Dessert | tea & pastry in the Emerald City

I took a trip to Seattle last week, so you can imagine how many wonderful adventures I had while I was gone (which also means I have hundreds of photographs to sort through :P). This will be first of five feature posts (plus a Wanderlust summary of what I did over the duration of my trip once I finish posting everything else) -- i.e., the coffee shops, teahouses, bakeries, and ice creameries I explored over the three-day stay.

{1} First stop after lunch at HoneyHole Sandwiches was to Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream in Capitol Hill. Molly Moon's combines milk and cream from hormone-free dairy cows at family-owned Edaleen Dairy Farm with local, seasonal, as well as organic fruits and spices (as much as possible) "to make combinations that are both familiar and surprising." Molly Moon's tries its best to source everything it can from local farmers, including sugar from Idaho, lavender from Sequim, honey from the Olympics, and more than 90% of all ingredients. For things that don't grow well in the Pacific Northwest (namely chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and tea), it "works with local companies like Theo Chocolate and Stumptown coffee to buy organic, fair-trade ingredients we can feel good about."


{2} The smorgasbord of flavors at Molly Moon's includes Always flavors (i.e., its classics) as well as a limited selection of seasonal ones. {6,7} The waffle cones here are freshly made with special waffle irons. Among the ice creams sampled that afternoon:

• {5} A waffle cone with Earl Grey ice cream, which is made using organic and fair-trade tea steeped overnight in the shop's sweet cream. Absolutely heavenly -- just like the perfect milky black tea. Definitely want to dive into making this from the eponymous cookbook -- it's just too delicious to resist!
• {3} Molly's Sundae with melted chocolate and salted caramel ice cream, hot fudge, candied hazelnuts, whipped cream, and a cherry on top. The melted chocolate is made using locally-made organic, fair-trade Theo chocolate and is "extra fudgy" while the salted caramel is very salty and "caramelly" (incidentally Molly Moon's bestseller). Certainly a solid sundae that is perfect for sharing (it's pretty sizely), though the salted caramel was a lot saltier than I anticipated.

The next morning, before heading to the Space Needle for an early time, {1} I stopped at Crumble & Flake Patisserie (also in Capitol Hill). {2,3} It is "a tiny bakery making pastries in small batches with care and attention" as well as one that closes at 3 PM daily (or until it sells out). I now know why!


So getting there roughly an hour after opening on a Thursday, there was still a decent selection of pastries from which to choose. I ended up with a lime mojito macaron, a black cherry-dark chocolate macaron, a plain croissant, and a blueberry-lemon scone. The cookie of the macarons were of the ideal consistency (just enough airiness and meringue), and the buttercream/ganache was light yet flavorful. The scone was really refreshing -- the inclusion of lemon zest really goes a long way. And the croissant was pretty solid -- really crispy, buttery, and flaky. If this isn't a great way to start a morning, I'm not sure what is!

{1} Later that afternoon, I ventured up to Phinney Ridge, a neighborhood in the northern part of Seattle, to have some pie at A La Mode Pies. Chef Chris Porter, owner of A La Mode Pies, was inspired to open his own pie shop as an ode to his love for pie that began in during his childhood days, when his mother would pack store-bought frosted fruit pie in his sack lunch during special occasions. His mother taught him that "patience, technique,a nd invention in the kitchen is often rewarded with wide eyes and happy taste buds." So his vision for A La Mode Pies is "not just to recreate his mother's recipes, but to reinvent them using imagination and high-quality ingredients" as it creates pies and tarts that "look as good as they taste -- no sprinkls, frosting, or grocery store gimmicks."


To my happy surprise, A La Mode Pies offers two flavors from Bluebird Microcreamery, which had been on my Seattle wishlist for this trip but we couldn't fit it in. Yay for two birds with one stone! Here were the varieties sampled:

• {2}Marionberry and hazelnut pie -- a blend of sweet marionberries (considered the "cabernet of blackberries") with a flaky crust that is marbled with the sharp, toasted flavor of hazelnuts -- was served a la mode with snickerdoodle ice cream. The marionberries were a lot more tart than I was anticipating, and I was surprised to find out that the hazelnuts were in the crust, not in the filling itself. Nevertheless, this sliver was quite lovely, especially balanced out with the warming spiced snickerdoodle ice cream.
• {3}Mexican chocolate mousse pie -- spiced with cinnamon and a hint of cayenne pepper, filled inside a chocolate graham cracker crust, and topped with freshly whipped cream -- was also served a la mode with snickerdoodle ice cream. I was told that this was the bestselling pie at A La Mode, and I can certainly understand why. The rich chocolate mousse as light as air with a touch of heat from the cayenne in the toasty graham cracker crust. It was even better with the creamy ice cream. A sliver of pie here is worth the trip up to Phinney Ridge, for sure!

On the way back towards downtown Seattle, I inadvertently passed under the George Washington Memorial Bridge where the Fremont Troll lives and {1} stopped by at Milstead & Co. for some iced chai (though now in retrospect, I wish it was an espresso beverage! :P). With a high ceiling, Milstead is housed in a loft-like space with an open and airy atmosphere that plays off the cold slates and the warm woods of the furniture, floors, and walls.

{1} The next morning, I took a stroll over to Remedy Teas in Capitol Hill for some morning tea and {5} to check out its offering of over 150 organic teas, specializing in signature artisan blends that are sourced from across the globe.


{2,6} The teahouse's space was very calming, with an earthy level of zen to it. {3} The menu offered three tea preparations -- a tea pot, a cup to-go, or a cup of any tea iced. {4} I tried the peach oolong in a teapot, for which the counter girl gave me a nifty Bodum teapot steeper with a double-wall insulated glass; a set timer counting down to when the ideal steep is done; and a stainless dish for resting the used tea steeper. Love the precision and the enthusiasm that Remedy Teas has for its hot tea preparation! {7} I also tried the iced matcha green tea lemonade, which was refreshing and a little tart-and-sweet from the lemonade.

