Little glass teapot

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y son and I love drinking tea. And we also love the experience of making tea. So my son decided a few years ago that he wanted loose leaf teas and a loose leaf brewing system. For the past three years Christmas has included a variety of amazingly wonderful teas and some really cool brewing systems. This past year’s system was this very cool teapot that has its own acrylic base warmer fueled by a tealight candle. It makes great tea and looks really cool in a dark room as that candle glows beneath it.

By the way... the tea is a wonderful loose leaf mango/ginger/citrus tea.
The tealight warming it is apple scented.

Canon EOS 7D, EF85mm f/1.8 USM lens
85mm fixed focal length
ISO 400, 1/8th @ f/1.8

And this one has a neutral tea light

Canon EOS 7D, EF85mm f/1.8 USM lens
85mm fixed focal length
ISO 400, 1/8th @ f/1.8

I know... we’re weird.

Espresso

I

love espresso, but espresso is not all that easy to brew. The regular coffee machine/espresso makers do a terrible job of brewing espresso. The super expensive espresso makers require a specific grind in order to perfectly match the water pressure and temperature for the extraction of the coffee bean’s oils. Even my Bialetti Moka Pot (stovetop espresso maker) requires an exact grind and brew rate.

So... to help those who would like to brew good espresso at home, with thanks to Coffee Research, here is a guide to brewing espresso:

Espresso

The best espresso should be extraordinarily sweet, have a potent aroma, and flavor similar to freshly ground coffee. The crema should be dark reddish-brown and smooth, yet thick. A perfect espresso should be enjoyable straight with no additives, yet bold enough to not disappear in milk. A pleasant and aromatic aftertaste should linger on the palate for several minutes after consumption.

The following steps describe in detail how to make espresso. You will also learn about the various factors and problems with espresso that limit its perfection. If any of these factors are off, you will not achieve a high quality espresso.

Making Perfect Espresso

Blending Espresso

Without a good espresso coffee blend you cannot have a good espresso. The best espresso coffee beans are blended to achieve the sweetness, aromatics, and smoothness desired in espresso. The espresso blend must also be fresh. We recommend using espresso within four days of roasting. Please see the espresso blending section for help on creating your own blends or order some excellent espresso blends from roasted coffee suppliers, such as Caffe D'arte or Espresso Vivace.

Roasting Espresso

Too often you will find espresso roasted very dark. This results in a bitter, charcoal tasting brew. People that know how to make an espresso will roast light to preserve the aroma and sugars. For more information, read the section about espresso roasting.

Grinding Espresso

The grind must be continuously monitored throughout the day to achieve an extraction time of 25-30 seconds. Do not change the pressure you tamp with to compensate for a grind that has become too large or small. For more information, read the section about espresso grinding.

Espresso Grinder

A high quality burr grinder is essential for espresso. A conical burr grinder is preferred to flat burrs since the particle size is more even, they last longer, and the coffee is not heated during the grinding process. If the burrs become hot the coffee aroma will be diminished. A conical/parallel hybrid blade is considered the best design by many coffee professionals.

Dosing Espresso

Coffee must be freshly ground to achieve peak flavors. Grind and dose on demand. When someone orders an espresso grind only what is necessary for one shot, dose properly, tamp, and brew. Discard any espresso grounds that are not used within 30 seconds. For more information, read the section about espresso grinding and dosing.

Distribution in Portafilter

Distribute the coffee evenly after dosing in the porta-filter before tamping.

Tamping Espresso

Tamp the coffee once very evenly with 5 lbs of pressure, then once with 30 lbs of pressure, and polish 720° with 20 lbs of pressure. For more information, read the section about espresso tamping.

Water mineral content

The water used for espresso must be filtered. Some cities must even compensate for the mineral content of their water. Over time oxygen will be forced out of the water in the espresso machine leading to off tasting water. Try filling a small glass with water, letting it cool, and tasting it for off flavors. If the water tastes strange you may want to dump the tanks daily and begin with fresh water.

