Posted October 20th, 2008 by Meg
I recently was able to get a bag of Intelligentsia’s Itzamna, Guatemala. In Yucatec Maya mythology, Itzamna is the name of an upper god and creator deity that supposedly lives in the sky. The meaning of the deity’s name is unclear, but could refer to a large lizard or Caiman (itzam) or to a liquid such as dew (itz). Aspects of the god were sometimes designated by the epithet “Itzamna Kauil,” which could mean ‘the powerful’.
Flavor: Chocolate, red apple, date
Acidity: Buoyant, well-rounded
Finish: Walnut, nutmeg, butterscotch
Even though the harvest season is from January to April, the coffee tastes like you should be drinking it during the Fall season. Immediately at first sip, I taste the red apples which turns into a sweet slightly spicy taste, which quietly disappears. Not a shy exit, but a confident exit. As if the flavor just came to say hello, compliment you on how good you’ve been looking, and then be on their way out. Because of the transition from loud, pleasant taste to quick and polite exit, I was left wanting to drink more.
Counting down the days until Intelligentsia opens in Venice….
Intelligentsia
3922 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 663-6173
Posted October 7th, 2008 by Meg
Sunday morning I was faced with a delicious coffee dilemma: Iced or Hot coffee? Fortunately, I did not have to think too hard about it now that there is a website that answers the simple question: Is it Iced Coffee Weather? You type in your zip code and in big bold letters it tells you either Yes or No. On Sunday in this area it was a Yes. My boyfriend and I headed over to Caffe Luxxe (not a great website) on Montana. It’s a small, classy coffee shop.
I ordered the iced espresso drink with milk. I forget the name because it is Italian and their website doesn’t list their drink menu (!) and nobody picked up the phone when I just tried calling. My boyfriend ordered a simple Mocha. My drink looks creamy and milky, but it maintained a dominate espresso taste - which I loved!
We also got some cookies because that is a staple in my boyfriend’s diet. We chose the Dulce de leche cookie, vanilla and walnut cookie, and a little bag of muffins. All the pastries Caffe Luxxe come from the Breadbar, of which I have never had before. My boyfriend really enjoyed the muffins, but I preferred the dulce de leche cookie. It was a soft cookie and the caramel melted in my mouth. Yum. It paired perfectly with my drink.
While we were sitting, the place got a little crowded and a rather long line formed. I couldn’t help but think how lucky I am going to be when the new Caffe Luxxe takes over the old Dutton Bookstore Cafe. (It’s supposed to open in a few weeks). Although I am still sad to see such a great bookstore gone, I am happy that a great place is coming into the neighborhood. With a Starbucks, a Coffee Bean, and a Peet’s Coffee all zigzagging across from one another on San Vincente, it’s nice to know that we will have a non-corporate option. And it’s even better for me because I can walk there. I will no longer have to travel to Silver Lake area for good coffee beans! (Especially when an Intelligentsia opens up in Venice).
Caffe Luxxe
925 Montana Ave
Santa Monica CA 90403
(310) 394-2222
Posted September 13th, 2008 by Meg
A few weeks ago I went to Intelligentsia to buy some fresh coffee beans. I arrived relatively close to closing time so it was not busy. The one worker behind the counter, whom I can only describe as “the guy with stretched ears”, was very friendly and helped me through a delicious dilemma: get the Flecha Roja, Costa Rica beans or the Itzamna, Guatemala.
I decided on the former, secretly hoping that when I run out of Flecha Roja, the Itzamna will still be available and in season. My decision was based simply on the appeal of the supposed molasses finish.
Flecha Roja, Costa Rica:
Flavor: Black cherry, red grape
Acidity: Balanced, tangy
Finish: Crisp, punctuated, molasses
My palette was able to pick up the cherry and grape flavors on first sip. It did taste balanced and slightly tangy. I was also able to taste a hint of molasses in between sips. However, I was surprised and delighted to find the coffee to taste better after letting it cool down! The blossomed flavor becomes more pleasant and balanced, the finish becomes gracefully punctuated, and the molasses hints are more apparent and no longer just between sips. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed these beans and would not hesitate to buy them again.
