A visual diagram of how a coffee bean from Guatemala evolves into a Four Barrel cup of coffee in San Francisco, California.

Photo by Johnny Lopes. Taken at the OPENeducation event in Berkeley, CA.

Bali was our first destination on our honeymoon tour. It is where I was promised we could recover, read and sloth out! After the crazy stress of moving continents (from Japan to Brazil), learning a new language, surviving the first year in my wife’s home country, and four-wedding marathon to boot, well, I deserved this. It was like reaching the top of Fuji: it’s ugly getting there, but God, does it look sexy from the top.

Bali is the Hindu hold out of the mostly Muslim Indonesian archipelago. We opted out of a beach stay in Bali and decided on Ubud, the hill side town, where Elizabeth Gilbert’s (aka Eat, Pray, Barf) Balinese medicine man Ketut hails.

Ditching the crowds for the mountains and rice paddies of Ubud made all the difference as it was so much more lower key.

Our first expedition outside of hotel paradise was with Bali Go Bike. A bike tour company run by Ketut (not Gilbert’s Medicine Man, shucks) and his brothers. Ketut was all kinds of awesome. He really puts himself into his tour and his pride for Ubud is unmatched. The guy smiled smiled smiled. When we got off the bikes here and there to pee, drink, and mostly take photos- which would make me nuts if I were a guide, he calmly gave us a smile and had a cigarette. At first I thought Ketut meant chill in Balinese, but really it simply meant that he is the fourth child and youngest in his family.

Back to the ride. We started the ride literally in a cloud at, near, or on top of a volcano (still not sure which) and road our bikes all the way down, taking our time, hopping potholes here and there, and quietly breathing in the air and life of rice patties, terraced hills, jungle paradise, and festive villages.

Rice patty and terrace.

This is where coconuts go to die, found on the side of the road.

All of Bali was in the middle of celebrating Galungan, the Hindu equivalent of new years with the family and preparations for Christmas. We couldn’t have happened on a better day for the ride, as women carried offerings and food platters to their various celebrations and temples, in every one of the 16 mini-decorated villages we rode through.

Giant hand made bamboo structures decorated the streets in each town.

One of our stops was a coffee plantation where they had a variety coffees and teas produced and prepared right there on the grounds (pun intended). One of their specialties is Kopi-Luwak or civet coffee: made from the digested coffee beans “produced” (or shat) by the animal, collected by workers, washed (thank god), then sun dried and lightly roasted–you know, to keep in the special flavors of the civet’s digestive tract.

Roasting civet beans.

Kopi-Luwak is one of the most expensive coffees in the world. After the Civet drops his load, laborers gather (a few at a time) and then wash, sun dry, lightly roast the coffee and so on. The beans are discharged in clumps often having some of the coffee berry membranes still attached to the beans–which are still intact. There is something good knowing that people pay good money for coffee that comes out of a creepy animal’s ass.

Being my first cup of civet coffee I expected it to be more rich, with a hint of turd, and really have more of a distinct aroma, but civet coffee is supposed to be more smooth. It was good but I expected more from all the hype. Then it struck me, this was farmed civet coffee. There is a theory that civets in nature produce better grains. In nature, out of the cage, they  would naturally have the freedom to hunt for the best coffee berries and therefore produce a better quality coffee. If it is farmed, the civets have no choice what berries they poop and only eat and shit what they are given. In the wild they would have choice in berry selection, and the process would differentiate and lead to better quality.

Either way it was a good cup of Joe.

Some people say after a good coffee, “Oh man, this coffee is the SHIT!” And this really was. It was delightful. Check out my shit drinking grin! Ketut on the right.

After more terraces, photo breaks, and many sips of water we came to the end of the ride.

The tour led directly to Ketut’s compound, a home with open air rooms, their own temple, and lots of space where we sit or lay on the floor and soak it all in.

His entire family graciously welcomed us over for an amazing buffet and encouraged us to explore their home, which felt more like a palace with hand carved wooden doors, and pillars painted in gold and red.

It was a lovely home and were treated as friends of the family.

Peanut sauce chicken, mixed vegetables, and shredded chicken over rice.

Outside Ketut’s home.

Yes, those are life size statues of a tiger and a bear.

Nerds.

