I had the pleasure of visiting Sightglass during my last trip to San Francisco. Kiya was kind enough to bring some of their freshly roasted beans to me last week (at the expense of making all his clothes smell like coffee, which is not a bad thing in my mind).

I’ve only made two pots of the coffee thus far, but I’m really enjoying it. I taste some light fruity notes (though not as strong as an African bean) with a chocolatey finish.

During his last visit to NYC, Nick stopped by the office to chat for a bit. On his way out, he handed me what looked like a regular can of Dr Pepper. Upon closer inspection, I saw that it was branded “Dublin Dr Pepper” – Nick told me that he orders it by the case and that it’s quite expensive compared to a regular can due to the high shipping costs. It’s bottled in Dublin, TX at the oldest Dr Pepper plant in the world (since 1891), and still retains the usage of Imperial Cane Sugar in its recipe as opposed to high fructose corn syrup.

I’m no soda connoisseur, but the cane sugar definitely made for a smoother taste. If you’re so inclined to buy a case or two so you can give it a try for yourself, you can order some at the Dublin Dr Pepper website.

This weekend we had a crawfish boil to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Over 60 pounds of fresh mudbugs were overnighted in from Louisiana for the occasion, and we were in good hands being that our organizer, Talida, has had prior experience. Coupled with red potatoes, kielbasa, corn on the cob, and some cold beers, it was the perfect meal for a summertime backyard party.

A gift from Liz at Stumptown:

Although I wouldn’t call myself a hardcore coffee aficionado (yet), I am starting to recognize what types of beans I enjoy more than others. My favorites skew towards Central and South American coffees (Bolivian, Colombian and Guatemalan) and this Costa Rican single origin from Stumptown is no exception.

Fatted Calf Charcuterie
644 1st Street / Napa, CA

Darioush Winery
4240 Silverado Trail / Napa, CA

James Cole Winery
5014 Silverado Trail / Napa, CA

Russian River Brewing Co.
725 4th Street / Santa Rosa, CA