With its slender baguette sandwiches, small cups of strong coffee and pretty copper accents, the new Bluebird Coffee Stop — in the kiosk on the corner of Church and College streets — feels like a slice of Paris. When it opened last Saturday, crowds fresh from the farmers market lined up to get a glimpse.
As the place’s name implies, java is a main attraction. The Fair Trade organic beans come from local biz Black River Roasters (formerly Fresh Coffee Now), and, while employees serve out of standard-issue vacuum pots to keep things quick, the coffee was brewed in a French press. Espresso-based drinks get plenty of love, too: “We’re doing a lot of training with our barista staff,” says owner Sue Bette. “They’ve been taught to pull a perfect shot and to steam milk correctly.”
The French-style sandwiches, served wrapped in brown paper, have fillings such as Nutella, egg salad, ham and butter, or housemade peach jam and mascarpone. The offerings will change with the season. For a quicker bite, there are cookies and addictively crispy sweet-and-salty almonds. Don’t bother asking how the latter are made. “It’s [chef Aaron Josinsky’s] secret method,” Bette says.
Coming soon to the Coffee Stop: pastries, teas from Vermont Artisan Coffee & Tea Co., and hot chocolate, just in time for chilly-finger season.
This article appears in Sep 22-28, 2010.
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