CC: Water Avenue Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?
Location visited: Portland, OR
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

While I consider myself a big outdoors person, I really savor old, industrial areas within cities, especially ones that have been revitalized to serve a residential or commercial purpose. One of my top picks is Portland's Southeast Industrial District, not just because it's a pleasant place to stroll but also because it has great coffee.

The coffeehouse I refer to is Water Avenue Coffee. A relative newcomer, having just opened their doors only months ago, their venue initially bedazzled me with their gorgeous wood counters (made from a local, reclaimed tree), huge neon sign (inside) and open space.

With quite the qualified staff, I was practically chomping at the bit to try out their coffee. That particular day Water Ave had their El Salvador as both their espresso and french pressed coffee, and even though I'm a fan of variety in my coffee selection, I'm also pretty flexible, so I went with the flow.

The espresso, pulled short with a nice crema, held tart apple, a smattering of cocoa, a little lemon candy, some whiskey and a bit of peach (very good). The french press had similar sweetness, but more akin to honey as well as some earthy notes, flecks of wheat grass and glazed walnuts. I would agree with their claim on the website that denotes that this coffee has a "versatile profile." The tea was not noted.

Yet another gem in Portland's coffee crown. Make Water Avenue a stop on your route.

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Mugged: Kopi Luwak [Cat's Ass Coffee]

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What does "Mugged" mean?

Subject: Cat's Ass Coffee
Coffee Mugged: Kopi Luwak
Rating: 2+ [see key]

Kopi Luwak, the only coffee lucky enough to enjoy a trip through a civet, is a coffee that I have long sought to try. Sure it sounds gross to drink a coffee that has been defecated out of the jungle equivalent of a raccoon, but with a price tag in the hundreds for a single pound, who wouldn't be curious?

But my long abstinence came to an end when Cat's Ass Coffee offered to send me out a sampling. Completely flattered, as this coffee is not cheap, I readily accepted with hopes of trying something different.

I received the coffee one sunny day and opening up the coffee, I noticed that the beans were big, plump and extremely black (the darkness from being really over-roasted). I brewed the coffee in the usual three infusions of drip, french press and siphon.

The french press was my first endeavor. The brew produced a really dark coffee with overpowering notes of bitterness and campfire followed with notes of butter, cocoa, a little wheaty ale and a syrupy texture.

The drip delivered a similar result, with primary flavors of bitterness and a little curry along with some flecks of rum, apple, wheat, a little nut and a heavy body.

The siphon proved a little better, as I purposely brewed it a little weaker to compensate for the uber dark roast that emerged in the first two. The result was still a dark coffee with a potent body but much more cocoa, nuttiness, wheat as well as bits of rum and apple.

All three brews displayed little initial reaction with the water, displaying a flat brew common to stale beans (my deduction).

Alas, my first interaction with Kopi Luwak proved not as great as I had hoped. The coffee proved too darkly roasted to enjoy the other flavors and as mentioned above, it seemed pretty old (quality control?). Overall, there was little in this coffee (sadly) that would make me buy it for the price of normal coffee, never mind the price tag of Kopi Luwak.

note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.

View the original article here

CC: Trabant Coffee and Chai

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What's does "CC" mean?
Location visited: Seattle, WA
(2nd Ave location)
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

How the bustling cityscape calms to a lucid tranquility on weekend mornings. Especially in a city like Seattle, there is almost a ridiculous impetus to forgo any type of late sleeping in order to best take advantage of the urban peace.

Naturally, I also had my drive to find a good brew in the great coffee-tropolis, and hence I found myself standing at the front doors of Trabant Coffee and Chai first thing on a Saturday morning. The coffeehouse had just opened and my pal and I were the only souls present aside from the lone barista. The cafe is cavernous, with an open yet extremely well-constructed seating arrangement with vintage globe lighting.

I ordered a cup of Guatemalan Finca El Jaibal via their Clover, as well as a shot of Epic Espresso (both coffees from 49th Parallel). The El Jaibal produced nuttiness with a croissant buttery-ness, chocolate chip, some oolong and grain; a great balanced Guatemalan coffee. The Epic demonstrated well, with some cocoa, whiskey kick, pepper, sweet raspberry and a little smoke, all of which was embodied in a short pull with good crema. The tea is free leaf.

The tranquility of the early morning paired well with Trabant's wares. But even if the streets were overburdened with people, I would still make my way back. Get on down to Trabant if ye be in Seattle.

