Coffee, Wine & Doing Lines

You may have seen their logo around town; the initials “CM” golden-winged against tar black. But do you really know the extent of the operation behind the logo? Cafe Moto’s roots go way back. It began in 1990 as a division of its parent Company, Pannikin Coffee & Tea, which has been roasting coffee in San Diego since 1968. Second generation owners, Torrey and Kim Lee incorporated in 1998, and have continued to be dedicated to their craft of producing quality coffee and teas.

Besides roasting sustainable or organic coffee, they’ve gone green in other ways using solar power to decrease their carbon footprint. Talking about the impact of buying organic and fairly traded beans was clearly important to the owner, Torrey, who showed us around the roasting room before our scheduled tasting. It was a delight to meet Torrey, and such a pleasure to get a chance to hear him talk about his family legacy surrounded by many of the relics from roasting generations past on display in their storeroom.

After our tour of the storeroom, Torrey guided our small group of 10 or so into their in-store kitchen leaving us in the hands of our tasting host, Juan Gutierrez. They use the kitchen to train clients ranging from chefs  to newbie Baristas on the fundamentals of quality coffee brewing.

We all gathered around a table neatly prepared complete with tasting notes. I stood next to Danielle and Shawn of Global Grind Coffee (located at the Encinitas Library), clients of Cafe Moto’s, and a big fan of Moto’s commitment to sustainable practices and fair wages for the farmer’s they work with. Also a part of the group, were a few newbies to tasting such as myself and a couple business partners opening a coffee cafe in Seattle. A nice dynamic with lots of perspectives.

Gutierrez, our host for the tasting or what is technically termed a “cupping”, explained that the more you know about the process of getting the bean from farm to cup the more you realize that coffee should command a price closer to that of wine. Ignorance is truly bliss. I find myself agreeing with him as I’ve traversed deeper and deeper into what getting one great tasting shot entails, but that is a discussion that deserves its own platform and dedicated post.

I thought most inspring to note that by the time the green seed of the coffee cherry reaches Cafe Moto or other Roasters in the States, over 80 different hands have likely touched it in some way, from cultivation and processing to storage and shipping, and even if all those points of contact get everything right and Cafe Moto manages to roast the bean ( or “seed”) perfectly; one improper grind, tamp, or poor pull on an improperly calibrated espresso machine could render the coffee undrinkable. It’s enough to bring a tear to your eye when you think of all that goes into the shot that the Barista just burned. So much blood, sweat and tears…wasted. 

We began the tasting talking about how, like wine tasting, no two palates are alike. I’ve touched on this in previous posts. This is very true. One reason whilst tasting and scoring coffees (also scored similarly to wine with the highest score being a perfect 100), more than one palate is useful. Usually, palates are in agreement if within a few points of each other.

Gutierrez also touched on the four steps of tasting coffee and tea:  Smell, slurp, locate the experience on your tongue, write a description. Before dipping our noses into the first cup of grinds, Gutierrez pointed out the five categories we’d be scoring: Aroma, flavor, acidity, body, and aftertaste or finish. And then it was time to begin…

The first coffee we inhaled, slurped, and discussed was the Organic Gayo Mountain from the Island of Sumatra in Indonesia. Chocolate to the nose, and earthy to the taste I agreed.

The second coffee, was the biggest hitter in the line-up, the Organic Guatemala ASOBAGRI. ASOBAGRI is the name of the cooperative that grows the coffee and trains its farmers in organic, bird-friendly practices. Strong bakers chocolate and floral notes lit up my senses, and the taste was equally pleasing. Gutierrez admitted once we’d all chimed in on what we were experiencing that the Guatemala was his favorite.

Lastly, from the cradle of civilization and it is believed the origin of coffee itself, we tasted the Organic Ethiopian Yrgacheffe. Sun dried, not washed, given that Ethiopia is a dry country and water is scarce. This process of sun drying the cherry allows the fruit to bake into the seed, or coffee bean. A noted difference in the appearance of the bean was the visible parchment in the crease of the seed also indicative of sun dried or naturally processed coffees. Cupping the fresh grinds and inhaling their aroma, I caught the scent of fruit, berry possibly and wood…it was smokey like a nice tabacco.

