If this happens, I'll be sending post cards from California (Elkins: sale, 2009)

[harborlady]

Die hard fanatics claim jamaican blue mtn or kona beans are the epitome of coffee, but no way I'd be paying $40/lb. Too rich for my blood. Maybe a sampler someday, but not a habit I'd want to maintain.

If you know it's fresh and can splurge on the mark up, aim for the organic sumatra. Mandheling dark is much less acidic than anything I've tried. Fair trade brand I picked up was really good, and Bucks county brand was very good too. Starbucks sells their own sumatra but it was stale when I picked it up in the supermarket so I never reached for it again.

Guess it's like krispy kremes- have to go directly there or get stuck with leftovers. Ecce Panis bread is the same thing- pales in comparison to out of the oven fresh; poor distribution does a disservice to the quality. Starbucks the store- I'll never say never but up north everyday 7-11 coffee is a better bang for the buck (no clue why 7-11 WV uses different brand, or maybe it's the water? Not the same). Taylor books I'm on it like white on rice. Starbucks in town center mall has no Wifi, food court crowd is a bit immature & it's too noisy.

There's a small shop across from the downtown chase building that had decent cappucino but I didn't catch the name and I haven't been back since to try any varieties. Might want to check that out if you're happening by someday.

[r601020]

Originally Posted by harborlady

. . I'll never say never but up north everyday 7-11 coffee is a better bang for the buck (no clue why 7-11 WV uses different brand, or maybe it's the water? Not the same).

It's the water. I use bottled water here to cook with because tap spoils the taste. 7-11 coffee has that tap taste (they need to filter their water).

Need to get directions from GO on that spring he mentioned elsewhere so I can come up.

Will look into the place near Chase, thanks.

Been to Jamaica for coffee and curry goat; coffee was good, loved the seafood. Blue Mountain is a strong coffee, with its own unique flavor, but there is a bitterness to it, an after-taste, so although I enjoy it, it's difficult for me to finish that second cup. But yeah, it's a bit expensive in the states and the scenery isn't the same. Much better on the roof overlooking Montego Bay, but then, any coffee is better outside.

You might try this.
illyusa - Coffee - Category

[GottaHerdOn]

Hostels are probably what I'll be staying at as we travel around Europe. We'll still have the apt. or long term hostel in Warsaw. Polish coffee... hmm.. you have my attention. I've gotta admit I'm one of those WV'ians Harbor Lady speaks of. I like weak stuff, ha ha I'm a baby. But I love Starbucks, especially if I have to get up before 10 AM... ha ha

Thanks r601020!!! Its good to know I'll have someone with some advice etc. It's kind of scary thinking that in a few months I'll be living on a completely different continent. ha ha with differnent cultures, people, climates, etc But I'm so excited at the same time.

Thanks guys.

Any booze reccommendations? ha ha supposedly thats what Europe is famous for right?

[r601020]

Originally Posted by GottaHerdOn

Thanks r601020!!! Its good to know I'll have someone with some advice etc. It's kind of scary thinking that in a few months I'll be living on a completely different continent. ha ha with differnent cultures, people, climates, etc But I'm so excited at the same time.

Can't help you with booze, I drink like a fish, so I had to give it up. But if you can get a red label Russian vodka with the czar's portrait on it, that's the best.

I took a pocket language translator to Russia with me, helped enormously. It also included a currency converter. I'm sure they make them for the language of Poland. Just listen to your intuition and you'll be fine, know like anywhere, there are neighborhoods you shouldn't walk around in, and people who will size you up as a mark. Common sense is always the best travel companion.

When in Rome . .

[harborlady]

Acres of booze in charlotte amalie. Dad came close to tanning my rump buying 2 dozen sampler bottles of liquor when I was 15. "But DAaaaD, I'm SUPPOSED to do crazy stuff at this age." (Talk about brat!)

Behave yourself if traditional absinthe is available to you. Reg's aren't the same as USA and you might need those brain cells someday. Russian vodka (they called it sheela) knocked out every officer we had- carried across gangplank in dress blues- the captain was mortified. I think it's their version of moonshine but makes a good paint thinner as well. Oh and weird floating things in warm german beer is normal. Don't wonder about the dept of health, it's fine, just grains. Should you make it to Madrid, be sure to have a pitcher of sangria for me. I've always wanted to go but never did.

