A Thought Over Coffee

Vote Today! Oklahoma Magazine's Best of The Best 2010!

2010-03-08T17:44:00.000-06:00

We have had a great time hanging out with all of you for the past 2 years! You helped us last year get voted OKC's Best New Service Business through the Oklahoma Gazette.

We need your help again! It is time to vote for Oklahoma Magazine's 2010 Best of the Best! If you have enjoyed our coffee at weddings or other events across the state or if you have had the chance to make it to our studio - 1708okc - in OKC's Historic Plaza District for one of our client parties, the Keep it Local Launch Party, Free Coffee Monday or LIVE on the Plaza, we'd love your vote for Best Caterer!

There are also many businesses that are in the Plaza District that fit on the ballet!

Thanks again for your support and we appreciate your vote!

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, Best of the Best 2010

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Monday: A Perfect Day For Free Coffee!

2010-03-01T10:54:00.003-06:00

Monday's are tough, we know! So, we came up with an event a few months ago called Free Coffee Monday (Search #FreeCoffeeMonday on Twitter or follow us for more info) and it has been a rockin time! Here is a promo video our friend Mike Jones did for us! We'd love to see you on Mondays between 7:00 and 9:30 in the morning for coffee!

#FreeCoffeeMonday from Mike Jones on Vimeo.

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, free coffee monday

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Keep it Local OK Launch Party! Come out!

2010-02-16T10:57:00.000-06:00

Cafe Evoke Catering is proud to be a host for the Keep it Local OK launch Party! Keep It Local is dedicated to promoting the locally owned and independent businesses that make Oklahoma great. In a nutshell, our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to find, choose, and enjoy the incredible businesses found right here in our state!

This party is for EVERYONE and will be happening at our studio - 1708 NW 16th Street - in Oklahoma City's Historic Plaza District. Don't know what Keep it Local OK is? Well, I guess you have some reading to do!

More information can be found at the following links:

This is a small post about the group we wrote a few weeks ago: Keeping it Local in Oklahoma.

OK Gazette talks about Keep it Local!

Watch the News9 story!

You can check the website for a list of rewards. Businesses are being added all the time so be sure to check back often. If you want to grab a card, you can do so right here at Cafe Evoke Catering - 1708 NW 16th Street for 10 bucks.

Also,

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, Keep it Local OK

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A Dream Came True!

2010-02-15T17:38:00.000-06:00

Cafe Evoke Catering was asked to be a part of a great event - helping one couple have their dream wedding! We could not pass up the offer to help make this couple's dream come true. This project was to show that this bride and groom could have everything they want for their wedding and stick to the low side of an average wedding budget. Here is a video from the wedding!

Meredith & Eric's Dream Wedding... from Mark & Trisha Von Lanken on Vimeo.

Congratulations to Meredith and Eric from all of us at Cafe Evoke Catering! We had a great time serving you the best in specialty coffee!

Interested in anything you saw? Here are the other great vendors from across Oklahoma that helped make this come true.

Wedding Consultant ::About Last Night Special Event Planning

Rentals::Mariannes Rentals for Special Events

Floral::Cole Dewey Designs

Invitations::Paper N’ More

Gourmet Coffee Bar::Café Evoke Catering

Limousine::Kings Limo

Wedding Gown/Bridesmaids Dresses/Tuxes::JJ Kelly Bridal

Catering::Cheevers Catering

Photography::Traina Portraits

Hair & Makeup::Visionary Artistry

Popcorn Bar/Favors::42nd Street Candy Co.

Wedding Cake::Mishelle Handy Cakes

Entertainment::Box Talent Agency

Videography::Von Wedding Films

Oklahoma City's News9 also picked up the story. You can click here to see what ran shortly after the wedding.

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, dream wedding

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Have Your Next Event At 1708 / Home of Cafe Evoke Catering!

2010-02-12T10:03:00.000-06:00

We know you are busy planning your next event but we want you to know that we are here to help! You may have also thought about having specialty coffee at your event or maybe you haven't. What you have for sure thought about, though, was what you were going to do to impress your guests while not running yourself into the ground.

We have your solution!