I actually commented at this point that I’d like to do lines of the stuff it smelled so good. Thank gawd the group was easy going! Instead of side-glances and looks of disapproval for my comparing coffee to cocaine, the suggestion was met with laughter and nods of agreement. I caught myself thinking I’d like to party with a few of these characters, no doubt the feeling was mutual. The taste of the Yrgacheffe was pleasing, but not as promising as the nose had suggested. In the end, I had to agree that the Guatemala was my favorite of the three as well even if my initial response didn’t involve visions of neatly lining it up with a razor blade on a smooth reflective surface…

Thanks Juan, Torrey and the rest of the gang at Cafe Moto for taking my coffee knowledge to the next level whilst having a few laughs along the way! I’m enjoying the Guatemala (even shared it with my neighbors). I look forward to doing another tasting in the not too distant future. 

Cafe Moto holds tastings regularly, so please call or email ahead your interest in attending so they can get you in. Enjoy!

Whatever you do, DON’T scan this QR code. An invitation to have some fun may result. The last thing anyone needs in their life is more fun. Should you scan it and allow more fun into your packed full of fun life, whatever you do DON’T share it with ANYONE. Fun should not be allowed to spiral out of control. It could snowball and cause a crack in the space-time continuum. Don’t be that guy; forever memorialized for cracking the space-time continuum…

Coming soon to your Tumblr, Twitter or Facebook Feed…

Coffee tasting (technically referred to as a “cupping”) at Cafe Moto. This update is brought to you by my gluten challenged lifestyle. Cafe Moto has gluten free brownies!!!

Press Release

Coffee For A Cause

A Fundraising Event for The Wounded EOD Warrior Foundation (WEODWF)

San Diego, CA. February 20, 2013:  San Diego Joe Coffee Blogger, also known in the local San Diego coffee community as Jessica Percifield, presents the Second Coffee For A Cause Event to benefit the Wounded EOD Warrior Foundation. The event will be hosted by InterAmerican Coffee, which is located in the historic Wheel Works Building at 1205 J. Street, downtown San Diego, on Saturday March 23^rd, from 1p.m. to 3p.m. Tickets are $15, available online at http://coffeeforacause.eventbrite.com. All proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to the WEODWF. A silent raffle and a portion of bean sales will also benefit the WEODWF.

The first Coffee For A Cause Event was such a success that we’ve answered the call to do it again on a larger scale with the help of InterAmerican Coffee and as many as ten local coffee Roasters that will include Roast Magazine’s 2012 Micro-Roaster of the Year, Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, and other Roasters, old and new, making names for themselves like The West Bean, La Costa Coffee, James Coffee Company, and Caffe CaLabria to name a few.

Coffee For A Cause is more than an opportunity to spend an afternoon talking coffee, learning home brewing best practices, tasting locally roasted coffees paired with biscotti and a few other locally prepared treats, it is an opportunity to give to San Diego’s local Chapter of the Wounded EOD Warrior Foundation.

The Fundraiser will benefit the Wounded EOD Warrior Foundation. EOD means Explosive Ordnance Disposal. EOD Techs are the bomb squad of the military. Navy and Marine EOD units are stationed here in San Diego County. When they deploy to combat zones, their job is to disarm IEDs and other dangerous explosives. When an EOD Tech is gravely injured, their family is equally affected. WEODWF provides support for the family of EOD Techs as they recover and reintegrate into life after the blast.

About the host: InterAmerican Coffee’s mission, as an importer, is to source and deliver high quality green coffee to roasters throughout North America. They use their global supply chain to search for the finest coffees and bring increased choices to their customers. They strive to build, support, and foster sustainable relationships with their suppliers, customers, communities, and the environment. Sheridan Owings, a Trading Assistant at InterAmerican, attended the first Coffee for a Cause event as a volunteer back in November of 2012. She was so excited by the energy, interest and fun everyone had whilst giving to such a great Cause that she immediately offered InterAmerican’s space for the next event. An invitation Coffee For A Cause was happy to accept.

Event Details:

Event: Coffee For A Cause

Presented By: San Diego Joe

Hosted By: InterAmerican Coffee, Inc.

