La Patisserie Francaise, Arvada

Have you ever thought you knew where you were going, and ended up driving all over creation, only to realize that you’ve been circling your destination like a demented vulture?  I have.  Many times.  Especially when I’ve been to a place and thought I remembered the landmarks.  Normally this kind of time-wasting unnerves me past the point of pet peeve to utter frustration.  Not so on this particularly gorgeous Saturday afternoon. 

How could I be upset knowing that I was about to enter the hallowed pastry nirvana of La Patisserie Francaise?  It’s a quiet, unobtrusive little shop, unnoticed and quite probably ignored by most passers by.  Inside, luxurious goodies are displayed invitingly, encased in glass like gems of inestimable value.  I was on a mission.  A coffee mission, of course!  I selected three coffee pastries and took them to my carefully (spur-of-the-moment) selected review committee.

The first was a Couronne: a 2-layer chocolate cake, with a mocha-chocolate buttercream icing, covered in walnuts.  Rachel – not me – said that is was ok if you like coffee.  She also suggested that it would benefit from a bit of coconut to make it sweeter.  El Conquistador de las Truchas* thought it to be a bit dry, had good flavor, bold with a hint of whimsy.  He somehow detected a hint of oak, apples, and mushrooms.  I personally think El Conquistador* may have spent a bit too much time with mushrooms of the psychedelic kind.  I found the Couronne to indeed be slightly dry, and a bit nasty due to the coffee flavor.  I also thought it tasted a bit like paper.  Yes, I have tasted paper – as I’m sure many secret-keeping children have – in accordance with requests to “eat this message after reading.”  I can’t say that it was horrible, but certainly not my favorite.

 

The second delight was called a Mocha Square.  It consists of three layers of white cake with mocha buttercream frosting, topped with nuts and two coffee beans.  Rachel deemed it to be, “pretty blah.”  El Conquistador de las Truchas* said he liked it better than the first, but was unsure why.  He said it had a bit more coffee in the flavor, which was for him a good thing, with hints of maple, vanilla and perhaps some cocoa.  I thought it was very strongly coffee flavored.  Unfortunately, it was that flat, stubborn coffee taste that has no depth or intricacy.  I found it to be sweet, yet somehow flavorless; not the worst I’ve ever tasted, but not something I would go out of my way for. 

Lastly, we indulged in a Café Bombe.  It was described as a Bavarian Mocha, with a brownie bottom and raspberry.  The kindly woman behind the counter extolled its superiority over all other pastries feigning to be coffee based.  Repeatedly she told me that it was by far the strongest flavored and best tasting of all its fellow desserts.  It seemed to be a round chocolate cake, on a chocolate brownie-cookie, with a layer of coffee mousse and raspberry covering it, topped with a sort of chocolate ganache icing.  Rachel immediately declared, “This is the top.”  El Conquistador de las Truchas* said, “The coffee mousse is a nice touch, and the raspberry is superbly sublime – a nice surprise – like Christmas morning.  A most pleasant experience.”  Lissa added a very profound opinion, “It was fruity, yet chocolaty.” 

After hearing all of the various comments, I finally took my first bite.  The coffee flavor was very strong.  I was a bit surprised, considering how little of the coffee mousse there seemed to be.  The raspberry was surprising and almost sour.  It complimented the sweet chocolate very well.  I’ve not found that I really like raspberry and coffee together.  Come to think of it… I don’t much like coffee.  I’ll bet you never could have guessed that.  Haha.  Though the coffee seemed to contradict the other flavors, I would like to try it again.  I feel like I didn’t do it proper justice.  I was too busy enjoying the company and outrageous comments.

I am grateful to La Patisserie Francaise for a very enjoyable experience.  I was lucky to have such a beautiful day on which to experience its goodness, but even if the day had been horrid, what day could remain sour in the presence of such sweetness?

