Perkdup

I did not understand why it took so long to get my order from the Starbucks at the bottom of my building.   They always have plenty of baristas.  In fact, they almost appear to be running over each other.  I make an effort to go during "off-times" to avoid the early morning crowd, but it just seems to take an unusually long time to get my pastry or breakfast sandwich. And then last week, I ran into two of my co-workers.  I was patiently (okay, losing patience) waiting for my order to be prepared and they walked right up and snatched their orders from the counter.  What was happening?  Did they have an "in" at Starbucks? They did.  And it's called "mobile ordering."  And the long-term effects of this new "mobile ordering system" are ruining the coffee shop experience.  In my opinion.   It happened again yesterday.  Saturday morning.  No long lines yet a 15 minute wait for a mocha. I'm all for technology and changing...

When I received my bag of Café Bristol coffee , my initial reaction was "nice packaging." When I opened it and poured out the beans, I thought, "they look a little dry." So, I wasn't expecting much when I ground up the beans and brewed a pot. With little to no enthusiasm, I poured myself a cup, added some raw sugar and non-fat milk, let it sit for about two minutes and took my first sip. With a "biased" mind, I thought, "okay, it's coffee." To my surprise, by the time I reached the bottom of the cup, I had to admit this is really good coffee.  It really is good. Fast forward to the second day and I'm enjoying another cup. The moral of the story:  Don't be fooled by looks.  It's what's inside that counts. Order directly at:  Bristol Nicaragua or on Amazon *Cafe Bristol provided me with a free bag of coffee beans for the purposes of preparing this review.  Views expressed are my own.

In my never ending quest for the best Viennese blend coffee (and Viennese is not an easy blend to find), I've stumbled upon this delightful blend from Fonté Coffee Roasters in Seattle . A blend of Central and South American coffees similar to French Roast but not quite as "smokey."  The perfect balance of dark, spicy and delicious. $13.50 for a twelve ounce bag and worth every penny.

To be perfectly honest, in this world of fast technology and everything being ready now - or even before you order - I can sincerely appreciate it when someone takes the time to make sure that my caffeine is carefully crafted. And that's why my post today is all about Thomas .  Thomas, the wonderfully gifted, incredibly patient, Starbucks barista  in Oakland. I've had my share of Clover coffees.  And to be honest, some of the results have made me stop ordering a Clover.  Why bother when it's rushed and it's just not that "extra special" cup of coffee. I came in after the "12 o'clock hour" cutoff for a "dark" roast Verona, and Thomas didn't blink twice.  He just went over to the Clover and did his thing!  And he did it so well. I didn't stop until I'd savored every last sip in my tall cup. Dear Thomas:  Thank you for making my weekend special. Starbucks is very lucky to have you and so are the customers.