Yesterday was so much fun, at least if you enjoy snow, like I do. It started snowing in town around 10 am, and continued for the rest of the day. While it is a pain to drive in, it is sure beautiful to watch fall. I kept getting up from my desk to check the accumulation. By the time I was driving home, there were probably four inches in town, although most of it is gone today. This morning was a pink streaked sunrise as the sun came out from the clouds for a bit, and lit up the remaining snow.

Our coffee this week is in honor of a dear customer and friend, Rock Meade. Three of his daughters worked here over the years, and he often came in to grab a cup of coffee and chat with them or anyone else around. I remember when he came to talk to me wondering if his youngest daughter could apply, even though she didn't have her drivers license yet. He told me that he would always be available to drive her to work--that's an impressive commitment as a father. In more recent years, he often came in with his grandchildren, and when I talked to him he loved to tell me about how his kids and grandkids were doing.

Earlier this week I pulled out a CD that Rock made and gave us. It's titled Reverend Otis and the Creatures, after another beloved customer, known around here as Big Dave (aka Reverend Otis). Dave was a local fixture, often found with a cigarette and a cup of coffee (or a can of Natty Ice), sitting outside the store. Rock had a big heart, and he would smoke and talk to Big Dave out front. The songs Rock wrote have titles like "Cigarettes & Coffee," and "2 points on Bank Street," and perfectly capture the essence of our friend Dave. Rock was a talented artist in many mediums, and had a great sense of humor.

Rock loved our Monsooned Malabar. We wanted to run it as a special this week, in his memory. When we have it in stock, Rock always came and bought some. This coffee comes from the Chikmagalur hills in southwestern India, but it is extra special because it is left in open sided warehouses during the monsoons. The green beans swell and turn almost white as they soak up moisture, replicating what used to happen when coffee was carried around the horn on sailing ships. It has an unusual flavor, sweet and mellow, and it also pulls a great shot of espresso.

If you're local, enjoy the snow this weekend. You can read Rock's obituary in The Union here, and drink a cup of coffee this week thinking of him. At least that is what I will be doing. We'll miss you Rock. Cheers!

--Holly Fike