Une Petite Pomme: Ninth Street Espresso

I recently read an article in the New York Times regarding the availability of exquisite coffee in the city of her namesake. The article went on to say that New York City has lagged behind for years in the quality of coffee one can find within her city walls. Lagged behind places like Stumptown Coffee Roasters in Portland, OR and Blue Bottle Coffee in San Francisco. Of course, just the positive mention of Portland in the article made me puff up a little bit with pride. And, it also aroused my curiosity. What were these new "coffee bars" like? Do they really measure up to places like Stumptown and Spella Caffe?

As luck would have it, I found myself in the Big Apple last week for that oh-so-quick hiatus from school and work...spring vacation. As I've mentioned before, when we go on vacation our children have come to expect that they will be dragged around to some sort of "food venue." As we went "around the table" before we left on our trip and shared what we each would choose could we only choose one thing to do in New York City, I was met with only barely perceptible eye rolling when I announced that my choice was to visit Chelsea Market with a walk on The Highline afterwards. I had been dying to visit Chelsea Market which, as a bonus, just so happens to house Ninth Street Espresso. One of the esteemed coffee bars that made the top 10 list of the coffee article.

Housed in an old biscuit factory on 9th Avenue between 15th & 16th Streets, Chelsea Market is where you go to gawk and "window-shop" beautifully prepared, caught, baked, made, melted, mixed...food. You don't go there looking for "cheap-eats." At the risk of sounding cliche, I like to think of it as "Coffee at Chelsea" much in the same way one thinks of "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Smack dab in the middle of the cavernous, brick building, you'll find Ninth Street Espresso serving up their works of art. My sister-in-law and I bee-lined right up to the counter, ordered our respective drinks and waited to see if the hype was worth it. Upon first sip, (well, after photographing the beautiful design in my foam) both of us declared, "Wow! That is so good. Wow!" We both agreed that the foam on the top was perfectly steamed milk. Not too heavy. Not too frothy. And the taste...not a hint of bitterness. We savored our drinks as the children ran around creating a ruckus and begging for candy. After we'd thoroughly satiated our window-shopping appetite, we carefully carried our coffee outside and up. Up onto a long and narrow oasis that follows an old elevated train track through the meat-packing district. The Highline. A park for strolling. For gazing. For revitalizing. For enjoying an amazing cup of coffee.

So, I guess the question you must be wondering though is how did this New York Times Top 10 Coffee Bar stack up against a place like Spella Caffe? Well, Ninth Street Espresso was good. Excellent, even. Top notch. No, doubt about it but I'm still placing my vote with Spella Caffe. The balance of flavors in the Spella Caffe coffee is hard to beat. Besides, there's no cross-continental flight. No jet lag. No 8am flights cancelled at 1am. No 7 hour lay-overs in SFO. Just a few things like that. But if you're in the Big Apple and have a hankering for a taste of home, I'd definitely recommend a cup of jo from those Ninth Street baristas. Or, if that's not working there's always Stumptown over on Broadway. Yes, "THE" Broadway.

Oh, and speaking of Spella, have you been yet? A dear, friend of mine called today to say that she went down to Spella Caffe and she agrees....the best. So, go on. Get your little tails down there. Tell the guys Carrie sent you. They'll be real nice to you and they may even create an extra special design on top just for you. I like those little designs. Kind of a sucker for them actually. Oh, and if you're waiting to try Spella Caffe until I set the "coffee & chocolate" date, I haven't forgotten. I will get that on the books just as soon as the 5-year old stops begging me over and over to watch time and time again the part where Plankton plays the piano in the Spongebob Band Geeks episode. I don't know about you but I simply cannot conduct any type of constructive decision making with Spongebob playing in the background. So as soon as this little nightmare "game" is over, I will get our rendezvous on the calendar.

All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010

Une Petite Pomme: Spella Caffé

(Before reading the following sentence, please cue up your best British accent.)

I believe that I have stumbled upon, quite possibly, the finest latté I have ever had the privilege to drink.

Now, all that being said, I do not consider myself a coffee connoisseur per se but I do drink coffee...often...and I know what I like and what I like is the latté they create for me at Spella Caffé. I use the word "create" on purpose because the manner in which the baristas at Spella Caffé hand-pull their espresso shots is, quite honestly, an art form.

