Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Coffee Shops in Frederick County, Maryland

Senior Bean: Below are three coffee shops submited by a good friend of the family: Alyssa Hjembo. The coffee shops are in the Frederick County area, which is about an hour from D.C. and 45 minutes from Baltimore. Frederick County is a beautiful part of the country, and it is well worth a visit to the area and the coffee shops! Thanks so much, Alyssa, for letting me know about these places. I must say, I have only been to one good coffee shop in that area, and I am eager to try these out when I am back there right after Christmas.

Westiminster, MD - The Pour House, 233 E. Main St. 410/751.9171
www.pourhousecafe.com
“This is a great little shop tucked into a historic house in downtown Westminster. They have created a retro/modern ambiance that fits surprisingly well even in the historic architecture of the building. From their “ build your own” blended drinks to the chocoate almond latte to the simple cup of joe, they offer a full range of fine coffees and coffee drinks. This is not your cookie cutter coffee shop. It is a genuinely local, friendly place, where you’ll find the regulars gathered around tables involved in thoughtful discussions of the issues of our day, all over a smooth cup of coffee.”


Frederick, MD - The Mudd Puddle 124 South Carroll Street
301-620-4323 - Mon 7-5; Tue/Wed 7-8; Thurs/Fri 7-9; Sat 8-10;
Closed Sun (as of 10/1/04) Coffee Shop Website: The Mudd Puddle


Mt. Airy, MD - The Vintage Coffee House, 106 S Main St / 301-829-7722
Great atmosphere, friendly service, unique spot in a rapidly growing historic downtown.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Coffee Shop in Lubbock, Texas

Senior Bean: Ok. I would have to agree with Brack with the following: “Why would you be in Lubbock, Texas to get a cup of coffee?” The only thing that comes to mind is if you have a very long layover from Southwest in that city...then the following coffee shop may be a good place to hunt down.

Here is what Brack St. Clair of Texas had to say about…

“I have no idea why anyone would EVER be there, but if you find yourself in Lubbock, avail yourself of the aroma and flavor of Daybreak Coffee…

that being said, I don’t think it’s worth the 3.75 hour drive (at a very unreasonable speed) from D/FW for a cup of coffee from ‘em....

Website
Daybreak Coffee Shop in Lubbock, Texas
2 Locations
19th & Quaker
82nd & Quaker

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Coffee Shops in Arkansas

Here are a few coffee shops posted by Anna Knight (Fort Worth, TX)

Iron Horse Coffee in Rogers, AR
“This is a great coffee shop in the “old downtown” of Rogers (Northwest Arkansas), right next to the railway (hence the name). The interior is an eclectic mix of tables & chairs, bookshelves with books for reading, brick walls, bar seating, a loft with couches and comfy chairs, and more. The coffee there is very good, in my opinion, whether you’re getting brewed coffee or an espresso drink. As far as I know, most employees are adults, not teenagers who would rather be gabbing on their cell phone than properly making your latte. The prices aren’t outrageous (for a coffee shop Wink), and the food offered is good . . . and they sell T-shirts that say “Friends don’t let friends drink Starbucks.” (Senior Bean Comment: We can’t have people going to Starbucks now can we?!")

Read about what others had to say about Iron Horse Coffee Review on Yahoo!

220 South 1st Street
Rogers, AR 72756-4504
479-631-9977

Kennedy Coffee in Bentonville, AR
Great coffee, whether in brewed or espresso form, and they do all their own roasting. The staff is very helpful and friendly. I love the atmosphere here: modern-retro-art-deco-ish. The only drawbacks are the prices.” (Senior Bean Comments: Yes, but a good cup of coffee or espresso is worth the price. If I want cheap coffee, I’ll go to the gas station or 7/11, but good coffee is worth spending a couple of bucks.)

www.kennedycoffee.com
2501 Se 14th St
Bentonville, AR 72712
(479) 464-9015

Pontiac Coffee House in Springdale, AR
“My dad [Ms. Knight’s Dad] loves this place, and he likes good coffee and doesn’t abide bad coffee. I’ve never been to this shop, but it looks cool--a remodeled car dealership, an antique car parked in the “showroom"-turned-coffee shop.”

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Coffee Shops: Chattanooga, Tennessee

Here is a coffee shop recommended by Julie St. Clair from Texas:

Started by some college kids and a regular hangout in downtown Chattanooga. It’s in one of the old downtown buildings with the old bricks kinda half showing thru the walls and it’s decorated kinda funky (table made from an old door, an old church pew for seating, etc)...”

