Tastes just like chicken...

Good morning... What can I get for you?

I hope you had a good weekend. Pat Nerr and his family did. We spent a little time at the Pike Place Market with the boys... had some breakfast at one of our favorite "date" spots... even ran into Dave Olsen and his wife there. Our date spot is a little place called Campagne. I've always loved that place... Feels French, but it's not. Even the alleyway, with it's parked Vespas, potted flowers, outdoor seating and no cars feels French... but it's not... There was even a line of folks paying homage to the "first" Starbucks btw... but you know better now.

Starbucks has always been a place that "tastes like chicken"... The Milanese-Italian coffee bar experience. But it's not. I'm not sure if you all have been to an authentic Italian coffee bar in Italy... I have... a few times. To keep things in perspective, there are around 15,000 coffee bars in the city of Rome alone... and Starbucks has less that 15,000 stores worldwide. Italy uses their coffee bars for more than just coffee... coffee, food, 10 minute gathering spot, news place, ice cream, and finally, wine and beer. Those places ARE a 3rd place and not a destination... nobody drives there... everyone walks... Giuseppe (the barista) isn't a service person... he's your buddy... your equal. He's your savior... and his coffee has a very unique style to it. And Antonio's espresso, 2 doors down, has his own personality to it.

So, the goal has always been to re-create the Italian coffee bar experience. The first Il Giornales probably were the closest thing to it... Drive thrus, food cases, day parts, night parts, cups, trinkets, signage, cds, flat screen tvs for the cds, music downloads... Starbucks has become a place of getting what they think you want... not of getting what you need to fill up your soul's cup. And trust me... your soul doesn't need 20oz of the Venti-Frappa-Whatcha-mahoosit. It only needs 1 to 2oz of a thick, black, caramelly-tasting shot. Only your ego, needs all that other stuff. Now, I know that coffee is a commodity... but the experience never should be.

So, back to the Italian coffee bar. If you ask an Italian barista, they'll tell you a little about their coffee. A blend of arabicas with a touch of robusta... WHAT!!! ROBUSTA?? What the hell is Pat trying to sell here huh?? It is true... to make a good espresso, you need some robusta in there. It adds to the crema and the tangy after taste. If you dump in 16oz of steamed non-fat or 3 pumps of this and 2 pumps of that, it doesn't matter much... but for the folks that drink it 1 or 2oz at a time, it is s key ingredient to getting the "chicken" to at least taste like chicken.

So here's a little secret for you... to help you create at least the taste of Italy in your mouth... and I have yet to find a place that can create the experience now that Starbucks has disbanded Torrefazione. What you want to do it get out your Starbucks Barista machine (and not the automatic one) and buy yourself a can of Illy Caffe pre-ground espresso. Get the pre-ground kind. Prime your machine, take that portafilter and drop in some grounds... tamp it slightly, and brew yourself 2oz... spoon in some raw sugar and some real cream.

Trust me, it'll taste "just like chicken".

We'll see you tomorrow for your usual... I'll talk about my feelings on THIS tomorrow.

Pat Nerr...