Best of Birmingham...REALLY?

As our fair city grows and flows toward a more independent and foodie existence, I wonder how we come to our conclusions. We have talented people working and living here. There are even those who intentionally and consistently make their actions count toward bringing national attention to more positive subjects other than our troubled 60's image or our ridiculously expensive and unwarranted water and sewer debacle.  However, when I read the newly published "Best of Birmingham 2011," I wonder what our citizens truly want.  Who is voting?  Who isn't voting?  What are people voting on...the products, the employees, the experiences? Maybe it's one, some, all or none of these.

Ok, this is a coffee blog and the Best of Birmingham 2011 coffee results are what prompted me to write this, so I must admit my confusion.  With all due respect to O'Henry's, I don't get why they won top billing. Flavored coffee is not specialty coffee; so maybe Birmingham citizens don't want specialty coffee. Starbucks comes in second place?  Come on, people!  We jump on the "buy local" bandwagon every day and then vote a chain into 2nd place?  I guess it's a good thing that Urban Standard even got mentioned.  Where are the votes for Church Street Coffee or Crestwood Coffee or Primavera?  Birmingham friends, I invite you to try one of these places.  I can guarantee you will not only enjoy the wonderful coffees and teas, but you will meet some great artists and engineers working their trades for their customers.

Perhaps I need to give O'Henry's another shot.  Perhaps I'm missing the point.  Not everyone desires the highest quality.  But then I wonder...

Roast, inc. - Nashville

Whenever I travel, I try to find a non-chain place for coffee...more specifically, for excellent coffee.  I am not always successful in my quest, but there are times when I am pleasantly surprised.  This is the case for my recent find in Nashville.  A friend had suggested I give Roast a try, so while my visit was quick, I squeezed in some time for a cup.

Roast, inc. is located in a sleepy, generic part of Nashville close to Lipscomb University.  The shop is situated in a back corner of an older U-shaped shopping center that includes a Smoke Shop, an Alzheimer's Clinic and a few vacant store fronts.  In other words, there is no draw other than what is inside Roast.  As I entered the shop, I noticed a few people sipping their beverages while burying their heads in their laptops.  I was greeted by two friendly employees who seemed genuinely interested in helping me find the "right" coffee when I told them it was my first visit.  

The cool thing about this place is that they brew by the cup.  There are no airpots or commercial brewers. The customer picks out a coffee and then chooses a brew method.  They also have espresso based drinks, but I was far more interested in their single origins and brew methods.  Out of the handful of methods, I chose a Kenyan coffee brewed by a Hario V60.  It produced a beautifully clean cup with a big mouthfeel and medium acidity.  

Unfortunately, my time was limited so I was not able to engage with the employees about their operation and their coffee knowledge.  Roast, inc. is a great concept.  I'm not sure about overall execution, but they are friendly and the cup I had was worth writing about.  I will definitely go back when I have more time to hang out.  

My quest for the perfect coffee alchemy continues...

Last Day of Pepper Place 2011

To celebrate the last day of Pepper Place Market 2011, I decided to head down there in search of three items.  The first item I was hoping to find was pasture raised eggs.  Unfortunately the chickens didn't cooperate.  The second item I was seeking out was some wonderful breakfast to take home and surprise my family.  This was a success.  I found the Mix Guy shivering in his hoodie, so he quickly sold me 3 tasty croissants loaded with almond goodness.  The third item I was seeking was coffee, but to be honest, the real reason I went was to hang out with Woody, the owner and roaster of FinerGrind Coffee Roasters.  Not only is he an excellent roaster, but he is the kind of guy everyone either knows or wants to know.  Woody loves coffee and loves people; it shows in his work and in his conversation.  Birmingham is fortunate to have FinerGrind as part of its budding culinary community.  The kind of integrity and care he puts into his work shows with every batch he roasts.  

Well enough about my trip to Pepper Place.  It's time to brew the magic!