Later that afternoon, I ventured to Bainbridge Island on the Seattle State Ferry, which had gorgeous views of the Emerald City and of the islands across the Puget Sound. {2} While I was over there, I made sure to stop at Mora Iced Creamery, a little ice cream shop tucked away within the downtown shops run by Argentinian expats who have developed more than 70 flavors since the shop's opening in 2006. Mora, which means "blackberry" in Italian and Spanish, pays homage to the Island's beloved wild blackberry. Making its ice creams in small batches using fresh milk, real eggs, and cane sugar, the shop does not taking any shortcuts or using any powdered mixes, but instead has "developed its own recipes, carefully testing them repeatedly to make certain that one ingredient doesn't overwhelm another as well as ensuring a texture that is smooth and creamy." {5} It churns Old World flavors like gianduja, marron glace (i.e., candied chestnut), and dulce de leche as well as new-school favorites and seasonal specialties throughout the year.


{1} Food & Wine named Bainbridge Island as one of America's Best Ice Cream Cities, citing Mora Iced Creamery as a must-visit, which explains the crazy long line spewing out its front door when we arrived early that afternoon. The line moved pretty quickly, and before I knew it, I was enjoying {3} a sugar cone with a scoop of mint with shaved chocolate fudge and {4} a sugar cone with a scoop of lemon sorbet (made using hand-squeezed lemons). Both were really light and refreshing on the warm summer day -- you could really discern the use of the freshest ingredients, especially with the mint -- it wasn't that artificial peppermint/spearmint flavor you'd typically find in candy, gum, etc., but rather extracted from fresh spearmint leaves. The thin shavings of chocolate fudge were a fun contrast compared to the chocolate chips you'd typically find in similar ice creams.

Findings: Seattle and Bainbridge Island undoubtedly have some amazing confections and hot beverages to offer. I had a generous sampling of ice creams, pastries, pies, and teas, and I am happy to report that not one disappointed! So if you find yourself in Seattle, be sure not to miss out on its original ice cream flavors (Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream, Bluebird Microcreamery, and Mora Iced Creamery), small-batched pastries (Crumble & Flake Patisserie), homemade pies just like how Mom used to make 'em (A La Mode Pies), or its coffee/tea scene (Milstead & Co. and Remedy Teas are great places to start)!

Price point: $3 for single scoop of ice cream at Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream, $5 for a lil' sundae; $2.50-$3.50 for each pastry at Crumble & Flake Patisserie; $5 per pie slice at A La Mode Pies; $4 for each beverage at Milstead & Co.; $4 for each tea at Remedy Teas; $3 for each scoop at Mora Iced Creamery.

--August 21-23, 2013

Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream (Capitol Hill)
 917 East Pine Street
Seattle, WA 98122
http://www.mollymoonicecream.com

Crumble & Flake Patisserie
1500 East Olive Way
Seattle, WA 98122
http://www.crumbleandflake.com

A La Mode Pies
5821 Phinney Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98103
http://www.alamodeseattle.com

Milstead & Co.
770 North 34th Street
Seattle, WA 98103
http://www.milsteadandco.com

Remedy Teas
345 15th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
http://www.remedyteas.com

Mora Iced Creamery (Bainbridge Island)
139 Madrone Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
http://www.moraicecream.com

Drinks | Press Tea

After work on Wednesday, Marcus and I finally made it to Press Tea, a teahouse that has relocated from the Lower East Side to the West Village last month. I passed by the old location on Ludlow many times, saying that I had to make it there sometime, so I'm glad I can finally say I've been, even if it was at its spankin' new location.


Press Tea sees itself as "more than a café" -- rather "a concept that combines global flavors with New York style." What I find most fascinating and notable about Press Tea, and how it differentiates itself from the usual teahouse, is that its method of brewing tea is quite "revolutionary" in ensuring the "greatest possible experience by combining the techniques of espresso with gourmet tea." Instead of steeping tea bags or brewing with loose leaves, its tea baristas uses "a unique press system that compresses finely ground tea leaves into espresso-like shots" -- something they informally refer to as tea-spresso, an approach that "maximizes the flavor of its teas, adding a velvety finish and rich colors to the already innovative blends." These highly concentrated tea shots result in a "smoother, crisper, cleaner tea that has more body and zero acidity or bitterness."

I can go on and on in explaining this, but you won't know what I mean until you finally taste and sip some pressed tea from here -- you'll be a convert for sure.


The tea blends found at here are exclusive (you won't find them anywhere else but here) as they are sourced from all over the world by the founders of Press Tea.



The interiors of the newly designed and recently relocated teahouse hope to emulate a "Victorian-era Parisian tea salon for the modern day."




Love this pillow! :)


With it being an incredibly humid day and all, I went for the Mango Rooibos, an iced press tea from the "Featured Beverages" offerings that evening. I don't normally like red tea -- I typically find it to be bland and watery with an unwelcome after taste -- but this one proved to be so very different. You can definitely perceive the difference as a result of the pressed preparation for the teas here -- highly concentrated, rich and smooth, as well as velvet in texture, all the while tasting the true flavors of a solid red tea. The flavor shot of mango added a balanced fruitiness to the iced beverage, the perfect solace from those sticky summer evenings.


