Ruling the roast: True caffeine freaks fire up their own beans.(coffee trends)(home roasting)

Byline: Noah Isackson

CHICAGO _ Several years ago, Bo Brown got a cheese-making kit from her boyfriend and, fearing a do-it-yourself disaster, refused to even tinker with it. A Wisconsin native, she grew up among cheese heads and figured the professionals did it better anyway.

Sweet as the present was, she informed her boyfriend that she wasn't interested in the kit or any other gourmet gadgets. "No more kitchen gifts," she said. "Thank you very much."

But luckily, Bob Faull did what boyfriends often do in these situations: He ignored her feelings…