I’m not much for Irish coffee and its derivatives (especially those buried in whipped cream), but I do love me a well-made espresso martini. Not too long ago I discovered an even better way to enjoy coffee in an adult beverage.
Behold, the frozen coffee drink:
This delight can be found at Snappy’s Small Bar, in DC’s Petworth neighborhood. Terrific owners and staff, friendly as all get out, timeless decor. It’s the go-to place if you’re a fan of Underberg, as they always have a ton of it available.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I stopped by D’Light Café this week for another capuorange. Since it was a warm day I tried it iced. Still an odd concoction, different this time not just for the temp but also because the OJ wasn’t steamed. Probably not for everyone but I liked it. Next time I’ll ask for a smaller size as it was a lot of orange juice for one serving.
My drink of choice is a bit of a bastardization of a standard beverage, so it’s not unusual to find myself in a detailed conversation with the person at the register and/or the barista of what it is I’m looking for. How that plays out is often a good clue of where to set my expectations on a first-time visit to a cafe.
Sometimes the drink I end up with shows that I probably wasn’t clear enough. Phrases like “traditional macchiato,” “a little bit of milk,” and “not too much foam” can mean very different things to different people.
Today I visited a cafe I’ve been to before, and my request for a “macchiato with an extra double shot” didn’t phase the barista.
I was given something that I haven’t ended up with before:
bottom to top: macchiato; ‘extra’ double shot of espresso
Enjoyed my all-time favorite cup of coffee yesterday. Not because it tasted amazing (it was good though!), but because the barista who made it just happens to be my son.
Sorry I’ve been silent for so long. No special reason, just been busy.
On a recent trip to Oregon I was visiting one of Coava Coffee‘s Portland cafés, and while waiting for my drink I noticed a display of instant coffee. I’ve been aware of the effort the last few years to make high quality coffee available in instant form, but hadn’t tried it yet. Probably too biased against freeze dried coffee, including memories of having Nescafé as the only option far too often. Figured I’d give it a try, so I grabbed a box.
Verdict: spectacular. Coava and their partner Swift Cup Coffee have managed to keep the great flavor you expect from craft coffee. It’s also the easiest way to get your fix, even more so than the single serve coffee bags from Counter Culture and others – no need for steeping time, no bag to dispose of. A real game changer if, like me, you don’t have many (or any) good coffee options near work. They also make decaf offerings, for all you latent Sanka fans out there.
Swift Cup, from Lancaster, PA, produces instant coffee for a number of specialty roasters in addition to Coava, including their own label. So if you see instant from a roaster you trust, shake off any freeze dried crystals prejudices and give it a try. You can also buy Coava’s instant from their website, sold in boxes of six for $16-$17, or in bulk pouches which deliver 25 servings for around $40.