Umamiventure #30 was indeed a memorable affair, and much more than what any of us expected. It was a night of Serious Coffee Schooling– from the bean picking process, to roasting, to tasting– all courtesy of Four Barrel Coffee in San Francisco.

Since opening in 2008, Four Barrel has become a front runner in the specialty coffee scene here in the Bay Area, and is now on the menus of some of the most reputable restaurants (Slanted Door, Foreign Cinema, Bar Tartine, and on). Their beans have recently gone bicoastal, as NYC’s Maialino now serves Four Barrel coffee as well. SF represent!

Jeremy Tooker, founder of Four Barrel, was recognized recently as one of Food & Wine magazine’s 40 Big Food Thinkers Under 40, as he is known to champion small single-farm beans, in accordance with their seasonality. He’s all about letting the beans work their magic, instead of manipulating them through the roasting process.

Pamela, the head trainer at Four Barrel helped me organize the event– she is super knowledgeable about coffee, Four Barrel, and the industry in general. In a word, she is a STAR. She and the Four Barrel staff graciously invited us in, offered us coffee while we waited for everyone to arrive, then packed all 20 of us into their back roasting area.

Let Umamiventure #30 begin.

YOKO
I drink coffee several times a week and I know how I like it: black. But that was the extent of my coffee knowledge. The 30th Umamiventure at Four Barrel changed all that. I arrived a bit early, but Pamela, our guide, greeted us as soon as we walked in and offered us coffee (whatever we wanted on the house if you mentioned Umamimart.)

YOKO
The tour consisted of three parts 1) picking and selecting the beans; 2) roasting the beans; and 3) tasting coffee.

KAYOKO
I was floored when Pamela told us she prepared a PowerPoint presentation for us, to go through the Four Barrel method of sourcing, selecting and processing the beans. At this moment I knew we were in for a true educational treat! She had our complete attention during the presentation.

YOKO
Pamela’s PowerPoint slideshow really proved how little I knew about coffee– like for instance it was a red cherry. She also emphasized how important it is to choose the right coffee beans to get the desired taste.

KAYOKO
Look at us– we are absolutely captivated. GEEKOUT!

KAYOKO
Pamela fully engaged us with her infectious energy and devotion to the subject. She spoke so eloquently and answered all of our questioned with the relaxed ease of a pro.

KISHI
Pamela’s professionalism and friendliness coupled with her wild enthusiasm and impeccable knowledge was a flood of joyous enlightenment– I thought I knew about coffee but I really didn’t, obviously. Her ability to convey the gist of coffee from A to Z so flawlessly was totally admirable.

KAYOKO
We learned that Jeremy takes great lengths in working with each farm and coffee producer directly, to assure safe, fair and well-compensated practices. He really is committed to championing these unknown, under-recognized farmers who are often underpaid and live in poverty despite the fact that it’s the THIRD most traded commodity in the WORLD! Crazy. Here’s a great visual fact sheet by Mint.com, via Ido.

YOKO
The heat picked up during part two when we were shown how the beans get roasted. Manning the 1957 steel/ cast iron German Probat roaster was Jackson who walked us through the whole process (about 10 minutes) of roasting.

KAYOKO
We all had a crush on Jackson. Ok, I can’t speak for everyone, but I know most of us did. He spoke with great confidence about his craft and we were all so mesmerized by his enthusiasm, knowledge and the physicality of what it takes to roast coffee.

In watching Jackson, we learned how patient you must be to roast coffee. He picked up a pail of beans (still pale green!), dumped them in the roaster:

Knelt down to several times to adjust the temperature:

There’s a tube like part that you stick in and out of the roaster called a “trier” which allows the roaster to check on the beans:

Here’s a great video of Jackson and the grand finale of the roasting process, by Yoko. I could seriously watch this over and over, it’s so thrilling.

KAYOKO
Like a Zen Master, Jackson was at one with the Probat roaster, as well as the beans. He just KNEW when those beans were ready, and unleash that “drop door”. It was awesome  to watch the entire roasting process, from the beans while they still green, to a toasty brown color. Et voila!

KAYOKO
Jackson roasts about 500 lbs of coffee a day. The bean should be carmelized on the outside, and each bean will have expanded quite a bit (hence that lighter-color line you see running down the bean).

YOKO
Four Barrel roasts all of their coffee at medium which disturbs less of the original characteristics of the bean.

