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Everything Coffee / News

How Much Coffee Should I Use?

It’s a common question I hear all the time: how much coffee should I use? It depends on how much volume you are brewing. This is where ratio’s come into play. Knowing the correct coffee to water ratio to brew with allows you to get great results with a 1 cup pour-over or a 12 cup auto-drip. The ratio allows you to scale up or scale down while keeping the coffee strength the same.
There are two ways to measure your coffee, by volume (scoops) or by weight. The most consistent, repeatable, and reliable way to get the same result day after day is by weighing the coffee and the water you use to brew with. Kitchen scales are not the most common household item and it can seem tedious, but I promise, it is very simple.
The golden ratio of coffee to water is between 1:15 – 1:17. For every 1-gram of coffee use 15-17 grams of water. Within this window you should get a proper extraction. A ratio above 1:17 (too much water) will produce weak and bitter coffee, while a ratio under 1:15 (not enough water) will produce strong and sour tasting coffee.
Knowing the ratio you like to work with allows you to calculate quickly how much coffee and water you should use. With a 1:16 ratio, a pour over using 22 grams of coffee to 350 grams of water produces about a 12oz cup. If you want to only use 18 grams of coffee next time, simply multiply 18 grams by 16 to get the amount of water in grams you should pour over the grounds. If you are using a manual brew method, place your device on top of the scale and weigh the water as you pour. If you are using an auto-drip machine, weigh the water and then pour it into the machine.
If you don’t have a scale yet, 1 level tablespoon of beans or grounds is about 5 grams. You will want to use 2 level tablespoons of coffee for every 6 fluid ounces of water you use to brew with.
Starting this month we will be offering free home brewing classes every 2nd and 4th Saturday at 1pm to explore how to get better tasting coffee at home. We are also moving our public cupping’s to every 1st and 3rd Saturday at 1pm. We hope you can join us sometime!

Tea & More

The story behind Tangential Tea

By now you may have seen some tea popping up in our site and on social media. Back when we were planning to open our café in Lansdale we knew we wanted to place a focus on tea as well as coffee to enhance the customer experience. As much as we love coffee, it’s definitely a treat to mix things up. So we called this project Tangential Tea.

Back in 2011 I had a short stint away from coffee when I worked at a specialty tea café for 6 months while living in Indianapolis. This was an experience that opened me up to the dynamic world of tea. This, however, made me no professional. We were lucky enough to connect with Ravi from Royal Tea New York to curate a diverse, yet concise, tea menu. Royal sells to wholesalers like us, founded in 2016 by Royal Coffee NY (an importer we work closely with to source many of our coffees). Ravi has more than 17 years experience in the tea industry and has had the opportunity to spend some time at origin.

If you have been to Ambler Farmer’s market this summer you may have already tried some tea on nitro draft. This has been a fun product for us to play around with and try different teas on. We will continue to sell nitro tea at Ambler market through the fall and we plan to explore the opportunity to offer this product elsewhere. Or maybe you have had the chance to try some tea prepared by hand at our café. If not, now is your chance, especially as the season changes and hot tea becomes more alluring.

Jade Needle, green tea.

Jade Needle, green tea.

Our tea menu has a few classic blends mixed in with some single origin teas. One I would like to highlight is the Jade Needle’s Green Tea. This is a tea that Ravi has been purchasing for the last 8 years from a family farm in China. The tea has notes of artichoke, fall squash, and a nice buttery mouth-feel. Green tea is not oxidized like black tea, so it tastes more raw and natural to the original leaf. In some ways you can liken green tea to light roast coffee – the flavor comes more from the leaf, varietal, growing conditions, and origin than it does from oxidation (or roasting when we are talking about coffee).

>>>Enjoy 20% off any of our tea offerings this month with code: TANGENTIALTEA (coupon code expires October 31, 2017) - Shop now.

Punch in the Face Nitro Popsicles Recipe

Nitro Punch in the Face Popsicle Recipe Backyard Beans Coffee Co.

School's in and summer is coming to an end, but for us that means we need to enjoy all the coolness of nitro coffee. Before fall kicks in and you start to dive into pumpkin spice lattes, take a couple minutes to enjoy the rest of summer with this Punch in the Face Nitro popsicle! It's fairly simple to make. All you need is a popsicle mold kit (and bet you that you can find them on clearance now that it's end of season!), a can of nitro Punch in the Face, and a few simple ingredients.

1 cup Nitro Punch in the Face (not sold online, find a retailer near you)
.5 cup of whole milk (or anything else of your choice)
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 tablespoon of brown sugar

Mix the ingredients in a medium sized bowl then pour into your popsicle molds! It's as simple as that! Enjoy.

Coffee Roasts

Coffee: Washed vs. Natural Process

A few months back we posted a blog about how roast levels affect the flavor experienced in the cup. We put a lot of energy into our craft of roasting at Backyard Beans, seeking to always pull out the best in every coffee we offer. Roast, however, is only one aspect that can alter the flavor profile in coffee. If we aren’t starting with high quality, specialty grade green coffee then we can’t magically make it taste great with the perfect roast.

What we want to highlight this month is how the processing method affects flavor.

The coffee bean is encased in many layers: silver skin, parchment, pectin, pulp, and outer skin. There are three primary methods to process the coffee and extract the bean: washed/wet-process, natural/dry-process, and pulp natural. Some Indonesian coffee’s employ a separate method, wet-hulled, but that is for another day. We want to focus in on natural vs. washed.

We have in our shop (online and in-store) a great example of how natural vs. washed affects flavor. We have a natural and a washed coffee from the same family run farm, Buenos Aires in El Salvador.

Dry processed (naturals) coffees are dried in the full cherry prior to de-pulping. Wet processed (washed) coffees are dried without the cherry. Washed coffee’s are de-pulped then fermented to promote the separation of any remaining tissues from the bean and parchment, then washed clean prior to drying.

Naturals tend to have more fruit and fermented flavors because the bean has more time to interact with the natural sugars from the cherry as enzymes break down the mucilage around the bean. If producers don’t carefully dry naturals, turning them often and removing over-ripes then funky flavors will emerge in the roasted coffee. The Buenos Aires natural has intense aromas that remind us of fruity pebbles when it is ground. The cup has a nice big body with notes of honey and strawberry.

Washed coffee’s are prized for their clarity and vibrant notes. Removing all of the cherry prior to drying allows the intrinsic flavors of the bean to shine without anything holding them back. Fruit notes are still found in washed coffees, however, fermented notes and berry notes are less common. The Buenos Aires Kenya style washed has notes of mixed nut trail mix, ripe cherries and chocolate. Kenya style washed is in reference to fermenting and washing the coffee twice to promote increased clarity and cleanliness.

It’s exciting for us to have these two delicious coffees on our menu for a limited time. The unique flavor experience is made possible thanks to the collaboration between renowned coffee producer Aida Batlle and the J. Hill family who own Buenos Aires. For a limited time only, we're taking $4 off a limited edition two pack, while supplies last.

Everything Coffee / News, Coffee Roasts

Cupping 101

If you are able to make it to Lansdale we would love to have you out!

What is cupping? No, we are not talking about the alternative medicine suction therapy, we are talking about coffee of course! Simply put, it's the easiest and most efficient way to sample many coffees in succession. Cupping coffee is a standardized method of evaluating coffee, it is utilized by coffee professionals all along the supply chain (growers, exporters, importers, green buyers, roasters, and baristas). It is kind of like brewing with a French Press without the French Press, and it involves spoons and slurping. But don't be worried, there is nothing to be afraid of! Matt or our head roaster Bobby will walk you through the entire process with info along the way.

Cupping is common act around our roastery, Matt and Bobby are evaluating our roasts multiple times a week to ensure that we are putting out the best coffee we can roast. We are excited to open up this tasting in a public format so that you can take something away from the experience. Not sure what your roast preference is? Have you always laughed at the tasting notes on coffee bags? Have you ever been confused about what exactly washed process, natural process, or wet-hulled means? Come join us and we are confident that you will take something useful away in the process, something interesting at least :)

Too far away to make it out to our roastery? We are here to answer any question you might have about our coffee and brewing techniques. If this is you give our head roaster Bobby an email with any related questions you have, bobby@backyardbeans.com.

As a bonus, new coffee alert! Our fresh crop Guatemala offering comes from Finca La Bolsa in La Libertad, Huehuetenango. La Bolsa is a family run farm and their coffee has become known for it's quality year after year. Aside from winning some awards for their quality, the farm is certified by the Rainforest Alliance. In the cup you will be greeted by a nice creamy body, chocolate, caramel, some citric notes as well as some red fruit character to the sweetness. Roasted light but this one has a lot going on in the taste. Shop now.

Everything Coffee / News

Coffee, Cocktails, Beer & Wine -- What we're currently serving at the Backyard Beans Co. Coffee Cafe

If you've been following us on social media, you should know by now that we have opened up our bar and are now offering extended hours at our shop (scroll to the footer for most current hours)! The bar is full service now -- we are now serving beer from Round Guys Brewing Co., local wine and spirits, specialty cocktails (our favorites are the Laughing Llama and Punchy Russian!), and local cider from Stone & Key Cellars. Our goal is to give you the best of the local scene for you to savor. So come on over to our cafe and enjoy a drink with us -- we're serving beer, wine, cider, tea, cocktails and coffee. They're delicious!

Cocktails at Backyard Beans Coffee Co.
*beer and cocktail selections change regularly, check in with our bartender for what's on tap!

*beer and cocktail selections change regularly, check in with our bartender for what's on tap!

Learn more about the local tastes we're serving:
Portch Tea | Round Guys Brewery | Stone & Key Cellars | Wild Fox Farm

We look forward to having you over! Come visit us at 408 W. Main Street in Lansdale, PA. Visit our cafe menu for more delicious treats.

Everything Coffee / News

Backyard Beans Coffee Co. - Take a tour of our new store

Click image for temporary store hours until we announce our Grand Opening!

Click image for temporary store hours until we announce our Grand Opening!

We can't believe it's MAY! Time has really flown by and we have been so excited about our new store, hanging out with our customers, and enjoying the scenery. If you haven't visited us during our soft-launch, come and do so! We are making all sorts of great coffees and even perfected a delicious Lavender Vanilla Iced Latte (Yeah, you read that right a Lavender Vanilla Iced Latte!). Enough of the small talk, enjoy the tour of our new store below. And stay tuned for our grand opening event, we'll have lots of samples to share and giveaways!

Coffee Roasts

The Art of Roast Levels & Flavor // Backyard Beans Coffee Co.

For a limited time our Colombia Hacienda la Pradera coffee roasted 2 ways, light and medium!

For a limited time our Colombia Hacienda la Pradera coffee roasted 2 ways, light and medium!

Let's talk about roasting! You've probably heard the words "light", "medium", and "dark" to differentiate between roasts and these are good reference points when talking about what is going on when we roast coffee. If you aren’t sure what your preference is, or just want to learn what we do with our roasting, then I hope this short study will help you better understand.

The coffee bean in its raw state is very dense and has a pale green color, we call it green coffee, or green for short, and it is undrinkable in this state. The roasting process causes chemical and physical changes to the green, transforming it into the tasty and aroma rich substance we know and love. When we roast coffee we can dramatically affect how you experience the flavors in a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

First, we turn on our roaster (15kg Loring Falcon) and give it adequate time to heat up. We then take the green coffee and drop them into the roasting chamber. At around 8-10 minutes into the roast, at approximately 395 degrees Fahrenheit, the coffee reaches first crack. This is a critical stage of the roast when pressurized gases inside the bean reach a tipping point and force their way out of the bean, causing an audible pop. This is when the coffee is getting close to its drinkable state, but more heat and time is necessary to develop specific and desirable flavors. The time after first crack is when an important reaction occurs called “caramelization”, this is the breaking down of complex sugars into simple sugars giving the coffee it’s characteristic brown color and desirable flavors.

If we are going for a light roast we keep the roast going for another one and a half to two and a half minutes after first crack, and we only let the temperature of the bean rise another 10-25 degrees. For a medium roast we are going to push both the time past first crack as well as the bean temperature to cause more caramelization to occur. If we don’t let the coffee develop enough past first crack (not enough heat and/or not enough time in the roaster) you can get certain undesirable flavors – bitter, sour, herbal, harsh and unpleasant acidity among others. If you let the roast go too long, you will also get undesirable flavors – bitter, baked, flat, burnt, etc.

Last day to order our Roast Study: Tuesday, April 11 (while supplies last).

Last day to order our Roast Study: Tuesday, April 11 (while supplies last).

The light roasts we offer have a bright and pleasant acidity, they will taste sweet and might have some floral aromas depending on the bean. Medium roasts push the caramelization resulting in a chocolaty, nutty, almost syrupy flavor. In medium roasts you will smell and taste a slight amount of “roast”, whereas light roasts will have no “roast” flavor or aroma. In dark roasts you will pick up aromas that are referred to as dry-distillation aromas – roasty, pungent, resinous, even mildly spicy (think Punch in the Face).

While it is good to know your roast preference the real fun is learning and experimenting with new things. To make this more accessible to our customers we are offering for a limited time our Colombia Hacienda la Pradera coffee roasted 2 ways, light and medium. This is a coffee that adapts very well to different roast styles, we have been enjoying it for the past 3 months roasted medium/light. When roasted light it has bright, juicy fruit notes (raspberry and pomegranate), and when roasted slightly darker these notes develop into caramel, a syrupy body, dark chocolate with a hint of raspberries. We're doing this so that you will have an opportunity to experience the nuances that roasting can cause to a coffee.

Nitro Coffee Cream Cupcakes Recipe / Backyard Beans Coffee Co.

Coffee Cream Cupcakes / Backyard Beans Coffee Co.

We have a sign in our kitchen that says "This home runs on love, laughter, and cups of strong coffee." We are coffee fanatics (what you would guess as owners of a coffee roasting business!). What better way to enjoy a little extra coffee than in a cupcake? A little boost of caffeine and the combined flavors of coffee and chocolate - yes please. I adapted this recipe  to make a truly fantastic dessert. Give these cupcakes a try and let us know what you think! (Find cold brew cans for sale at these retailers). - Laura Adams

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetended cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup nitro Punch in the Face cold brew coffee (from can) - save the rest of the coffee for the frosting!
3 large eggs
8 ounces sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Buttercream frosting:
1 cup butter (softened)
6 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup nitro cold brew coffee
Ground coffee, coffee beans for garnish if desired

Coffee Cream Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24-30 muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add oil, coffee, and eggs. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla.

Spoon the batter evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, for 16 to 18 minutes. Let them cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Pipe on the Coffee Buttercream frosting over the cupcakes (or spread on) and garnish with coffee grounds/coffee beans as desired.

In a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until smooth, then beat in the coffee.

Everything Coffee / News

2017 US Coffee Championships / Backyard Beans Coffee Co.

Bobby, Josh and Matt at the 2017 US Coffee Championships in Knoxville, TN.

Bobby, Josh and Matt at the 2017 US Coffee Championships in Knoxville, TN.

Recently, our team had an exciting opportunity to take a road trip and compete in the US Coffee Championships qualifying event in Knoxville, TN.  The US Coffee Championships is an opportunity for coffee professionals across the country to test their knowledge of coffee and their skills in one of four areas: barista, manual brewing, tasting, and roasting.  We participated in the Brewers Cup.  The top 12 of the 36 Brewers Cup competitors go on to the National Championships.

On January 20, Bobby, Josh and I headed to Knoxville.  While Bobby was the only one competing, we figured he could use the support (and Josh and I needed an excuse to try some new breweries).  Bobby spent the month leading up perfecting his roast of our Ethiopia Hambela, connecting with the producers at Hambela, and dialing in his brew method (Clever dripper with a v60 filter).  We choose the Hambela coffee because of it’s exceptional quality and the effort going into the coffee from the farm level.  Hambela estate itself is fairly new, the coffee we roasted was from their 3rd year’s harvest (2015/2016).  They had their first harvest in 2013, the same year we got started as a business.  Hambela became certified organic last year and they are doing many exciting things for both their coffee quality as well as investing into their community and giving back.

Bobby Wrigley

When we arrived at the competition on Saturday morning, it would be safe to say that we felt a little out of place.  Our 3 milk crates of supplies were dwarfed by a collection of bubble wrap filled suitcases and rubber gloves.  We took the opportunity to talk to some of our industry peers and drink a lot of coffee.  After an early rehearsal, it was time to walk the floor and learn about some new coffees, importers, and equipment.  Bobby was scheduled at noon with a chance to brew his coffee in front of a panel of judges.  While that may seem like an easy task, he also had to talk about the coffee (origin, processing, roast, and taste) while being judged on things like customer service and accuracy of tasting notes. Laura and I were proud business owners as we watched Bobby’s spot-on presentation!  While we will not be moving on to the national championship we walked away proud of what came of putting so much into it; the process made us grow and we are confident we can do well in future competitions. It was a blast and we are looking forward to the 2018 US Coffee Championships.

Everything Coffee / News

Happy New Year 2017! From Backyard Beans Coffee Co.

For the new year, we're giving an extra three months free when you sign up for a one year coffee subscription. Check it out.

For the new year, we're giving an extra three months free when you sign up for a one year coffee subscription. Check it out.

2016 has been an exciting year for Backyard Beans. When I left my job in 2015, we began a trajectory that started with the hiring of our first employee. At the onset of 2016, we continued this trajectory by promoting Bobby from production assistant to full time Production Manager and adding several team members to make our growth from a production and branding perspective more sustainable and achievable. Our team grew from two to six throughout the course of the year (although we are saddened to say goodbye to Luke as he starts a new chapter of his life in his home state of Mississippi.)

As many of you know, cold brew has always been an innovative product for Backyard Beans. In June 2016 we formally launched our Punch in the Face nitro cold brew cans after months of planning. Due to relationships we built with Whole Foods our cans are distributed across the entire mid-Atlantic region. At a local level, we partnered with a Lancaster based distributer and increased our self-distribution to make our cans accessible to customers in the Philadelphia, Lancaster, and Harrisburg areas.

As rumors have indicated over the past year, we are working to open a coffee shop and public-orientated production facility in downtown Lansdale this year. We are excited about this opportunity! From a production perspective, the new facility will provide us more space; we also updated our coffee roaster to a Loring smart roaster (which we would consider “the Tesla of coffee roasters”). This roaster will provide increased production capability and consistency while being environmentally friendly with best in industry energy efficiency. Given the public oriented nature of our new facility, this roaster will be viewable from our retail space. Our retail space will not only include coffee roasted in-house, but will offer a variety of expertly crafted espresso drinks as well as locally-sourced baked goods and specialty treats. Local craft beers from Round Guys Brewing, PA-produced wine,  as well as signature cocktails made with local spirits will be made available thanks to our partnership with Round Guys Brewing. The shop will open at 408 West Main Street in Lansdale early this spring.

Wholesale coffee brought us the opportunity to grow our geographic reach as we spread into new markets, such as the mid-west. We have also had the opportunity build and develop partnerships with several restaurants in the Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas.
As we look ahead to 2017, we are excited about the opening of our new production space and coffee shop. We are also looking to launch creative sales campaigns via our website and other online platforms in an effort to provide our customers with the best coffee experience available. We are looking to hire a full-time marketing and events manager who will be responsible for (among other things) managing and running our portfolio of farmers’ markets. Bobby will continue to run our wholesale coffee and roasting operations, while Josh shifts focus from production to cold brew operations.

On a personal level, Laura and I had a milestone year with the birth of our first child, Hailey Rose. While many of you have had the opportunity to meet little Hailey at our farmers’ markets, she will quickly become an integral part of café life when we open in the coming months!
We hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year! Enjoy your coffee!

Everything Coffee / News

Christmas Coffee Gifts / Backyard Beans Coffee Co.

Christmastime is here, happiness and cheer…

Feeling stumped on what to get your friends and family for Christmas? Look no further. We have all sorts of gifts available for the coffee enthusiast in your group.

Gift a coffee subscription so that your loved one will never run out of coffee. Subscribe for 3, 6, or 12 months. Subscriber will receive four 8 oz bags per month. Subscriptions start at $85, and the first shipment goes out Monday, January 2, 2017. Another cool thing about our coffee subscription is sometimes we give roasts that you won’t find on our website or in stores!

If you’re feeling bummed that you won’t have anything physical to give under the tree on Christmas morning, we have an idea to help you package it all up! We suggest purchasing a coffee mug and wrapping it with a card telling your loved one that you bought them a Backyard Beans coffee subscription. The smiles will beam on their face all day. Trust us.

Gift a favorite roast to your friends and family. Click over to our online coffee shop or check out our locations page for where to purchase near you. We have a few new roasts in the shop: the Peru and Rwanda. Get them while they’re hot.

Located only in certain locations throughout the mid-atlantic region, make your own custom 6-pack. This is a great way to thank a host for throwing an awesome Christmas party. Find a location near you.

Perhaps your friends and family are wild about us and already have our coffee subscription, and their fridge is stocked up to the max with nitro cans. Top off their love of Backyard Beans with an official t-shirt, only available in our online store.

Some local farmers markets are still happening through the winter season and we have gift cards available!  Gift cards can be purchased and used at any farmers’ market (*not redeemable online). Please check winter hours on the market’s websites – Emmaus, Primex, Lansdale. Gift cards can be used at any market in the 2017 season as well.

Those are our ideas for you this Christmas! Have a safe holiday everyone, stay warm and do make sure you have your morning coffee for Christmas Day.

-Backyard Beans Coffee Co.

Everything Coffee / News

Backyard Beans Coffee Co.: Giving Thanks

Backyard Beans Thanksgiving

We're excited it's November, and we have a lot to be thankful about. Our team at Backyard Beans is thankful for so many things and we want to tell you why.

2016 has been a busy year for Laura and I, as well as the Backyard Beans team.  As I look back on the year, there are hundreds of things to be thankful for.  First and foremost, Laura gave birth to our daughter, Hailey, in June.  We are fortunate to be in a position where Backyard Beans is now our family's sole provider.  This could not be done without the hard work and dedication of our employees.  Luke and Bobby were joined by Josh in the shop this year.  The four of us have worked hard to improve the quality of our coffees as well as the efficiency of our production.  In the field, Dan and Sawyer joined Kim to assist in running farmer's markets and work as brand ambassadors at our grocery accounts.  The culmination of which led to a very healthy 2016, one that has allowed Backyard Beans to become a recognized name in the Philadelphia metro area.  I am thankful for the growth our business has had over the past year, and it would not have been possible without the dedication of our customers and employees, as well as Laura who has had to put up with non-stop coffee talk for the last 3 years.

Thank you all!

-Matt, Owner

I’m thankful for a hot cup of coffee every morning.  I know how much work went into brewing that coffee. It didn’t begin this morning…it began yesterday when Matt brought some leftover beans home from work, it began last week when the beans were dropped into the roaster, it began last month when the beans were researched, sourced, and delivered, it began last year when Matt transitioned into a full time business owner, it began years before that when we experimented at home and created Backyard Beans.  I am thankful for that pot of coffee Matt brews for me before dawn. I am thankful to have a cup of coffee waiting when our baby Hailey wakes up and we start our day. I am thankful to spend my days working from home with Hailey and a cup of coffee at my fingertips. I’m thankful to be living our dream.

-Laura, Owner

Bobby Wrigley Backyard Beans

My past year with Backyard Beans has been one with many occasions to be thankful for. First and foremost, I am thankful to have the health to work a job to provide for my wife and I. It's an added benefit to work with some inspiring people in an industry I love. My curiosity about coffee drove me into the industry about 8 years ago. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to turn a hobby and a part-time interest into a full-time career. The direction Backyard Beans is headed is something I am proud to be a part of.

-Bobby, Production Manager

Luke Backyard Beans

My life has given me many great opportunities to be thankful for! With Backyard Beans, I am able to continue to hone my craft as a roaster, in dialog with the rest of the staff about that process. Roasting can be really fun when you're learning something new, and we're always striving to never stop learning. I also really enjoy getting to try new coffees with my coworkers, and our semi-regular Taco Tuesday outings. As the company has grown, I've also been thankful to see more and more people engaged with the coffees, and hear their excitement about finding a bean they really love, or a new brew method they're going to get into. That communal aspect is very rewarding, and drives me to continually want to keep the quality as high as possible.

-Luke, Head Roaster

Josh Backyard Beans

I'm very thankful for the few months that I've been with Backyard Beans. I have learned so much from the other employees in this short time. I am thankful to be a part of such a hardworking innovative company. It is inspiring to work with those who don't settle to maintain but are constantly looking to move forward. I am thankful to be able to support myself in a craft trade and to be a part of the community of small businesses in the Philadelphia area. I'm excited to see how we continue to grow and I am proud to be a part of that growth.

-Josh, Production Support

In my life right now there are so many things to be thankful for. Starting with introducing my amazing baby girl Zoe into the world last November to being encouraged by my wife to take steps towards my passion for coffee. The greatest part of working with Backyard Beans is the excitement I get talking to our customers about the beans we roast. I am proud of the way we are able to bring out so many different flavor profiles and give our customers a wide variety of beans to choose from. For all these things and more I am thankful to be able to do what I am passionate about and finding others with my same sense of coffee passion.

-Dan, Demo Specialist/Market Support

Sawyer Backyard Beans

There are so many things in my life for which I’m thankful. I’m thankful for the support that my family has given me all throughout my life, from my education as a child to my time at Temple University. The friends I made there and the people I’ve met have been such an integral part of who I am today. They helped me develop my passions and my interests, and they’ve given me more than I could ever hope to return. Alongside of that, I’m thankful for the fact that I get to be part of the team at Backyard Beans as a Brand Ambassador. Two of my greatest passions are people and coffee (not always in that order), and my position at Backyard really combines each of those. So, I’m thankful for a job that I can look forward to every day, and I’m grateful that I get to work alongside such wonderful people in such an interesting environment. It’s rare to be part of a group in which everyone is passionate and committed to what they’re doing. As a new member of the team, I’m excited for the future of this company and the role I can play in it. For that, I am extremely thankful.

-Sawyer, Demo Specialist/Production Support

Kim Backyard Beans

I'm thankful for the way that Backyard Beans allows us, as employees, to connect with our community at our local farmer's market. I love meeting new people, hearing their stories, and providing them with coffee that I can truly stand behind and say is my favorite brand.

-Kim, Market Support

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer Recipe // Backyard Beans Coffee Co.

We whipped up a quick and easy recipe for you Backyard Beans enthusiasts to get you into the fall spirit - Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer!  So easy in fact, we don't know why we didn't start doing this years ago!  Rest assured, this creamer is not too sweet and has just the right amount of autumn spiciness.

We used this creamer with our Colombia Planadas, with notes of caramel, cocoa and orange. The sweeter notes of the Colombia Planadas pair nicely with this creamer. For a cooler effect, try it with our Nitro Punch in the Face Cold Brew Can.

