100479 Thu Jun 17 16:38:55 -0700 2004 13 23 Ontario (including Toronto) 0 543755 I'm looking for recommendations on good places to get coffee (beans, not brewed). A search on Toronto Life returns the follwing: - I Deal Coffee - Moonbean Café & Roasting Co. Any comment on these two places? Any other recommendations? I am also interested in your favourite blend as well. Thanks! Thu Jun 17 16:38:55 -0700 2004 0 Cecilia 1 543764 I like Moonbeam. I am not a coffee drinker but wanted to buy my office a pound of beans as a treat. The beans were aromatic and simply divine. The cost for a dark roast (sorry, forget the name) was about $8.00. It's also fair trade coffee. Thu Jun 17 20:23:17 -0700 2004 543755 0 Viola 2 543807 Hate to say it but fair trade, shade grown, bird friendly etc.. ad. nauseum coffe is usually mediocre in quality as the farmers don't have the facilities and equipment to properly sift and process the beans. Conversely, flavoured coffee beans are usually made from lower quality beans because the flavouring will cover up the taste of the coffee proper. Sat Jun 19 23:29:43 -0700 2004 543764 0 Grant Robinson 3 543810 Not a coffee drinker (as stated) but the java junkies in the office devoured the stuff. But thanks for the education about fair trade coffee. Sun Jun 20 00:35:23 -0700 2004 543807 0 Viola 4 543818 I don't drink coffee but I know that the owner roasts his own beans... and the smell is driving crazy (in a good way). The tea is excellent, too. Sun Jun 20 18:11:16 -0700 2004 543810 0 Garp7 5 543854 Where is Moonbeam? Tue Jun 22 10:33:54 -0700 2004 543818 0 David 6 543865 It's at the Kensington Market, just (sorta) next to a parking garage and a church. Moonbeam Cafe - 30 St. Andrew, 595-0327 Tue Jun 22 16:59:09 -0700 2004 543854 0 garp7 3 543819 Listened to a rather detailed talk recently on Fair Trade coffees from a woman who is the buyer for Timothy's. They're really working on improving the quality of their Fair Trade beans - she said that until Fair Trade coffee was of a quality that could compete with their regular coffee blends, they would not serve it. Timothy's now has a small selection of Fair Trade coffees which they have sourced and can stand behind. I can't speak to the quality of the coffee - I don't think I've ever actually tried it. But there you go. Don't know where the Moonbean coffee comes from or how they get it. I should try it sometime - once I get over my addiction to House of Spice's Royal Blend, that is. Sun Jun 20 19:04:15 -0700 2004 543807 0 Nyleve 1 543769 We buy the viennese blend from House of Spice in the Kensington market. I think regularly its about $6.50/lb but if you buy in large quatities, they give a discount. They'll grind for you too. Going by memory, they have about 20 plus blends of coffee. Fri Jun 18 10:30:34 -0700 2004 543755 0 baby_tran 2 543800 I am addicted to their Royal Blend. Have been buying it for, like, 10 years. Got some yesterday, in fact, but then I spied a bin called "Carlos' Blend" which I may try next time. (Carlos is the guy who throws everything together there.) I know it isn't politically correct. Their coffee isn't Fair Trade. My 19-year-old leftie son gives me a really hard time about this. I can't help myself - an addiction is an addiction. Sat Jun 19 16:08:23 -0700 2004 543769 0 Nyleve 1 543782 Hi, We just picked up a pound of beans at Moonbeam this past weekend. We prefer a Vanilla Hazelnut blend, so we just filled one half of the bag with French Vanilla and the other half with Hazelnut Supreme. Excellent combination and excellent beans! However, they have quite a large selection of flavours for you to choose from and the price is right! :) HTH, Sandee Fri Jun 18 15:26:02 -0700 2004 543755 0 sierramum 1 543897 Alternative Grounds!! I can't believe that no one has suggested it yet -- best coffee in the city, all of it Fair Trade. Link: http://www.alternativegrounds.com/show.php Wed Jun 23 13:14:07 -0700 2004 543755 0 Pollenatrix 1 546153 I have tried all of the mentioned coffee roasteries/shops listed and I vote for I Deal Coffee. Its espresso blend is the best I've ever had. And treat yourself to an Americano or a latte while you're there. These Baristas take their task to heart! Fri Feb 11 14:47:27 -0800 2005 543755 0 Susan 1 546154 I have tried all of the mentioned coffee roasteries/shops listed and I vote for I Deal Coffee. Its espresso blend is the best I've ever had. And treat yourself to an Americano or a latte while you're there. These Baristas take their task to heart! Fri Feb 11 14:47:46 -0800 2005 543755 0 Susan