Honeysuckle!!!!

So that's my garden, or part of it, anyway. Lots of potted plant things hanging out trying to mask the bleak nature of cinder block walls. That crazy thing in the back with purple flowers is wisteria, which is so beautiful,and fragrant. I have a forsythia, a hops plant, rose bushes, rosemary, lavender, lilacs, hydrangea all going at full tilt...as well as two honeysuckle bushes.

The honeysuckle thing became this weird personal mission I had to fulfill. One of my favorite things in the world, when I lived in Delaware (and now when I drive through it), is that during certain times of the year - especially after a heavy rain - EVERYTHING, and I mean everything, smelled like the flowers. Wafting in your windows, music blaring, it's come to encapsulate some of the happiest, lightest moments of my life.

I'm not sure if it's one of those universal tugs of emotion, but interestingly, a lot of Capogiro's flavors put me in that kind of nostalgic haze. Honeysuckle, which we've got now and is LOVELY and light and floral and perfect (and a friend SWEARS by a scoop of it in a glass of prosecco), lavender, coming soon, and our cherry sorbetto. Summertime here you can get me talking about childhood and scent memory associations with barely a nudge. You'll say something as benign as "Hey! Honeysuckle!" and there I'll go, rambling about this song and driving with my Dad through the Valley and you'll be wishing you'd just kept quiet. Consider yourself warned!

Am I alone in this? Honeysuckle and rain? Summertime and cherry pits? Chime in, people!



Ps - Jay? Valley ride? I tried to find something on the internet machine to explain this, but I couldn't. Help me out!

Nectarine Love

While beind the counter at Capo, I often get asked:
"What's the best one?" or,
"Do you have a favorite?"
Usually these questions have no answer. It is that time of year though, when, at least from this barista's perspective, the answer is more than clear.

NECTARINE. sweet, delicious, nectarine.I think i just drooled a little bit.
Did you know that the nectarine is actually a type of peach? I don't really believe that either, since they're so obviously superior. Their skin isn't so tough and fuzzy, which makes them a little more delicate to handle, but luckily the trip from Lancaster Co. to Philly is a short and happy one- so that's not really a problem. Their growing season is a little later than peaches too, so you can catch them in their peak form (crisp, clean tasting sorbetto) into the end of this month.
My favorite ways to enjoy nectarine sorbetto are paired with either an herbal gelato, like mint stracciatella or rosemary honey goats milk, or a nice strong citrus, like lemon sorbetto. Ideally, on a cone, sitting on the bench outside of CapoYunk, feeling the warm sun on my face and smiling because it's still summer!
-Maggie

Vacation Time for Cats

Every August--much to the relief of their human keepers--cats from all over the world pack up and go on vacation . Here are some travel shots from some regular cat readers of this blog:

Rybka and Belochka take some time out from sightseeing in the Russian heat at their St Petersburg hostel

Pulgita explores Belize, hoping for a glimpse of the elusive jungle panther

Rascals McTabs bellies up to the bar in Portland, OR. Wonder what he'll order?

Our intrepid pal Dr. Stinky investigates the ruins of an ancient litterbox on his month-long trek across Egypt

Mrs. Rumbutters contemplates her next meal while spending a week at her cottage in Cagnes-sur-Mer

Thanks for all the great photos, everybody! Safe travels to all and see you soon.

Special notes:

Dear Mr. Crumbsocks of Bristol, UK: those photos are not publishable, and you know it. Shame on you!

Please, Sissy Miows: stop drunk-dialing us COLLECT from Acapulco every day at 3am! It is not cute.

Oh Booze, how we love you...

Let me count the ways...Grapefruit Campari, Whiskey Sour, Golden Margarita, Irish Coffee, Mexican Coffee, White Chocolate with Kahlua, Rum, Aloha Monkey, Cucumber with Grey Goose, Ramos Gin Fizz, Pear with Wild Turkey Bourbon...

Seriously I could probably go on for quite a while. We love booze almost as much as we love coffee. Ok maybe more than coffee. Wait, who wants to fight? Let's share the love for our favorite libations! People are constantly coming in here and browsing the flavors only to eventually say "man...sure is a lot of booze in this case!" Yeah we know. But really, it's for the flavor enhancing powers and downright refreshing qualities alcohols have that make them so much fun to work with.
No, you can't get drunk off of them...no not even if you eat the whole pan. Yes, pregnant ladies go for it! And babies! They're totally benign ways of enjoying your bar standbys...and if you want to enjoy the flavor AND get boozy, go see the kids at CapoPenn. One awesomely stocked bar, that. Chock full of goodies that cocktail nerds will go crazy for while supplying Everyman with their gin and tonics, or local brews.

Temps have hit 80, kids, it's gonna be a long summer. Come get your drink on with us and everyone will be walking a little happier.

Strawberry with Pernod (Strawberry with Tequila!), Melon with Absinthe, Bourbon Butterscotch, Watermelon with Grappa, Dark and Stormy, Espresso with Sambuca...

Flavor Profile - Hibiscus Tea

It's called Agua de Flor de Jamaica in the Central and South American countries it's popular in, but when we use it to make sorbetto, we'll let you just call it delicious. Hibiscus tea is made by steeping the dried calyces (no idea how to say that, but they're the leaves that hold the petals together in a hibiscus bud, also called sepals) in hot water, and sweetening it up with a little sugar and that's pretty much how we translated it to a tasty end of summer sorbetto.

It may derive from a beautiful flower, but this ain't no perfumey floral flavor it has going on. Think more of a tart cranberry-like flavor with mild bitterness and a touch of tannin from the tea side.

We're super excited about autumn's arrival, with all of its apples and pears and long neck pumpkins (oh my!) on their way, but gosh darn it we're gonna milk what's left of summer until every last drop of sweet sunshine is in our bellies. That's just how we roll.

I wasn't able to get a real answer from our kitchen aficionados concerning how long this flavor will be around for, but it's here today, and definitely tomorrow, and with any luck some more after that. Pair it up with some fico nero or pesca giallo sorbetti and nom nom nom it up before you go breaking out your sweaters from storage.