<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/SrecZ-xUKPI/AAAAAAAABfo/ESNa6vIvkmw/s1600-h/DSC07075.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/SrecZ-xUKPI/AAAAAAAABfo/ESNa6vIvkmw/s400/DSC07075.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383943849705220338" /></a><br />Last Wednesday I was treated to one of the most exciting, most sensuous, strangest experiences ever: A personal coffee cupping at <a href="http://www.topecacoffee.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=51&amp;Itemid=54">Topeca Coffee, Tulsa's only seed-to-cup coffee company</a>. <div><br /></div><div>Check it out.<br /><div><br /><object width="660" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hczhoG2UG5s&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6&amp;border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hczhoG2UG5s&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0&amp;color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6&amp;border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="660" height="405"></embed></object></div></div><br /><br />Though I love Topeca for its coffee, its cafe and its indie-ness (yes, it's Monday and I'm making up words), what I love most about it is its accessibility. It's great for me as a reporter, and it's especially cool when I go into the cafe as nothing more than a curious consumer, wanting to know how one bean can, just through differences processing and roasting, taste like mowed hay in one cup and chocolate and blueberries in another or why the barista has to bang steamed milk against the counter, like, a million times before he can pour quality latte art.<br /><br />Coffee, my friends, is fascinating. <div><br /></div><div>I spent the weekend before last in Napa Valley trotting from winery to winery, tasting everything my pocketbook could bear (not much but enough to be able to start <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29814702&amp;ref=sr_gallery_3&amp;&amp;ga_search_query=wine+trivet&amp;ga_search_type=handmade&amp;ga_page=&amp;order=date_desc&amp;includes[]=tags&amp;includes[]=title">one of those cool wine trivets made from the corks</a> I stole from the half-dozen or so wineries where we tasted), and I didn't get nearly the personal attention at any of them that I enjoyed during the cupping at Topeca. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sure, folks in Napa were nice, but since we were there during the weekend during one of their busiest tourist seasons of the year, they "didn't have time" to teach us about tasting in the first place, let alone any in-depth information on how the wine was made or where exactly it came from.<br /><br />My cup and my rabid ADD were satisfied at Topeca, though. Thanks to the three Johns (there's the roaster, John Cunningham, the owner, John Gaberino, and the barista, John Schaeffer - crazy, no?) for my first-ever cupping. It rocked.<br /><br />Topeca doesn't want to be nice to me and me only, though I totally wouldn't put up a fight if that's what they really wanted, which it most definitely is not. </div><div><br /></div><div>John (Gaberino or, as he calls himself, Johnny 3) wants to give one lucky TDT reader <b>six months' worth of free coffee</b>. </div><div><br /></div><div>That's one 12-ounce bag of the blend of your choice (<a href="http://store.topecacoffee.com/roastedcoffee1.html">there are seven</a>; my husband and I are in the habit of drinking Ayutepeque, but I think I fell in love with Natural last week at the cupping) per month for six months, all fresh and small-batch roasted by all the people you can't help but like at Topeca Coffee.<div><br />If you can't wait to get all this roast-astic bean in your burr grinder, skip to the comments and <span style="font-weight:bold;">tell me about the best cup of coffee you ever had</span>. </div><div><br /></div><div>I would pick my favorite story as the winner, but since I know one person will make me belly laugh and another will make me cry and another will make me salivate and fantasize and I just won't be able to pick my fave, I'll let Random.org do the dirty work.<br /><br />Turn in your story by tomorrow (Tuesday) morning at 10am and I'll have the winner picked by coffee time. Until then, happy slurping, y'all.<br /><br />P.S. - Next time you're at Fifth and Cheyenne, duck in to Cafe Topeca for the Nutella Crepe. It will open your mind to all kinds of prepossessing possibilities. </div></div>