Category Archives: Coffee Wednesday

3 Classic Seattle Coffeehouses

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Seattle coffeehouses hold a special place in my heart, and I’m not alone. Much has been written about how the green mermaid wrapped her arms around the world from this Emerald City, but not so much has been said about the influence of Seattle’s independent cafe culture. I’m nowhere near able to write the definitive version; still, David Schomer of Espresso Vivace was one of my first/best influences as a young barista, and no visit to Seattle is complete for me without multiple visits to his shops.

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Look at that. Take in that flawless surface, the milk and espresso melding in perfection. This, friends, is a macchiato. This, friends, puts most of the thousands of espresso drinks I’ve downed in the shadows. This, friends, is why I haven’t been ordering cappuccinos lately in my home city of Portland. Because I’ve never tasted a milk/espresso beverage made to this level of beauty anywhere other than Espresso Vivace.

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At Analog Coffee in Capitol Hill, I had a delicious shot of Herkimer Coffee, and thoroughly enjoyed photographing the space. The classic “Seattle-style” espresso is giving way to newcomers like Slate (below) but every time I drink a shot like this I immediately think about moving here. Rich, syrupy, viscous, earthy and sweet at once, its makes me remember why I fell in love with espresso in the first place.

barista, seattle barista, victrola coffee, seattle coffee

The last shop I want to mention here is Victrola Coffee, the Capitol Hill location of which was an easy walk from the Convention Center where I attended SCAA last weekend. So busy was I trying to capture the elusive charm of barista Mark’s workflow and face that I only remember my shot being rather ristretto and rather tasty, so I know I’ll have to come back for a more studied impression another time. Regardless, Victrola represents another gritty, classic Seattle shop that is hugely attractive to me.

Not everyone likes this style of coffeehouse–in fact, that’s the whole point of the 3rd wave movement–but I do, and I’ll never be afraid to claim my allegiance to a more classic Italian style of extraction, presented with grace and a complete lack of self-consciousness that is refreshing to this sometimes-weary coffee drinker.

last weekend / Seattle / Vivace, Analag, Victrola

 

 

Coffee Wednesday: That Peaceful Labor

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In the dimness of the morning, in the peaceful daily resurrection of passionate labor, the roaster approaches his tools. There is a hum from the awakening city, the thrum of the rotating barrel, the rising heat filling the space. There is ritual—the sleepy pourover, the clutched mug of coffee, the calculations of pounds, origins, and orders.

And thus begins the day’s work.

Kansas City, Missouri / early morning / Broadway Café & Roasting Company

Coffee Wednesday: Java Junction

Kevin at Java JunctionI was a naive, hopeful young music teacher working down the street at the music store when I drank my first shot of espresso at Java Junction, Warrensburg Missouri’s iconic coffeehouse. I was drawn by the warm setting–the pressed tin ceiling, the brick walls, the students with their textbooks and worried frowns. Quickly I discovered my favorite drink: a coffee shake with English Toffee flavoring. After an endless day of listening to excuses for not practicing the piano that ranged from creative to pathetic, I would read, write, and sip, finding for the first time that solace that I now expect in a well-run coffeehouse.

IMG_4442My first shot of espresso I ordered as a mistake. Being overwhelmed and oblivious when confronted for the first time with a coffeehouse menu, I ordered an espresso. In his phlegmatic fashion, Art Ozias, the long-standing owner, made me a shot. I’m sure my face registered my shock, and I’m sure it was funny. It made an impression–I didn’t drink another shot of espresso until my first training shift years later as a barista.

Fastforward ten years. I am a barista and a writer, taking photos and jotting notes as had I once dreamed in this space. Java Junction hasn’t changed, only grown more like itself as bits and pieces like sandwiches and syrupy drinks fall into history. I spent a school year working here, pouring dragons and swans and working with a naked portafilter for the first time. My daughter pretty much learned to walk here, I rather learned to write here. My husband spent a year as roaster and lead barista here too. Art’s one of our closest friends.

For me, Java Junction embodies everything that makes a coffeehouse one of the greatest havens ever–great coffee, a welcoming environment, and consistency. It’s a place where, if you’re a regular customer, Art knows your name and probably the name of your oldest child.

My favorite coffeehouse? Without doubt, Java Junction.

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