Perkdup

I went to the "Eat Real" Festival at Jack London Square on yesterday. If it weren't the for nearly 100 degree temperatures, I would have said that it was a good time. However, there were plenty of vendors, live entertainment, food to be sampled, organic fruits and vegetables. It was California at its finest. No wonder it costs so much to live in the Bay Area. There was no admission charge for the festival and it was great to see so many people giving Oakland the credit it often doesn't get for being such a diverse and wonderful city. I had heard of Ritual Coffee Company of San Francisco, but had never had the pleasure of trying it. Even though, I could barely keep the sweat off my brow, I managed to stumble over to the cart where Ritual was selling iced coffee - a hot commodity on this sweltering day - and bought a quarter pound bag of "Sweet Tooth Espresso." Boy - this is good coffee! I made a Chemex pot full this morning. This particular roast has ...

It's the little things that make me happy. Like this morning when I went into Starbucks and ordered the Breakfast Special (Sausage sandwich and a tall coffee for 3.95). I usually get the Greek Yogurt, but today, I was feeling "meaty." Anyway, my sandwich was warm, but not too hot when I bit into it and then when I picked up my cup to take a sip of my Espresso Roast, to my surprise, Starbucks has a new cup. And this is not just a new cup - this is a new, cool cup. It reads: "We Don't Just Want to Make Your Drink, We Want to Make Your Day." And on this cup is a picture of the "Coffee Siren" with one hand up in the air holding a up with the letter "S" on it. So. . .it seemed to me that she was borrowing a line from Notorious B-I-G, "Throw Your Hands In the Air, If You're A True Player!" Coffee player. Have a great day! D.

I made a pot of McLaughlin Coffee Company's "Max's Blend" for the entire office this morning. Well, at least, the people in the office who were lucky and quick enough to grab a cup before it was all gone. Judging from how fast the pot ran dry, I'm taking it everyone enjoyed it. It's dark, but not bitter, smooth, but with a "kick." I'm ready to take on the day. You can also order online at: http://www.mclaughlincoffee.com Here's a blurb from their company's website: McLaughlin Coffee Company is a family-owned and operated coffee roasting company located in Emeryville, California. We have been providing the San Francisco Bay Area with premium specialty coffee since we were established in 1983. We roast an assortment of coffees for individual sale and wholesale delivery in San Francsico, Berkeley, Oakland and the surrounding areas. We offer premium single-origin varietals, exclusive custom blends, decaffeinated coffees, espressos, flavore...

Welcome to my new blog! Here we will talk about all things coffee (and tea). I love the weekend because I have plenty of time to brew my favorite blend. Right now, one of my favorite coffees is the Peet's Santa Isabela (available for a limited time, only). But that is just one of my many favorites. During the week, I'm always rushing (like everyone else), so I use my Krups Coffee Maker. On Saturday and Sunday, my method of choice is the Chemex. Alternating, of course, with my Paula Deen Percolator. Do you have a favorite brew method? Favorite blend? I'd love to hear from you. This is going to be fun. Perk UP!