Tag: coffee

Posted in coffee, Travel

Coffee and hot chocolate

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“The espresso machine is having problems today.”

There’s a sentence you don’t want to hear at a coffee shop.

After a cool day trips with a granddaughter, we stopped at Rosalind’s in downtown Garland, TX for an afternoon snack. The girls wanted hot chocolate. I chose a double shot of espresso.

The place was crowded. The shop has recently been remodeled and expanded. Most of the tables were filled with people on laptop computers. The open table we found was right in the middle of it all.

My granddaughter picked out a chocolate chip cookie, and went sat down to wait for our drinks.

The wait was longer than I expected, but finally a barista called my name. As I walked away with two cups, I heard my name again. When I returned to the pick-up counter, the barista whispered, “I’m sorry, but the espresso machine is having problems today.” Uh-oh. No ones to hear that at a coffee shop. I said, “That’s OK, I’ll just have a small coffee.

The hot chocolate was better than expected, too. Topped with frothed milk, it left a great mustache on the drinker’s top lip. My coffee was delicious. I should have asked where they get their beans.

The chocolate chip cookie disappeared in record time, we enjoyed our drinks, and played a table top hook-the-ring game.

When we returned the next day with another granddaughter, we were glad to learn that the espresso machine was up and running,

Garland’s little downtown area looks better every time we come. Businesses have remodeled and reopened shops and street parking is usually full. It’s a cool place to hang out. The population here is diverse. Not many cowboys, but lots of Americans from India, Asia, and Mexico.

Posted in coffee, Life

Fewer seats, more customers

Posted on by William Douthwaite

After I dropped off my dog at the groomer, I drove by my favorite Starbucks to see if they had re-opened. The store had been closed for remodeling, and the half-full parking lot was a welcome sight. With journal and pen in hand, I looked forward to an hour of coffee, eavesdropping, observation, thinking up story ideas, and doodling.

I actually had two journals with me. The one was just about full with just two blank pages left. The other was freshly unwrapped without a single mark on the pages. I love new journal day! I remember my mom telling me how much she loved cracking open a new notebook, feeling the smooth pages, and anticipating the words and images that would soon fill them. I know exactly how she felt.

Anyway, when I stepped into the redone coffee shop, I noticed a lack of seats. Half of the store was set aside for the baristas. The mobile order pickup area was expansive. One long table with chairs on each side filled the coffee-drinkers’ side. At each end was a table surrounded by a few chairs. A few scattered customers essentially filled the room. There was no place to sit, unless I was comfortable sitting side-by-side with purple-haired macchiato-drinking woman chatting on her phone.

I found a spot to sit outside at one of the ten patio tables. While there, I wondered, “Why did they get rid of so much indoor seating?” I put on my franchise-owner’s hat and came up with a few ideas.

  • Since it was right off the interstate, a lot of this location’s business was drive-thru and mobile orders. More room for more baristas will keep up with demand.
  • Every time I’ve been there, homeless were camped out, nursing a tall coffee for hours. Students occupied tables with laptops and textbooks for hours. Interviewers met with job applicant after job applicant. Fewer seats moves more customers through the store.
  • It was a corporate decision. This is what we want our stores to look like. We’ve never been to your store, but the data says this is the way to go. Live with it.
  • We want people to moan and groan about the change. There is no bad publicity, right? Let’s give the bloggers something to rant about. You have a problem with this? Let’s talk about it over coffee.

By the time I left, the parking lot was full, the mobile order counter was full, and the drive thru line was out to the street. Someone knows what they are doing.

Posted in coffee, Moments of grace

Surprisingly good coffee

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Since my appointment was at four in the afternoon, I didn’t expect to find any drinkable coffee in the waiting area at the dealer where I waited for an oil change and tire rotation. By that time, whatever was in the big pump carafe would be a lukewarm eight-hour old pot of weak brown liquid undeserving of the name “coffee.”

Boy, was I wrong. And I was pleasantly surprised to see a brand new commercial grade Keurig brewer on the counter next to paper cups, creamer, sugar, and a carousel of regular and decaf K-cups. Impressive. It was plumbed so you never had to fill the reservoir with water. A really cool color touch screen let you pick the size and strength of your coffee. I looked around to check and make sure I was in the right place. Yep. Same old uncomfortable chairs. Some of the same magazines and books. Same toys in the corner for kids.

I know I shouldn’t choose my auto mechanic based on the coffee provided in the waiting room. In the same light, you shouldn’t pick a church, a doctor, a hotel, or an airline for the coffee they serve. But when the coffee is good, it makes a difference when you’ll be waiting for a while.

Posted in coffee, Life

Back in the coffee groove

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Ugh, that’s not very good.”

My first sip of morning coffee was disappointing. The brew was weak with a strange taste, not at all what I was expecting. But it was early, my taste buds probably weren’t fully awake yet, and at least it was hot.