*Some names have been changed, but not necessarily for protection or for any other good reason. Haha.

http://www.lapatbakery.com

Stella’s, Old South Pearl

I find such comfort in small old towns.  Old South Pearl is a little village within the city of Denver.  Somehow, it manages to hide itself in the folds of trees and nostalgia – only blocks away from the bustle of Broadway.  There, it cradles a particular treasure.  Stella’s is charming little coffee shop in a renovated cottage, quietly welcoming students, professionals, artists, eclectics, bohemians, and modest folk.  On this particular Wednesday evening, the sun shone warmly through breezy clouds, alighting on the afternoon crowd.  People of all shapes and sizes spilled from the door, across the patio, and through the garden.  In search of a place for twenty people to meet, I had remembered Stella’s.  Though it looks small, there are several rooms for studying and gathering, some of which can be reserved.  A good place to congregate in the city is surprisingly rare.

I asked the barista for a coffee suggestion, and found it surprisingly difficult.  She could not recommend any unique coffee drinks.  The one thing she suggested was tea, but that didn’t meet my requirements.  Finally, she mentioned the Florentine: half drip-coffee, half hot chocolate.  That seemed to be the most unique of the options, so I went with it.  Knowing that I would probably be disappointed with the offering, I decided to do something new.  By popular demand, it was time to try a double espresso.  I don’t know why it hadn’t been recommended by any baristas yet.  Perhaps it is not considered a popular drink or a delicacy.  Perhaps they only expect true caffeine fiends to like it.  I don’t know.  What I do know is that I’m going to have to get used to it eventually!

I don’t know a lot about espresso, but I’ve heard that its not meant to be sipped.  So, in accordance with tradition as I know it, I took a huge gulp.  Oy!  My tonsils thought I had just given them a death sentence – a fight to the finish!  The taste overwhelmed me for a good minute before it faded enough to actually taste what had just been swallowed.  I have noticed that most coffees cannot really be tasted until after the first swallow.  That’s not the case with double espresso.  I could taste it almost before it touched my tongue.  It was as if my mouth knew what was coming and tried to run away.  Ack!  I couldn’t even think of the words to describe it.

I knew I couldn’t wait too long to drink the rest, or I might lose some effect.  The rest was gone with one additional gulp.  I sat and pondered - with as calm a face as I could muster – the affects I was tasting.  Finally, this is what I decided.  I imagined I was a dinosaur.  I’m running around, eating stuff, smelling flowers, chasing giant bugs, and suddenly a giant meteor hits the earth directly at my feet.  The world turns black.  I’m laying at the edge of a giant crater filled with fire and fury.  The blast was immense.  All living things are dead or nearly dead – as am I.  I open my mouth and with a rasping croak I lick the meteor-charred, lava-encrusted earth before I finally close my eyes on my way to the great tar pit in the sky.  I’m pretty sure that’s what double espresso tastes like. Hahaha.

At this juncture, I must issue a series of addendums and apologies.  I’m sorry I do not yet like espresso – I will continue to try.  No, I do not believe traditional scientific theories about dinosaurs.  Yes, I am funny… at least I think so.  So there. 

The Florentine was exactly what I had expected, unfortunately.  In combining the coffee and hot chocolate, neither one was done any due justice.  It was too weak to be considered either.  I drank the whole thing, but only because I was thirsty, nervous, and had nothing better to do.  I would not really recommend it.

I would however, recommend Stella’s.  Looking at their website, I was surprised that the barista did not say more about their coffee, which is roasted weekly by Pablo’s Coffee.  I don’t think I’ve tried Pablo’s coffee, but I will do so again when I have the opportunity.  So much of what a coffee shop means to me is about atmosphere and the opportunity to spend time with friends.  After a full, enjoyable evening with people I love and care about, I had no complaints when at last Stella’s door closed behind me.

http://www.stellascoffee.com

http://www.pabloscoffee.com

The Cheesecake Factory, Park Meadows

Had the story of Pandora and her box been true, I wonder what would have gone through her mind at the moment of realization.  As she cracked the forbidden box’s lid, would evil have screamed past her, burning her face with ferocity and shame, or would it have been silent and subtle.  If her experience was anything like mine, it would be a quiet knowledge that something is not right.  Something has been done that can never be undone.  The world will never be the same, and I am to blame.

Ok, I’m being a bit melodramatic.  I don’t hold the keys to good and evil in my hand, but I sometimes hold a fork – which can be an instrument of destruction.  Such was the case on that late summer evening, when the air stood still and dessert beckoned with promises of respite and friendly conversation.  Though I wasn’t in the least bit hungry, I wanted to find something coffee-ish, and found opportunity at The Cheesecake Factory.

