mooth operator takes over at Atlas: Get hooked on Ninth Parallel North March 22, 2012

Come on in. Get your fix right here...

Before you dig into a long day at work or hit the bars to unwind, recharge your engine with a pit stop at Atlas Purveyors and try their new espresso… it’s from Novo Roasters. The fact that this premium roaster has landed in a second café in Boulder is worth celebrating cause good coffee is great news for all you caffeine hounds roaming Boulder.

There’s a lot of good coffee around; so what makes Novo different, you may ask? They have been on the front line of coffee business in the wave of roasters pushing lighter, more multifaceted roasts (especially for espresso) into cafes. Novo’s gotten several awards for their efforts including Bon Appetit’s Top Ten Cafes in the nation, selected by Forbes as one of the best coffees in 2008, and Westwords 2009 & 2011 Best Local Roastery in Denver.

Now, I know there are a lot of die-hard, dark roast enthusiasts out there but let your mouth do the deciding and give Atlas Purveyors special new blend a try.

Chris Rosen (the friendly face of Atlas and its managing owner) worked with the fine and talented folks at Novo to create a special blend just right for Atlas. The result, Ninth Parallel North, is a roast that attempts to bridge the gap between light and dark, with a sweet and rich quality that may just manage to appease even dark roast lovers with it’s complexity over robust power.

The roast is a blend of Panama and Ethiopia beans and that espresso is silky smooth, delicate and dynamic with hints of almond, blueberry, chocolate, toasted coconut and a bit of wild flower. (Don’t worry if you can’t taste all of those – I didn’t – the important part is that it’s delicious and holds its own with or without milk.)

Consider yourself warned though: if you love straight-up espresso, then this smooth operator will likely hook you like a suicidal fish. And, for those of you who like your coffee with milk, Chris assures us that “this espresso makes the most divine Mocha ever to be consumed by man or beast.” So, be prepared…

What are you waiting for? Give Atlas a try.
Ninth Parallel North: Your mouth will surely thank you.

The cheapest lattes in downtown Boulder! A comparison of 20 cafes for the best deals. February 20, 2012

Knowing is half the battle! Save some of that hard earned dough.

If you’re feeding a coffee habit but also trying to watch the spending (who isn’t these days?), then it’s good to know where the best café deals can be found in downtown Boulder to fill those latte cravings. Here are a few steals in a pretty thick market that will get you through the day without breaking the bank.

Using the cost of a 16oz latte as the indicator for overall pricing in 20 downtown area coffee shops (including tax, with whole milk and no frills), it quickly became clear that there is a decent amount of ‘flexibility’ in drink pricing around downtown. A quick comparison of the highest to lowest priced 16 oz. latte showed an 82 cent difference in cost and that will add up real quick if you buy a latte on a regular basis. (If you’re reading this blog, odds are you’re a daily drinker.)

Keep in mind that out of the 20 shops, the average price for that latte sits at $3.64. Here are the seven LEAST expensive café spots to get your java fix:

1. Ideal Market blows the competition out of the water with its pricing: at $3.35 not only is it a steal, it also comes loaded with 3 shots instead of a milky double shot. (The downside: no place to really sit down and enjoy that cup o love.)

2. Brewing Market Coffee takes second: at $3.42 it’s a good price and also comes with 3 shots. Not bad.

3. Trident Café, Ozo Coffee and Dushanbe Tea House tie for third place: at $3.50 they are all a solid deal. (Sorry, only 2 shots with these.)

4. Atlas Purveyors and Tee & Cakes close out the deals in downtown: at $3.52 they hold their own. (Plus, Tee and Cakes has a drool worthy array of fresh baked cupcakes and treats.)

You now have the best deals in town and a list of the worst offenders in latte pricing. Consider yourself armed and ready to load up on that coffee fix and even save yourself some cash, too.

