Foodie: Heirloom Tomato Festival

Image courtesy of Harris Graber.

This may not be related to coffee, but for those living in Los Angeles, you’ll thank me anyway.

On Sunday the Hollywood Farmer’s Market (map) will be hosting its annual Peak of Summer Tomato Festival, which includes free heirloom tomato tasting. I’ll repeat that – free heirloom tomato tasting. What other motivation could you need?

Directions to get there by metro via the Hollywood/Vine station can be found here (because the Bitchy Barista may be elitist, but still wants to world to go green). If you’re one of the poor slobs that can’t survive without your car, parking is $3 at the L.A. Film School.

And in case you actually needed more motivation (you mean you don’t trust me after two posts?), I’ll generously pass along this thimble of wisdom: Last year, Tutti Frutti Farmssold “damaged” heirloom tomatoes by the box – for mere dollars. Dollars. What would you prefer: a gallon of gas or a box of luscious heirloom tomatoes? I believe “all you can carry” were their words. I felt like the person screaming “START THE CAR! START THE CAR!” in the old IKEA commercial. You will, too. (It was like theft, only tastier and without the questionable morals. The mixed heirloom tomato brushetta we made was almost a religious experience.)

When you’re done stuffing your face with tomatoes, I also recommend you trot on over to Groundwork on N Cahuenga and Sunset. Bring a tomato, slice it with one of their knives, and order a jalapeno-cheese bagel with creme cheese – possibly with a espresso doppio on the side. I’ll leave the rest to you.

Enjoy the market.

-the Bitchy Barista

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Deliciousness Alert: Pumpkin Spice Syrup is Back Early!

Image stolen from Starbucks Coffee.

There’s a reason why Starbucks’ same-store sales grew by more than 11 percent during the first four weeks after they launched the Pumpkin Spice Latte – it’s because the Pumpkin Spice Latte is amazing. Not just amazing. Heaven in a cup. A red, snowy Christmas-branded cup.

At least until now. Apparently, Starbucks released their signature Pumpkin Spice Latte even earlier this year. And by earlier, I mean when it’s still hovering around 80 to 90 degrees outside.

When I went by my local Starbucks, prepared as always to order an iced chai because I’m such a coffee snob (I can’t trust them to make anything else, except maybe espresso or some strange flavored drink on occasion), the menu stopped me in my tracks. There it was. The Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Who would have thought my first actual post on here would be about Starbucks? It’s the bane of every independent coffeehouse lover’s existence. “Friends don’t let friends shop at Starbucks” and all that. But for a chain store and a drink heavily laden with corn syrup and artificial colors, the Pumpkin Spice Latte has my head spinning.

Here’s to the early start of Pumpkin Spice season.

Oh, and if you really want a treat, order an iced coffee, grande, with five pumps of pumpkin spice syrup (no whip, if they ask). Watch the barista that’s on shift to make sure they’re using full pumps (pushing down all the way to the neck of the syrup bottle and letting the pump slowly come back up) of their syrups, or specify that you want full pumps. Remember: This is Starbucks, so you may have to do some air demonstrating, mime-style. Make sure to fully mix it in – they probably won’t – add some half-and-half, and enjoy. Personally, this is my favorite, even over the normal hot PS Latte. Try it, and let me know what you think.

See you in line.

- the Bitchy Barista

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Need help navigating the treacherous waters of the Los Angeles coffee scene? Not sure where to go for a barista that understands the difference between a wet and a dry cappuccino? Want to know a good late night work place from a late night work killer?

Follow me for reviews, gossip, and coffee advice in the greater Los Angeles dust bowl.

I still haven’t found a trustworthy cappuccino in L.A., or a barista that knows enough to deserve the title of ‘barista’, but you’ll be the first to find out the moment I do. And if you stick around long enough, you’ll pick up those embarrassing facts you didn’t know either – like the difference between a latte and a cappuccino (you’d be surprised by the number of people that don’t know), or the fact that a frappuccino is a Starbucks-branded drink that (shock) your local indie coffeehouse can’t make you from “regular” stock ingredients (stories of idiotic customers, silly shift mates and other “behind the bar” experiences to come).

See you around the (virtual) coffee table.

- the Bitchy Barista

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