Monday, December 17, 2007

Peet's Coffee

Last week I went to a coffee cupping at the new Peet's Coffee and Tea on Queen Anne. It was my first cupping experience.
First I learned how to taste the coffee.

Coffee Tasting
1)You swirl the coffee which cools it down.
2)Shove your nose in it. Smell the aroma!
3)SLURP! You actually make a huge slurping sound. This allows you to spray your palate.

What to look for?
1) Body, thickness, viscosity of the coffee.
2) Acidity. How acidic is it?
Do you taste a ripeness or a liveliness?
Do you taste an aftertaste? Does it linger on your tongue?
3)Aroma. What do you smell?

Now try to sense the different flavor touches. Is it fruity or floral? Can you taste cocoa? Does it have a woody taste?

After we tried a few different coffees, we discussed food pairing.
Some combos that go together.
Coffee from Kenya with chocolate.
Indonesian coffee goes with cinnamon or really creamy textured desserts or foods.
Ethiopian coffee with a fruit dessert, a berry or lemon tart.

Call Peet's to find out when the next free cupping will take place.

* There will be a fundraising event for the Sacred Heart Shelter on Dec 24. Peet's will be serving free brewed coffee and tea. People can donate as they wish. The donation will be matched by Peet's Coffee.

Peet's Coffee
2201 Queen Anne Ave. N
206 826 9001

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