Polish food- I've never been there either but I had a polish/lithuanian great grandmother who taught me a thing or two. It was mighty confusing. Pierogi's are like ravioli, filled with different stuff, never with ricotta cheese. Can't go wrong with potato and cheddar filling. Sometimes it's filled with sausage or kraut, other times some mysterious organ meat (akin to 'sweetbreads').
She used to make a potato bread she called babka, with beer in the batter and then poured a bit more on top 3/4's of the way cooked, but when I googled for a recipe it doesn't register as the same thing. The lithuanian version is described here Babka - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Babka is also a bread for holidays, sort of like jewish challah bread, only our family fave was cherry cheese flavor. More commonly it has raisins. Came out like a huge danish in a cake pan, the braids barely visible. The difference from the jewish version is that it called for scalded milk and the jewish bread gets basted with egg in it's baking phase for a glossy top. Otherwise it's pretty similar.

There are two things called chruski-- one is like a thin piece of fried dough with powdered sugar on top that we'd have at easter time. Then there is chruski soup, which was a raw grated potato dumpling soup (similar to italian gnocchi) that had a bacon & onion stock. Tastes great and really sticks to the ribs in winter but looks absolutely horrid in a bowl (like gruel from charles dickens tale). How these two different things could have the same name is beyond me. Summertime she'd make cucumber salad- slices with chopped raw onion soaked in cider vinegar, then sour cream, salt, pepper and sugar to taste. By and large potato was common in most dishes. Root veggies were also a main staple in the house. Beets, kraut, turnips, parsnips, carrots, brussel sprouts were all standard fare. She had no clue how to cook fresh meat on grill or roast in an oven because I guess they preserve/dry meat as habit in that culture. No such thing as a med rare steak. Her habit was to boil or braise everything, using the cuts of meat that most americans would be squeamish about using, but I suspect it might have been the level of poverty she lived out growing up. All I know was if tripe were in the pot I'd run down the block and hide from dinner. Maybe R can explain the cuisine better since he's been there.

Are you learning a language now? I heard this program is the best... Language Learning with Rosetta Stone

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by GottaHerdOn

Well there is always Massachusetts and Connecticut

more to come later

Why do you think my partner and I will likely be leaving Pennsylvania soon? As long as these right-wing states such as PA and WV choose to be so intolerant they'll continue to bleed out plenty of LGBT talent to other areas. Scranton's loss may very well be Hartford's gain.

[Hinton Bound]

Originally Posted by harborlady

Die hard fanatics claim jamaican blue mtn or kona beans are the epitome of coffee, but no way I'd be paying $40/lb. Too rich for my blood. Maybe a sampler someday, but not a habit I'd want to maintain.

If you know it's fresh and can splurge on the mark up, aim for the organic sumatra. Mandheling dark is much less acidic than anything I've tried. Fair trade brand I picked up was really good, and Bucks county brand was very good too. Starbucks sells their own sumatra but it was stale when I picked it up in the supermarket so I never reached for it again.

Guess it's like krispy kremes- have to go directly there or get stuck with leftovers. Ecce Panis bread is the same thing- pales in comparison to out of the oven fresh; poor distribution does a disservice to the quality. Starbucks the store- I'll never say never but up north everyday 7-11 coffee is a better bang for the buck (no clue why 7-11 WV uses different brand, or maybe it's the water? Not the same). Taylor books I'm on it like white on rice. Starbucks in town center mall has no Wifi, food court crowd is a bit immature & it's too noisy.

There's a small shop across from the downtown chase building that had decent cappucino but I didn't catch the name and I haven't been back since to try any varieties. Might want to check that out if you're happening by someday.

Geez, I should have continued to follow this thread!! I'm the official "Coffee Snob" of my coworkers and friends. I go with only dark roasts (French/Italian/Espresso). Believe it or not, they contain less caffein that lighter roasts. Just opposite of what I would think. My coffee only comes from a french press (only way to make good coffee!), beans are bought right out of the roaster. Nothing computerized on it, it's a roaster from the late 1800's. Roast master takes his scoop, pulls out a handfull- smells 'em, chews 'em, rolls 'em around in his hand... all the old fasioned way (and 1/2 the price of Starbucks). The beans look wet when I buy them. That's the oils that "sweat" from the bean when it's roasted. If you use a paper filter, all the oils (flavor) are absorbed by the paper. Coffee from fresh beans and a french press looks like an Exxon Valdez spill- all the oils make a pretty rainbow in the coffee. MMMmmmm .

