I generally like the free trade coffee that you can get in Chicago’s Farmer’s Markets, but it is pretty inconsistent as to where you can find it and it is only available in the Summer (as far as I know, please correct me if I am wrong). When we traveled to Costa Rica last year, we had the pleasure of enjoying some of the freshest single sourced beans I have ever come across. You could get an espresso for 25 cents that would rival the best I have had anywhere else, and a cup of coffee of any roast you could imagine. Ticos also tend to be greener than others.
When it comes to consistently amazing coffee in Chicago, there is no other choice but Peet’s. I like Starbucks, and I really enjoy a Starbuck’s Soy Latte (they use vanilla silk soy milk which is flavored and sweetened). The best beans I have ever tasted for a cup of coffee, however, are Peet’s Major Dickason’s blend. It is an extremely dark roast, very well balanced, extremely fragrant, not even remotely acidic. It is one hell of a kick in the teeth for caffeine.
The story of Major from Peet’s site:
Who is Major Dickason, and why is there a coffee named after him?
Coffee is a companionable beverage. It lends itself to social discourse, collaborative musing, and friendship. At Peet’s, we’ve made a lot of friends at our stores over the past four decades. That’s part of the pleasure of being in the coffee business.
One of our friends was especially passionate about coffee, and we recognized him as a fellow coffee fanatic when we named a blend after him.
In 1969, a twice-daily customer at our Vine Street store approached Alfred Peet with a blend he had been working on at home. New blends always fascinated Mr. Peet, and over several weeks, both expert and enthusiast tasted several variations on the theme until they arrived at a blend they both enjoyed. Agreeing that the blend was something special, Mr. Peet then introduced it to his customers.
The customer who collaborated with Mr. Peet was Key Dickason. After retiring from the Army as an officer, Key Dickason became a data process supervisor at Berkeley Unified School District. As thanks for helping to create this wonderful blend, Mr. Peet named the blend after Dickason, promoting him to the rank of Major as a further reward. Although Key Dickason died many years ago, we celebrate his memory with every cup.
Today, our Major Dickason’s Blend combines five different types of beans from Latin America and the Pacific. Together, the coffees have earthy and nutty flavors and exhibit deep, full body.
I prefer Arabian Mocha Java for espresso. I like the flavor better, it is slightly smoother than Major, but is still a dark, rich, aromatic roast.
Whatever you do, avoid Dunkin Donuts coffee like the plague. It is a horrific excuse for coffee, both bought brewed in the store and as beans to use later. I made the mistake of purchasing Dunkin Donuts beans at some point in the past. They were dry, stale, and smelled somewhat similar to carpet cleaner when brewing. Spend the extra 25 cents and get Peet’s. Or fly to Costa Rica.