..thoughts on coffee, business, art, and community...
About Cafe Evoke Catering
Café Evoke Catering's mission is more than coffee; it is a passionate interaction with the local and global communities. We use Fair Trade Certified products whenever we can.
When Café Evoke Catering is at your event, rest assured your coffee, tea, and espresso is Fair Trade Certified.
When you hire one of our Baristas, you are getting a trained professional who is passionate about coffee from the bean to the cup. We strive to give each and every one of our clients the personal attention that is deserved.
Please contact us today for booking and package information. You can email us through our website or call 405-517-0517.
Thank you for choosing a Fair Trade coffee catering company. We look forward to a long friendship.
We had a great time last weekend serving up the best chocolaty espresso Oklahoma has ever seen. We got to meet a lot of new people, many of whom are already great friends. The weekend started with our monthly service with our friends at Citizens Bank in Edmond.
We love these guys! We get to go in there and serve up great espresso drinks right in their offices. It's nice!
We then loaded up the trailer and headed for lunch and then to set up for our evening event. We had the great privilege of serving at an open house in the all new and redesigned Founders Tower in Oklahoma City - now called 360 at Founders Plaza. Here is what they say about the place on their site:
The 360 at Founders Plaza is designed for a lifestyle with an attitude. It is an invitation to all urban dwellers to experience unparalleled pampering in a space built for those who have made it in life. Be seduced by the modernistic design fused with the classic style of an iconic structure. The 360 is Oklahoma City's premier urban development for those with a passion for life. If you will not settle for the ordinary, then you are ready for 360 living.
The building is still being built out on the inside for the most part and the open house we were doing was still in gray shell form - they luckily got AC and Lights in before the event which was nice, however!
The views were great and the night ended up being a lot of fun. We got to work with Organic Gourmet for the first time. They are fantastic and really do some great stuff. You should check them out if you are ever in need of meal preparation for any occasion.
We got up got things ready for the next event on Saturday and by 4:00 pm, we were on the road to Bartlesville, Ok for a wedding reception. The bride and groom were great and, again, we were happy to be a part of their big day!
This was a last minute addition to our weekend as we were helping them out so we took our simple set up - no cart or trailer for this one! We were happy with the set up and the staff at Hillcrest Country Club were great!
We arrived back in Oklahoma City around 2:00 am to unpack and restock for our last event of the weekend - the Oklahoma Bridal Show.
The show was said to have 1,100 in attendance! It was a great turnout and we had a good time serving everyone samples from our coffee and espresso bar.
It was a crazy weekend for us at Cafe Evoke Catering but that is why we love what we do!
I caught wind of an interview by Fox Business Network with my buddy Matt Milletto of the American Barista and Coffee School. Here is how it went:
I have been talking with a few people in Oklahoma about this very thing. There is actually a McDonald's test site in our state that is already serving up it's version of specialty coffee from the counter. While I have not had a chance to check it out yet, I am excited to see what they are doing and just how well they are going to be able to pull it off.
I tend to agree with Matt, however, when talking about this product. Even in a time when budgets are tight, times are getting rough and we feel that we have to save a penny everywhere we turn - I will probably still head to my local coffee retailer for something I know will be great. In Oklahoma City, that may be a bit more difficult that it was when I was in the northwest but having that great cup is something I look forward to and covet as a way to get through the day and back to a more comfortable time.
I just have a hard time imagining sitting back with a double espresso or 7 oz cappuccino next to a plastic giant of Ronald himself.
I don't think I could take my espresso seriously in the reflection of the big red shoes - maybe that's just me....
But, ladies (from Fox), Starbucks does have drive-thru's, people do want to spend money on their specialty coffee drinks, and being open less than 24 hours is not going to hurt any independent coffee retailer.
I have talked quite a bit on this blog about the film Black Gold - a film that released in 2006 about coffee trade's affects on coffee growers. It is a great film.
Cafe Evoke Catering had the chance to participate in the screening of Black Gold in Bozeman, Montana while we were there. The Bozeman Film Festival put on the event and it was a great time for all I think. There was some cool news emailed to me today that I wanted to let everyone know about.
Black Gold is available now for download! For a mere $1.99 - you can sit back and watch the film in it entirety.
Thanks to Jaman.com, Black Gold is only a few clicks away. No waiting around for the DVD to come to you, no waiting for Netflix to send it your way, all you have to do is download it and watch it! Easy!
