Coffee Shop Hopping
I’m going to do something a bit different for this blog. I’m going to discuss another passion of mine. Coffee.
This weekend, I decided to do something I’d never done before. Since I was a teen, I’d heard of people going bar hopping, but since I don’t drink alcohol, it’s never been something I’ve been acquainted with. Saturday, as I was planning out my day, it occurred to me that I’d enjoy spending some time drinking various drinks in different local coffee shops, reading a book and watching the world go by. I did set myself some rules: I wanted to try to only visit privately owned shops. I wanted to pay closer attention to the ambiance than is my normal want. I could read my book, or people watch, but with the exception of taking a photo of the drink, I didn’t allow myself to play on my phone or iPad until I had finished my drink and posted my order and location. I used the #coffeeshophop on FaceBook. If any readers decide to replicate the experiment, I’d be honored if you would use it as well so I can follow your experiences! (If you do, please feel free to comment so I know to look for you!)
Since it was a nice day, I climbed on my motorcycle, grabbed my iPad (I only read eBooks these days), and hit the road.
My first stop was my small hometowns only coffee shop. Main Street Coffee in Hallsville, TX. I get coffee here at least several times a month when I’m too lazy to make something at home or just looking for a change. As you can see, I chose to sit outside under their new pergola since it was a nice day. Inside seating is also available. The seating area is small, but since we’re a small town, it’s more than adequate.
I usually hate sweet coffee, but they were advertising their “seasonal” drinks and several had gingerbread flavoring. I chose not to order one of the seasonal drinks, but did have a single pump of gingerbread syrup added to my latte.
So, let’s talk about lattes.
Latte: I don’t speak Italian, but my understanding is that a latte, or better – cafe latte, literally means “milk coffee”. A traditional cafe latte should be approximately 1/3 espresso, 2/3 steamed milk, and a thin layer of foam on top. The espresso is placed in the bottom of the cup, the steam milk is added on top. Yes. Order matters, as we’ll talk about another drink later in my sojourn. Main Street’s latte was perfect (as expected).
While I love Main Street Coffee, and enjoyed my cafe latte very much, I’ve never seen anyone offered a ceramic mug here. I get the added hassle of cleaning drink ware, but would enjoy the option. Still, great service, great espresso, and great atmosphere.
Rating: 4.5/5
View from Valhalla 