Combine the following in a blender until well mixed –

  •                1 ¼ cup half & half (or any milk of your choice -- almond milk, whole milk, etc.)
  •                3 Tbsp pumpkin puree (I’ve been using the rest of the can to make pumpkin bread!)
  •                3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
  •                3 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  •                1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

*Can store creamer in the refrigerator up to 5 days

Click the share button below to share this delicious treat with your friends and family. And don’t forget to visit our Backyard Beans online store to pick up a bag of coffee, all starting at $8 each.

Coffee Oatmeal

September is back to school! Here’s another great recipe for those of us who need to get up and go – an easy on-the-move breakfast and coffee rolled into one! Oh, and there’s chocolate!

You can make a few jars at once to save time, and they last in the fridge for a couple of days. Here’s what you need to do –

Brew 2 shots espresso or a ½ cup double strength coffee (try our Wild Espresso or a medium roast Central American coffee). Allow the coffee to cool.

In a pint-size (or larger) mason jar, combine the coffee with:
1 cup milk of choice
1 cup rolled oats
1 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
2 tbsp mini chocolate chips
Attach the lid tightly and shake very well. Place in refrigerator overnight (or at least 8 hours).

Open in the morning and enjoy! If you have time – add some yummy toppings like coconut flakes or walnuts. Enjoy!

Punch in the Face Nitro Can: 11 Delicious Recipes for you to try

The past couple of months have been a real adventure for us. Sleepless nights, cold brew daydreaming, recipe perfecting, roasting, delivering, and dreaming big with you in mind. We have spent many hours perfecting our nitro can recipe over and over, hoping to revolutionize the way you take your coffee hour. With that said, we are very proud to give you the amazing Punch in the Face Nitro Cold Brew Can. Our drink is not filled with weird or unknown ingredients, it's simple: nitrogen infused cold brewed coffee and water. Our drink is zero calories (win!), mouth-watering, creamy, and perfectly cold. We can't sell it online, because it needs to be delivered at a consistent temperature. So, we think it's time for you to get off your computer/phone/ipad and find a location near you. With all that said, here are a 12 recipes that you should try with your nitro can. Be sure to hit the share button below this blog post to share the goodness with your friends.

1. Amaretto Freeze: approx. 6 servings
Blend together until smooth:
4.5 cups coffee flavored ice cream or frozen yogurt
1 can Punch in the Face cold brew
6 ounces amaretto
3 ounces Kahlua
1.5 cups ice cubes
Top with whipped cream

2. Java Coconut Rumble: 3 servings
Blend together until smooth:
3 cups ice cubes
1 can Punch in the Face cold brew
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp. caramel sauce
2 tbsp. chocolate syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 ounces dark rum
Top with whipped cream

3. Café cocoa moco: approx. 4 servings
Blend together until smooth:
1 can (12 oz) Punch in the Face cold brew
12 ounces coconut milk
3 ounces coconut cream
3 ounces chocolate syrup
3 cups ice cubes

4. Fresh Mint Iced Coffee
Add ice cubes to a glass (use coffee ice cubes for even more flavor!). Pour 3-4 tbsp. (to taste) mint syrup over the ice cubes, then add a can of Punch in the Face cold brew and stir in 4-5 tbsp. milk or cream. Top with some fresh mint leaves.

(To make the fresh mint syrup:
Combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 1 big bunch of fresh mint leaves (~ 3/4 cup), and 1 vanilla bean (seeds scraped out and pod) in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Let it boil for about a minute, then reduce the heat and let it cool completely. Transfer it to a bowl or jar and let it come to room temperature then put it in the refrigerator overnight. Before using, strain out the mint leaves and vanilla pod. It will keep about a week sealed in the fridge.)

5. Iced Sea Salt Coffee:
Combine 1 can Punch in the Face cold brew with 2-3 tbsp. sugar or simple syrup.
Whip 3 ounces heavy whipping cream until thick and frothy (but not as thick as whipped cream). Add 1/4-1/2 tsp flaked sea salt to the cream.
Pour the coffee/sugar over ice, add salted cream to the top. Optional - sprinkle a little more salt on top.

6. Yuanyang (Hong Kong style coffee/tea): 4 servings
Combine one can Punch in the Face cold brew with 3 cups Hong Kong style milk tea. Serve over ice.

(Hong Kong style milk tea: Bring 2 cups of water + 1 cup sugar to a boil, stir until sugar is dissolved. Add 6 cups water, return to boil and add 5 black tea bags. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 10-15 minutes (you want strong tea). Remove tea bags, squeezing gently to remove all water. Stir in one can of evaporated milk.)

7. Lavender Vanilla Iced Coffee
Prepare Lavender Syrup: In a saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, 2 tbsp. dried lavender petals and 1/2 vanilla bean. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the 5 minutes is up (and the sugar is dissolved), turn off the heat. Strain the mixture into a bowl/jar. Let cool before applying the lid and refrigerating. Syrup can be kept in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

Fill a glass with ice. Pour in 1 can Punch in the Face cold brew. Then pour in 1/2 cup of almond milk (more or less to taste). Then, 1 teaspoon at a time, add the Lavender Syrup, stirring and tasting after each teaspoon until you have achieved a subtle (not overpowering) lavender flavor (approx. 6 tsp).

8. Iced raspberry café mocha
In a small saucepan, add 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 cup fresh raspberries and 1/2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder. Heat on low to medium heat. Stir the mixture as the raspberries cook down and the mixture thickens. Cook for about 10 minutes. Pour the raspberry mixture through a fine strainer. Set aside and let cool.

Pour 1 can Punch in the Face cold brew into a glass. Then add 3 ounces of the raspberry cocoa liquid and stir. Add 1/4 cup milk or cream and sugar to taste. Stir. Add ice and serve.

9. Coffee Breakfast Smoothie
Pour 1 can Punch in the Face cold brew into an ice cube tray and freeze. Combine the coffee ice cubes, 1.5 bananas, 1/3 cup rolled oats, 1.5 tbsp. cocoa powder, 1.5 tbsp. flaxseeds meal, 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon, 1.5 cups almond milk, and 1.5 tsp honey. Boom breakfast on the go.

10. Bobby’s Favorite.
Half a glass of chocolate milk, and half a can of cold brew. Save the other half for the next day, or if you really want to be nice you can share.

11. Matt’s Favorite.
1 can Punch in the Face cold brew + 1 big scoop vanilla ice cream. Enough said.

Everything Coffee / News

Aslan the Van, photo by Vaevere.

Aslan the Van, photo by Vaevere.

Dan and Jodi Weaver. Photo by Vaevere.

Dan and Jodi Weaver. Photo by Vaevere.

So what is Vaevere and why are we sponsoring them? Vaevere is a traveling coffee van making a cross country tour this summer! We’ve sponsored them to serve our coffee from their trusty 1984 VW Westfalia Vanagon named Aslan. While touring America, their hope is to explore stories in our American community. Run by Dan and Jodi Weaver, a husband and wife team, they’re inviting you to meet them on tour, converse over good cup of coffee, and blog about amazing stories from individuals from around the country. Best part is the tour is happening during America’s 100th year anniversary of National Parks Services. So if you haven’t planned a summer vacation, perhaps join the coffee adventure and meet Vaevere at one of America’s national parks. You will love meeting Dan and Jodi, and we hope that you will enjoy your coffee and conversations with them. For more information and tour schedule please visit their website.

A Fourth of July Coffee Grill Rub!

In the mood for grilling?  Well it’s time to get amped up, coffee style!  This summer, enjoy your favorite meat with an extra ingredient: Coffee.  Our coffee rub is an excellent addition to any BBQ this summer. Generously apply this simple rub to any of your favorite meats prior to grilling this summer.

  • ¼ cup espresso powder (we recommend the Wild Espresso)
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 1 ½ tbsp. pepper corns
  • 1 ½ tbsp. cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp chipotle chile pepper
  • 1 tbsp granulated garlic power
  • 1 tbsp dried onion flakes
  • 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar

Directions: Combine ingredients and apply.

Happy grilling everyone!

Everything Coffee / News

It's that time of year! FARMERS MARKETS 2016!

Why should you shop at farmers markets? Here are three great reasons. 1. KNOW where your food is sourced from. 2. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY, family farmers struggle in today's globalized economy - why not show the love? 3. NOURISH YOURSELF, you will not find processed food at a farmers market, it's all fresh and seasonal.

This year we will be at the following local locations, and we hope you will visit us by stocking up on coffee roasts, grabbing a cup of coffee or a nitro cold brew to go. And while you have that coffee in hand to go, make sure to enjoy the rest of your day learning and exploring from other stands by connecting with your community. See you soon.

Lansdale Farmers Market

Opening day, Saturday, May 21
Hillcrest Shopping Center Parking Lot
664 E. Main Street
Lansdale, PA 19446

Emmaus Farmers Market

Open now, every Sunday, 10am to 2pm
Located in the National Penn Bank Parking Lot

Ambler Farmers Market

Opening day, Saturday, May 7 and held every Saturday at 9am
39 W. Butler Ave at Maple Ave
Ambler, PA 19002

Spring Mill’s Farmers Market

Opening day, Sunday, May 8, 9am to 1pm
1001 East Hector Street, Conshohocken, PA

Nazareth Farmers Market

Open now, every Saturday, 9am-1pm
Nazareth Circle, Main Street, Nazareth, PA


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Blogger Bret on the Start of Camp

After expressing dislike for a particular reporter at the BigTen media days a week ago, justifying the reporter's lack of tact with a backhand, "he's probably a blogger, or something," Coach Bielema is at it himself, with his first blog entry, about the start of fall camp, here. Think he has a ghostwriter?