The Kahlua® Cocoa Coffee Cheesecake is described as: a rich brownie topped with Kahlua® Cheesecake, creamy chocolate mousse, and chocolate ganache.  To complete the experience, I asked the waitress which coffee drink she would recommend.  She pointed out several of the popular drinks - all creamy, sugary, caramel-laced, froofy things – but then said that she prefers the cappuccino.  The cappuccino is a double espresso and foamy steamed milk.  As my first experience with restaurant coffee, it seemed like an appropriate choice.  I’ve tried to avoid restaurant coffee and chain stores, simply because it seems almost irreverent to the coffee quest.  To drink coffee of unknown origin has seemed pointless.  I realize though, that it is part of the coffee culture.  If I am to truly understand coffee and all that surrounds it, I must explore its various venues.

As I waited for the order, I thought for a moment that I could already taste coffee.  It was very strange.  I’m not sure how one’s brain can conjure up so strong a taste memory as to fool one’s senses.  I haven’t been able to determine whether this taste-mirage was an indication of excitement or dread.  Nevertheless, the cheesecake and cappuccino soon arrived.

The cheesecake was exactly as cheesecake ought to be.  It’s light creaminess melted chocolate and heavenly fluff together in delicious unity… but I couldn’t taste any coffee.  In fact, the coffee flavor was so subtle that I had to really concentrate for several bites to detect its presence.  The flavor built up gradually, but it was still not overwhelming.  If I hadn’t detested even the suggestion of coffee in the past, I would have probably enjoyed the cheesecake - even as the true coffee hater I used to be.

I paused before sipping the cappuccino, grinning mischievously over the poised cup, and found Andrea grinning back, eyebrows raised.  She laughed, “I’m waiting for the face, I’m sorry.”  I tried to thwart her expectations by not cringing.  Instead, I took on a thoughtful pose, looking into the distance, eyebrows furrowed, lips pursed to the side.  It didn’t work.  She thought that was funnier than my cringing faces.  Can’t win for losing. Haha. 

My immediate thought was of mud.  I’m not sure why, but I got this picture in my head of thick, dense, smooth, brown mud.  The flavor was very strong, but not overly intense, not burnt, and not sharp.  It was kind of like running into a coffee-shaped wall.  It didn’t grab me, or choke me, or twist my tongue into little origami shapes.  It smacked me upside the face – like running into a door jam that I had not prepared for, despite its having been in the same place forever.  Yes, I dohave extensive experience with running into stuff.  There seemed to be slight nuances of caramelized pecans, but I had no way to know if it came from being paired with cheesecake.  I don’t think I would order the cappuccino again.  It was not horrible as an experience, but I found no pleasure in it.

So, we come to the end.  Perhaps you are wondering how all of this brought about such a strong correlation to Pandora and her fateful box?  It is this: coffee is everywhere, but most especially in desserts.  That is very bad.  I have unlocked the forbidden door.  The time may soon come when I will have to choose between coffee and food.  If I am to review coffee or dessert, I will have to refrain from eating my fill of other nutrients.  I have this vague notion that I may end up with Stockholm syndrome.  By being held captive by the necessity of coffee for the purpose of blogging, I may begin to relate to my coffee-captor with unnatural affection, thus defiling the purpose of the blog.  This could be a vicious cycle!  The alternative would be to eat normally, drink coffee, and eat dessert with alarming alacrity, until I feel as if I’ve eaten a whale, and begin to take on a whale’s characteristics.  They say, “You are what you eat.”  I am not prepared to be a whale.  I believe I would have some difficulty driving to work.


http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com

Crowfoot Valley Coffee, Castle Rock

I awoke this morning to a gorgeous day on the Rocky Mountain front range.  I am often playing tourist, but rarely do I get to actually be a tourist.  As I have blogged my way through the coffee shops of Denver, I rarely get the true picture of the coffee shop experience. I’ve made an effort to visit at times when business is slow, and when I have time to sit and enjoy the atmosphere. Today, that was not the case.  Waking not long after the sun, I considered the full day ahead with anticipation and a touch of dismay.  It’s going to be a long one.  First things first… COFFEE!  Is this what it feels like to need one’s coffee in the morning?  I suppose it is, though I probably enjoyed the experience more than most.  Like all things coffee, the simple act of going out for coffee to begin one’s morning is unique in and of itself.

