A Nice Cuppa

CROUCHING BARISTA, HIDDEN LACTOSE (continued…)
Recap: At a downtown Toronto coffee shop, Justin and Ferina begin their morning with what appears like an ongoing squabble. While Justin changes in the stockroom, a man gets Ferina to open the door long enough to jam his foot against it, wedging it open. Bad news. […]

No end of reassurances from your fianc?? or his kind brother can properly prepare you for that moment: the meeting. Lucky for me, my mother-in-law turned out to be the exact opposite of Jane Fonda in Monster-in-law. She was immediately kind and talkative and genuinely interested in getting to know me. […]

Intelligentsia’s Nicaraguan Flor Azul might just be my favorite coffee ever. Every cup I’ve made from these beans has been delicious, with a gorgeously rich and subtle sweetness. I make one cup, and with the first sip, I’m ready to brew another. Intelligentsia calls out fruit flavors ranging from apple to pear […]

These after dinner drinks have been around for a long time and as with other coffee drinks, the list is endless. Their origin is uncertain but their popularity probably had to do with tableside service in fancy restaurants, pouring the liquor at arms distance creating a beautiful flame, releasing a wonderful aroma and decorating […]

This coffee moment has been brought to you, care of Gus Van Sant’s Good Will Hunting.
He’s confident if not cocky when given a chance to throw out above average book smarts at the speed of a data entry clerk on Red Bull, but when it comes to girls calling him on his shyness….another story. […]

Springtime in Northern Virginia is a beautiful thing to see. The dogwoods and cherry blossoms are bursting and the bees are buzzing. Only a sliver of precious time exists when locals can stroll along the Potomac river or lounge in the garden after sunset before the mosquitoes invade. During this season, I […]

I have an addiction.
They say that the first step to overcoming any addiction is admitting the problem. So here it is. I???m addicted to that ferocious black brew, that stimulating beverage ??? the one, the only, the irreplaceable, coffee.
Now you are probably thinking that this is hardly any grand abnormality; that millions could […]

Not too long ago, I was scanning the winter edition of the Donna Hay Magazine when I came upon a feature about tea parties and the accoutrements that accompany a traditional tea. There were some beautiful photos of tea pots and the like, but what caught my eye was a photo of tea strainers, […]

There are some weeks that everything just seems to go your way. You hit all the green lights on your way home. The sun is shining and your favorite song comes on the radio. You mysteriously lose 5 lbs. Your new coffee beans arrive, they roast up gorgeously, you hit the […]

Tuesday. 8:37 am.
Patron: Biggest, strongest cuppa you have. Black as night.
Barista: You’re either a student or you have a meeting.
The smile doesn’t confirm either, but from this side of the counter, their day has boardroom written all over it. They come here for the jolt. For some aroma […]