Looking Back at May 8th, 2009

On May 8th, 2009 - we opened 1708 with our great friends Josh McCullock Photography and Gibson Events. Here are a few pictures from the opening: If you were not there, you missed some awesome times for sure! Not only was it a time to hang out and get to know a bunch of new friends, we had a chance to eat some awesome food by Seasons Catering/Table One and some chocolate and more from Cocoflow, sip on some sweet home brews and taste coffee by Cafe Evoke Catering (of course!) Oh, did you catch the sweet 1708 ice in the pictures? That thing was expertly carved by Ideas in Ice! Thank you again to everyone who came out. It was cool to see you and we look forward to much more happenings at 1708! Be sure to swing by on the second Friday of every month between 7 and 11 in the evening for LIVE on the Plaza! This is a cool artwalk/events night for our area and all the businesses have cool things going on. You can follow those happens on twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/1708okc More to come later... ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, 1708okc Add us on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter!

Batdorf and Bronson's Thoughts on the 2009 Panama Esmeralda Coffee Auction

As many of you probably are already well aware of (and hopefully have had a chance to try it!), the coffee that we serve is expertly roasted by our great friends at Batdorf and Bronson Coffee Roasters. We like to bring you the best coffees we can at your event and B&B are always hooking us up with some great finds! One of our favorites in the studio of Cafe Evoke Catering every year are the Panama Esmerelda coffees. The auction for these coffees has finally come to an end and, like always, they are going to be great! Here is a short list of prices from the auction thanks to the Batdorf Blog: * Reserva de la Señora: $117.50/lb. ($105.25 was last years highest bid.) * Caballeriza: $28.50 / lb. * Carnaval: $40.50 / lb. * San José: $30.00/lb. * Pascua: $27.00/lb. * Naranjo: $24.00/lb. * Colgá: $25.00/lb. It is important to keep in mind that these are the prices for green coffee - not roasted and ready to prepare. For instance, the Reserva de la Senora that went for $117.50 per pound (green) would probably run you $250.00 or more after roasting. Batdorf was also kind enough to provide their cupping notes from the sample batches they received. The reason we are sharing this with you? You will be seeing some of these coffees served by us at your next event! Reserva de la Senora A sweet carmely cup with a soft acidity and hints of butter and lemon. Very nice impressions of tropical punch flavor and super sweet. Caballeriza A balanced cup with a heavy body and a sour cherry sweetness. Nicely acidic, beautifully bright pointed acidity coupled with the deep red fruit flavors. Los Mario Candy Chemicals, necco wafer. Good clean fruity character with some unexpected Baru-ish Panama flavors – graham cracker and chocolate. Mario San Jose Sweet BBQ sauce, rosemary, savory, ginger, rosehips. Very bright. Mario Pascua Honey-like body, tropical fruit, good definition in acidity and body. Flowery and sweet. Excellent. Naranjo Heavy spice with hints of licorice and fennel. Bright yet balanced, traces of sandalwood among the tart tropical fruity flavors. Colga Buttery caramel, peanut skin, malty and sweet milk chocolate. Fruity tea-like influences, bergamot. At some point soon, we will be offering the Caballeriza so stay tuned. We will let you know! If you would like to purchase coffee by Batdorf and Bronson, you can give us a call or you can buy from them directly (with WAY more options!) online at www.DancingGoats.com. If you have not visited their website, you should. Have a great weekend! ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, Badorf and Bronson, panama esmeralda Add us on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter!

"You might not get a hug, but you’ll likely want to give one."

(video is from NewsOk.com - more info can be found to go with it as well by clicking above) At Cafe Evoke Catering, we fully believe in the relationships coffee generously allows us to be a part of. The product itself is a living thing that takes real people from all over the world working together so that we all can enjoy what we have grown to be so fond of. It really is an amazing thing. Well, as coffee is to us, so is food to my great friends over at Table One in Oklahoma City. As you saw in the video (STOP! You did not view it yet? Go back and watch it, then read on!), these two guys are creating something that is more than just food, more than something slopped on a plate, passed around and tagged a meal. At Table One, the whole dining experience has been deconstructed, an inversion of the relationship between diner and chef. And when it’s over, you’ll take home memories to mark time, and two new friends. We love to see this happening across our city as we know it has been happening across the country (and world for that matter). These are two people taking on a challenge bigger than anything they have ever taken on - to weld a passion for their art and craft with the passion to create a bond with their guests that leaves them excited to talk about it. As I have talked about before, I like to see a group that is taking every part of their craft seriously. As you may have noticed in the video, Table One tops everything off at the end with a very nice press or vacuum pot of freshly roasted coffee from our other great friends at Elemental Coffee Roasters also based here in Oklahoma City. In short, the experience you get by watching them create your meal and seeing the passion they put in to every part of the night really is summed up in a quote I found at the end of this piece: "You might not get a hug, but you’ll likely want to give one." Here is a great article about the two that talks more about what they are doing and why. Here is more useful information about Table One: →Information or reservations: 607-8131. →Dress: Whatever you’re comfortable in. →Prices: Start at $75 per person for 2 to 14 people. Price varies based on number of courses and size of party. If nothing else, go for the coffee! Even the toughest of coffee critics will walk away happy! ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, Table One Add us on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter!

How things have been going...in short form.

