J-Walk's closing after today, so make sure you get down there and say good-bye and pick up some great baked goods and coffee. Stella's will open in its location in just five days, with Tony Brown, current chef at Mizuna, at the helm. The menu will have a vegetarian and vegan bend, according to a post made at Spokane Vegan's Facebook group, and we have learned DOMA will still be the coffee of choice.
You've probably already heard Gordon Ramsay will be filming an episode of Hotel Hell in Coeur d'Alene. Not much more to say about that, really...
Speaking of stories in the Spokesman: While we're glad to hear construction of Beignets (in the space next to Madeleine's) is underway, we're still a bit shifty eyed about the "European" adjective being tossed around about the new spot. Can we expect a bunch of Serbian dishes there? Or possibly something with a Faroe Island bend? I mean, really, say something like French-inspired, or even continental, but using European as an adjective makes little sense.
Rant aside, if you want some classic Americana I'm sure Bowl'z Bitez & Spiritz will have you covered. It's opening at 401 W Riverside, and... With a name like that, how can you go wrong?
If you still haven't signed up for our AeroPress contest, SpoAP, there are still a few spots left, so get to it! Before it's too late!
The contest will be held February 26th (that's a Sunday) in the afternoon, probably around 4pm. The location will be Madeleine's downtown, which will give you the opportunity not just to drink some good coffee, but also to enjoy other libations. Think beer.
We only require you to bring beans of your choice -- grinder will be provided by Madeleine's -- and, of course, your AeroPress. For those who's afraid that the Keaton Violet will dominate, worry no more. He will be a judge.
So sign up now, as there only are a handful of spots left! For more information, make sure to check out out initial post.
My knowledge of Maya Earth Coffee is admittedly lacking: Their bags reveal they're from Airway Heights and they seem to be pretty transparent about the whole responsible trade thing. Local and, presumably, good people. That's all great.
The San Marcos we picked up from Main Market was sadly not quite as awesome. I'm not sure if the beans were too old as there was no roast date on the bag, but something seemed off about them.
Opening the bag, it was clear this was some dark roasted stuff. That stereotypical smell of coffee was there, and that was about it. There are few subtle notes to it, and the beans literally shone from the oil.
Using the AeroPress this pretty much turned out how we had expected it to, after our initial inspection. You probably could enjoy the San Marcos if you like your coffee dark, but even then, there was just very little to the overall profile here. All in all it was just kind of dull.
Frankly, I don't really know what else to day about the San Marcos. There just wasn't a lot to it. I'm sure the roasters are lovely people who do a lot of good in the world. The coffee, however, wasn't quite up with what we had hoped for, and I can't see us trying Maya Earth Coffee again. And that's too bad.
Vosges goes all out as far as wanting to be a classy brand, labeling their product haut-chocolat while majorly pimping the founder's past at El Bulli. Hey, it's marketing, and why not?
We picked up their Smoke and Stout Caramel bar from Chocolate Apothecary, a choice largely based on the "stout" part. Here they have mixed in Rogue's Chocolate Stout with smoked salt and caramel, all draped in a 70% cacao. The back of the package features some tips on how to properly taste the bar. Nothing too shocking there, but a nice touch all the same.
This is a pretty damn flavorful bar of chocolate, possibly a bit too flavorful for some. The aforementioned mix of ingredients turns into a sticky molasses, where the hint of stout pops out through a smokey caramel flavor. The salt is noticeable, but doesn't do much to cut down on the primary sharp flavors. It's up to the individual if that's a good or a bad thing, and this is certainly an acquired taste. We enjoyed it, and you might too.
Vosges's bars aren't a cheap pleasure -- somewhere in the $6 range -- but the Smoke and Stout isn't exactly something you knock back like a Mars bar either. It's one you can pick up and enjoy over a couple of days.