I wonder if the college students attended Covenant College which is right next to Chattanooga? I have known a lot of people who have attended that school, and I am sure most of them would love coffee! Thanks for the coffee shop information.

Location
Coffee Shop in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Greyfriars Coffee House (with WiFi)
406 Broad Street
Chattanooga TN 37402

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Coffee Orders Online

W have posted only 3 roast online at this time. If you have a favorite roast or coffee bean, please email us. We have one client who asked for Yirkachef - Ethiopian, Costa Rican and Kenya AA, which we have as well!

Now is the perfect time to order your coffee or t-shirt before Thanksgiving and Christmas. If we do not have your t-shirt size in stock, we need a couple of weeks to order more. We can, however, guarantee that your coffee will be roasted and delivered VERY fresh! We do not have our local roaster go to work until you ask for the coffee of your choice!

Thursday, November 09, 2006

San Diego: University Heights (Twiggs)

I have driven by a coffee shop in San Diego called Twiggs many times in the past but have never had the time to stop in for a cup of coffee. Today, I had an appointment nearby and decided to stop in for a cup. I have checked out their website in the past, and I was pretty impressed. I typically try to order an Americano or just regular coffee to see what the taste is like. Today I ordered one of their regular coffee blends. The did not make me a fresh cup, which is a little bummer. They have the coffee in one of those thermos pumps. The first coffee I tried ran dry as I was pumping it! You’ve got to love it when that happens! The bummer is that it typically means the coffee is old or cold. I then filled the rest up with another blend and sat down for the taste test.

I am glad I went to Twiggs but am not real impressed with their regular coffee. It was not real hot or tasty in my opinion. It also appeared a little week, but then again, I like it very strong. It did not seem to have a lot of flavor to it as well. I might try back someday to try another drink, but I do not have high hopes right now. It is a great place to sit and read, and they have free internet access, which I hope Starbucks will do someday!

Twiggs
4590 Park Blvd
San Diego, CA 92116
(619) 296-0616
Twiggs Coffee Shop

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Judging a Good Cup of Coffee

Most coffee you buy in the store is not very fresh. Coffee should not have a bitter or stale taste to it. It is rather difficult to taste bad coffee without knowing what good coffee taste like. I have known friends who loved coffee but were happy drinking your basic coffee off the shelf. When I introduced them to freshly ground coffee, they were hooked! Fresh coffee typically has a shelf life of up to 2 weeks. I have had coffee sit on my counter for 3-4 weeks, and it still taste ok, but I can definitely notice the difference. I have heard from coffee lovers that it is best to drink freshly roasted coffee on day 2. This gives the beans a chance to “cure” a bit, and it releases the full flavor of the coffee bean.

If you are not sure what good coffee taste like, here is my suggestion. 1) Purchase a pound of my coffee. 2) Purchase, borrow or use up your typically coffee from your local supermarket or Folgers. Try the basic coffee first followed by a cup of my coffee. I think you will find that there is a difference, and you too might be hooked on freshly whole bean coffee forever!

If you all have coffee stories, coffee facts, or anything related to coffee, please email us. 

San Diego: Caffe Carpe Diem

Caffe Carpe Diem is located just minutes from Downtown San Diego. I went in recently by a recommendation and had an Americano. I don’t typically like Americanos at most coffee shops, because they make it like regular coffee (not very strong). I have to admit, Caffe Carpe Diem knows how to make a real Americano (Espresso and Hot Water). If you don’t want a straight-up espresso (to strong for most Americans) find a coffee shop that makes awesome Americanos. I typically will ask them to put less water so that it is espresso with a little water. Caffe Carpe Diem also has a small coffee roaster in their shop, so they definitely know a lot about coffee! Try it out and let me know what you think.

Caffe Carpe Diem
3401 1st Avenue
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 497-0297

Monday, November 06, 2006

Coffee Beans are a Hit

I gave a pound of coffee to an Interior Designer a few weeks ago as a gift for recommending my painting business to her clients. My full-time job is working in our family business: Chism Brothers Painting A few weeks later, she called me to look at a job with her and to buy 2 lbs. of Italian Roast. I tried to get her to try another type of roast, but she said she just LOVED the Italian! When I met her and her client, she ended up buying a third pound and giving it to her client. She boasted that my coffee was excellent! If you have not tried it for yourself, please buy one pound and see if you agree with my growing coffee-loving customers.