Whether it’s simply winter break for you, a much-deserved break, that you’re celebrating, or Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Years, Christmas, Winter Solstice . . . Happy Holidays; have fun, and savor the coffee!
Happy Holidays!
Coffee Humor
That cup though 😂 —
December 20, 2022: Quote of the Day
“I judge a restaurant by the bread and by the coffee.”
– Burt Lancaster
**Honestly . . . this is sound advice!
Coffee Lesson #25
Greek Coffee:
- similar to, at times argued to be the same as, Turkish Coffee
- a particular way to brew, serve, prepare coffee . . .
- coffee is prepared in a briki, using very finely ground coffee beans without filtering
- briki: a small pot with a long handle, traditionally made of copper or brass
- coffee is prepared in a briki, using very finely ground coffee beans without filtering
- coffee brewed with very finely ground coffee beans
- when served, do not drink the entirety of the serving–in this preparation coffee grounds are not removed from the coffee when served
- coffee preparation style that can be found throughout the world, though it has particular prominence in Turkey/Türkiye, Greece, Armenia, Eastern Europe, and the Balkans
- a particular way to brew, serve, prepare coffee . . .
Greek v. Turkish Coffee: similar to one another, argued to be exactly the same . . . however:
- Greek coffee tends to be lighter roast
- Both can be sweetened, but generally Turkish coffee will add sugar directly into the cevze (“briki” in Greek), while Greeks add sugar afterward . . .
- In my experience Greek coffee was larger–had more that I could actually drink. When I ordered Greek coffee I was always asked if I wanted sugar, and then how much or what kind (sketos/black; metrios/semi-sweet); glykos/sweet). When I ordered and received my Greek coffee, it was generally served alone, sometimes an unsweetened cookie might be served with it, it was just the coffee; whereas, in Turkey, Turkish coffee was almost always served with something sweet (Turkish delight).
Coffee Gallery
Chino, CA, USA: The Flinderstreet Cafe
As previously mentioned, it has been *some* time since I have been able to recommend a local coffee shop.
While any discovery could have been the first–in a while–I had to consider who should go first, and why?
With that in mind, I bring you: The Flinderstreet Cafe.
The Flinderstreet Cafe has been my home-hub for years now. I am able to completely and confidently state that if you are ever in or around this part of southern California, you have to make a stop.
It’s hidden in a shopping center–you gotta go all the way to the back. The shopping center is relatively empty so the space is quiet. Due to the shopping center being so empty, and the cafe being in the back, it is easily missed. Truly, a hidden gem; truly, when discovered, a treasure.
There is indoor and outdoor seating. The Wifi is good; there are plenty of plugs. It’s an ideal date spot and an ideal work space–as well as a great coffee spot, of course!
My absolute favorite drink is the: Honey Vanilla Latte. I have had many versions since, and nothing compares to the one at Flinderstreet Cafe. What to pair with my coffee? Often their cookies–they have a bag of minis, always, next to the cashier. Chocolate chip or snickerdoodle, either way you can’t go wrong.
I have also tried their sandwiches, pastries, and a few other drinks–coffee and non-coffee alike. Everything has been good to great. I think the cakes and cookies are my overall favorite though, but I do have a sweet tooth!
I have met friends here. I have taken my mom here. I have met with work associates here. Every time it was this wonderful secret I got to share; in fact, every visitor was surprised and asked, or did, come back on their own–what a testament to the food, drink, and atmosphere provided.
For the first recommendation, in oh so long, I have chosen The Flinderstreet Cafe because it is an outstanding coffeehouse. It has excellent seating, lighting, customer service, food, and coffee–if you’re ever in Chino, California, USA, be sure to make a stop; you will not be disappointed.
The Local Coffee Shop
There has been a considerable gap since I last recommended a local coffee shop–considerable gap!
2020: well, 2020 sort of put a stop to going to coffee shops, for obvious reasons.
2021: I had to mourn the closure of some of my favorite shops–places and spaces that had long been loved, or were promising new hubs. The pandemic was a seismic force on the success, availability, and possibility of so many small businesses . . .
2022: Now, in 2022, I have been doing my best to rediscover places–places that had makeovers and adapted to the seismic shifts of our entire society. I have also been exploring new places–places filled with hopes and dreams; places and people taking monumental risks in this economy–admirable risks, risks we should all encourage and support.
Local business is how families and communities thrive . . . and soon enough, I will be sharing some of these amazing places serving, supporting, and sustaining so many families and communities 🖤☕
Oops!!
I had all these plans for writing — and here I am after nearly two months when those plans were ready and drawn out. What happened? I entered a busy time that I knew was coming but even with solid plans and great aspirations, I didn’t get a chance to do it all. And so, writing took a back seat.
It happens, but lining things up–and for the holidays, for the whatever leisure time available to me in this busy holiday time, I will be here, I promise! 🤗
Attica, Athens, Greece
Between November 2021 – April 2022 I visited Athens, Greece 🇬🇷 three times, for a total of 62 days.
I went in November, sort of on a whim, begrudgingly, a sort of layover between jobs. It wasn’t my first choice to travel just then, and it wasn’t my first choice to go to Greece either. In fact, I had never really had any desire to travel to Greece . . . but I went . . . and I absolutely LOVED it!
The job fell through, and so did a couple of other applications, but I had a seasonal remote contract with something else, so I kept returning to see more, enjoy more, do more. I fell in love with everything — the language, the people, the museums, the sites, the greenery, the coffee!
I have to go back, and see more of Athens, and venture beyond it as there’s a whole lot more to the country to see, but before I do, before I recommend some coffee and share about this amazing adventure, allow me to share some pictures 🤗.
Here’s a preview, a taste, a sneak peak into Greece, and some Greek coffee ☕
November 2021:
December 2021-January 2022
March 2022-April 2022
Cups and Comments 