drinks | Coffee, It's a Helluva Drug

kinda proud of this one

not bad, especially for a macchiato in a 4 oz demi glass (on a triple shot), as opposed to my usual cap/latte in an 8 oz glass

single scene, take 2

Following my recent dip into single serve pourover pouches, I’ve been trying the Counter Culture singles I received at Christmas.

So far, a success. I’ve found I like the bolder flavor profile of the Big Trouble blend more than Forty-Six, but that’s just a personal preference and both are certainly good. I also like that, unlike pourovers or drip coffee, there’s a much greater depth of flavor and a really nice caffeine jolt. Using the bags is simple, and on whole a much easier portable process than the pourover pouches or using the aeroPress.

merry christmas!

Wishing you the happiest of holidays, my friends. I’m grateful for every and any for take a look here – maybe even you, you bots and spammers.

A lovely gift pack of single serves and a mug from Counter Culture were under the tree for me this morning, can’t wait to try them out.

trying out the single scene

As I mentioned in my recent holiday gift guide, there’s a nascent market for single serving convenience formats in quality coffee. In addition to instant coffee and teabag-like steeped coffee, there are some inventive, self-contained mini pourover products on the market. My buddy Rob travels to Ethiopia frequently on business, and he recently brought me back a local example of the latter to try.

best yet?

I think I might have done it

this kind of looks like a heart, right?

wrapping up the affogato stuff

Now that we’ve finished the series on affogato at gelato/specialty coffee shops in the DC area, a few thoughts on ways you can try it at home.

affogato wars of DC

*clockwise from top: Pitango; Dolcezza; Gelatteria*

The Washington DC area has a couple local chains (Dolcezza and Pitango) and a stand-alone cafe (Gelatteria) which have two main offerings: specialty coffee, and high-end gelato. Sounds like fodder for a taste test, so I recently visited all three for a comparison.

survival instincts

I’m at an industry conference in the convention center of a large hotel/resort in central Florida. Long days of programming that I’m enjoying, but no access to coffee other than an on-site outlet of the evil empire and urns of questionable industrial drip coffee. Not ideal for an espresso addicted coffee snob.

Here’s how I’m making it through: