After Hours

Too many cafes in Dublin close too early in the evening. That includes my latest favourite. However, the thing about having a cafe on the premises of an international hostel is that just because the coffee stops flowing doesn't mean the whole place closes down. Quite often people still stick around to chat or browse online. Sometimes someone decides to provide a little entertainment.

Usually the entertainment is some international traveller pulling out a guitar and singing a few songs...if you're lucky. If you're unlucky you might be there when the Bulgarian guy comes in, pushes the tables and chairs back, and starts performing Riverdance with the hope that spectators will join in.

But this evening was a bit different. A young American girl had just arrived in Ireland this morning and immediately jumped at the chance to perform an impromptu concert of her own songs.....on the ukulele! I couldn't help but stick around because I kind of like the sound of the ukulele - once you get past the comic value of the way the instrument looks. I find that there is something about its sound that even if playing a sad song in a minor key you still can't help smiling and tapping your feet.

The artists name was Milly Geronimo. You can check out her myspace page here. Have a listen to 'Heat me up' which is the first track on her wonderfully homemade EP that I bought.



Oh, and as it's the last day of September (ally-ally-o) that brings me to the end of my blogging challenge of posting everyday this month...except most weekends....and a couple of missed days. However those minor under-achievements meant that serendipitously - a word which is used in the song above - this is my 200th post on my blog. A cracking average of one post every 6 and a bit days. Hmmm, that's at least once a week I guess....

Here's to 200 more! But maybe not tomorrow as I tend to always wind up blogging way after hours.

Coffee at any price

Yesterday I managed to get in to watch the Irish Latte Art competition. I say 'managed to' because, a) it was part of a trade show only for people in the catering business, and b) I didn't have a ticket. However, the words "I think there is meant to be a ticket left at the desk here for me to get into the coffee competition" plus a nice smile seemed to do the trick.

After getting past a crowd of exhibitors offering me free samples of ice cream, pizza, chocolate, olives, bread and information about a start of the art walk-in refrigerator unit I found the show stage of SCAE - Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (Ireland Chapter). They were hosting the coffee competition.

After waiting around for a while longer than expected the competition got under way to see who could pour the best looking latte art - those little designs on the top of your drink. It was interesting for a while, but to be honest the views of the final creations were not great and I got a bit bored so I left before it was over. However, the bonus was that there was free coffee to be had. After the judges had viewed and tasted the drinks they were offered to the audience. For some reason I couldn't help thinking of this experience of passing around a special cup as similar to a common chalice used in Holy Communion! Imagine that: coffee and a danish instead of bread and wine.

I was the recipient of a great looking cappuccino created by Bela Zudor of Avoca Cafe in Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow (a lovely, if a bit expensive, place to go for lunch). He went on to win the competition!

Leaving the competition I wondered around the trade show again and bumped into Buzz who was demonstrating machines for Milano Coffee Systems - the people he just bought a machine from. Buzz didn't seem to be into the coffee competitions scene. All tricks and no substance, I wondered?? I chatted with one of the guys from Milano about their cheapest fully automatic machine - press one button and it does everything for you. We have a ministry project set for Rathmines and I'd like to be able to offer quality coffee to people who are part of what we will do. The price for the machine? €10,000.

I gave a nice smile, but it didn't seem to do the trick.

Flat White Video

Needing to come up with something to blog about today I hit upon inspiration when I opened up a bags of beans that I recently picked up from Flat White cafe.

I know! I'll make a little video!

So here's my attempt at making The Flat White - an AUS/NZ classic.

An Evening to Remember

Yesterday evening while I was at the Bald Barista I was chatting to the owner, Buzz, and he was telling me that they were getting a new espresso machine on Thursday. After talking through what the main features of the machine would be Buzz then invited me back to watch them install and set it up!

So this evening I was back again. (Big thanks to my wife for releasing me from kids bedtime duty!) There on the counter, waiting to be plumbed in, wired up, and brewing was Buzz's new pride and joy - a Faema Stylema.

For about the next three hours Buzz, his staff, a couple of guys from Milano Coffee Systems and me talked coffee, watched numerous shots of espresso being pulled and tasted a few too. Buzz was obviously thrilled with the new addition and anyone who came into the cafe the rest of the evening wanting coffee got it for free. I guess, though, that he's no longer particularly excited about his water boiler as he still charged for tea. :-)

What was particularly great was that this expert barista was talking through his techniques with me - some great insights into the way he works.

