No Foam Please
All Things CoffeeArchive for April, 2010
Kopi Luwak – A Rare Coffee Indeed
Kopi Luwak is also known as Civet Coffee. It is quite literally made of coffee beans in Indonesia that have passed through the digestive tract of a Civet. Um, yes. Pooped out coffee beans.
Apparently, besides being quite rare, they are also quite tasty when brewed into coffee. A pound of Civet coffee beans is approximately $227. And you thought Starbucks was expensive!
The New York Times has a pretty amusing and educational article on the subject. Wikipedia does not disappoint: there is an extensive article on the subject with links to other sources.
Return to Blue Bottle Coffee
Hayes Valley blend from Blue Bottle Coffee
I recently returned to San Francisco for business and decided to pick up some coffee beans for a friend (and a bag for myself!). Of course, another latte was a must.
When I walked over to the display of coffees, I noticed they aren’t categorized the way some are (no “dark” or “medium” roasts… ) – but they had interesting sounding names. There was a helpful gentleman working at Blue Bottle who made recommendations based on how we thought my friend might be preparing his coffee. And then he recommended beans for my espresso as well.
So I checked in with my friend, Peter, and he reports that not only does it smell fantastic, but it makes a great coffee with his french press. The espresso beans I brought home fill the room with a great coffee aroma when I make an espresso or latte, and the flavor is really rich. Too bad they only sell half-pound bags…
Cafe Borrone in Menlo Park, CA
Cafe Borrone is apparently a favorite of many of the startup titans of the bay area. I read mention of it the other day and I was going to add it to my list… when I realized, I’ve been here before, quite a few times, to meet friends who live in the area. And it is, indeed, a great place to get coffee (or food).
Cafe Borrone has a great outdoor patio, as well as indoor seating. There’s a parking garage adjacent, and they’re also a short walk from the Menlo Park train station. The desserts are fantastic, but they might distract you from getting a really nice latte or mocha to sip while you catch up with friends. I should thank my friends Kristin and Riz for introducing me to this place.
There are over 470 yelp reviews, with over 350 of them being 4 or 5 stars.
Vietnamese Coffee at Triumph Cafe
Triumph Cafe isn’t what I would consider a coffee shop per se (they serve Vietnamese cuisine and sandwiches), but they do make coffee, espresso, and best of all, Vietnamese coffee. I had lunch there the other day for the first time in many years, and decided to try the coffee. Since not as many places serve Vietnamese coffee and I hadn’t had it here yet, I thought I’d try it out and report back.
This is a "double" Vietnamese coffee, pre-stirring.
After stirring, it has a nice rich color
From the street or parking lot, Triumph Cafe doesn’t look like much – yet another strip-mall cafe. However, Triumph has a hidden gem of a back patio, surrounded by a lot of greenery and shade – a nice little oasis. In the spring and fall in Austin, its a perfect place to sit outside and talk a bit too long over coffee or lunch.
There are other places to get Vietnamese Pho and other cuisine, and I like some of them better. But this place has a nice laid back atmosphere, and they didn’t look at me funny when I ordered my Vietnamese coffee hot instead of cold (usually people will pour it over ice, but I’ve never been a big fan of ruining my coffee with ice)…
(yelp reviews here, mostly positive, especialy with regard to the coffee)
