Happy Fall Y'all!!

Autumn is arriving very slowly here on the east end of Long Island. We've still been in our flip flops and a light sweater at best. This week the temperature has finally decided to drop. I am happily ready to don my fall sweaters and boots!

Not only is fall a fashion statement for clothing, she is beautiful in her own right.  Autumn wears beautiful shades of gold, red and orange. We have no need to drive upstate New York as many do,  to see the changing of the leaves. Our blocks and roadways are bordered by magnificent trees that greet us with their glorious adornment of autumnal shades.
Then there is coffee! You see all the ads for Pumpkin spice lattes. Now I love pumpkin anything. But there ain't no pumpkin in pumpkin spice latte! The funny thing is, you see these articles criticizing the fact that Starbucks™ Pumpkin Spice Latte has no pumpkin in it.  I find this quite ironic that a writer is complaining about this. A writer should understand that the word pumpkin is modifying spice latte, therefore it is the spices used in pumpkin, not pumpkin itself! The spices being a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Check out
our recipe for Pumpkin Spice.

Recently my husband was putting his sneakers on getting ready to run out. It was a Saturday morning and I was perplexed as to where he was going so early.  He said to me that he was going out in search of a good cup of coffee! The couple of bags of coffee we had in the house, according to him and my son smelled like stinky feet or armpit!  He ran out to get one of his favorite beans, Starbucks French Roast™.

I thought how apropos, that my husband went out to chase his perfect cup of coffee on a brisk fall morning! Go grab your favorite cup of Joe and enjoy the rest of this beautiful season with us here at the Coffee Chase.

I Heard it Through the "Crepe Vine"

Yes, that is exactly where I heard about the wonderful Creperie,
Sweet 'n' Savory in Patchogue.  I had not realized this eatery opened here because it is located on Sunrise Service Road across from St. Joseph's College, not in the Village.  I was anticipating going to there location in Port Jefferson and thrilled to hear they opened in Patchogue.              

Crepe-making station

When we walked in we were greeted by a clean shiny new restaurant with leopard booth seating. A very artsy decor and an inviting place to hang out. The staff is friendly and courteous. The first thing I saw walking to the food counter was a Rice Pudding Bar! Oh my, do I love rice pudding. There had to be over a dozen varieties. I had a few samples and went with the vanilla. It reminded me of my mother's home made rice pudding which is the best I've ever had. They make it fresh every day!

Rice Pudding

  First know that this is not a strictly Gluten Free establishment. All crepes are made in the same pans. Celiacs Beware! With that said, the server told us that the staff thinks the gluten free crepes are so good, they prefer them. Now to the crepes, I had a lunch crepe that had fresh tomato, basil, roasted peppers,  and mozzarella. It was heavenly. I enjoyed it more than a good slice of pizza and this was gluten free.  My son had a mixed berry gluten free dessert crepe, and he loved it!  I had my rice pudding and their very fresh coffee for dessert. It was a good cup of coffee. Needless to say, our enthusiasm and wonderful experience was for the food we delightedly ate on our visit to Sweet 'n' Savory. There will be many more trips back to their wonderful eatery, and not just for coffee!

The 'Crepes'!

Toast of the Town!

Patchogue is a village on the south shore of Long Island. It has undergone a great transformation over the last decade or so. One only has to step onto Main Street and have a myriad of restaurants, taverns and coffee bars to choose from. At the center of it all is the majesty that is the Patchogue Theatre.

Follow the painted piano keys across the street from the theatre and you will find yourself at a wonderful breakfast and lunch restaurant, Toast Coffeehouse. The art gallery hallway welcomes you as you walk past, of all things, an electric chair! As you enter the restaurant the decor changes to a mix of art world meets industrial park/steampunk. The greeters take your number and call you as there is usually a wait. The good thing is they use the Nowait app so you can "get in line"on the app as long as you are within ten miles of the restaurant.

Art Gallery Entry and Electric chair on the right.

Belgian Gluten Free Waffle with Berries
and Turkey Bacon

 Toast has a wonderful array of breakfast and lunch items on their menu. Their omelettes are not to be rivaled; these are not your diner's omelettes!   My personal favorite is the Avocado, BLT omelette that also includes plum tomatoes, spinach, and Vermont white cheddar! I have never had a fluffier omelette. The French toast is delectable. I love the Brioche French toast served with creme fraiche and
 fresh strawberries!

