走遍英國的歲月 – gentrification的見證 @ Climpson & Sons

與香港一樣，倫敦亦有不少地區出現士紳化（gentrification）的現象：原有的人口和鄰里關係被有產階級取代，社區變成合乎中產品味的特色小區。以往因治安問題，不太敢到東倫（我和CM太細粒，去旅行還是安全為上），但隨著當地的gentrification，東倫的確煥然一新。首次來到Hackney區的Broadway Market，雖然早有心理準備，但目睹的仍與預期中有點出入。我已經來遲了，這裡已經是gentrified的社區，光鮮的屋子、高級食品店、街角的地產店、以售賣設計和生活書籍為主的書店，還有…如財爺所說，代表中產的咖啡店，都反映了這社區的定位。

聖誕節後的週六來到，market沒有開，幸好路邊的商店大多已開門營業。走到街尾的Climpson & Sons，一如所料的人聲頂沸。舊木枱長凳的裝潢，感覺平易近人，但吸引我目光的卻是位衣著新潮的斯文英國型男(沒錯 !正是我喜歡的類型，我早已暈倒了~)，從其與barista的對話，相信他是住在附近的熟客，這裡算是英國新潮的居住地嗎？

好不容易定過神來，到counter前落單。對其cookies & cakes都不感興趣，只點了杯espresso和latte。不止一眾穿著有個性的客人，收銀的女生同樣有格調，帶點凌亂美的長髮，白色背心，我認出她就是 Nicky。

 

鮮紅色的La Marzocco為沉樸的咖啡店添上色彩

說回咖啡，甘香豐厚的espresso入口帶點焦糖的香甜，味道平衡，在口腔中留下花香，餘韻悠長，較早一天在Workshop Coffee Company喝到的更好，又比Ozone 的更有層次。

是日的barista 是Anthony，他的奶打得不錯，溫度掌得好，我能嚐到釋放的乳糖香甜，與帶點焦糖味的espresso base合拍得很。很喜歡其espresso blend，用來沖製奶類咖啡實在不俗。

我另外買了包Rwanda Red bourbon回家，似乎手沖比aeropress更適合~ 豆的大小很一致，圓渾飽滿的，素質不錯。咖啡的口感頗圓融，有包裝說明所提到的lime acidity，但不很突出。整體算是我飲過的Rwanda中，不錯的了。

回港後，到訪早於出發前已想去的St. Francis Street，竟能喝到Climpson & Sons的咖啡。這裡gentrify的情況比Hackney更是有過之而無不及，更糟糕的是這區的連鎖店眾多，
遍地「豪宅」，不知是喜是悲？

Climpson & Sons

67 Broadway Market, London E8 4PH
Mon-Fri : 7:30am – 5.00pm | Sat: 8:30am – 5:00pm | Sun: 9:00am – 5:00pm

Food: wwwwwwww
Service:wwwwwww
Environment: wwwwwwww

A new hot spot - Mano (by invitation)

I have been longing to visit this new cafe. The first thing that caught my attention was their food. Being a fan of Petit Café in Admiralty, I found the salad and pastry offered by Mano no less appealing. However, in my first visit, which was a cupping event, the targets were coffee and barista – both were indeed exceptional.  

Mano offered us seven types of coffee beans to taste, including two CoE (El Salvador and Guatemala), two direct trade coffee (Nicaragua Finca La Picona and Costarica Finca Verde Alto), and three African coffee (Kenya Tegu, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Dama [Washed] and Ethiopia Yirgacheffee Aricha Natural). The beans for Mano are home roasted, and are sent to the cafe every week.

The cupping night was more like a casual sharing session than a formal cupping class. Water temperature was not monitored, cupping roast was not used, and the participants walked around the table and smelled the coffee’s aroma. In terms of aroma, we sort of shared the view that the Ethiopia Yirgacheffe was the best of the night, because of its distinctive floral notes. That batch of Ethiopia Yirgacheffe was among the best I have tasted. 

When it came to the taste, we were rather divided over the three African beans. It was one of the toughest moments for me to pick my favourite coffee as they were all splendid. The cherry and winey flavour of Ethiopia Aricha was overwhelming, while the lingering and creamy body of Kenya was unforgettable. I was amazed at the quality and the superb roast of the coffee beans. The roasters of Mano certainly know their trade well. That is why I only buy beans from trusted coffee roasters. 

After the cupping session, the handsome looking Korean barista showcased his handdrip skill to us. It was a clean cup and its complex acidity was amply released after cooling down. 

I consumed more caffeine than I need that night, but I still wanted more of their coffee. To come back and try their milk-based coffee and pastry is imperative. Needless to say, this will become one of my coffee bean suppliers : ).

Mano

G/F, The L. Place, 

139 Queens Road,Central 

Food: wwwwwww1/2w
Service:wwwwwww
Environment: wwwwwww