ant Senior Member Joined: 7 May 2003 Posts: 1,044 Location: Brisbane Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: sunbeam em6910 Grinder: sunbeam em0480 Vac Pot: hario syphon Roaster: 1kg sample roaster at work
Posted Fri Sep 26, 2003, 9:10pm Subject: Hooray!
I just switched jobs to a cafe that cares more about the coffee that they serve, and the difference is very pronounced :)
Luckily, i can understand what these guys and girls are trying to teach me due to all the discussions that i have read and all the videos on pours and latte art that i have observed, i've been able to slot into this new job fairly easily :)
Hamm Senior Member Joined: 22 May 2003 Posts: 519 Location: Kettering, Ohio Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Isomac Tea Grinder: Mazzer Mini Vac Pot: I'm not that kind of guy... Drip: From the faucet occasionally Roaster: La Terze Roasterie,...
Posted Wed Oct 1, 2003, 5:33am Subject: Re: Hooray!
Congratulations on the new job! It sounds like it's a step in the right direction for you.
In my town, there are several average quality coffee shops that have sprung up in the past decade, but only one with quality coffee to speak of.
My good friend was in Seattle last week and was amazed at the sheer volume of coffee houses for one, and also blown away by how much better it was out there than at the local places here in Ohio.
Espresso and coffee has become trendy out here, to the point where our local micro roaster has opened retail espresso bars inside a chain of local upscale grocery stores. Their coffee is better than **$$'s but it can't compare with the little shop downtown where I purchase my espresso beans.
When you live in an area where many people think that drinking espresso is an enhancement of the personal image, anything can be served. I'm convinced that the crowd of local Ohioans around me who drink coffee drink it because they think it makes them look more sophisticated, intelligent or wealthy. Funny thing is, they don't seem to care how the coffee tastes!
It sure is good to know that somewhere else there is a coffee shop that cares enough about the flavor and the quality of the coffee that they're willing to invest the time to educate their employees. shops like that will eventually stand out against the background of green & white.
Posted Wed Oct 1, 2003, 8:50pm Subject: Re: Hooray!
I laughed out loud reading your post, Hamm! I used to live in Ohio - Columbus, to be exact. I worked there from '96 through '99 and because I hated working 12 hour days, just getting beaten up as a slave engineer, inquired into starting a *$ franchise. there was literally no place to get a decent cup of coffee anywhere on the northwest side of the city, where I lived. (this was before my passion for coffee was what it is today!) They actually had the snobbery to reply to my inquiry that Ohio was not hip enough for them. Right after I escaped back to the sunbelt, they of course opened a shop, then another, then many more. Turns out they were way slow to react to the uber-yups that seem to be everytwhere there. I hear the line stretches out the door at each one daily. Amazing! Incidentally, since you're so close, if you are there, you should check out Staufs in Grandview, just west of downtown Cbus. Very good cafe in a cool district and they have a great atmosphere. Come to think of it, it's as good as any place I've been overall.
Hamm Senior Member Joined: 22 May 2003 Posts: 519 Location: Kettering, Ohio Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Isomac Tea Grinder: Mazzer Mini Vac Pot: I'm not that kind of guy... Drip: From the faucet occasionally Roaster: La Terze Roasterie,...
Posted Thu Oct 2, 2003, 8:37am Subject: Re: Hooray!
Doppiodan,
I know the Grandview area well! Compared to Dayton, Columbus is like New York. I had some friends at OSU back in the mid-90's, before I knew anything about coffee. We being musicians would often play local coffee houses. I remember one, Basso Bean that was pretty cool, but I don't remember how their coffee tasted.
Grandview is about 1 hour from where I live now, so one of these days I'll get up there to check things out again. I know exactly where Stauf's is, but an even funnier thing, is that of all the people I know in the area, not ONE of them has been there! No one but you has told me anything about them!
ant Senior Member Joined: 7 May 2003 Posts: 1,044 Location: Brisbane Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: sunbeam em6910 Grinder: sunbeam em0480 Vac Pot: hario syphon Roaster: 1kg sample roaster at work
Posted Sat Oct 4, 2003, 10:15am Subject: Re: Hooray!
thankyou :)
I'm learning quite a lot there, having switched from pouring with a spoon to regulate froth to straight out free pouring.
I've had a chance to try my hand at rosettas and hearts, and its a lot of fun seeing the reaction from customers when you make a good shot + good milk + good decoration. I must say though, i'm really astounded by the difference in taste of the coffee when I grind fresh as opposed to using the grinds that have been sitting in the hopper for 1hr or more. Its almost a gauranteed compliment from every customer when i grind fresh hehe :)
Still, as fun as this is, i don't think that i can stay in the hospitality industry forever cos the pay is just so shite!
Posted Sat Oct 4, 2003, 2:49pm Subject: Re: Hooray!
Grandview is about 1 hour from where I live now, so one of these days I'll get up there to check things out again. I know exactly where Stauf's is, but an even funnier thing, is that of all the people I know in the area, not ONE of them has been there! No one but you has told me anything about them!
Yeah, it's funny how few people are really focused on good coffee, isn't it? It's really not much different here in San Diego. More of a surf town for sure, I think the warm weather must have something to do with it. I vaguely remember Basso Bean...probly on High Street somewhere, which means close to bars, and that's why my recollection is foggy. Most of my friends back there knew Vivace from Folgers, but Stauf's really is cool. Grandview is easily my favorite part of the city, really old, well-preserved, and even a little hilly! There's a sweet bike race there once a year, and the course goes right by Stauf's. There are a couple fun bars there, mostly Irish-themed if you enjoy that. It's definitely a jewel in the midwest. Hope they treat you right!
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