Watermelon & Feta Salad

There are many choices and I haven't even mentioned the pancakes and waffles. But the best thing, for my family, is they serve all of their options Gluten Free!  That is an incredible bonus in a world where it is very difficult to eat out and truly enjoy food when you have to eat gluten free.

 I should, of course, mention their coffee, which is a breakfast blend. It is very good  and stands on it's own for a breakfast coffee. I usually find these roasts to be weak, but not this one. I have enjoyed it hot, iced and cappuccino and have enjoyed each. Toast also carries an array of delicious muffins if you are looking for something on the lighter side.

Last time we were at Toast, I ordered the seasonal special salad pictured above. It consisted of fresh watermelon, red onions, feta cheese, mixed greens, and topped off with their wonderful Raspberry Champagne dressing! It was tangy and sweet all at once. It was refreshing and satisfying. I highly recommend this salad.

The waitstaff and busboys have been some of the friendliest and most accommodating servers I have encountered. Because my son has to have gluten free pancakes, waffles, and french toast, they have gone out of their way to tell us exactly what kind they serve when he has enjoyed his meal. Both my son and I have to have sugar free syrup and they have made a point of serving that separately and informing us of a special brand they carry.  My son also cannot have milk or sweetened almond milk. The waitress was kind enough to bring him coconut milk right from the can for his coffee! I cannot recommend Toast Coffeehouse enough, not just for the incredible food but for the service as well. Patchogue is their second location. The original is in Port Jefferson. Toast has certainly become my favorite place to have breakfast!

Roast, There's No Place Like Home

I am sorry I have not been coffee klatching for awhile, but the summer flu hit me! That and a lot of running around before that with my son, Justin, who was performing in The Gateway's production of "The Wizard of Oz" at the Patchogue Theatre. For you theatre parents out there, you know that requires a lot of running around and coffee!

Ensemble (Justin center) "The Wizard of Oz"
 performing at Bellport Days

Lucky for me, a couple of doors down from The Patchogue Theatre, is one of the best Coffee Houses!  Roast Coffee & Tea Trading Company. Roast  is a micro-roaster, small family owned business. Their website states that they tend to source single origin coffee green beans from around the world, roast them, brew them and serve them as single origin brews so that their customers can taste the different regions and how they compare to one another. The days I spent at Roast, I had the opportunity to sample a variety of their beans, and they were just wonderful.

                                                       I know I started this blog in search of the perfect cup of joe, but I am finding many delicious brews along the way.  The Roast is certainly a gem among the throngs of Coffee Houses out there. I had several types of coffee while there. Among those I tasted, my favorite was Maui Mokka.  On the farm where this bean is grown, it is often referred to as the "champagne of coffee" because of the small size of the beans. But, it is also a cup of coffee to be celebrated! As the name promotes, this bean is grown only in Maui although it originated in Ethiopia.  

Mike, the Barista

One of the overstuffed sofas

Maui Mokka is a rich chocolatey tasting bean with hints of sweet fruit and wine. It is an easy brew to drink. It's not overbearingly strong, but it certainly has its' own legs to stand on.  It is a brew I highly recommend and will go back to Roast to drink.

The baristas are some of the friendliest I have met.
They are knowledgeable about Roast's beans and quick to offer a sampling of the daily brews, toast your bagel or muffin and serve you at your table.
Roast carries one of our favorite local gluten free cookies. Ms. Michelle is a wonderful baker and another great reason to visit Roast.

Beyond the the great beans, Roast is a very comfortable inviting place to go. Whether you go with a friend or two and sit at their tables and share one of the delicious pastries or muffins  or sit at one of their over-stuffed sofas with a book or laptop with a cup of coffee, you will feel right at home.  

Cafe Italiano!

I grew up in an Italian kitchen.  I am first generation American. My mom was born in Bascilicata, Italy. That is the city where the movie, "The Passion of the Christ" was filmed.  Mom didn't work outside the home. Everyday after school she would either be preparing dinner or at her sewing machine doing mending or making something.  Most times it was the former.  I learned to cook just by watching my mom all those years. She was a fabulous Italian cook.  I remember walking home from church on a Sunday morning, we could smell her sauce and meatballs down the block. Boy was I lucky!

