ADVICE
PUT A SPRINGWOOD IN YOUR STEP
Springwood is Sydney’s gateway into the mountains. It’s our gateway drug into the wilderness, and a very civilised one at that. And, being but a short drive or leisurely train ride from Sydney, you can fit in a coffee, lunch, stroll around the shops and a hike, all before curling up by a woodfire with […]
What your coffee says about you.
One of my favourite things to see when out and about, is when dogs look like their owners, and owners look like their dogs. A crossfit enthusiast with biceps and triceps bulging out of their muscle tees walking an American Staffy. A prim, proper, yet perpetually alarmed lady with a sphere of curls walking a […]
THE KIRRAWEE COMPENDIUM
Kirrawee is an eclectic suburb, an amalgamation of suburban, bush and industrial chic. Like if Marrickville took the Great Australian Dream House of 1.8 kids, lawn and a dog by the arm and moved into the Royal National Park. The warehouses are dotted with bakeries and breweries, the streets are canopied by gums, and in […]
#emptycupawards
Don’t pack away your tux and frocks just – award season isn’t over yet baby! The Empty Cup Awards is underway. Unlike the other, better known award ceremonies, this one is uncompromising, unbiased, unceremonial. And of upmost importance. The #emptycupawards bring to account the instances that the movie and television industry bring shame and embarrassment […]
THE PHILOSOPHY OF FRESH COFFEE
How did I get here? I thought. I was bereft, dumbstruck, barefoot and paralysed in the kitchen. The kettle had boiled, for what? I had no coffee. I am a barista, I write about coffee, I work for a coffee roastery, I live round the corner from another, yet I have no coffee. How did […]
ANNUAL BLACK MARKET GIFT GUIDE
In previous years we’ve done gift guides based on your relationship with your giftee: parent, spouse, boss, secret santa lucky dip. But this year I decided I’ll just do it on dollars. Maybe you have a secret crush on your Kris Kringle recipient – who am I to limit your spending limit? Maybe your folks […]
FORM VS/AND FUNCTION
In my family, the debate of form or function pops up more than perhaps is usual. It could be over clothes, a bridge, the layout of a menu, a hamburger. As the only ‘creative’ in a family dominated by engineers, my arguments on the advantages of form, its ability to ignite a connection, an emotional […]
FIKA: APRIL EDITION
You know as specialty coffee lovers, we are different. We are nuanced, we appreciate the details, the excellence, the craft of coffee. Coffee is more than a commodity. It’s a subculture. And as you’ll know after reading this article, being part of a subculture is a point of connection with all other subcultures, we are […]
FIKA: FEBRUARY EDITION
We’re taking stimulus from Central America this Febrary Fika. They make good food, good music, and good coffee. In my mind that more than qualifies them to expert fika status. EAT Arepas! I’ve been going to town on this Colombian staple. My Colombian friends say they live off a diet of coffee and arepas, and […]
A COFFEE CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE
The best part of gift giving is the spreading of Christmas cheer. The worst part is Christmas shopping. It is a decidedly uncheerful time of carpark duels, frenetic bells jingling in carols like a ticking time bomb, and withstanding the arctic glower of the overworked shop assistant. Let us help you make this time less […]
BLACK MARKET COFFEE COURSES: THE ANSWER TO MOST OF YOUR LIFE’S PROBLEMS
We have some questions for you. Do you: Need more friends and think making great coffee will help (it will)? Need more friends and think making great coffee with alcohol will help (it really will)? Need to back up your ‘I’m a coffee nerd’ statement on your dating profile which some actual substance? Want your […]
FIKA IN INDONESIA
We’re doing a deep dive into Indo coffee culture next month, but I got overly enthusiastic about it so it’s spilled over into this month’s fika. What you gonna do. I’m intrigued by the incongruity of Indonesian culture – intense cities and lackadaisical beaches. I was watching a show the other day (Love on The […]
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