Yer joe...

...yer mud, yer murk, jolt, jamoke. Importantísimo.

Afortunadamente the city is full of good stuff (not that you can't get served umbrella juice when you least expect it.)

There is one very big coffee problem in Buenos Aires, however: sometimes you want yer java before exposing any or all parts of you to the general public...not even so much as to crack open the door wide enough to pull in a styrofoam cup from the delivery guy.

That's right, folks, when it comes to en grano para la casa this can be a cruel, cruel town.

Maciej Ceglowski said it best in this post of his, possibly the greatest quick-take (he wasn't here very long!) on Argentine food ever written:

"Other dangers lurk in the Argentine pantry. Worst and most puzzling in a country settled by Italians is the horrible ground coffee. Most cafés and restaurants serve good espresso, but you are in the wilderness as soon as you try to find something you can brew at home. The idea of purchasing beans to grind seems to be a great novelty - it took several days of hunting to find both a grinder and something to put in it. Grocery store coffee is inevitably sold pre-ground and roasted with sugar, giving it a dark color and the taste and aroma of burnt socks. It's possible that coffee, like Argentine yogurt, is just meant as a delivery mechanism for sugar."

If you have a good source, please share. If you don't, may I suggest some find grind for you from Establecimiento General de Café (www.estcafe.com.ar)

Like a lot of places it's good for a great cuppa in the classic porteño style...pretty special, tho, in that you can order your doble by varietal if you wish.

But it's claim to fame with me is the beans. Some of the best I've ever tasted.

Now I'll admit it, I'm not much of a coffee snob. I guess you could describe me as a "roaster" snob in that I'm happy to accept a lower order of arabica that's fresh from the roaster rather than some loftily pedigreed stuff that's just plain been waiting for adoption too long. (Please Note: only the Av. Pueyrredón location does the roasting...go there.)

Having said that I'm happy to report that I cruised all over their map of varietals to my complete satisfaction. All or most of my favorites are on the card.

Coffee being what it is (one of the original exotics) you're going to be paying like you do for everything imported here...way out of the Peso League. After my 'round-the-world with my darling Muse of the Morning I started to question my financial sanity.

That's when I thought I'd give the house blends a try. There are three and they are much, much more affordable.

À la Goldilocks, I first tried the Terciopelo. As the name suggests, it was very smooth...too smooth for me. High quality, freshly roasted, but I like a little bite with mine. Still, I was ecstatic to find something affordable for daily fixing that was this good.

Toward a more edgy cup, I next scored a half a key of the Expresso. I know, I know: espresso blends...the dumping ground of grounds...usually roasted beyond recognition even if it might contain good beanage. Not this one, tho. Pretty damn good it is. It certainly satisfied my taste for something a bit more amargo but didn't leave me feeling like I'd bought the sweepings out of the drum.

Last on my list was just right. A nuanced balance between richness...and poverty! The Portobello. Se dice "similar a aquellos cafes de la Piazza Spagna, pero con un toque artesanal." Gotta love that. Stumble no more would I into the shower when I craved my dark stuff...now I stumble into the KITCHEN AND BREW MY OWN!

Since cafés were way up at the top of my list of reasons for emmigrating here, I admit to being a little conflicted not frequenting my favorite boliches quite like I used to. I'm working thru that.

Don't forget to share any good-for-grind joints that you throw your trade to.

Maybe soon we should discuss the available options for your "set of works."