Half a cup later, I decided, “I shouldn’t have to put up with this. I’m going to make another cup.” Maybe a rogue coffee pod had found its way into the box of organic dark roast from Sam’s Club, which typically makes a good cup. I dumped the water and filled the reservoir with it with fresh. I washed out my favorite coffee mug, something I admit I don’t do often enough. I made sure I pushed the “strong” button on the coffee maker before the cup size.

And then I thought, “Did I put a new coffee pod in the first time?” Of course I did. I always do. Yet in the early morning darkness with the day’s plans on my mind, was it possible? I looked in the trash can. I didn’t see a used pod in there. You’ve got to be kidding. No wonder it tasted bad. These weren’t designed to be used more than once. I had run water through a day-old used pod. The second cup tasted much better, confirming my theory.

I’ve never done this before. I’m a morning person. I don’t stumble through the dawn into my day. I hit the ground running. But this was our first day back home after a week of travel. I had to brew pots of drip coffee at the Airbnb. The hotels brewed fresh coffee for me in the lobby. I was out of sync.

I’ve got my coffee groove back now.

Posted in coffee, Life

Just a small black coffee…

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

“I’ll just have a small coffee.”

“Any flavors or creamer in that?”

“Nope. Just black.”

I know. Boring. But I like coffee. I like it a lot and I like it straight up. Okay, once in a while I’ll get a latte, but always with an extra shot to up the coffee concentration.

“Here you go, a small coffee.” I made a face when I took my first sip. It tasted good, but it tasted sweet. Well, some coffees have a little sweetness, so I gave it another try.

I said to my wife, “Taste this. Does this taste sweet to you?”

She took one sip and said, “Oh, yes.” She made a face. “Artificial sweetener.”

I hardly ever take anything back at a restaurant or coffee shop. But this day I did. “I think there’s sweetener in this. I just wanted black.” It was no problem. They made me a new cup. Much better.

My wife ordered a latte made with almond milk with just one pump of vanilla. Her typical order, nothing complicated.

After a few sips she lifted the lid and said, “There’s not much milk in here.”

I tried it and said, “That’s not a latte. That’s just coffee with milk in it. A latte is mostly steamed milk.”

She didn’t take her cup back. The poor guy who took our order was either inexperienced or having an off morning. He wasn’t a barista, just a young man working behind the counter. And the pastries were really, really good.

This coffee shop opened up in a rundown area of town in an effort to revitalize the neighborhood. Sponsored by a church, it subsidized many children’s programs, employed people just getting into the work force, and made important faith connections. They started in a bus, traveling from place to place. This permanent location had only been open for a few months. You can check them out here.

Trying out coffee shops has become a new hobby. They are tucked away in strip malls, industrial parks, and the corners of larger stores. With our coffee radar switched on, we’ve discovered many cool places.

Posted in Life

Just pour it out

Posted on by William Douthwaite

One of the baristas suddenly walked over to the mobile order pickup spot, looked at the stickers on some hot and cold drinks, dumped them out, and threw out two or three food bags. I sat and wondered, “How often does that happen? How many people order online and never pick up? And why would anyone do that?”

Since this Starbucks is just off the interstate, many of their customers are traveling north or south on I-95 through northeast Florida. The food sign a mile or so before the exit might prompt travelers to open the app to place their order for a quick pick up. But then the driver gets distracted by a big truck on his tail or is yelling at children in the back seat or is fiddling with the radio and misses the exit. “What are you doing? I already ordered the coffee! Oh, never mind.”

Or, having ordered through the app, the interstate traffic suddenly comes to a stop. An accident has shut down all the lanes and no one is going anywhere for a while. An hour later, the hot drinks are cool and the cold drinks are room temperature. Down the drain they go.

Perhaps a child has borrowed mom’s phone to play a game or watch a video and happens upon the app. “I wonder what this does? Ooh, that looks good!” Before you know it, an order is on its way. Later in the day, a puzzled parent asks, “Were you on the app?” The wise and clever child replies, “I don’t know.”

It could be a prank by “friends” who notice your phone is unlocked. You know, the same friends who change the language on your phone. Or had those pizzas delivered to your house.

There are thousands of Starbucks in the US. Maybe you placed the order at the wrong store. And you were pretty aggravated when your order wasn’t waiting for you at the wrong store.

How long does an order sit there before being poured out? Let’s say it’s an hour. I could wander over at about 59 minutes to see what’s available for “pickup.” Yeah, my conscience probably wouldn’t let me get away with that.  I wonder how many online orders are picked up by someone else? What would happen when the customer shows up at the one hour and five minute mark looking for their order?

Posted in Stories

A cascade of dark roast

Posted on by William Douthwaite

We were spoiled. The Airbnb we usually stayed at when we visited our son in Garland, Texas was always stocked with pods for the Keurig coffee maker. After a long, two day trip, it was nice to know the morning cup would only be a few minutes in the making.

But we were staying at a different place. Very nice and very comfortable, but with a Cuisinart drip coffee maker. “Well,” I thought, “they must have some coffee here somewhere.” I looked in every cabinet, nook and cranny, and came up empty-handed. The Kroger is still open? Awesome. I’ll be right back.