In 1779, Costa Rican coffee production started in Meseta, an area with near perfect soil and climate conditions for coffee plantation. Costa Rican coffee is Coffea arabica, a species that is indigenous to Ethiopia and Yemen. Arabica coffee is believed to be the first species of coffee to be cultivated and is considered to produce better coffee than other popular commercially grown beans such as Coffea canephora (robusta). Coffee production has played a key role in both Costa Rica’s history and economy. In 2006, coffee was the third cash crop export (first and second going to bananas and pineapples, respectively). The largest coffee growing areas are in the provinces of San José, Alajuela, Heredia, Puntarenas, and Cartago. The provinces of Costa Rica are subdivided into 81 cantons. One San José canton in particular, Tarrazú, is where my Flecha Roja beans were cultivated. This canton is notorious for making great beans. More specifically, my bag of Flecha Roja came from a cooperative called Coope Dota. At the Intelligentsia site, I learned that this coop is very successful and efficient on all levels of production (eco/labo/etc). I’ll drink to that!
Interestingly, I found that the Costa Rica agricultural institute, Centro Agronomico Tropical de Invetigacion y Enseñanza (which translates as Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center; CATIE) has an amazing program that focuses on coffee and the research and development of coffee technology.
Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea
3922 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90029
Get Directions(323) 663-6173
Posted August 10th, 2008 by Meg
On Saturday, my boyfriend (who is not the same person as my roommate) and I went to Scoops. It was my first time and it was pretty awesome. First of all, when we got there, the place was empty. I knew this was just luck and had nothing to do with the quality of ice cream. Also, shortly after we sat down to eat, a herd of people filled the room. I tried the flavors: Brown Bread (made from grape nuts), Banana Peanut Butter & Bacon, Guinness Mocha, and Thai Iced Tea with Honey. My favorite was definitely the Brown Bread, which is supposedly one of their most popular flavors. Even though they use grape nuts to make it, it is definitely a different taste than I expected. In fact, it made me wish I could just eat Brown Bread ice cream for breakfast everyday. I was slightly disappointed in the Banana Peanut Butter & Bacon because it seemed to be that each flavor was too subtle for me to distinguish. However, it could have just been that my palate was overwhelmed from such a variety of flavors. The Guinness Mocha was quite tasty, but seemed the most normal of the bunch to me. The Thai Iced Tea with Honey was probably the sweetest of my bunch, my second favorite, tasting like happiness. All and all, I would definitely go again, especially because of the rotating crazy flavors and the kind scooper that helped me was very accommodative, patient, and helpful while I made my my flavor decisions. 
Since we were in the neighborhood, we stopped by Intelligentsia. We parked right next to a store I had only heard about, The ReForm School, a pro-green gift-y store. It is a very adorable store with a lot of neat and innovative products. I had found out about it on the internet a month or two ago and was always interested in visiting. Inside, you can find everything eco-friendly from bags, clothing, furniture, local artwork, notebooks, to bath & body products. The store fits right into the Silver Lake neighborhood. I would recommend it to anyone that is on the hunt for clever and cute gifts. I just wish I had the money to buy everything. I really liked these fun, easy to hold Buddha Bowls, but do not have the funds to purchase bowls at this point in time. The website is just as cute as the actual store. The story of how the store started is one that I respect: two friends that just wanted to own a store that promotes green living. How awesome is that?
