I'll admit it.
I like to hijack the family holidays with a good chunk of coffee house visiting, squeezing them in wherever possible. I am lucky that I have such an understanding wife and, in all honesty, she enjoys the visits nearly as much as me.
You see, I love coffee (he says, stating the obvious) - but that isn't the only attraction. Visiting a caffeinated establishment is so much more: it gives you an insight into the local area, the people, the culture and, of course, whether or not the barista can pull a shot, pour a great pour-over, or excel in the dark art of the syphon.
This particular trip held a little more significance for me though as, with my wife now only five months away from a twelve month sabbatical, we draw ever nearer to an extended trip to her motherland - more specifically Calgary, Alberta. Research is now more important than ever if we are to one day open a bloody brilliant café and bakery.
We started with a week in Toronto and the moved on to Calgary with no plans apart from relaxing, catching up with friends and family, and drinking lots and lots of coffee (and possibly some alcohol).
From the lows of the North American penchant for excessively dark roasts to the highs of Phil and Sebastian, the next few posts will chart many of the cafés we visited over our trip - and hopefully point you in the right direction of a great espresso, or filter, if you find yourself in those foreign parts.
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