But wait! The evening then got even better!! As we all sat chatting around a table Buzz turns to me and says, 'Do you want to have a go at pulling a shot?' I couldn't believe it, and to be honest I was a little bit giddy with excitement. It was brilliant!!! Monica, Buzz's other pride and joy, talked me through the process then entrusted me with this brand new piece of equipment. (I thought it turned out as a pretty good shot, IMHO).

One of these days I'll write a post about significant moments in my coffee history. This moment will definitely feature.

So thanks, Buzz, for allowing me to experience a bit of coffee culture at a new level.

Espresso fueled bike ride

Was it just me or did large quantities of espresso make my bike ride home from the cafe this evening a little easier? Perhaps even faster??

It's in the post

Last January a small group of us met in our home one Sunday morning for 'Brunch Church'. As part of our gathering we wrote down on cards various goals we would like to achieve by the end of the year - a movie I'd like to see; a way I'd like to develop my spiritual life; somewhere I'd like to visit, etc. etc. The cards were sealed in an envelope to be opened at a later date.

Last Sunday we opened the envelopes to review how we were doing. Hmmm. Some done, but more to be accomplished. Just as well there is still three months left of the year!

One of the tasks that was yet to be completed said on the card: "What is something meaningful you could do with €20?"

I can now cross that off my list.

Somebody will (in 3-5 business days) receive their own copy of The Perfect Cappuccino movie.

;-)

An Ethical Question

You know how when you're in a grocery store and you buy a bunch of grapes and you eat a couple before you get to the checkout so the bunch is lighter than when you first picked it up and therefore cheaper than it should have been which means you didn't really pay the full amount that you should have which means that technically you stole those two grapes.

Does the same apply to coffee beans?

Buzzing Along

Congratulations to Buzz the Bald Barista who has just won another award for his part in creating the Fixx blend of coffee which he uses in his store. He made a point of showing me the letter as I stood in the queue the other day. The espresso blend won a Gold Award at the Great Taste Awards 2009 - check out the amazing variety of foods and drinks that were judged on from producers in the UK and Ireland.

Added to that, earlier this summer Buzz opened a second store, this time solely for take-away. I like it. There is room for a couple of people to stand and chat (which I did), but what I really like is that he has opened on the doorstep of some big coffee chains in the Harcourt area of Dublin.

Good on yer, Buzz. I hope you can draw a good number of people across the road for coffee that is a little more exciting.

And added to all that, this evening I received a limited edition gift voucher to the Bald Barista!

Who's for coffee? I'm paying!

Coffee Quiz

Regular commenter and young and naive newlywed Snot Head recently posted this coffee quiz. If you missed it when it was on my sidebar, click below to see how well you know your 'ristretto' from your 'no fun latte'.

Can you speak coffee talk?

I think he missed a couple

Following my goal to visit all the *bux in Ireland I was doing a little research this evening. I came across an obsessive man named Winter who I presume was the inspiration for me taking on this challenge. Not only is his goal to visit all the store in the North America (99.1% complete - ie. 8,459 stores) he wants to visit every store. In the world!!!

He has been doing it for about 12 years now and trys to visit around 15 stores a day. You can find out more at Starbucks Everywhere.

Anyway, it looks like he has visited Ireland a couple of times, most recently at the end of May this year. But in checking his records I have a feeling that he has missed some that I've been to. He says he doesn't visit "licensed" stores (as opposed to company owned) which may account for the two in Dublin airport and the one in Cork airport. But I still think that leaves him short one or two.

Perhaps I should tell him?

Mission Accomplished!

It has taken far longer than I thought and certainly longer than it should have, but today I brought to realisation a goal that I have been pursuing for over three and-a-half years. This morning I walked into a Starbucks store in Dublin's Docklands and said those now too familiar words, "I'll have a tall latte, please", thereby securing the crowning achievement of having a coffee in every Starbucks store in the Republic of Ireland.

Ta-da!!!

Fair play to that last cafe. It tried to out wit me. For a long time I thought it was a double listing on the Starbucks store locator (like the one in Blackrock) so I hadn't been pursuing it. When I eventually discovered it existed it took three attempts to complete. On Saturday I couldn't find it. On Sunday it was closed. But this morning I made a major detour on my bike to a meeting in the city only to be able to spend about four minutes with my latte before I had to head off. But it was enough to get the task done!

I'll write more later this week about the whole experience.


*Big sigh*.....now what?