 

Looking for a sugary caffeine overload… why not have two from Starbucks? Today ONLY! November 20, 2011

Forget holiday cheer? Tthe sugar & caffeine will keep you going...

The Holiday season has descended on the masses. The eggnog is stocked at the grocery store, lights wrap up trees like heavenly bundles, Christmas songs accost the senses in stores around the world and Starbucks has unleashed its holiday line of sugary caffeination. To make sure people are in the holiday mood, the coffee chain is offering 2 holiday drinks for the price of one.

Today is the last day for this two-fer deal. So, for those who frequent Starbucks, who’d hate to miss this score, get to your nearest Starbucks! For those who don’t tend to visit the coffee chain, it’s a chance to get a trio of truly desserty drinks with a winter flare for a killer price. (Just remember that they have their own unique language for sizes: Short, Tall, Grande, Vente –in that order). You have your choice of three holiday drinks: the Gingerbread Latte, the Caramel Brulee Latte or the Peppermint Mocha (if you get the nonfat, sugar free syrup, ‘skinny’ chocolate and no whip version, they assure that it’s only 100 calories for 12 ounces.).

It’s a great deal is good at ALL their coffee shops. So swing by while there’s still time.

Looking for a winter drink that doesn’t come from Starbucks? Most coffee shops in Boulder offer at least one drink specially designed to make you think of fireplaces on a snowy night; Ozo Coffee (with two locations in Boulder) offers a Pumpkin Spice Latte that adds a blend of spices (cinnamon, cloves, and more) to thier pumpkin syrup for a wintery drink with a bit of a kick and they also have a decadent, single-origin chocolate from Costa Rica you can ask for in your mocha… it’s dark, complex and divine with peppermint or any of their specialty mochas. The downside: at Ozo you won’t be finding a 2 for 1 deal.

Saxy’s Cafe has a lot to offer on the western end of Pearl Street November 20, 2011

Feel like something Saxy?

You can tell a lot by a name. Saxy’s Café sounds like a cross between a boutique and a trendy bar and that maybe exactly what they are angling for. Saxy’s takes clear shots at sophistication (complete with small chandeliers and marble countertops) but also maintains a comfortable, spacious, ‘beatnik’ vibe. It’s a stylish mid-sized café that’s often overlooked by virtue of being a few hundred feet from the Pearl Street mob scene – just beyond the Western end of the Mall (on 10th Street).

While its coffee is not earthshaking, it is good and is sure to appease those caffeine cravings. Plus there is an array of other benefits found at Saxy’s… Like gluten free foods? They’ve got treats to keep you happy whether you prefer wheat or have to go without. In fact, they have one of the most decadent little dark cacao treats you’ll find in town. Ritual Chocolate is a locally made, delicate disk of joyful cacao bliss. With just two ingredients (organic cacao and sugar) the complexity in the flavor is enough to stop you in your tracks (really). Ritual Chocolate is showing up in a few café’s and their chocolate orbs (they’re definitely not bars) are well worth the ‘boutique’ cost. Added bonus, one of the owners of the small startup, Robbie Stout, also tends bar at Saxy’s. So, if you’d like to know about quality chocolates, look no further.

From Bosnia to the Brewing Market, Turkish Coffee is loved around the world. November 20, 2011

When building bridges to other cultures, start with some common ground: coffee

With the capture of Ratko Mladic (the former Bosnian Serb general accused of ordering the massacre of over 8,000 Muslims in 1995), there was a lot of news centering around these Balkan states. While their recent history still echoes with the aftershocks of nations struggling to overcome lifetimes of ethnic division and a 3 years of war starting in 1992, there are at least a few items that, regardless of one’s cultural heritage, serve as ties to unite the Balkans as well as much of the Middle East, North Africa, and Caucasus countries (like Armenia). One of those is their unrivaled love for rich, sweet and potent ‘Turkish’ Coffee.

