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What's does "CC" mean?Location visited: Washington DC
Free WiFi ? : yesRating: 6+ [see key]
Not commonly do good things come of poor decisions, at least not entirely. Silver linings do exist in the heavens and a negative happening can often be seen as just the necessary action to spark a greater good, but it's usually the sad or negative that catches our eyes.
So when Murky DC went down, there seemed little promise for a replacement. Yet it turned out that this particular cloud had a silver coating, as a former Murky employee decided to snatch the place up and open Peregrine Espresso.
Many days elapsed since Peregrine opened to cosmic acclaim and finally, I found some time to visit. The cafe sits in a line of stores and cafes near the Eastern Market with a nice gated patio full of patrons buzzing away on their laptops. The cavity inside is a long cafe with a beautifully calm decor with nice green and wood tones.
The coffee is Counter Culture Coffee, an obvious pick given the owner also used to work with them. I had the La Goladrino via a pourover. The brew possessed a sweet asian pear taste with a light body and a tinge of honey. The espresso, pulled short by trained hands, lent a tart, sugary and bittersweet flavor with flecks of cherry and nutmeg as well as solid crema. It should also be noted that on top of their traditional coffee drinks, they had a nice array of cool specialty drinks (my friend ordered one with coriander which was amazing). The tea is Rishi.
Overtly pleased was my level of satisfaction with Peregrine and I couldn't help but think how fortunate DC is to have such a stellar coffeehouse. Needless to say, stop at Peregrine Espresso if you're in the Capitol.
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I've been getting a lot of word lately about such things as the Mid-West Barista Competition and so I took a gander at the SCAA Events Page and it turns out it has quite a few cool events coming up.
Check it out if you're curious and/or looking for a little coffee development.
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What does "Mugged" mean?Subject: Flat Black Coffee CompanyCoffee Mugged: Tanzanian Peaberry
Rating: 4+ [see key]
As I previously wrote, a coffee's freshness really sells a coffee. And while the previous coffee I received from ROASTe proved flavorful despite possible age, the Tanzanian Peaberry did not fair as well.
The first warning was that this coffee did not have much of a dry aroma, as when I first opened the paper bag, it smelled only like bag. I prepared the coffee in a french press, vacuum press and via drip. The press tasted sweet with tastes of Asian pear and a bit spicy with hints of cardboard. The vacuum press fared better, with a more balanced cup with similar notes of pear and spiciness. The drip produced nothing that the other two did not.
Thus, though I would say this coffee from Flat Black holds some promise, I would like to give it a try a little fresher. If you get a chance to try it, let me know how it works.
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Saw this article in Time about Fair Trade and how it really seems to have hit the limit of good it can do. Seems as if direct trade (direct transaction between farmer and grower) stands as the only really lucrative alternative for the farmer...
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What's does "CC" mean?(inside Politics and Prose)
Location visited: Washington DC
Free WiFi ? : yesRating: 4+ [see key]The bookstore and coffeehouse combination is one that has such familiarity anymore that when I walk into a big bookstore, I'm surprised not to see at least a coffee cart. Yet rarely do these intra-bookstore coffee operations have promising practices, either serving well-marketed swill or showcasing the latest in automatic espresso.
So I can honestly declare that I hit the first bookstore and coffeehouse duo that had a promising looking set-up. In DC, the spacious Politics and Prose Bookstore has a basement coffeehouse called Modern Times Coffeehouse. As one walks down the stairs, the cafe is tucked away in a cozy yet surprisingly accommodating space with a nice flow of natural light and a mellow collection of furniture and art.
They serve Righteous Bean Coffee (warning: website has music) a fair trade and organic coffee that seems bullish on social justice. I ordered the Costa Rican drip, which sampled balanced and a little bright, though sadly it tasted pretty bland and a bit stale. The espresso was of similar caliber, with a medium pull that demonstrated a tinge of caramel, darkness and a little cardboard. The tea was free leaf.
Thus, while Modern Times Coffeehouse didn't blow my bookstore/coffeehouse paradigm out of the water, it did give me hope that books and good coffee can get along.
If you're looking for a good book and a cup of coffee, stop by Politics and Prose.
What's does "CC" mean?
