Smeagol is Free!
A hermitudinal view of...stuff...


8.24.2009  

Not Yet

I took a little trip to New York City last December. I'd never been to New York, either the state or the city, and as such, I did what most folks in my situation would think preposterous: I visited coffee shops. Just coffee shops.

I didn't go alone, as I dragged along Andrew and Sandi. They were the friends with whom I was spending Christmas, and as such, were being very gracious in indulging me and feeding my delight at the mere thought of all the delicious coffee and espresso to be had in The City That Never Sleeps. Quite apt, you'd think, for one questing for culinary delights of a caffeinated nature to do his questing in a city so named, yet that was not always the case. In fact, only in the past five years or so has New York City gained a reputation -- legitimately, mind you -- as a destination worthy of those seeking delicious coffee. That goes against the grain of logic, does it not? One would think that a metropolis as massive and, reputedly, as cultured as New York City would be crawling with stellar coffees...right? Not so much.

Not until recently, that is.

Why write about New York City's coffee scene, you ask? Well, I'm not. I just bring up that much larger city to make a point: Louisville has yet to have a coffee establishment that consistently serves great coffee.

Calm down, calm down. I can see the Louisville locals clamoring for my head. (I have long, flowing blond locks if anyone was wondering.)

Note the third word in my point: Yet. Yet. It's much easier to sit around and say we have great coffee here than it is to actually go and find out what truly great coffee tastes like, who is serving it, and, most importantly, how they do it. It would be no small understatement to say it takes a lot of humble effort to be great. All the fluff on the labels won't matter one iota if the product in the bag isn't great, and the most stellar, highly sought-after, Direct-Trade, artisanally-roasted beans in the world won't matter if those beans are left to sit for a month after roasting or aren't pulled or brewed with the utmost attention and care, shot after shot, cup after cup. The coffee served in Louisville can become consistently great, even outstanding; it just takes some humble effort.

posted by Bolo | 11:43 PM
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