RISTRETTO ROASTERS.

• Author: Brown, Elizabeth Nolan
• Position: FOOD

Midnight Cowboy is "our darkest blend yet," advertises the Portland coffee company Ristretto Roasters. "This full body blend is ideal for those who prefer the smokey flavors of darker roasts." That would be me. And Ristretto's Cowboy coffee did not disappoint, offering a rich cup Of joe that went down smooth, with a creamy aftertaste and none of the bitter notes that come with my usual Folgers.

Alas, the same can't be said for a recent Ristretto controversy. Last December, Nancy Rommelmann--an author, an occasional Reason contributor, and the wife of Ristretto's owner, Din Johnson--launched a YouTube series called #MeNeither. in which she and Penthouse columnist Leah McSweeney discuss, among other things, recent controversies surrounding sexual impropriety and abuse.

The fledgling series' attempt to be nuanced about issues that many prefer to see in dark blacks and spotless whites got Ristretto Roasters in hot water in very progressive Portland. Some current and former employees blasted off a protest letter to the media regarding the boss' wife's ideas. "We believe it is a business owner's responsibility to...