Growing up, in the San Francisco bay area (until I was 9) and the DC burbs (from then on), I always saw bags of Peets coffee in the kitchen. When I went off to college and got a job in a coffee shop, I finally asked my parents why they were so loyal to thisPeet's brand.
The story of my Peetnik parents' peculiar addiction was actually a very common happening. Peet's is based in Berkeley, where we lived for my early years, and the artisan company was wildly popular for serving coffee with a kick - just a tad more caffeine and punchy flavor. It got to be that other coffee just didn't do the trick the way Peet's did (a common opinion in the cult of Peet's coffee drinkers). So, when we moved from one coast to another, my household mail ordered a steady supply to keep from having to drink the wateryimpotent coffee equivalent of methadone that every other coffee shop sold. Apparently, they weren't alone. People like my parents have helped Peet's expand into an international distribution success story.
It's coffee crack, but it's not the Jolt cola of coffee, though, cuz this stuff has the complex flavor of a good artisan crafted cup. I'm actually surprised Ukrops even agrees to carry the stuff, it's so suspiciously and possibly sinfully stimulating. I brought some into work today and took my first taste in a while: Oh, yeah! The stuff delivers the goods with the first sip. It's similar to the Starbucks effect, where other brews just don't measure up because they don't have that burnt flavor;Starbuck's signature overroatedness (I prefer their dark roast for this reason. At least it's supposed to taste like that). Only, Starbucks' appeal is about jolting flavor, and notelectrifying effects. As Peet's loyalists say, "If it's not Peet's, it's not coffee." And, if you try the stuff, you'll understand why.
Now, I don't usually send people to Ukrops with money in hand. The place gives me the heebee jeebees: higher prices, higher falootin, and allegedly higher spirituality. Spare me. But, will make an exception for high-test coffee, cuz I don't know where else to get Peet's coffee. And for the time being, Ukrops has it on sale for $3 off. I couldn't pass it up and I had to share this news. Buy enough of the stuff to hold you over until Trader Joe's gets here with their bargain bins of coffee. Then, sit down with a cup and join the discussion about Richmond Public Schools on this here blog.
By the way, Peet, is a Dutch last name. Not to be confused with Piet, the Danish bookstore owning foodie who had me and Karen over for dinner and made me all drunk on scotch, bourbon, red wine, white wine, akvavit, and almost tequila. That's a story for another time, unless you click that link.
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Sounds like a coffee worth a try. Funny how people latch on to flavours from their childhood and go to great lengths to get them into adulthood. I've been ordering coffee from Stumptown in Portland, OR, where I'm from, to recapture that special something. Somehow we never fired up the espresso machine the other night... although what's more fun than drunks that are wired!
ReplyDeleteA friend in Oregon just emailed me saying that they've got Peet's coffee shops out there and most of her friends won't get their java anywhere else. I did a store locator search on Peet's site and it seems the stuff is available at Fresh Market as well (for god knows how much). For those who are "on the bean," I think this is the most efficient and tasty way to get your fix.
ReplyDeleteI like to drink Peet's Coffee and Tea...
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