Father Hollywood Recommends...

...the finest coffee I have ever had, from Bean's Coffee Company.

First of all, there is no relation between any member of my family and this company. My name is Beane, and their company's name is "Bean's." I get the same discount from Bean's as I get at L.L.Bean's - nothing. And that's not a complaint! All I'm doing is pointing out that this isn't my company, nor am I related to anyone at Bean's. As "Michael Bolton" says in Office Space - "It's just a coincidence."

I just really love their coffee!

We in New Orleans savor our java! During the War (Between the States), New Orleanians stubbornly continued our coffee habit - especially by stretching supplies by mixing chicory with the arabica - a custom carried on by our famous Cafe du Monde (which has been selling chicory-laced cafe au lait 24 hours a day almost without interruption since opening in 1862 when it was established during military occupation). In war, peace, and hurricanes, coffee has always been a big deal in the Crescent City! In fact, New Orleans is one market Starbucks struggles in, because we have a plethora of top-quality local coffee shops, both franchises and "ma and pa" establishments. (We treat Starbucks as "corporate carpetbaggers" and only frequent them in dire caffeine emergencies...)

Coffee is also nearly sacramental in the Hollywood home - as the matinal cappuccino ritual is carried out with the precision and reverence of the Japanese tea ceremony and with the temporal regularity of the whirr of the central air conditioner in a South Louisiana Summer. Coffee is the one luxury the Treasury Department (Mrs. Hollywood) approves and insists upon (we are Gevalia subscribers - though our orders have dwindled considerably since discovering Bean's).

We know and love our coffee.

But keep in mind that Bean's is not a coffee house. Rather they are purveyors of exquisite (and yet affordable) coffee. They set up just about every Saturday at the Gretna Farmers' Market, and Mrs. Hollywood, Lion Boy, and myself probably pick up a pound about every other week from the Daldegan family, the proprietors who faithfully work the market themselves. They are really nice folks, and are always cheerful and dedicated to giving excellent customer service. In fact, they hand deliver orders of their coffee to locals.

Our favorite (and I mean favorite) is their Tanzanian Peaberry. We use it both in its fine-ground form for espresso and cappuccino (both hot and iced), as well as course-ground for regular hot coffee (which we make in a low-tech flavor-maximizing French press).

But whether you enjoy espresso or American-style coffee, hot or iced, and even if you make your coffee in an automatic drip maker instead of a press - this coffee will simply blow you away. It's the finest we've ever had. It is so fresh, so recently roasted, and of such quality, that the beans are literally wet with the natural oils. The smell that wafts from a little bag fills the house and is heavenly. There is no other way to describe it.

Bean's will ship to your home. You can order right from their webpage, and your order is roasted after you order it! This is just unbelievable, and explains why it is so good. They sell eight different varieties (including the Tanzanian), and explain all the characteristics of each.

Give Bean's a shot, and let me know what you think!