Marcus tried the other two featured iced press teas -- Passion Fruit Green and Peach Black. The resulting concentration, texture, and consistency were just as lovely as those for the Rooibos, all highlighting the flavors characteristic of each tea blend. Out of all the flavor shots, I think the mango is the strongest (sweet with a little tang), followed by passion fruit (tangy), and then peach (lightly sweet). The recommended combination of flavors with a given blend were spot on, too, all blended well with the thoroughly pressed and brewed teas.

As I was taking shots of the interior, a gentleman came up to me and asked if I was a food blogger, which kind of caught me off guard, but it turned out he is one of the owners of Press Tea just checking to see if Marcus and I were doing well (which we were) and to tell us more about Press Tea, its preparation technique, and its tea blends (which we were happy to hear about). He was very really welcoming and knowledgeable, so it was great to interact with one of the masterminds behind the shop -- added a nice personal touch to our experience.

Findings: However brief our visit was at Press Tea, it has certainly made a lasting impression with me, one that will encourage not only subsequent visits but frequent ones, too. I don't doubt that Marcus and I will become regulars here and make it a personal haunt of ours very soon. The quality of the tea blends and the meticulous care taken by the tea baristas in the shop's innovative pressed preparation will win over both tea lovers and skeptics just the same. There's no stained water here -- only legit cups of beautifully brewed blends of well-curated source and origin. Plus, there's a whole side of the menu we haven't even had a chance to explore namely the miniature pastries (baked in-house and infused with actual tea leaves) and the hot beverages (for me, the teappuccinos). Glad I can rest easy knowing that NYC now has a teahouse that takes its preparation quite seriously. So watch out, Press Tea -- you've got a new loyalist on your hands! :P

Price point: $4.50-4.90 for each iced press tea with a flavor shot.

--June 26, 2013

Press Tea
167 7th Avenue South
New York, NY 10014
http://www.presstea.com

Drinks | coffee shops in the District

One of my favorite things to do while traveling and exploring a new and unfamiliar city is to scope out its share of coffee shops, cafés, and bakeries. Marcus and I were fortunate enough to squeeze in three different spots during our long weekend trip to DC in late April.

Our first stop was to Peregine Espresso, which I had remembered reading about in Bon Appetit a few years back, where the magazine noted its offering of coffees is similar to microbrewed beer -- i.e., "several single-origin coffees" can be made to order. While I'm not a coffee aficionado or connoisseur (farrr from it!), I appreciate the art of it all -- definitely wanted to see it all in action!

{1} With three locations in DC, Peregrine Espresso first opened its doors in 2008 by Ryan and Jill Jensen. Ryan Jensen has over ten years of experience in the specialty coffee industry, where he began as a part-time barista during his university days in Montana. After moving to DC in early 2003, he worked as a barista through to general manager at Murkey Coffee, later leaving three years later to work as a customer relations representative in DC for Counter Culture Coffee, a wholesale coffee roaster based out of Durham, North Carolina. After winning the 2005 Southeast Regional Barista Competition, he has trained baristas at many of top cafés and restaurants throughout the Mid-Atlantic region as well as at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Additionally, Jill Jensen has worked at Common Grounds Coffee & Tea in Arlington, Virginia, as well as Big Bear Café in DC.


{3} The interiors of Peregrine Espresso at the Mid City location has a great wall of exposed brick opposite the barista counter, which includes {5,8} a pourover station and {6,7} a legit espresso machine made by La Marzocco. Each morning, Peregrine offers "a smooth and balanced, single-origin, macro-brewed coffee" in addition to "a variety of single-origin coffees" available by-the-cup micro-brew. As the day progresses, only the micro-brewed coffees will be available in an effort to serve only the freshest coffee to its patrons. I love the coffee shop's name, as its meaning (i.e., "foreign, alien, roving, wandering, migratory") rooted in the Latin meaning for "wanderer/pilgrim/foreigner/being abroad" -- all appropriate for its specialty in micro-brews.

{4} In theory, I love mocha lattés, more so because I love dark chocolate, and it helps me enjoy coffee without too much bitter intensity. However, I find the problem with mochas at most coffee shops is two-fold. First is that the ratio between milk, espresso, and chocolate is imbalanced, resulting in something overly milky, too chocolatey, or extremely bittered with espresso. The other is that the quality of the chocolate sauce is lacking where it doesn't blend well with the milk and espresso. Plus, I don't usually drink coffee unless I'm in desperate need of caffeine (and tea won't be enough to get me through) or on a trip like this, boutique coffeeshop-hopping. Sometimes I am disappointed by inadequacy and reminded of how much I don't really enjoy espresso beverages (Starbucks is the epitome of this for me); other times, I am pleasantly surprised to the point where I can potentially resurrect my faith in a really good cup of joe (excuse me as I'm still feeling my way out of sugar-coated coffeeland). The latter doesn't happen often, but I had a moment of this while at Peregrine. I had a soy mocha, which not only had a pretty latté heart but tasted unbelievably perfect. It was so smooth, going down easy yet I could really appreciate the underlying macro-brew of coffee. The chocolate used was velvety rich and bittersweet, so it wasn't overwhelming in sweetness. If a cup of coffee could embody the word beautiful, this would be it. {2} Marcus had a plain ol' latté, which he found to be a little too intense and bitter for his liking. Our fault, though -- we definitely should've asked the baristas more about the other micro-brews so we could choose something more fitting. Next time!

Later that afternoon, we were getting post-lunch cravings for something a little sweet, so we made our way up to Adams Morgan, {1,8} to check out Tryst Coffeehouse Bar & Lounge, where its tagline is "No corporate coffee, no matching silverware." This coffeehouse stands in "stark contrast to the suburban culture and coffee chains that proliferate the country" as it has a single location, owned and operated by the same couple that started it back in 1998, where everything (both food and drink) is made to order.