My beautiful Mom!

When we had company on a Sunday, dinner was extra special. Mom would make lasagna. To this day, I have never had a cheese lasagna better than my mom's. It was so good and so filling! And the meats; meatballs, sausage, bracciole, and pork skin. Yup, pork skin; my dad and I loved it. For dessert, there was always espresso with a zest of lemon. I cannot have my espresso any other way! And let us not forget Stallone's cannoli.  Back then our tummies hurt after a feast of this magnitude. Oh, I didn't even mention the antipasto when there was company.  Thankfully we no longer eat this way. We lightened the load a very long time ago.

                Mom and me in the 1980's                       

Today I make lighter versions of the aforementioned foods. My meatballs are made with ground turkey, and frankly are just as tasty, sorry mom. I buy chicken sausage. I never really cared for sausages so this works for me. When I do make bracciole, I still use beef. And no, I never make pork skin. Although I made lasagna for years the way mom did, and still love it with ricotta, we have lactose sensitive folks in my home.                                                  
My favorite neighborhood and Italian restaurant is La Volpe. I have never had a morsel of bad food there. They are a family owned restaurant run by the Volpe brothers and their mom from Sicily. They serve fresh authentic Italian food. We have had many a special occasion in this wonderful eatery. We had all my old Italian relatives there for a dinner following my mom's funeral in 2008. There was nothing but praise from the group. I always avoided La Volpe's lasagna because it was not mom's. One day, I bit the bullet and ordered it, prepared not to like it. It was a dish made with Béchamel sauce instead of ricotta. When I took my first bite my mouth was filled with delight. Not only did it taste like the most wonderful lasagna ever, it was so much lighter. Franco Volpe told us that Béchamel was the original way lasagna was prepared in Italy. And this is the way I now make it most of the time! Thanks Franco!

La Volpe

La Macchinetta

Now let's get to the coffee. Yes, I did grow up on espresso from an early age. It was  made in a traditional macchinetta. It was served in those oh so small espresso cups, black with sugar and a zest of lemon. Oh, and we never called it espresso, it was always black coffee.  Mom always made 'black coffee' in this pot and she always used Medaglia D'Oro Italian Roast Ground Coffee. 

This brings me to my coffee tasting of the week. One of the many bags of beans my husband brought home on our anniversary was Starbucks Italian Roast. This is, by far, the best coffee I have had from Starbucks. I am not comparing it to the Ethiopian; that was just different. This is a dark roast that is used for espresso, but frankly, I had it as my mug of coffee every morning with a drop of cream. It was strong without being bitter and had a nice roasted flavor. The after taste was strong and intense, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

Our local Italian store had some wonderful imported gluten free cookies that were just perfect for dunking with this brew. To my gluten free friends out there; I have found that Italian cookies are the best!

Ciao!

Summer Celebrations, BBQ's and Dragons Oh My!

This has been quite the busy summer season, and we are barely two weeks into July! The end of June my husband Marc and I celebrated our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. Our sons planned a lovely

Unity Candle

Vow renewal table

vow renewal in our home the weekend before our anniversary. Friends and family gathered together as we relit our unity candle from our wedding, recited our vows and our Pastor prayed over us. It was truly a beautiful ceremony.

Wedding Hall!

My sons and I, and some wine

Afterwards, we all sat down for dinner in the family room that my son transformed into a wedding hall. We prepared the food at home. There was lots of laughter and good conversation. Food and wine flowed in a very relaxed atmosphere. Old friends caught up and new friends were made. 

When dinner was over, we pushed the tables back to move around freely during dessert. About dessert, fabulous dessert! Our cake was made by my friend Yvonne Schultz aka Herbie's Crumb Cake!  The cake was yellow with a raspberry and lemon chiffon filling with white butter cream. It was absolutely amazing. We were eating it for a week and it was still fresh. I did freeze the top layer as there was just so much cake. Everyone loved it. Thank you Yvonne for this wonderful gift of cake!                                

The Cake!