Each of these regions has their own adaptations of this special coffee brew but at their heart the Turkish Coffee experience is quite similar. This is owed in a good part to the influences of the once vast Ottoman Empire that expanded and contracted over a massive area throughout its 600 years (from the early 1300’s – 1900’s). Today it has many names, but whatever the locals call it, this caffeinated shot of bliss tends to hold true to an old Turkish saying, “Coffee should be dark as hell, strong as death, and sweet as love.”

They aren’t kidding. A finely ground coffee (finer than espresso) is prepared by gently boiling it and (often) a healthy dose of sugar till the mixture foams in a specially designed, long handled pot with a narrow neck (called a cezve). This brew is then served – grinds and all. Most cafés don’t offer Turkish coffee, but if you want to try it in Boulder then the news is good. The Brewing Market’s main store at Folsom and Arapahoe recently started serving it (with other locations to follow).

Established in 1977, the Brewing Market coffee chain has been working the Boulder coffee scene for quite a while. Their foray into Turkish coffee isn’t a surprise when one considers the history of its owner, Artine Yapoujian. Artine grew up with his Armenian family in Lebanon, where he learned how to brew a mean cup of coffee. It was only a matter of time before their special ‘Turkish Blend’ found its way into a Turkish style, specialty drink.

Their Turkish Coffee is also graced with a single, cracked cardamom seed. This small touch adds a delicious, tangy spice that continues to shift as the drink ages. Also, don’t expect a Bosnian style 8 to 12oz cup of heady, dark coffee; the Brewing Market experience is more like the ‘traditional’ Turkish version and is served in shot sized portions. $2.50 will get you a single espresso sized glass and $3.50 will get you two.

Be warned, the staff has a tendency to OVER sugar the Turkish coffee. It’s a good idea to request only a teaspoon (not a tablespoon) to start and see if you’d like more. Remember, the grinds are STILL in the coffee so make sure you give your drink at least 30-60 seconds to cool and settle. Though it’s espresso sized, ‘shooting’ this dark little dream of a drink is a very bad idea. So, as soon as you taste grit, it’s time to stop drinking.

Click this how-to video to see how you can make Turkish Coffee at home.

BeanScene Magazine reports that the oldest coffee house in Europe (Café Baum – Leipzig, Germany) has an entrance graced with a sculpture that depicts an Ottoman offering cupid a cup of coffee. Turns out that this symbolises the meeting of the Christian western world with the Islamic east. Even in 1694 they were hopeful that coffee could be a bridge between cultures. Here’s hoping that little things like sitting down over a commonly beloved cup of coffee can help to bridge ethnic divides and start a dialogue that highlights our common ground. Not in the Boulder area? Check out your local Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants. Many serve thier own version of Turkish coffee.

Fend of the cold with these late night cafes in Boulder– November 30, 2010

Don't let the cold get you down... fight back... with late night coffee!

The cold has come. Winter is unpacking its bags, getting it’s bearings and preparing to set up shop. Faced with this reality, getting out at night for a little festivity, friends and music is just a little bit harder. As the chill sets in, you may be tempted to stay indoors. Do your best to fight that call to hibernate. There’s still a lot going on and the cold that pushes people to instinctively settle in can be your ally. Use it to drive you to a purveyor of fine hot drinks.

We have quite a few coffee shops that stay open late. Downtown Boulder has Atlas Purveyors (10pm), The Cup (10pm), The Laughing Goat (11pm), Trident Cafe (11pm). The Hill boasts Buchanan’s Coffee Pub (11pm), south Boulder has The Brewing Market on Baseline (11pm -but only till 10pm on Fri. & Sat.), and east Boulder has Rock N Soul Cafe (11pm –closed on Sun.).

The ‘Late Night Caffeine Spotlight’ goes to… The Laughing Goat
Not only do they have plenty of pick-me-up drinks to entertain your taste buds with, they also have a respectable selection of beer and wine and boast a decent happy hour from 4-8pm. Even better, this isn’t just a coffee shop… it’s a thriving venue with art and exceptional live music that’s conveniently located in downtown Boulder.