Crowfoot Valley Coffee was a delight to find nestled at the foot of the mesa which gave Castle Rock its name.  The sign announced its dual purpose: Crowfoot Valley Coffee and Crow Bar.  Those with me, who had not as yet joined me for my coffee adventures, found this anachronism to be fascinating.  I think it is worth mentioning that I find myself becoming more of an expert on coffee-type things than those who enjoy it regularly.  Perhaps it stems from having set out to pursue the study of coffee as a discipline, rather than a casual acquaintance.  I knew, therefore, that some coffee shops double as bars in the evenings, but this was startling news to my companions. 

Jason, owner and operator of Crowfoot Valley Coffee, gave no hesitation when he suggested the Trio – made with chocolate, vanilla, and coffee.  He said it’s one of his favorites, because it is not very sweet and allows the coffee flavor to come through.  He wasn’t kidding.  The coffee was just barely masked by the sweetness of chocolate and vanilla.  In all honesty, if I had been asked what flavors had been added, I would not have been able to identify them.  What I tasted was coffee. 

To get the full effect, I ordered another cup of the house blend, black.  I considered this to be especially important, because Jason roasts his own beans.  He sources them through various connections, but they are roasted on-site.  The house blend was very dark.  My first impression was a heavy burnt taste.  From what I have heard, this is very popular in our current society.  I’m told that Starbucks roasts its beans very darkly, and, as I’m sure you know, they don’t lack popularity.  I don’t really like the dark burnt taste, but I would not discount its quality. 

As you know if you’ve read my blog for any length of time, I have always hated coffee.  Though I am trying to change that, it has been ingrained into the fabric of what I always considered to be me.  That old coffee-hating me cringed at the first taste.  I try not to make horrible faces in public, but when nobody was looking, I indulged the impulse.  In fact, even as we return ed to the hotel room, I found myself continuing to mutter, “yech,” under my breath.  I know I wasn’t being fair.  I’m aware that I stand at the end of a personal era.  I can no longer truly say that I hate coffee.  It’s sad, I know.   I don’t yet love it either, but I can see equally the perspective of the lover and the hater, and recommend options for both.  My vitriolic exclamations, therefore, were by reflex alone. 

Crowfoot Valley Coffee has quite a few unique selections, and has a very enjoyable, retro-urban, community feel to it.  Nancy, who ordered a Rosso, flavored with chocolate and raspberry, noticed the conversations passing between Jason and his customers.  She remarked that the familiarity indicated the small-town location.  In opposition, I feel that a good coffee shop will feel like home, no matter how large the surrounding population.

http://www.yjprod.com/sites/crowfoot/

Divine

While playing tourist in Old Colorado City, I decided to try something a little different.  I happened upon a fun little shop called Yobel Market.  Among the fantastic fabrics and furniture was an ancient unassuming traveler’s case.  Though it had inherent qualities I’m sure, they went completely unnoticed, because the interior was filled with chocolate.  Chocolate!  One of the Divine chocolate bars called itself Coffee Milk Chocolate.  How could I resist the chance?  This certainly was not the first bar of coffee chocolate I have ever seen, but it was the first that day, and I felt especially hungry.  Fate had brought us together.

I am not a huge fan of milk chocolate usually.  I like very dark, rich chocolate, particularly with nuts or some other texture.  I must preface all remarks with that, because many do not have the same tastes, and should not be swayed by my opinion. 

The chocolate was creamy, smooth, and extremely soft.  It seemed able to melt with only the slightest touch.  The taste was not so.  The flavor of coffee was so strong that I could hardly taste the chocolate at all.  The sweetness was nearly overpowering and long-lasting.  When drinking coffee, the flavor can be swallowed, ignored, and quickly forgotten if necessary.  With this chocolate, it melted through my mouth, clung to my tongue, and stuck to my teeth.  It lingered much past its time of welcome.