Have I mentioned the coffee at our party? If I haven't it is because  it wasn't worth mentioning. As a practice, I always by whole bean coffee. But for the big urn, I bought ground coffee. I picked up a bag of Columbian ground at BJ's. Apparently, I used too much, it was quite strong; like mud. Not my best coffee making hour! But no one complained. Probably because the cake was that good!!

Patriotic Pie

The following weekend was the 4th of July. We have had a lot of thunderstorms lately so bbq's were very iffy. Although we went ahead and cooked outside, we opted to eat in. In celebration of our nation's birthday, I baked strawberry-blueberry pies. One was gluten free and sugar free.

I loved the blueberry side of the pie but wasn't too keen on the strawberry side. But both pies were devoured in a matter of days so I guess somebody liked them!

Part of my anniversary gift from my husband was lots of coffee. The first one I tried was Starbuck's Komodo Dragon Blend. They describe it as herbal and complex.  It was a bold cup of joe. Definitely good for that first jolt in the morning. Again, it lacked the body that I am seeking in that perfect cup, but it was good nonetheless. I enjoyed it's earthy, herbal tones.

The Dragon 

This past weekend we went to a lovely wedding at The Mansion in West Sayville. The son of our friend Pat was getting married. The theme was completely nautical. From the bridesmaids in navy blue to the message in the bottle on each table. It was quite unique. Each guest wrote a note and placed in a blue glass bottle with a 15 etched in the glass; to be opened on the couples 15th anniversary.  As someone who has just celebrated 25 years of marital bliss,  I wish them nothing but God's abundant blessings
upon their marriage!  Bon Voyage!

"Message in a bottle" behind the coffee

A New Cafe in Town!

I am going to veer away from coffee tasting today to talk about the grand opening of a wonderful little cafe in our neighborhood.  Chris Cohen is the proprietor of The Mustard Seed Farm in Center Moriches. Every Friday during the spring and summer months, Chris has a Farmer's Market where you can purchase her organic produce among a throng of other local vendors.

Yesterday,  on the 4th of July, Chris had the grand opening of the Mustard Seed Cafe & Espresso Bar. My husband and I went there to support her on this grand day.  We each had iced coffee and I had a

Greek yogurt parfait made with her organic blueberries and a touch of jam. So good! We also purchased a gluten free brownie made from black beans. This was probably one of the best brownies I have ever tasted. Our gluten free son definitely put his seal of approval on it!

The cafe offers a wide variety of coffee drinks, smoothies, paninis, soups, salads and sandwiches.  The fresh ingredients all come from the Mustard Seed Farm right behind the cafe! You can also purchase a beautiful bouquet of flowers for just $12.00. I was also delighted to see the best crumb cake in the world on their shelf, Herbies Crumb Cake is another one of our local gems! The baker of Herbie's Crumb Cake, Yvonne Schultz, my dear friend, is also a member of our community.

Center Moriches prides itself with small businesses. We love our coffee and many have hated the idea of a Starbucks ever coming to our town. Now we will never have to worry about that. The Mustard seed Cafe & Espresso Bar is above and beyond what a commercial chain could ever offer. There will be live music in the cafe. Chris has many different ideas that she would like to offer the community.  The charm of the cafe is unparalleled. From the shiny wood plank floors to the white marble that sits atop the mantle that serves as the coffee bar, every detail was meticulously put together to make a place that you will want to go to time and again.

If you live around town, please make this a regular stop, or if you are passing by, traveling east, it is worth the stop. You will not be disappointed. As the sign in the store says, "Live simply, care deeply, love generously."

A Taste of Ethiopia.

Recently, my friend told me about a wonderful dining experience she had at Tiffin's. This is a new restaurant in Disney's Animal Kingdom.  The part of her meal that perked my interest was how she went on about the delicious Ethiopian coffee. I have never had a cup as far as I knew; now I want it!

On our last trip to Starbucks, my husband and I saw a small bag of beans by the register. I noticed it because it was different from the others, not just smaller. It was Ethiopia Yirgacheffee™ Chelba Small-Lot Coffee. When I saw that the half pound bag was $17.50, I looked away. Too rich for my blood! But my darling husband picked it up and said, "buy it, anything for the blog!"  My honey is a keeper!

