Sebastopol

The Maestro Himself prepares TruBru coffee.

After an early morning hanging out with the Ecco Caffe crew in Santa Rosa, I've found my way over to the little hamlet of Sebastopol, which seems to be Ground Zero for the local and sustainable movement in Northern California and perhaps The World.

I've come to visit Mark Inman of Taylor Maid Farms whose "what was once old is again new and revolutionary" concept of a bean store has been on my mind since we discussed the concept back in June. I'll leave the details for Mark to share with you but the basic concept is nothing new in the coffee industry but certainly unexplored in this barista "Third Wave." Beans, beans, glorious beans. With 58% of Americans drinking their coffee at home, it makes for a compelling argument.

What I expected to be a two hour max visit turned into an all-day excursion of coffee, food, fresh fruit and artistry. Luckily, I don't plan much in terms of a schedule which allows me to enjoy these spontaneous bursts of learning and education.


Sweet Corn and Mushroom Risotto at K&L Bistro.


T-Rex at Patrick and Brigitte's house.


Fresh pears on the kitchen floor.


A gift for Jack Woltz...


Brigitte entertains the crew while Robin eats a pear.


Real customers featured in Taylor Maid's new campaign.