Nothing really surprising in there. Yesterday they were allowed meetings, today practice begins. On the other hand, for those of you jealous of the football team's "training table" meals, you should be -- last night was prime rib.

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Deviant Otter, Balls, Nuts, Scrotum, Naked, Sex, Fucking, Ass, Hairy

Deviant Otter’s Heart-Shaped Balls: The 10 Best Pics

Deviant Otter may have my favorite testicles.

Tumblr is a great resource for pics of amazing balls. And if you’re following me on there, you’ve certainly seen more than anyone’s share of cool testicles posted to my tumblr. There’s something really great about a great set of nuts that I can’t even explain in any real detail. I just don’t even have the words for it.  I talked about that a little bit in this post about how ball cupping is a great way to shut me up immediately. But what, specifically, I love about balls sort of defies description.

That said, I think you’d be hard pressed to find a better set of nuts than those swinging from my friend Deviant Otter. You should DEFFO be following him on tumblr (and subscribing to his site. He deserves your money). A thing I noticed over the years of hitting reblog every time one of his pics rolled across my dashboard was that his balls are almost perfectly heart-shaped. He’s got such swingy low-hangers that they always manage to sit dipped down in his sack, forming the top half of a heart shape. And their pendulous nature causes the full scrotum to look like… well, exactly like a heart! It’s actually really cool!

In honor of DO’s magnificent, well-formed nuts, here’s the ten best examples I’ve found of his dangly bits:

You can follow Deviant Otter on tumblr and twitter.  And now that you’ve seen how festively shaped those big bad balls are, y0u’ll probably never be able to unsee it. I know I can’t!

Thank goodness!

Sort by:   newest | oldest | most voted

[…] There was this this post about the inherent comfort generated by cupping your balls, this one about Deviant Otter and his naturally heart-shaped testicles, and then this one that was just an ode to the beauty of aesthetic af nuts. Sometimes they’re […]

Unless you work at a dick factory, literally nothing on this blog is safe for work. So heads up: you’re gonna see penises, butts, general nudity, depictions of sexual interactions, and me saying words like dong, cock, wang, peenor, peen, jizz, bust, bate, fuck, stroke, and ballback, ad nauseam.

Read previous post:
Handjobs Magazine, Twice Plumbed, Incest, Father, Son, Illustrated, Cartoon, Walden
Story Time: Twice Plumbed

  Handjobs Magazine: Plumbers, incest, and fancy, foreign underwear.   One of my favorite things to write about for Manhunt Daily was erotic art and especially writings. You've (of course)...


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Tuesday, May 23, 2006

The Holy Order Of Bagwine

For those of you listed, please feel free to copy and paste the pic onto your website if you'd like.

If you would like your site linked, just drop me a line.

A Word In Edgewise
Amid Life's Crises
And As The World Turns
Anndi, Professional Smartass
Another Desert Rat

Bonds Big Leather Couch
Boo (Duh)

Call Him Al
Cathy's Resurrection Corner
Cheesy Girl

Clay Perry

Crazy Working Mom
Cynical Bastard

Desert Icebox
Dixie Chick
Dutch Files

Forks Off The Moment
Hope Radio

I Am Woman See Me Blog
It's A Dog's Life

Just Tug

Karen Is Smiling Through It All
Knight Ramblings

Leelee's Thoughts and Meanderings

Life According To Candice

Lisa's Grrrrrls...
Live Lesbian
Lu (New)

Marilyn Is More Random Than Average

Mimi Writes!!
Mizz Laura's Blog

Mystery Chick

Nick's Bytes
Nothing Gold Can Stay

Odat's Mumblings

People In The Sun
Prefers Her Fantasy Life

Steamboat Slough

VE's Fantastical Nonsense

Zodi's Blog

Desert Songbird said...

Cool beans. But why is the photo linking to 108 blog? You like her best?

Matt-Man said...

I saw that. I don't know. I will fix that in the near future. Cheers

Matt-Man said...

Fixed!! Now quit being so catty. Rowwwrrrrrrr. Cheers!!

Desert Songbird said...

(I read somewhere that that makes men go wild. Yeahright.)

Matt-Man said...

Songbird: Mmmmmmmm I can picture you in a leather Catwoman suit. Yum-Oh!!

the108 said...

is that why I had so many hits today? Shit. I thought I had just suddenly become popular.

Matt-Man said...

Don't worry dear, you're still HAWT!!

Julie said...

Aww poor Kyra! We wubs ya just the same!

Jeff B said...

Cat fight, Cat fight!

Roger said...

matts remodeled!

Starrlight said...

Yay! I shall put that up tonight at home.

leelee said...

This is soooooooooooooo exciting!!

Matt-Man said...

It is quite the thrill isn't it. Cheers Lee!!


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Home arrow Amenities arrow Transport System
Transport System

Understanding the fact of travel issues and how the quality of travel contributes to the quality of performance after reaching the destination, is the spirit behind the "Bahria Town Transport Service". With an imported Commuter fleet Bahria town residents shall have quick and joyful access to all Main Zones of Bahria Town.

Picture Gallery

Click image to open!

Sales Center

Our Sales Center is open 7 days a week to help you

Bahria Cares

Driven by the highest standards of corporate governance and social responsibility.

Acquisition of Escorts Investment Bank - Public Offer

Offer Letter
Offer to Purchase 14.42% Ordinary Shares of Escorts Investment Bank Limited.
English Ver.   Urdu Ver.

Construction Byelaws | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | FAQs | Home Plus | Site Map | Contact Us | Live Chat | QPR
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Monday, 4 December 2017

Tuesday, 26 September 2017

Shoetopia - Fall 2017

Following a link from a friend, I visited Shoetopia's Fall 2017 event.  It's a footwear extravaganza - what's not to love?
The design is chic - like landing in a dream dressing room (I mentioned shoes, right?)
By the time I left there were almost 50 avatars (mostly female, obviously - but there is footwear for men too) frothing at the mouths like rabid animals at the sight of boots and shoes from many top Second Life designers.
Did I buy anything?  Well, you'll just have to wait and see.
Shoetopia can be found here.

Friday, 22 September 2017

Look of the Day 22nd September 2017

Dress: Sn@tch - Shui Dress - mesh standard sizes XS - XL, Belleza Freya, Belleza Isis, Belleza Venus, EBODY, Maitreya, Slink Hourglass, Slink Physique, TMP, Tonic Curvy, Tonic Fine

Thursday, 21 September 2017

Madame Lala's Does Oktoberfest

As well as being a prolific shopper, some time blogger, home owner, terrible driver and every thing else in SL, I also try my hand at DJing.

On Friday 22nd September from 1pm SLT I will be offering up my take on Oktoberfest at Madame Lala's London Revue.

Madame Lala's - where men are men and so are some of the women.

Look Of The Day 21st September 2017

Dress: [UNC] - Chloe for Maitreya, Slink Hourglass, Slink Physique, TMP, Belleza Freya, Belleza Venus, Belleza Isis with four colour HUD (three different colour packs)
Boots: Hilly Haalan - Freya, Hourglass, Isis, Maitreya, Venus, Standard Size with alpha and forty colour HUD
Hair Garland: Wishbox - Festival Crown in Paradise Purple

Wednesday, 20 September 2017

The Artist's Palette - Hello Autumn

Following a link I found myself at The Artist's Palette - Hello Autumn.

Autumn is my favourite season so I loved all the autumn colours and decorations around the area.  Each seller has there own quaint wooden shed - the first lot are arranged either side of disused train tracks.

Some of the sellers have low priced gifts on their stalls.
Following along the tracks to the end, take the path to the right to find a larger area of sheds arranged on three tiers.

The Artist's Palette can be found here.

Look Of The Day 20th September 2017

Swimsuit: ArisAris - Garbo Swimsuit for Matreya, Slink and TMP with six pattern HUD
Dock: DO Designs - Mesh Dock with cuddles

About Me

My photo
Hi, my name is Bailey and I am an avatar in Second Life. Although my avatar is predominantly female in Second Life, I am a gay male in real life. I choose to be female most of the time and don't see it as a big deal in a virtual world where so many people are furries, werewolves and inanimate objects. It is all fantasy. This blog is about me, the places I go, the clothes I wear, the people I meet, etc.

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Tuesday, 31 January 2017

Look Of The Day 31st January 2017

Outfit - E-Clipse Design - ED. ZUp in Brown (Maitreya)
Hair - rezology - Cuddle

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About Me

My photo
Hi, my name is Bailey and I am an avatar in Second Life. Although my avatar is predominantly female in Second Life, I am a gay male in real life. I choose to be female most of the time and don't see it as a big deal in a virtual world where so many people are furries, werewolves and inanimate objects. It is all fantasy. This blog is about me, the places I go, the clothes I wear, the people I meet, etc.

