Peet's vs. Philz

Before I delve into my comparison of Peet's versus Philz, let me first disclaim any presumption the reader may have that I am one of those multiple cups-a-day coffee drinkers. I'm a lightweight. I really can't drink more than one average to large mug per day, my average being closer to one every 2-3 days. I usually order the small size at the coffee shop, and when I brew at home, I usually have one large mug. I've tried making more at home, but I just don't enjoy it past the first large mug. And I easily go weeks, even months (i.e., when studying for the California bar exam), without it.

Oh, but I do love the taste of good coffee. Indeed, I argue I may be even more impartial because I don't drink it out of habit or addiction, but purely out of taste enjoyment. I prefer brewed coffee and Italian caffe to American espresso drinks; and I love coffee in all it's forms - the first cup in the early morning, the afternoon pick-me-up, after dinner with and without dessert, and so on (just not all in one day). I also like a variety of flavors, from the sweet, nutty flavors to the dark, round, freshly bitter ones.

The first time I drank Peet's Major Dickason's was a revelation. Up until that point I had been an indiscriminate coffee drinker - I enjoyed Starbucks lattes, IHOP, General Foods International coffees all pretty much the same. Somehow that day, however, I knew I loved the taste of that bean, remembered its name and began to compare all subsequent coffee that I drank to it.

Quite frankly, the Peet's versus Philz list is not useful in determining which one is better. As with most coffee drinking (not all, since there is such a thing as bad coffee), it's a matter of taste and preference. Here are the pros (+) and cons (-):

Peet's:
+they know how to brew, and they brew it strong
+/-they leave it to you to custom-corrupt your cup however you want (cream, milk, sugar, honey, simple syrup, cinnamon, chocolate powder, etc.)
+Major Dickason's is a much better flagship blend than Tesora (Philz flagship) IMO
+great decaf options
+offers espresso and other drinks as well
-less choice on any given visit, since they only brew one flavor per day (or two if you count the decaf flavor) unless you buy multiple types of beans and brew it yourself (could be a + for those indecisive types, but generally in my book, less choice is a -)
-less choice in bean flavors overall, at least as far as I've tried, not in terms of number, but in range of flavor

Philz:
+they custom brew for you any of the bean flavors they sell by the cup, and will even mix multiple flavors in one cup
+their bean varieties cover a broader spectrum of taste, including light, sweet, nutty flavors
+they offer both a written description of their more popular flavors, as well as servers knowledgeable about their flavors, to help you decide on which flavor(s) to choose
+/-although you can determine weak, medium or strong for both the cream and the sugar, they do the mixing - it goes along with their high level of service, but also takes away from the control you otherwise have at Peet's to add whatever type of sweetener or creamer
+great decaf options
-no espresso or other specialty drink offerings

My favorite flavors from Peet's are Major Dickason's and Decaf Mocha Java. My favorite flavors from Philz are Tantalizing Turkish, Jacob's Wonderbar, and Decaf Ethiopian.

The bottom line is that there is no bottom line. Peet's and Philz each provide a uniquely different experience, and to love one does not preclude one from loving the other as well.

ad hoc at home #9: chocolate chip cookies

In his cookbook, Mr. Keller hails chocolate chip cookies as his favorite cookie in the world. I don't recall seeing chocolate chip cookies at Bouchon Bakery, nor ever having them in any form at French Laundry or Bouchon, so I didn't know expect.

As far as I can tell, his cookies are not that much different from other recipes I've seen. The main difference is that he requires that you buy good bars of chocolate, in a combination of semi-sweet and bittersweet, and chop them into "chip-sized pieces," and not surprisingly given his sensitivity to aesthetics, shake in a fine-mesh basket strainer to "remove any chocolate 'dust' (small fragments)." The other variation is his relatively high brown (1 cup packed) to granulated (3/4 cup) sugar ratio.

These two factors create a flat, relatively chewy cookie, with chocolate striations. Maybe Keller is more precise in cutting his chocolate than I am, sifts out more of that chocolate dust than I did, and forms more perfect balls with his dough before baking, but I always imagined his cookies, especially his favorite cookie, to look better than this:

It isn't the prettiest cookie I've ever made, but it did the trick taste-wise. The cookies were a big hit at my summer party, so much so that my mom wants me to make some for her to bring back to LA to share with family!

I made them again a few weeks later for a friend's housewarming party, and had more success making it look as good as it tasted ... at least with a few specimens.