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CC: Herkimer Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?
Location visited: Seattle, WA
(Greenwood Ave location)
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

It's still a rare find these days to see coffee roasters focus exclusively on coffees that are environmentally and/or socially responsible. But slowly enough it seems, such practices are becoming more and more common.

One Seattle coffee operation that seems to hold a healthy outlook on their products is Herkimer Coffee. I had caught wind of them due to their reputation for serving quality beans but upon a little more investigation, I was impressed to find their aims for quality extend into the ethical arena (organic, fair trade, etc).

I paid my visit to Herkimer's Phinney Ridge location one lovely weekend morning when the streets were flurried with activity and their shop full of patrons. The entire cafe has a lovely wood construction that makes it seem rugged yet dapper, not to mention the splendid accompaniment of gorgeous lighting, complimentary decor (especially the animal art) and extensive seating (both inside and out).

Of their coffee, I sampled their Colombian via drip and an espresso (which utilizes their espresso blend). The filtered coffee marched in a honey-sweet, grassy coffee with a nice earthiness, a little bright Belgian ale, some bourbon chicken and a subtle darkness that did not hinder the other flavors, but shadowed them well. The espresso espoused bitter cocoa, lemon, glazed doughnut and some dry-roasted peanut all rolled in a well-pulled short shot with robust crema. I did not note the tea.

The glory of Herkimer proved all it was foretold to be. I tip my hat to their tasty products produced responsibly. When nearby, go Herkimer.

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CC: Third Rail Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?
Location visited: Manhattan, NY
Free WiFi ? : no
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Though Jersey is right next to Manhattan, I hold the opinion that there's no such thing as "popping in." No matter how many different methods I try, it always takes at least a half hour, even when I am right across the river (circumstances never seem to favor my speed). But I guess you can rationalize the time taken for the reward on the other side.

One recent end of a business day, I was driving down the NJ turnpike and hit a massive parking lot of traffic. Not wanting to sit and also having a rare free evening (the wife was to be with friends til late), I decided to park the car and take NJ Transit into Penn Station, grab some dinner and coffee and then head home when traffic had dissipated.

The plan mostly worked. I didn't end up finding as great a dinner as I had hoped but I managed to finally make it to Third Rail Coffee near NYU. In the midst of the evolving NYC coffee scene, Third Rail has won strong accolades for good coffee (NY Times gave some love) and seems to have strong attention to detail. The cafe itself is typical of NYC in that its low on space but every ounce is optimized amidst the exposed brick, wood floors and wall seating.

Third Rail serves up Intelligentisa and Stumptown and per their offerings that day, I got a Black Cat espresso and Stumptown's Costa Rican Don Mayo Reserva via Chemex. The Costa Rican brought earthy notes, hints of wheat, rum, oregano and corn; a smooth cup that proved delicious. The espresso, pulled short with pretty crema, had flickers of lemon, bittersweet chocolate, cloves and raspberry within a nice velvety texture (a good showing of Black Cat). The tea is free leaf.

Especially with the friendly banter from the baristas, Third Rail choo choo-ed sweetly into my heart. If you happen to be in the city, rally to their doorstep.

View the original article here

CC: Southside Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?
Location visited: Brooklyn, NY
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Making it into Brooklyn for coffee is never easy for me. Despite knowing better, I always figure the subway to take a fraction of the actual travel time and when I finally do arrive at my stop, I realize I only have a small bit of time to enjoy my coffee.

So of course, to make sure I have more time for coffee, I briskly walk to my targeted coffeehouse, Southside Coffee on the corner of 19th and 6th. Having caught wind of some local praise and journalistic favor, my unexpected exercise was fueled by high hopes of finding a genuine gem.

Southside sits on a tranquil corner, with outside seating gated off from the sidewalk. Inside, the environment emits a decent coziness amidst orange walls and more tables then usual in a NYC coffeehouse.

Serving up Intelligentsia, I ordered a cup of their House Blend via french press (pre-brewed in a pump pot) as well as an espresso of Black Cat. The House coffee provided sweet honey, a little pear, orange juice, wheat, nutmeg and a bit of almond. The brew had a lot of sweetness to it and despite being a french pressed coffee, it didn't have a lot of sediment. The espresso also proved delicious, with flavors of lemon, peppercorn, cocoa, cane sugar and a touch of Merlot. I did not note the tea.

To put it simply, Southside satisfied my curiosities splendidly. They displayed decent skills along with good coffee to make me one happy camper. I just wish I had given myself more time.

When in South Slope (or nearby), stop by Southside Coffee.

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National Coffee Day: Get Your Free Cup!

Today is National Coffee Day. In celebration there are a few places were you can get a free cup of coffee. 

Dunkin’ Donuts is participating.  To get your free cup of coffee from Dunkin’ check out their website for the “free” coupon!  ‘Fans can enter to win the grand prize — a trip for two to Costa Rica, a tour of Dunkin’s Coffee Lab and 60 months free coffee — by submitting a video, 60 seconds or less, describing why they deserve the title of ultimate fan. The contest and announcement were timed to celebrate the company’s 60th birthday and pay tribute to September 29.

Some  local places may  be participating as well, but coffee giant, Starbucks, will not be celebrating by giving away free coffee, which is honestly a shock to me.  I thought for sure they would be on board.  Oh well!!!

View the original article here

Tea Set Recalled by International Coffee & Tea and US Consumer Product Safety Commission

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a voluntary recall of approximately 1600 Tea Sets sold by  International Coffee & Tea, LLC, dba The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®, of Los Angeles, Calif.  They were also sold in their stores in  California, Arizona and Nevada.  They were sold online at http://www.coffeebean.com/.  The sales took place from from March 2010 through August 2010.

This recall involves the Tea for One “Flourish” design tea pot set, which includes a stackable teapot and cup. The teapot and cup are white ceramic with matching metallic foil decorations on each. The tea cup is marked “Dishwasher and microwave safe” and “Made in China” on the bottom, in English and French.

The tea sets pose a risk of fire when placed in the microwave because of sparks from the metallic decorations. Only one incident has been reported of the product sparking in the microwave and no injuries have been reported.

September 17, 2010 · Filed Under recalls

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New York Women Attracted To The Smell of Coffee

A study has shown that New York women are attracted to the smell of coffee, according to a report by NBC New York
.

The study was conducted by the  Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation and sponsored by Ax Men’s Grooming Products.

The study also noted that women around the US prefer different smells.  In Philadelphia they like the smell of clean laundry, in Los Angeles the prefer lavender and the ladies of Dallas like campfire smoke.

View the original article here

Kona Coffee Faces Quarantine Due to Pests

Hawaii had decided to go ahead with an “emergency administrative rule” to quarantine Kona coffee. They hope to keep a coffee berry borer, which is a tiny beetle that is smaller than a sesame seed, from spreading to the other islands.

The beetle bores into the coffee cherry, which contains that coffee bean, to lay its eggs. The larvae feed on the coffee bean and reduce the bean’s size and quality, agriculture officials said. Agriculture officials have found 21 areas in south Kona that are infested with the pest.

The quarantine would require green, non-roasted coffee beans to be treated with heat or insecticide before they’re shipped off the island. “Depending on how it comes out, the effects of the quarantine could be disastrous for those of us who grow Kona coffee,” said Bruce Corker, president of the Kona Coffee Farmers Association.

Those who would be most severely impacted is the organic Kona coffee farmers. The Kona Coffee Farmers Association is calling for a ban on the import of all foreign green coffee beans into Hawaii, because they believe that’s how the bug got here.

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Studies Show Coffee Use Can Help Reduce Disease Risk

The Harvard School of Public Health has released an observational study showing that moderate coffee consumption can help reduce the risk of developing certain diseases including diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, gallstones, liver cancer and cirrhosis. 

The study was based on researchers drawing conclusion based on differences between the number of disease cases in coffee drinkers versus non-drinkers.

The Harvard University School of Health has an 
infographic which includes Health Benefits, Health Risks, Caffeine Comparisons, and a Facts & Statistics a page addressing each disease the study indicated was affected by coffee consumption.

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Corn Coffee Now For Sale in Manila

Daveo City in Manila now has a new coffee product being provided to the group Coffee For Peace.  Corn Coffee!!!  Farmers from Sumilao will be providing the corn coffee.

“Our corn coffee is special because it’s caffeine-free, all-organic and all-natural, with no additives and no preservatives,” said Maria Carmela Sue P. Otarra, spokesperson for the Sumilao Agri-Enterprise (SAE), Inc. comprising local farmers. The Coffee for Peace, which used to be called Peace-building Community Cafe, sells and promotes civet coffee beans from the mountain ranges of Davao and Cotabato.