Ethiopia just happens to be where all this coffee craziness began. The coffee plant was discovered in the 11th century in Ethiopia The plant has a white blossom that smells like jasmine and a red, cherry-like fruit. Back then the leaves were boiled and thought to have medicinal properties. Coffee did not reach Europe and America until the 1600's, but thank God it finally arrived!

I could not wait to get my hands on this bag of java gold and take it home to brew! After dinner we did just that. Upon opening the bag, the aroma of a rich brew mixed with cherries and a touch of lavender filled my senses. I have never smelled beans quite like these. I carefully ground the beans and boiled fresh water adding both to my French press.

I poured that first cup of Ethiopian gold into a delicate bone china cup. A coffee this special deserved a very special cup. After I poured in a touch of cream, the visual of the cup brought me back to my very first coffee drinking days in my grandmother's kitchen in Brooklyn. Ahh, but now to tasting the brew. I slowly sipped and my mouth was filled with a slightly sweet aromatic flavor.  But was it coffee? It absolutely smelled like a marvelous cup of coffee. As it lingered in my mouth, the rich flavor of java developed and mingled with the aromatics of cherries and ended with a chase of lavender!

This was quite the cup of coffee. I enjoyed it immensely;  but would I want to drink it every day?
The answer to that is no, but for a couple of reasons. For me, the price point is way to high for a my daily jolt of java. Second, as pleasant as the bean was, it is not something I would want every day. I prefer my coffee a little more earthy and a little less fruity. But again, it was a fabulous cup of coffee. I could walk around all day with my nose in this little bag of beans. The aroma is unparalleled.
I will enjoy the rest of this bag in "small lots" just as it was intended by those farmers in Chelba. I look forward to trying more "small lot" coffees in the future as I continue to search for my perfect cup!

Summer Means Iced Coffee Time!

Every morning I crave that first cup of steamy brew as do most coffee drinkers. But as those lazy days of summer come upon us, my desire changes quickly to the need for iced coffee. I seem to wake up not just wanting my caffeine, but thirsty too! Nothing quenches my thirst on summer mornings quite like iced coffee.

There are so many ways to make iced coffee, as long as it's strong, I'll drink it! Sunday, my husband and I stopped at Starbucks for an iced coffee. I used to add a splash of milk but now I like it black with one packet of Stevia. Unfortunately Starbucks doesn't carry any form of Stevia. I hope you are hearing this Starbucks because you need to get with the times!  :)  My favorite way is to add whipped cream on top of the black coffee. That is iced coffee perfection.

Starbucks Iced Coffee

While in Starbucks we saw a new small-lot coffee  from Ethiopia that intrigued us. We purchased it and I will be reviewing that next week. I will have a lot of catching up to do with you next week.

My house is in party planning mode.  Saturday evening my husband and I will be renewing our vows in celebration of 25 years together. We've turned our home into a bit of a wedding hall! We are hosting an intimate dinner for about 25 people. I can't wait to taste the coffee I bought for the big urn! See you next time!

Church Coffee

Sunday has always been a day for family. The day starts out with church. We attend a wonderful small church filled with the most loving caring people. From the day we first walked in three years ago, these people have made me feel loved. In all my years of attending church, this is the first place I've ever felt this way. This a very special way to start the week. Worshiping the Lord surrounded by sincere people.

Following service, we head over to the fellowship hall where bagels and coffee are set up. I've heard
 it said that more ministering goes on at those tables which really shows the heart of this church! The bagels are the best, but let's get to the coffee. When you you make coffee for over 100 people, how good can it be? Well, it's church coffee. Sometimes it's very weak, sometimes it has a little body.

I don't know what brand they use, but it doesn't matter. Church coffee is probably the sweetest cup of coffee I have all week. I may not always like the taste of it, but I don't care. What goes with the coffee makes it oh so special, and I'm not talking about the bagels. The conversation, care, love and concern that flow out of the lips of all those coffee drinkers just infuse this coffee with a flavor that cannot be compared.

I look forward to this wonderful cup of not the best but sweetest cup of coffee each and every week. My heart and soul are filled to the brim, and I take it home with me to give me the best start possible to my week.  "All I need today is a little bit of coffee and whole lot of Jesus."