Have your event at 1708okc - home of Cafe Evoke Catering! 1708 is located in Oklahoma City's Historic Plaza District - an emerging art and entertainment district located in the heart of Oklahoma City, off NW 16th between Classen and Penn Avenues. A district with rich history, diverse culture and renewed energy, the Plaza District is home to local shops, galleries, restaurants, studios and creative businesses.

Our goal is simple, to provide a place you feel at home with and that will help highlight your event. When you rent 1708 through Cafe Evoke Catering, we provide the following:

The Space / about 1400 square feet of urban, loft chic which includes:

About 1,000 square feet
Couches/lounge area in front (you can always bring in tables though!)
10 top table
Use of our oven and kitchen
Bathroom
Music

The Coffee Bar / A full service coffee bar by Oklahoma's premier specialty coffee catering company, Cafe Evoke Catering including:

Unlimited specialty coffee drinks
Lattes
Mochas
Cappuccinos
French Pressed Coffee
And More!

You can download menus and options online at CafeEvoke.com.

The Staff / We take care of everything! All you have to do is plan the event, rent the space and send the invitations! Our staff will take care of the trash and any other cleaning!*

We know, we know - you want to know what this will cost you, right? You can have all of this for up to 50 of your closest friends starting at just $650.00!** Give us a call or swing by sometime to check things out and get more information on renting 1708okc for your next event.

We look forward to talking with you more and hanging out with your guests!

(*contact us for full cleaning policy, **price is good for a 3 hour rental)

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, 1708okc

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Buy A Hat. Change A Life // Krochet Kids International

2010-02-11T12:02:00.000-06:00

Have you seen or heard about what Krochet Kids is doing? No?? Ok, then, before I go on, here is a bit about them!

Krochet Kids International's mission is simple:

Krochet Kids international works in developing nations to empower impoverished communities to rise above poverty.

Krochet Kids International is a non-profit organization founded upon Love. We believe that actions based in Love have power to change the world.

Krochet Kids strives to change lives across the world using the tool of crocheting. The profits of our product are used to advance the movement of empowering suffering youth, families, and communities across the world by supplying basic nutritional needs, education, skills, self-dependency and employment.

Cool, huh? We at Cafe Evoke Catering have been wearing their hats all winter long and love every second of it. Each hat is signed by the hands that made it and you can jump jump online and meet the lady that is helping keep your head warm.

We were first drawn to Krochet Kids hats while shopping with our friends at Shop Good. They tempted us with these awesome handmade head covers! We loved them! After buying a few and not wanting to take them off, we starting reading more about KKI and what all they were doing. We begin watching the videos of the women who made them and hearing their stories of why they are doing this and what it all means. We then were hooked!

So, in an effort to not only keep the heads of our friends here in OKC and the United States warm but to also help our new friends in Northern Uganda survive, we have created what we are un-officially calling Evoke|Communities. Here is how it works:

1. Plan an Event!Have a party and get all of your friends together! It can be your wedding or reception, birthday party, house warming party, or something totally different!
2. Call Cafe Evoke Catering!Pick up the phone and dial (405) 606-2200 or swing by our studio in OKC's Historic Plaza District (1708 NW 16th STreet) and talk to us about having a specialty coffee bar at your event!
3. Pick A Supported Group!Pick one of the groups that we are supporting (in this case, KKI!)
4. Tell us to donate 5% of your total!Pick the group, we'll cut them a check for 5% of your total invoice!

DONE!

You also still have plenty of time (before warmer temps) to get to their online store for a hat or other awesome item! Also, we found out that our buddies across the street at Shop Good are having a sale on these hats!

Yes, we know that the cooler temps are going to be ending soon but you have to stay warm some how while they are still here! We are just hoping that KKI ends up putting together summer style hats.

Coffee is important to us but taking care of our friends across the planet is almost more important. This is just one small way Cafe Evoke Catering is giving back. Keep checking back for more information on Evoke|Communities (or whatever we end up calling it!). We just wanted you to know that this is going on now! We will be featuring other groups as we get them set up.

Enjoy your day!

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, Krochet Kids

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Specialty Coffee Bars | A Must Have At Your Wedding Reception

2010-02-10T13:37:00.000-06:00

At Cafe Evoke Catering, we go to TONS of weddings each year. From outdoor rustic to high society country club chic, each looks and feels different but there is one thing they all have in common - lines at the coffee bar! As we talked about in our last post, coffee bars are great as a stand only feature at your reception or as a perfect closing gift for your guests after awesome dinner, dessert and fun.