Stop by for a cup someday, once you try it you can never go back...

[GottaHerdOn]

Hinton Bound-
Did the gay issue not resonate well with you? You should have known the way these forums progress we'd either be on the subject of coffee and foreign cuisine, or both... ha ha or for that matter alcohol.. ha ha

R601020-

You've made me thirsty, ha ha I will be sure to try some of that. Yes I know about the streets you shouldn't walk down and stuff. I don't know where they are there. But remember, I'm living in Huntington right now. ha ha There are places you just don't go.

Habor Lady -

YOU HAVE MADE ME SO HUNGRY!! That stuff that your grandmother used to make sounds delicious! I love trying different foods, especially from other countries. I'm going to try to learn a little of the language before I go, and hopefully more when I'm over there. But damn! Its hard! Polish is not an easy language to learn.

Scranbarre-

Yeah, I couldn't have said it better myself. Some states and regions of the country are shooting themselves in the foot. I don't know if they think gays are going away or what. But it's their loss. Be happy with you are, and find the one that makes you happiest and don't care what the government or the right says.

[Hinton Bound]

Originally Posted by GottaHerdOn

Hinton Bound-
Did the gay issue not resonate well with you? You should have known the way these forums progress we'd either be on the subject of coffee and foreign cuisine, or both... ha ha or for that matter alcohol.. ha ha

You know me, I'm all about individual rights! For me, the "gay" issue isn't as issue. The country was founded on the notion that each state can have it's own laws (so long as the Constitution isn't usurped). If CA, NY, NJ or where ever thinks it can increase it's tax base by attracting a certain group, then have at it! If I were in your shoes though, I'd pick Vermont. They have no requirement for concealed weapon permit.

..and so we'll drink, eat and be merry! Life's too short for anything less.
~Mark

[harborlady]

R everything winds up going through my brita pitcher at home so I think you're spot on about lack of filtered water elsewhere. The link you posted had an espresso machine for $700. Might be all in my head but I paid $500 for my first car and that benchmark makes me behave. I figure a site with Julian Schnabel demi tasse sets going for $120 is leaning toward cachet and less about the coffee. I could be wrong but that's usually how marketing gimmicks work. You never mentioned what you were drinking in australia, and the coffee at that link didn't specify the varietal bean... is it all standard arabica or columbian? Do tell more if you've tried it. If it's good stuff I can get past Julian Schnabel pretenses in a NY minute.

Mark I've got 3 coffee presses, an old school Italian espresso pot, bean grinders and a delongi espresso machine from macys bargain basement. Regular coffee I adore my melita thermal carafe set up so the coffee never gets burned & aroma stays locked in. Gevalia membership I had wasn't worth keeping but it was well worth the complimentary melita.

Italian roasts often have a burnt taste but that seems to happen more in the states. Old world Italian restaurants in Brooklyn had import connections and I got spoiled by it once I knew the difference. Bodega's Santa Domingan coffee was so strong it would put hair on your chest. Had to cut it with sweetened condensed milk for crimminy sake. French roast is usually my default in the supermarket because it's stronger, but can get too acidic. I won't bother with any brands lesser than maxwell house, but I've found that I can stretch better coffee that's fresh ground with maxwells to make it go further. Coffee snob that you are, I think you'd bust me for it right away.

Where on earth did you find a roaster from the 1800's? I googled and found home roasters for the price of my first car. Alton Brown did a show on coffee and I got the impression that the real art comes in the roasting phase- something likely to be a long learning curve for me. Maybe R & I should just commute our coveted beans to Hinton. HAHAHAHA

GHO If you learn german it will likely take you throughout much of europe. If you must learn them all, memorize how to say this in every language: "Pardon me, where is the men's bathroom?" The rest you can learn as you go along with a pocket translator as R suggested.