It’s Eight O’Clock Somewhere

So based on the recent Consumer Reports article in which readers touted the "great taste for the price" of Eight O'Clock Coffee, I picked up a pound. I usually brew Peets at home, or pick up beans from Armeno's when I'm out in Northborough. I like to try new beans and I was intrigued by something that cost at least 40 percent less than what I normally brew.

So I have been drinking the Eight O'Clock French Roast all this week. And it's … well, it's pretty meh. Maybe Consumer Reports' readers aren't as picky as I am. Or maybe I'm a snob. The first batch was weak. I tried making it stronger and made it too strong — it could have taken the paint and barnacles off of a boat (my old boss once told me the coffee I made him tasted that way, and the visual has stuck; luckily I haven't had to make coffee for my bosses in awhile). So I give the coffee a C-minus. 

And I give Consumer Reports a stern finger-wagging for leading me astray. I'm going to stick to using Consumer Reports for researching dishwashers and house paints and for trying desperately to pimp out my clients' consumer-ish products.  

Frozen Waffle Rememberance Day

This day always makes me a bit melancholy.

For it was on this day in 1986, the day before Thanksgiving, while working the crowded afternoon and evening shift at Northborough’s now-defunct Julio’s Supermarket (although the liquor store in Westborough is doing quite well), I inadvertently ruined a pallet of store-brand frozen waffles by leaving them sitting on their pallet in the frozen food aisle (not the freezer) for three hours when I was called up front to bag groceries. I had been stocking the freezer and forgot about them; they, unfortunately perished.

Yes, it was a simpler time — no choices between paper or plastic, no credit cards for groceries, baggers who would load groceries into your car, plenty of “This Lane Closed” signs featuring the iconic KOOL Menthols logo, paisley ties on the baggers and cashiers, double-coupon Wednesdays, $3.35/hr. wages, etc. — but what does remain a constant is this: frozen waffles left sitting in an aisle for 180 minutes will melt. Which will cause certain tempers to heat up.

Mr. Colangelo, you were a very busy man, running a three-supermarket empire, yet you still managed the time to come to your smallest store that day.

Where you were met with a pallet of now soggy waffles.

If you are still alive, sir, I again empathize with your anger for the loss of inventory — those delicious, melted squares never had a chance to absorb syrup or magically come back to life in a toaster. Although, we may have rushed them back to the cooler in the back of the store and re-frozen them. I forget, actually. Perhaps I’ve been carrying this burden for 22 years for no reason.

Nonetheless, that said, let us never forget. And please, if you love your waffles, keep them frozen. Until it’s time to eat them. Then you should probably toast them.

If you’re ever in Virginia and hankering for a cold, caffeinated drink …

… don’t order 3 shots of espresso on ice at Murky Coffee. And you probably shouldn’t leave a tip with an expletive on it, that’s just not nice.

What a kerfuffle, as reported by the Washington Post and in blogs of the two involved parties (the customer and the coffee-shop owner) as well as BoingBoing and others.

Far be it from me to pass judgment, but:

1. Customer guy, maybe you should cut back your caffeine intake. I do respect that you acknowledge that you were being sort of a dick, although I could understand your anger. I love that you created your own iced espresso by ordering espresso and ice, separately.
2. Coffee shop owner guy, I respect that you love your craft. But wow.

I have tasted the future of coffee ice cream …

… and it is JP Licks’ “White Coffee.” Oh my goodness. It’s basically sweet cream ice-cream that they let sit in espresso beans so the beans’ oils infuse the ice cream. No coloring, no additional sweetness — just hardcore, espresso-y goodness in every bite. Wow.

Speaking of the future of ice cream, I once got caught skimming The Onion during a day-long client-planning meeting (I had my laptop out for “taking notes”) when I laughed out loud at this article:

Time Traveler: Everyone in the Future Eats Dippin’ Dots

Reppin’ Davis Sq.

Reppin' Davis Sq.
Originally uploaded by eharrison3

A cute shot of Mr. Colin from our little Memorial Day get-together yesterday. It is just like the BBQs from the old days, except less passing out, fewer kegs and more sippy cups. About the same amount of crying though. Click on the picture to see more.

Starbucks Re-Education

So every Starbucks in the world is going to close on February 26 from 530-830 p.m. for a massive, staff-wide espresso education session. Actually, given Howard Schultz’ efforts to re-invent the company, it makes sense. The breakfast sandwiches are already gone, for example, and there’s talk of re-introducing manual espresso machines (perhaps the reason for this training?).

The opening of the press release announcing the re-education ("Launching the next phase of Starbucks SBUX ongoing efforts to transform the company," maybe just the "next phase" language) reminded me this Onion piece from a Few Years Back:

Starbucks to Begin Sinister "Phase Two" of Operation

The 13-shot coffee drink: $13.76. The palpatations: Priceless.

Billy Chasen had a coupon for a free Starbucks beverage. He wanted to get his money’s worth … check out his post re: his 13 shot venti soy hazelnut vanilla cinnamon white mocha with extra white mocha and caramel (wow, that’a a lot of adjectives). Reminiscent of the 6-shot iced latte I got with d’Bri a few years back (the barrista somehow confused our quad request to mean "4 extra shots"). Maybe this is why Howard Schultz took his old job back.

That’s good coffee

Last night, I got a very cool gift from my brother and sister-in-law for my birthday. The good doctors gave me the AeroPress, a coffee-making device from the folks who brought you the Aerobee flying disc. And I’ll tell you what — the coffee bong makes a pretty incredible cup of coffee. I am savoring a nice cup of Porto Rico’s Jamaican Mountain premium now as I bang out a press release and head out for Thanksgiving.

B-A-C-O-N, you ain’t got no alibi (OK, still working on the bacon chant)

Q: What’s better than bacon?
A: More bacon.

Q: What’s better than more bacon?
A: I’m inclined to say "bacon-flavored mints."

Thanks to Tammy for the heads-up on bacon-related products such as this … check out her contest and see if you can be a big moron. Extra points if you are Mormon.

Reppin’ 508

Some highlights from our active day yesterday out in Central Mass under crystal-clear sunny skies on a wonderful example of Indigenous Peoples’ Summer:

• Using the new 146 Connector between the Mass Pike and I-290, finally providing a direct link between Boston and Worcester via Interstate highway without all sorts of backtracking. I always found it odd that Springfield gets 3 Pike exits, Wormtown none, but I digress.
• An excellent brunch with many old friends (4 couples and, let’s see, 8 kids, wow) and lots of great food at Chez Lindberg-Paradiso in Worcester. Hard to believe that friendships bourne of the fact that no one else would hang out with the 4 of us in high school still go strong today. Among topics of discussion: 1) It’s not smart to tell your female spouse that, in re: to childbirth, "Honey, if I could carry the child for you, I would," because should they ever invent time travel and the technology to allow men to carry children, you’d be screwed; 2) Yes, Tintin au Congo appears to be pretty racist, even given the excuses offered up for the time in which it was written; and 3) An update on Tammy and Family’s efforts regarding the Eat Local Challenge;
• Some wholesome apple picking and goat-watching with my folks at Tougas Farm in Northborough; try the galas, you won’t be disappointed.

Got back late, put the boys to bed and blazed through the recording of the Pats clobbering the hapless Buffalo Bills while cranking out an analyst presentation. Yay Sunday night.