We were looking around the net to see what others were saying about having a specialty coffee bar (or espresso bar) and came across an awesome article from WedNet.com about this very thing!

By far this WedNet's most recommended and favorite service for a wedding reception. Specialty coffee drinks are not only the hottest rage in the country, but it is a healthy and socially responsible alternative or addition to serving alcohol. An espresso bar can provide a cosmopolitan touch of elegance as well as a sophisticated flair to the reception.

The article gives some great pointers of what to ask for when looking for a specialty coffee catering company. Here are a few questions the article brings up:

Where do you purchase your coffee from?
Is your coffee source a roaster or a wholesale distributor? How fresh is the coffee?
What kind of espresso machine(s) do you have available?
Is your machine mounted on a cart? What does it look like?
If your machine is not on a cart does it require a special table? Do you provide it?
What are your electrical (voltage and amperage) and water requirements?
Will you offer nonfat or low fat milk? Hot chocolate?
What Italian syrups do you provide for making flavored lattes and mochas?
If we require your servers (baristas) to stay longer can that be arranged?
Do you charge by the hour or by the number of guests?
Do you offer all your drinks in decaf?
Do you offer whip cream?
Are there any special equipment load in requirements?
How are your barites dressed?
What does your espresso station look like and how much space does it take up?
Do you provide protective mats for the carpeting?
Can you provide 3 or more references for jobs similar to our reception?
Do you charge for setup and delivery?
What is your minimum service time?

We would be happy to have you to our studio, 1708 NW 16th, to talk about your reception and to answer any of the questions above and more! We are also happy to get you sample drinks from our entire menu.

We look forward to talking with you more! If you have not clicked over to WedNet yet, do it!

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, coffee bar weddings

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British Glam and Cafe Evoke Catering? Hey, We Think It Looks Great!

2010-02-09T09:39:00.000-06:00

We may have mentioned this already but we had the awesome opportunity to help one of Oklahoma's finest planners with her table top design spread! The designer was Lindsay Gibson of Gibson Events and when we saw the inspiration board, we knew this was going to be sweet! The spread was featured on pages 88 and 89 of the current Brides of Oklahoma magazine!

Here is a bit from Lindsay about the spread from blog:

Event design is pretty much one of my favorite things in the whole world. I really get into the creative process. This year my submission came complete with a playlist, that although not in the magazine, I feel enhances the visual experience. So... if you don't mind, please amass the selections below before viewing either the spread, the video or the additional photos from the shoot featured here. Just kidding - I thought it was a cool idea though.

Cocktails:
Air – Talisman
Radiohead – Knives Out
Moby – Porcelain
Radiohead – The National Anthem
Beck – Think I’m In Love
Luscious Jackson – Faith

Dinner:
Ryan Lindsey – Friend For Life
Cold War Kids – Hospital Beds
Beirut – Postcards from Italy
Nada Surf – Inside of Love
Wilco – Sky Blue Sky
The Libertines – Music When the Lights Go Out

Dessert:
Francois Breut - Portsmouth
Celso Fonseca – Perdi
Bebel Gilberto – Samba da Bencao
Oliver Onions – Zorro is Back

Dancing:
Jimmy Luxury and the Tommy Rome Orchestra – Cha Cha Cha
Jamie Lidell – Multiply
ELO – Mr. Blue Sky
Peter, Bjorn and John – Young Folks
Spoon – You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb
Modest Mouse – Float On
The Flaming Lips – The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song

If you have not had the chance to look through the new magazine, here is a quick video shot during the set up of the spread shoot and a few details!

Good stuff right? We think so, too! It was tons of fun working with all of these great vendors and Josh McCullock Photography killed it with the awesome photographs! One of the most excited things for us was the chance to create a custom drink for this table spread. We have been hoping to do this for quite some time and Lindsay gave us the perfect chance to try out our knowledge of coffee and espresso and put our creativity to the test! Here is what we came up with (which we know you have seen before!):

We call it the Macchiato Amore - a take off the traditional espresso macchiato (a Cafe Evoke Catering favorite!). The drink featured a single origin espresso by Elemental Coffee Roasters capped with a raspberry infused velvet milk foam rimmed with raspberry sugar. We think it not only looked great but tasted even better!

