Perkdup

I've found the perfect place to have my morning coffee. In my front yard garden. Blooming where I'm planted. And by planted, I mean sitting in my folding chair under my folding umbrella in my front yard, coffee in hand, with eyes on my veggies. I've always found so much joy in my morning cup of joe. And now, my new hobby is providing me the perfect place to sip my favorite brew. Suns out - mugs up!

For years, decades, I've enjoyed getting coffee at a coffee shop. It started with an independent shop called "JR Mugs," which is about about twenty minutes from my house. It was a vibe before we used the term. I always think about the collection of eclectic items they sold, including a tee shirt which read "Coffee Is Cheaper Than Prozac." Cute little trinkets, tables to sit at and read the newspaper. I digress. My point is that there are very few places like that around these days. Although,I do see us moving away from chains and back to independent shops. At a certain age, which I've reached, I'm starting to enjoy making my coffee at home. There's something about the smell of the brewing coffee, the aesthetics of a drip brewer, and the comfort of my kitchen table that makes me feel nostaligic. I love nostalgia. These days, six out of seven times, I much more appreciate the masterful cup prepared with my own hands to bring a smile to m...

This latest news has me SHOOK. As a Bay Area coffee person, Peet's was at one point, the gold standard. Not just for a cup of coffee for the grown and sexy, but a Berkeley institution. Beatnick roots and the original coffee house vibe. Long before Starbucks, Peet's was waking up folks around the college campus with a good roast, strong coffee and baristas that were ahead of their time. I appreciate all the wonderful microroasters and definitely support small business. Peet's was the original small business coffee shop. Let's brew up a pot of Major Dickason's blend for the coffee culture.

I appreciate and respect people who work in restaurants, shops, coffee bars, and all customer service related professions. Dealing with the general public is not easy. That said, I have been doing an informal taste test of the same coffee drinks, from the same coffee shop, each made by a different barista. The name of the coffee shop shall remain anonymous. The results are all over the map. From PERFECT to too sweet, too bitter, bad froth, good froth, etc. I honestly believe that some people are really striving for perfection and others are just going through the motions. Or maybe, they, themselves, are not coffee drinkers. I'm sending a great big WE SEE YOU to all of the baristas out there who really take pride in their coffee creations. Especially the pour overs. You know you who are ;) Here's to good coffee and great baristas!

I first tried this roaster back in 2012. At that time, they were roasting "Obama Blend." Oh, how I miss those days. I digress. I had not thought about their coffee in a very long time. Sometimes what we are looking for is right under our nose. One Sunday in the Food Section of the San Francisco Chronicle , I read an article featuring Moschetti Artisan Roaster in Vallejo, California. The "secret" was out. I thought, I'd better hurry up and order some before it's gone and coffee is so expensive that I'm drinking grocery store brands. That will be another post for another day. Moschetti House Blend "Mocha-Choco-Latte-YaYa good!

Everything is old is new again. And I'm not mad about it! I haven't blogged in a very long time. It seems that everyone wanted to instagram. and TikTok and blogs just weren't the thing. Rumor has it that they're back in style. And thanks to HBO's White Lotus , so is Coffee-Mate ! You may remember that I have been known to secretly "dabble in CoffeeMate." Now, I don't have to hide. I love oatmilk and almondmilk and all the great new stuff - but I'm still a bit "old school." I hope to spend a lot more time on this here "Blog," drinking coffee (with coffee mate) and re-watching Seasons 1 to 3 of "The White Lotus." There's room for everyone, here! Mugs up!