I wish there would have been some depth to the flavor or some texture involved.  It was just coffee.  There is a “just plain coffee” taste that I associate with my childhood.  When I was a little girl, my grandpa would take me for a walk early in the morning, with the birds chirping, the sun shining, and the trees of Salem often dripping with the dew of dawn.  Inevitably, our journey would end at Dunkin Donuts.  He would sit at the bar, drinking coffee, talking with his buddies, and I would consume the biggest most icing-and-sprinkle-covered donut they had.  I truly think they knew when I was coming.  I have never seen such icing creations as they made when I would show up with grandpa.  That moment in time has a certain smell to it.  It is sweetness and donuts, but it is predominantly coffee.  I can’t describe it with any further detail.  Just coffee and old guys.  For that memory, I am thankful to Divine chocolate.  To have to taste coffee and old guys… not so thankful.  

Fireside Books & Coffee, Englewood

I have done a great disservice to the humanity of Denver and its greater Metro Area.  In all of the weeks that I have reviewed and written about coffee, I’ve had yet to mention my home away from home.  Fireside Books and Coffee is unique amongst coffee shops – in essence, because it is not a coffee shop.  Owner and operator, Sam, has designed his business model after the reading rooms of London, rather than ordinary book stores or coffee houses.  When I first saw the little shop, sitting alone on the street corner, I had the impression that I’ve heard from many others since.  It looked barren, stark, and a bit scary.  The neon coffee signs glare into the night sky, seeming to welcome friends and warn away strangers.  I would have remained one of those strangers if I had not been introduced properly. 

When I stepped inside the doors for the first time, I found myself falling for the place almost immediately.  One side of the little shop is filled with books, piled high from floor to ceiling, in simple wooden shelves, stacked so closely together that one must pull in all elbows and large-sized ears to avoid catastrophe.  Used books of every type and genre tower over the literature pursuant, daring one even to try limiting oneself to just one book.  Next to the café is an entire wall of old, unique books, smelling of dust and paper and ancient ink. I often stand and gaze longingly at the old manuscripts, tenderly leafing through the musty pages of German volumes, absorbing every word that I understand.  It is a reader’s paradise.  I don’t often have the time to sit and enjoy a good book, but the ambience at Fireside makes one wish to cast all other cares into whatever abyss they came from, curl up, and marinate in words. 

On the other side of the shop is a warm reading room, complete with study areas, tables, comfy chairs, fireplace, and grand piano.  Low shelves line the wall beneath the windows, begging to introduce the adventurous to new ideas, local authors, and exciting best sellers.  Often small groups will gather for discussion, study, and games.  Between the two sides is the coffee bar, laden with delectable goodies, brought in fresh from local vendors. 

Fireside brews Community Coffee, from Louisiana.  Founded in 1919, they are the oldest family-owned independent coffee roaster in the U.S..  According to Sam, they have built relationships with the supplying communities in South America over the past 92 years that allow them to choose the most premium beans.  Though coffee is not all of what Fireside is about, Sam prides himself on having a very unique, specially chosen brand of coffee, available fresh at any time of the day or night.  Did I mention? Fireside is the only coffee shop in the area that is open 24 hours per day, including all holidays.

In all of the months that I have spent at Fireside, I had not tried the coffee until just recently.  For my first experience, I chose a unique offering from the menu, called Chicory Coffee.  According to David, one of Fireside’s baristas, Chicory Coffee is made from a lettuce root that is roasted, ground up, and combined with coffee grounds before brewing.  The whole idea seemed a little odd to me, but hey – I can only die once!

The coffee smelled very mild.  David said that it was a light roast, so I should be able to taste the nuances in it.  My friend Clint Washington Jones* declared that it smelled a bit like lettuce.  That was not a very good sign.  At first taste, however, I was very surprised.  It was of a medium flavor, and quite mellow.  I had expected it to grab my tongue and twist it into knots as so many have before, but it never did.  There was no bite, no extreme bitterness.  Another friend, Mary, agreed that although it did not smell wonderful like some coffees, it didn’t taste horrible either.  I detected a bit of burnt flavor underlying a buttery nuttiness.  At one point, I even thought it tasted slightly musky, and mused to myself at whether it could be compared to an old dude’s cologne.  Overall, though I cannot claim to have enjoyed the experience, I could definitely tolerate it.  I was quite surprised that such a light roast would have clear nuances.  My experience thus far has been that only the very dark roasts have depth to them.  It will be interesting to try other coffees from Community Coffee in the future.

