Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

For centuries, the only breads available were sourdough breads. Commercial yeast is a rather new invention in relation to the history of bread. Why anyone would bad mouth sourdoughs,shows that they have no knowledge or respect for the art and science of bread baking.

also curious about portland! as well as the details of your 4 hour ice cream blitz in san francisco.

Where did you eat your "most exciting meal in years"? As a Portlander, I'm curious.

I worked out once in Portland, and went on a really strenuous uphill hike in Bolinas, but I never made it to the Y next door in SF, which I really regret.
Today I jumped right back into really watching what I eat. And I biked down to SE World HQ.

Not everyone wants to make a "ghetto latte" - some people just want a stronger iced coffee drink. An americano is, by definition, more diluted than espresso, and that makes for one weak iced drink.

I would actually be more likely to frequent a business that sticks to their guns like this. Similarly, there is a restaurant in L.A. that does not cut their pizzas, and offers zero substitutions on anything on the menu. There are plenty of places that pander to bullshit requests, and people should go there instead. Would I reject a request for a welldone steak? Depends on how badly I needed the business. If I'm a hopping neighborhood joint and I'm getting the good stuff, Marin Sun Organics or something like that, hell no I'm not going to insult the life of that animal or the farmer by serving it well done. Money is not a substitute for integrity.

"Customers are not entitled to have whatever they want at any time, just because they're customers."

But reasonable accomodation is key to return customers. The publicity generated by this non-incident is massive.

My issue is that this place does make iced coffee beverages, and one with espresso no less. Why they are making a fine distinction on this one point is beyond me.

But hey, it's there right, and their business. Just don't expect to see me there -- I'm one of those awful iced espresso drinkers, because between the hours of breakfast and dinner, I like my coffee -- all coffee -- chilled. That's just the way I am.

While Starbucks or another corporate coffee chain might serve the ice without flinching, he doesn't want Murky Coffee's top-notch beans to taste like a "ghetto latte."

The problem with the ghetto latte from the owner's view is not taste -- it's cost. It means the customer is saving money by not paying for milk and instead filling his/her cup with free milk or cream from the bar.

Someone said maybe the shop doesn't sell iced drinks -- not the case, if you read the full story you'll see that they offer other espresso drinks iced including iced Americanos. The difference is that this customer didn't want the extra water. Hence, leaving space in the cup and allowing him to make a ghetto latte (which he apparently had no intention of doing). I suspect this is the main reason the shop has this policy and not because they are worried about the taste.

@Erin - somehow I missed your Nicholson remark. I clicked the "note" link and then went to comments. Great minds think alike though, eh? ;-)

If you take yourself and your coffee (too) seriously, you frequent establishments like Murky Coffee that take their craft and themselves just as seriously. To some people, it's not just a cup of coffee. From the barista's point of view, this guy is like the one who asks the waiter for ketchup to put on his filet mignon. So what if it's elitist? Don't go to a snobby coffee shop if you don't like coffee snobs.

Hmmmm...let's see. I put up my own money to open a business, with no honest expectation of success other than my own personal hope. Doesn't that give me the right to decide what I serve? If you don't like it, go to Bucky's (one closing near you anyday now!!!) or Dunkin Ray's. But don't whinge when I tell you that I'm not making it for you. The only entitlement in commerce is the one the IRS has on your profits...peace

I will go ahead and take the far out stance and say the store owner is a bleeping retard. Oh yes, I just went there. Yes, there is free enterprise and customers will be the ones who determine who is right and who is wrong. And then you realize it is not even about who is right vs who is wrong because it is about personal enjoyment of a product.

It is stupid of any company to say, "we make a product, and you need to enjoy it in this manner because that's how we deem it so."

Look maybe they service a niche market and they understand their customers... although that argument falls out the window when someone comes in and requests ice. So maybe they don't know their customers that well.

Philosophically it's retarded. Is there ONE way to enjoy ice cream? Or ONE way to enjoy burgers? ONE way to enjoy fruits?

Seriously, people need to unjam whatever is up their rear end if they are so uptight about stuff like this. Ice it.