So, whether you need a jolt of caffeine to start your evening and warm those bones before hitting Pearl Street Mall, or prefer the smell of coffee over the yeasty tones of beer or want a more music and conversation based spot to hang out… this is a great spot to visit.

Not feeling like hunting for parking downtown? Perhaps you would prefer to hang out in east Boulder? The Rock N Soul Cafe offers live music and is also a music venue throughout the week. Check out their online calendar.

Oh my… coffee ‘peeve of the day October 1, 2010

I’ve seen this one a few too many times….
Seriously, if you have kids have the decency to… I don’t know, tidy up the swaths of food, liquid, plates and napkin shreds they leave behind.

The table is not a battlefield. You do not cede the remains to the heavens or mother nature and it doesn’t fix itself with time.

So, please, don’t leave some poor swamped cafe employee to clean up after you. That mess is all you, by law of coffee shop accountability and general courteousness.

Wanted: fresh, hot, yummy companions… must pair well with my coffee and tea. September 30, 2010

There are times when you need a little something on the side. And it’s best to keep things fresh…

*

There is no shame in going solo. Heck, a little singularity can give a whole lot of clarity to an experience. Still, there are times when a little company is just what you need. The same is true of coffee and tea. Sometimes they really need company.

*

And nothing beats “fresh from the oven”, in-house cooking. It’s a throw-back to another time, when the norm at local shops was fresh baked goodies and a lot of neighborly connections. Unfortunately, that home baked café experience is a rarified thing these days, but there are several cafés in Boulder that make wonderful treats from scratch for you to pair with your favorite coffee or tea.

• If you’re not from the area, then this list won’t help you but do a bit of research and hopefully you will find a cafe near you that bakes from scratch (and check your facts because many –especially chain stores– get their dough prepped and delivered frozen. It’s still good, but not nothing beats fresh!)

Spruce Confections
Spruce has two shops, located at 767 Pearl Street and 4684 North Broadway Street. This company has made its mark in Boulder as a bakery and a lot of coffee shops around town sell their goods. The best option, though, is to head directly to a Spruce location. You’ll get a much wider selection, including amazing soups and sandwiches, cookies (their Old B is dangerous), bars (try the pecan!), and a lot of wonderful pastries.

Want something truly unique? There are several spots that have delectable goodies you can’t get anywhere else. For baked goods you won’t want to miss, try:

Espressoria
This café is often overlooked since it is off of the Pearl Street Mall by several blocks (located at 2116 Pearl Street), but if you swing by you’ll find an eclectic, vibrant coffee shop that you may fall in love with. The majority of the baked goods are made in-house and include an ever rotating array of cakes, pies, cookies and breads (the banana bread is delish). Espressoria also makes a point of offering several gluten-free options (the gf coffee cake and gf coconut cranberry cookies are a favorite, regardless of allergies). For meals, they have home-made salads, granola and sandwiches.

The Cup
Located just off the walking mall at 1521 Pearl Street, this is a well known downtown café. The Cup is often packed and the ever-present smell of fresh-baked goodies has a lot to do with that. Stop by for their own signature cookies (the chocolate chip & nut is pure happiness), cakes, pastries (try the chocolate croissant) and sandwiches (their humus is exceptional and there are too many great sandwiches to choose from…).

Tee & Cakes
A cute little shop located at 1932 14th Street. As the name implies, Tee & Cakes specializes in cup cakes and full sized cakes. Come down for a visit, if you have a sweet tooth craving and know that only cake will satisfy.

***Know of any other coffee shops with home-baked treats? Let me know!

Need a last minute gift for Mother’s Day? Then make a bee line for the Brewing Market on Arapahoe! May 7, 2010

Time is quickly running out to find that little something for the mothers in your life… the one that gave you birth, your wife, your sister, your grandmother or perhaps a favorite unrelated mom! So if you are still unsure what to get for your special mom(s), have no fear – you can get yourself a cup o’ joe and snag a bounty in divine desert treats by Sunday.