ANNALEA
Let me say that the roasting with Jackson was a highlight– his passion for craft was obvious. And the fact that he’s really cute didn’t hurt either (ha ha). Pamela and Jackson both mentioned the fact that Four Barrel roasts to a medium roast which I thought was interesting.

KISHI
Jackson, swoon: his easy charm juxtaposed with his martial arts-like roasting technique was a thrill.

LIZ
The best part was seeing Jackson in action roasting the beans. I have never actually seen this before and I didn’t know how sensitive a process it was. One second too long and the beans won’t taste right!

KAYOKO
What I admire most about Jackson is the great pride he took in his craft. You could tell by the way he spoke about coffee, and even in the way he picked up each bean– with utter delight. For him, they are magical little pebbles that he nurses with great care, one by one, to extract the exact flavor he desires out of each bean. He’s in a powerful position, and he doesn’t take it for granted.

YOKO
Pamela joined us again for part three, with Justin, barista extraordinaire, for the tasting of the coffee (called “cupping”). They prepared six types of coffee for our tasting pleasure.

1. Coast Rica El Tajo

2. Guatemala Ojercaibal

3. Colombia Andino

4. Ethiopia Welena Suke Quto

5. Kenya Kirinyaga Karimikui

6. Sulawesi Toarco

KAYOKO
To quote Pamela: “The coffees are placed in an order in which each coffee prepares your palate for the next coffee. For example, coffees with brighter acidity and lots of rich dark fruit (such as the Kenya Karimuki) will follow the nicely balanced, softer acidity found in most Latin coffee.”

Again, totally enthralled with the Four Barrel staff as Justin stepped in and spoke about the coffees offered at the cupping. Knowledgeable, engaging, spirited.

He added water to the coffee grounds and scraped it off the top with exact precision. Pro.

Bending down to smell the coffee.

ANNALEA
My favorites were the Costa Rica El Tajo, the Ethiopia Welena Suke Quto and the Kenya Kirinyaga Karimikui. Big differences in flavors. Some lighter (the Costa Rican), some fruity and even tea-like (the Ethiopian) and a robust, intense and very full flavor (the Kenyan). Cupping was a new experience for me and it was great to get a background and lesson from Pamela and Justin.

YOKO
I have attended wine and sake tastings before but a coffee tasting was completely new to me. Tasting how Costa Rican beans were different from Kenyan beans really opened my eyes to how much coffee can differ by region (they are all roasted using the same method).

KISHI
If I was disappointed at all that night, it was probably my lack of taste– I could hardly tell the difference between any of them! Still, it tasted great, especially compared to the sad bitter crud I made the next morning.

LIZ
Though I am not a big coffee drinker I really enjoyed the chance to have a cupping with some experts. It’s interesting how different the types of coffee taste when you try them side by side.

ANNALEA
Overall the entire visit was really informative and I learned a lot. I really connected with all of the wine references Pamela made throughout the night and started to realize that coffee has a lot of similar nuances and detail in flavor. I, for one, don’t always stop to appreciate this as I slam down my first cup at 6am. I also took away an appreciation for the process that Four Barrel follows with their sourcing and roasting process. The work they do with the farms they work with and others who stand to benefit was something unexpected and I think a huge benefit for their business as a whole.

KISHI
Well geez, the night was just far beyond perfect. I got way more than I bargained for: I literally imagined a straightforward cupping and no more.

IDO
Our visit to Four Barrel was just another example of the Bay Area’s dedication to kick*ss gastronomy without pretentiousness. The staff were all super-friendly, bringing Umamimart into their world and getting folks excited about the things they’re passionate about. I liked a good cup of coffee before this visit — now I have a better sense of what goes into making it. Thanks Four Barrel!

YOKO
I came home with 12 oz. of Ethiopian Welena Suke Quto beans and I know I am going back to Four Barrel when I start shopping for holiday gifts.

KAYOKO
Big huge THANK YOU to Pamela, Jackson, and Justin for spending the evening with us and schooling us on the art of coffee, roasting and tasting. We all walked out more knowledgeable about the industry and flavor profiles of coffee. Here’s to many years of success for Four Barrel! You all ROCK!

Fun fact: Four Barrel is named after this four barrel sample roaster for roasting samples of green coffee.

Lagunitas on tap for the staff, baby!

