impressed by the coffees I've had during the past month or so. They've included two from Ritual Roasters - a Honduran and a Costa Rican - el Cedral, Terrazu, as well as a pair from Barefoot - their Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Dominion Trading and a Rwandan Ruseyini co-op Kinunu lot. All were pleasant, but I just didn't find myself compelled to write notes about them as the complexity in each one muted.
Makes me start to wonder if I'm not suffering from a little coffee palate fatigue. Most of these I purchased at Whole Foods in Oakland, which means they're not these roasters' primary offerings, and some had signs of aging prior to roasting (pencil shaving/lead flavor), however I have had them before and liked them more than my most recent experiences.
Anyway, I'll be heading to NYC for a week, and am looking forward to hitting up some of the small, third wave roasters popping up. If you have any suggestions, send them my way.
Makes me start to wonder if I'm not suffering from a little coffee palate fatigue. Most of these I purchased at Whole Foods in Oakland, which means they're not these roasters' primary offerings, and some had signs of aging prior to roasting (pencil shaving/lead flavor), however I have had them before and liked them more than my most recent experiences.
Anyway, I'll be heading to NYC for a week, and am looking forward to hitting up some of the small, third wave roasters popping up. If you have any suggestions, send them my way.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Starbucks making instant?
Starbucks brewing up plans for instant coffee
February 12, 2009
FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Starbucks Corp. said Thursday it will unveil a new instant coffee as part of its attempt to turn around sluggish sales and shed its reputation for pricey lattes.
The company has been working on the product for more than 20 years and has a patent pending on the technology that will allow it to "absolutely replicate the taste of Starbucks coffee in an instant form," spokesman Vivek Varma said in an e-mail to employees.
more here....
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
Not that I drink Starbucks regularly, but they've always held up their ideal of making fresh coffee from quality beans (you can debate the execution of these goals, but the company was responsible for creating the perception in the American consumer mind that coffee is a daily luxury and not some caffeine delivery system to be had for the cheapest price). With a move away from that freshness, we're getting one step closer to falling back into the coffee hell that has gripped this country for the past several decades.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The Wine Mine
Discovered a great wine shop in Oakland last weekend, called the Wine Mine at 5427 Telegraph Ave. They have $1 wine tastings on Saturday from 2pm to 5pm, and when I went they were pouring several Italian bottles from “Central Italy” - Tuscany, Abruzzo and Sardinia. All less than $15, if I recall correctly. I was really impressed with the 2007 Quattro Mani Montepulciano d'Abruzzo that sells for $10.99.
On the nose I found anise, slight vanilla and some dark chocolate. In the mouth this wine was really juicy, featuring strawberries with a note of fennel and black pepper. Spicy tannins throughout.
It's a decent $10 bottle of wine for everyday drinking. Not too racy or exciting, but very pleasant and better than a lot of American bottles in the same price.
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