Milwaukee Specialty Food and Coffee

Editorial: Artisan

OK, so the horsesh*t in the specialty coffee and related industries is getting so thick you could cut it with a knife (sorry for the mixed and, frankly, disgusting metaphor).  Apparently, the buzzword of the day is "artisan".  Yesterday, I received an e-mail from Starbucks heralding their "Artisan Pairings", which largely refer to their greasy breakfast sandwiches.  As a linguist--and a cunning one, I might add--I am disgusted by the use of language as smoke and mirrors.  The word "artisan" is being used here to draw your attention to an imaginary point that does not actually exist.  While you're looking away, reality is snuck past you.  It's kind of like the old Three Stooges sketches when Moe would point up at the sky, then punch Curly after his eyes were averted. 

I'd be suprised if there were a single artisan working in Starbucks' employ anywhere in the world.  I'm also guessing that the terms Starbucks demands from its suppliers would prohibit any artisans from working for them, either.  I don't think I know any artisans personally, but I know of a few.  The guy who owns the Northern Chocolate Co.--the "Chocolate Nazi"--is an artisan.  Artisans are an idiosyncratic bunch.  Companies who can pay marketing wizards to throw around words like "artisan" don't take kindly to that.

Specialty Coffee Drinks: Starbucks VIA

I received my free samples of Starbucks VIA Ready-Brew and, like most others, found it surprisingly good, particularly the Italian Roast.

Editorial: Social Networking Menage-a-Triage

I'm thinking of which social networking sites to offload.  I have to admit that Twitter isn't doing much for me anymore.  My mistake, perhaps, in becoming active on social networking sites (in particular, Facebook) was not having the heart to decline friend requests.  And then, of course, there's Twitter, with the stereotype of people Tweeting what they're having for dinner.  Actually, that's not a stereotype.  It's true.

Something that occurred to me today is that though I criticise the UWM B.O.S.S. van program for being like something out of the movie Wall.E, social networking sites are also something out of that movie.  Wasn't one of the gags in Wall.E that the inhabitants of the space station communicated with each other electronically, even if they were right next to each other?

I don't imagine anyone much cares, but if you enjoy my presence on Twitter, Facebook (search for michaelscottmiller24@hotmail.com) or elsewhere, let me know so I can take that into account.

Retail Coffee: Peet's House Blend

My Dad brought me a pound (actually, a 12 oz. bag) of Peet's House Blend coffee from Arizona, where it's sold at Safeway grocery stores.  It's hard to say something like "this is what coffee was meant to be" without venturing into hyperbole, but in this case, it truly applies.

Snapshots: Brady Street

There are two days of the week when Brady St. is safe for human consumption--at least for this human--and this is one of them (I wrote about the other last week).  Across the GFIOFAB (short for something-something-Intersection-of-Farwell-and-Brady, which takes about twenty minutes to cross whether on foot or by car), an interesting looped video is playing in the second-floor window.  It's the only cool thing I can remember happening around here since Europa Books.

Links: You Fill Enjoy It: Great Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Article

Here's a great article on The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (the regional chain that I frequented in Arizona) that also touches on Peet's and Starbucks.

Photos

Glendale/Whitefish Bay: Snapshots: Caribou Coffee Glendale

I'm at Caribou Coffee on W. Silver Spring Dr. in Glendale.  Another thing that there should be a sniglet for is when the staff is cleaning the coffeehouse and you, as a customer, no longer feel welcome (mind you, the person at the counter gave me a friendly reception--he's new and undergoing training).  I'm a night person, so it's tough for me to make use of the hours after 10 p.m. in Glendale.  I should also specify that I don't really drink much.  In any event, I stopped at my parents' to pick up a one-pound bag of Peet's House Blend that my Dad brought back for me from Arizona.  I look forward to cupping it and sampling it as drip coffee in the morning.

Also, thanks to my Aunt Lynne, I have good pants on.  I find that in life, it's hard to overestimate the important of good pants.

East Side/Riverwest: Snapshots: Stone Creek Shorewood

I'm in the Shorewood Stone Creek Coffee mosh pit again.  The good news is that the coffee of the day, the Peru, is really good.

East Side/Riverwest: Snapshots: Alterra on Prospect

I'm at Alterra on Prospect enjoying today's strong coffee, the Papua New Guinea Kimel, and some decompression from 131 hours of work since March 23rd.  A week ago, purchasing a $250 U2 ticket filled me with an almost physiological sensation of discomfort.  Now, I'm just trying to figure out whether the seat will be good enough (I'll have to try to get into Soldier Field for a tour).