9 November, 2017
Half Term Coffee Adventures
You know that you’re a coffee addict when your holiday revolves around drinking coffee and visiting coffee shops on your route!
I booked a few days in Madrid at half term. We were in search of winter sunshine, tapas, coffee and Cristiano Ronaldo! As we were flying from Bristol airport, I planned a drive by of Clifton coffee shops on the way and a day in Bath on the way back! I scoured my copy of “The South West & South Wales Independent Coffee Guide” to identify potential places to visit.
On day one, I drove to Whiteladies Road in Clifton, where there were a number of coffee shops listed in the guide. First stop was Bakesmiths (65 Whiteladies Road, BS8 2LY). This is a café come bakery (the owners also run Cakesmiths handmade cake business). Their key roaster is (no surprises) Clifton coffee. I, of course, opted for a flat white and a chocolate brownie that I was sadly very disappointed with. I suppose that when you bake and eat as many cakes as I do, the bar is set high!
My next stop was Brew Coffee Company (45 Whiteladies Road, BS8 2LS). The food here looked delicious! There was a mouth watering array of homemade cakes and sandwiches as well as a brunch menu. I didn’t get to try anything as I had only just eaten the very disappointing brownie! I have definitely marked this down for a return visit, so that I can sample the food! No surprises, I opted for a flat white and again the key roasters were Clifton. I really loved the vibe here. They even had my absolute favourites, Coldplay, on the playlist! There were plenty of brightly painted wooden chairs to sit on inside, as well as seating outside on the decking. The piece de resistance however was their custom bright yellow La Marzocca. Serious coffee machine envy!
Next stop was Madrid! First things first, I needed to find out how the Spaniards take their coffee! The most popular coffee served in Madrid is Café con Leche, the equivalent of the flat white, with a 1:1 ratio of espresso to steamed milk. Café Solo is an espresso shot. Café Cortado is espresso topped with steamed milk to cut through the bitterness of the espresso. Café Americano is espresso served with extra water. Café Bombon is a mixture of condensed milk and espresso. Carajillo is a mixture of espresso with brandy! In the Summer months, the Spaniards often drink Café con Hielo, which is a cup of hot coffee served with a glass full of ice to pour it over. The Spanish way to take coffee involves relaxing at a restaurant, terrace or home. Sounds just up my street! Whilst in Madrid, I sampled many a Café con Leche, either with Churros for breakfast or whilst watching the world go by at one of the various Plazas.
The speciality coffee scene has not massively taken off in Madrid yet. My research showed that the pioneers of speciality coffee in the city are at Toma Café (Palma, 49). This was the first café in Madrid to serve speciality coffee, back in 2012. They roast their own beans at a site in Northern Madrid. They also deliver barista training and are responsible for helping set up other speciality coffee shops in the city.
I did visit Coffee & Kicks (Calle de las Navas de Tolosa, 6, 28013), a speciality coffee shop which was fairly close to the main tourist centre in Madrid. The owner, Guillermo La Salle, was a regular at Toma and after completing his barista training with them, he opened Coffee & Kicks in 2015. The theme of the coffee shop combines his loves of coffee and trainers! Photographs of funky footwear adorn the walls. I sampled a flat white, brewed on a compact La Marzocca. The Ethiopian beans had been roasted by Toma and had tasting notes of cranberry, lime peel and milk chocolate. Delicious!
The final location on my half term coffee shop tour, was Bath. Again, there were numerous places recommended in the Indy Coffee Guide. My first port of call had to be Colonna & Small’s (6 Chapel Row, BA1 1HN), owned by triple UK Barista Champion, Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood (author of ‘The Coffee Dictionary’). There was much hustle and bustle inside. Baristas were busily pulling shots at the espresso bar and preparing coffee via the Aeropress and V50 brew techniques. There was an impressive, seasonally-led menu of different beans. It’s often possible to sample some of the rarer and sought after coffee beans of the world here. I tried a flat white made with Santa Teresa beans from Costa Rica, with tasting notes of parma violet, bergamot and condensed milk. Well worth a visit.
My next stop was Casara (3 Upper Borough Walls, BA1 1RG). Here I was hoping to sample a Cascara infusion, a tea like drink made from the dried skins of the coffee cherries. However, stringent EU regulations have classified Cascara as a novel food and it is currently banned in the UK! I opted instead for one of their fabulous fresh fruit and vegetable juices.
Last coffee stop of the trip was Society Café (5 Kingsmead Square, BA1 1RG). This part of Bath is home to a number of coffee shops and is popular with students and foodies. My last flat white of the holiday was with beans from house roaster – Origin. I also indulged in a piece of banana & peanut butter cake! A perfect end to a wonderful week!
So, I made a bit of a dent into the recommended coffee shops of the South West but with the release of the next edition of the guide tomorrow I’m sure there will be a lot more to visit! Like I need the encouragement!
One thought on : 1
Really enjoyed the Madrid feature….will definitely be trying your recommendations in 2018!!