The Official Blog of Max Effgen
Two of my favorite coffee info-graphics:
Coffee Drinks Illustrated by Lokesh Dhakar is an impressive illustration of the variety of espresso drinks. He is channeling his inner Edward Tufte.
Check out Caffeine and Calories. True coffee aficionados will be towards the espresso/double espresso side of the buzz versus bulge equation. Like I am doing right now…
Nice read on espresso in the Atlantic. Better grind, better espresso. Been saying it for years. Check it out. Happy Weekend!
The Atlantic: A Winning Formula for Traditional Espresso
Interesting article and graphic on coffee in today’s Seattle Times. I am partial to Kona with price being the only major obstacle to drinking it daily.
Seattle Times: Taster’s Choice: Coffee experts describe the coffee they love
3 great coffee houses in the Belltown neighborhood just north of downtown Seattle. If they are on this list, they are worth checking out.
Uptown Espresso at 4th and Wall is a great meeting space with free WiFi. Home of the “Velvet Foam”.
Top Pot Hand-Forged Doughnuts has been a favorite for awhile now. Old fashioned doughnuts and great coffee. Very Seattle. Worth checking out when you visit. Free WiFi too.
Cherry Street Coffee House at 1st and Lenora is a great place to take in the city. Near Pike Place Market.
Coffee is a lot of things in Seattle. If you are an independent coffee house in this town you need to elevate and differentiate your game. Nice read in the Coffee City blog about Fremont Coffee. They have recently started roasting their own beans. What they have really started doing is elevating their core competency. As a fan of the peaberry, I wish them luck.
Seattle Times Coffee City Blog: Fremont Coffee starts roasting to gain cachet, control flavor (and, it saves money)
Interesting coffee related read at Gizmodo. Covers a lot of ground on various methods. Worth checking out.
I hope to make this a regular feature documenting 3 great coffee houses in each of the many neighborhoods of Seattle. If they are on the list, they are worth checking out.
Zeitgeist, Cafe Umbria and All City Coffee are all in Pioneer Square. Great places for a meeting or First Thursdays Art Walk.
Cafe Umbria
320 Occidental Avenue South
Likely my favorite overall. Lack of WiFi keeps conversations down to conversations.
Zeitgeist
171 S Jackson St
Great place to meet. Everyone knows where it is. Can be crowded. Free WiFi keeps helps keep it popular.
All City Coffee
125 Prefontaine Pl S
A little further out from the hub of Pioneer Square, but great access to downtown. Large tables and upstairs provide great places to sit.
Check out Caffeine and Calories. True coffee aficionados will be towards the espresso/double espresso side of the buzz versus bulge equation.
Happy Friday.
Solid read about coffee shops by Joey deVilla @ Coffee and Code. The Tragedy of the Coffee Shop covers the growing angst between coffee shop owners and cyber-squatting customers. There are cafes I prefer to meet people to talk because there is no free WiFi, and thus no laptops and other electronic distractions.
UPDATE: More reading on the topic.
WSJ: No More Perks: Coffee Shops Pull the Plug on Laptop Users
My first exposure to chilled coffee drinks was the ubiquitous Cold Coffee in Australia. I was on a backpack trip and could not stomach the stuff. I was young. What did I know?
Record setting heat in Seattle has brought me back to ice-cold coffee. Like many people out here, we do not have air conditioning. The thermometer has hit 100ยบ+ Fahrenheit. A hot cup on a hot day is just not doing the trick. Iced-coffee is simple to make. Let the French (Freedom) Press steep overnight in the fridge. Serve over ice. It is delicious.
Stay cool.