Of all the made-up days of celebration, I managed to miss Sep 29, National Coffee Day. Ironic, really. My coffee trail has been long and winding. Perhaps it’s fitting that it doesn’t end at a Dunkin’ or a Peets.
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Tag Archives: #coffee
Coffee?
It’s always welcoming. And very welcome. It is, as you might have surmised, a good cup of coffee.
The where in this case? Turns out to be a small quirky shop on Lexington. Not just quirky but with a quirky name.
Peaky Barista turns out to be a 3 location family-owned mini-chain about town.
The name apparently connects to the caps on display (and for sale). I always associated them with cab drivers back in the day.
Maybe I will wear one from my own collection of peaked caps on a future visit.
Happy holiday
What shall we have?
Le Petit Parisien looks to be a rather incendiary little publication. Our new Cafe shares its name. The decor is a simple reminder of that connection. Cappuccino, as I mentioned in an earlier post, is very satisfactory.
Missing from next door since the owners posted their “Gone Surfing” notice is the friendly Bar Coastal. Fear not; a pub awaits. Plug-Uglies looks all set for business.
Speaking of bars… these “convenience stores” like High-End Puff [above] appear to be ready to satisfy weed cravings.
Miscellaneous photo scenes that are not food related follow below as part of the fro and to of getting to Le Petit Parisien or Plug Uglies or High-End Puff.
Speaking of Croatia
Just cause a place was a point of your origin, does not mean you haven’t overlooked some of its finer points.
For Instance, I never heard of a dessert called the bayadere which apparently is a specialty from my mother’s neck of the Balkans. I encountered one at Les Gateaux de Marie and have to admit it’s very addictive. I am a huge chocolate mixed with nuts fan.
The coffee at this little French bakery Cafe is far from solid. It’s the bajadera I come back for from time to time.
Speaking of La Bayadere, it’s also the name of a classical dance. While I never fully understood its virtues when I was the audience, it is an elaborate and much admired work. I think my imagination is stymied by the appearance of ghosts.
Marius Petipa conceived this dramatic tale of exotica and eternal love set in ancient India for a large troupe of his dancers. The title refers to the Indian temple dancer, Nikiya, whose ghost returns to seek vengeance and be reunited with her noble lover, Solor.
How the name for an Indian temple dancer came to grace a Croatian sweet, I cannot tell you. I will attest that the pastry is, like an Indian Temple Dancer, an exotic treat.
The ghost or a wraith of some sort is an oft seen character in ballet, from Giselle, Les Sylphides to the apotheosis in Swan Lake.
Thus closes this Halloween-themed episode….
Cry coffee
It’s a bit unfair that I never cited my smoothie joint for its very fine coffee.
Sometimes you just don’t think of your relationship that way. Truth is I get a coffee with my tofu scramble breakfast special. Truth is I really enjoy it.
It’s going to be 50-50 for me sitting at one of the Green Bean Cafe’s outdoor tables or dragging the breakfast home.
Tofu makes a great egg alternative, when it subs in for the scrambled variety. I make a couple of meals from the one breakfast.
The home fries wait their turn for a dinner in which I add cocktail tomatoes to the pan while reheating. The 7 grain toast is a next day breakfast with or without hummus, and sometimes as a mini grilled cheese.
BTW, as a rule what’s described above subs in for home cooking in my kitchen.
The Green Bean serves fresh coffee, brewing up a clean pot every 30 minutes. For their iced coffee, they do as I do which is to keep a carafe in the fridge so it’s nice and cold before ice. The coffee, which is proudly organic, is mythically robust yet never bitter.
While there, ask for a Heartfelt Smoothie or a Jolty Green Giant (the “t” is an apt typo.)
A special breakfast
As a rule, I don’t make it to the breakfast special at Effy’s which ends at 10am. Hallelujah, I am here today.
Drizzly weather encouraged me to grab the early bus. I stopped by on my way to a workout.
Effy’s at 88th and York by Asphalt Green. Breakfast special @ 7.95 is 2 eggs toast home fries and good coffee.” Note to self put Effy’s on my coffee trail!
Coffee! Again.
My travels on the coffee trail took me to the 7-11 to try out the Brazilian I spoke of recently.
Picture this with me: if my walking the coffee trail entails following the little brown beans strewn along the path to help me find my destination.
I imagine this path is a bit slippery as we crunch along, grinding coffee beans underfoot. Or it is perhaps a bit more slidey if the coffee is already ground and catches to the soles of our shoes.
Sorry for the digression or should I say detour. Back to the coffee mission in which we follow-up on the promise of checking out the selections at 7-11.
The coffee is a bit less expensive, as noted, than the other chains. For instance, compared to the high-priced spread at Blank Street I sampled last week it’s a total bargain.
7-11 cleverly arranges small, medium, large and what Starbucks calls “Venti Hot” cups with little increment in cost. They also require you self-serve which makes for a more personalized cup.
This participatory experience also means you get much quicker service. I chose the medium size cup, and truth be told, had a delay in the process due to indecisiveness.
To be fair, there are many coffees on display. 7-11 has installed some fancy machines that offer to make cappuccino, latte or other fancier caffeinated drinks. I would say stay away from these.
After hemming and hawing over the vast choices, I settled where I started. A 16-oz (I think) cup of Brazilian to which I added a splash of half and half was a delicious $2.29. The fellas with the street carts sell these for $1.75 but elsewhere the price is closer.
Price is not the only criteria, of course, so factor in convenience and taste. While I loathe the Seattle-brewer, I think Dunkin provides an excellent alternative.
Specialty coffees, in my opinion, should be specially made so head for a neighborhood brewery like our Le Moulin a Café.
Speaking of specialties, I am enjoying a cold Mocha brew from a new joint called B&B. It’s on 1st and 73rd and its actual specialty is bagels, I imagine. Never had one of these before so too sweet should cover it.
Looking for coffee*
In conversation with our doorman, Mike, I was reminded to start my next coffee search with a trip to 7-11. There are a couple near by where I find the chicken wings hard to resist, but I hadn’t been getting my coffee there. As I recall, I always loved it.
It’s a fraction of the other chains’ price too. Not where you’ll go for a latte, macchiato or cappucino, but the simple clean mild or strong cup is here. The Brazillian was a favorite of mine but choose or sample the roasts for your best morning java.
My expertise on peaches 🍑 was tested this morning at the display. A shopper was feeling frustrated by the choices and asked me how long til they would be ripe. She noted they were hard. I lectured her a bit. Hard, yes, I said but if they had any give they would be firm and juicy. I gave her the brown paper bag option if she wanted them softer but reiterated my opinion that they were just great. On sale for $3.99 with a D’Ag card right now.
Let me alert you that peach 🍑 season is coming to its inevitable close. We can enjoy them while they last and then hope luscious ones cycle through again next summer.
All The Best 