Surprisingly, there was no line at Intelligentsia, but the place was pretty full. My boyfriend got his usual Mocha and I just ordered a cup of coffee. The coffee I chose was Galapagito, a La Tortuga Micro-Lot from Honduras. The website describes it as greeting “the palate with a burst of crisp citrus and lush tropical fruit. The acidity peaks in the center of the cup and melds elegantly into a supremely well-structured finish of deep, dark chocolate and baking spices.” My (probably weak) palate did not find it as citrusy as described. I did enjoy the finish and found it very smooth. I would/will buy those beans in the future. To keep the mornings interesting, I bought a 1/2 lb. bag of Fazenda do Sertão, Brazil. These beans come from Carmo de Minas, a popular growing region of Brazil. They are characterized as:
Flavor: Caramel, sweet orange, fudge
Acidity: Balanced, dried mango
Finish Smooth, buttery, dutch chocolate
Yum. Apparently these beans were tested to become espresso, but the taste was filled with such amazing depth and complexity that Intelligentsia R+D changed their minds and let it shine as a coffee. Another interesting fact about these beans is that they are pulped natural; beans were pulped without fermentation. Pulped natural coffees result in a beverage that has the characteristics of both a dry-and a wet-(fermented to remove the pulp) processed coffee; it is sweet, but retains acidity. This type of processing can only occur in countries where there is low humidity, such as Brazil, who has popularized this method and apparently produces some of the best pulped natural coffee in the world. For more information on the differences between processing, check this informative site out, CoffeeResearch.
Scoops
712 N Heliotrope Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90029
Get Directions(323) 906-2649
The ReForm School
4014 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90029
Get Directions(323) 906-8660
Intelligentsia
3922 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90029
Get Directions(323) 663-6173
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Posted August 6th, 2008 by Meg
Lately, it has not been hard for me to wake up in the morning and get out of bed. I know what you’re thinking; she must have an exciting and fun life. This is not the case. It is more of that I own really great coffee beans. I’ve been drinking coffee for years now and don’t ever plan on stopping, no matter what anyone says! Although the process of making my coffee requires a slight commitment of ten minutes (grinding, measuring, boiling, and pouring), it is always worth it and has become a routine. I used to go out and just buy a cup, but that was becoming to be too expensive for me. So ever since December I have been trying out a variety of coffee beans to brew at home. I am kind of a bean snob, having given up on Starbucks, detesting Coffee Bean, and never being exhilarated by the brands found at the grocery stores, I am stuck with either ordering special brands or going to specific places in Los Angeles. I know, quite the hardship….
My partners in coffee crime, my reason to wake up in the morning, the catalyst of that feeling and thought that this day could be the best damn day ever, and if not it’s okay because you still had a great cup of coffee in the morning is the love child of:
1. Intelligentsia - Ever since this Chicago native coffee shop opened in Silver Lake, I have become an avid fan. It is unfortunate that I live so far away from Silver Lake, making it just about as expensive as ordering the beans and getting it mailed to me. However, when I do find time to go visit the East side, I always make an effort to stop by. Right now, I am drinking 2008 Summer Solstice Blend.
It is described as:
Flavor: Stone fruit, milk, chocolate, berry
Acidity: Smooth, balanced
Finish: Citrus, caramel, marshmallow
Every adjective they used to describe this blend makes my heart smile (and drinking it makes my heart jump for joy!). It tastes very smooth and is definitely one of my favorites that I have bought from Intelligentsia. Of course, it is of no surprise that I enjoy something so transient. (I can’t believe the summer is almost over). However, this does not make me sad, but only even more excited as to what kind of beans I will end up with next time
2. Chemex Brewer - Also known as, Chemex Drip Device. It is an hourglass shaped carafe that combined with special filters magically creates “perfect” coffee (clear, pure, no bitter taste). I bought mine a long time ago at a Cost Plus. However, many of the cool coffee shops in Los Angeles sell them (Groundwork, Intelligentsia), but you can also find it online. I buy my filters (I think they are about $6 dollars) at the Brentwood Market on 26th street and San Vicente. Magic!
I recently was able to get a bag of Intelligentsia’s Itzamna, Guatemala. In Yucatec Maya mythology, Itzamna is the name of an upper god and creator deity that supposedly lives in the sky. The meaning of the deity’s name is unclear, but could refer to a large lizard or Caiman (itzam) or to a liquid such as dew (itz). Aspects of the god were sometimes designated by the epithet “Itzamna Kauil,” which could mean ‘the powerful’.