Wander down to SW 9th and Alder, Monday through Friday, 9a - 4p, and there on the corner, with the Italian flag proudly flying, is where you will find these creations being made. Most days you will be greeted by baristas, Chris Ryan and Tristan Roff, who clearly love what they do. I remarked to them that I have been enjoying their creations for quite some time now and I have yet to experience the bitter aftertaste that so often accompanies even the "best" espressos around. Chris explained to me that the Italian Rancilio machine they use is a manual, hand-pulled machine which makes the whole process of pulling shots a much more organic experience and allows for more control as opposed to a push-button machine. The timing is all in his head. He further explained that Spella Caffé owner, Andrea Spella, uses farm-direct Brazilian beans which he roasts right here in Portland. This past fall, always on the hunt for the best beans, he reaped his latest harvest from a place described as "Large Plateau of Iron" located between two extinct volcanoes. Talk about knowing exactly what you like...exactly what you want.

You can get your coffee to go and be on your merry way but what I recommend is to take some time for yourself. A longer lunch hour. A mental health day. Whatever. Enjoy this work of art from a real cup. Sit at one of their little outdoor tables and watch the colorful people that make up this fine city walk by. Glance over at the aspiring chefs on their break from "Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts." Have a conversation with the woman who is just sure that the jewelry store where she dropped off a ring to be repaired has closed its doors, taking her ring with it and if she finds out that this is in fact true, she is going to be "suing his ass." Once you have swallowed the last drop of your creamy, perfectly balanced latté (or the coffee drink of your choice), you'll have just enough time to stroll a couple blocks over to Powell's Books where you can become lost in the aisles of knowledge before returning to the schedule of your day...refreshed. (For those of you not from Portland, I am just sure that Powell's Books is on your list of "1,000 Places to See Before You Die" so when you do indeed come here to go to Powell's...now, you'll know where to get your coffee.)

Should you arrive at SW 9th & Alder on a day when the rain resembles a car wash, drive just a little further to SW 5th & Alder (520 SW Fifth Ave) where Spella Caffé has a tiny little indoor outpost and you can watch your creation being made...safe from the elements.

As I handed my empty coffee cup back to Chris and Tristan and reluctantly gave up my spot at the café table, Chris let me know that Spella Caffé is now serving up its works of art at Alma Chocolate on NE 28th Ave. & Davis, right off of Burnside. "Have you been there?" "Why no, I have not?" He went on to list off the accolades and praises being given to Alma Chocolate. "Enough said. I'm sold." Darn it all, I'm just going to have to go try out Alma Chocolate. Chocolate and coffee. What could be better? Anyone want to come with me?

All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010

Day 1 & Day 2

Here we sit at the beginning of a new decade, a new year, a new start and while I'm not one for resolutions (just one more thing to manage in a long list of To Do's)...I was intrigued to take on Project 365 by Miss Hannah of honey & jam. And, may I say that you MUST, absolutely, hurry on over to her incredible website. Her photographs are beautiful....and she's only 19...or something like that.

I plan to post one photo representing every day in 2010 on my flickr page. I may post them one at a time or they may come in a flurry...but by the end of 2010, I hope to be able to look back at a year that took me, you, our fragile country in a new direction and I thought you might enjoy knowing about this little project. If you would like to check in and see how I'm doing, just click on the "flickr badge" on the lower right-hand side of this page. From there, click on the set of photos, entitled, "2010 at a Glance" and you can see my ever growing bunch of pictures.

And, let me not allow another minute to pass before I say that I would never have felt inspired to post even one picture, let alone an entire year of photos, if it weren't for your kind words and gentle encouragement, dear friends. Thank you. I hope to follow in your footsteps and be more forthcoming in my sincere and genuine compliments to others because you never know how it may change their lives.

Day 1

The day is misty. A lentil soup is on the stove. The Rose Bowl is on the TV and my sweetie is in front of it. The children, still in their jammies, ramble about the house amongst the strewn gifts. I sip my wine and contentedly stir my soup.

Day 2

A rare day indeed. Just me and the middle child. We lapse in and out of silence en route to the library. I enjoy my latte. The topic of his chatter is lost on me. I'm simply soaking up his presence.

All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010