One person’s adjustments to feeding their coffee addiction in the time of social distancing.
finding the new normal
nothing but change
It’s been four days since I shared my thoughts on how to adapt to COVID-19. Seems almost quaint given what’s transpired since. My current advice?
Let’s work this through.
Continue readingSalt & Pepper Diner Essential Song of the Day for 3/14
Wash your dang hands, people.
This is my handwashing jam to make sure I’m getting my minimum 20 seconds of hygiene in every time, and you know I’m singing it at least 21x a day.
loving coffee in the time of COVID-19
As we transition into what we all hope will be a temporary new normal, it’s natural to expect an impact on cafes and the coffee industry as is the case with pretty much every business in every industry.
Here are a few changes that have already happened:
Continue readinga great read that’s not just about coffee
For those who read the report of my visit to Dublin last summer, you may recall my regret at not picking up a copy of Colin Harmon’s book, What I Know About Running Coffee Shops when I stopped at 3fe. I rectified that this week by downloading the Kindle edition, and I’m very glad I did.
Continue readingsunday is brunch day
We had some family and friends over for brunch yesterday. Beautiful day, which allowed us to sit outside. The espresso machine got quite the workout, as I ended up making about a dozen drinks in a relatively short period of time. By the end it was putting out pure crema. Here’s one of my earlier efforts, I managed to get some milk art into a smaller glass for a macchiato.
Salt & Pepper Diner Essential Song o’ the Day for 2/4
Some days you’re in the grocery store and you find yourself singing along with the great song that’s playing on the PA. Today was one of those days. This banger is almost 40 years old but it’s timeless enough to enjoy 21x in a row.
welcome back, friend
Just into the New Year, Sami of Sami’s Coffee Kiosk made his usual end of the day tweet that he was closing up, this time with a twist.
update: Car Wash Coffee
update 5/30/2021: permanently closed
It’s been a little over a year since my friend Rachel and I visited Car Wash Coffee in Kensington, MD. I just added the coveted Asterisk of Quality (I just made that up, I think it has legs) to Car Wash in my guide, because in the times I’ve visited since it’s improved.
- baristas performing at a higher level, including milk art
- more variety and quality in food, both to eat in and to go
- more use of their logo, car-themed decorations, and running videos of a car wash in operation on the big-ass tv, all of which serves to tie the place better to the its namesake car wash
Still a giant pain to get in and out of when there’s traffic, but it’s always got a good crowd and is definitely the kind of place its town needed. Wishing them continued success.
you meddlesome kids and your interwebs
I’m very much in favor of this. It’s a bit deflating to go into a beautiful coffee shop to find it filled with people on their laptops, making you think you’ve wandered into a library. I’m not one to chat up strangers in cafes (baristas excluded), but I’d rather be around a conversational buzz than quietude interrupted by fingertips dancing across keyboards.