The other day at the grocery store I decided to stop at the Starbucks and get a gingerbread latte. I used to absolutely love these: I'd stop by the Starbucks storefront in the town we lived in, "rent" my table for a few hours by buying coffee, and read math papers or write or whatever. I usually get my lattes with one fewer shots of espresso than normal, I prefer to have some coffee with my cream and sugar, rather than the opposite. I was looking for a trip down memory lane, I guess.
Since having 3 small children doesn't lend itself to hanging around in coffee shops, I've been drinking coffee at home, from beans roasted by Counter Culture Coffee. They have what Michael calls "single malt coffees" from single estates, grown using traditional methods. Even better, it is a local business and we get our beans from a local shop, so they are very fresh. I drink mine with rice milk and ice: if you have to drink rice milk (because your baby doesn't tolerate dairy or soy), very good coffee is the only way to make it palatable. And the coffee is very good.
I have never thought of myself as a "coffee snob." Michael is the one who brought our burr grinder and french press on our vacation. He is the one who taught me the slur I used to describe Starbucks in the title. I have always considered this an unhealthy obsession on his part, one that I am above. Until I had the coffee today.
Whereas the counter culture medium roast coffees have notes of chocolate, berries (something I would never have believed until I tried it), and so on, all that I tasted with the Starbucks latte was ashes. To be fair, perhaps they had a bad batch of beans, or perhaps they were roasted a long time ago, or perhaps something else went wrong. I know that Starbucks is not nearly as evil a corporation as many other international companies I could name. And if you just need caffeine, Starbucks is as good a coffee place as most. However, if you ever get a chance, please give the Counter Culture coffees a chance (at least if you live on the East coast). Next time I'm in Starbucks I think I'll just get a chai.
Since having 3 small children doesn't lend itself to hanging around in coffee shops, I've been drinking coffee at home, from beans roasted by Counter Culture Coffee. They have what Michael calls "single malt coffees" from single estates, grown using traditional methods. Even better, it is a local business and we get our beans from a local shop, so they are very fresh. I drink mine with rice milk and ice: if you have to drink rice milk (because your baby doesn't tolerate dairy or soy), very good coffee is the only way to make it palatable. And the coffee is very good.
I have never thought of myself as a "coffee snob." Michael is the one who brought our burr grinder and french press on our vacation. He is the one who taught me the slur I used to describe Starbucks in the title. I have always considered this an unhealthy obsession on his part, one that I am above. Until I had the coffee today.
Whereas the counter culture medium roast coffees have notes of chocolate, berries (something I would never have believed until I tried it), and so on, all that I tasted with the Starbucks latte was ashes. To be fair, perhaps they had a bad batch of beans, or perhaps they were roasted a long time ago, or perhaps something else went wrong. I know that Starbucks is not nearly as evil a corporation as many other international companies I could name. And if you just need caffeine, Starbucks is as good a coffee place as most. However, if you ever get a chance, please give the Counter Culture coffees a chance (at least if you live on the East coast). Next time I'm in Starbucks I think I'll just get a chai.
Comments
The Eleanor story was funny =] There's just no comprehending preschoolers! It does make you wonder what happened to the socks, though..
The "Luke in the fish food" story was pretty good, too =) Reminds me of the time Paul was fishsitting and didn't know where the fish food was- there was flakey baked potato topping in a baggie on the table, though, so that's what the fish got. I think he even made a puzzled remark to the effect of, "This smells like bacon".
Much of what Eleanor says about her social interactions is completely beyond me. Her perceptions may or may not be related to what actually happens, but they are almost always interesting.
Did the fish like the bacon =)? That seems not quite healthy for the fish (I don't mean clogged arteries...)