Don't push the idea of a specialty coffee bat off for your next event. Your guests will want coffee after the awesome food and dessert you will be providing. You worked hard to make every detail extraordinary and with an elegant specialty coffee bar available to your guests, your coffee will not be ordinary.

We are happy to work with you on creating your very own specialty drink for your next event. Just give us a call and we can set up a time for you to come by and talk through your vision!

Thanks again to all the vendors we got to work with during the Gibson Events table top shoot! It was awesome! Thanks again to Josh McCullock of Josh McCullock Photography for the great images.

For a list of the other great vendors that made this happen, visit Gibson Events on their blog!

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, gibson events

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Updated! Extreme Makeover : Home Edition!

2010-02-02T10:12:00.001-06:00

**2/3/10 Updated**
We have had a great time hanging with the crew of Extreme Makeover Home Edition. They have done an awesome job despite our friend Mother Nature kicking them in the shins each step of the way. Here are several awesome videos from the past few days! You can keep up with all of these videos as they are posted on YouTube!

When we heard that the show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was teaming up with Oklahoma City based builders Ideal Homes for an upcoming episode, we knew we needed to do something to help. After a few days of phone calls and talking through what the needs of the volunteers and build crew would be, we where happy to get a specialty coffee bar set up for them!

The build is happening this entire week! Here is a video from Day 1:

You can read all sorts of information about the family on their site as well as seeing a list of sponsors, a map and tons of other great stuff!

Ideal Homes and Extreme Makeover Home Edition are doing more than rebuilding a home for a family that needs it. They are also hosting a Food and Blood Drive in conjunction with the build. There are drops all over the state so no matter if you are in Stllwater, Maysville, Edmond, OKC, Norman or someplace else, there should be a place for you to help.

Keep checking the Ideal Extreme Home website for more information and be sure to sign the guest book to tell them THANKS!

This is more than just building a house. This is creating a safe and clean new home for the Skaggs family. From all of us at Cafe Evoke Catering: Be safe on the build and great luck!

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, extreme makeover home edition

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Become a Fan of Cafe Evoke Catering on Facebook!

2010-01-31T10:19:00.000-06:00

Happy Sunday to you! We hope your weekend has been warm and pleasant! If you are in Oklahoma, we hope you weathered the Oklahoma winter storm and that you kept comfortable and safe.

In a huge change of gears, this is just a quick note to let you know that Cafe Evoke Catering - Oklahoma's premier specialty coffee catering company - is on Facebook! You can become a fan of Cafe Evoke Catering by clicking on the Facebook icon above or going to http://www.facebook.com/CafeEvokeCatering!

We know that many of you probably already knew this or did not really care but we did want to let you know that we are now updating that page regularly and will talk about any specials, community events and other noteworthy Cafe Evoke Catering news there! Yes, this blog will continue to be a spot for updates but we thought since many of you are using Facebook several times a day, we'd save you a trip!

So, become a fan today! We'd appreciate it!

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, facebook

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Keeping it Local in Oklahoma!

2010-01-21T15:58:00.002-06:00

**Update! // January 25th, 2010**

If you missed it, Cafe Evoke Catering got to hook up with Keep it Local OK for a News9 story! You can find it here!

Need a few good reasons to keep it local in Oklahoma? We'll give you 10!

KEEP MORE DOLLARS IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY

EMBRACE WHAT MAKES OKLAHOMA UNIQUE

HELP THE ENVIRONMENT

LOCAL BUSINESSES CREATE MORE JOBS

BETTER SERVICE AND EXPERTISE

BETTER USE OF YOUR TAX MONEY

NURTURE COMMUNITY

PRESERVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP

MORE CHOICES

ENCOURAGE FUTURE INVESTMENT

Agree? Well, there is a new group in our state helping us all "keep it local" and that list is their backbone! Keep It Local is dedicated to promoting the locally owned and independent businesses that make Oklahoma great. In a nutshell, our goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to find, choose, and enjoy the incredible businesses found right here in our state! We have been doing our best as a company to keep our purchasing as local as possible and to support others doing business in our community so when we heard this group was going to get a program together to help spread the local word, we loved it!.

