Review: Roasting Plant, NYC

Background: Roasting Plant has a handful of locations around NYC, founded by a former Starbucs exec and engineer. He developed a trademarked machine called a "Javabot" (no joke) where the beans are roasted on site, sent to vertical hopper tubes for storage (pic here), and then upon ordering, are shot across the store into the all-in-one Egro brand Swiss Coffee machine that grinds the beans and brews them to order.

Flavor: Customers are prompted to pick which beans they want in their drink, no matter what type of drink you order. I was a little overwhelmed by the bean choices (approx. ten) and after tiring of trying to read over each one, settled on the Kenyan in the middle of the row (beans are arranged from raw to roasted, lightest roast to darkest). In mere seconds, a full cup of coffee appeared before me, complete with a thick crema. The coffee was clean, with berry tones and low acidity and the crema was rich and fresh. I admit I was a little jealous of the machine to produce the perfect crema sitting on top of the brew.

Source: The beans available were sourced from locales in South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia and the website describes "an eye towards organic agriculture and fair trade practices".

Rating: Having a cup of coffee brewed individually to order seems to me like an event that one should savor and feel a bit luxurious about, so ordering from a flatscreen menu and having the coffee appear in front of you untouched by human hands kind of put a damper on the experience. I was too skeptical of the Javabot's tamping skills and milk prep to get a latte, but will definitely try one out next time so I can fully judge the "woman v. machine" battle when it comes to preparing a coffee drink. I wonder if a Javabot that can produce latte art is in the works?

new brew

we are now brewing costa rican single origin in addition to the house french roast. this light to medium coffee has an almond aroma and a slightly acidic finish. david recommends making it in a press pot. if you don't own a press, get thee to a bargain department store and buy one now. I have seen them for as little as $7-$10 on sale. Many companies make expensive speciality press equipment claiming the perfectly designed container for brewing coffee, but really, every press pot I've ever seen looks exactly the same-- glass cylinder pitcher/beaker + metal mesh or nylon filter attached to metal plunger. The most important thing is making sure your beans are ground in a burr grinder, not a blade grinder, to produce evenly ground particles, which in turn will produce an even extraction. There are few readily available burr grinders available below $100, and we'll post a review soon of those. In the meantime, if you buy coffee from us by the 1/2 or 1 lb. bag we can grind it for you in our commerical burr grinder in the back. There's also a handful of other variables such as water type and temp, dosing, and brew time that make a difference when brewing in a press pot and I recommend researching that if you have the time. Here's a link to basic instructions on how to make coffee in a press pot.

NEW yummy salad on the menu

with the change in seasons come a change in the menu. we are now serving a chickpea side salad-- a simple salad dressed with colorful and bright flavors of lemon and cilantro, and ginger, cumin, and red onion for kick. pair it with an iced mint-green tea and a piece of strawberry-rhubarb pie and you can just imagine it's almost summer...

Review: Moloka'i Hawaiian Coffee, Trader Joe's

Background: Moloka'i is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago, where King Kamehameha had coffee trees brought in to grow his own "royal" supply of beans. Today these coffee plantations are a source of economic development, tourism, and pride for the islands.

Flavor: Brewed in a press pot, the beans produced a lightly acidic coffee with woodsy flavors and an almond aroma.

Source: This Trader Joe's exclusive of 100% coffee arabica beans lists the product as being grown, roasted, and packed on the island, where "growers control every step of the production process from irrigation and harvest to roasting and packaging."

Rating: The label descibes a dark roast, but the coffee wasn't as full-bodied as I had hoped. For the second pot I used a few more scoops of grounds than normal and it produced a darker brew, but the flavors still weren't coming out (This is supposed to be coffee fit for a king, after all.) Overall, I'm usually a fan of Trader Joe's coffees, for both the price and the variety, but this one doesn't make the cut. Their Bay Blend would be a more reliable choice if looking for a richly flavorful coffee.

what are you drinking/eating right now?

During a recent chocolate craving episode, I visited a corporate-chain coffeeshop for a hot cocoa. What really struck me was the number of non-coffee-related items on the menu boards. The majority were drinks that contained a small percentage of coffee or tea mixed with artificial flavor syrup/flavor powder/pre-made mix, candy bits, copious amounts of milk, and then iced and/or blended and/or topped with more artificial flavor dribbles and whipped cream. This led me to wonder what the most popular purchases are that are happening at our store, so I set up this nifty poll to the right. Of course as standard business practice we do reguarly assess what and how much we are selling and then adjust the menu accordingly, but this is informal and for fun. 

NEW art exhibit is up

Photographer Jacques-Jean Tiziou put the finishing touches on hanging his exhibit in the coffeehouse, and we're excited to have his dynamic images grace our walls for the next eight weeks.

