T Stands For Spice Merchant (part 1)

Today we're headed to the east side of town

in order to visit The Spice Merchant.

It's been several years since I've been here, and I was anxious to visit again.

I couldn't help myself.  Just inside the door, I started taking photo after photo after photo.

This is one shop you can visit every day and find something new

and interesting, like these retro dishes, cups, and mugs.  Unfortunately the copper pot on the top shelf was not for sale.  Had it been, I might have asked Santa for an early Christmas present.

I had gone with my friend Sally to the doctor, then we came here because I wanted to buy some tea.  While she was buying spices, I was wandering the store, and first saw the coffee area, which included all the mugs.

Since I am first and foremost a coffee drinker, I thought I would start here.

The Spice Merchant buys green beans and roasts them on site.  You can watch them roast the coffee, but I didn't get a photo of the two roasters they have, probably because they weren't roasting while I was there.  When the beans are roasted, they put off the most magnificent scent, regardless of the roast. 

I've been told it takes a certain skill set to roast, and attention to detail is required.  It's an acquired skill that combines both art and science.  They also sell whole beans as well as ground coffee if you don't own your own grinder.  Containers of roasted beans are shown above.

Next week we will visit the spices section, where Sally went nuts and bought more spices than she will ever use.  The final visit will explore the tea area, where you will see what I purchased.

Now I've shared the first of my photos I took at The Spice Merchant, it's your turn to join this fun event by linking below.  Please be certain your link goes directly to your post, not your blog in general and please be sure you can, in some way, tie your post back to a drink of some kind, any kind.  Bleubeard wants to remind you that your photos may be taken at any time, not just on Tuesday, and not even this month, if you choose.  Once you link, Bleubeard and I, along with other T Stands For Tuesday participants will be by to visit.  As a group, we're really good at reciprocating.

If you missed last week's post, we are making ATCs for our third T Stands For Tuesday celebration on July 19.  If you chose to join us, you will add an asterisk (*) after your name on the day of the party and the next person who has an asterisk after her name will be the person you send your ATC to.  Any questions, please ask.