*Photos by Yoko Kumano and myself.

**Umamiventures are organized monthly, traveling far and wide to find good, cheap grub off the beaten path.

***Become a Facebook Fan or follow UM on Twitter to stay updated on all future trips!

Past Umamiventures include:
1.) Ocean Jewel Restaurant – Flushing, NYC; June 2007
2.) Red Hook Ball Fields - NYC; June 2007
3.) Taste of Jackson Heights – NYC; October, 2007
4.) Sripraphai Restaurant – Woodside, NYC; November 2007
5.) WINTERMARKET – South St. Seaport, NYC; December 2007
6.) Jackson Diner- Jackson Heights, NYC; January 2008
7.) Pacificana – Sunset Park, NYC; February 2008
8.) Puerto Alegre – The Mission, SF; March 2008
9.) Dinosaur BBQ – Harlem, NYC; April 2008
10.) Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden – Astoria, NYC; May 2008
11.) Brooklyn Banh Mi Crawl – Sunset Park, NYC; August 2008
12.) Sheapshead Bay Lobster Crawl – NYC; September 2008
13.) Flushing Food Circuit – NYC; October 2008
14.) Strong Beer Month – SF; March 2009
15.) Loisaida Throwback Crawl – NYC; April 2009
16.) Harley Farms Goat Dairy – Pescadero, CA; June 2009
17.) Tomales Bay Oyster Farm – Marshall, CA; August 2009
18.) Din Tai Fung – LA; September 2009
19.) Din Tai Fung – Tokyo; September 2009
20.) Schroeder’s Oktoberfest – SF; October 2009
21.) Fish Taco Crawl – San Diego; November 2009
22.) St. George Spirits & Hangar One Vodka -  Alameda; January 2010
22.5) Everett & Jones – OAK; January 2010
23.) Sammy’s Roumanian Steakhouse – NYC; February 2010
24.) Guerilla Ramen Night – SF; April 2010
25.) Knife Sharpening Workshop at Hida Tool & Hardware – Berkeley, May 2010
26.) San Pedro Fish Market - LA, June 2010
26.5.) Candytown – LA, June 2010
27.) The Trappist – Oakland, July 2010
28.) San Tung Restaurant – SF, August 2010
29.) Bitters Tasting with A.B. Smeby - Brooklyn, NYC, September 2010

Update (Thurs. 11/11, 12pm PST): EVENT SOLD OUT!!!

+++

Wow THIRTY Umamiventures, can you believe? Pretty damn awesome, considering the very first one was in 2007, on a trek out to Flushing, Queens for quite possibly the best dim sum in New York City.

I’m living in the Bay Area now, and still organizing these events monthly. We’re thirty deep! Umamiventures have become so integral to this blog– it’s such a wonderful way to meet ya’ll in REAL LIFE!

And to celebrate the launch of the Umamimart Shop (coming Nov. 16th!), in line with the limited edition UM Artist Mug, our next event will be with San Francisco-based coffee roasting company, Four Barrel, for a private coffee cupping (aka tasting) on Sunday November 21 at 5pm. They have also generously offered to give us a tour of their impressive in-house roasting facilities, as well as talk with us about their farming, processing and sourcing practices.

This is an Umamiventure that I’m particularly excited about since Four Barrel is breaking some serious ground in the coffee world. Jeremy Tooker, founder of Four Barrel, was recognized recently as one of Food & Wine magazine’s 40 Big Food Thinkers Under 40, and is known to champion small single-farm beans, in accordance with their seasonality. He’s all about letting the beans work their magic, instead of manipulating them through the roasting process.

Four Barrel only opened in 2008, and is already such a big deal nationally! Its beans can be found at Maialino restaurant in NYC now too. HOT.

I hope you will join us. The event will be at Four Barrel, in the Mission district of San Francisco (Valencia at 14th Street). Since this event is private, we’re capping it at 15 lucky people. Please RSVP on the Facebook event page, twitter me, comment below, or email me directly at kayoko@umamimart.com. You will receive an email from me to confirm your spot.

Don’t miss this! Make sure to RSVP! Can’t wait to see all of you.

*Special thanks to Pamela and Emily of Four Barrel for helping me put this event together. It’s gonna be AWESOME!

