We have been having some insane weather again here in Portland;
seriously crazy winds and oh the rain!
When you hear there’s a tornado only 80 miles away,
you know these are bona fide Blustery days!
My solution of course is to hunker down with a nice cup of coffee,
and you guessed it, curl up with a good book.
There is a beauty to the sights and sound of rain, and a
magic that is there if we wait for it.
Allow yourself to really hear the howling winds, and whooshing leaves.
We are surrounded by strong powerful forces.
Take your own sweeping breath of strength, and embrace it.
Sure it can be dangerous and it can make you sad and soggy. But now, what better excuse for a hot cup of your favorite steamy drink, and a cozy sweater or blanket to melt the brittleness away.
The beauty is in the opportunity to appreciate our conveniences,
and to embrace an opportunity to slow down.
So take a moment, stop and smell the sweet dewy breeze
(or gusts if you are anywhere near pdx.)
If you can take the time to read or write
(or meditate in the way that suits you,)
I think you would be glad you did.
For those without that ability, just take a moment to stop,
reflect for a moment, and breath in the day.
And treat yourself to something hot, be it cocoa, tea, or coffee!
I’m reading “The Wisdom of The Shire”
on these blustery days.
What are your favorite rainy day reads?
Lets get to know each other:
Madcap Coffee has won me over by offering tasting flights, use of latte art, and serving espresso in snifters.
Coffee drinks & gourmet baked goods offered in stylish, industrial-chic quarters. Taking an absolutely obsessive approach to excellence and quality in roasting and brewing, Heart Coffee is one of the best cafes in the U.S. Try the affogatto; espresso dolloped over homemade coconut ice cream.
1369 serves up Espresso drinks alongside homemade soups, sandwiches, and freshly baked pastries. Locations in Inman Square (1369 Cambridge Street) & Central Square (757 Massachusetts Ave). 
Coffee & espresso from direct-trade beans offered in a small, no-frills setting or to grab and go. Sam Lewontin was the champion of the 2015 Northeast Barista Competition. With his love for coffee and knack for mixology, he offers unique drinks at his SoHo coffee shop.
A modest coffeehouse with an espresso bar & a slow bar for comparing single-origin beans. Seattle Coffee Work is located at 107 Pike Street close to the Pike Place Market.
Considered by coffee connoisseurs as the premier place to go for a cup of delicious, micro brewed coffee. Peregrine Espresso is owned by husband and wife team Ryan and Jill Jensen, and has a strong focus on great service, education, and sustainability.They have both coffee and tea option, cold press juices, bakery items, sodas, and Mexican chocolate.
Offering sandwiches, homemade pastries and cookies, excellent coffee, and a No Laptop Policy; this independently owned and operated cafe, bakery, and roastery is
This coffeehouse first started as a cart on a bicycle serving cold brew at food truck roundups. Now with three locations, with more on the way owners Joel and Leticia Pollock have established themselves reputably in the coffee business. 
A craft coffee house in historical downtown Savannah, Georgia featuring the pour-over coffee brew method as well as pastries, cheese boards, wine and beer.
Nashville’s Barista Parlor does credit to the cities culture. It is housed in a former auto repair garage in Music City’s hip east side. The coffee house serves artisan espresso, as well as local seasonal cafe food.
Café du Monde French for “Café of the World”, is a coffee shop on Decatur Street in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is best known for its world famous café au lait and its French-style beignets. The Original Cafe Du Monde Coffee Stand was established in 1862 in the New Orleans French Market.
Ritual has been a pioneer in this delicious shift in coffee consciousness since they opened their doors on Valencia Street in 2005 and started what some call a coffee revolution in San Francisco.
Lets get to know each other:
No there is nothing wrong with me, and yes I still love coffee above all other drinks. However, now and then it’s nice to have something a little different. Also, there are some people who cannot have coffee, or just don’t like it, and I wanted to share some of the solutions I came up with during a time when I could not have coffee.
Chai TeaAlso awesome, it is a black tea with spices, very good plain or as a latte.
Steamers
know it seems like another obvious choice, but again play around with it. Make it from scratch with less sugar, so you can really taste the flavor of the cacao bean. Then add milk (steamed or cream, whatever your preference.) If you tone down the sweetness of your chocolate, you can add other flavors without making the sweetness over-powering. Try nutmeg, cinnamon, raspberry, caramel, etc. I enjoy mine with fresh mint!
Hot Apple Cider &/or Mulled Cider
Carob Powder…
. It is also supposed to be significantly healthier than cocoa powder (not to be confused with cacao.) Noted health benefits are: low in fat, high in fiber, and has calcium. I am listing it here based on what I have heard, but have never tried it myself. If it lives up to it’s claims than you could use it in the same ways I’ve mentioned for tea and hot cocoa.
This “fresh” juice is one of the best sources of living chlorophyll available. It is also full of great nutrients; it contains all minerals known to man, vitamins A, B-complex, C, E, l and K. It is extremely rich in protein, and has 17 amino acids. Very healthy, energizing, and cleansing.
This fruit is also pact with vitamins and antioxidants! Increases blood flow, fights bacteria, anti-inflammatory, improves memory, and the list goes on. However, most importantly, it is rich in dietary nitrates (which helps with fatigue.) It is very energizing and invigorating.
This is a fermented effervescent tea, that is made from black or green tea, and is slightly sweet. It can be very energizing and revitalizing, however the effects seem to vary, as some people feel a sedative effect.
Simple Energizing Juice:
The earliest origins of coffee are from Ethiopia. There is not an exact history about how people started roasting and drinking “coffee” only legends and myths. However, it was originally viewed as a food. The Ethiopians chewed the plant for it’s obvious stimulant properties, and also ate the fruit raw (the pulp is sweet and caffeinated.)
The earliest use of coffee as a hot beverage entailed roasting the entire hull over an open fire and then mixing with boiling water for 30 minutes until a yellowish liquid came through.
The drink stayed a green drink until aprx. the 13 century when they began to first dry the beans. With more experimentation, the process was adapted further, and the practice of roasting formed.
Once coffee became the dried, roasted, and brewed drink we know it as today, it was mainly used for “medicinal” purposes and in religious practices. However, once it became increasingly popular, and a demand grew, the original coffee houses started opening.
Persian cities became known for having stylish and elaborate coffee houses. They were reputed for serving coffee quickly and efficiently. They became famous social spots, where people gathered not just for coffee but also music, talking, and even dancing.
Gradually the coffee house trend made its way to Turkey. The Turkish however drank just as much coffee in home as at coffee houses. This increased popularity and demand. By the 1600’s news spread and export and trade began throughout the Middle East; supplying Venetians and Europeans with beans.
Through the efforts of the British East India Company, coffee became popular in England as well. Oxford’s Queen’s Lane Coffee House, established in 1654, is still in existence today. Coffee was introduced in France in 1657, and in Austria and Poland after the 1683 Battle of Vienna, when coffee was captured from supplies of the defeated Turks.
Cafe Book Bean 