View the original article here

Coffee People Kona Blend, Extra Bold K-Cups for Keurig Brewers (Pack of 50) [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]

Introducing the new 50-Count K-Cup package from Diedrich Coffee. The same consistent, flavorful K-Cups are now available in a single 50-count package exclusively on Amazon.com. This new larger package optimizes for our customers. It is more efficient resulting in both a lower cost and a green sensibility, given the reduced waste. You can find this package on K-Cups by Diedrich Coffee, Coffee People, and Gloria Jean's Coffee. So go ahead and explore all the great K-Cup varieties in the new 50-count package.

The K-Cup Magic

The K-Cup Magic
The K-Cup magic allows you to brew the perfect cup of gourmet coffee -- every time. No more guessing how much water or how many beans to grind, and best of all no more mess! Each individually sealed K-Cup contains ground beans protected until you brew them -- all you need to do is insert your K-Cup, hit the button and allow the Keurig machine to brew you your next cup of gourmet coffee.

About Diedrich Coffee
Diedrich Coffee, Inc. specializes in sourcing, roasting and selling the world's highest quality coffees. Homegrown in Southern California, the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest the stories of our brands are rich in a passion for the craft of coffee that has stood the test of time. With a commitment to coffee that dates back to the early 1900's, the Diedrich name long been associated with freshness and quality.
A coupling of tradition and meticulous care mark the standard for selecting and roasting each and every individual variety of premium Diedrich, Coffee People and Gloria Jean's coffees.

EXPLORE THE WORLD OF Diedrich Coffee Explore and exotic world of premium origin coffees. Three generations of coffee growers and roasters bring you the very best from legendary coffee growing regions like Indonesia, Africa and South America.

GO BOLD WITH Coffee People: Born in the great Northwest, Coffee People is not your average joe. Experience these quirky brews of bold, flavorful coffee and celebrate Coffee People's one of a kind personality.

FLAVOR THE DAY WITH Gloria Jean's Coffees For over 30 years, Gloria Jean's has passionately pioneered the development of high quality gourmet flavored coffees. Resulting in an extraordinary selection of irresistible flavors - offered in the convenience of single serve.

Diedrich Coffee Inc. Perks for the Planet

Our Mission is to provide continued emphasis and awareness on sustainable business practices while supporting various environmental and social causes benefiting our local and supplier communities. From the beginning we have had a passion for giving back and helping others. That legacy remains an integral part of who we are today, as we strive to be a positive force in the communities in which we live and work.
We encourage our employees to volunteer, as we continue to invest in our communities. We conduct our business as a good corporate citizen - in a way that helps protect the environment and demonstrates good stewardship of our natural resources.
Diedrich Coffee, Inc. is a proud supporter United Way and Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Green Sensibilities

• 33% reduction in packaging with a single 50-Count box
• 40% recycled cardboard in every package
• Soy based non-toxic ink on all packaging
• Reduced carbon emissions due to more efficient packaging and transportation

Price: $27.90

Click here to buy from Amazon

Asus Eee PC 1008P-KR-PU17-BR 10.1-Inch Intel Atom Netbook Computer (Coffee Brown)

10.1INCH/ATOM N450/320G/2GB DDR2/WIN7

Price: $499.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Keurig My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter

Keurig 5048 K Cup

Price: $14.95

Click here to buy from Amazon

Mozart for Morning Coffee: Freshly Brewed to Perk Up Your Day

This hour long CD intersperses about 30 minutes narration of the composer s life with his most important pieces of music, followed by about 30 minutes of uninterrupted music. Recommended by Laura Berquist Syllabus Grade 2Author: Music Masters SeriesGrade 1 - 8 Audio CD Publisher: Vox Music MastersUPC 0 47163 85002 8

Price: $7.98

Click here to buy from Amazon

Coffee People, Donut Shop K-Cups for Keurig Brewers (Pack of 50) [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]

Medium Extra Bold, Donut Shop K-Cups for Keurig Brewers

Price: $27.90

Click here to buy from Amazon

Power Line 0900-66 200-Watt Coffee Cup Inverter with USB Charging Port and Two Outlets

200w Coffee Cup Inverter with USB charge port provides 3 power outlets for your vehicle: Two 120v AC outlets and 1 USB charging port. The unique cup design fits standard auto cup holders. Powers TVs as large as 27", laptops, portable printers, iPods, SmartPhones and much more..from your vehicle.

Price: $29.99

Click here to buy from Amazon