Coffee and a good nights sleep

When it comes to drinking coffee it is clear that people have differing levels of tolerance for caffeine. Some, like myself, are quite content to drink coffee at all hours without incurring adverse effects while others just stick to a morning jolt to get them going. I have heard people say, "I don't drink coffee after lunch as it would keep me up at night." I find this both bizarre and a cause for curiosity regarding what time they actually go to bed!

So, how do you strike a happy medium. What should a person do who enjoys coffee in the evening, but is worried about the consequences of caffeine? Tonight I attempted to create a solution.

I brewed up a double shot of espresso and steamed some milk in order to make a latte. Then I added a few spoonfuls of Horlicks to the hot milk before pouring the components together. I thereby created a cup of coffee that had the potential to both wake you up and help you to sleep.

The only problem was that it didn't taste very nice. It wasn't as shockingly horrific as my last experimental latte, but I couldn't face more than a few sips before pouring it away and making something far more satisfying.

That said, however, I suppose I could have just made decaff.

Sentosa Art Cafe - Ranelagh

I'm not sure if anyone would really need to ask me what my favourite month was, but if they did I would probably say September. It's a month where you would fully expect it to rain, but not feel too grumpy about it. It is, after all, autumn. (That said, the ancient Celtic calendar has autumn starting on the 1st of August. The 1st of August!!!) But it is the fact that September is often sprinkled with beautiful days that I appreciate the month so much. Today was one of those days. A fresh cool start to the morning that soon warmed up to very agreeable temperatures and a cloudless blue sky that was worthy of a pair of shorts.

All this to say that this evening, in the dying minutes of sunshine, the golden light bid me to come out and have a bit of a ride around the streets on my bike. I soon found myself cycling through the back streets of Rathmines and into the neighbouring urban village of Ranelagh. As I cycled up the main Ranelagh thoroughfare I made a point of glancing around for a cafe that I hadn't been to, but had received a tip off about. It soon jumped out at me.

Sentosa Art Cafe, which opened in the spring of this year, is part of the Sentosa Art and Home company whose focus is on "bringing colour into your home". This was clearly evident in their cafe. Bright coloured sofas of varying prints and designs spaciously laid out, high-key lighting, and large, vibrant pieces of artwork that they hope can be transferred from their walls to yours. My favourite feature was the front 'wall' on to the busy street. It is floor to ceiling windows that force you to look in as you are passing, and a wide, open door that makes the entrance easy.

I got the impression that a high proportion of people who frequented the place where women. The magazine rack with nothing but 'Women's Interests' publications was a bit of a give away. The people at MummyMaps have narrowed it down further to mothers with buggies. Big double buggies!

The only thing I found disappointing about the cafe was, ummm, the coffee. (And maybe that Q102 was providing the soundtrack).

Unfortunately, as I find myself slipping more and more into coffee snobbery, I now make a point of watching how my coffee is made, if at all possible. Partly to critique and partly to learn. So I couldn't help noticing that, for my latte, after the shot of espresso was pulled the barista simply touched the side of the milk jug to check the temperature and then went ahead and just poured the milk into my cup despite the fact that there wasn't someone just ahead of me in the queue. Immediately this made me think of two outcomes. Either the latte was going to be cold or if it was hot enough that would be the result of overheating the milk in the first place for whomever the previous customer was. On tasting I discovered it was the latter option. The milk was burnt.

Never mind, I thought. I'll have another go around and try an espresso. Another disappointment I'm afraid. On two accounts. Firstly, the double-shot of espresso was served in a mug. A mug!!! The only redeeming feature of which was that I could get my nose right into it to get a good sniff of the aroma. It was quite bright and fruity which I thought (whether purposeful or not) went well with the decor of the cafe! But then I sipped it and burnt my tongue - thereby rendering the tasting of it pretty redundant. However, because I have a somewhat reserved nature (most of the time) I didn't make any mention of serving an espresso way too hot. Instead I just quietly wondered how I was going to drink half a mug full of espresso and then cycle home with it sloshing around in me!

However, dear reader, don't let this put you off visiting Sentosa Cafe if you are ever in the area. It seems like a great space to meet, work or read. They are open until 10:30pm on weekdays and 9:00pm on weekends so I have no doubt that I'll return for a longer visit next time. I just happen to think that they could craft their coffee to a higher standard as an extension of the artwork they are trying to sell.