My Blog List


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Microviews Vol. 17: Yu, Drndic, Claudel

on Friday, August 17, 2012
Sorry Please Thank You: Stories by Charles Yu
The moment I put down Yu's debut novel, How To Live Safely In A Science Fictional Universe, I was so eager to read more from him that I hunted down an old hardcover of his first short story collection, Third Class Superhero, and paid some exorbitant price to have it shipped to my door via express post. Unfortunately, I was bitterly disappointed. It had all the mathematical geekery of the novel but none of the humour. When I saw that his next book would be another collection, I was in two minds. Perhaps he had learnt from How To Live... and would pull out bite sized pieces of everything that made that book so great. Or maybe he would just disappear up the black hole of his arse again. Thankfully, for the most part, he has done the former. Sorry Please Thank You is an excellent chaser, full of wonderful moments of physics-based, hyper intelligent hilarity (with a heart). Highlights include Standard Loneliness Package, in which emotions are outsourced to Indian call centres, Note To Self, where Yu converses with his multiple selves from parallel universes, Yeoman, in which the protagonist joins a space exploration team only to discover that every person who has held the position before him has died an absurd death (in fact it is part of the job description) and Adult Contemporary, a story about literally buying the life you think you want to lead. Sorry Please Thank You is not without its duds, but if you've been hanging out for another dose of Yu's quirky sensibility you won't be disappointed by it.

Trieste by Dasa Drndic
Well here's one hell of a conundrum. Trieste is, without a doubt, the best book I've read this year. It has also become apparent (and subsequently admitted) that some of it was plagiarised from the memoir of an Italian Jewish woman who survived the little known San Sabba concentration camp. The novel, inasmuch as it is one, is a breathtaking examination of an often overlooked aspect of the Holocaust. Starting in almost Thomas Mann style - an old woman sitting alone, surrounded by old photos, awaiting the arrival of a son she hasn't seen in sixty years - Trieste quickly descends into a bleak, unrelenting and obsessive account of complicity, fear and loss. I'm not sure where the plagiarism ends and Drndic's 'imagination' begins, but the story of Haya Tedeschi's relationship with the Nazi monster Kurt Franz and the confiscation of their son as part of the Lebernsborn program is both harrowing and tragic. Yet, it is the structure of the book that lifts it above most other great Holocaust literature. Drndic draws on photographs, maps, Nazi documents and transcripts from the Nuremberg trials, seamlessly weaving them into the narrative. At times, the documentary elements are used to staggering effect. One chapter is just a list of the nine thousand Italian Jews killed during the war. To her credit, this multiplicity of devices works well; there is a strange poetry to their points of collision. Irrespective of the plagiarism controversy, Trieste is a book that demands attention. It will leave you emotionally and intellectually spent, but as the fog clears you will come to appreciate that you have been in the presence of true brilliance.

CORRECTION: The author contacted me to point out a number of issues with this review. You can read her entire message here. Just to say that the allegation of plagiarism has quite flimsy foundations. To the extent that any true story has been used as inspiration (a very common occurrence in literature), it does not amount to anything untoward. I now happily fall on my sword and unequivocally label Trieste a masterpiece.

The Investigation by Philippe Claudel
Any author that self-consciously tries to emulate the great Franz Kafka is bound to fail. Only one person ever did Kafka and that was Kafka. Alas, they keep trying and, I'm afraid to say, the author of one of my favourite novels of all time has fallen victim to - if I might borrow from Achmat Dangor - Kafka's Curse. The Investigation concerns an unnamed man - The Investigator - who turns up in an unnamed place - The Town - to investigate a series of suicides at some unnamed company - um, The Enterprise. You get the point. He is thwarted at every turn by a series of similarly unnamed characters, all identified only by their function. Shades of Beckett bounce around the narrative, and it becomes increasingly apparent that the actual investigation is very much playing second fiddle to a weird existential circle jerk (assuming one person can constitute a circle). It kind of makes for enjoyable frippery, but take away the smoke and mirrors and all we are left with is unsatisfying pastiche.

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Vale Banks and Banks 2.0

on Monday, June 10, 2013
A great loss today to my personal literary universe with the death of two great authors in one, Iain Banks and Iain M. Banks. Although his literary incarnation kind of died five books ago, sci-fi Banks was still alive and kicking, adding another worthwhile volume to the Culture series last year with The Hydrogen Sonata. Think what you will of him, but I will always credit The Bridge as the single most important book of my young adult life, teaching me that 'literary fiction' need not be limited, that emotion can defy logic, so long as imagination is given free reign on the page. Now I await The Quarry, due for release next month and hope against hope that it isn't crap.

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Begin the Booker Beguine (Again)

on Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Well, we're just hours away from the announcement of this year's Booker long list and, I can't help but feel, this will be the most hotly debated bunch of books ever. Yep, this year marks the first time that nominees aren't limited to Commonwealth authors but anyone writing in the English language. No doubt you'll recall the big brouhaha when the rules were changed - you'd have been forgiven for thinking the British literary Empire had fallen. Well, we're about to learn how it's going to pan out. Ironically, Team Booker couldn't have chosen a worse (or perhaps better) year to open the floodgates. A quick look at the list of eligible books from just the old Commonwealth countries and I find myself in some sort of book nerd heaven. So many previous winners and nominees have new books - Ian McEwan, David Mitchell, Colm Toibin, Phillip Hensher, Sebastian Barry, Nicola Barker, Damon Galgut, Sarah Waters, Edward St Aubyn... hell, even the new Martin Amis looks promising after a run of complete duds. I can't help but smirk at the misfortune of the also-rans who truly ought to be in contention this year but may well miss out thanks to the former colony with the grating accent. On the other hand, whatever the list, we can safely say that literature from the Commonwealth has never looked quite so bloody healthy.

As for my tips... Hmmm... I'd love to see Jesse Ball, Elimear McBride, Darragh McKeon, Phil Klay and Jenny Offill on the list. I suspect Donna Tartt, Joshua Ferris, Dave Eggars or Peter Mathiessen might get a look in. But when the dust settles I'm betting the prize stays in the Commonwealth for at least one more year and I'd say the guy to do that will be David Mitchell. We'll know if I'm even slightly on target in just a few hours.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Todd Haley did a nose count to see how many Kansas City Chiefs own what he calls “priceless” playoff experience and was pleased to find that 21 do. That also means 32 don’t.

Players who were key to Kansas City’s six-game improvement such as Jamaal Charles and Tamba Hali will be tasting playoff pressure for the first time when the Chiefs host the battle-savvy Baltimore Ravens in a 1 p.m. EST kickoff on Arrowhead Stadium’s cold, hard turf.

If playoff experience proves decisive, the Ravens (12-4) should be on their way to their fourth playoff win in three seasons. Cast as the wild-card team because they lost the tiebreaker to Pittsburgh, the Ravens are 3-2 in road playoff games since January 2009.

The last time the Chiefs (10-6) won a playoff game, Haley was giving golf lessons on Long Island, wondering if a career change would be a good idea. Now, 17 years later, the Chiefs are AFC West champs and in search of their first playoff win since an aging Joe Montana took them to the AFC title game in 1994.

“Talent is one thing,” said Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis, a two-time NFL defensive player of the year. “Your first, second, third quarter, talent is doing great. But then that fourth quarter, experience and playoff knowledge on what you do in these tight situations and what you do against this or against that, that’s where it all clicks in at.”

The Chiefs are not entirely without playoff experience. Right guard Ryan Lilja and linebacker Mike Vrabel can impart to youthful teammates lessons they learned in Super Bowl victories.

“It’s priceless what they can pass on,” Haley said. “We’ve got 21 guys that have some experience in the playoffs. Now, a lot of it is coming from a select few, but the good thing is those guys are all really strong leaders for us that aren’t afraid to let these guys know that everything is about one thing, and that’s trying to be at our best for this Sunday. It’s not about anything else.”

Another edge that Baltimore brings figures to be defense. Four Ravens were picked to the Pro Bowl — Lewis, linebacker Terrell Suggs, tackle Haloti Ngata and safety Ed Reed. Kansas City’s improved defense did not place anybody in the Pro Bowl.

The Ravens are particularly good at stopping what Kansas City does best. Their run defense ranked fifth in the league, allowing fewer than 94 yards per game.

The Chiefs, led by Charles, averaged an NFL-best 164.2 yards on the ground. Charles went for 1,467 yards, finishing second in the NFL, and Thomas Jones added 896. With 6.38 yards per attempt, Charles also came within a whisker of Jim Brown’s NFL record.

“He’s just real shifty and quick to the hole,” Ngata said.

“He does a lot of things really well. He definitely is different from last year. Last year was just only his second year, and
beginning of the season we had them first game, so this is a totally different Charles. Hopefully, we can get a good feel of him and get him down.”

The Chiefs’ potent running game opened the way for Matt Cassel’s turnaround season as well. The second-year starter threw 27 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions and totaled 3,136 yards passing. Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe will pose the biggest threat for Reed and the rest of the Ravens’ pass defense after leading the NFL with 15 touchdown receptions.

But the Chiefs, 3-point underdogs, have some areas to attack as well. Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco had the best season of his three-year career, throwing for 3,622 yards and 25 touchdowns. But he was sacked 40 times.