Cafe Evoke Catering had an awesome privilege of being one of the first companies to join a great new group.

So, what exactly is the group doing to spread local love? Keep it Local OK has a new local rewards card that, when used, saves you money on goods you are going to be purchasing anyway. The good news is that all companies who have featured rewards through the card are local so you can rest assured that your money is being spent in your community. The cards are $10 and last through the end of 2010! Any, worst case, you are going to find new and cool places near you that you have never been. You can see our customer rewards here

Yesterday, the OK Gazette ran a cool story about the project and what all they are doing. Cafe Evoke Catering even got a few lines! Be sure to get over there and check it out!

You can check the website for a list of rewards. Businesses are being added all the time so be sure to check back often. If you want to grab a card, you can do so right here at Cafe Evoke Catering - 1708 NW 16th Street for 10 bucks.

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, keep it local

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New Faces Around Cafe Evoke Catering!

2010-01-19T11:53:00.000-06:00

We always talk about having the best staff around and we still think it is true! We wanted to formally welcome our newest barista - Micah Metheny - to the Evoke family! Micah is our new Lead Barista and those that have been enjoying coffee bars by Cafe Evoke Catering in the past will love having him around!

Micah has taken on the challenge of creating new coffee policy, training and new product development. What does that mean for you? Better drinks, better service, better looking coffee bars, more options and an all new Cafe Evoke Catering!

Don't take our word for it, here is one of his recent drinks!

Our goals are pretty simple:

Create the best drinks our clients have ever tasted

Have the best looking coffee bars any event has ever seen

Replace ordinary coffee at your next event with specialty coffee

Have a calendar full of repeat clients

We look forward to serving you and your guests soon!

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, barista

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How To Brew The Perfect Cup Of Coffee // Video of the Day

2010-01-15T05:05:00.001-06:00

We are going to start something new at A Thought Over Coffee - Video of the Day [enter cheesy cinema music here]! So, our first video is all about brewing the perfect cup of coffee brought to you by BigBand. Please enjoy our feature presentation:

How To Brew The Perfect Cup Of Coffee - Watch more Funny Videos

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, coffee video of the day

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IgniteOKC // Tonight!

2010-01-14T08:24:00.001-06:00

Cafe Evoke Catering is pretty excited to have the chance to set up specialty coffee at IgniteOKC! This event has been in the planning for a long time and the hype has been unbelievable! Here is a bit about Ignite from their website:

Started by Brady Forrest, Technology Evangelist for O’Reilly Media, and Bre Pettis of Etsy.com, formerly of MAKE Magazine, Ignite was inspired by Pecha Kucha Nights, where speakers are given 20 slides, each shown for 20 seconds, giving each speaker 6 minutes and 40 seconds of fame.

The first Ignite took place in Seattle in 2006. Since then, the event has become an international phenomenon, with hundreds of 5-minute talks having been given all over the world. Besides Seattle, there are thriving Ignite communities in Portland, Sydney, Boulder, Helsinki, Baltimore, NYC and more. Tulsa added their name to that list in 2009, and now Ignite is coming to this side of the turnpike.

<

We are also happy that this great event is happening right here in OKC's Historic Plaza District! The event will begin at 6:00pm for drinks (two cash bars - one with specialty coffee and the other with beer, wine, etc!) and bands and the talks begin at 7:30. Everything is happening at Lyric Theatre at the Plaza - 1727 NW 16th St.  Oklahoma City, OK 73106.

What are the talks going to be you ask? Well, head on over and check them out! There is a wide range of topics and - heck - makes for all the better. Their blog also has tons of information in case you have not found enough.

So, come and hang out tonight at IgniteOKC - you won't want to miss it! Oh, and did we mention that if the specialty coffee, beer, wine, talks and people are not enough to get you there, then remember this: Austin-based folksters Mont Lyons will open the show & OKC's own the Non will headline the after party!!

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, IgniteOKC

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Specialty Coffee Catering // Weddings, Receptions and More!

2010-01-13T15:12:00.000-06:00

We go to lots of weddings - a 12 month season for us and it is great! Not only do we get to hang with folks on one of the best days of their lives, we get to do it while serving up some great specialty coffee! Weddings take many shapes and forms but we feel that a coffee bar fits every one of them.

We have been telling people for a long time that having a full service specialty coffee bar at the wedding reception, rehearsal dinner, bridal shower or other wedding related event is a great idea! People are talking about this new wedding trend all over the place! Wednet.com says that this is "by far the most recommended and favorite service for a wedding reception." (You can read the full article here. There is also another great article over at LoveToKnow Weddings)

At Cafe Evoke Catering, we don't want you to think that having a coffee bar is something you do instead of beer, wine and other "adult" choices. Specialty coffee bars are a great addition to your other drink options and your guests will be thanking you when they are about to get in their cars for the ride home. Of course, when budget is a concern, you can't be the value of a full service coffee bar!

As you are planning your reception, keep your options out there! Here is a small wedding related slideshow we put together for bridal shows just to give you an idea of what it all looks like.

If you are planning a wedding, good luck and congratulations from all of us at Cafe Evoke Catering!

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, wedding catering

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Not Just Coffee Catering...

2010-01-12T09:09:00.000-06:00

At Cafe Evoke Catering, we pride ourselves in providing some of the area's best coffee by some of Oklahoma's finest baristas. With this comes an urgency on our part to continue to roll out new services and products that our clients need at their events. We know your event is important and calls for the best service possible.

Our first major feature for 2010 is our brand new Signature Drink menu - created by Cafe Evoke Catering, Chef Ryan Parrot of Seasons Catering/Table One and bartender Becky Daley of Iguana Mexican Grill. While we did talk a bit about this new menu towards the end of 2009, we are pleased to formally present our new menu to you today!

*Cafe Royal (served up)*
Cold Pressed Coffee, Crown Royal, Coffee Brown Sugar Rim

*Spiced Nut (served hot)*
Espresso, Chipotle Vodka, Amaretto Liquor

*After Dinner Mint (served hot)*
A cappuccino styled drink with European Sipping Chocolate, Espresso, Tequila, Creme de Cacao and fresh mint

*White Mexican (on the rocks)*
Cold Pressed Coffee, XO Cafe Tequila and 1921 Crema Tequila

*Roasted Apple Cider (served hot)*
Vermont Spiced Cider, Vokda and Myers Rum

Here are a few recent shots of some of our other custom drink creations. These drinks can be found featured in the all new Brides of Oklahoma magazine available now at our studio - 1708okc!

If the occasion wasn't special, you would not be throwing an event! Don't let your guests finish up a perfect evening with ordinary coffee.

(photo credits: Kriea Arie 2009 www.ArtByKriea.com)
...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, signature drinks

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Dang, What's The Deal??

2009-11-02T20:52:00.000-06:00

I hate these posts you find every so often on blogs across the net but I find myself writing one anyway..dang!

So, things have been super crazy around here lately and I just plain have run out of time! Lame sauce I know. Here is the deal - we are about to make some additions to the team and once that is all complete, I will write as much as possible (hopefully a few each week) to keep this thing going. For those that have been hanging in there with us - I applaud you and thank you!

Talk soon.

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, no excuses

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Cafe Evoke Catering // Oklahoma's Premier Specialty Coffee Catering Company

2009-10-09T18:07:00.000-05:00

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, CHANGE!

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A Big Day

2009-09-25T07:12:00.000-05:00

Today is a big day around here at Cafe Evoke Catering world headquarters (or, 1708 for short!) as we roll out a few new menus and also demo many of our tried and true things that you have gotten to know so well over the past 4 or so years.

We have been working pretty hard at all of this stuff over the past 6-8 months and feel that we finally have some new add-ons that our clients are sure to love! We will post the info sheets after the reveal party tonight so stay tuned.

Thanks to everyone that has been reading this blog. I know the content has ~~changed~~ evolved since I started writing this in college and I know the readership has changed as well. So, thanks!

We have also seen the landscape of specialty coffee catering in the US change since we opened Cafe Evoke Catering. As with any industry, it is competitive and the bar is high. Our goal is to always be the one setting the bar or pushing it up. So, as caterers are jumping on board with coffee service, we are adding new menus and package options for our clients that they cannot get anywhere else.