If you sign up with the service now, you can actually watch your first movie free. Nice.
This is a great film to spend some time watching. Yes, we can talk about the holes in the current Fair Trade program all day long. We can talk about how free trade is a better method for business. We can talk about all sorts of things back and forth but really what it comes down to is this:
1. We only have one Fair Trade Program - we need to do what we can to help change it - not fight it!
2. It is about people. Coffee is a relationship product whether you believe it or not. With 20 hands touching the product in this life cycling, how could it be different?
3. You are going to get your coffee somewhere - why not support a company that takes care of it's growers?
Talk to your local coffee retailer about where their coffee comes from. Be sure that it is coming from a social responsible roaster - one that either supports the Fair Trade Certified products or at the very least is transparent on where there product comes from and why they buy the way they do.
Rent the film and watch it with you family. Your coffee will never taste the same again.
Bridal shows are a major part of what we do at Cafe Evoke Catering. As you may have guessed, weddings and all activities related are a big business for any caterer but coffee catering in particular.
The third wedding show since we have moved to Oklahoma City will be taking place on July 27th at Coles Garden. Here is the flyer from our friends at OkBride.com - the folks putting this event on:
If you are getting married, thinking about getting married or planning your friends wedding, this would be a great time to come out and see what the story is in the Oklahoma wedding industry. I would advise bringing your checkbook and credit card and planning your entire event while you are there.
I cannot speak for other wedding professionals in our industry but I can for Cafe Evoke Catering. We will be giving some crazy discounts and specials and the only way to get into the fun is to attend! Come on guys (literally) - while your fiances do their "shopping" you can come hang out with Evoke, drink some coffee and espresso and have the chance to put in your two sense - it is your day as well!
We look forward to seeing everyone there.
Comment on this page or send this to a friend if you are planning on attending. We will have a little party at the show for all that want to be a part of Evoke!
We had a few comments from yesterday's post about when to cross the line in business and with our customers that I wanted to talk about. I think there are some great points being made and, really, I want to give some real time examples and explanations.
Coffee is bigger than we are. There are so many things that go into making this product and - more importantly than the passion, skill and concentration on the baristas part - there are people and families in producing countries that quite literally live and die with coffee. It is their way of life.
That is how we feel about coffee at Evoke. It is our job to provide the best coffee and espresso that we can but also to portray that passion we have for coffee in a light that is contagious. There are many things we have done as a response to this that some may feel is crazy. I will explain.
At Evoke, we do not use blenders for drinks. We only serve Fair Trade and Organic Certified coffee, espresso and tea. We use only compostable paper and plastic products. We only offer 12 oz drinks or smaller. We strongly push our clients to rent our ceramic cups and saucers to not only avoid using paper but to really gain the benefit to the character of the espresso and espresso drinks we are serving.
All of that said, why did we do this? We are a specialty coffee company and we won't do things that will hinder our ability to provide the best possible drinks for people. I think the main thing that people get a bit hot about when talking to us about catering their next event is that we do not offer blended frozen beverages. Period.
We also will not ice cappuccinos or espresso macchiato - just like Murky and just like our local friends at Coffee Slingers. Why? Those drinks are not designed to be over ice. As for espresso over ice? I would probably still serve it for them but would explain why it is best not to.
There were some great points brought up in the comment section I wanted to be sure everyone had a chance to see.
The responsibility of the restaurant is NOT to sell you what you want, but rather to offer you some quality options. You are paying not only for the service to prepare the food, but also the opinion, judgment and expertise of the chef. When you want it "your way", you insult the chef because you are explicitly devaluing his expertise.
At Burger King you get your hamburger your way because it is a purely service restaurant - there is no chef to insult.
At the French restaurant, you get it the French way. It is still up to you decide afterward if you like it or not, and whether you will return again.
Murky coffee doesn't want to be the Burger King of Coffee Shops. Good for them! There will always be more than enough BK Coffee Shops for when you want it your way. But Murky Coffee Shops, where quality is foremost, are rare gems.
Shift your perspective. When you eat out, you may not get it the way you want it, but from time to time you will find new things that you like, but have never tried. demanding what you want when you eat out will just get you stuck in a rut.
