Taste of the Town : Pirate Kites & Alterra Coffee

Inspired by a recent blog post in Play in the City about the upcoming Kite Festival at Veterans Park (May 27 & 28), Scott and I decided to get a kite and check out the lakeside park for ourselves.

We couldn’t have asked for a better day. The clear, sunny skies and lively wind currents made for perfect kite-flying conditions.

We bought a cool pirate-inspired kite at the on-spot store and within moments had it assembled, launched, and soaring to great heights.

After the rediscovered thrill of kite-flying wore off, we walked around the lake, watched the sailboats skim over the water, and then headed to Alte rra at the Lake for coffee.

Although Alterra has several locations, the one across from the marina is my favorite. Housed in a building that used to serve as the Milwaukee River Flushing Station, Alterra offers a uniquely warm yet industrial atmosphere. It boasts soaring walls, massive windows, and it’s almost always packed with locals getting their daily dose of caffeine.

Today it was especially jammed with people; the line actually wrapped around the corner and out the back door. No matter. The wait was quick, and within moments I was seated at one of the small, yellow tables beneath the outdoor arbor, sipping an iced coffee.

A self-admitted java junkie who has sipped too many kinds of coffee to count, I can confidently tell you that Alterra’s locally roasted coffees are some of the best around.

I’ve tried a great many of the varieties from Alterra and found all but one to be excellent. Top choices include the Ethiopian Harrar Horse, Delta Mud, Luna Negra, Voltaire’s Passion, and the Kenya AA Nyeri.

You also can’t go wrong with the Breakfast Blend or Alterra’s Favorite.

For those of you who prefer the flavor of single-origin coffee composed of beans grown in Central or South America or in the East Indies, Alterra offers a nice selection as well. Although I appreciate their bright flavors greatly in blends, when it comes to single-origin coffee I simply tend to favor the flavor of beans harvested from the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia, and surrounding regions.

While I like to tell myself it’s my discerning palate (ha!) that has allowed me to reach this conclusion, I have to admit my taste may possibly be somewhat influenced by the romantic notions deposited in my head by Stewart Lee Allen's description of an afternoon spent in Harrar drinking kati (a precursor to coffee made by steeping the coffee tree's leaves). I devoured this section in The Devil's Cup: A History of the World According to Coffee, a book which Salon.com referred to in a 1999 review as “one-third history of coffee, two-thirds gonzo travelogue.”

I could dwell at length on other cool, coffee-related incidents from Stewart’s book, but hey, if you’re really interested, you can read about his 20,000 mile journey for yourself. My job is to tell you what’s going on in the here and now of Milwaukee.

And in there here and now, Alterra is IT for coffee. And for tea. And if you’re hungry, they also serve sandwiches and other light fare. But for me, it’s all about the coffee. Always.

Good coffee makes for a great day. It’s as simple as that. If I look a little cranky or tired, just hand me a good, strong cup of joe from Alterra (no cream or sugar, okay?). It’s guaranteed to make my heart leap and send my spirit soaring.