I picked up a bag of Congo Muungano the visit before last.  It's pretty much gone and I have planned my next bag.  Always ask the baristas which ones they like.  You can discover some great beans you might not have tried.

The smell of this one was delightful.  I have the nearly empty bag near me right now and I was smelling it just before I started typing.  I would wear this as a perfume if I could.

I brewed it as a pour over because that's just how I drink my coffee in the morning.  I even got a Kaldi's mug for my collection.

It was warm and inviting with hints of citrus, but not overpoweringly so.  There was a bright, crisp acidity to it.  It made a great breakfast coffee.  There was also a light spice to it, like a strong tasty black tea.  Some light cane sugary sweetness as the cup cooled a bit and it all blended into one fine cup of coffee.  That bag went fast.  

I save all my bags, but I like this one a lot.  On the side there is the legend of how humans came to drink coffee - and the legend for which Kaldi's is apparently named.   It also helped explain their hashtag #followthegoat  :-)  On the other side are some helpful hints about getting the most out of your coffee.  It's not news to me, but lots of people just discovering good coffee don't think about thinks like freshness, storage or warming your cup first

Kaldi's Coffee on 47th st in KCMO used to be a Latteland and it took me a year to stop calling it "that place that used to be latteland"  Kaldi's purchased the 6 Lattelands in the area and have been converting them over.  It was a smart change over and they gave the interior a much needed redo, but they kept the stuff that worked.  That means they kept the staff.  One of the best things about Kaldi's is that the staff doesn't have a huge change over.  Several of the barista'\s at this location have been there for over a decade. It's wonderful to see the same people and not have to get to know someone new every visit.  The loyalty of the staff really says something wonderful about the company.   Kaldi's was already the exclusive roaster for Latteland so the quality of the coffee has not changed.

On my last two visits I've gotten the fresh mint latte.  My husband get's an iced version, but I'm partial to hot coffee.  One thing I hate is overly sweet coffee.  When I go to the S I always tell them TWO pumps of chocolate, not FIVE.  I get tired of explaining they why and the puzzled looks.  That's not an issue with Kadi's.  They balance out the added flavor with the coffee taste.  I want to taste my coffee, not just a sugary syrup.  Kaldi's also doesn't focus on the dessert coffee cocktails.  They have wonderful seasonal drinks in addition to the regular menu.  They do have sweet drinks as well as teas and smoothies, but their menu does not make you feel like you're at an ice cream bar. 

There are a lot of local regulars in addition to the tourists visiting the plaza.  It's long been a hangout for the various biker groups.  Not the hell's angels outlaw bikers, but upscale I spent a lot of money on this machine and the leather jacket too, bikers.  There are always people sitting on the small patio reading or writing or just enjoying the day.  The inside is small, but welcoming.  I could use a few more outlets, but you do what you can with the space allowed. 

All told it's a great place to get coffee when you're in Kansas City.  That's saying something because Kansas City has a LOT of great places to get coffee!

Today I had a Coffee from PT's at the Crossroads.  The barista suggested it to me since I love Ethiopian coffees.  It's a natural process Konga  

Super sweet with a bright, wine like tone.  I used the pour over method to brew it.  Very very little sweetener needed to for this one.  Black is best - for me at least.  I looked it up and most of the notes say things about fruit and wine.  I do get the wine and fruit, but when I open the bag,the first thing I think of is rich, dark chocolate.  Maybe gourmet raspberry chocolates.  This is a very good coffee and I'm going to miss it when I run out later this week.

I'll start with the packaging.  I'm a sucker for a good package and I define good in a lot of different ways.  I like decorative, but I also like simple.  The one goes towards simple and elegant, black bag with simple block coloring.  I like the fabric label on the front.  It came in a nice valved bag that I will reuse for my home roast when I have finished this tasty blend.  I actually don't see the coffee on the site anymore - it's a seasonal blend and if you didn't get any you may be out of luck.  Grab it next year.  I know I will.

I brewed it using a pour over like I do pretty much every morning of every day.  There was a nice aroma from the beans even before grinding and it was pretty intense in the freshly ground coffee.  I love the smell of fresh coffee steam as it comes off of the pour and this one didn't disappoint.  I'm sure I look a little silly smelling my coffee as it brews but the only one who sees me is Dennis the dog, and he doesn't care.  The smell was rich and warm full of promise of deep flavor.  Again, I wasn't disappointed. 

My first taste was brighter and more citrus than I expected.  It filled my mouth and I got a hint of spice and rich deep red fruits.  I don't know what fruits exactly, but I would say red.  Dark and rich and juicy with flavor.  Red might not be a flavor like purple, but maybe it should be.  There was a lively acidity to it that didn't overpower and didn't approach bitterness and harshness.  As the cup cooled a bit I got a warm hominess.  My husband came in late and got a slightly cool cup.  I asked him what he thought and he said.  "I don't know if this makes sense, but even though it's not super warm temperature wise I would still describe it as warm."  I knew what he meant.  It's a warm comforting drink.   Madcap describes it as being a great coffee to cozy up to next to the fire and I think that's spot on.  

I am down to half a bag and that won't last long with the coffee hounds in this house, but I'll enjoy it while I can.  I will order next years Lake Effect for sure and I'm already planning to try the Spring Fling blend.