Hope I'll finish this book

Good grief, it's been over a year since I started reading Tom Wright's book Surprised by Hope. I'm not sure why I haven't finished it yet, but it might have something to do with the fact that there are currently at least 12 books sitting on top of a couple of bookshelves waiting to be finished - this probably says something about me as a person.

So this evening I armed myself with the book and headed out for coffee to make a determined effort to get it completed. (**Spoiler Alert!** The main character in this story doesn't actually finish reading the book by the end of the evening, but instead spends time talking to the barista and completing a double espresso and a very nice latte.)

The book explores the issue of Christ's resurrection and what that means for believers today...and in the future. It is far more than simply 'Jesus died and was raised again so that when we die we will be "raised again" to go to heaven.' The emphasis is on the resurrection as a sign of the new creation to come and how we make that future hope a reality in the way we live today.

I was particularly struck by these words to do with the creativity in the church in the light of new creation possibilities:

"Part of the role of the church has been in the past, and could and should be again, to foster and sustain lives of beauty and aesthetic meaning at every level, from music making in the village pub to drama in the local primary school, from artists' and photographers' workshops to still-life painting classes, from symphony concerts to driftwood sculptures. The church, because it is the family that believes in hope for new creation, should stand out in every town and village where new creativity bursts forth for the whole community, pointing to the hope which, like all beauty, always comes as a surprise."


It's good stuff and I kept reading on further for more inspiration. Though, I must confess, I didn't get to the end of the book this evening as I found myself chatting to the barista while I enjoyed some fine espresso and a latte.

Hmm, I wonder what a little creativity could do to the coffee-and-a-biscuit time after a Sunday morning church service?

I'm not blogging today

The only problem with setting yourself the challenge of blogging almost everyday in September (weekends optional) is that if you have nothing worthwhile to say then what's the point in saying anything.

I'm afraid I didn't have any coffee inspiration today so I won't be posting anything......except this notice - hereby fulfilling my challenge for the day.

Coffee to commemorate the dawn of mankind (?!?)

Somebody somewhere at sometime thought that it would be a good idea to take the car that they drive to work in everyday and turn it into a four wheel advert. You know the kind of thing I mean - the company phone number/email address/website plastered all over the vehicle. Obviously somebody thought that it might work in drumming up some business.

This evening I happened to be driving behind one such car. It caught my eye because it was advertising a brand of coffee and tea that I hadn't heard of before: Gurman's. A little research online led me to discover why I wasn't familiar with this company. It is based in Lithuania!

Anyway, I was delighted to see that along with their brand of coffee they also have a number of speciality shops that serve over a hundred blends of tea and coffee, plus a cafe. I was even more delighted with they way they described the cafe on their website:

Enjoying the great coffee at the Coffee and Tea House “Gurmans”, situated
in Klaipėda „Friedricho pasažas“ at the old marketplace, which was also enjoyed
by the Lithuanian noblemen and gentlemen going back to the 16th century, as well
as other different kinds of coffee and tea, which you will certainly not find
either elsewhere in Klaipėda, the entire coast, or even Lithuania, you will get
into the mysterious world of drinks, commemorating the dawn of the mankind.
Coming to us will turn to some nice entertainment. You will be embraced by the
blend of amazing aromas, playful colors, and discriminating tastes.



The cakes and desserts of the House will pet your palate, and the scent of
hot buns will make you forget the ado of the day.

Here's a photo from their site:


I believe the man in the middle is having his palate petted while the lady on the right seems to have forgotten her ado. The lady standing seems to be consulting some ancient document probably from the dawn of the mankind.




Unfortunately you can't get Gurman's coffee in Dublin (so who knows why one of their cars was driving along Rathgar Road - the driver possibly forgot the ado of the day and took a wrong turn). However, it looks like you can get it from a couple of shops elsewhere in Ireland.

I must get some of their coffee! I must pet my palate!

Two tall lattes to go

"Do you know why I don't order a cappuccino when we go out?", asked my wife as I handed her a paper cup and took a sip from mine.

"Because unless we go to an exceptional café they are never as good as the ones you make for me at home."

Aawwww.