**Umamiventures are organized monthly, traveling far and wide to find good, cheap grub off the beaten path.

***Become a Facebook Fan or follow UM on Twitter to stay updated on all future trips!

Past Umamiventures include:
1.) Ocean Jewel Restaurant – Flushing, NYC; June 2007
2.) Red Hook Ball Fields - NYC; June 2007
3.) Taste of Jackson Heights – NYC; October, 2007
4.) Sripraphai Restaurant – Woodside, NYC; November 2007
5.) WINTERMARKET – South St. Seaport, NYC; December 2007
6.) Jackson Diner- Jackson Heights, NYC; January 2008
7.) Pacificana – Sunset Park, NYC; February 2008
8.) Puerto Alegre – The Mission, SF; March 2008
9.) Dinosaur BBQ – Harlem, NYC; April 2008
10.) Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden – Astoria, NYC; May 2008
11.) Brooklyn Banh Mi Crawl – Sunset Park, NYC; August 2008
12.) Sheapshead Bay Lobster Crawl – NYC; September 2008
13.) Flushing Food Circuit – NYC; October 2008
14.) Strong Beer Month – SF; March 2009
15.) Loisaida Throwback Crawl – NYC; April 2009
16.) Harley Farms Goat Dairy – Pescadero, CA; June 2009
17.) Tomales Bay Oyster Farm – Marshall, CA; August 2009
18.) Din Tai Fung – LA; September 2009
19.) Din Tai Fung – Tokyo; September 2009
20.) Schroeder’s Oktoberfest – SF; October 2009
21.) Fish Taco Crawl – San Diego; November 2009
22.) St. George Spirits & Hangar One Vodka -  Alameda; January 2010
22.5) Everett & Jones – OAK; January 2010
23.) Sammy’s Roumanian Steakhouse – NYC; February 2010
24.) Guerilla Ramen Night – SF; April 2010
25.) Knife Sharpening Workshop at Hida Tool & Hardware – Berkeley, May 2010
26.) San Pedro Fish Market - LA, June 2010
26.5.) Candytown – LA, June 2010
27.) The Trappist – Oakland, July 2010
28.) San Tung Restaurant – SF, August 2010
29.) Bitters Tasting with A.B. Smeby - Brooklyn, NYC, September 2010

Lamill Coffee in Silverlake, LA impressed me because it looked good. They package their coffee beans in tins (made in the USA) that are retro looking and all the staff wear matching t-shirts. Yes, call me superficial – but ever since leaving Tokyo, I have to admit I miss the art of presentation.

The menu is loaded with a long list of beans to accompany the equally long list of ways extraction methods. “Slow Extraction” processes include Clover (available in 8 or 16 oz.), French press, Japanese Hand Drip (Hario extraction) and the Siphon Brew. I felt like I could only have an 8 oz. that day so I went for the Clover, $3.5 (the Siphon Brew sets you back $15, but you get 20 oz. and a whole show reminiscent of high school chem lab).

I wanted something dark, so I asked the barista for something good to drink black. She recommended the Organic Black Onyx. I thoroughly enjoyed this blend because it was pretty heavy but didn’t leave a weird aftertaste or didn’t get me too caffeinated. I guess I would describe it as solid.

I also asked another barista what was special about the Clover machine. He told me that it’s unique because it can make smaller cups of coffee (8 oz and 16 oz) without sacrificing taste or quality. I could tell that they really valued the aesthetics of their machines as they were all displayed in plain sight for customers to ooh and aah at.

My cousin bought a pound of beans for herself. This gave me the opportunity to capture the tin with my camera. The barista told my cousin that if she brought the tin back, she’d get a discount on her next one-pound bean purchase.

Lamill Coffee might not make the best cup of coffee in the world, but I like that they exude confidence – and seem to be having fun too. I admit I admire businesses that can create a pretty sturdy facade where everything is branded and sparkling clean. It’s a given in Tokyo, but not at all in California.

Lamill Coffee also has a store selling coffee-ware next door to the boutique. Most of the products were made by HARIO, a Japanese coffee-ware company.

Store exterior

Various HARIO and Bodum products

Siphon

Who knew that the one and only Ferran Adrià had created a coffee “drink” for Lavazza? I definitely had no idea, since I’m so clueless. But of course Matt, my #1 informant for all-things-awesome, knew about this. Hooray for informants!

