Friday, November 11, 2005 | A few days ago I found myself at a Starbucks coffee bar in my local Vons’ supermarket. It was 4 o’clock in the afternoon; I was tired. I decided to have an afternoon latte to see if it could get me through my not so pleasant shopping excursion. I had to be in pretty bad shape because out of principle I don’t do coffee at Starbucks. I believe the saturation of the coffee market by this business has forced too many small coffee shops out of business, and I don’t like the way they roast their coffee.
Pamela J. Wischkaemper is a local food consultant and is the founder of San Diego Gastronomically Correct, a group that goes on the road twice a year to promote the San Diego restaurant industry. The only criterion for membership is having cooked at the James Beard House in New York. Nineteen chefs in San Diego are members.