About our coffee.

Any one of a number of things can alter the taste of your cup of coffee. From the moment the bean is plucked from the tree, to that first sip of black nectar. Make one mistake and you’ll have a compromised beverage. It’s true that there’s a critical chemistry to making good coffee.

When we first opened our doors in 2005, we chose a whole bean supplier who deals directly with only a few responsible growers from around the world, and he is just as persnickety as us.

Helping matters is our monster Diedrich roaster that we chose for its superior distribution of heat and air control functions. But, perhaps the single most critical step in good coffee is getting those hot, freshly-roasted beans to room temperature as soon as possible. If that process takes more than six minutes, it tends to leave the coffee with a “baked” taste. But coffee that cools down quickly exhibits extraordinary flavor profiles that are idiomatic of the varietal.

We could roast 25 pounds or more at one time, but at 18 to 20 pounds, we have far more roasting control. There is time and money to be saved by roasting lots of coffee at one time, but that risks imperfections. And we want every single origin bean in your bag to be near perfect.

Our coffee is available whole bean, or ground-to-order, and we’ll deliver to your door within 24 hours or sooner to keep your coffee cup full.

About our scones.

Our famous scones went from an ordinary bakehouse staple to an epicurean wonder. But really, our scones were an honest mistake. We knew we wanted to bake good stuff for the shop. We discovered a recipe book of things that compliment coffee drinks, and scones topped the list.

In the first attempt at baking, one of us (you’ll need to guess who) grabbed incorrect measuring cups and confused teaspoon with tablespoon. That serendipity was the dawn of a scone that was pie-flake crispy on the outside and pillow-soft on the inside. The scone dough (we call them wheels) grow more popular every year and there’s a quite wonderful assortment of scone varieties to enjoy.

We use good butter, and it needs to have the right moisture content. We source good cream, and it must have the right fat content. This is why the scones are special and why folks from around the block and around the country buy them. People tend to take pictures of them, too, as they do for beautiful things.

And it’s good to know: our scones are almost fool-proof to take ‘n’ bake. Get your wheel, slice into 8-12 pillowy pieces, brush the top with a blend of egg white and sugar, bake and enjoy. You can also freeze the sliced scone dough (no need to defrost), then brush ‘n’ bake as you wish.

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About Alchemy

The shop’s doors opened 20 years ago, and we’re grateful for the support we’ve always received from our customers—we’ve been through a lot together over the past two decades.

For now the coffee house is open Thursdays, vb Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. But delivery happens daily, and (wow) is it a thing. We’re blown away by the demand for Alchemy delivery and we’re delighted to make it happen since we tend to think Alchemy coffee and scones make the days a bit brighter. We’re working to make sure this special part of your life always continues.

Again, thank you for your support all these years. We’re excited to welcome you to the coffee house Friday - Sunday, plus continue to streamline and grow local delivery, and hopefully add new offerings (there’s nationwide shipping and wholesale, for example). We’ll always deliver the best coffee and scone wheels, at the coffee house and to your door.

Stay vigorous, Everyone.

Julie and Blair