There must have been a run on coffee that day. The shelves in the coffee aisle weren’t completely empty, but there wasn’t much to choose from. Ah, there we go, Dunkin’ dark roast. Just what the doctor ordered. However, when I grabbed the bag, coffee grounds started pouring out for a large slit in the side. Well, not exactly a slit. More like a slice right down the side of the bag. I must have caught it on the edge of the shelf. I was so surprised I didn’t react right away, and almost half the bag was on the floor before I could get it back on the shelf. I looked up and down the aisle and there was no one around. I carefully grabbed another bag, knocked the grounds off my shoes, and made my getaway.

It wasn’t exactly like knocking over a stack of cans or a pile of fruit, but the sight of the coffee cascading out onto the floor still makes me chuckle.

Oh, and yes, I went to a different store the next day for more groceries. If you are the guy who had to do clean up on that aisle, I apologize. I deserve whatever words you used to describe me that night.

Posted in Stories

Camping coffee crisis!

Posted on by William Douthwaite

It was our first time out in a new camper trailer, a Forest River Rockwood Roo hybrid. We didn’t go far, just about a half day’s drive to Red Top Mountain State Park in Georgia. It was late October, a little early for peak color, a little late for the best apple picking, but still a pretty time of the year in northern Georgia.

The weather was a bit warmer than we expected, but enjoyable until Thursday night. That’s when the remnants of a hurricane that had come up through the Gulf of Mexico blew through the northern parts of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. The wind and rain really picked up over night, and somewhere around two or three in the morning, the power went out. Lots of mall pine boughs and cones hit the camper, but nothing big.

As the dawn approached, we got word about the big stuff that had fallen. When the storm blew through, the hosts who were camped about half a mile away heard some big trees cracking and took refuge in the shower house. A few forty foot maples fell and took out some of the power lines that ran through the campground. No one was hurt and no campers were damaged, but there were lots of close calls!

We weren’t too worried. We had water to drink and propane to keep the refrigerator cold. What’s a little power outage?

Until I went to make coffee. We had was a Keurig and pods. It must have tried to draw too much current because I couldn’t get it to work with either the camper battery or the truck’s inverter. As you might have guessed, we were not happy campers.

I really impressed my wife when I declared, “I know what to do.” I put a saucepan of water on the stove while I opened up five or six coffee pods and threw them into the water. When my brew reached a rolling boil, I let it simmer a bit, threw in a cup of cold water to take the grounds to the bottom and filled our first cups of the morning through a paper towel filter. I think some call it “cowboy coffee.” It tasted great! I was proud and basked in my wife’s praises for my ingenuity. I even brewed another batch later on and the next day before we broke camp.

For the future we’ve got a pour-over coffee maker we’ll stow in our camper, just in case.

Posted in listening, Ministry

Ministry tip #whatever: caffeinate before afternoon visits

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I do my best creative work and writing in the mornings. For me, ideas and content flow effortlessly before noon.

My brain starts to get mushy after lunch, so that’s when I need to get out and do something else. So I use my afternoons are better for visiting folks at home, in the hospital, in nursing homes, for wherever.

There is a part of my brain, however, that suggests that I take a nap after lunch. Sometimes I do that. But I try not to do that when out for a visit. That’s where caffein comes in. In fact, as I’m writing this, I’m slamming a tall Pike before a visit to a homebound member.

You see, I’ve been visiting this person for a long time. After a certain number of monthly visits, I’ve heard most of the stories. However, I must listen to them again. And again. And again. That is when active listening becomes difficult, my eyelids begin to feel heavy, and I start to get very, very sleepy…

It’s embarrassing to do that little head jerk when a blink of an eye turns into a few seconds and suddenly your mind yanks you back into reality. To fend that off, I’ll try flexing my biceps and quads, squeezing the arm of the chair, and sitting forward, leaning in to listen more attentively.

Oope. I probably shouldn’t have revealed that. Some who read this may notice the tightening of my arm muscles or me leaning forward with my arms on my knees. You’ll see my hands clench on the chair and you’ll know I’m trying as hard as I can to stay awake.

Here’s the thing. Some of the folks I visit don’t often have someone to talk to. Even the married ones. So they have many things to say. Many things. And they have mastered the art of weaving their story together into one long, continuous sentence that is very hard to interrupt. Those who are good at this can go thirty minutes or more, as each part of their story reminds them of another person or another place that leads to other memories and details that connects to yet further events and recollections from the past.

I listen as best I can. I really do. Someday, I know the tables will be turned and I will be starving for someone to talk to, and I will keep my guest as long as I can by weaving together a complex tapestry of the story of my life to keep them there just a few more minutes.

Occasionally, I get caught with my eyes shut. Uh-oh. That’s embarrassing. It’s just a moment, but I got caught just the same. Graciously, my visit-ees usually say, “You look tired, pastor.” I guess you could make sure you have some coffee on when I come to visit. Just remember it’s got to be strong, black and hopefully not Maxwell House or Folgers.

So, for those who aspire to ministry that includes the care of souls, here my tip number whatever: caffeinate early and often.