A Brief Commercial Message

I awoke to a touch of fall in air today, and so for breakfast I prepared a hearty bowl of oatmeal—first one since back in early June. I followed the recipe from The Red Lion Inn Cookbook, then topped it with about a half teaspoon of butter, perhaps a teaspoon of brown sugar, and a generous sprinkle of chopped almonds (or pecans or walnuts, whatever’s handy). It really hit the spot with a cup of Roast House coffee.*

* Shameless Plug That Serves My Self-Interest: Roast House coffee features shade-grown fair trade organic coffees, roasted in small batches, and artfully blended to bring out the best of the beans. Partners Deborah Di Bernardo and Dave Rier are active in the community, pitching in to support bike events and local, artisan food producers. They are friends of mine. And since December, I’ve been working with them a few hours a week, helping to set up and maintain their accounting records. The money that I get is part of my multi-source income stream—and it’s part of what allows me to spend time thinking and writing about food here, with no immediate financial reward.

Their coffee is really good. (I am especially fond of the Guatemalan and the 423 Blend.) Locally, it’s available through Main Market, Huckleberry’s, Cassano’s, Gourmet Way North and soon in selected Yokes locations. The more Roast House coffee you buy, the more accounting work I’ll have to do. You’ll be helping small family coffee farms across the globe, and a single self-employed writer right here at home.

Now back to our regular programming.