9.26.2011

Coffee

I can't do without coffee, I can't.  I get up in the morning, go to the bathroom, wash my face, and then get started on the coffee.  Which means that a mere 15-20 minutes after I wake up, I have a cup of coffee in hand.

But I can't say that I chase the good stuff.  I've had outstanding coffee: Ninth Street Espresso, Blue Bottle Coffee at the Ferry Building, Philz Coffee (my favorite ever).  I know it's good and I appreciate it's good. Ultimately, though, when it comes down to it, I buy Starbuck's and pretty much subsist on that.  It's easy, it's accessible.

Adam was just on a business trip in the Bay Area and came back with a bag of Blue Bottle:


The difference between this bag and my usual Starbuck's was marked.  Which won't be a surprise to you coffee aficionados.  But it has certainly inspired me to make more of an effort to get the good stuff. I mean, I live in NYC, for heaven's sake.  It shouldn't be that hard.

I insist on quality in so much that I put in my body - why not coffee?

What about you, fellow coffee drinkers?  What do you drink?  How do you brew it?

Eat, drink, and seek out quality.




For more about coffee, check out these links:

7 comments:

Anali said...

We just started buying Cafe Justo, which I quite like - a very medium brew with a nice flavor. It's about the same price as buying Starbucks at the store, and it supports a good cause.

~ lg said...

A hearty "Hear Hear!" to your addiction!
http://consumerist.com/2011/09/women-who-drink-coffee-have-20-lower-risk-of-depression.html

Anonymous said...

Stumptown Coffee that I buy at Sweatleaf in LIC is delicious. Like you, I never considered myself a coffee snob, but when you taste the difference it's hard to go back. Sweatleaf also sells the Japanese coffee brewers that are all the rage, although I haven't gone down that road...yet. -meghancnyc

Joy Bugaloo said...

I HIGHLY recommend Blue-Smoke Coffee. Shade-grown beans picked by indigenous peoples of Latin America (closes source to the U.S.), roasted one pound at a time to order, prced fairly with part of the proceeds always going to environmental charities, packaged beautifully, and all brought to you by the nicest and most earnest guy in the world. The only thing is that he gets so busy, the orders don't come very quickly, so we always order extra to stick in the freezer to tide us over! My favorites are Canopy and Appalachian. Trust me on this, coffee freaks. Try it.

Walter's Giant Blog of Books, Theatre, and Whatever the hell else I come up with... said...

I've lived in San Francisco for 30 years, and the availability of great coffee here has given me an deep appreciation of it. We have been a coffee snob town for a long time, dating back to our first cup of Peet's, for many of us. New York has always felt very much a worker's coffee town to me. But the ubiquitous Starbucks has fed each town's basic need splendidly.

With the proliferation of Starbucks came the natural reaction here: the growth of coffee purveyors with a decidedly different approach. I won't turn down Starbucks. But I don't seek them out when there are so many outstanding coffee crafters around.

Blue Bottle is crack, pure and simple--nothing else could make me endure the lines, the closed-system ordering style, and the sheer hipster self-righteousness if much of its staff and clientele. But nothing is as sublime to me as a freshly-made cup from them.

I prefer Philz, who provides coffee as good, but without as much attitude. I drink a combination of half Canopy of Heaven/half Jacob's Wunderbar dripped into about an inch of heavy cream, no sugar, no stirring. It takes a little explaining, but it works. I've been going to Philz since Phil's son, Jacob, was in short pants, and watching Jacob grow into quite the businessman has been a delight!

At home, I have a large jar where my beans live, and I buy from Philz, Blue Bottle, and Peets, and I make my own blends according to how I feel. I grind to order, use a French Press, and subscribe to the belief that strong coffee plus cream is one of this world's chris delights.

Unknown said...

Why am I not surprised that coffee is a topic that totally got you guys going?

I did try Joe: The Art of Coffee here in NYC and loved it. I had an iced Americano - we were still in the midst of a September heatwave - and I'm looking forward to going back for a straight-up hot coffee.

Laura, I believe this 100%. I don't drink coffee to stay "up". It's a calming, warming, centering part of my morning routine; it helps me start the day right. Of course that fights off depression. Especially in the winter.

Walter, it's about time you stopped by to say hi! When I drank Philz for the first time, I said to my friend Amy, "My life is better having had this coffee." And I was not exaggerating. Effin amazing and damn-near worth moving to SF for. Interesting, though, that you get your coffee ground. Isn't it better to grind the day of and not a moment before? And, yes, I still get Starbucks and certainly wouldn't turn it down. It's cool for coffee aficionados to hate on Starbucks right now...which means that I tend to start leaning towards them in defiance...

Amanda said...

When I lived in NYC I loved getting Oren's. My favorite. But yeah, I don't brew Starbucks at home because I think it's gross (the espresso is ok though) but I do need to make an effort to brew good coffee and have a cup or two of good coffee instead of multiple cups of eh coffee.