Brunch!

Thursday morning my friend Lynn came over for brunch. I love brunch; I love everything about it.

I love cooking it, eating it, setting the table, and just the whole preparation! I feel that it is one of the most relaxing meals to have. This one was rather simple as my friend was doing low carb. All I did was make a frittata, and of course we tried out a new bag of beans!

When I was very young, my mother had dishes we always used as the "good" dishes  for holidays and special occasions. I unpacked them a few years ago thinking I might get rid of them. I didn't realize that they were china. In the 1950's,  my mom bought a powdered soap called  "Duz". Each box of "Duz" would contain a white piece of china with the golden wheat pattern and gold edging.  Eventually my mother collected a large set, which I use as my brunch plates.  I realized how sentimentally attached I was to this pretty china.                           

I made a simple frittata consisting of eggs, Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, and mushrooms. I can't tell you how much of anything, other than six eggs, because I don't measure!  It was delicious. It was fluffy and the cheese and vegetables blended together perfectly. I love anything with caramelized onions; or for that matter mushrooms! Most of this frittata was consumed as you can see.

Next up, the guest of honor; a new bag of beans. They smelled

wonderful, quite aromatic. They were a combination of dull and slightly oily. But this was a milder coffee blend so I wasn't surprised. Now only for the taste and the smell to match.   

Breeze Blend

Once again, I made French press. and once again I was disappointed. First sip I tasted a very thin flavor of a coffee that was screaming to be heard. As if it wanted to rear it's head and say, "I taste good".  But the little bean just couldn't do it. The body of this blend was so thin, it was like drinking coffee flavored water.

To be fair, I made a second pot in a good old fashioned electric percolator. Sadly, the results were exactly the same as the French press. Never one to give up, I pulled out the big guns and poured the beans into my DeLonghi Magnifico coffee machine. This machine makes bad coffee taste good. It did add crema to the top, but it still struggled for body. It just couldn't get there.  Why did I give it three attempts?  Because it was from one of the best roasters on Long Island. I just seem to buy the wrong beans I guess! I have had some really good cups of coffee at Tend. I will not give up until I find a Tend bean I love.

Lattè Time!

On Monday, my son and I drove to our local coffee house. It is an exciting place to go because they roast their own beans on the premises. When you walk in you are greeted by the aroma of a thousand different blends of beans. There are burlap sacks of beans lining the wall just waiting to go into the roaster which holds center stage in the shop.

We went in for a cold brew. We ordered iced sugar-free French vanilla coconut milk lattès. Here is where the trouble started. As I was perusing the beans for my next tasting, the Barista was at work on our drinks. The cashier called me over to pay, and pay I did!  We all know how pricey these fancy drinks can be, but I was more than a little surprised when I was handed just one drink.  The Barista said she heard me ask for only one. Nope, I asked for two. I was in a bit of a hurry and she said to wait, she'd make it.  We waited a couple of minutes. I was getting antsy as I had places to go. Anyway she handed me the lattè. Silly me; I thought it would be on the house because she heard me wrong and I was in a rush. Nope! Full price. No harm, no foul!

With all this being said, let's talk about the actual lattè. The coffee was strong, full bodied and bold! The coconut milk was unsweetened; as it should be considering there are a variety of sweeteners to add. This is one of the only shops I've been to that actually has unsweetened alternatives to milk. The ice was precise as it didn't weaken the coffee. It just made it perfectly chilled. Honestly it was perfect. No, not my perfect "cup of coffee",  but a perfect coffee drink.

A Satisfied Customer!

I am going to give credit where credit is due.  I have been to Tend Coffee many times.  I will chalk this faux pas up to a bad day at the shop. The girls just did not look happy. The Baristas are usually very happy and friendly. This is my go to place for coffee on the go. They are certified organic coffee roasters; one of the only on our island. They have over 20 varieties of beans to choose from. Their beans are always fresh.

Why haven't I found my perfect cup of coffee at Tend? I purchased a one pound bag once, and it just wasn't to my liking; they have so many varieties to choose. But wait for my next review!

