Caffeine Junkee- When one cup just isn't enough

I worked VERY HARD on this label.  Well, it wouldn't have been so hard if I had already known how to unzip a file and drop it into my computer's font file.  Nor would it have been so hard if I had been able to USE said font with the Avery Label Maker Template.  Needless to say, I did everything the old fashioned way... and I LOVE IT!

Now, I know this is "just" friends sharing coffee... and we are not an established business *yet*.  But, creating things like this is really exciting for me.  I do it for everything... Christmas cookies for the neighbors would never be on paper plates with cling wrap crumpled across the top!  Nope, custom labels on smart bakery bags or layered in jars with a pro-quality sticker on the front and perfectly printed recipe.

It was mortifying to me when Jay handed people bags with the word "nuggets" scrawled across the top in black magic marker.  Mortifying.  So here they are, the new custom labeled bags.  These two were custom roasts for Aaron... "Aaron's In Your Face Roast" and "Krieger's Good in the Sack Roast."  Think about the possibilities with this roast... do you want a bag of coffee as a gift for a friend who can take a joke ("Black as My Soul Roast"), or to leave by the coffee pot at work ("Get Back to Your Desk Ya Slacker Roast")?  For you wife ("Martha is Lovely in the Morning Roast"), or your husband ("Jason Can Work the Coffee Pot Roast")?  Let us know, as these very cool custom labels are now at the tip of my fingers!

So go down to the right of this blog... ===>>>  Click on that PayPal "Add to Cart" button, and get yourself one of the coolest bags of coffee in town.  (Starting next week, we will be roasting on demand.  How often can you demand something of someone... and have them actually jump to it... I mean really?)

Yup, I'm happy

Wow. I experienced a little coffee nirvana this afternoon. I decided to take a drive out to Chazzano Coffee in Ferndale, and was beyond pleased. I went in hopes of meeting Frank, the owner, and hopefully talk shop about roasting and coffee in general. Frank however was not to be found today. Turns out he was spending the day with family, but that didn't stop me from spending some time at the shop hanging with the staff while enjoying an absolutely fantastic americano made with some Ethiopian Sidamo and buying a few pounds of green beans. Although Chazzano is primarily a roaster, there is a nice espresso bar with seating for only about a dozen or so people. This afternoon during my visit, a young musician was singing and playing guitar, something you wouldn't expect on a Sunday afternoon. Absolutely wonderful. 

 I have already roasted up my Honduran Santa Rosa, and within a few days will do the Nicarauan Jinotega. 

I cannot say enough great things about my entire experience today. The space, the people, the product... I will definitely be frequenting Chazzanos as often as possible, and suggest you head there as well. Hey, I have an idea, let's meet there soon for a coffee. What say you?

From a Little Green Seed

Mary, Mary, quite contrary.  How does your garden grow?

In an empty coke bottle with soil and water,

See it!  It's the tiny vertical line in the middle.

that's how my coffee garden grows!

There's a sprout!  There's a sprout!  Two of the six Guatemalan green beans that Chailyn and I planted in our home-made coke bottle terrarium have shown their leafy heads!

Do you see how many exclamation points I have used?!  Can you tell I am excited?!

Now, I have to tell you that I have a black thumb.  Seriously, I kill everything except tomato plants.  And maybe the red chili plants in my garden.  But if it's INSIDE, it's as good as dead.  So... we shall see if these little things make it past newborn phase.

And should they survive- there are also negative consequences I will have to deal with:  If I grow them hearty enough to eventually bear fruit, my sunny meditation room will feel like The Jungle Book.  However, in three years we'll be able to brew about one pot of coffee from the painstakingly fermented, dried, and roasted cherries.

Stay tuned!