Few coffee shops have a candy and chocolate section that can rival what you will find at The Brewing Market at 2525 Arapahoe Avenue. They have a large array of delicacies to choose from: rows of truffles, stacks of hard candy, shelves of mugs (not for eating of course) and a lot of other wonderful treats that you can hand pick and have arranged and boxed in the candy department.

Top picks:

1. Truffles from Seth Ellis. These are local, organic and amazing. If you are shopping for truffles, don’t skip these! (You can also find a more limited selection of their products at Whole Foods, Pharmica, Vitamin Cottage and at the Boulder Farmers Market) http://sethellischocolatier.foodzie.com/
2. A best selling Truffle: Death by Ganache –by Concerto’s Chocolate.
3. Filling a decorative mug full of candies. The Brewing Market has a lot of fabulous bulk candies to mix and match so you can personalize not only the package, but also the goodies inside it.

Feel free to treat yourself to a drink while your there. After all, you are being incredibly thoughtful. If you want to try something you can only get at the Brewing Market, give their in-house chai a taste. (I recommend the green chai or the decaf rooibos chai).

Premium Coffee: Is $50 a Pound Worth the Price Tag? April 22, 2010

Yesterday I had the pleasure of some quality time at Ozo Coffee with Nolan Dutton, one of their roasters. Among other things, we sampled a “premium” small lot bean out of Ethiopia that Ozo had roasted for an interested high-end coffee supplier with a branch out in Denver. The estimated price tag $50 per pound.

The Amazine Coffee Bean...

Truly, the novelty of sipping a very expensive coffee was not lost on me. Even so, sometimes it is hard to determine whether what drives pricing is hype or true value and that can depend entirely on the individual. My take on this specific coffee I will certainly share, but first I’d like to say what this movement toward higher quality, small batch, single origin coffee signifies most clearly to me: the coffee connoisseur is becoming more common (IE: standards are definitely on the upswing) and so is awareness around social equity. Both of these are steps in the right direction. Hands down, this is good news. However, does that mean that $50 for a pound of coffee is “worth it”?

Each batch and each roast of that coffee as well as the societal impacts (fair trade vs. standard exploitative business practices) certainly need to be taken into consideration. But rare does not automatically equate to amazing (there is a lot of crap that is rare, but it’s still crap) and in the food industry expert perception and personal preference are always battling for dominance.

Regardless, my take from cupping this particular Ethiopian was that I certainly wouldn’t be willing to pay its price tag.  True, it was an explosion of flavors in my mouth… including a good deal of flavor “vibration” on the back of my gums and is certainly loaded with unique fruity tones, but it did not hold an aha moment for me of unrivaled appreciation. Then again, I’m not loaded and therefore am more cautious in my spending and as a rule will never be this coffee’s target customer.

Course, for my money, I’d very happily spend $13 for a pound on Ozo’s Brazil Samambaia. Especially since a cup of it gained much more of my attention and appreciation (It’s a lighter roast, very well balanced, with a touch of apricots, honeyed flavor and buttery, long finish).

Ozo... Notice the Mayan Style...

For those of you who are also interested in great coffee with a more limited budget, Ozo’s Brazil is a small lot with only 23 bags produced world wide, Ozo bought 8 of those. Plus, Ozo is not just Fair Trade, they are “Fairer Trade”. (That’s my definition since they pay $2.10/lb and Fair Trade is set at $1.26/lb.) So, buy a pound and enjoy your affordable premium, environmentally and socially friendly cup of coffee.

News flash: You can now try the Ethiopian Nekisse for yourself at Ozo for a more reasonable price tag – It now retails there, while supplies last at $35.00/lb.)

For more details on Ozo, check out their website at ozocoffee.com