We interupt this programme for a note on coffee beans.

On the left are medium roast Colombian Supremo San Agustin, estate grown, organic, Fair Trade, coffee beans from Barrett's Micro Roast Coffee in Austin, Texas. They are great tasting, and the roast is very consistent, order to order. They also are delivered to my door by a US Government agent the day after roasting.

In the middle are some Colombian Supremo Fair Trade, estate and shade grown, organic medium roast beans from Red Bud Roasters in San Marcos, Texas. Very good flavor, with just a bit too much caramelization. I might try their 'light' roast sometime. I can order them the night before pick-up at a local farmer's market.

On the right are some generic 'Colombian' medium roast beans from Starbucks. One look is all it takes to understand why this quality-minded organization is often called "Charbucks". Coffee al Carbon. Not horrible (I'll leave that description to Folger's, etc.), but the subtle sweet flavors are totally obscured by a taste that is all too reminiscent to me of burned popcorn. I'd still rather have a cup of coffee at a Starbucks than at 90% of the places serving coffee, where the coffee is usually twice-burned, and of poor quality to begin with.