Last month something strange happened at Seattle Coffee Gear (well, stranger than usual): A bunch of the SCG Crew started drinking *gasp* tea! And with this new found appreciation for tea, we discovered the basic preparation fundamentals are similar to coffee prep. It starts with fresh water, a quality product and the right gear. Check out the lovely links you may have missed about all things coffee (and tea!).
- Here Is My Handle, Here Is My Spout via 39Steeps.blogspot.com - Don't settle for a drippy tea kettle when you can harness the power of fluid dynamics, no lab glasses or Bunsen burners required!
- Interview: Coffee Pro Velton Ross via FoodGPS.com - Our ace reporter Brenna tracks Velton's success from barista to renown roaster.
- The Controversy Over Crema via TheShot.CoffeeRatings.com - Shocking but true stories about espresso crema. Some people scoop it off! Some people have been known to mix it altogether! And some naughty people call blonding from a pressurized portafilter, crema.
- The Art of Making Flowering Tea via LeafJoy.com - Grab a glass teacup or glass teapot and watch the magic unfold. Flowering teas are more fascinating to watch than Sea-Monkeys and more enjoyable to consume (we're just theorizing here, though, because we've never consumed Sea-Monkeys).
- Be A Coffee Pro At Home: Vertical Tastings via ChicagoCoffeeScene.com - Take the best whole beans you can find and then do a little side-by-side challenge with your favorite coffee preps. AeroPress, Chemex, French press ... it's all good!