Great points. I could not agree more! This is exactly why I love doing what I am doing. I have the chance to go to an event and introduce new drinks and it happens quite often! People get excited about what they are drinking, the story behind it and why it is created the way it is. It is great.
In fact, I have used many of these examples (about trying something different) to many of our clients. I win some over, some I lose. There is another coffee catering company in Oklahoma City that does a great business. They specialize in frozen smoothies and blended drinks and many of our clients have seen or used them in the past. They ask us to do the same thing as the other company and we just say "No - that is not what we do." I get calls all the time asking if I have begun to offer this type of service and I always say no.
Why? We are a coffee company serving the finest in coffee and espresso. We take it seriously and we are not going to do anything that takes us away from that.
This is why the question is so much in my mind - when is it ok to steer away from your policy in order to serve your customers? Maybe it never is - it never should be. I think I will be revisiting this for a lifetime.
When people hire Cafe Evoke Catering, they are getting the best. We do not just say we are "Oklahoma's premier specialty coffee catering company" for the looks. We say it because we are. People see a difference and can taste a difference.
OKPete - I will take your challenge. We will "be bold" in our approach to business and the craft that we specialize in. I will also mention here, as I said in my last post, that it is our job to explain why we do the things we do - not get into hot disagreement with our customers. There is no reason we have to be assholes over policy as we stand firm with what our business believes in. I think that was really my problem with the Murky story in the first place.
What is the line? I am not going to post the article here on A Thought Over Coffee as it has been everywhere over the past few days but if you did not, there was a situation at Murky Coffee a few days ago that left one guy feeling less than good. It really sparked a fight that seems a bit out of reason - for both sides!
I have been thinking alot about this over the past few months in fact. This just happened to take place at a good time for me as I sit down to write about my thoughts on coffee. Here are two questions that continually get stuck in my mind:
1. When do we need to cross the line for our customers? 2. What/Where is the line?
In business, the customer is always right. Right? When is the customer wrong? Is it up to the business to post policy in advance so that the customer knows exactly how things will be when they come into our store? I think this gets even trickier when it comes to coffee retailers - food service in general really.
When we go out to eat, we expect to get what we want. We are paying for the meal of course and it is the job of the server and kitchen staff to take care of us. I think we would all agree. If we want something not on the menu, we hope and mostly expect to get the meal the way we want it if we know they have the ingredients to fix it.
Why is this so unnatural in coffee?
As most people in the industry, I prefer traditional cappuccinos, lattes and espresso drinks - not diluted with sugar and flavor and not in 20 oz to-go cups. But I am also in business trying to please our customers. I want people to come back and I want people to understand the reason we love coffee and espresso so much! Isn't that the point?
Maybe I am missing the point. I here so often of shops turning people away or making them feel horrible about themselves because they wanted a flavored latte or skim milk. It is sad really. Why would people ever want to come to a great cafe with great espresso and great trained staff if they are all assholes? Not me and I am in the business!
Here is my point. Just because there are people that may not like coffee and espresso just the way we do, they are not idiots. Give them what they want to begin to offer and suggest new drinks for them to try. If they are drip coffee fans, buy them an americano. If they are a flavored latte fan, maybe suggest they try a traditional cappuccino.
We did not all come out of the womb drinking espresso macchiato so keep that in mind.
Coffee is a relationship business - both with our suppliers and producers and also our customers. Just as I do not want tomatoes on anything I eat, some want hazelnut in their latte.
As Murky Coffee was saying, it is policy that they do not serve certain things. If that is true, it is how it is but I think the main reason I would have been upset about the situation as a customer would have been the interaction between barista and customer.
Starbucks has finally released the complete list of store closings to the public. Those that were holding their breath about their "favorite place on earth" closing can now breathe again.
In the spirit of coffee news for Oklahoma, I have posted in the final results for the Oklahoma stores. You can view the entire list via .pdf here.
