Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel
A little while after college I was flabbergasted that some of my friends had started putting on what sounded, to my untrained ear, like country music when we were hanging out. Huh? Country music? Really now. What the hey? Had we already run out of options? Were we that desperate for new music? I once read that it takes an average of seven positive experiences before something that once tasted, say, “bad” to start tasting “good”. Like learning to enjoy whisky or black coffee for that matter, enough exposure under positive circumstances will quickly make something once thought to be icky into something amazing or delicious. Thus went my introduction to Gram Parsons in the summer of 2004. My overly strict country music barriers were strong and had lasted for many years, but by the end of the summer they luckily began to crumble. Grievous Angel in particular became an all time favorite. It has been a mainstay in the Little Tandem record collection since day one. It’s one of those records that we grab in the middle of a rush when you don’t have time to look through the collection. A perfect go to. Always works no matter the cafe vibe. Especially in the summer. So here you go. It’s July. Enjoy!
Duromina - Jimma, Ethiopia
Our menu wouldn't be complete without a spot reserved for Duromina. It's as good as it has ever been this year, with intense florals, deep stone fruit qualities, and dramatic sweetness. Duromina hails from the western part of Ethiopia in the Jimma zone, just as our outgoing lot Kola did. The major difference is that this coffee comes from the Kata Muduga Union, one of the premier coffee producing unions in the area. The selection is incredible this year, which makes the flavors cleaner and more vibrant. There really isn't a better coffee for the summer, and while it's awesome as both filter coffee and espresso, it absolutely sings as iced coffee.