For some reason, Lavazza, one of the most popular line of espresso beans sold in Italy, has a few cafes dotted around Chicago. I have no idea why Chicago– maybe their US offices are headquartered there? (Although I barely ever see Lavazza sold anywhere here in the States, have you?). They’ve named these cafes Espression by Lavazza, isn’t that great? I kinda love it.

In 2002, Sir Adrià created this drink especially for Lavazza to sell exclusively in their cafes. It’s called the Espesso. NOT espResso. Espesso. Again, thanks Matt for being on top of this.

So on our last morning in town, Matt and I went out in search for one of these Espression cafes to try this Espesso. We found one right off of N. Michigan Avenue. We walked in and it was set up just like any old Starbucks, really. But the food in the cold box reminded me so much of Italy. Paninis, and cornettos and these cream-filled berry fruit tart cakes that is SO ITALIAN. They totally cornered the quick “Italian” coffee shop experience.

When we ordered the Espesso, the girl gave us a, “Oh god, please don’t order that” look. I know that look well. I give my customers that look all the time when they order some hideous pain-in-the-ass drink that takes five minutes to make.

And indeed it took a little while for the drinks to come out. But it was worth the wait just to experience Ferran Adrià for breakfast. We seriously had no idea what to expect, but I don’t think either of us thought that something like this would come out:

Looks like Japanese cartoon poo. Not only that, it defies gravity!

It was foamy. Surprise, surprise.

Truth be told, this was a bit cloyingly sweet and weirdly artificially tart-tasting. Dare I call it a Ferran Fail???  Although to be perfectly fair, it was supposed to be my first cup of coffee of the day so of course I was super disappointed that it was foamy and cold. It’s more like dessert– I would have appreciated it more like at tea time, or in the middle of the day when I need a pick-me-up.

I was way more into these cool cups and saucers, designed especially for the Espesso.

In general, the Lavazza cafe concept is modern, art-centric Euro. This cool spoon and coffee cup sculpture dangles from the ceiling. Kinda neat.

I liked this poster on the bright yellow walls.

Now I can officially say that I have tasted El Bulli in my life. Although this is not really how I want to remember Ferran.

DEAR EL BULLI: Please hook me up with a reservation in 2011. CHOOSE ME! CHOOSE ME! PLEASE!!!!!!! I will wash dishes every single night until you close the shop forever. Omg so sad.

LAVAZZA CAFE
162 East Ohio Street
Chicago, IL 60611
T: 312.255.8850

After a 4-year, 4-month hiatus, I am back in Berkeley. Robotland (a.k.a. Tokyo) was good to me, but finding myself shuffled in line at the Berkeley Bowl between one of these, and Zack de la Rocha‘s doppelganger on a weekly basis has got me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Not only is it great to be back under the California sun, it’s specifically great to be back in Berkeley where I really feel like I can eat and buy locally.

I live five minutes away from the OG Acme Bread Company. Having access to the same fresh bread as Alice Waters within a three-block radius is phenomenal.

I went to Peet’s the other day on Fourth Street in Berkeley. I had another “Oh yeah, Berkeley!” moment at Peet’s, when I broke open my tea-bag package.

Okay, this isn’t food, but I was equally ecstatic to find that the detergent that I picked out today at the market was based in Berkeley.

My twenties are almost over, and like clockwork, my body is ready to settle. During my time in Tokyo, I felt transient — buying small bottles of condiments and cheap, temporary houseware. I couldn’t even commit to a coffee filter holder!

But Berkeley has got me ready to commit and for the first time in my life, I’ve taken a giant stride into being commited – I bought my first coffee filter holder.

The lady at Coffee Conscious on Gilman Street sold me this lovely coffee filter holder made in Holland for $3, along with some amazing coffee grounds. The following picture symbolizes my full-fledged willingness to run into the arms of domestication:

I fully believe that if you break up once with a boy, you should stay away from him forever. But I never broke up with Berkeley — I just told him to wait for me. Thanks for waiting… I am so glad I came back to you.

I saw the coffee cup and stopped dead in my tracks.

Best. Logo. Ever.

The colors! The font! The way the logo takes up the entire length of the cup! It’s all very 1970′s punk rock meets Communist Russia. LOVIT.

Pannikin is an awesome cafe in Encinitas, housed in an old train station. Their motto is, “Waking up San Diego Since 1968.” SWEET! The coffees are organic fair trade, and they bake their pastries, pies, and everything else from scratch.

Such a dreamy local hangout. There are a couple more Pannikin cafes dotted around SD, but this one is ultra special.

The logo, as you can see, is the same exact replica of their roadside sign. Amazing. Their website is also a thing of artful, Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood beauty.

PANNIKIN COFFEE & TEA
510 N. Highway 101
Encinitas, CA
T: 760.436.5824

The day has come: my mother’s horrible ABOMINATION of a coffee maker has finally broken down. YESSS! It shut down on her the other morning, which finally gave me a chance to break out the cute little Hario drip coffee maker that I bought in Japan last year. (I still perceive myself as a house guest in my parent’s house, hence I never used it until now. Can’t get too comfortable or I’ll never move out!!).

Before I talk about the Hario, allow me to lament the dead coffee maker. This Cuisinart has been the ugliest, klunkiest eyesore that has taken up half the kitchen counter for the last two years. My darling brother got it for Hideko, and the sucker she is for her son, has refused to let me get rid of it for sentimental reasons. I mean COME ON, KEISUKE, WTF?!?!

Anyway, I’ll never have to look at this again, thank god. Not only was it aesthetically displeasing, it wasn’t even fully functional, as the grinder got soggy from the steam every time we used it.

No Function + No Form = Totally Useless.

I bought the Hario pot at LOFT, which is a fantastical superstore of home and lifestyle goods all over Japan. I’m not usually an impulse buyer, but when you’re in a store like LOFT, you really just want to buy everything. Did I need a glass coffee maker for $40 to lug back with me to California?? ABSOLUTELY.

Living alone in Brooklyn, I was a fervent french press person for my coffee. Then I started coveting the Chemex, cause the thing is just so damn beautiful. But while skimming the coffee aisle at LOFT, I picked up this Hario “Drip Pot Woodneck.” It looks almost exactly like the Chemex, except I was attracted to the reusable filter-thing. I am super lazy, so the thought of never having to buy coffee filters for this really scored points with me (filters are necessito for the Chemex).

Hario is a very well known glass-for-coffee company out of Japan, which is now making its way into the American market. Remember the Blue Bottle Music Video I made last year? We saw that they use Hario pots for their $20,000 machines too.

So just like any coffee drip method, you just add your coffee grinds directly into the filter, and slowly pour in hot water.

Et voila! That’s IT! I love the french press, or these coffee drip things cause of the minimal effort involved (back to the lazy factor). Just boil water! The clunky coffee machines are so big and unnecessary, plus they make such unpalatable coffee.

I have to say that I have not had such an excellent morning cup of coffee in a very long time. This Hario coffee maker was definitely worth bringing back from Japan. SCORE!! Looks like Americans can now buy one here. Lucky you!

*Kayoko currently resides with her parents in Cupertino, CA, where she eats all their food, drinks all their beer, and watches an obscene amount of television on their flatsceen. She promises to move out by February 2010.

Erin needed to get online for work, and we sauntered around town looking for wifi. We saw a little cafe, Yo el Rey (YeR), off the main road and what a lovely surprise- not only did they have free internet, but it turned out to be such a peaceful coffee-lover’s haven.

Owner and founder J. Kirk Feiereisen opened YeR in Fall 2008. A pristine jewel-box of a cafe, YeR gets a ton of light and paintings line the walls indispersed with whimiscal lines of poetry and quotes written by J. Kirk himself. The space is so funky and artful, I was immediately enamored.

J. Kirk roasts his own organic, fair-trade coffee in-house in this gorgeous Diedrich 15lb. roaster. Swoon.

Proudly made right here in the US of A, in Sandpoint, ID.

Coffee beans go here for roasting. He roasts all his beans to a medium profile.

The large exhaust pipe goes up through the skylight.

YeR’s manual espresso machine, made by Astoria. See that lever on top? Pull that down to make espresso!

Here’s J. Kirk making my double. All the ceramic cups he uses are made by local artists!

J. Kirk is a roaster, artist and poet, committed to serving Calistoga with socially-minded, delicious coffee. He ships his beans anywhere in the US, order here.

Until next time, Calistoga!

YO EL REY ROASTING
1217 Washington St
Calistoga, CA
T: 707.942.1180