COOL with a K
July 28th, 2010My favorite baker in the world going out for a ride.
New Kenya Gichathaini Can Available Now
July 26th, 2010New Kenya Gichathaini is available now in the limited edition steel can.
Super juicy, grapefruit, chocolate, hibiscus and stone fruit. This is a very bright, clean, extremely complex Kenya. Not for the timid.
Coffee Review
July 20th, 2010|
89
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Coffee Review. Wow, an 89 for our Jackie Oh Decaf. Pretty awesome.
Doma Coffee Roasting Coeur D’Alene, Idaho
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Blind Assessment: Softly roasty aroma with hints of aromatic wood and molasses. Smooth, balanced and chocolaty in the cup with complications of orange and fresh-cut wood. Simplifies in the finish with the wood note lingering.
Notes: This coffee was certified organically grown and decaffeinated by the “Swiss Water Process” method, which does not involve use of solvents. Although a logo indicating “100% Fair Trade” appears on the bag, the absence of the trademarked Fair Trade seal indicates this coffee is not certified by TransFair USA, the sole American certifier for the Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International (FLO). Doma is, however, affiliated with the buyers’ group Cooperative Coffees as well as the Fair Trade Federation, a membership (rather than certifying) organization devoted to “providing fair wages and good employment opportunities to economically disadvantaged artisans and farmers worldwide.” Doma Coffee Roasting specializes in organic and Fair-Trade certified coffees and takes pride in a rigorous program of recycling and environmentally responsible business practices. The Doma slogan is “Coffee/Culture/Meaning.” Visit www.domacoffee.com or call 208-773-0066 for more information.
Who Should Drink It: Gentle, chocolaty dark-roast decaf with organic credentials.
No Impact Man
July 8th, 2010This is a great article and one I borrowed from the No Impact Man site. Note to Sean – if thats a green retirement community you’re planning, sign me up.
My friend Sean occasionally writes for the blog. For a long time, he has been searching for a way to live that makes him truly happy. He doesn’t believe in the rat race. He wants to find a way to live that doesn’t rely on stuff and corporations but on people and community. His thinking interests me because he, like me, believes that if people look for a way of life that is truly good for them, chances are it will be better for the planet too. Anyway, here’s Sean’s latest.
“I was looking for a job and then I found a job, and heaven knows that I’m miserable now…”
That line is from a song called “Heaven Knows” by Morrissey, the king of adolescent angst. Every time I listen to it, I burst out laughing because I completely identify with the sentiment. I need to work, but I don’t always want to work. I want to spend time with friends, I want to take walks, I want to enjoy life. Who doesn’t? I want my work to be part of my life, but not the end of it.
In the past, whenever I dwelled on this my solutions came in the form of stern commands to myself, for example, “Quit whining. Suck it up. This is life. Grow up,” etc. And for the most part, that’s what I did. I showed up, I made a buck, I did what I had to do. I got a job that wasn’t perfect, but it paid the bills. Then I got laid off. I was scrambling, and my wife was working long hours to keep us afloat. That was a couple of years ago, and as I faced looking for a job, and then maybe finding a job, I realized I needed a major change. I applied for a job teaching English in rural Japan, and I was lucky to get it, and so I left my world behind.
In my time in Japan, I’ve learned two very important things. First, I realized that I need to be around people like me. I love Japan, but boy do I get lonely out here.
Secondly, and just as important, I learned that I don’t need much to be comfortable. My wife, son and I live in a small apartment. I take home about $2,000 a month, much less than we did in New York, and we never go without. We don’t count our pennies, we don’t feel as if we’re making a sacrifice, we take little trips and we buy what we need. The thing is, we just don’t need to buy much stuff.
So, now that I know I don’t need much money, and I want to be near friends, what to do? I read that the healthiest lifestyle involves low intensity exercise throughout the day. I keep having these crazy fantasies about getting some land, putting some shipping container houses on it, and living with friends on the cheap. A place with gardens, bike paths, and always someone to talk to or start a project with. I have some savings, so this dream isn’t completely impossible. The hard part is convincing others to join me.
I’m not talking about a commune, or even an active rejection of modern life. I’m just talking about a way of life that puts having some fun at the center, a way for people who want to garden, to make music, to play games, or to just have a good conversation, and live cheaply enough that we’re not working all our waking hours to pay the bills on a lifestyle that keeps us in our seats, dreaming of a better life. As I contemplate a return to the US, I realize that I don’t want to return to a life of scheduled exercise, paid for entertainment, and constant worry about the rising monthly costs on a life that I’m barely living. I want to live with friends, have fun, and enjoy this midlife crisis I seem to be having.
In short, I want to make a retirement community for people who want to retire from the rat race, but not from their life’s work. I want to find a way for people to make what they really care about the focus of their life. How would we make a living? I’m not sure. I do know I don’t need that much to thrive and I like to move around during the day. What do you think? Am I just dreaming, or can this be done?
Hello, anybody out there?
June 24th, 2010This is a bad idea. Motorized boats have the whole lake … why the need to screw up Cougar Bay? Lets hope it’s not too late. Lets all make some calls, write letters – whatever it takes. Stay tuned for more info on how you can support this cause.
SAVE COUGAR BAY.
Here is an article that appeared on the KEA blog.
