Cosmic Cup

Infrequent Blogger Returns

Okay, so I haven't blogged in nearly 6 1/2 months, so why should you bother reading it?  Hopefully you love great coffee and the Cosmic Cup and want to be updated on recent happenings.  Over the past six months we hosted a great barista jam with 53 participants, I competed in the Mid-Atlantic Barista Competition, placed seventh in said competition, journeyed to New Harvest Coffee Roasters to develop a new espresso blend, traveled to Portland and Seattle to check out the coffee scene and vacation a bit, and got my fat butt on the bicycle frequently!  I've logged over 1,000 miles this Summer and feel great about it; lighter and healthier.  In addition, the healthier part of it has been aided by re-evaluating what I shove in my mouth.  I've read some things that have helped in this.  Chris Carmichael (Lance Armstrong's coach) started the ball, and my bicycle rolling with "The Five Essentials for a Winning Life" , then Kathy read Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" (which I'm reading now), and "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michal Pollan.  It seems that much of this past year has been a journey toward a different mindset, starting with my involvement in the Sustainable Business Network of the Lehigh Valley, bringing Michael Shuman to Bethlehem to speak about the value of a strong local economy, and how small independent businesses are the backbone of that.  Maybe I'm just getting old, or smarter, but the result has been feeling healthier and feeling better about the choices I make with my dollars.

While I've been on this personal journey of sorts, we had some major staff transitions.  Jamie Kleman, my hero and former Cosmic Cup barista, or at least barista on sabbatical, left us in February to serve in the Peace Corps for two years.  I'll post her email address, she's in the Northern part of Malawi, coincidentally coffee country.  Then Tom and Kailyn left in April, to be replaced by our Summer staff in May.  Stacy did an excellent job backing me up as Assistant Manager this Summer, but sadly she returns to Duquesne for the Fall semester.  We have some new crew members on hand already, and will have more when the semester starts.  I'm looking forward to the Lafayette students returning, not only for the extra jingle in the cash register, but because they add life to the Cosmic Cup, and to Easton.  I'm not promising frequent blog posts, but I really want to try and keep this updated!

Jam Week, Rocket Launch, Chai Agra

This is Jam Week!  This week the Cosmic Cup will be hosting the 2007 Mid-Atlantic Barista Jam this Thursday and Friday at the Bank Street Annex.  40 baristas, 3 LaMarzocco GB-5's, great coffee beans, it will be BIG fun!  The Rocket Man was in action on Superbowl Sunday at the Pearly Baker's Ale House 12th Annual Chilifest.  The Rocketman served up almost three gallons of yummy Colombian coffee to the brave chili tasters waiting in line.  Finally, we are now featuring several products from Third Street Chai  in Boulder, Colorado.  We are now carrying their Sugar-Free (sweetened with stevia), Decaffeinated Chai with rooibos instead of black tea, and Chai Agra, a mix of chai and matte. This brings our chai selection to five!

The Importance of the Third Place

It's been a great weekend, seeing so many familiar faces.  Located about a hundred feet from Lafayette College, the students make up a significant part of our customer base, but more importantly a significant part of our coffee community.  I think The Cosmic Cup is one of those rare places in town where community members and college students interact without an agenda.  It's been a long break without the students, I miss the fresh perspective they bring to our shop.  I think I'm more aware of this right now as I plan for the barista jam in February, because the jam will be the same sort of opportunity.  I get really excited talking to people about it, because I think sharing information, opinions and fellowship is one of things I most value about the coffee industry, and I'm excited about being able to provide an opportunity for that right here in Easton.  We're all so interconnected, whether it's in our small community here, the barista community at large, or globally, any time we can get together on common ground and share of ourselves the better we become. 

Shock and Awe...

Six cafes, two boroughs in six hours left me exhausted but unable to sleep soundly last night  (one doubleshot, three macchiatos and a cappuccino).  Thanks to all the baristas, managers and shop owners who were very hospitable on my impromptu Mid Atlantic Barista Jam NYC promotional tour yesterday.  Since Easton is only a shade over an hour away from New York, I have had the pleasure of being able to visit New York many times over the years.  The last couple of years have seen the coffee landscape change dramatically.  Led by those espresso pirates from Ninth Street Espresso, good coffee is overrunning the city.  It's only a matter of time before it creeps uptown.  I was happy the idea of the jam was very well received, and I'm excited for the NYC baristas to come down to Easton next month!

Barista Jam

One month until the Beasts of the East Barista Jam!  There is a downloadable flyer on the Cosmic Cup website.  Hotel information will be available shortly.  More sponsors are needed...  There will be a barista pub crawl after the reception Thursday night!  I hope to see as many East Coast baristas there as possible...the Jam is only seven weeks out from the Midatlantic and Northeast Regional Barista Competitions!

New Coffee Friday

Ahhhhh...everybody loves Friday, end of the work week, and this week some exciting new coffees at the Cosmic Cup.  We will receive Counter Culture's new 2006 Nicaragua Cup of Excellence winner, Luis Vazquez.  Very expensive, but our customers are worth it!  From our friends at New Harvest we will be receiving a new Ethiopian Harrar, and a prototype for our new custom Espresso...Rocketman's Blend.  We will feature the Nicaraguan and the Harrar on Saturday, come on in and enjoy!

Beasts of the East Barista Jam

The Cosmic Cup will host the Beasts of the East Barista Jam on February 8-9, 2007 at the Bank Street Annex in Easton, PA.  A Barista Jam is an educational event featuring a combination of educational sessions with guided hands-on practice.  Presenters committed to the event include Jay Caragay, 2006 Mid Atlantic Barista Competition Runner-Up, United States Barista Competition Finalist, co-host of the Portafilter.net podcast and owner of 'Spro Coffee in Baltimore, Maryland, Nick Cho, 2006 Southeast Barista Champion, co-host of the Portafilter.net podcast and owner of Murky Coffee in Washington D.C., Daryn Berlin, 2004 Southeast Barista Champion of Counter Culture Coffee, and Chris Owens of Counter Culture Coffee.  The cost is $50 for Barista Guild members, and $90 for non-members.  For more information email me at [email protected].

Coffee in Easton...

Welcome to the Cosmic Cup's blog!  We'll use this to try and keep everyone up to date in what's going on at the Cosmic Cup, and in the specialty coffee world.  The Cosmic Cup opened in May 2005 serving the College Hill neighborhood in Easton.  The shop gained popularity regionally, and in June 2006 was named Best Coffee Shop and Best Coffee in the Lehigh Valley by Lehigh Valley Magazine.  In August 2006, the Cosmic Cup moved to it's present location at 520 March Street, and added Gelato to it's offerings...noooo that doesn't make us a gelateria.  In October, 2006, the Cosmic Cup added a location in the Wired Gallery and Cafe at 520 Main Street in Historic Bethlehem, PA.  The Cosmic Cup is dedicated to providing the best coffee possible (New Harvest Coffee Roasters and Counter Culture Coffee), expertly prepared, and cheerfully served in a comfortable atmosphere.  Pleas join us...