Water temperature

The water temperature should be stable and somewhere between 92-96°C. Choosing the best espresso machine is very important to both water temperature and temperature stability.

Temperature stabilizing

A stable temperature helps ensure that you prepare excellent espresso. For more information about stabilizing the temperature of your espresso machine, read about espresso temperature stabilizing.

Water pressure for Espresso

The pressure of the water forced through the espresso should be between 9 and 10 atm. This pressure is responsible for the development of the crema.

Boiler pressure

The boiler pressure determines the amount of water to be incorporated in the steam. If your milk is not foaming correctly as described in the section on latte art, you may want to experiment with different boiler pressures. Boiler pressure, however, should only be altered by professionals. You can check your boiler pressure by looking at the boiler pressure gauge on the front of most espresso machines.

Extraction time

Extraction time to fill two 1-oz cups should be between 25-30 seconds. Despite the time the pump should be turned off if the espresso becomes slightly lighter in color. The goal is to have a dark red espresso take approximately 25-30 seconds to brew with no change in color. Fore more information, read the section on extracting espresso.

Porta-filter and basket

The porta-filter should always remain the same temperature as the water used to brew the espresso. Therefore it should always remain in the group head. The basket should hold 16-18 grams of coffee and must be straight walled. Curvatures in the basket will lead to uneven extraction.

Timeliness

Act quickly, but carefully. You should spend no longer than 30 seconds for the time it takes to dose, distribute, tamp, pre-heat, and brew the espresso.

Espresso machine cleanliness

Coffee machine cleaning is probably the biggest problem with espresso today. If the machine, basket, and porta-filter are not cleaned regularly, the espresso will always taste rancid.

Espresso grinder maintenance

Everyday the burr blades should be swept clean. Between shots you may want to brush out the excess espresso that gets stuck between the burrs and the dosing chamber. The burrs must be replaced at least yearly so that they continue to produce coffee granules with a maximal surface area.

Environmental Factors

The humidity and temperature will change throughout the day. Since coffee is hydroscopic (absorbs moisture), the grind size must be changed throughout the day to achieve a brew time of 25-30 seconds. The temperature will not affect the espresso like the humidity, but it is important to avoid exposing the coffee to any high temperatures until brewing.

Espresso cup

The espresso cup should be pre-heated from a source other than the espresso machine. Filling a cup with water from the espresso machine prior to brewing the espresso will lower the temperature of the water in the boiler and the espresso extraction will be uneven. The espresso cup should have thick walls and a narrow mouth to retain heat and aroma, respectively.

Practice makes perfect

If you want to learn to make espresso, it is essential to practice and experiment. The key to making espresso is to realize that it always has further potential. By changing any one of these factors you can improve or diminish its potential. Espresso preparation is an art that demands the precision and dedication of science. I have never achieved, nor have ever seen anyone make a perfect espresso. A perfect espresso is more of a concept than an actuality. The beauty is that espresso is volatile and difficult. If it were easy, we would develop a machine that knows how to make a perfect espresso every time. There are so many factors involved in espresso preparation that only a human mind and a passionate heart can begin to understand and control its complexity.

Blog Header - March 13, 2010

I love coffee! I love espresso! I love lattes! I love cappuccinos! I even love the beans. I’m a total coffee fanatic.

So when I added my blog’s title to the photo of this espresso machine it just seemed to be a perfect match.

Now I’m gonna go make some espresso.

Blog Header - August 22, 2009

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oday’s header photo is of the gorgeous Barboursville Vineyards and Winery in Barboursville, Virginia (near Charlottesville). This vineyard produces some of the best American wines and boasts the Octagon wine that has been described by the Jefferson Hotel’s wine expert as “the best wine from any geographic location.” The wine may be good, but the scenery is every bit as good and is a great place for photography.

Blog Header - July 18, 2009

T

he latte in today’s header photo is the latte I drank this morning at the delightful White Hart cafe in downtown Lynchburg. Their coffee is the best coffee I’ve ever had anywhere and their lattes are beyond description. I thought I’d share this one with you.

We spent the morning visiting our wonderful open air market and then enjoying our favorite coffee shop and bookstore. This has become a favorite activity of ours on Saturday mornings and we will really miss it when we move.

The father carrying his little boy on his shoulders was at the market checking out the fabulous local vegetables. The market was really slamming today and it was fun to watch the interaction of the people. I’ll post a few more photos tomorrow.

Happy Saturday!

Blog Header - July 12, 2009

T

oday’s header photo shows the ruined walls of the house designed and built by President Thomas Jefferson for Governor James Barbour (Virginia’s 19th governor from 1814–1825). President Jefferson’s creative octagonal design seen at his Monticello and Poplar Forest homes is evident in the ruins of Governor Barbour’s house as well. This home was much more like Jefferson’s Poplar Forest home with an octagonal two-level central area and two small wings extended out to each side of the octagonal central area.

This home burned to the ground on Christmas Eve just a few years after Gov. Barbour’s family had taken up residence in it. The property fell into disuse and brambles, trees, and weeds grew up and took over the property until the late 1970s when an Italian wine maker purchased the property and set up the phenomenal Barboursville Vineyards and Winery [Wikipedia site].

This Old World-style vineyard produces some of the best wines the United States has to offer. Their top wine, named "Octagon" after Thomas Jefferson’s favorite architectural shape, was proclaimed the "best wine in the world" by the wine expert at Richmond, Virginia’s Jefferson Hotel.

Additional posts about Barboursville Vineyards and Winery:

• Barboursville Cabernet Franc
• Barboursville Chardonnay
• Blog Header - March 18, 2009
• Blog Header - May 3, 2009
• The ultimate red wine – Amarone
• Blog Header - July 29, 2008

Blog Header - June 14, 2009

M

any years ago I watched the movie “The Color Purple.” I remember it as a good movie with a good message. But the most vivid memory I have from that movie is the line that gave the movie its title. Two young ladies were walking through an open grassy field. As they approached a small patch of wildflowers growing in the field, one of the girls stopped to look at the flowers. She said, “I think that God gets really pissed off when we don’t notice the color purple.”

That quote is stated a bit more crudely than I would prefer when talking about God, but I believe the sentiment it expresses is a very good one. God has created amazing beauty all around us and we need to appreciate it.

God created a world of amazing beauty and then placed Adam and Eve in the Garden where they were to enjoy this intense beauty while having a perfect relationship with God, whose beauty far exceeds that of the natural world.

When sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, the relationship with God was severed. But also the natural world began to feel the effects of sin. Just as we humans are not perfect as we were created to be, the natural world is not perfect as it was created to be. And yet there is incredible beauty all around us, as long as we take the time to notice. And noticing the world’s beauty should prompt us to praise the Creator, just as the young lady did in The Color Purple.

This past week has been a very full and busy week. We had planned on doing a lot of packing for our upcoming move—and those plans were fulfilled. But many other things came up as the week progressed and we had difficulty getting everything done. So yesterday was a day that we were able to slow down a little bit, wrap up a few loose ends and, at the end of the day, simply sit back and relax.

I had mowed the lawn and the lawn furniture looked particularly inviting. I had also stopped on my way home from DC this past Thursday at Pearmund Cellars Vineyard and Winery to pick up a few bottles of their outstanding wines. So I pulled a bottle of Pearmund Riesling out of the wine refrigerator, grabbed a book, and headed out to sit in the yard. But I never got to read the book.

I had been outside for no more than a few minutes (and read less than a page of my book) when a young deer bounded into the yard. I watched as he frolicked in the yard and looked for food around the apple trees. When he ran off behind our house a few minutes later I continued to look at the trees, the mountains, and the sky. And I had a Color Purple moment.

I went into the house, grabbed my camera, and returned to the yard. By the way, although I love to play around in Photoshop, none of these photos have been altered except for the header photo. The name of my blog was not actually floating there in front of the trees—I had to add it.

The sky was a beautiful deepening blue as the sun began to set. Different types of clouds—some bright, fluffy and white and others dark and whispy—floated across the sky in an ever-changing panoply of beauty. I noticed the wonderful gradations of green in the leaves on the trees, the myriad shades of blue in the distant mountains, and the vivid pink and yellow rims of the clouds as the sun fell further and further from its zenith. It was gorgeous.

And God orchestrated the entire thing—even the all-natural fermentation of the Riesling grapes as they became the outstanding wine I was enjoying—just as he does every single day. His artistry is intense and amazing. What a wonder our God is!

The sobering beverage

Michelet

Coffee, the sobering beverage, a mighty nutriment of the brain, unlike spirituous liquors, increases purity and clarity; coffee, which at length substitutes stimulation of the mind for stimulation of the sexual faculties!...

The strong coffee of San Domingo, which Buffon, Diderot, and Rousseau drank, redoubled the ardor of the ardent souls—and the prophets who assembled day after day in the Cafe Procope saw, with penetrating glance, the depths of their black drink the illumination of the year of the revolution.

The proven benefits of coffee

For those with little wit
Coffee is a brightener.
The most barren of authors
Is made fertile by it.
It has in it a virtue
Strengthening the memory,
So that a pedant can talk,
Without rhyme or reason,
Spouting fable and history.
Coffee works a miracle,
Sharpening the brains of the stupid.
No author refreshed by it
Need languish in silence.
Coffee's strength and virtue
Double the memory.
Every drop empowers us
To gabble continuously,
And, discarding the crutches of rhyme,
To spout fable as history.

About how coffee can make anyone intelligent and can turn anyone into a poet (18th Century)

King Coffee

May the drink that I love,
Rule by divine right!
Wean the wine drinker
    from his grape;
You are far better than wine!

Song sung in Greek by a coffee vendor who went from house to house selling cups of black coffee (1690)

Over the Black Coffee

Arthur Gray (1902)

Coffee makes a sad man cheerful; a languorous man, active; a cold man, warm; a warm man, glowing; a debilitated man, strong. It intoxicates, without inviting the police; it excites a flow of spirits, and awakens mental powers thought to be dead....

When coffee is bad, it is the wickedest thing in town; when good, the most glorious. When it has lost its aromatic flavor and appeals no more to the eye, smell, or taste, it is fierie; but when left in a sick room, with the lid off, it fills the room with a fragrance only jacqueminots can rival. The very smell of coffee in a sick room terrorizes death.

Soot Coffee - not recommended, but interesting

I ran across this interesting coffee recipe the other day and just thought I should share it with you.

Dr. Chase's Recipes; or Information for Everybody
by A. W. Chase, M.D.   © 1876

Soot Coffee—Has cured many cases of Ague, after everything else has failed. It is made as follows: Soot scraped from a chimney, (that from stove-pipes does not do,) 1 tablespoon, steeped in water 1pt., and settled with 1 egg beaten up in a little water, as for other coffee, with sugar and cream, 3 times daily with the meals, in place of other coffee. It has come in very much to aid restoration in Typhoid Fever, bad cases of Jaundice, Dyspepsia, etc., etc.

Another reason to love Lynchburg - The White Hart

Today was David’s second straight Saturday school so, once again, Kim and I had to figure out what we should do with four hours of our time while we waited for him to serve his time. Last week we headed to the cemetery to take some pictures. You may remember the dark and moody sky last week. This week, we went straight to my favorite coffee shop—The White Hart & Inklings Bookstore.

Kim has been working on the Gelina family geneology online, so she took her laptop with her to take advantage of The White Hart’s free wifi. I took my camera and my laptop so I could work on some new Photoshop techniques.

The White Hart

I have become a big fan of The White Hart’s caffe lattes—especially when they are made by my favorite barista in the whole world—Elizabeth. Next time you’re in Lynchburg and visiting The White Hart, order a caffe latte. If she's there, be sure to request that Elizabeth make it for you. She’s an artist of the highest order.

But this brings me to the topic at hand—another of the myriad reasons that we love Lynchburg. The White Hart coffee shop and its associated bookstore Inklings is a unique place that just exudes Lynchburgness. (Okay, I made that word up, but it says what I want it to say.)

My favorite barista, Elizabeth

I mentioned last week the wonderful conversations happening at the tables around us as we sipped our drinks and read our books. That is the regular course of action at The White Hart. But today we noticed a new dynamic.

A few homeless men came into the shop this morning. They were greeted by a few of the folks who were sitting together sharing conversation at the tables. We had heard a few of these folks discussing the book they are studying in their Sunday school class at church. When these homeless men came in, a few of the folks at these tables went to the counter and order coffee for these men. The White Hart's coffee is very high quality and a bit expensive. But after watching this happen a few times, we realized that they view this as a ministry.

There were quite a few folks who obviously knew each other. They were sitting at a few different tables. Each time one of these homeless men came into the shop, they would greet them and talk to them and buy them some coffee. We were very impressed.

And this is an interaction that seems to us characteristic of the people of Lynchburg, Virginia. The people of this city seem to have a genuine concern for others. This is especially seen toward others who are in particular need, as we were when we first came to Lynchburg and they rolled the red carpet out for us.

So now you've heard what I have to say about this fantastic coffee shop and bookstore. But what is The White Hart/Inklings all about from their point of view? Here’s the description from their web site:

Inklings Bookshop is in its 13th year. We are now opening The White Hart, where we will combine the sale of books with a café, coffee shop, and live music venue.

The White Hart offers organically grown and fair-traded coffee with a menu featuring locally grown, organic food products. We feature pastries made in our own kitchen every day. Whenever practical, our ingredients are purchased from local farmers.

The White Hart is a name frequently used in England for some of that nation’s oldest pubs. The image of the white hart or white stag is found in the Arthurian legends, as well as legends from Celtic and other cultures. In some cultures the animal may appear as a reindeer or a unicorn. The appearance of a white male deer is symbolic of the presence of the numinous or divine. The legends of the conversions of St.Eustace and St. Hubert include an appearance of a white hart displaying an image of a cross between its antlers. [Read more]

[And more]

Inklings Bookshop &
The White Hart Cafe

1206-1208 Main Street
Lynchburg, VA 24504

King Richard II used the device of a white hart in his arms. [More]

We hope that Inklings Bookshop & The White Hart will be a kind of “third place” for the Lynchburg community, where one can relax, visit with friends, enjoy some good food and drink, find an interesting book, and hear good music. Please let us know how we can make this a place for you.

As you can see, The White Hart and Inklings bookstore is a unique place. But I also love it because of its location. It’s directly across the street from the fantastic Lynchburg Market on Main Street, Lynchburg. All the photos in this post were taken either inside The White Hart or on Main Street within three blocks of the shop.

A very nice camera shop is at the opposite end of the three blocks, so I walked to the camera shop while we were waiting for David’s Saturday school to end. On the way to the camera shop, I took a few pictures of the unique eclectic architecture to be found in Lynchburg and a few pictures of holly leaves and berries.

I just can’t say enough about The White Hart and how enjoyable it is to spend a few hours there if you have the time to do so.

It’s great to live in Lynchburg!

---

By the way - As I was walking to the camera shop, I noticed an old office building with some missing windows. It appeared to be under some stage of ongoing construction and it caught my attention. As I focused my camera on a few of the windows, I noticed a cat sitting on one of the window sills. The cat seemed very interested in what I was doing, so I took its picture. I didn't get a model release. Hopefully it won't mind.

Click this picture for high res version

Nutrition over carbonation

David loves sugar, and candy, and soda, and anything deep fried in oil. To put it simply, if it’s bad for him, he loves to eat it.

I guess that’s not particularly different than most kids, but it is an ongoing cause for concern—even though he’s way more healthy than we are.

The juicer with fruit and vegetable at the ready

To provide some more context, our family received a vegetable juicer for Christmas. It’s a nice one and seems to be well-built. And we’ve been making good use of it. Vegetable and apple juice made from fresh fruit and then consumed shortly thereafter is tremendously nutritious in addition to being surprisingly tasty.

It has been David’s habit to run out to the porch to grab a Mountain Dew or Dr. Pepper to drink with his breakfast. We have tried to direct him toward drinks that are more nutritious and less harmful, but this is one of those battles we have chosen not to fight in favor of seemingly more important things (like getting him to the school bus stop on time).

David doing the juicing

So I have been very pleased by the fact that David has become a huge fan of fresh carrot-apple juice. He didn’t want to try it at first, but since I seemed to enjoy it so much he finally decided to give it a try and he has become an enthused carrot-apple juice drinker—especially at breakfast.

Carrot-apple is a basic juice for the juicer; most juices are much more complex with way more ingredients. But that doesn't mean it isn't a delicious or supernutritious drink. In fact, this drink is called "The Champ" by Jay Kordich ("the Juiceman"), who claims that this juice cured his cancer and saved his life. And because of the intensely delicious nature of this drink, it can serve as a base for adding small quantities of more potent vegetables like greens, spinach, radishes, and beets. In fact, carrot-apple-beet juice is not only delicious but it has such a beautiful color that it attracts immediate attention and is so high in betacarotenes that it should be a standard drink for anyone who is concerned about fighting anti-oxidants.

Juice filling the glass

Carotenes are best known for their capacity for conversion into vitamin A, their antioxidant activity, and their correlation with the maximum life-span potential of humans.... Orange-colored fruits and vegetables (carrots, apricots, mangoes, yams, squash) typcially have higher concentrations of provitamin A carotenes. The provitamin A content parallels the intensity of the color....

Juicing provides greater benefit than beta-carotene supplements or intact carotene-rich foods because juicing ruptures cell membranes, thereby liberating important nutritional compounds like carotenes for easier absorption.

Michael T. Murray, N.D., The Complete Book of Juicing

Getting ready to enjoy the results

If you're looking for a way to increase your family's nutritional intake while having some fun along the way, go out and get a juicer. They're a healthy and super-fun blast.

Homemade latte

Since I began touting the wonders of my new moka pot, I have been receiving many questions about various coffee drinks and how to make great espresso drinks at home.

So I thought I'd post a few articles on making coffee drinks at home, and today's will be how to make a basic caffè latte.

Using the French Press to froth milk
Prior to frothing on the left; same milk after frothing on the right

Caffè Latte

Approximate Italian proportions

Pouring the espresso from the moka pot

One part espresso to four parts steamed milk, with no foam on top

1. What is called a caffè latte in America is essentially a monster-sized cappuccino in Italy.
2. Steam the milk first and set it aside. Pour the freshly brewed, hot espresso directly into the cup.
3. Pour the preferred proportion of steamed milk over the espresso.
4. Add sugar, Splenda^®, or even a biscotti, if desired.

I typically heat the milk in our microwave and then froth it using a French press (churning it in the manner of the old fashioned butter churn while I wait for the espresso to brew). I add the heated milk to the espresso in the coffee mug, holding back the froth with a spoon.

Final result

Then I spoon some frothed milk on top of the coffee and milk mixture. I stir the result slightly to give some color texture to the frothed milk. If I'm feeling particularly fancy, I sprinkle a small amount of nutmeg or cinnamon on top.

I typically use 2% milk, which froths quite easily and contributes some flavor to the latte. Skim milk froths more easily but doesn't impart as much flavor to the final drink.

Inexpensive home brewed espresso

Prepared beans ground in a burr grinder

I admit my deep adoration of coffee. I have been a die-hard coffee fan since my college days, when one of my best friends used to pick up an entire pot of coffee from the cafeteria line and bring it to the table for just the two of us. It was particularly useful for the two days a week that I had a 7:00 Phys Ed class. Yikes!