Hey everyone - my sincere apologies for the lack of posts lately. Holy smokes. Things have been going crazy around here with Cafe Evoke Catering. We just wanted to write and tell everyone that we are still here and to not forget about us - writing is going to continue and I promise it will get better than this! First, Jenni and I want to say a huge thanks to everyone that came out to the grand opening of 1708 - our new studio that we share with our great friends Josh McCullock Photography and Gibson Events. We had about 300 people come out for food, drinks and lively conversation and we all had a great time. For those that missed it, we will have pictures as soon as they are released. Secondly, if you have not seen the studio, give us a call and and schedule a time to chat! You come, we will bring the coffee. Here is our new information in case you need to put it down or pass it along to a friend for their next event: (studio) 405 606-2200 (fax) 405 606-2205 We will also be showing at a few bridal shows coming up in the next few months for those of you that may need/want to go to those. Come see us! We will talk more about the shows coming up a bit closer to time. In the mean time, have a great Memorial Day weekend. We look forward to talking with you soon. Oh, one more thing, I know it says on the bottom of the post to "follow us" around the internet - well, you really should! We use Twitter all the time and would love for you to follow us! If you do, please post a mention to us and tell us you read the blog! Thanks! www.twitter.com/cafeevoke You can also follow Jenni at www.twitter.com/cafeevoke_jenni ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, 1708okc Add us on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter!

2009 Urban Pioneers Luncheon!

There are many great things about being here in the historic Plaza District of OKC. We have already made tons of friends here and are happy to be a part of this great area! One of the cool things that The Plaza District does each year is give out the Urban Pioneer Award. That time is coming again! Here is the press release! Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, April 2nd, 2009 – The Board of Directors of the Plaza District Association is pleased to announce that former Oklahoma City Councilwoman Ann Simank will be the recipient of the 2009 Urban Pioneer Award. The award is given each year to an individual in Oklahoma City who exemplifies Oklahoma’s pioneering spirit with their leadership and their commitment to urban revitalization. The 2009 Urban Pioneer Awards Luncheon will be held Thursday, May 14th from 11:30 to 1:00 PM at RED Prime Steak in Oklahoma City. Meg Salyer, recipient of the 2007 Urban Pioneer Award, will serve as the event emcee. “It was Ann Simank’s leadership that launched the revitalization of the Plaza District in 1996. As an outspoken advocate for the inner city, she was instrumental in establishing the public/private partnerships that have made our efforts in the Plaza District so successful” said Susan Hogan, former director of the district association. “Ann always understood that a city can only be as healthy as its inner core – and today, the prognosis for Oklahoma City is excellent!” “Ann has been a long-time supporter of ALL of our inner city” continued Kristen Vails, Executive Director of the Association. “Her leadership has been instrumental in the redevelopment of Stockyards City, Automobile Alley, Midtown, the Medical District, and St. Anthony Hospital – just to name a few”, she continued. The Plaza District Association has adopted the term “urban pioneering” to describe its work in inner city revitalization. Fueled by creativity, over the last several years the Plaza District has emerged as an exciting new destination for arts and entertainment. The district’s transformation has been driven by the collaborative efforts of neighbors, business owners, property owners, volunteers, artists, City staff, and the Oklahoma Main Street Program. Past honorees include: Dr. Tom McDaniel, President of Oklahoma City University, honored in 2005; Mrs. Lou C. Kerr, visionary leader in the Plaza District and all the arts, honored in 2006; Mrs. Meg Salyer, pioneer in the transformation of Automobile Alley and invaluable Plaza advisor, honored in 2007; and Mr. Mark Funke and Mr. Mike Turpen, leaders of Lyric Theatre’s highly successful $10 million capital campaign, honored in 2008. For reservations or more information contact: Kristen Vails at kristen@plazadistrict.org or phone 308-5991. Luncheon tickets are $45 and can also be purchased online at www.plazadistrict.org There still should be seats available and this should be something you should not miss if you can avoid it! ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, plaza district Add us on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter!

1708 Launch Party!

For those that have been following this blog, I am very sorry for not writing more lately. Things with Cafe Evoke Catering have been rockin and time has been difficult to find! So, thanks for that! After over a month of waiting, 1708 - the new home of Oklahoma's premier specialty coffee catering company - is finished! We are having a huge party to celebrate and we want you to come! First, we wanted to introduce our studio mates - Josh McCullock and Gibson Events. Lindsay Ames Gibson of Gibson Events has been planning weddings and events for five years. "Opening a studio in Oklahoma City was a natural progression for Gibson Events. When the opportunity to join with Josh McCullock and Jason and Jenni Duncan of Café Evoke presented itself, it just made sense. Our three companies share a progressive ideology and a fresh perspective in Oklahoma hospitality", said Gibson. Josh McCullock is taking the fine art wedding photography scene by storm with his moving journalistic style. McCullock shared, "When I realized that Gibson Events and Café Evoke shared my ambition to open a studio, the idea to form a co-op was born". The party is going to be great and we have many friends sharing it with us including Seasons Catering/Table 1, Cocoflow, Ideas in Ice, Ferment-Us Brewing and Von Wedding Films just to name a few! This event is all about fun and we want you to be there! I hope to be back to normal blogging soon. In the mean time, plan on being here on May 8th! ...be bold Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, 1708 okc Add us on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter!