it’s time to throw down!!!!

Last night I attended my first Barista Throwdown. Before I go any further, if you’re not sure what that means, the good people at Boomtown Coffee have a great explanatory piece with all the deets.

My social media feeds occasionally have mentions of area Thursday Night Throwdowns, and since this edition would be held practically in our backyard at Lost Sock Roasters‘ pop-up at Brightwood Pizza & Bottle, I figured it was time to experience one for myself. And I’m so glad that I did.

I wondered what I would find when I walked in. One of the things I love about coffee shops and the specialty coffee community is that almost everyone is incredibly welcoming and happy to share their passion. I didn’t know if I would find some version of that friendly, open, positive mentality, or a highly competitive, nervous vibe, or a group of coffee pros closing themselves off from normies like me.

Well, here’s what was waiting for me:

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and…… we’re back!

Something went haywire with the Matty Macchiato digital empire last week and the site has been down since October 5th-ish. It’s back up and running now.

Subscribers weren’t notified as usual when I last posted, so you may want to check my last two here and here.

Okay, good talk. Since this post doesn’t have any visual pizzazz of any kind, please enjoy this picture of Charlie.

happy coffeepalooza ’23

This was quite the weekend for coffee obsessives in the nation’s capital. Friday was National Coffee Day, Sunday was International Coffee Day, and these critically important holidays bookended Saturday’s first annual DC Coffee Festival. Held at Dock 5 in Union Market, the event sold out in advance for both sessions.

The hall was filled with roasters and cafe operators, plus a few different coffee-related businesses and a couple food purveyors. Thankfully the good people from Topo Chico were giving away free samples of cold soda water, as things got a little sweaty in a packed hall on a humid day.

man, they let anybody in the door

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how civilized

My wife and I recently settled upon the crazy notion of going out for a coffee and actually drinking it in the cafe. We stopped at Kaldi’s Social House in Silver Spring, MD, and my drink was served this way:

While it was par for the course when I visited a lot of coffee shops in Denver a few years ago, it’s unusual in this area to see this presentation, including a glass of sparkling water. That one small gesture adds a lot to the experience, and I’m all for it.

this kid, he gets it

This weekend I had a coffee from a café I hadn’t tried before. Some of the staff looked pretty young. I would think the guy who took my order and made my drink wasn’t older than 15 or 16.

He seemed quite serious and deliberate as he went about his business. When he was done he paused for a second, then grabbed his phone to take a picture of the drink. Very endearing.

This is the finished product:

It tasted pretty good, too!

Well done, young man. May you have a long and joyful barista journey ahead of you.

Salt & Pepper Diner song o’ the day for Aug 27

Our kitchen garbage can, after years of faithful service, apparently is now possessed. It makes a noise as it closes that sounds like the distinctive wump-wump-wump-wump-wump-wump-wump-wump from this song, which is now running on a loop in my head.

Spirit inhabiting local family’s kitchen trash can doesn’t mind the sun sometimes

If you were around in 1996 there’s a very good chance you know the lyrics, so sing along as you play it 21x in a row.

another something special

I was in line at The Coffee Bar in DC today when I noticed a new addition to the signature drinks menu on the board. And the drink was boosted by the fun letter board.

Now is the point at which I admit I snuck a look at my phone to figure out what yuzu is. Finding it to be a citrus fruit with a tart and sour taste and a touch of sweetness, I figured I’d continue expanding my horizons at least be able to get a post out of the experience, and ordered one.

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the ‘other’ Portland

I’ve certainly posted more than my share about the joys of Portland, Oregon. Here’s more Portland travel news, but this time from the Portland that’s not found on the upper left of the map of the United States.

Our family went to Maine recently for a short vacation, which included an overnight in Portland. What a terrific small city! Interesting neighborhoods, nice waterfront, lots of great food and drink options, and what the kids these days call good vibes. For coffee, the city punches well above its weight with a concentration of excellent roasters and cafés. I was able to squeeze in visits to three cafés, two operated by roasters and one independent shop serving beans from yet another well-reputed local roaster.

We stayed at an Airbnb in the East Bayside neighborhood, and the location could not have been more perfect. Within easy walking distance were cafés, bars, brewpubs, and interesting food. We weren’t there long enough to even scratch the surface, but experienced a few places and all were all top-notch.

First stop was Coffee by Design‘s Diamond Street roastery and café. A large industrial space made warm by colorful paint, art, and wood, with a big, round coffee bar in the middle. The staff could not have been friendlier or more thoughtful, the coffee was excellent, and there was a good-sized crowd of patrons for a weekday afternoon.

Coffee by Design website


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happy birthday to…. us!

from freepik.com

This week marks 5 years of Matty Macchiato. This will be the 287th published post, and I’m still surprised that anyone reads this silly little blog. I’m glad it’s given me the impetus to learn more about coffee, to seek out coffee when I travel (with apologies to my incredibly patient family), and to conquer my introversion among strangers enough to chat with baristas instead of looking at my phone and avoiding eye contact.

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me and taken an interest in whatever it is I’m doing here, particularly my wonderful and extremely patient wife and kids. I greatly appreciate it! You all earn the Coveted *Asterisk of Quality.TM

let’s try something special for a change

It’s not hard to find unique coffee beverages, most every café comes up with hot and cold drinks matching coffee with various flavors. I’ve never been one to get flavored syrup in my drinks, and other than the capuorange, I usually give the special creations a pass in favor of old reliables.

I stopped by The Coffee Bar‘s Shaw location recently, and while waiting for my turn at the register took a gander at the menu board.

Hey, look, signature drinks.

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