But in recent years my coffee admiration has risen to a higher level. I have learned to love good lattes and cappuccinos and espressos. I have become a bit of a coffee snob. I have favorite coffees (McDonald's, Panera), favorite cappuccinos(Starbucks), favorite lattes (Panera), and favorite beans (Seattle's Best, Caribou Coffee, Kroger's Whole Bean). I also have my least favorites in each category, but I won't mention those—I'll let you experiment for yourself.

The moka pot, with grounds in the filter

For the past few years I have been looking for a good espresso maker. But the good ones are very, very expensive. My most desired espresso maker was the Italian La Pavoni Stradavari Lever Press. It's amazing. It also costs almost $2,000, which is why I don't have one.

But today I picked up the most unique coffee maker I've ever seen from our Lynchburg Target. This is an Italian made stove-top espresso maker called a moka pot. It makes a double-shot of espresso in a small pot. And the flavor is outstanding.

Brewing (this takes about a minute)

I made a latte with my new moka pot when I got it home. The moka pot doesn't have a milk steamer attachment, so I used a unique technique for creating the frothy milk needed for the latte. My wife gave me a coffee book for Christmas and I found this wonderful technique in that book. To make the frothed milk, pour milk into a coffee press (French Press). Heat the milk in the microwave until it is too hot to put your finger into it but not to the boiling point. Then use the coffee press like a butter churn. Pump the filter up and down for about a minute. the milk will treble in volume and become very creamy and frothy, perfect for lattes or cappuccinos.

Oh, did I mention the price of this new moka pot? We paid $24 for it. And Target offers one online for less than $10. If you're a coffee fan, you gotta get one of these espresso makers.

Literary excellence

Susan Zimmer, I Love Coffee

Once an espresso is prepared, its floral aromas develop first,while others, including the heavier, more roasted aromas, take longer to emerge. It is at this point the the crema is essential. It forms a "lid" over the coffee and prevents the most volatile vapors and aromas from escaping. In its bouyant perfection and crowning glory, the crema floats on top of the espresso.

Maybe it's not outstanding literature, but the topic of the paragraph increases the quality of the imagery in a way that is existentially delightful.

Well ... at least it speaks to me—in a caffeinated sort of way.

What flavor?

This is interesting. I found this "What flavor latte are you?" survey and decided to find out. I don't know that I'd describe myself by this flavor (I'm a simple café latte), but I think the description may be somewhat accurate. Hmmm.

What would we do without coffee? We wouldn't even be able to figure ourselves out.

You Are a Vanilla Latte

Each day you wake up refreshed and ready to take on the world... even before you've had coffee! You have amazing energy and stamina. You love to work hard and enjoy your rewards. You are friendly and popular. People love you more than they even realize. Your fresh, laid back, and happy attitude always makes things a little sweeter.

What Flavor Latte Are You?

Barboursville Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc

A Virginia classic. With layers upon layers of ripe berries, plum, currant, cherry and cedar elegantly woven together by twelve months of barrel aging. Cabernet Franc's great character combines intense flavors with remarkable softness.

Some folks prefer French or Italian wines. Some prefer California wines. Some prefer red; some white; some dry; some sweet. But certain wines stand so far above the crowd that everyone appreciates them. Such is the case with Barboursville's Cabernet Franc.

The Cabernet Franc grape grows very well in Virginia. In other states, the Cabernet Franc grape is typically mixed with other varietals. In Virginia, Cabernet Franc stands so well on its own that it seems a shame to mix it. At least it seems that way to me after tasting Barboursville Cabernet Franc.

From Gianni Zonin, owner of Barboursville Vineyards
Our story of wine making at Barboursville begins with the timeless beauty of an historic Virginia estate my wife and I discovered in the 1970s. Today, with 120 acres of the 900 acres planted in vine and Virginia's most honored winery a comfortable walk from our door, everything we do is still a new chapter in capturing that beauty. The boxwood gardens and ruins of the neo-Palladian manor house, designed by Thomas Jefferson for Governor Barbour in 1814, are preserved as the family left them.

