trouble coffee

Let’s talk about toast. It’s one of my most favorite snacks/meals of all time. When I was sick as a little kid, my mom would make me a buttery, cinnamon and sugary piece of toast and it would almost certainly make me feel better. When money was tight in college (and even after), a piece of toast always hit the spot and was gentle on the wallet.

As I continue to explore every small detail of San Francisco, recently I stumbled upon Trouble Coffee in the very Outer Sunset. Run by a bevy of attractive men (no complaints here), Trouble Coffee makes the best piece of toast I’ve ever had (disclaimer: I have not yet tried The Mill - I hear it's great). It was almost equal parts butter and bread and the cinnamon and sugar coated it quite nicely.

Another nice surprise at Trouble was a tea latte the baristas told me I had to try. Usually, I’m quite loyal to a good cup of coffee, but The Girlfriend (a honey and lavender tea latte) stole me away from my usual and I definitely didn’t look back. It was amazing.

Check out Trouble Coffee at 4033 Judah St., San Francisco

craftsmen & wolves

A while back, I started a series called Beyond Starbucks but ever since I left San Diego, I kind of abandoned the project. Now that I'm settled into the Bay Area, I've had a chance to explore many of the incredible coffee shop options around the city, including Craftsmen and Wolves. 

Located in the heart of the Mission, Craftsmen and Wolves sells a mean cup of joe and an array of tasty treats to accompany your brew. With coffee by Sightglass and treat options ranging from puff pastry dough with gruyere, smoked cheddar and chili flakes to pumpkin apple muffins with a cardamom vanilla crumble and The Rebel Within (pictured below), Craftsmen and Wolves is the perfect place to unwind after a stressful morning or catch up with an old friend. 

photo courtesy of food spotting

Visit Craftsmen and Wolves at 746 Valencia Street, San Francisco

inspired by locals: dan from coffee & tea collective

In the spirit of following my own entrepreneurial passions, I have decided to start a mini series of interviews with local San Diegans who have started their own businesses. The amount of inspirational people we have in this area alone is truly impressive; but hearing their success stories and finding out what drives their creativity is what I find most interesting and inspirational.

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"It's nice and strong but hopefully light enough to drink with pleasure," Daniel Holcomb says to a customer as he carefully prepares an individual cup of coffee. His precision, focus and general congeniality caught my eye, but it was his iced tea that captured my taste buds (no really... Starbucks doesn't stand a chance)! This last week, his coffee shop opened in North Park so naturally, I had to do some investigating. Inconspicuously located on El Cajon Blvd., Coffee & Tea Collective is a simple coffee roastery and tasting bar specializing in pour over coffee sourced from some of the best beans around the world.

Holcomb, founder of C&T, is dedicated to promoting a very relationship-oriented style of business; not a linear transfer of coffee for money but more of a circular relationship where the consumer benefits from the product provided. Holcomb hopes to improve San Diego’s overall coffee presence in the world. No big deal... easy, right?

daniel holcomb | founder of coffee & tea collective in north park, san diego

I had the opportunity to sit down [and by sit down I mean I sat and he paced back and forth, too dedicated and hyped on caffeine to take a break] and since then, I have been in almost everyday for an iced tea [they have agave nectar as a sweetener, obviously I was sold]. Plus, no matter how many straight hours he's been up, Dan is always upbeat and friendly, serving his customers graciously and with a smile on his face [how could you not want to be this guy's friend].

photo credit: lauren millslagle

How did you get into the roasting business?

I was first introduced when lived in Costa Rica where I toured several coffee farms. But around the middle of 2009 I knew wanted to start a business with Thomas [business partner] but didn’t know what form that would take. I had the opportunity to go to Venice Beach and visit Intelligentsia and that's where my love for specialty coffee really began.

Where did you learn to roast?

I learned to roast at a roasting school in San Francisco and roasted on many types of roasters including the San Franciscan (my roaster now). Once I came back down, I bought a sample roaster. Recently I've upgraded to the new roaster which has 25 pounds of capacity whereas the sample roasted was only a 2-pound roaster. This was a huge leap for me.

What are you looking for in your coffee's taste?

I'm looking to highlight each bean's original and varietal flavors. Coffee beans get flavor from how high they grow, which type of coffee plant they come from and the soil they grow in. So essentially I want to highlight those characteristics. I also do lots of research on each bean and lots of test roasts and I find one [roast] that highlights all the positive characteristics of that bean.

Do you roast in the store? 
Yes; I roast about eight batches per week.

What can the North Park community look forward to in the future from Coffee & Tea?
We're looking to partner with Tiger! Tiger! and Sezio for a grand ole event. I'm hoping this will happen in about a month... late June.

photo credit: lauren millslagle                

Eventually, Dan will incorporate food into his shop. His first official partnership is with Elizabethan Desserts from Encinitas, California.

{Coffee & Tea Collective is located at 2911 El Cajon Blvd. San Diego, California 92014}

beyond starbucks: curbside cafe

I've begun exploring north county a bit further with the help of my favorite local [and co-worker!] Johanna. Curbside Cafe is a legend in Vista and I could definitely see why. The staff is super friendly and fun, the atmosphere is very home-y and the food and coffee/tea beverages are some of the best in the area.

really freaken good iced tea [with sugar water!]

[mocha to die for]

 cinnamon bun the size of my head... i ate almost the whole thing*

california sando

local art

{*i don't recommend this... but it was absolutely the most perfect cinnamon bun ever}

beyond starbucks: roast coach coffee bar

My second pick for the "Beyond Starbucks" mini series is Roast Coach Coffee Bar. located outside of Sea Rocket Bistro in North Park, Jenna from Marin County (!!!) specializes in pour over coffee... a first for San Diego! I haven't had a cup of coffee in about three years, but once I heard about this cute little stand, I knew I'd have to make an exception. Lori raved about it for a week before I finally got my butt out of bed early to check it out before work. Each cup is made to order [I'm talking beans are ground in front of you] and you can choose how much cream and sugar you'd like to add. For me, it was a lot. Oops. For now, Roast Coach is open Monday through Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eventually, they'll be open seven days a week AND eventually they hope to sell sweet treats too!

{warning: do not drink on an empty stomach... especially if you aren't a coffee drinker}

{that is all!}
{oops i lied:  3382 30th street, san diego}

beyond starbucks: caffe calabria

In honor of New Year's Resolution #1, buy local and support local businesses, I've been on a mission lately to buy my iced tea somewhere else besides Starbucks. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about the venti black iced tea lemonade [no sweetener] and I [guilty] have a gold card, but Starbucks is Starbucks and there are so many other options, local options, that provide the same product, but sometimes better! And almost always cheaper. My first favorite 'Beyond Starbucks' cafe is Caffe Calabria, located on 30th and Lincoln in North Park. The place is lively. The iced tea [ceylon] is 100% the best I've ever had AND they give you free refills. [do I even need to say it? If it's free, it's for me!] The baristas are super friendly and even though sometimes the line gets a little long, it's always worth it. Calabria has nommy treats like rugelach, mini salami sandwiches, bagels... the whole nine yards. and even though I'm not a coffee drinker, I've heard it's pretty darn tasty. 

I somehow don't have a picture of the iced tea... but it really is the greatest. though the tea and treats keep me coming back time and time again, I think the best part of this cafe is the people. On sunny days, locals will bring their dogs and hang out at the tables outside. When it's rainy [like today], people will sit for hours, reading a book, writing on their laptop or catching up with an old friend. Everyone always seems happy and friendly [probably because the iced tea is so good]. 

{3933 30th street, san diego}