I am a fan of coffee… actually let me rephrase that…I am a fan of coffee culture. What’s the difference? I am not a coffee expert, the way I drink coffee would probably offend coffee purists; I put too much sugar in it sometimes and don’t get overly concerned about what region it came from or the “toffee notes” etc. that are present in this one verses that one. I do know when I like a particular coffee or when I don’t. All that being said, I love coffee shops and appreciate good independent coffee shops of all types. This really came into focus upon moving to Portland.
When I lived in St. Petersburg, FL there were two independent coffee shops; yes you read that correctly, two (I understand it’s getting better now). I know, how did I survive? The short answer is Starbucks. I have nothing against Starbucks; they have a level of consistency that ensures you always know what you are going to get and they are literally everywhere. From what I understand, they also treat their employees pretty well too. All that constancy makes for a bland/corporate experience however (what a hipster statement). The first real independent coffee shop I went to here in Portland was on the west side of the hills and I ordered a cappuccino. For the first time ever I was asked wet or dry and I had no idea what the barista was talking about. It was great!
When I get into something, I’m usually fascinated by the mechanics of it. For example, being into photography, I get into the science behind it and the balance between exposure, aperture, and shutter speed. With coffee, it’s the grinding of the beans, the pressure required for brewing the coffee, the steaming of milk. I enjoy watching baristas brew coffee, especially the ones obsessive about it, the ones who weigh the grounds and time the brew while weighing it to get just the right balance even if I can’t really taste the difference. I appreciate the passion behind it. At the end of the day, coffee is an experience and that kind of passion is reflected in the experience patrons have.
Prince Coffee
I like coffee shops that have a community feel. My favorite ones are part of the neighborhood and help define it. My current go to is Prince Coffee in the Kenton neighborhood. I can walk to it, the baristas are friendly, the coffee is fantastic, and the best part of all… STROOPWAFELS! If you have never has a stroopwafel, stop what you are doing right now and go get one! I do a lot of my writing at this coffee shop and this time of year the weather is so nice I can enjoy the short walk to get there. I’ll do a full article on Prince Coffee in a future post (as well as others) but just know it’s a pretty cool place.