Location: Historic Wheel Works Bldg., 1205 J Street, San Diego, CA 92101

When: Saturday, March 23, 2013; 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Ticket Price: $15; available online at http://coffeeforacause.eventbrite.com

Includes: Tasting flights of up to 10 local Roasters; home brew best practices with diverse home brew methods such as Chemex, Pour Over and French Press; biscotti and other treats; tasting glass and tasting card to take home.

Sponsors/Donors:

Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) | InterAmerican Coffee, Inc. | San Diego Joe | Local Coffee Roasters

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I hope to see you all there!

—San Diego Joe

Sometimes it IS necessary to pour a little coffee out now and again…don’t you agree ladies?

(via sydkneeeee)

Staycation’s All I Ever Wanted…

If you’re anything like me you’re counting the hours and days until you’re able to take a little R and R. Relaxation for me is about the little things: like making sure I stay close to great little cafes in which to enjoy my morning joe, and being able to stick my feet in the sand and nap the day away if I like; no commitments to get to.

Luckily for me, I live only 20 minutes from the beach, but life gets busy and I don’t always get a chance to truly enjoy it. I’ll admit that I have quite a list of cities and dream vacations I’d like to get too, but since 2008, things have been a bit on the tight side financially, so, like many, I’ve developed a fond attachment to a little something I call a “Staycation.”

A staycation is not really about how many days you spend away from your daily life and routine, it can be as little as an overnight stay. Just long enough to recharge a little; a day spent doing a number of things you enjoy such as a mani-pedi, spa or the beach, with or without a companion, finished with a relaxing stay in a bed you don’t have to make hopefully enjoying coffee and breakfast you don’t necessarily have to make either. Of course, for me, it doesn’t feel like a staycation without a large spa tub to soak in preferably while sipping a little bubbly.

One popular destination for me is just about an hour North of San Diego; San Clemente. This charming coastal town is full of shopping and little cafes along the beach. We spontaneously turned a trip caught in traffic on the way to L.A. into a Bed & Breakfast outing on the beach. The most relaxing 24 hours of my life and worth every cent. The B & B had beach blankets and everything we didn’t plan on bringing along including a french press and fresh ground coffee to enjoy on the veranda with breakfast in the morning.

Since that spontaneous get-a-way, I’ve been scouting out other staycation opportunities a little closer to home and one of my favorite locals is Mission Beach. If you’re feeling like being a kid, there’s places to get drinks along the boardwalk not too mention Belmont Park where you can do bumper cars and ride an old roller coaster to get the adrenaline pumping. Who doesn’t enjoy bumper cars? The only thing better would be a giant bouncy castle. I don’t care how old I am, if there’s a bouncy castle I’m going on it!

I especially like this area for the numerous beach front rentals to choose from. Talk about eye-candy! I don’t have to own them to enjoy them, I just have to know that it’s a great time of year to get them at a discount price since all the tourists have, for the most part, fled back to their hometowns. Prime time to enjoy the beaches again without the crowds.

Mission Beach is also home to a couple of my favorite beach community coffee cafes, such as Cafe Mono, Olive Cafe and Mission Cafe. Cafe Mono serves up an organic, locally roasted, cup of bliss complete with latte art and many fresh salads, sandwiches and pastries. Olive Cafe serves breakfast and lunch all day long, which means I can sleep in as long as I like and still order pancakes with the sand still clinging to my feet from my morning stroll. Not too far away is one of three Mission Cafe locations with a lovely coffee bar for my much needed morning fix.

Of course for those who can’t sit still, beach front rentals from kayaks for the Bay to bikes for the boardwalk are available all over Mission Beach. Have fun with that. If I’m not soaking in the tub, strolling in the sand, napping in the sun or kicked back sipping coffee, it just isn’t a real staycation…

Coffee, T-Shirts & Time Travel

We went out

in search of coffee

twenty years of T-shirts to explore;

A history

an anthology

of wearable lore.

Mad scribbles of legends

hung on the walls

while their words

in our ears crawled.

Snap-snap-snap!

A camera’s sobering flash

takes you back

to another time,

another T-shirt,

a moment to share

what it is

us kids use to wear…