{2,5} Tryst is a charming little coffeehouse with an eclectic collection of furniture that reminds me of Central Perk, the fictional coffeehouse where the cast of Friends would always be hanging out throughout the series. The rich reds and woods from the walls and table/chairs gives a really warming and welcoming feeling upon sitting and sipping there. {3} Marcus had a frozen chai while I had {7} a regular chai latté. Both were great, as you can tell they were steeped using real chai tea leaves, not from a concentrate. As far as snacking goes, Marcus opted for {4} a chocolate croissant, while {6} I had an orange-pistachio biscotti. Really well-made pastries here! We spent a good amount of our afternoon chatting over our chai drinks and nibbles as the energy of this place was very positive and friendly. It's also worth noting that this place turns into a bar in the evening, with a dynamic offering of quality cocktails and a generous variety of craft beers.

On our last morning in DC, we made a stop into {1} Chinatown Coffee Co. for some caffeine and a quick bite to hold us over until our brunch reservations later that afternoon. Chinatown Coffee considers itself a part of the Third Wave Coffee movement, where the focuses are to produce high-quality coffee and  to consider coffee as an artisanal foodstuff, like wine, rather than a commodity.


{5-7}The interior design of Chinatown Coffee Co. was created by award-winning architect, Robert Gurney -- the light fixtures were certainly my favorite part of the space, which were industrial yet inviting. {3}It's so nice that they offer "Black Card Specials" during the week!

{2} Marcus enjoyed my mocha quite a bit from Peregrine Espresso that he ordered one for himself at Chinatown Coffee, along with a miniature croissant that the shop had delivered from Hawthorne Breakfast Pastry. His verdict was that he preferred the one at Chinatown Coffee, which really just came down to his preference for the variety of coffee used here. Croissant was good, too. {4} Though there was a "Black Card Special" for an iced chai, I opted for a hot soy chai latté because of the chilly weather that morning, along with a sticky bun. Decent chai here -- again, being steeped from loose tea leaves (from The Chai Co., to be exact) makes a chai that much more enjoyable -- and the sticky bun really hit the spot.

Findings: Where there are coffee enthusiasts, there will be places to find a legit cup of brew. This is no exception in DC, where the three spots we visited really embraced the Third Wave Coffee movement (officially or unofficially). The baristas really know their stuff, and the varieties offered are unique and made-to-order. There wasn't one café that I preferred over the other -- I liked them each in their own ways. Peregrine Espresso was most refined and laboratory-like; Tryst Coffeehouse Bar & Lounge was more warm, homey, and comforting; and Chinatown Coffee Co. would be the spot that I could see myself going to daily if I lived in DC (a blending of the first two).

I still don't know much about the world of roasts and pour-overs, but I'm slowly catching up! Hopefully paying pilgrimage to the hardcore coffee spots during my travels will help me get there. So if you're in DC, I highly recommend any and all of these spots -- you'll be paying a pretty penny for the special brews there, but it'll be worth the splurge!

Price point: $3.50-4 for each beverage at Peregrine Espresso; $4-4.50 for each beverage at Tryst Coffeehouse Bar & Lounge, $1.99-2.70 for each pastry; $4.25 for each beverage at Chinatown Coffee Co., ~$2.50 for each pastry.

--April 20-21, 2013

Peregrine Espresso
1718 14th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20009
http://www.peregrineespresso.com

Tryst Coffee House Bar & Lounge
2459 18th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20009
http://www.trystdc.com

Chinatown Coffee Co.
475 H Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20001
http://www.chinatowncoffee.com

Dessert | coffee & pastries in Chucktown

In between all of the eating we did in Charleston (nicknamed Chucktown), we found solace in some more consumption by snacking on some crazy good pastries as well as sipping on well-crafted hot beverages. When traveling with Alice and Jimmy, a solid coffee joint will always be on the itinerary. So after a delightful lunch at Butcher & Bee our first day in town, we thought a nice afternoon pick-me-up was in order before our grand feast at McCrady's. Although we were disappointed to find out that Hope and Union Coffee Co. unexpectedly closed in October last year, we found another hopeful spot -- {1} Black Tap Coffee on Beaufain, right in the reach of a local school, College of Charleston.

Having been opened a little over a year ago, Black Tap Coffee has clean, minimalist interiors -- {2,6} white walls with dark mahogany tables, benches, stools, chairs. Most of the furniture was designed by local woodworker Stephen Wain. In fact, the main table was made from wood rescued from a house fire on Rutledge Street. {4} Cucumber water comes complimentary to patrons, while {4} the menu is silkscreened on a sheet of burlap featuring singular descriptions of brew styles, many of which is new to me, a complete bean novice (I only count them during my day job :P). {5} Love the layout of the coffee counter here -- zen combination of black, white ceramic, and glass.

The wall art, including {1} this spiffy neighborhood map of Charleston, and subtle textures from the simple greenery, made for a very relaxing and calm environment to read, enjoy a hot drink, etc. In fact, we loved this place so much that we made a second trip on Monday before we left. 

{3,5} It was fun to watch the barista at the counter make Jimmy's {2} pour-over coffee, {4} Alice's gorgeous cortado with a simple latté heart, and {9} an on-tap cold brew coffee. {8} Additionally, I had one of the best steeped chai lattés ever here. It was brewed from legit chai tea leaves, not artificially from a drink mix, concentrate or what have you. {6,9} The assortment of pastries here are pretty damn good, too (note almond croissant and chocolate chip cookies were awesome) -- funnily enough, they're all from WildFlour Pastry (see rest of review below). I recently found out that the baristas at Black Tap Coffee were trained at Counter Culture Coffee, so they really know their stuff. So great to find a niche coffeehouse like Black Tap in the heart of Charleston. We kept saying it wouldn't be surprising to find a spot like this in Williamsburg here in Brooklyn.