Two years after setting an NFL record with a meager 10 sacks, the Chiefs turned in 39 this season. Hali led the AFC with 141/2.

Might the Chiefs be drawing up any special plans for getting to the Ravens’ third-year starter?

“Not that I want to share,” said defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel. “We will wait for Sunday and see what happens.”

Hali, moved from undersized defensive end to rush linebacker, had 21/2 sacks in the regular-season finale against Oakland.

Also making rapid improvement is rookie safety Eric Berry. A big hitter, Berry led the Chiefs with four interceptions and was named NFL defensive rookie for the month for December.

“They’re young guys back there, but they’re playing well,” Flacco said. “Hali, No. 91, he has the ability to get some
pressure. So, we’re going to have to account for him up front and make sure we handle it well.”

While matching their win total of the past three seasons combined, the Chiefs did lay a few eggs. Three of their losses were by 20 points or more. Baltimore, on the other hand, had an average margin of defeat in four losses of only four points.

While the Chiefs did a reasonably good job protecting Cassel, their sacks allowed have been going up. After allowing only eight through their first seven games, they yielded 25 in their last nine. They’ve had the most trouble with big, physical defenses such as Oakland. The Raiders sacked Cassel five times in the regular-season finale while beating the Chiefs 31-10.

And it’s a big, physical defense the Ravens are bringing.

“All those guys up there are very disruptive and will make it a long day if you don’t handle them up front,” Haley said. “For our offense, this will be clearly the greatest test of the year to date — the best defense that we’ve seen.”

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Comments (2)
  1. Doug says:

    We’re to do what ?
    Consume mass quantities of bear and pizza?
    Spray paint our naked bodies, purple ,run down 95,
    screaming,we’re # ! ?

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By Jeremy Conn

Possible upsets to watch in first round-  I like Ohio over Michigan, Belmont could give Georgetown a difficult game and Alabama could give Creighton issues with their defense.

Sweet 16 teams in my bracket – I have UNC playing Temple and Kansas playing Georgetown.
Players to watch –  Tyler Zeller and Harrison Barnes of North Carolina, Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor of Kansas, and I love Ramone Moore and Juan Fernandez of Temple… All of these players are really difficult to match up with.
My Final Four team –  I have North Carolina over Kansas.  North Carolina is a tough team to match up with.  They have the best front court in the country. Trying to match up with Barnes, Zeller and Henson is difficult for any team. The X-Factor for UNC is Kendall Marshall.  Marshall is the all time leader in assists in the ACC and when he is able to knock down 3 pointers, they are nearly impossible to defend.

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Testing The Waters: Is Gov. O'Malley Preparing For Presidential Run?Spreading the wealth. Governor O'Malley's political action committee is spending money on other campaigns.
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Small Goat Found Wandering In Md. With Heavy ChainA female goat is recovering after being found wandering with a heavy chain around her neck near Linthicum, and authorities are trying to find the goat's owner.

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Md. Submits Plan To Update All-Payer Health SystemMaryland has submitted a plan to the federal government to modernize the state's all-payer rate setting system for hospital services, Gov. Martin O'Malley announced Friday.
Montgomery Co. Executive To Appeal Pepco Rate HikeMontgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett says he'll appeal the Maryland Public Service Commission's decision to grant Pepco a $27.9 million rate increase and a new surcharge to improve grid reliability.
Md. Law Schools' Job Rates DropFewer students graduating from Maryland's two law schools are finding jobs, but a greater number are obtaining employment that requires bar passage, according to data from the American Bar Association.
Baltimore County Has Second Highest Graduation Rate In NationMore and more Baltimore County high schoolers are graduating. A new study released this week shows the district has one of the highest graduation rates in the nation.
Maryland Regulators Begin Hearing Pepco Rate CaseMaryland utility regulators say they have set aside 10 days to hear a rate increase request from Pepco.
Delmarva Wants $22M Rate Increase In MarylandDelmarva Power is asking Maryland regulators to approve a $22.7 million rate increase on its customers.
Hearing Set For Rate Hike On Western Md. BridgeThe Maryland Public Service Commission is giving people a chance to speak up about a proposal to raise the cost of crossing the Potomac River at Oldtown.
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BGE Looks To Increase Rates; Improve Aging InfrastructureBrace your checking accounts. If BGE gets its way, you could soon be paying more on your monthly bill. The utility company is asking for a rate increase.

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Incarcerated Vets Train Service Dogs For Disabled VetsA first-of-its-kind program in Maryland is using incarcerated war veterans to train service dogs for wounded and disabled veterans.

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December 13, 2017
Opinion Latest News | Poll Questions | Closings, Cancellations and Delays | Roy Moore | Susan Collins

Will same-sex marriage be embraced by the next generation?

Will the generation that becomes adults in the next 10 years wonder what all the fuss was about regarding same-sex marriage? Or will the majority believe marriage is God-ordained as being one man and one woman? Will marriage as an institution split, with one branch

relating to faith, and the other relating to civil law? Or will we be still fighting this battle

and the next generation will merely choose sides?

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December 13, 2017
Midcoast Latest News | Poll Questions | Closings, Cancellations and Delays | Roy Moore | Susan Collins

Couple gets deferred sentence for assault

By Stephen Betts, BDN Staff

ROCKLAND, Maine — A couple received deferred sentences Thursday in Knox County Superior Court for entering the home of a South Thomaston man and assaulting him.

David Earl, 32, of South Thomaston and Paige J. Kurowski, 41, of South Thomaston pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal trespass, assault and criminal mischief. Charges of burglary against both Earl and Kurowski were dismissed.

Under an agreement reached between the district attorney’s office and defense attorney, and accepted by Justice Jeffrey Hjelm, the felony aggravated criminal trespass charge will be lowered for both defendants to a misdemeanor criminal trespass charge if they refrain from additional criminal activity during the next 12 months.

Earl will serve seven days in jail if he adheres to terms of the deferred disposition.

If there is a violation of the agreement, the felony charge will remain and the judge will be free to impose a longer sentence for Earl.

Kurowski will serve 30-60 days in jail if there are no further problems in the next 12 months. Her sentence would be more severe because she also was charged with assault, terrorizing, criminal mischief, and violating a condition of release in August in South Thomaston. The longer sentence would be for all the offenses.

According to Assistant District Attorney Christopher Fernald, the victim in the first case would have testified that the pair of defendants kicked in the door to his home and assaulted him. The victim also told police that Earl ripped out his telephone and Kurowski broke a mirror.

The pair also was ordered to pay restitution to the victim.

Fernald said the agreement was reached with the defendants because witnesses also likely would have testified that the victim had gone to the home of a relative of Earl and made inappropriate comments. The prosecutor said the history between the two could have created a problem for the state’s case during a trial.

Defense attorney Dale Lavi agreed saying in court Thursday that the victim had gone to Earl’s 70-year-old mother’s house earlier in the day and made threats.

Lavi also noted that Kurowski has reported to police on numerous occasions that the victim, who lives on the same road, has repeatedly harassed them and made obscene gestures and inappropriate comments when passing by.

Fernald said the victim initially supported the agreement with Earl but voiced opposition to it after it had been offered.

Justice Hjelm accepted the sentencing agreements, citing the other factors in the case.

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December 13, 2017
Living Latest News | Poll Questions | Closings, Cancellations and Delays | Roy Moore | Susan Collins

How to make a tea wallet

By Ardeana Hamlin, BDN Staff

Several weeks ago, I wrote about the shenanigans of my cat while I tried to sew tea wallets, but I neglected to say what a tea wallet is. That prompted several readers to call to inquire.

A tea wallet is a tote for teabags. It has four pockets that will accommodate eight teabags. It folds to a size not much larger than a teabag and can be carried conveniently in a handbag. That way, if you are at camp or a restaurant where there is no tea to be had or only a kind you don’t especially like, all you have to do is reach into your handbag. I did not come up with the idea for the tea wallet and have no idea who did, but I suspect it was someone in the vast world of quilting, since those folks know how to get the most out of cloth.

I learned about tea wallets when a friend gave me one. It intrigued me, so I did a little measuring and figured out how to make one.

I use a sewing machine to make tea wallets.

You will need:

• 2 fat quarters of two different fabrics that look nice together

• Matching thread

• Approximately two inches of very narrow elastic

• An interesting button that complements the fabric.

Here’s what you do:

Reach for yesterday’s Bangor Daily News and cut a pattern that is 7 inches wide by 14 inches long. Layer one fabric over the other, right sides together. Pin the pattern to the fabric and cut around it. Sew the two pieces together using a quarter-inch seam, leaving an opening in one side big enough to allow the piece to be turned right side out. Press the piece, making certain the seam allowances at the opening are tucked in. Fold the piece in half and press lightly along that line. Bring both short sides to that center line. Pin in place. Form the elastic into a loop and place the cut ends of the loop approximately an inch from one corner between the layers. Sew along the entire edge making sure to stitch then backstitch over the elastic when you come to it. Then stitch the opposite side together. Now you have two pockets — to create four, stitch lengthwise down the center of the piece. Fold the piece in half, then in half again. Line up the elastic loop with the opposite side and sew on the button. And that’s it.

