23.4.04
tomorrow is the big day.
i just prepped the prizes and unpacked the coffees to be cupped.
i'm very excited.
tasted the Nicaragua Flor Azul for the first time. damn... that's a really nice coffee.
see ya soon.
i just prepped the prizes and unpacked the coffees to be cupped.
i'm very excited.
tasted the Nicaragua Flor Azul for the first time. damn... that's a really nice coffee.
see ya soon.
21.4.04
Hubris?
It seems like I've actually got a handle on the Black Cat at long last. I know I'm taking a huge risk saying this, but I'm getting consistent results, day to day and batch to batch.
It really is a touchy espresso. I've found it is sensitive to so much stuff -- ranging from machine cleanliness (I'm scrubbing the portafilter, dispersion screen and group head every couple hours now) to grind (of course) to tamp (of course) to temp (damn are we running hot!). It's more sensitive than anything I've used with the possible exception of the Stumptown Hairbender.
The good thing is that I'm now actually liking the resulting espresso. It's still a little too "over the top" for my personal tastes, but I enjoy it none the less.
Yesterday was a good shift. Good drinks, nice customers, great tips.
mood - mellow
music - Massive Attack
coffees - House Blend, Colombia Reserva del Patron
special - Brazil Fazenda Vista Allegre Press Pot
It really is a touchy espresso. I've found it is sensitive to so much stuff -- ranging from machine cleanliness (I'm scrubbing the portafilter, dispersion screen and group head every couple hours now) to grind (of course) to tamp (of course) to temp (damn are we running hot!). It's more sensitive than anything I've used with the possible exception of the Stumptown Hairbender.
The good thing is that I'm now actually liking the resulting espresso. It's still a little too "over the top" for my personal tastes, but I enjoy it none the less.
Yesterday was a good shift. Good drinks, nice customers, great tips.
mood - mellow
music - Massive Attack
coffees - House Blend, Colombia Reserva del Patron
special - Brazil Fazenda Vista Allegre Press Pot
19.4.04
this last weekend i had the incredible honor of serving espresso to a couple of traveling coffee geeks. this alone would have been cool - but the actual "honor" part comes from the fact that they stopped in Bishop specifically to have coffee at Spellbinder.
very cool.
very cool indeed.
made them a couple of split triple ristretto shots - one from the Black Cat, one from the Oromo. the espresso seemed to go over very well.
and they'd never seen Latte Art.
talk about pressure!
and - of course - i wilted under the pressure and produced a seriously half-assed effort.
sigh...
regardless - it was a nice experience. and they were nice people. nice nice all around (grin).
anyway... today was one of those easy days. not too busy, not too slow - the espresso was pulling nearly flawless shots (the Black Cat was very rounded and smooth today, with noticable sweet notes). super cool.
mood - easy breezy
music - tunes you'd hear shopping in San Francisco
coffees - House Blend, Red Sea Blend
special - triple ristretto shots coffee geek style
very cool.
very cool indeed.
made them a couple of split triple ristretto shots - one from the Black Cat, one from the Oromo. the espresso seemed to go over very well.
and they'd never seen Latte Art.
talk about pressure!
and - of course - i wilted under the pressure and produced a seriously half-assed effort.
sigh...
regardless - it was a nice experience. and they were nice people. nice nice all around (grin).
anyway... today was one of those easy days. not too busy, not too slow - the espresso was pulling nearly flawless shots (the Black Cat was very rounded and smooth today, with noticable sweet notes). super cool.
mood - easy breezy
music - tunes you'd hear shopping in San Francisco
coffees - House Blend, Red Sea Blend
special - triple ristretto shots coffee geek style
