Peter King is a traveling Sports Illustrated football journalist with a penchant for five page columns, asides, larks, “things I think I think”, and shout-outs to the coffee and beer across America that strikes his fancy. From his most recent “Monday Morning Quarterback” column on Sports Illustrated.com:

Coffeenerdness I: Terrific latte, right down to the foam artwork on the top of the drink, at Kaldi’s Coffee Roasting Company in St. Louis. Espresso with no trace of bitterness is not common in many places, even Starbucks. But Kaldi’s gave me a smooth but sufficiently strong drink.

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Big-ups to Kaldi’s – we’ll watch MMQB for the rest of 2011 to see if there are more specialty cafe shout-outs. Peter King, if you read this via all the times we tweet it at you, be aware that your lucky stop-off at Kaldi’s was lucky indeed – they’re one of the best cafes in the region, home to reigning South Central Regional Barista Champion Joe Marrocco. He finished 11-5 last season, good enough to clinch the division and earn a first-round bye, with a completion percentage of 64% (which wedges him between Tony Romo and Phillip Rivers on the all-time list, according to Pro Football Reference). Consider your St. Louis stop at Kaldi’s as equivalent to randomly taking a break at the Edward R. Jones Dome in the heyday of “The Greatest Show On Turf” – you chose wisely (and we’re Seahawks fans).

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