Our woods, meadows and streams are tended to seem untouched, while our vines are trained for the perfection of their fruit. The elegant simplicity of Palladio Restaurant brings a classic Northern Italian illumination to the freshness of local produce. And, as they achieve the most gratifying honors from vintage to vintage,k we are glad that our wines let us share the place where they come from.

Welcome to Barboursville.

Barboursville's Philosophy

Barboursville's pourer

Barboursville Vineyards was founded to produce wines of the finest quality. Few regions throughout the world of wine offer soil characteristics, climate and growing conditions as auspicious for wine growing as those of Piedmont Virginia. This exciting and unique viticultural opportunity brought to Barboursville a team of professionals of outstanding passion and winegrowing experience from Virginia, Europe, and California. Their vital dedication, knowledge, and experiments in these vineyards led to successful adaptations to site specific circumstances, including the identification of ideal rootstocks, trellising systems, and grape clones. From the beginning, this commitment has been sustained by a tradition of taste and understanding of the character of each grape varietal.

It recalls the passion for a beautiful way of life.

From the Barboursville Vineyards Web Site

Barboursville Chardonnay

When we first began traveling to Lynchburg from Northern Virginia we found a delightful little local wine shop near Keswick, Virginia. In Vino Veritas is a small wine shop situated between Charlottesville on one side and Keswick Vineyards and Winery on the other. The owners are delightful and very helpful for wine newbies (like me).

Barboursville Vineyards

Elinor, one of the owners of In Vino Veritas, has given me some great wine recommendations over the almost three years that we have been visiting her shop. But the one that stands far above the rest of the crowd was an amazing Cabernet Franc by Barboursville Vineyards.

Since I tried that outstanding native Virginia wine, I have been interested in visiting the Barboursville Vineyards. Yesterday, as I traveled home from Washington, D.C., I did just that. And I just have to encourage you to visit this amazing and beautiful place if you're traveling through the Charlottesville/Barboursville, Virginia, area. If you're a wine aficionado who is interested in Virginia wines, you absolutely must visit Barboursville. This is the winery that, 200 years later, fulfilled Thomas Jefferson's viticultural dreams.

Along with a few other wines that I tasted there at the vineyard, I tried the Barboursville 2006 Chardonnay. As with all the other wines from Barboursville, the standard 2006 Chardonnay is outstanding. Barboursville makes two Chardonnays—one aged in oak barrels (the Chardonnay Select) and the other cold fermented in stainless steel. I purchased a bottle of this second Chardonnay and it is absolutely fantastic!

The wine has a good tartness indicative of high acidity levels, typical of steel fermentation. It is crisp and refreshing with flavors of green apple and lemon. The Barboursville Palladio Restaurant chef recommends pairing this wine with gnocchi with sauteed shrimp and cherry tomatoes, carpaccio of swordfish with lime and olive oil, and cornish hen stuffed with chestnut and sage. I can't wait to visit the restaurant to try out one of these recommendations. I personally paired it with a Barboursville wine glass and it was quite good that way.

Baraboursville 2006 Chardonnay

The Barboursville Vineyards are located on a 900-acre plantation that was once the residence of Governor Barbour, a close personal friend of Thomas Jefferson. Many stories are circulated about of the friends who were recipients of vines given to them by Thomas Jefferson—a great lover of wine who desperately wanted to launch the wine industry in the New World. Sadly, none of the vines President Jefferson distributed ever turned into vineyards. They had not yet learned how to beat some of the diseases that attack vines in North America. So Jefferson's viticultural dream was not fulfilled during his lifetime. But in 1976, Gianni Zonin purchased an old estate that included the ruins of a house that Thomas Jefferson had designed for his friend Virginia Governor Barbour. The ruins of that house still stand on this magnificent campus.

I'll try to post a little bit more about this fantastic vineyard in Central Virginia as I have time. This is one that you simply must experience for yourself. Truly outstanding.