Espresso Advenutres under one roof

THATS right!!!


Tonight!
7pm
Te Aro Roasted
983 Queen East.


$10/entry, countless espresso shots - 


warning... you wont be sleeping

Weekend muses: Te Aro

It's here: Te Aro Roasted ESPRESSO THROWDOWN: EUROPEAN EDITION
Did it need all those CAPS, it did indeed because some of the most renowned roasters in Europe have generously donated their espresso beans.

Had a great conversation with TeAro about their upcoming event this weekend. Here's my condensed version of our interview (with my inputs)

When: Saturday, March 31st
Time: 7pm onwards

Who is being showcased:
UK: Has Bean, Square Mile, Origin, Monmouth, St Ali
Norway: Tim Wendelboe,  
Denmark: Coffee Collective



Wait... so this is really UK + Scandinavia (hmm, is this where all the pronounced micro roasters reside)

 

Why do should I come?

ESPRESSO Tasting - and with this recession looming over us, who can really afford this $2100+ trip to visit these shops, I mean let's put it in perspective...

$10 Entry - donation to Coffee Kids is 0.47% of the actual cost, plus you get espresso shots.... DEAL!

 

What if I dont like espresso, any brewed coffee?

No brew coffee just espresso but there is also beer and wine!

 

Wait, did you say BEER?

Yup, Beer is from Bellwoods Brewery (opening on Ossington) - the guys there have made a special beer for us for the event made with our cold brew!  

 

Should be awesome.  Plus, one of their other beers will be served.  Local wine that we will just pick up for the event.

 

Is there going to be food?

Fidel Gastro is setting up a pop up there - cuban sandwiches for $7, 

$1 from every sandwich will go to Coffee Kids

Espresso Adventures is SOLD. See you there.

 

Also if you are observing Earth Hour - then come earlier... right!

Bikini and Coffee, maybe not for Canada

Read about Pacific /Northwestern culture of bikini slinging barista...


http://blog.seattlecoffeegear.com/2012/03/28/the-lowdown-on-bikini-barista-stands/


Thanks Seattle Gear

Art in cafe

The cafe or coffee shop is another extension of our house and living room where we invite those with warm attitudes to share their daily musings with each other.

Like your home, you may also hang artwork to display local artists. Those you admire that align with your mantra.

Finally headed to LIT on college, which I've avoided traveling in this westerly direction or a couple of months. Mainly due to my traveling *ahem* lack of postings....

I've noticed this piece of artwork and wanted to share with he readers my eye.

Other locations that have art I admire: Manic and Crema.

Share your favourite cafe artwork with me and your opinion or two.

Need more caffination. Happy weekend.

diner coffee.... mmmm

COFFEE DINER STYLE

Happy birthday mercury

It was mercury 6th bday last night.

Now fully fledged and in grade school, heres too many more years in leslieville.
Congrats Doug!

Product review: Elieen Bodum French Press

I say this is a product review, but let's be frank: this is the industry standard , hand blown press that's been around the block with much prestige.

Can't really complain about durability: unless you decide to fling the water out of the press and smash the glassware. Case in point reason for acquiring a new press...

Design is all about your personal preference. With an eye for shiny things and modernist pattern... This will fit well on my shelf of coffee gadgets and toys.

Price point: 45 with taxes.
Reasonable... You pay for what you get. This is the industry standard and with proper care and attention it pays to invest.

This is not my favourite toy, but with a need to acquire more sleep, this will save me my precious snooze factor.

What's your fav equipment to date?

Featured Espresso: Gacokwe Burundi

Spotted: Mercury Espresso

Verdict: Orange zest explosion. Really juicy enough to punch your tongue awake.

From MADCAP
Tasting Notes: Big flavor, orange and juicy 
Produced by Gacokwe Washing Station/Cooperative
Region: Kayanza
Varietals: Bourbon, Jackson, Mibirzi
Altitude: 1,650 masl
Processing: Washed and sun dried in raised beds
Harvested: May-August 2011

2012 marks our 3rd straight year buying from the Kayanza Region of Burundi.  Burundi is a small country located in the heart of Africa just south of Rwanda.  Coffee is the main export out of Burundi and sales of specialty grade coffee have skyrocketed over the past 5 years as a lot of efforts to produce better coffee have been put into the country and have helped change the face of the country.  

The Gacokwe Cooperative works with 1700 small farmers offering incentives paid to the farmer for producing higher quality coffee.  The fermentation of this coffee combines elements of wet and dry fermentation with the use of clean mountain water.  The total fermentation can last up to 2 ½ days before being dried on raised patios.  We have fallen in love with the cup profile that we find in coffees from this area boasting a big flavor, full of aromatics, juicy, yet with spicy complexity.

(from MadCap Coffee website_)


SEASONAL!!! GET IT NOW.




(ppssssttt.... don't forget my other fav in the neighbourhood is having an event Mar 31st)

M4: local zine at manic

Just came back from trips abound, as I stepped into manic and discovered the walls had a new arts installation. A "zine-styled" comic made by the kids at the local school.

Claps for showcasing budding artists.

Ny: Nineth street comes home

Nineth street is a great shop for locals, and with the news breaking that they've switched to a local roaster it only bodes well with buy and staying local.

Read more here: http://www.ninthstreetespresso.com/Ninth_Street_Espresso/Talk/Entries/2012/3/11_Going_home..._Queens_NY.html

Tetra coffee

This is by not new news... Seeing coffee in a convenient package such as glass bottle or pop can. But never scene in a tetra pak.

Verdit: very milky and tons of sugary goodness?!?! No real distinct blue mountain flavour or for that matter any distinctive coffee.... But it does go down smooth.

If your into sugar milky drink this might be your choice on a cold day. Otherwise, save your money.

Until then: espresso adventures

Fashion and nerbc

Seems fitting that during the barista comp season we see the fashion ions come out... Fitting that it was around NY fashion week.

Fellow friend and coffee observer, journalist Smdlr captured what we are usually thinking when we step into our fav cafe.

Read here: http://smdlr.com/gallery/fashion-nerbc-2012/

What are your thoughts about fashion and culinary drive...a la coffee industry?

Dark horse 4

Just getting my head around the notion of extraction.

Been lost in the world of reporting and analysis. So blogTO has informed me that the DH empire of Dee and Ed opens up their forth location on John street.
http://www.blogto.com/announcements/2012/03/dark_horse_opens_4th_location_in_the_club_district/

Looks like we have a competing empire of east v. West......
Dark horse v. Crema.

Kidding aside; is Toronto ready for their own bridgehead vis-a-vis the capital?

I'm sure the new mirage is killing -!: Te iconic metal titles veils tugs on my noglastic east end heart, but will the fashion district welcome them?

I believe so.
Will news to venture inside real soon.
Loving the long corridor feel, reminds me of Filter in DC.

Coming soon: ESPRESSO THROWDOWN