The following morning on Sunday, we set forth to {2} WildFlour Pastry for {1} its (in)famous pecan sticky buns which are only available on Sundays from 8 AM to 1 PM. A graduate from the Culinary Institute of America in Baking and Pastry back in 2004, Chef Lauren Mitterer owns and heads the operations at WildFlour. Her past experience includes interning at Tavern on the Green and externing at Larkspur in Vail, Colorado. After graduating, she moved to Charleston to accept a position as executive pastry chef at Red Drum Gastropub. Five years later, she left to open WildFlour, in pursuit of "her dream of creating {3,7} "deconstructed yet elegant versions of comfort desserts, satisfying that unique craving of sweet and salty."

{6} Along with the usual hot beverages running the gamut at most bakeries and cafés, the bakery also offers a few varieties of quiche and other baked goods. {4} We had no idea how massive the buns were going to be so we got one pecan sticky bun and one cinnamon bun so we could sample and share without ruining our appetites for lunch. The sticky buns were as awesome as everyone hyped them to be (sweet and salty!), and even with the generous glob of icing, the cinnamon buns were great (a little softer than the sticky buns) as well!

The same afternoon, we were looking for another fix of caffeine so {5} we found Kudu Coffee and Craft Beer to be worthy of a drop-in. The local coffeehouse is named after the African antelope that has a grayish/brownish coat with white vertical stripes and long, spiraled horns, as it features many strong African blend of beans. Kudu serves Counter Culture coffee and espresso, and it also turns out the baristas here make pretty badass latté art.

For Alice and Jimmy's cortados, there was {3} a singular and {8} a double heart. I guess the noticed us snapping away at our coffees, the barista was kind enough to make us two more -- {1} a classic tulip and {3} a beautiful foamy swan.

Findings: One thing's for sure -- Charleston is not without an exciting caffeine community nor a delicious pastry scene. It appears this town takes its taste and technique for a solid cup of joe quite seriously. So if you're in search for a non-chain, neighborhood spot to enjoy your daily brew au lait, then Black Tap Coffee and Kudu Coffee & Craft Beer are must-visits. As far as pastries are concerned, you'd be crazy to be in Charleston on a Sunday and not stop into WildFlour Pastry for a hunk of its awesome sticky and cinnamon buns. But if you're at Black Tap, you can enjoy both well-crafted coffee and WildFlour's pastries. 

Price point: $3.25-4.50 for each hot beverage at Black Tap Coffee, $2.5-3 for each pastry; $3 for each bun at WildFlour Pastry; $3.20-4.35 for each hot beverage at Kudu Coffee & Craft Beer (please note we received two complimentary lattés from the barista). 

--January 5-7, 2013

Black Tap Coffee

70 Beaufain Street

Charleston, SC 29401

http://www.blacktapcoffee.com

WildFlour Pastry

73 Spring Street

Charleston, SC 29403

http://www.wildflourpastrycharleston.com

Kudu Coffee & Craft Beer

4 Vanderhorst Street

Charleston, SC 29403

http://www.kuducharleston.com

Goods & Grocery | Bellocq Tea Atelier

This past weekend was the first one where I didn't have to work this year, so I took the opportunity to sweep Marcus away for the day, crossing the Hudson for some quality time in Brooklyn. Our first stop? Greenpoint!

We took the East River Ferry run by NY Waterway from the terminal in the Financial District all the way to India Street at Greenpoint. Unfortunately, the ferry runs every half hour on the weekends from Wall Street, so we made sure we wouldn't miss it.

A couple blocks away from the ferry terminal was Bellocq Tea Atelier, a tea company and purveyor of fine artisan tea blends. After seeing Alice's snaps from there, I had to hop on over there pronto! I am a lover of tea, so I've actually been on the lookout for some quality tea leaves here in the city. So with Bellocq on the brain, I was impatiently waiting for a Saturday to free up from my bean counting life (the Atelier is open twice a week on Fridays and Saturdays from 12-7 PM), and this weekend was it.

So just a fair warning, the entrance to Bellocq on West Street is pretty non-descript -- there was only this tiny square sign on a heavy metal door. It took Marcus and I a good five minutes to walk back and forth to figure out where it was.

Relocating from its original location on Kings Road in London, Bellocq has found its new home in Greenpoint, continuing to "curate an inspiring selection of the organic full leaf teas." Founders Heidi Johannsen Stewart, Michael Shannon, and Scott Stewart had decided to come together with their "creative forces with a desire to collaborate on a shared aesthetic vision that captures their appreciation of traditional artisan work and a love of fine tea." In fact, Bellocq's award-winning handcrafted blends aim to "unite the finest traditional teas with a modern, adventurous spirit." I think Ms. Johannsen Stewart, a former Martha Stewart Living editor, stylist, and columnist, says it best: "Tea is an affordable, everyday luxury. Bellocq’s sophisticated approach to flavor and fragrance is tailored to an educated, stylish, and sophisticated customer. Our teas suit the needs and desires of the modern well traveled client. We use all of our resources to create extraordinary teas and cultivate genuine relationships with our clients.”

Together with the design backgrounds of Mr. Shannon (product designer who has worked with companies such as Martha Stewart Omnimedia and Anthropologie) and Mr. Stewart (co-owner and founder of fabrication firm, SAAW, Inc. with clients such as Anthropologie and Barney's New York), these three creative individuals sought to create and start up Bellocq, the name inspired by a region in France.

The sitting room off to the side of the Atelier shop space, as Bellocq Tea Atelier is a tasting and design studio -- "a place to inspire and realize new and ever-evolving ideas."