Some Favourite Views

I've been blogging for over three-and-a-half years now and though I still haven't reached 200 posts (I will in a few days though at this rate) I do have a few views from my coffeehouse that are memorable for one reason or another. I've put them in the side-bar to the right, but if that is too far to travel then you can also find them below:

Boy in the window

Black Gold

Don't try this at home, kids

Intelligentsia Coffee

Keep Left

So, why did Jesus die? (part 2)

Starbucks in Dalkey

Stealing kisses

Voices in my head

Why I dislike iced tea

Living Coffee

Scanning across my (meagre) DVD collection this evening I was looking for something to watch which I would enjoy, but my wife almost certainly wouldn't. I wasn't being cruel. My wife was out for the evening.

Would it be Sunshine or Memento? Dark Knight, perhaps, or Prestige? Hmmm.....

Then it jumped out at me - Living Coffee. A tv series produced a couple of years ago for some food channel in Australia and hosted by former World Barista Champion Paul Bassett that covers everything you need to know to imerse yourself in the wonderful world of speciality coffee.

13 episodes. Over six hours of viewing. Awesome.

I like to think that Paul Bassett gave me my first lessons in making great coffees like Roger Taylor first taught me how to play the drums (albeit with two wooden spoons and an armchair).

Rock on!

Bean there. Done that.

It's been hanging over my head for too long now. My unreasonable desire to visit every Starbucks in Ireland. So I resolved to make the most of this blogging month and clear this thing up once and for all.

And I don't even like Starbucks anymore!

Anyway, a quick check of the store locations in ROI confirmed that the bux expansion across this land has seemed to have ground to a halt. Surely, with what seems like just two more stores to visit, I can achieve my goal.

So imagine my delight when my wife informed me that she was going to meet someone in the Lucan area of west Dublin. Aha!, I think. That's not far from Liffey Valley shopping centre, host to a *bux. I offered to drive my wife out to where she was going in exchange for my coffee excursion. She agreed as long as I took the three kids with me.

Now at this point I don't want to come across as melodramatic, but it was pouring with rain and there was no underground parking and the main car park was full so I had to park half way up the overflow car park and I had in tow with me a five, three and one year old (who was in a buggy with no rain cover - I can't believe my wife forgot to put that in the car!). After navigating several inviting puddles we made it to the mall. Now it's not a huge mall (like I said, I don't want to sound melodramatic), but I did traverse the length and breadth of the shopping centre, both high and low in search of my mediocre latte. The only way I was able to keep the three children quiet was to stuff their faces with chocolate. (I can't believe my wife forgot to tell me that the baby was too young for chocolate bars!)

Eventually I resorted to desperate measures and asked for assistance. I was told that the cafe was outside the mall and turn left. As I made my way in this pitiful pilgrimage an uneasy feeling started to develop in my stomach. My mind riffled through images filled away in my brain under folders marked 'Been there. Done that.'

Wait! What was the category of that folder?, I thought as I exited the mall and turned left.

Then I got visual confirmation.

Stink.

A Coffee Resolution

Right.

Let's give this another go then.

Let's get blogging.

Over the last few years I've made little resolutions for the month of September. So this September...I'm going to blog about coffee. Everyday. Or at least Mon-Fri....

Let's begin with something negative, shall we?

Best & Worst Coffee

I've just had my 10th wedding anniversary. By happy coincidence so has my wife. So we decided to celebrate together with a weekend in London while my parents looked after the kids.

I love London (maybe it's because I'm a Londoner). There is always something to see and do and I'm increasingly discovering places for great coffee too. I've already told you about Flat White cafe. I took the opportunity to visit it again with my wife. Another amazing espresso for me and me ol' trouble (that's me using London lingo) said that the cappuccino was even better than I make at home. I was happy to concede that title, but also purchased a couple of bags of their espresso beans to refine my craft on return to Dublin.

Now I don't believe in yin & yang, but on our trip I did experience the complete opposite of that great coffee. After a meal at a middle-east style restaurant I couldn't resist trying an Arabian Coffee from their menu. I had a feeling I knew what it was probably going to be like - similar to a Turkish Coffee which I might tell you about later this month.

To be honest, I didn't fully understand the description the waitress gave - she had a strong accent and the jingle-jangles from her belly dancing outfit didn't help - but I picked up the words: espresso, rosewater, sugar, cinnamon.

Oh. My. Goodness. It was foul. Without a doubt the worst cup of coffee I have ever had. I tried to be adventurous, honestly I did, but a couple of sips was all I could handle. It was a shame, really. The history of coffee is traced back to ancient Arabia (hence the variety of bean that is used in most quality coffees from around the world is called Arabica) and I was hoping for something a bit special. Now I can't help thinking, what if this is traditionally what coffee is supposed to taste like!!!