Finally a move in the direction of consistent Philly-wide espresso goodness!
Local coffeehouse Crescent Moon Coffee & Tea and NY coffeehouse Coffee Labs are putting on the East Coast Barista Jam, which according to the upcoming.org, is an event aimed to:
- Provide customers with higher quality espresso beverages
- Learn more about coffee
- Learn how to maintain your equipment for long lasting use
- Help your staff with customer service issues
- Help your business grow
From what I gathered from other sites as well, is that the event (mostly) targets currently established baristas and coffeehouse owners to better refine their skills so that the best coffee is not just a pipe dream for quality-famished customers. They'll have several of the area's finest baristas doing Q&A and assisting in developing your finer skills, so it will prove to be most worth the time.
*note: this is not to say that if you're just interested in the finer things of espresso, you can't go. I would still definitely attend if I were you, as long as it's not too late to register.
The whole event falls in coordination with the Fresh Cup Roadshow, which doesn't seem to cost anything (?) though I didn't really investigate. But even if the roadshow does cost a little dinero, it would be worth it for most coffee fans.
Oh, and it's in Cherry Hill, an area with no decent coffeehouses (to my knowledge). Ironic, no?
What's a Coffee Commentary?Subject: Cafe Ole' (no website)Location visited: Philadelphia, PA (3rd St close to Race) Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 3+ [see key]
Old City Philadelphia boasts a great deal of substance and history. One aspect of Old City that I think (or so it seems) is overlooked is the area North of Market St between Front and 5th. The locale includes many art galleries and small antique shops as well as some long-lasting businesses. There's also First Friday which provides a rare chance to catch the art scene in Philadelphia, complete with street performers and lay-the-blanket-on-the-sidewalk vendors.
This area of Philly is where I found Cafe Ole', about 3-4 years ago when when searching for silk screen emulsion. Though I've known of it for some time, I didn't really get a good glimpse until about a year or so ago. The place is fairly cozy, with some small tables and a couch or two (I think) to recline in. I really dug the "Friends Don't Let Friends Drink Starbucks" on the back wall (I have one myself).
The coffee is La Colombe, so as predicted, the coffee was nothing to write home about. The espresso was pretty good, but as the bean is half (if not more) of the taste, it also wasn't too amazing. The baristas did seem fairly skilled though, so a "fancier" drink might better complement the espresso and/or coffee.
I did not catch the brand of tea but I do remember that they had vats of lemonade that were pretty popular (not that tea and lemonade are comparable, just more of consolation observation). The chai also did not catch my eye...
In the end, I wasn't floored but I was still somewhat impressed with the operation. So do stop in, as there is much worse business nearby that needs no patronage. I would especially encourage you to stop in if you are in the area for First Friday or other business.
image credited to www.philadelphiaweekly.com
What's a Coffee Commentary?Subject: Teepee Espresso PlaceLocation visited: Browning, MT Free WiFi ? : maybeRating: 2+ [see key]
As I was driving through snowy northern Montana (this was this past weekend) on my way to Glacier National Park, I ran across a coffee place that really caught my eye. It was one of those coffee places you drive up to and you know the coffee will be mediocre, but the sheer fact that this one had a teepee for a building reassured me that it was worth the try.
To put it simply, the place was not on the top ten of most amazing places I've been to but it was at least good. I didn't catch any information (as I was in a hurry) but I did notice that the barista/owner was very skilled. My americano was pretty good and the long line of people seemed to confirm the place was at least a bit decent.
And for you adventurous entrepreneurs out there, it's for sale including equipment. Try the yellowpages for contact info...
This almost made me jump out of my knickers with elation. A NY Times article that not only proclaims the good news of the booming attention to espresso but also correctly uses terms and analogies like a pro.
My favorite quotes:
"Most espresso drinks in this country are made with over-roasted blends on “super automatic” machines that leave little control to the person operating them and turn out anonymous brews."
"J. D. Merget, the owner of Oslo, explained: “It {roasting an espresso blend} is like grilling meat; if you char it but don’t burn it, you get to taste both the meat and the char. If you burn it all the way through, you’re just tasting char.”
In my coffee searches months ago, I stumbled across a New Zealand site called Good Coffee. Being interested in this website concept and layout, I had inquired if they had a US version. Now they do ( Good Coffee USA ), so make sure to stop by and either enter in or rate your favorite coffee places.