Bellocq's tea are stored (and can be bought in) these hand-crafted metal canisters, which the Atelier refers to as "traveler caddies," in multiple sizes. Uncap the lid and you will find a loosely attached cover on the inside which ensures additional freshness of the tea leaves.

Boxes of Bellocq Breakfast tea with a brass tea strainer and other trinkets.

Behind the Atelier's counter are these large "traveler caddies" in which tea leaves are stored for retail service, one for each distinct offering of full tea leaves. You'll notice that each blend/tea has a "No." (i.e, numero sign) associated with it -- makes it easier to keep track! The Atelier counter offers tea "cupping" services on site, which give clients an opportunity to learn more about its tea selection through "a full-sensory experience." We were very fortunate to have met Mr. Shannon during our visit -- he was super knowledgeable and very welcoming.

This "full-sensory experience" is reiterated with the table opposite the Atelier counter, which displays nearly all of its tea offerings (pure/blended/black/green/white/herbal/oolong/etc.) in traveler caddies as well as a little dish filled with a few spoonfuls of loose tea leaves from each. This gives visitors a change to observe the vibrant colors of the tea leaves as well as smell the aromas exuded, however delicately or boldly, by each. Marcus and I went a little crazy -- we took in the scent of pretty much all of the teas. It took me some time to narrow down to which teas with which I wanted to leave the Atelier. With the "cupping" services offered by the shop (we asked to have a taste of No. 45, The White Wolf), I was able to reach my decision a little easier, though my wishlist was happily growing longer with every minute we occupied the shop.

I brought home a grand total of 10 ounces in tea leaves -- love the "custom-like" labeling that's adhered onto the packages of tea! Along with a brass tea strainer (couldn't resist!), here's a peek at the loot:

{1} No. 35, The Earl Grey

Per Bellocq, "the gentleman of the tea world" is comprised of Ceylon black tea scented with natural Sicilian bergamot and accented with blue cornflowers.

{2} No. 45, The White Wolf

One of Bellocq's signature blends, this is a blend of organic white peony, cedar, juniper, and mint -- also wonderful iced.

{3} No. 5, Ali Shan

This is a super aromatic oolong (dark-colored Asian tea made by fermenting the withered leaves to about half the degree usual for black teas) from the central highlands of Taiwan.

{4} No. 52, Etoile de L'inde

A tropical blend of organic green tea, passion- fruit, rose, and marigold, this blend is comprised of organic Dragon Well (a Chinese green tea, flat (pan-)fried by hand in large woks one small batch at a time), organic jasmine silver needles, organic flower petals, and natural essences.

Findings: I found our experience at Bellocq Tea Atelier to be very enlightening and fun. Michael Shannon and the other gentleman working the counter that day provided stellar customer service as well as gracious hospitality -- the personal interactions at Bellocq undoubtedly make it a one of a kind shop in the New York City area. We got to experience Bellocq's selection of teas first hand, becoming quite intimate with their natural perfumes and aromatics. This certainly took tea shopping to a whole other level for me. The experience was also interactive for both the client and the purveyor. The "cupping" service was probably one of my favorite things about Bellocq, permitting its clients to try the teas before impulsively buying something that you may or may not enjoy. Additionally, since the teas are packaged to order (the teas remain in their respective connoisseur caddies, i.e., the hefty dandelion-colored canisters) as any specialty tea shop should, you will undoubtedly receive unbelievably fresh, full leaves of tea that await its initial brew when arriving back home.

All in all, I'd say a deliberate trip over to Greenpoint for Bellocq is a must! Plus, Williamsburg is about a 10-15 minute walk from there! :) I am already checking my schedule to see when I can squeeze in my next trek to Bellocq -- after all, those traveler caddies are calling my name!

Price point: varying prices for different teas/blends -- please visit Bellocq.com for further details.

--March 3, 2012

Bellocq Tea Atelier

104 West Street

Brooklyn, NY 11222

http://www.bellocq.com

High Tea | The Russian Tea Room

My best friend Lisa and I made reservations for high tea at The Russian Tea Room this past Saturday to catch up over tea and bite-sized fare. Lisa has always been going on about how she wants to try all these places in the city for high tea, and this weekend seemed like the perfect opportunity as we both had an unusually open agenda. What better way to spend time on a Saturday afternoon than over pots of tea, gossiping about the latest happenings in our life?


Founded in 1927 by members of the Russian Imperial Ballet, The Russian Tea Room served as a gathering place for Russian expatriates as well as those in the entertainment industry. The iconic New York space boasts a gilded interior with bold colors of persimmon red and a greenish blue.


Inside The Russian Tea Room, looking towards the restaurant's entrance. The mâitre d' seated us in a cozy, intimate booth.


The Russian Tea Room offers two high tea tastings. The first is the high tea menu, which includes assorted sandwiches and a tastings of two American caviars over blinis (i.e., miniature Russian buckwheat pancakes), assorted scones, cupcakes, and petits fours, as well as a personal pot of brewed loose tea. The second, royal high tea menu, includes everything in the high tea menu but includes an additional tasting of two Russian caviars over blinis. I went with the high tea menu, as I'm not really passionate about caviar, with English Breakfast tea (i.e., Ceylon tea), and Lisa went with the royal high tea menu with Formosa Oolong tea (i.e., India black tea).


Our assorted sandwiches and blinis came served on a stacked plate stand, the top holding the caviar blinis, and the bottom two holding the assorted sandwiches. Our waiter said the chef recommends starting at the top and working our way to the bottom plate. The blinis I had during our high tea was the tasting of American Paddlefish caviar (on the left) and American Hackleback caviar (on the right) served with a little bit of crème fraîche or sour cream over a miniature blini. The first was really subtle and light (just how I like my caviar), and the second was a little sharper and saltier in flavor. The blinis were soft and thin, probably my favorite part of the top plate. Lisa's included an additional tasting of Siberian Osetra caviar and Russian Osetra caviar.