For those of you that favor sitting by the far wall next to the windows, look for the large darkened glass box. Carefully flick the switch on the box sitting on the floor underneath to illuminate some eighty miniature photos inside. According to JJ, that box contains "the most expensive lightbulb I've ever bought in my life" so we ask that you please take caution and not crowd that area with too many electrical cords, bags, papers, or people of any size. We would feel really bad if the box fell and hurt someone or the things inside of it broke.

NEW menu item

We took your suggestions to bring a vegetarian lunch sandwich (without cheese or mayo) to the menu. We are now serving a vegetable + white bean hummus sandwich-- err, wrap during lunchtime hours. Wraps seemed to have reached their peak in the late nineties, but are still seen everywhere from national chains to homespun diners. They have been the starch-friendly star of the low-carb lifestyle, with restaurants using "flatbreads" instead of bread; and much like pizza in this country, are used as a carpet on which poor approximations of various cuisines are laid in an attempt to make a clever all-in-one food item out of what millions around the world simply use as an alternative to a utensil or a plate. (Think tortilla, chapati, injera, pita.) Poor Violet Beauregarde in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In her desperation to be the first to try Wonka's complete meal-in-a-stick-of-gum, she blew up into a giant blue ball when the blueberry pie course went awry. And who remembers the now-defunct WrapWorks in Dupont Circle?

Our version has passed rigorous testing and includes just crunchy raw spinach and shredded carrots with a housemade bean spread. The creamy-yet-light white bean spread is made in the style of a Middle Eastern or European appetizer, with olive oil, spices, herbs, and lemon juice for zest. It's a refreshing addition to the menu and is great for someone who is a vegan or doesn't eat dairy products. Let us know what you think.

shaking it up a bit

We are now brewing Guatemalan Huehuetenango for our medium-roast coffee. Guatemalan coffee tends to be light and brightly acidic, and the Huehuetenango is known for its fruity, spicy undertones. I think of chocolate when I drink our Guatemalan, but then again I think about chocolate about 73% of the time anyway...In any event, try it out, especially with our newest pie selection, the chocolate-oatmeal wonderfulness. The sweetness of the pie is definitely balanced out with a big mug of straight coffee, and the cinnamon-chocolate-red fruit flavors of the coffee just jump right out. Miam!

As for fans of the Ehiopian Yirgacheffe, don't fret! We're still using it for our cold-brewed iced coffee.

We've made it past our terrible twos!

Yes! We made it to year number three and now have renegotiated our contract with Politics and Prose for another five! Thank you to all of you who have been here since the beginning and have watched us pull our hair out and cry so many times, but also have been here to help us reach landmarks and celebrations.
Last few days, I have been reminiscing with Adam and Ryan about those first few days and, honestly, we can't figure out how we pulled it off. Operating on so little sleep, no experience, and teaching ourselves as we went along. We are so lucky that we are in this space and that so many people were there to help the business stumble and then walk upright into what it is now. It is just like watching a being grow and mature, at some point just taking off on its own; the whole process has unfolded organically, for Modern Times is made of people!
We have such a wonderful staff behind the counter and behind the scenes. I am terribly grateful for their commitment and constant efforts to keep the same consistent level of quality and professionalism. With them, the coffeehouse is in good hands and I wish they were all around for good.
Well, again, thanks to all of you who have seen us grow into a three-year-old business. I promise: Modern Times will continue it's constant path of change and improvement, retaining that strong core of quality and a genuine love for coffeehouse culture. I am so glad we are here, within the walls of Politics and Prose; Barbara and Carla have been great mentors along this path. We inherited a great clientele and an awareness of the value of constant involvement and of the importance of the individuals behind the business.
Hope to see you all around for the next five years! I have a feeling I will be seeing the same faces I have seen, sometimes daily, for the past three.

love,
javier

happy snow day

Snow days are the best days to relax in the kitchen with a cup of coffee and bake a dessert. It makes the house smell nice and you have something to show for yourself, since we all know how productive we are when we tell the boss we're "working from home today". I found this recipe several years  ago and it's become a staple for shabby-chic dinner parties and potlucks. It's a good way to use leftover coffee, there's not many ingredients, and it can be made ahead of time. The trickiest part is the bain-marie (water bath). You can serve it plain, with the suggested whipped cream, or with a powdered sugar decoration. (Put a doily or homemade paper snowflake on top and sprinkle away-- you'll get oohs and aahs from your guests when you bring it out.) You could also stick some frozen sweetened strawberries or raspberries in the blender and make a colorful sauce to drizzle on the plate before serving. 

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE 

Gourmet, February 1997