When you sign up to late for the actual tour, what do you do?
Make your own, duh!For those of us who use coffee mugs as inhalers and schedule our days around caffeine breaks, there is no better way to feel out a new city than to tour the local coffee haunts. There is actually an amazing Caffeine Crawl movement right now, promoting local coffee roasters to their communities. As much as I love my grande cinnamon dulce latte from the 'bucks, I am a small business advocate and an even bigger mom and pop coffee shop frequenter.
My first experience with the legendary "caffeine crawl" happened in the heart of java itself: Seattle, Washington. The Morse Code crawl is actually fashioned after the Seattle By Foot tour (which seems amazing and I would highly recommend), and is for the slower paced caffeine consumer, who doesn't like to commit to things until the last minute or likes to be their own tour guide.
Note: all experiences on the Code Crawl may vary due to different baristas, coffee shop picks, and or attitude/fortitude throughout your coffee-filled day. So if you're passing through the Emerald City, here are a few suggestions for a day filled with that steaming mug of happiness.
1. Buy a local roast and brew at home
Whether you rise with the sun or emerge around the brunching hour, save some cash for the rest of your day and grab a bag from a local roasterie to start off your day. I am a sucker for Stumptown's Hairbender Blend, which is also featured at one of my favorite Norman brunch spots. A little research and you can probably find other local faves, like Lighthouse Roasters' Lighthouse Blend or Seattle Coffee Works Seattle Space Blend. You may notice both these blends have hints of chocolate in them...that was intentional.
Okay so I'm a firm believer in waiting until around 10 a.m. before breaking out the chocolate. That's late enough right? So first start on the Morse Code Crawl: Dilenttante Espresso and Mocha Cafe. There are several different locations across the city. We visited the Kent Station shop and snagged a sip of the famous Dilettante mocha. I would advise trying a truffle while you're at it.
***Tip: Buy a medium or large mocha and split between fellow "crawlers"
3. Try a chai
A close relative and fellow frothy companion, the chai tea latte is a lovely chaser to your morning joe. Trabant Coffee and Chai was a stop listed on the Seattle By Foot coffee crawl, and we definitely tagged along on the tour. Since the shop is daily frequented by the tours they were very hospitable to our own caffeine excursion and provided us with taster glasses and some savory, cheddar scones.
***Tip: Ask the barista for a baked good recommendation to pair with your chai--you could get a taste test
4. On the rocks
If your going the tourist pace you've now had lunch, checked out some local shops, and are ready for the next stop on code crawl. The afternoon sun calls for something chilled. Seattle Coffee Works has an amazing cold brew. I'm typically a coffee purist, but the cold brew's potency gives me an out for a little addition of cream and a pump of hazelnut. With your cold brew in hand I'd say it's probably time to head to Pike's Place and...
5. The Mecca of Coffee
How you can come to Seattle and not just pause by the original Starbucks is beyond me. I lingered. Allowed myself to think back on how my own love affair began with this sweet elixir of life. Sigh, those bottled frappuchino's--the gateway drink. Though the line is long and the end result may seem anti-climatic, on this particular caffeine crawl there is no better end to a great day of tourism and coffee.
Don't forget to adventure today!
-Ray
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