I’ve been soaking up some great espresso in soggy Seattle. The other day, I counted four coffee joints on one block in Ballard, a neighborhood that is home to the Nordic Museum and my childhood favorite fish and chips shack. (Totem House, down by the Ballard Locks, is where my father took my mother on one of their first dates…)

Along with the ever-present Starbuck’s, there are tons of Tully’s, a few Torrefazione, and all sorts of independents. There’s a chocolate shop that does an amazing mocha… Dilletante. The coffee at most of these Seattle spots is beautifully balanced, not too strong or bitter. The foam on the cappucinos and lattes is velvety, even when it’s made with soy milk. Many baristas add their signature swirl on top… like the expert barkeep who writes his initials on the head of a Guinness.

I’ve been trying to puzzle out exactly why coffee is so much a part of the Seattle culture… maybe it has something to do with the weather. Every one of these places is packed, no matter what time of day.

Of course, they can’t make a decent iced tea!