The second plate in the stacked stand contained three miniature sandwiches. Starting at the back left, going clockwise, were the following sandwiches: artichoke with red pepper and a sun-dried tomato goat cheese, Roquefort bleu cheese and pear with walnuts, and shrimp salad with rémoulade. I really enjoyed the artichoke, red pepper, and sun-dried tomato combination, as it had a strong sun-dried tomato flavor throughout. I also enjoyed the shrimp salad sandwich--it was simple and refreshing. The bleu cheese sandwich, on the other hand, was utterly repulsive for me primarily because I think blue cheese tastes like stinky feet. I wish I was a lover and connoisseur of cheese, but my taste buds dictate a different destiny for me. I do have to say that I was brave enough to give it a try (something I normally don't budge on when it comes to stinky cheeses, haha). Not all was lost though--Lisa wasn't disappointed as she just ate my share along with hers.

The bottom plate of the stacked stand contained four miniature sandwiches. Starting from the back left, going clockwise, were the following sandwiches: New York smoked sturgeon with dill and sour cream, curried chicken salad with raisins and pecans, smoked ham and turkey with truffle croque monsieur, and smoked Scottish salmon with chive cream cheese and cucumber. All four of these were definitely my top favorites during the main part of our high tea. The smoked sturgeon was just like a whitefish salad sandwich--very solid here. The curried chicken salad had a zing of spice from the curry flavors along with a little crunch from the pecans and sweetness from the raisins. The croque monsieur was toasted and melted perfectly. Even though the truffle flavor was very subtle and inconspicuous, I still enjoyed it very much, as it just reminded me of the authentic version I'd find in a Parisian café. Also, the smoked salmon on pumpernickel is a classic high tea nibble--I love the clean flavors of the cucumber mixed in with the punch of the chive cream cheese.


Butter cookies served in between sandwiches and dessert.


Similar to the sandwiches, the assorted desserts came on a stacked plate stand. On the top plate, there was milk chocolate and white chocolate. On the middle plate, there were two kinds of cupcakes--on the left, a vanilla cupcake with chocolate frosting, and on the right, a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting. On the bottom plate, there were three types of scones--from the left, going clockwise, a plain scone, a red currant scone, and a pecan scone. The scones were served with butter and Bonne Mama preserves (peach, bing cherry, and another flavor that escapes me now). I was already full at this point, so I just tried the red velvet cupcake and the non-plain scones, adding butter. The cream cheese frosting was done really well, but the red velvet cake was a little on the dryer side. The scones were perfect and delightful, adding a lovely end to our high tea at The Russian Tea Room. They were still warm when they served them to us on the stacked stand, so imagine a tad bit spread of butter melting onto its warm center. Delicious!


Lisa and me having high tea at The Russian Tea Room!

Findings: I would say making a trip to The Russian Tea Room is a must on every New Yorker's local bucket list. It is a delicate gem on the island of Manhattan and having its beautiful space, attentive service, and delightful tea fare grace your life will definitely put a smile on your face. Lisa and I had a great time catching up here--in fact, we were so relaxed that we spent a total of three hours from the start of high tea at 2 PM talking, sipping, and munching)! Tea time in the city on the weekends might turn into a monthly ritual for us now, since our inaugural visit to The Russian Tea Room was so fun and enjoyable. The food was pretty good, but what I really believe is that you come here for the experience. I would say the price is a little steep for it to become a regular place to dine at, but making a visit here once or twice on one's New York City dining repertoire will surely bring back great memories when you think back to it down the road. I know I'll remember my first time having high tea here!

Price point: $50 for the high tea menu, $85 for the royal high tea menu.

--March 19, 2011

The Russian Tea Room
150 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
http://www.russiantearoomnyc.com

Guest Post | Argo Tea

Greetings, everyone -- my name is Marcus. Despite this technically being Stefie's blog, I have the privilege of occasionally interjecting my (oftentimes hyperbolic and crass) thoughts on food and the culinary arts. A while back, after I had moved here to New York City in mid-February of 2010, I embarked on an epic quest to search for a place in the city that I could designate as my go-to spot for tea. Stefie may be a bean counter by day and morsel marauder by night, but I am a tea addict 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Thankfully, Stefie was able to save me from my withdrawal by introducing me to a chain known as Argo Tea.


Argo Tea was founded by Arsen Avakian, Daniel Lindwasser, and Simon Simonian (what a name!) over in Chicago, Illinois back in 2003, and have since established about fifteen locations in the area. Only recently in the year 2010 did Argo expand into the New York City area with four new locations (at Columbus Circle, Union Square, NYU Langone Medical Center, and the Flatiron Building). Stefie and I typically go to the Flatiron location out of convenience, but we may venture out and try the other locations at some point.


My first thought upon entering Argo for the first time was one of déjà vu. It almost felt like a brighter, hipper, less-stuffy version of Starbucks. Now, before all you caffeine-laden, bloodshot-eyed coffee fiends jump out of the woodwork at me with your pitchforks, let me first state that I have nothing against Starbucks. I frequent their vast plethora of locations often -- but I am simply not into coffee. You'll always see me ordering the chai or iced tea lemonade at Starbucks, which is almost as sad as watching the crazed, misguided man who sits down at a Japanese sushi restaurant intending to order a hamburger. Honestly, though, if I want my drinks to taste like the sludge off the bottom of worn car tires, or if I have a hankering for liquefied brick, then maybe I'll order a coffee and fit in some sleep next Christmas. But for those of us who would rather toss aside the hazelnut shackles and take a deviation from the usual choco-caramel prison, there will always be the slower-paced comfort of tea to provide delicious solace. While Argo does offer coffee, I have no predilection for it.


The sheer variety speaks for itself, I think. Argo offers over thirty types of loose-leaf teas. Why loose-leaf? Well, consider your average supermarket. After waltzing down the aisle, you might grab a package full of green tea teabags. After steeping the tea via your boiled water back home, you find that your green tea is tolerable but ultimately bitter and unpleasant. This is because bagged tea is, for lack of a better phrase, an insult to the human taste palette. Teabags are full of fannings which are basically the neglected, forlorn bits of tea-dust you'd find quietly sobbing at the bottom of the tea barrels/crates after the rest of the leaves have been collected. You can only get so much flavor from these fannings. Smaller tea fragments release bitter-flavored tannins more easily, whereas larger tea leaves that are allowed to properly unfurl and swirl around in water deliver the full body and flavor that we find more enjoyable. Thankfully, Argo deals with the loose-leaf varieties, so fear not the fannings!

The teas are split up into two primary categories: The standard teas, and the signature drinks. The standard teas cover your basic categories of green/black/red/white/rare/herbal teas, but come in many interesting varieties such as Genmaicha, Moroccan Mist, Earl Grey Creme, Mango Mambo, Black Currant, Masala Chai, Rooibos Pomegranate, Oolong Formosa, Fruit Sangria, and Armenian Mint. The signature drinks can be seen on the large main menu when you walk into the store, and are usually specialized, custom mixtures of tea.

One thing I especially like about Argo is the service. The "tea-baristas," as I call them, are very friendly and are more than happy to give you multiple free samples of any teas you wish. It takes a lot of the guesswork out of the selection process and helps ensure that you leave with something you enjoy.


So how does Argo Tea actually taste? Stefie and I recently brought along Krystal, a friend, to Argo as part of a small NYC tour of sorts. The above picture is the result of what the French would call crazy impulse purchases, which is apparently something I have a history of doing when it comes to the impossible constructs of choosing between one amazing flavor and another. I ordered one medium-sized, hot signature drink and four additional medium-sized, iced signature drinks: the caramel-flavored black-tea soy Teappuccino (as seen in the middle in the above picture), the Carolina Honey Breeze, the Pom Tea, the Maté Laté, and the vanilla soy chai.

The Teappuccino and vanilla soy chai are my two personal favorites that I seem to find myself going back for every time I visit. The Teappuccino can be made with other tea bases such as Earl Grey, or other flavor-mixes like coconut. The flavor is very strong and unified, and yet not without its discrete components. You can easily taste the sweet tinge of caramel intermixed with the bold punch of the tea itself, which provides a nice balance of tastes. One usual complaint I have about most tea joints is that the hot teas are so hot that I have to wait indefinitely for whatever nuclear reactions are happening within my cup to ultimately cease so that the drink is suitable for human consumption. At Argo, the hot teas are indeed hot, but not so hot that they're undrinkable. For someone like me with a somewhat temperature-sensitive tongue, this is a huge relief.

Stefie usually gets the iced vanilla soy chai. It's one of the most intense chai teas you'll find, delivering a very concentrated rush of cinnamonesque spice. Chai by itself is a great flavor, but I think it's difficult to pull it off properly -- either the milk ratio is off and causes the drink to feel too thick/frothy/bland, or the drink is so cold that it feels almost sterile in taste. Argo has clearly spent a lot of time optimizing their chai, because the temperature is just right, and the flavor is ever-present.

The Pom Tea, however, is the outlier of this quintet. Upon sampling it, something happened. An electrical impulse fired off somewhere deep within the circuitous cavern of my memory banks and brought forth -- to the tip of my brain -- experiences from my earlier college days that I had long since forgotten. Only a single word manifested itself within the confused network of uncomfortable memories: Vomit! The Pom Tea had a sort of bitter, astringent, dull acidity to it that I can only describe as the aftertaste one feels while praying to the Porcelain God. I'm not sure how Argo dropped the ball here, but to date, this is the worst tea I've tasted at this cafe so far (although I also dislike the Mojitea and the hibiscus chillers). Why I didn't bother sampling it first is beyond me. In terms of the iced teas, I much prefer the Carolina Honey Breeze, which is basically honey in liquid, iced form. It's fairly addicting and has a brilliantly sweet aftertaste, but it's nothing to write home about.

Finally, there's the Maté Laté. It's very similar to the vanilla chai, except it carries more of an almond-like flavor. It's practically a tossup when it comes to which one is superior to the other -- they're both very good depending on your mood.


For those who like merchandise, Argo has plenty of mugs, cups, tea infusers, and teapots to choose from as well.

Findings: Generally speaking, Argo Tea is a wonderful place to stop by if you're feeling the craving for some decent loose-leaf tea. It's a very open, well-decorated environment with a more relaxed pace when compared to places like Starbucks. Stefie and I can't seem to stop making return trips here (I have the "Argo LoyalTea" card that grants me a free tea after 10 tea purchases, and I'm pretty sure I've clocked well past 40 by now, based on the number of free drinks I can recall). It's a fun place to chill with friends, study, or just relax. There are more than enough varieties of tea to keep you well-occupied for a while -- so check Argo Tea out if you get a chance! Not everything will be up your alley, but there will undoubtedly be a few tea permutations, at the very least, that just click for you.

Price point: $3.95 for each medium-sized drink, $0.50 additional for soy milk.

--September 4, 2010

Argo Tea
949 Broadway
New York, NY 10010
http://www.argotea.com/