* Some names have been changed to protect the innocent. Haha.

http://www.communitycoffee.com/

Fireside on Facebook

Higher Grounds Café, Golden

Peaches ‘n’ Cream? Seriously?

There’s a strange thought that comes to me occasionally.  Who was the first person to eat that?  What was he thinking when he saw this roundish white thing come out of a chicken, and decided to eat it?  How did the first cheese maker figure out that this particular thing, laden with a specific bacterial culture, and added to stuff that comes out of a cow (or goat), would make a semi-solid food?  It seems that people with eat anything.  I was just wondering to myself the other day… who decided to take a coffee cherry, dry it, roast it, grind it up, pour water through it, and drink it?  I suppose people have been boiling herbs and leaves since the beginning of the culinary arts, but that process seems quite extensive for an initial discovery.  My own discovery was not borne of any such deliberation.  I’m pretty sure it came from sheer boredom and creativity run amok.

  

A Peaches ‘n’ Cream latte.  That’s what she said.  When I had asked about specialty drinks, the barista said something vague about being able to make any flavor I wanted.  I pressed her on the point, asking what she liked.  As is typical, she mentioned a caramel machiatto or a vanilla latte.  Boring.  I then asked, “is there anything unique that people like to order?”  That’s what I deserved, I suppose, and once the challenge had been issued, I could not refuse.

When I told my friends, I got strange glances and a whispered, “that sounds disgusting.”  The comment mirrored my own concerns.  It smelled very much as advertised.  A bit afraid, I lingered as long as possible before I took the first sip.  At first, I didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed.  The latte was of a very mellow flavor.  Though it contained both White Chocolate and White Peach flavoring, I could really only taste a creamy sweet coffee flavor.  It was fairly indistinct, much like other lattes I have tried.  Though I could taste the coffee quite strongly, it was not overpowering.  This was the sort of drink that I have come to be able to tolerate.  I can’t say that I like it, per se, but I can drink it.  I wish it weren’t so.  Millions of people around the world drink lattes with frivolous abandon.  I consider lattes wimpy.  It seems only a clever way to mask true coffee flavor.  It is what people drink who claim to love coffee, but cannot stand the taste of anything darker than a buttermilk pancake.  If this is the enjoyment I am relegated to, I will be very disappointed in myself. 

As I sat thinking these deeply philosophical thoughts, I smiled at the whimsical artwork displayed along the walls and ceiling.  Higher Grounds is a pleasant little shop perched on the side of a hill near Historical Downtown Golden.  Its location makes an ideal hangout for local college students, and seems well-suited for the purpose.  For me, it was a nice retreat on the way into town from a quick visit to the Rocky Mountains.  The wind blew softly, clouds drifted overhead, and simple joy cleared all thoughts of a stormy holiday from our minds.  What better day to enjoy coffee and good company?

Higher Grounds Café brews Allegro coffee.  I don’t know whether I have tried it previously.  To give it a fair taste test, I asked for a cup of the medium brew.  Unfortunately it was closing time, so I could not, in all fairness, expect the coffee to be fresh.  It wasn’t.  The coffee, called Hawaiian, tasted and smelled a bit like straw.  There was a slightly fruity taste, but I couldn’t exactly put my finger on it.  The initial taste had a sharp bitter bite to it, and though it was called medium, it seemed to be very darkly roasted.  After a few moments, the aftertaste calmed, with a caramelized nuance.  I was very glad for that, since most coffees do not seem to have anything subtle about them.  However, one thing I hate about a decent aftertaste, is that eventually you have to take another sip, which ruins the effect entirely. Haha.  I gave up on the coffee eventually, but concentrated one last time of any other flavors I might have missed.  It is possible, just maybe, that I detected a bit of nuttiness.  I’m not sure if it was in the drink, or in my head.  I have high hopes for Allegro.  Perhaps we can become better acquainted in the future.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/higher-grounds-cafe-golden

http://www.allegrocoffee.com