The week swung back to calm and then to a redemptive afternoon, first getting a chance to see and thank the folks at Verve, celebrating their 5th anniversary with a generous and fun afternoon at the roastery, then visiting family and sharing the weekend tasks like picking some yummy meaty items from El Salchichero and sharing a table at Swift street for a bite or two.

We started visiting Verve around the time we installed our espresso machine at home (2010) and began to seriously approach learning how to make our experience at home as close as we could to the kind of coffee we found at the best cafes and roasters. The enthusiasm and willingness to share knowledge is something I find so often with good folks in this field that I should stop being amazed. Nonetheless, the tips and constructive comments they have made have improved our skills, and we feel competent to offer our friends a cappuccino without too much apology! That said, we know we can do better, and the more we learn, the more we understand we have to learn!

Our thanks to Jared, Chris, Ian and all the folks at Verve who continue to make our bean obsession seem worthwhile. Today was icing on the cake as we took some one-on-one coaching:Thanks to Alan for this shot of Ian as he gave a demo on the Probat:

A most mellow gathering, how perfect a way to bring the week in balance, with only smiles and genuine curiosity and appreciation. Customers…fans…community…