One of the many things I like about writing this blog, is that it records (for posterity ?  hah!) some of my thoughts, opinions and memories.  We all change over time. People, fashion, tastes (and taste), politics, knowledge, restarants and chefs … and cafes too.
Six year or seven years ago I lived in (north) North Fitzroy.  A bit of a wasteland, the Loaded Dog hotel had recently closed and food and entertainment options close to hand were few and far between.

A new coffee shop, Growers Espresso, opened on the corner of St Georges Road and Holden street, serving locally roasted Australian grown coffee. My initial thoughts were … blergh – Australian grown coffee? locally roasted??  why would you bother?  Ten years ago, my Melbourne, and my taste buds were very much directed towards strong, bitter, Italian roasted espresso blends.   My tastes stayed this was for quite a few years; I like to think I was making up for the many years of Nescafe with frothed milk that was served to me in Queensland cafes. I tried Growers Espresso coffee once, but wasn’t really impressed.

So seven or so years down the track, I start going to the Farmers’ Markets occasionally, particularly Collingwood. There are three coffee choices at the market, the farm cafe, Dr Java and Growers Espresso. I would snub Growers (still!) and go to Dr Java.  Then one day, I changed. I dunno why, but I stopped at Growers and it was good coffee. Really good coffee.

Nowadays. I really look forward to the markets (I barely shop for food anywhere else) and my Grower’s coffee.  If I work out my morning schedule properly I can drop in for a morning coffee; if I don’t attend a weekend market I drop in, or walk down for coffee. And on Sundays when they are closed, I make a pourover with some of their single origin beans at home. You could say my tastes have changed over the years.

The “killer app” though for me was their change to a “Farmer’s Market inspired” menu. Here was provenance for my snacks and lunch. Many of the producers are local folks I know and trust from the Farmers’ Markets. Lovely heirloom vegetables (no unripe greenhouse tomatoes here); free range Milawa chicken, rare breed pork, local artisan cheeses, free range eggs, Mt Zero olives and all manner of good and delicious things!

The menu changes regularly, but the favourites are there whenever I visit. Coconut bread toasted, and served with Di’s rhubarb and Schultz Yogurt. muffins made in-house everyday, baguettes, frittata and Michele’s bikkies from Castlemaine.  The menu showcases fresh, seasonal and local produce, and delicious breed from Dench (also local). Regular features are Milawa Chicken, Gypsy Pig, Holy Goat Cheese, Lochelian Cheese I’ve even seen smoked barramundi.

I still enjoy a Genovese coffee fairly regularly (mostly from Liaison) but it sits nicely alongside my local – which offers an Aussie Grown Eureka Coffee Blend and someother interesting bean every day.  Espresso or pourover. So very “modern and third wave”. And yes, they roast on site.
Funny how things change … I’m sure Mark, Hamish and the team have been doing things like this for ages .. I just wasn’t in this “space” until 18 months ago.  Now I am, they’d better not go anywhere soon.

Follow them on twitter at @eurekacoffee

I’ll even admit that over the past week, as we have welcomed Spring (goddammit!) with 6 or so days at or over 30 degrees C, I have been craving an Espresso Frappacino from Starbucks. But not enough to walk to one of the two surviving stores on Swanston Street to indulge. Moccona have released a new range of little or no milk cold coffees in a bottle, but I haven’t seen them close to work as yet. What do you do for a caffeine hit in the hot weather? I can’t deal with the usual iced coffee we Aussies get – too milky, not enough caffeine. I’ll have a lovely Liaison coffee in the morning, but what to do for my mid-morning hit? at 30+ degrees?

So … that’s the long story, I was looking for a decent coffee this morning to make up for it. I detoured to Seven Seeds to buy one, and thought I would have some breakfast as well.

I grab a spot on the communal table and check out the menu:-

• Bircher Muesli? nope. C’mon it’s Sunday!
• French Toast with banana, butterscotch sauce and peanut brittle? Sounds lovely but .. it’s breakfast! Even I can’t stomach anything that sweet for breakfast
• Pastries? ho hum
• Fruit Toast (ho-er hum .. ho-ho hum? Greater Hum)
• Sour Dough bread served with bits…salmon? don’t eat it; hummous tomato, olive oil and dukkah? sounds like lunch; African nutella and molasses, sounds like a diabetic coma
• Toasties – already written about them; not my idea of nice, way too much bread

No-one has come to take my order yet – I’m still not even sure after 5 or 6 visits if they do – no one has ever approached me before I’ve walked up to the counter to order. Can someone tell me if they do table service?

I approach the counter and order two lattes to take away – both for me as they only have a regular size.

*sigh*

The coffee is really lovely, deep and rich and satisfying, but the food? I just don’t get it. What am i missing out on? Dench bread is OK – but it is my local so it’s not “exotic” for me. But the slices are way too thick in my opinion and I just don’t want anything that carbo loaded ever really.

So tell me what I’m missing….