In a stunning decision, the Idaho Department of Lands has approved a proposal by Kootenai County Parks and Waterways to locate moorage buoys for motorized boats in Cougar Bay. We are reviewing the decision here at KEA, but on initial reading, we are deeply concerned.
The IDL decision reduced the number of moorage buoys from the 12 in the original proposal to three. The IDL decision also sets conditions on the permit such that there will be a limit to the number of boats per buoy in order to prevent movement of the anchor. IDL expressed continued support for a no wake zone in the Bay, but the IDL decision did not explicitly approve the 15 marker buoys in the proposal.
On one hand, the decision states that “if the usage of the mooring buoys results in conflicts with the conservation or non-motorized use of Cougar Bay, then this permit may be subject to revocation.” But on the other, the decision also states that “If these mooring buoys appear to be compatible with other uses of Cougar Bay, then the Applicant may apply for more in the future.”
The IDL decision notes that the proposal will require removal of pilings in the permit area, and emphasized that piling removal was not part of this particular decision. Such removal would require a much more detailed evaluation including consideration of the contaminated lakebed sediments. Ominously, the permit sets a three-year time limit for the piling removal, or else the moorage permit will expire.
We are saddened by this decision, and we are likely to have more on this soon. Our first thought, though, we’d urge Kootenai County Parks and Waterways to rethink their proposal. There is likely to be a more comprehensive solution to the piling problem and Bay protection. Plopping three party buoys in quiet Cougar Bay is not a positive contribution.
New Cupping Lab
June 18th, 2010As most of you know, Doma Coffee Company is a member of Cooperative Coffees, a North American coffee buying group that focuses on fairly traded coffees, organic and direct relationships with the farmers. By direct I mean that each member of the Coop is required to go to origin at least once a year and work with our growers on different levels. Sometimes we spend the whole time cupping coffees, other times we’ll focus on roasting and if we’re really lucky we’ll spend a lot of time at the farms participating in what they do best – which is growing great coffee. Drinking beer and sharing a great meal at the end of the day is just a bonus.
More recently the Coop has been working on a SCAA certified cupping lab. As VP of the board of directors, I would like to take the credit for putting this together. I can’t. Thanks to the hard work of Monika, all members of the Coop and more importantly all customers will benefit. I’ve listed our certificate below and we’ll be posting more information a bit later.
The Coopérative de Solidarité du Café Équitable (CoopSol), in partnership with Cooperative
Coffees and Coffee Lab International, is proud to announce its recent certification of the Labo Equitable Montreal as Canada’s first SCAA accredited training laboratory for cupping and quality control.“Under the careful tutelage of Mane Alves, Master Roaster and renowned Quality Control/ Cupping Trainer, we have been able to develop a space that is unique in Canada – bridging the concepts of equitable trade and the professional skills of quality control and high-level cupping,” says CoopSol Manager Monika Firl. “Making this experience available to the broadest possible population – through exchange and formal courses – also strengthens our mission as Fair Traders directly engaged in the development of our cooperative members, partners and the quality savvy, consuming public.”
The Labo Equitable is responsible for sample testing for import approval or refusal of Cooperative Coffees members’ contracts and for non-member sales, quality profile evaluation from regions across the coffee growing world, and the facilitation of information exchange and learning amongst a broad sector of the Specialty Coffee industry, coffee producing partners, and the consuming public at large.
And now, as an SCAA certified learning lab, we can offer specialized courses to help new-comers to the world of Specialty Coffee in demystifying the building blocks of quality; and for seasoned coffee traders and roasters looking to improve their skills and / or qualify, to join the ranks of SCAA Cupping Judges or Q Graders, based upon industry-recognized standards.
Located in Montréal, a city renowned as an international crossroads in North America, we can also offer multi-lingual instruction (French, English, Spanish and/or Portuguese) - as well as a rich cultural experience. Our next Q Grader and SCAA Cupping Judge class is scheduled to take place August 28 to September 3, 2010. Spaces are limited – so don’t wait to reserve your seat at the cupping table!
World Championship Sack Races
June 17th, 2010This is just a great photo.
Oh Canada
June 17th, 2010If anyone happens to be visiting our neighbors to the north (Canada) and going through Kimberley, BC, be sure to stop by Sprouts. Our main man Stephen will be doing a coffee tasting, and as you can see from the sign (even with the exchange rate), free is still free.
Sprouts is a great store and Stephen is an awesome guy.
Coolest Espresso Machine Ever
June 13th, 2010Kees has done it again, The coolest espresso machine ever. In my opinion, it also produces the best espresso. Ever. Doma Coffee was the first to bring the Mirage into the US a number of years ago, and we are hoping we’ll be one of the first to bring the new SPIRIT in. Yes, I’ve already placed my order.
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Pop-Up PHOTOS
June 8th, 2010A couple of weeks after the fact, but who doesn’t want a reminder of how great a Saturday that was. We’re working on our next one, so watch for it on the roof of my favorite building in Spokane. In the meantime, check out these great photos from Ben Tobin.
The MENU. Deserves to be capitalized because of its awesomeness.
Part of the awesomeness was fresh Doma Coffee.
This guy couldn’t wait and hung out all day.
Fireworks yes. Fire dancing no.
Yes, please. Thank you.
Davids arm in action.
Family photo.
Action photo.
Fun and food in the sun.
David in action.