blue mountain coffee co
Roos Roast - Free Speach Coffee
Free Speach, Fair Trade, Organic
- Market Vibe: Freeze
After a day of speaking with 200 people or more in freezing temperatures some conversations stand out as I reflect. My face, fingers and toes burning in the way you know they're there. (12 hours out-doors in the most depressed state in America, in Michigan.) I wanted to share with you how I traded coffee for Yukon Gold potatoes to the guy who drives the Amish to Market and this Amish kid, Vernon's little brother, offer to help anyone who needed to grind coffee because the coffee grinder was over by his stand. (It must be understood that even though the Ann Arbor Farmers Market was equipped with solar panels last summer, (a work in progress) the power distribution is something that was modern in 1970. That said where I plug in my grocery store size coffee grinder is not always where I vend, because where I vend is not always with power. It's amazing the number of people who assume the coffee is all my ground. (Yes, I roast it fresh and grind it all that way if I don't sell it and you don't drink it in one,two or three days it get's stale even faster and you have to come back and buy more right away.) Here is how it works: I send people 100 ft away to grind their coffee alone, just them and the red grinder with Roos Roast bumper stickers on each side. Vernon's brother, the kid who grows the potatoes) has offered to assist anyone who needs a hand in grinding their beans. Such a good kid. I like this kid. While were from such different worlds (I drink Coffee and Clos Du Bois while listening to Beck, and He milks a cow) we're really from the same jungle at the end of the day. He commented on my watch, a Swiss Army watch I won in a Dunning Subaru/Toyota sales contest. Retail value: $99 "Wow, look at that watch, it's Swiss!" Vernon's brother said to me. "You must have paid too much for that!" I explained I got it as a gift. Later I realized what he meant was a compliment, as if to say, "Nice watch bro." in an Amish way. What I want to say, is that Vernon's Brother in his home made clothes, home hair cut (which looked great) and the taste of these Yukon Golds in their "fork smash goodness" made this very long day Warm. Thank You all and Merry Christmas in the spirit of all holidays no matter which one you celebrate or don't. Shut Up and Surf Roos! I'm out. BTW: Barnsy Barn Tomorrow! Thanks for reading. PS: Thank you! Especially to Biscotti Barb, Adri for the cookies, Shannon Brines for the killer Greens and Jeremy for the Arbor Teas. - Saturday Farmers Market , Sunday Yellow Barn!
People keep asking me if I'm still painting and the answer is YES! Come see my latest work this Sunday at the Yellow Barn. (Barnsy Barn) The Yellow barn is re-having their Holiday Art Show "Art in the Barn" as the first show was squashed by a Michigan Mixture of all the elements at once over the Thanksgiving weekend. Britten and Bill have re-doubled their efforts to gather an eclectic showing of cottage industrialists. It's a warm setting and the place I used to roast coffee so I've got Roosart and Roosroast covered so I hope to see you there! In edition to excellent espresso and coffee I'll have some kombucha, (my own home brew) and a nice selection of killer teas from Arbor Teas. Stay turned for some photos. - Holiday Notice
Roos Roast will be closed from December 22nd, thru January 2nd, 2009. So get to the Market and pick up your coffee. That gives you 4 more market days to get Roos Roast in person. After that, you'll have to get your Roos on at Sparrow Market, the Produce Station, Cafe Verde, The Ypsilanti Food Co-op, (Yes Roos Roast is now available at the Ypsilanti Food Co-op in the bulk section! I'm very selectively spreading the Roos in the form of the roast. Thank you people for the demand.) I'm excited to announce that you can now drink Roos Roast at Vinology on Main Street in Ann Arbor after dining on the extraordinary food of Chef Brandon Johns. Roos Roast is now at Eve AND Vinology - not bad! What I'm really excited to announce is that Kath Weider and I are getting married over the holiday and that's why we'll be away for so long. Were having a small family gathering at Blue Mountain (where Kath grew up) so when you see us in 2009 we'll be wed! - Shadow Art Fair Saturday Dec 6th Noon to Midnight!
The vendor list is available at: Shadow Art Fair go look at all the really interesting and talented artist, writers, beer and coffee drinkers who will be there all day from Noon to midnight. You gotta appreciate the stamina of these folks. See you at the Farmers Market on Wednesday. Roos! - Chilly November Wednesday at The A2 Farmers Market.
Tomorrow is going to be busy at the farmers market as people go for the deep local experience in shopping for their Thanks Giving Meal. I have some excellent single origin choices for everyone. It doesn't matter if your used to drinking cappuccinos from the gas station or a coffee snob who recently moved here from the Bay Area you're going to find a Roos Roast to compliment the holiday meal and after party's that follow. Please, come on down! Last Wednesday Michaela brought a pot of potato soup (in a re-use-able bag) made with leeks and Yukon Gold potatoes from Trante Farms and gave everyone at the Roos Roast stand a steaming bowl. It was so good and hot! Thank you Michaela! (real bowls and spoons from the re-use center) As I snapped this picture she said "Get used to it, this is the new economy, it's called sharing." On Saturday Emanuel who now works at Zimmerman's Road House brought us a beautiful plate of sugar cookies and we shared them with everyone. Come on down tomorrow so we can share the love of coffee at Roos Roast. See you there. Remaining your faithful roaster of excellent coffee. Please note I'm off for the holiday and will return to the roaster on Monday December 1st. See you then J. Roos - Coffee, Art , Food, Literature and Speed!
I wanted to send out a sincere thank you to everyone who's been coming out to the farmer market now that it's not all "tank tops and tomatoes." People are still embarking on the deep local experience. I love this town! I look forward to opening my home once or twice a month for "Sunday Cafe/Coffee Camp." Once you taste my true hash browns and real butter milk pan cakes (A-Bar-A Ranch Wyoming style) you won't miss the event. I have so much great coffee for roasting and tasting!. Timor Emera, Papua New Guinea, a washed Rwanda is my favorite right now, Peru La Florida, Congo, and so much more. I have mastered the most fluffy eggs and winter greens with flax seed oil. (Ask Ari at Eve.) Sorry I I've not been getting crazy hitting the bars with journal and pen and writing like a wild man. I have been thinking about it and I will again soon. I picked up one of my all time favorite books at the library the other day "On the Road" (The Original Scroll) by Jack Kerouac. If you didn't know Kerouac wrote the book in 3 weeks in April of 1951 in an apartment on West 20th street, Manhattan. It was type as single-spaced paragraph on sheets of paper taped together to form a 120 foot scroll. Before I believed the myth that Jack type the scroll flying on Benzedrine, (Benmny's) a high powered speed popular with hipsters and entertainers of the era. What I learned re-reading this edition is what Kerouac told Neal Cassady in a letter: "I wrote the book on COFFEE, remember said rule. Benny,(speed) tea, (weed) anything I KNOW none as good as COFFEE for real mental power kicks." (Kerouac averaged 6000 words a day!) How bout that? Come on down and get some Race Roast or some Frontal Lobe Focus for your writers/artist bloc and get things moving like DJ Drano! See you tomorrow. Your faithful roaster J. Roos PS If your looking for roosart.com it will be back in action next week. - Clouds I saw after the election which I thought fitting...and your questions answered
"How long are you doing the farmers market?" Is the question everyone is asking me and it's a good one. I will be at the Wednesday market right up until Christmas which is how long the Wednesday market season lasts. The Saturday market, goes year round with stalwarts like Shannon Brynes and his famous greens. (there are other farms buy I can't recall them off the top of my head). I will be at the Saturday Market the next 2 Saturdays, and away the 29th and December 6th (Out of town for Thanksgiving and at the Winter Shadow Art Show with my friends at the Michigan Design Militia and the Corner Brewery) See you Wednesday Dec 10th. Tomorrow I have Fair Trade Rwanda!(and other great choices) This coffee is huge! Take all the coffees you've ever loved and put them together and brew them up cowboy style (without overheating the water) stir well and pour. Let it settle now you've got what I'm talking about tomorrow. Come on down and see Kath and I for some Theater in the raw and we'll explain what Lobster Butter Love is! - Tomorrow is the Big Day
I think tomorrow is going to be historic so let's get out there and choose a better history! Go Vote! Your faithful roaster of fine coffee Thank you everyone, for all the support! Roos! - Coffee Class; November 2nd, 2008 1:00 PM at Kitchen Port Zeeb Road
The vitals: Where: Kitchen Port When: