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| Cortado, Bodhi Coffee |
Hanging out with Brian put me in a British frame of mind and decided to try a Cortado at our first stop, Bodhi Coffee. What a marvellous drink it was! In Spanish, cortado means cut. Quite simply, the drink is espresso served in a shot glass cut with an equal amounts coffee to milk, packing a lot of taste in a four oz drink. This one was made with local micro-roaster elixr's beans.
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| Drew Lazor, Philadelphia Daily News |
Drew joined us as we settled into our chairs. I learned that Brian's interest in coffee houses is finding those who not only makes great coffee but more importantly is a comfortable and welcoming destination. We discussed the growth of specialty coffee in Philadelphia and beyond, how coffee houses try to break down the "coffee snob" barrier and where the industry might be headed in the future.
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| Brian, Drew and Max |
After an hour relaxing at Bohdi we took a walk over to Ox Coffee where co-owner Max Cudworth was slinging shots of Stumptown. I had a cup of Hollar Mountain blend and our conversation continued. You can read Drew Lazor's article here: "Tea for two, coffee for the rest". If you read it, please be kind when commenting on the photograph of Brian and me :) After about 2 1/2 hours Drew left us to continue our Philly crawl
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| Preparing A Latte, At Ox Coffee |
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| Max Cudworth, Ox Coffee |
Our next stop was One Shot Cafe in Philly's Northern Liberties neighborhood. I love photographing this coffeehouse with its interesting layout and architectural features. One Shot also serves food and by the time we arrived we were famished. In honor of my special guest, I ordered a Stumptown Flat White. Brian and I parked ourselves by the front door, discussed the merits of British vs. American coffeehouses and admired the attractive crowd streaming into this popular establishment.
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| Lunch And A Flat White, One Shot Cafe |
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| ReAnimator Coffee |
By the time we got to ReAnimator, it was four o'clock and we were buzzing from the caffeine. I already had six cups and was beginning to feel like the day was becoming a sort of out-of-body experience. No, I don't do coffee crawls that often and I was considering crying "uncle". It was quite the dilemma as ReAnimator is my favorite Philly roaster. I started with a cup of Chiapas which was well crafted and I would never have guessed that it was decaf. We also ordered two cupcakes in an attempt to neutralize the effects of the caffeine. Co-owners Mark Corpus & Mark Capriotti soon arrived sporting a new Mahlkoning grinder they purchased that day at Coffee Fest in New York City. Corpus is also ReAnimator's roaster and we stood around talking shop.
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| Mark Corpus & Mark Capriotti, Owners, ReAnimator Coffee |
Around 5:30 we left ReAnimator and drove back to Brian's hotel. On the way I asked what he thought of Philadelphia's coffee culture. Brian declared it is on par with any city in Europe or the United States and he was especially struck by the welcome feeling he got at every stop. So with my job done I bid Brian farewell and wouldn't be surprised to hear that's he's going to visit us again the next time he is in the States.
Links
CoffeeGuru features over 7,000 independent coffeehouses in the US, Canada, UK and Ireland. Download the app here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/coffeeguru-indie-coffeehouses/id547969523?mt=8
Brian's Coffee Spot
Drew Lazor's article "Tea for two, coffee for the rest"
Bohdi Coffee
Ox Coffee
One Shot Cafe
ReAnimator Coffee