I have to warn you, though, that making tea wallets can descend into that dreaded affliction — binge crafting. All your tea drinking friends and relatives will want one, it’s a great way to reduce your fabric stash and before you know it you’ll be thinking of all kinds of ways to embellish them. And the next thing you know, you will have so many you won’t know what to do with them. Try to limit yourself to six. I dare you … Oh, and have a cat perched next to your sewing machine while you make the tea wallets. It’s way more fun!

To access free paperdolls you can print in color then cut out, go to

To access a wealth of free patterns for household items, toys, children’s art projects and useful items to sew and embroider by hand, including a felt doorstop shaped like a cat, go to

The annual Spin-In will be held 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, at Newport Elementary School, 142 Elm St. (Route 2). Admission is $2. Bring a lunch, spinning wheel or drop spindle, fiber, treats to share and show-and-tell items. The event also will include a used equipment sale, a Yankee swap of spinning, knitting and other items. Vendors may call Leah O’Donnell at 474-0476. For information, call Maureen Lessard at 474-9551; Maryanne Anton, 654-3475; Carol Stoutamyer, 696-3152; or Liz Smith, 696-5083.

The exhibit “I My Needle Ply With Skill: Schoolgirl Needlework of the Federal Era” is on display through March 2 at the Saco Museum, 371 Main St. Approximately 80 samplers and other embroideries created by Maine schoolgirls of the late 18th and early 19th centuries are included in the exhibit. For information, call the museum at 283-3861 or go to

Folklorist and mitten expert Robin Hansen of West Bath will bring her collection of mittens from around the world and speak on the history and traditions of knitting mittens and their importance to fishermen 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, at Stephen Phillips Memorial Library at the Penobscot Marine Museum, Church Street in Searsport. Bring yarn and knitting needles. Lunch will be provided. The cost is $35 museum members, $40 others, $35 members. Register online at or call 548-2529.

Call Ardeana Hamlin at 990-8153 or email Don’t forget to visit her blog at

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Crash Cultures: Modernity, Mediation and the Material by Jane Arthurs

By Jane Arthurs

Twenty-one British students give a contribution 14 essays which give some thought to the crash (of actual items, residing beings, and nonvisible platforms within the modern international) as a symbolic and fabric occasion that can supply insights in regards to the studies of residing in a contemporary, technologically-oriented international. Their analyses recommend the strength of conventionalized methods of seeing and being, as a method of coping with the unruly materiality of contemporary lifestyles, and tackle the interrelations among inanimate machines and dwelling organisms. No topic index.

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Sample text

The level of terror needs to be continually raised as the paying customer seeks more thrills, in the process becoming the ‘test pilot’ of higher degrees of technological speed and complexity. The process of being made to ‘feel alive’, then, requires the production of more and more convincing crashes that don’t quite happen, more near-death experiences that enable the rider to exceed the limitations of his or her earthbound, corporeal body. As Douglas Trumbull, creator of the Back to the Future Ride, ‘the attraction by which all the others are judged’, suggests: ‘the Back to the Future Ride is like an out-of-body experience.

Live death, even as it bursts on the screen with the immediacy of the present, remains virtual, happening elsewhere, to others: despite the proximity, enough distance is inscribed to hollow out the moment of experience as an encounter that has just been missed. Instant Experience Even NASA has been unable to avoid repeating the disaster for the sake of entertainment. One of the most popular exhibits at the new Space Center Houston, a $70 million attraction designed by the same firm that did Disney’s Epcot Center, is a Nintendo-like exhibit that is a wall of computer simulators the visitor can use to attempt to land the space shuttle.

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Monday, January 27, 2014

Happy 6 month Birthday Elijah!

Wow!  Just wow!  Six months we have had with this precious little one!

Elijah is growing and giggling!  Things are starting to calm down a bit, with dr. visits only occasionally now.  Sweet baby has physical therapy twice a week and occupational therapy once a week.  We have been through a few speech therapists, still trying to find the one that will work for him.  The restrictions against him taking any food because of the pneumonia in November caused sweet baby to loose all his oral motor skills.  Where as he was taking some from a bottle at every feeding, he still will  not take anything.  It seems he has forgot how to suck.  But, he will eat a jar of baby food usually once a day.  That is, when he isn't blowing it out with raspberries!  Such a cutie! His favorites are apple and pears and yogurt.  Peas?  Not so much. We are working on muscle strength in his neck and core and he loves to be sat up on the couch.  He also likes in his tumbleform chair at the table when we are playing board games or having dinner.  Elijah is quite the vocal baby and his highest scores at his last developmental assessment were for social skills. He definitely likes talking, and he gets pretty loud sometimes!  Health-wise he seems to be doing very well and we have a couple of specialist visits coming up soon as follow-ups from his time in NICU.  Sweet baby still has reflux pretty nastily, but he continues to grow and gain weight, over 17 lbs. now, so we are hoping it is something he grows out of soon.  In His goodness and mercy, God has blessed us mightily in and through this little boy.

a mom of many said...

Beautiful!! <3

Patrick and Emily said...

Ummm. He is not little. He is 3 lbs behind my 2 yr old. ;) I miss you guys.
I have a friend that was able to really control reflux by wearing her baby in a Ergo type carrier. After a while it fully left. She felt the complete upright position was key.

Patrick and Emily said...

Oh. Did I tell you I miss you? I do. Love you all.

Patrick and Emily said...

Hi. I need you to blog again. ASAP. I need more pictures! Please?!?


text:
Thursday, 23 June 2011

Moscow mayor in Anchor Bankside

I use my time so well. Browsing "The Golden Cockerel" (the in-house mag of Courage, Barclay, Simonds) for example.

Old newspapers and magazines hypnotise  me. Pulling away my treacle-sticky eyeballs is hard. You don't want to know how much of my free time is spent enslaved to old publications.

While wandering the corridors of obscurity, I occasionally walk into a lamppost of relevance. This is today's lamppost;

"Protocol was at a minimum when Mr. and Mrs. G. D. Braiton, the manager and his wife of The Anchor, Bankside, received a very distinguished guest for aperitifs and lunch one morning in January. Mingling quite unceremoniously with the throng of lunchtime customers were Comrade Vladimir Promyslov, Moscow's burly mayor, with other members of his staff and officials of the L.C.C., with whom the mayor had been spending a few days on an official visit.

Comrade Promyslov was impressed by The Anchor. "I can see I have been missing something very special", he said, through his two diligent interpreters. Unfortunately, we do not know what he thought of English beer: he drank whisky — not even Russian Stout! But two of his staff seemed to be enjoying the bitter, and they all did excellent justice to a real English meal of asparagus soup, whitebait, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, and apple pie."
"The Golden Cockerel Vol.3 No.7 Spring 1964", page 19.
The Cold War. I blame that for the total ignorance of Russian drinking habits. My money would have been on whisky. Nice Russian Stout joke, though.

I should explain. The Anchor Bankside is the Barclay Perkins brewery tap. (I know "was the Barclay Perkins brewery tap" is more accurate, as the brewery is long gone. In my head, they live on.) Hence the Russian Stout reference.

The barman is rather nattily dressed. They're such scruffs behind the bar nowadays. All jeans, T-shirts and stubble.  But it's what behind him that harpooned my eyes: wooden barrels on stillage. Barclay Perkins beers, gravity-served. Maybe Comrade Promyslov was a bit of a Philistine.

Those barrels reminded me of my last time in the Anchor. Late November last year. There were barrels on stillage then.

Asparagus soup: is that typically English? I've been perfecting my Yorkshire puddings. They're tricky little devils to make. Worryingly satisfying when it goes well.

Don't the windows in both pictures look similar?

More misshapen veg from the Golden Cockerel's garden soon.

Sid Boggle said...

Last time I was in, an Eastern European barman tried to tell me his rancid Marston's Old Empire was a new cask, until the duty manager was summoned to condemn it. Does that suggest some kind of symmetry?

Ed said...

Use beef dripping as the fat and get the oven very hot.

Ron Pattinson said...

Ed, the right flour is just as important.

I use sunflower oil, heated it to 220º C while the meat roasts.

The right balance of milk and water is key to getting them fluffy inside but crisp outside.

Will said...

Yorkshire pudding is one of my favorite foods, though I often make it from the drippings of pan frying English sausages. Get drippings really hot, add in batter and sausages, bake. Mmmmm.

Is this what would be called 'toad-in-the-hole?"

Andrew Elliott said...

Both the pan and the grease need to be piping hot. I preheat the pan and the grease in the oven up to 450F. Using shortening, I know it's about ready right when the grease seems about to smoke. My batter is 125g flour, 2 eggs, 150mL cold water, 150mL cold milk, salt & pepper to taste. Mix super well with electric mixer and allow to rest while oven is preheating (can be about 20 minutes). When the pan is hot, pull it out of the oven, pour the batter in there (it will start to sizzle) then put it back in the oven for 30 minutes.

StringersBeer said...

I'm with Ed on this. Beef dripping & v. hot oven. You can get good dripping a fair bit hotter than sunflower oil will go. But then , I learned from my grandma and hers were a bit on the low side, not the billowing cumuli that we seem to favour nowadays. The Royal Society of Chemists have a good recipe and method