13302 MAIN & WAYNE 1610 N MAIN ST ALTUS OK
13415 HWY 66 & COUNTRY CLUB 1100 S LYNN RIGGS BLVD CLAREMORE OK
11285 29TH & LINDA 4755 SE 29TH ST DEL CITY OK
11858 DANFORTH & SANTA FE 2015 W DANFORTH RD EDMOND OK
13459 15TH & SANTA FE 2141 W 15TH ST EDMOND OK
13720 SHERIDAN & GORE 1204 NW SHERIDAN RD LAWTON OK
11542 HWY 69 & COMANCHE 427 S GEORGE NIGH EXPY MCALESTER OK
13541 SHAWNEE & 6TH 591 W SHAWNEE MUSKOGEE OK
11144 122ND & PENNSYLVANIA 12124 N PENNSYLVANIA AVE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
11543 MEMORIAL & MAY 3131 W MEMORIAL OKLAHOMA CITY OK
13324 BROADWAY EXTENSION & BRITTON 125 W BRITTON RD OKLAHOMA CITY OK
14093 WESTERN & 89TH 9201 S WERN AVE OKLAHOMA CITY OK
13721 14TH & BRADLEY 2400 N 14TH ST PONCA CITY OK
11287 HWY 62 & MEADOW CREEK 1702 S MUSKOGEE AVE TAHLEQUAH OK
11936 81ST & MINGO 9524 E 81ST ST TULSA OK
Acutally, I'm a bit surprised that there are this many closing in Okahoma. It seems that many of these just opened and are already being cut. I guess there are going to be even more new buildings for lease now as Starbucks was in the process of building quite a few new locations.
I have been watching the location at 23rd and Penn (in front of Ace Hardware) for sometime and after they finished the exterior, parking lots and landscaping - they stopped. I'm guess this one is gone before birth.
I know many people are going to be upset by all of this but I can assure you that this is not the end of coffee in Oklahoma just as it was not the beginning. Need a list of great local coffee places to get your daily espresso? Comment below and I will give you some places to try!
CoffeeFest Seattle is just around the corner and we have never been more excited! It feels more like a homecoming this year than anything else but a week of great coffee and friends is never far from the top of my list of great times. While I will be talking much more about the show as it gets even closer and of course will be "live blogging" again as I have for the past several years, I wanted to talk a bit about what we are looking forward to.
We plan on spending more time hanging out and watching the Milrock Free Pour Latte Art Competition. While I am not quite ready to compete myself, I love the idea and really want to take it all in this year. I mean, after watching the USBC and the WBC on USTream, how could you not be addicted!
I also am interested in completing the International Academy of Specialty Coffee certification testing that happens every year at Coffee Fest. This IASC Certificate is not an all mighty need but something that I think will be fun and worth the few dollars it will take to complete. I have a few questions about it still but that is something I am excited about for this year.
There are also a few classes that caught my eye. Here is a list of ones that I will probably attend. I will talk about them in more detail later. For now, just a list!
Exploring Models Beyond Fair Trade, Is there a brighter future for the Coffee Farmer?
How to Develop Sustainable Direct Trade Relationships
Movie - Strong Coffee - The Story of Café Feminino
Coffee Retail Bookkeeping & P & L Analysis
Free Press: How to Land Articles in Local & National Publications
Espresso or Coffee? Know the Difference
Long list I guess. Those are just some of the classes that look interesting at this point. This list may change but for now, that is what I have my eye on.
I love this time of year!
You can look at a complete schedule of events and classes here. Keep checking back as sometimes they add things before the show.
Live Blogging + Oklahoma Food Operators Certification Program
Part 4:Hey, after all this time we finally got to the "mobile food part. Of course, we pretty much skipped right over it. I think we may have spent at least 37 seconds on it or something.
Now I feel complete!
Our instructor did say we should get out of here before 6. That would be nice.
We just had a section about equipment and layout design. While I understand the importance of ergonomics and design in the kitchen, I am still figuring out why we needed to talk about that when it comes to sanitation. Who knows.
I just want to pull espresso.
Part 3: We are on another break - holy smokes. We are learning all about storage - dry, cold and chemical, temperatures of food, cooling and cooking processes and more. I tell you what, we are on page 123 of our book and it is so much information! I have just been trying my best to get all the information I need about the products I use - milk.
So, I ended up having a cappuccino from 1st Edition on the way back up to lunch. When he first began making it, I was thinking - you got to be kidding! It sounded like he stretched my milk for 3 minutes and never let it really get velvety and smooth. I could not tell about the espresso as the machine was loud and in a spot that did not allow me to watch.
I got the drink and was actually surprised at how like and smooth it looked. I sipped some of the foam and it was nice and sweet. I guess you should not judge a book by it's cover! ...or should you?
The milk was great but then I got a mouthful of espresso. Wow. Bitter, tangy, stout and not very good. Unfortunate!
More in a bit...
Part 2: Lunch time now so I thought it would be good to try out 1st Edition Cafe and Espresso Bar located in the new library. Why not? I have been meaning to do this for quite some time now but, as I have already admitted to, I am not much of the library goer - yet anyway!
I walked in at a good time as about 15 people followed me. I opted for The Odyssey sandwich, chips and a drink. After about 10 or so minutes, I finally got my sandwich - somehow after two ladies who ordered after me.
I probably should have had coffee but I have had Neighbors Coffee before and...well...I went with an iced tea. The group does use Rancillo machines and grinders which do a fine job. Maybe next time I will try it out. I wonder what Starbucks would call a 10oz drink like what 1st Edition offers?
45 minutes until class begins again....
Part 1: Here I sit in a class telling me all about food service regulations and safety. The class is being put on by the Downtown College Consortium at the new Downtown Oklahoma City Library. There are about 30 or so people in this room as we read through two textbooks provided with our $125.00 course fee:
Book 1: Chapter 257 - Food Service Establishment Regulations Book 2: Food Safety Fundamentals (updated to the 2003 Suppliment to the 2001 FDA Food Code
What a class. I think the best part of this whole deal so far is being in the new Library. It is a very cool place. I sorta feel that I should have been here before as it is a good place to get information. But, this is my first time and I am impressed so far!
The class began promptly (10 min late) and is being taught by a sanitation expert - Pam Brummit, MA, RD/LD (not sure what the letters mean behind her name).
This is part one of day one. Only 16 hours left in this course (over the next 2 meetings). ...be bold
Bridal shows are a major part of what we do at Cafe Evoke Catering. As you may have guessed, weddings and all activities related are a big business for any caterer and coffee catering in particular.
The third wedding show since we have moved to Oklahoma City will be taking place on July 27th at Coles Garden. Here is the flyer from our friends at OkBride.com - the folks putting this event on:
If you are getting married, thinking about getting married or planning your friends wedding, this would be a great time to come out and see what the story is in the Oklahoma wedding industry. I would advise bringing your checkbook and credit card and planning your entire event while you are there.
I cannot speak for other wedding professionals in our industry but I can for Cafe Evoke Catering. We will be giving some crazy discounts and specials and the only way to get into the fun is to attend! Come one guys (literally) - while your fiances do their "shopping" you can come hang out with Evoke, drink some coffee and have the chance to put in your two sense - it is your day as well!
We look forward to seeing everyone there.
Comment on this page or send this to a friend if you are planning on attending. We will have a little party at the show for all that want to be a part of Evoke!
Thanks to our friend Samantha Olson, Cafe Evoke Catering now has images to use for ads and on the web! The shoot went down at our friends place - 611 Creative in Downtown OKC. It was alot of work but way worth it.
We set up almost everything we had - both set ups (the cart and machines on the counter), cold drinks, syrups, airpots and had a chance to even pull a few. We did not have a chance to use the granita machine for the shoot or the brewer due to time but we think we got enough to last us awhile.
I put together a video clip of the shoot. Check it out!
We have been putting these videos together for the past month or so of events we have images of. It is a cool way to look at photos we think. You can now keep up with all of Cafe Evoke Catering's events and images not only on our website but also on YouTube!
Thanks for the support so far. We have some great new ads and banners coming soon so be on the look out!
By the way, if you are in need of photos for anything - product (like ours), wedding, engagement, community event, baby, family, band, or just for the hell of it, give Sam a call or visit her MySpace page for more information. She is seriously one of the best you will work with - trust us.
We are back in Oklahoma City after a great weekend in Steamboat Springs, CO. I will quickly say that I was overall impressed with the coffee culture of this Colorado ski town. Even with the drinks that I may have been a bit harsh on, I enjoyed talking to everyone I met there and would go back to each of them next time I get to Steamboat. Thanks to those that are there that welcomed us!
Now, it is back to business. I think it was good to step away from it for a few days but it feels good to sit down and start working again.
We are excited to be one of the featured vendors for the month of July. Special Events Oklahoma is doing a great job getting the word out of events going on around our state as well as giving event planners of all kinds the tools they need to make their event a success.
From budget planning to a resource directory, Special Events Oklahoma is your place to get started!
Take a look at the feature and let us know what you think!
Travelin', Sippin', Bloggin' + Amante in Steamboat Springs, CO
I was looking forward to this place before I even got here. Amante Coffee actually has three locations - the newest being in Steamboat. It actually reminds me of what, say, Cafe Illy would do - very traditional style with a mix of corporate and trendy design.
The first thing you will notice is the branding. The ceramic cups and saucers are all branded with red AMANTE and the rest of the store follows suit. The mix of media within the place is nice - concrete floors, large garage door that opens onto a side patio, the red Marzocco FB/70 (it appears) with red and white branded coffee in front, mix of table types and seating ares and a full bar to compliment.
The place feels good.
I have had a chance to come here on 3 occasions over the past 2 days and I have mostly enjoyed it. My first Americano was just ok. The espresso did not taste very unique. With light and shallow crema, the espresso tasted flat. I went back and had a cappuccino and it was everything I had been expecting since I got here. Sweet, smooth and elegant. Micro foam was great and I enjoyed every sip. My last cappuccino (I'm drinking it as I type) was a mix between my first two. The espresso seemed a bit tired and the milk was more frothy than my last. I still enjoyed it but not to the extent I did the first time.
I am not sure what the barista culture is here at Amante. They all seem to know what they are doing and also have been trained well but I do not see the flare or excitement from them that I would expect in a place like this.
It is Saturday morning and the crowd has been consistent since I got here. That makes me happy. I love to see people coming in and getting their espresso drinks before heading out for the day. The crowd seems to be getting cappuccinos and coffee mostly - a nice change from the normal mocha orders I hear in Oklahoma City. Nothing is wrong with Mochas but it is interesting to see the culture difference being back in the mountains of Colorado.
This is our last day in Steamboat and we plan to hang out and enjoy it before returning to work. It has been a good trip and we had some good and bad coffee while we were here. I may have one or two more posts coming about coffee in Steamboat Springs, CO in a day or two. I have a few other pieces of business to blog about coming up so stay tuned!
Travelin', Sippin', Bloggin' + Spill The Beans in Steamboat Springs, CO
Day number 2 of our Steamboat Springs hang out weekend. We have had a nice time so far and everyone has been friendly.
Happy 4th of July
We had a chance to head downtown to watch the parade. It was long! It was cool to see all the people and I am always one for community events around any town - mountain towns are the best though.
I am sitting in Spill the Beans doing some work and taking a break from walking the streets. I was excited to try it out, especially after the comment that was left for me a few days ago:
By far the best is Spill the Beans, located on 13th st across from the Art Depot (old train depot). I like the fair-trade thing and the coffee & espressos are the best in town. I also play acoustic guitar there during the First Friday Artwalk (each month) , so if you are in town stop by…
I will tell you that when I walked in, the place took me by surprise. I was expecting a bit of a trendy, more coffee house flavor but found it to be more of a small place with only a few tables and a couch - more like walking into someone's living room. There were a few people hanging around and there was a bit of retail available for purchase.
Here is a bit about them from their site:
From its meager beginnings in an 8x10 foot shed in front of a grocery store in 1998 (with no heat, plumbing ... or floor, for that matter!), to a full-fledged espresso bar in 2004, Spill the Beans has always been committed to serving the finest gourmet specialty, organic, fair trade and shade grown coffees available. At our new location at 1051 13th Street, Spill the Beans is still the locally owned, owner-operated coffee shop you've come to know and love. We pride ourselves on getting to know our customers, their likes and dislikes, and being able to accommodate any special needs. It's the personal touch found nowhere else in Steamboat Springs. And with a mind-boggling menu of lattes and cappuccinos, including as many as fifteen sugar-free flavors, we offer a plethora of alternatives to that plain, vanilla latte you've been ordering! We also serve organic teas and tisanes, a variety of hot chocolates, and flavored whipped cream that is to-die-for! In the summer, beat the heat with your own custom-made Italian soda (mix up to 4 flavors!) or an ice-cold smoothie. And be sure to try one of our fresh-baked scones, muffins or breakfast biscuits! Check back often, as we continue to add to our menu.
I was taken back a bit by the open stock room doors - made the place seem a bit messy but put that aside as it was a slow afternoon after the parade and the place was getting ready for the art walk that is to happen tonight.