Until then...Cheers!  And a Great Big Shout Out to Tend Coffee of Shirley, NY! You do your neighborhood proud by serving excellent coffee!

The First Cup

We celebrated my husband's birthday Friday evening. What better way to enjoy a slice of cake then with a fresh pot of decaf French Press!  I had just recently signed up with a company to review products which I could purchase at a discounted price. I had just received a pound of decaffeinated coffee beans that I was anxious to try.

Cake was presented, Happy Birthday was sung, wishes were made; hopefully for a good cup of coffee. So now it was time for a jolt of java.  Stone Street Coffee Company are the beans that we were anticipating to enjoy with hubby's birthday cake.  I opened the bag and joy filled my senses!

I thought to myself, is this it, in a bag of decaf? Could I have found perfection in the first bag I am testing for  "The Coffee Chase"? Would Nirvana be in a simple bag of beans from Brooklyn? The very same place my story began; that would just be too poetic for words! But that was just the aroma, now to see the beans.

I poured the lovely brown beans into my hand and was delighted that they weren't dull. Now I know that saying dull beans are old beans is a bit of a myth. The shine or lack of shine has to do with the roasting process. I prefer a slightly darker roast with low acidity, so the shiny bean is definitely for me! These beans were not as shiny as I would have liked, but they were definitely a contender.

First the beans went into my coffee grinder  for a loose grind. Then into the French Press, and we waited. If you would like to know how to properly make French Press, go to our Jolt of Java: A Guide to Specialty Coffees page.

The timer went off and now it was time to sample Stone Street Coffee Company European Fancy Decaf! My anticipation was mounting as I plunged the French Press down. The coffee was poured and the moment of truth arrived.  I brought the cup to my lips and took that first sip, and I almost spit it out. Yes, it was that bad! This was one of the worst cups of coffee I have ever tasted. It was weak, it had no body and it was bitter. What a great disappointment.

"A picture is worth a thousand words"

I forged ahead and drank that cup. Maybe not to the last drop, but who can eat cake without a cup of coffee?
And as we say here at The Coffee Chase: "Even bad coffee is better than no coffee".

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The Chase Begins

I like coffee. No, I love coffee. Actually, I have a like, love, hate relationship with coffee. I know that makes no sense, but hear me out. I love coffee so much that some nights I go to bed craving that first morning cuppa joe only to be grossly disappointed by the weak, bitter, burnt or just plain bleh cup of coffee.  So very disappointing!

I love coffee so much, that when I turned 30 and was still living at home, my parents gave me coffee beans and my first coffee grinder. The insanity actually started when I was about three years old. We were living in my Grandparent's house in Brooklyn.  Like all good Italian grandmother's, my Nanny poured me that first delicious cup of brew mixed with milk and sugar. It was the start of a love story!

As the years went by and my taste buds matured, I preferred to drink my coffee without sugar. I enjoy the smell of coffee and the taste of it with just a touch of milk or cream to smooth it out. The more I drink coffee and the more I love it, the more I have found, it is so hard to find a good cup of coffee. Hence this blog. The perfect coffee bean to brew that elusive cup of coffee is at the top of my bucket list! Yup, that's how much I love my coffee! I judge a restaurant by how good their coffee is.

I am constantly purchasing different beans in search of my dream cup, only to continually be disappointed. Don't get me wrong, they are not all bad. I just have not found perfection. The closest I ever came to a perfect cup was at a visit to Oheka Castle two year's ago. Their's was Douwe Egbert's Coffee. Thinking I had found my Caffeine Nirvana, I purchased a bag of beans on Amazon. Upon opening the bag, I knew dissapointment awaited me when I saw dull beans. I poured the beans into my coffee machine anyway, and pressed the button Anticipating the sound of the grind and the smell of the brew, I took the cup with the lovely crema on top, only to drink what tasted like old beans. That bag went right back to Amazon! I have contacted Douwe Egbert to let them know my experience, and am still waiting for a response.

So hear I am today starting this blog on my search for that elusive cup of coffee. I will be reporting to you about all the coffees I buy and all the coffee houses I frequent, the chains as well as the privately owned cafes. Sit tight, grab your favorite cup of Joe, and join me as we travel the world of coffee together as I report on this wondorous bean.