Ken Davids 1 warmEvery once in a while there’s an opportunity to see a legend. Kenneth Davids is that opportunity at CoffeeCon LA on November 8. I remember when I first got introduced to fine coffee. My friend Bob Heniken introduced me to using fresh-ground beans, following a particularly stunning stir fry dinner at his apartment. It’s one of those meals I’ll never forget, nor the after-dinner brew. The experience was so profound, the next morning I headed for the best-stocked bookstore I could find. There on the shelves was a first edition of Kenneth Davids Coffee. I bought it on the spot. I wore out three editions of that book and it taught me enough to make the pursuit of coffee a lifelong quest. I still learn from Mr Davids, but more lately from his online CoffeeReview.com website. He is the closest thing the coffee industry has to Robert Parker’s wine ratings. If Davids can be faulted, he is too kind, but like many British reviewers, he damns with faint praise and I’ve learned to sift through the merely good to get to the great. I can always find interesting coffees from his reviews. This leads me to suggest you attend his How to Review Coffee presentation at CoffeeCon. Ken will share his methodology, his insights and his affable style will seduce you to want to journal your own coffee experiences. It’s about tasting and analysis, yes, but it’s far more. It gives you insights from a man who virtually single-handed, created coffee journalism. An extra fun perk of this presentation will be coffee samples of some of Ken’s current favorites. It’s free with your admission to CoffeeCon, but it’s first come, first served. Bring your palate and prepare to be educated and entertained.