I ordered a cappuccino and luckily caught her before she put it in a huge 16 oz cup. I would have preferred to have it "for here" but again had to have it in paper. No problem. I, again, was asked if I wanted it "wet", "dry", or in between. I asked for the later.
Again, not overly impressed. The shot was way off (super fast) and the milk was clumpy. I try not to hold judgment on one drink but that is all I have to go on at this point. I may need to give it another try before we leave. I think just cleaning up the place (grinder, shot glasses, steaming pitcher, etc) would help with flavor.
The people at the place were friendly and great and I know they care about what they are doing. They do have breakfast menu and it is probably a great place to spend a relaxing afternoon.
Great work to the group for participating in the area art walks. We love it! We wish them luck.
Travelin', Sippin', Bloggin' + Steaming Bean Coffee Co in Steamboat Springs, CO
We finally got to Steamboat, Colorado yesterday as Jenni gracefully steered us to our condos. It was nice to be back in the mountains - very nice actually. Driving through Denver on and getting back up to the cool sweet air was a relief.
So, we found ourselves downtown this morning and looking for espresso. I talked about several shops I found online a few days ago and set out to find them. We actually ended up stopping at a different place however - Steaming Bean Coffee Co.. Here is a bit about them I found on their site:
We are a dedicated band of coffee professionals in business since 1991 bringing you Smoked European style slow roasted coffees shipped fresh from the roaster to your door. We bring you 45 years' combined experience in coffee growing, importing, classifying and roasting to ensure you receive only the best quality beans roasted to perfection. Our retail locations in South West Colorado serve over a thousand people a day who swear we have the best coffee they've ever tasted!
Compare our quality/price combination, it's hard to beat. Here's some of the ways we do it differently.
It looks like the place is new to Steamboat as on their site, it is not listed.
The place was in a pretty cool location although construction makes it a bit of a mess. Serving off a La Marzocco, the place seemed to have a good vibe and a nice crowd on hand. I ordered a cappuccino - hoping for a 7 or 8 oz drink "for here" but got a 12 oz "to go" cup that was half full. I was asked if I wanted it "wet" or "dry" and I asked them for something as velvety smooth as they could get. Here is what I got:
Jenni and her brother both got lattes and said they were good. The espresso was pretty nice but the milk left something to be desired - at least for me. The texture was just to clumpy.
So, one place down and more to come.
I love being back here. People are friendly, walking around and talking about their days over coffee - a great welcome to Evoke so far.
For many coffee companies, Cafe Evoke Catering included, the milk carton is something we become very fond of. There are many ways we have seen milk - gallon jugs, half gallon jugs, cardboard cartons, glass - now square?
Jenni sent me a link to an article yesterday by the New York Times's Stephanie Rosenbloom talking about the new milk jug.
The new "jugs" are square with a flat top (no real pour spout) with rigid sides. A few of the main reasons for coming up with this? Shipping, packing and storage.
A simple change to the design of the gallon milk jug, adopted by Wal-Mart and Costco, seems made for the times. The jugs are cheaper to ship and better for the environment, the milk is fresher when it arrives in stores, and it costs less.
It seems, however, that people do not like change! While I gather that it may be difficult to learn to pour and will cause you to take a double take once it is in your frig, it doesn't seem all bad. Maybe I should try and use one before really talking.
There are rants everywhere on the web about it but some (like the one I just mentioned) seem to be understanding the new system and are more concerned with how the new jugs are being packaged together at one of the stores that adopted the new style.
(image credit to sustainable goods)Sustainable Goods wrote a piece about the product as well. It seems this product has been "on the market" since about 1998 while staying fairly localized to the OH region of the US. The company responsible for the design and packaging of the new jugs is Creative Edge, a division of Superior Dairy in Canton, Ohio. You can read a full profile of the company at Packaging Digest.
I am excited to try the new jugs out. It will be interesting to see how this will change how we do business on the coffee catering side of things. We have several things to worry about with this new design. Mainly transport (in coolers)and cleanliness (we serve coffee drinks in people's living rooms).
There are several other things I like about the idea other than the packaging and environmental stuff. I like the fact that the milk is fresher. From what I have read, the stores involved with the new milk jug are saying the milk arrives more often and stays fresh much longer than in the past. I am all in for fresher milk!
All in all, I like the idea. I am going to hold off any in depth review until I have had a chance to try the milk out in person and on my own. Maybe I will go to one of those classes Costco is offering!
