It's coffee time

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Some good news to wake up to today: the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution requires unanimous jury convictions in state criminal trials, effectively ending the practice of non-unanimous juries in Oregon (the last state to allow them, even Louisiana having abandoned the practice).

This week I took a break from cocktail writing to revisit my first and truest love, coffee. I got to catch up with Peter Giuliano, who worked with Counter Culture Coffee back when I was a wee barista from 2004-05, and is now the executive director of the Coffee Science Foundation. We talked about the best ways to make better coffee at home. I've been in the habit of exclusively using my Aeropress, but writing this piece got me experimenting again with my Chemex and Eva Solo. Peter's number one bit of advice was to buy good coffee. If you're looking for beans, Coffee Geek has a running list of roasters offering mail delivery around the world. Locally in Portland, I've been hitting up Saint Simon every Sunday morning for a bag of Coava coffee and an espresso. And if you want to treat yourself, you can get some excellent beans delivered by mail from Proud Mary. 

Also scheduled for this week: I recently sat down for an interview with Franca Comparetto of Cigar Sense, who's put together a series of virtual seminars with experts in tobacco. They are freely available for a limited time with registration to the site. Sign up here if you'd like to listen in.

Road to re-opening

This seems to be the week when the pressure to start re-opening things is starting to build, although public opinion seems more solidly in favor of maintaining measures to prevent a rise in cases than visible protests may suggest. I think of the path toward re-opening in terms of three curves: the economic and social pain of continuing the shutdown, demand to relax social distancing measures, and our preparedness to fight the virus by other means (test, trace, and isolation in the short-term; treatments, immunity, and hopefully a vaccine in the medium-term). My fear right now is that the first two will force a re-opening before the third is effectively in place, bringing about a second wave of infections. 

Some recommended reading on that topic: If you read just one article in this newsletter, it should be this New York Times look at the potential year ahead from Donald McNeil, Jr., drawing on interviews with numerous experts. Isaac Chotiner's interview with epidemiologist Justin Lessler is also worth reading. Ed Yong and Ezra Klein both have worthwhile pieces on the path toward re-opening. The Harvard Center for Ethics just released its plan for re-opening; I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but it comes recommended. The Economist is attempting to track excess mortality, which suggests that official estimates are likely undercounting deaths due to COVID-19 (paywalled). Tim Harford explains why the concept of a statistical life makes a strong case for taking preventive measures. Ross Douthat has a good piece critiquing the excesses of lockdown demands that make the situation less bearable. Jane Coaston reports on how protests intersect with efforts to reelect Trump. Jesse Walker has a look back at the cholera riots that took place in response to similar measures in the early nineteenth century.

A few additional links: Marc Andreessen says it's time to build. Paul Sherman hopes the pandemic brings about a stronger movement against occupational licensing. Peter Suderman looks at bartending under the new prohibition. Josh Barro with a partial defense of the PPP loan rollout.

Social distancing

To cook: I've been cooking from Sohui Kim's Korean Home Cooking, in part because H Mart is one of the most pleasant places to shop in Portland right now. I've especially liked the banchan chapter, since being at home so much has me in perpetual snack mode.

To listen: Isobel Campbell's new album There Is No Other... is so good. Come for the cover of Tom Petty's "Runnin' Down a Dream," stay for the lush arrangements and gentle voice that make this perfect for pretending you're back in an indie coffee shop.

To drink: Since we're in the transitional season to spring, here's a mezcal cocktail from my time at the Multnomah Whiskey Library that's seasonally appropriate thanks to a touch of floral notes, the Old Man Amadeo:

1 oz mezcal
1 oz fino sherry
1/2 oz Calisaya
1/2 oz Milla chamomile grappa liqueur
1 dash chocolate bitters
Stir, serve up, and express an orange peel over the surface of the drink.

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