If you are around the OKC area, stop by tonight between 5:30 and 10:00 for a fun time. This is not a sell and tell deal. It is a chance for everyone to try our products, see our coffee bars and ask any questions they may have (if any at all!).

We look forward to seeing everyone here!

Cafe Evoke Catering
1708 NW 16th Street // Oklahoma City's Historic Plaza District

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, 1708okc

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It's The Most... Wonderful Time... of the Year

2009-09-24T07:58:00.000-05:00

Ok, you caught me, I did sing along while I typed the title for todays post. I know, many of you think it is to early to begin singing those types of jingles but when it fits it fits. Oh, no. I'm not talking about Christmas (although that is a great time of year, too). I'm talking about CoffeeFest Seattle - a family reunion of sorts that happens every year about this time.

This is not just one of the countries best coffee trade shows, it is a time to rekindle that love we all have for what we do - coffee. As I sit here at the studio sipping a cup of Cost Rica La Minita Del Sol on this chilly day in Oklahoma City, I feel far from "home" but comfortable knowing that, at least, what is keeping me from being in Seattle with "family" and "friends" is one of the things I love most. Coffee.

If you have not had the chance to go to a show like CoffeeFest, you need to. They happen in other places across the US at different times of the year in places like Chicago, Las Vegas and Atlanta. Normally about this time, we are gearing up for the trip and feel like school kids about to head out on our first day at Disney World. I also typically talk about what I'm most looking forward to at the show. Well, I am not going but here is what I'm looking forward to:

1. Millrock Latte Art Comp
2. NWRBC
3. Hang Time

It is pretty simple this year. Luckily, with the advent of what we call the "in-ter-net", I can participate in at least some of that. Jenni and I are bummed to miss it but have a cup for us everyone! Enjoy your time there and send us some pictures when you return!

On another note, this time of year is also great because it is time again for those "cold weather only" coffee drinks to come out of the closet for their favorites. At Evoke, this means times are about to get crazy with fun and work - we love it! We have so many great things happening right now and we are excited. Tomorrow is a big day for us as we launch a few new packages to our service list - packages that we think raise the bar on quality when it comes to coffee in Oklahoma.

More on that later of course. Have a good Thursday.

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, coffeefest seattle

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Cafe Evoke Catering Joins the Music | Tonight with the Charlie Hall Band

2009-09-22T15:54:00.000-05:00

Clear you schedules for tonight and plan on coming to Norman for the Charlie Hall Band LIVE at Journey Church! Cafe Evoke Catering will be there with the best coffee you have ever had and all drinks are only $3.00 - you heard it!

We look forward to seeing you for coffee and great music! Show is free and starts at 9:00 pm.

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, charlie hall band

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Grounds for Health | Bringing women's health care to coffee-growing communities.

2009-09-21T10:24:00.000-05:00

We love when our purchases have longer arms than the norm. That is why we were happy to have the chance to bring in some awesome new coffee roasted by our friends at Batdorf and Bronson Coffee Roasters. Batdorf got their hands on a lot from Huehuetenango in Guatemala that is part of Grounds for Health - a organization bringing women's health care to coffee growing communities.

Our mission is to bring effective cervical cancer screening and treatment to women in coffee-growing communities. We currently work in Mexico, Central America and Tanzania. We use an innovative, affordable and community-appropriate method called the Single Visit Screen & Treat Approach, which has been endorsed by the World Health Organization.

Our work is made possible through partnerships with local coffee co-operatives, national and regional ministries of health, and specialty coffee companies. These partnerships have made it possible for us to bring better and sustainable health care to women in coffee-growing communities. (via GroundsforHealth.org)

Batdorf and Bronson says that because of the 1500 meter altitude at which this coffee is grown and with the chilly weather, it matures slowly, resulting in a coffee with increased acidity and a balanced, heavy body. While many Huehue coffees tend to be on the fruity side, this one is extraordinarily sweet with a heavy dark chocolate and bing cherry flavors.

For everyone pound of coffee B&B sells, they are giving back $1.00 to the group. For more information, please visit Batdorf and Bronson or Grounds for Health.

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, Grounds for Health

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Cafe Evoke Catering Product Launch

2009-09-19T04:49:00.001-05:00

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering

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Cafe Evoke Catering on OK43's Rise and Shine Oklahoma

2009-09-17T13:54:00.000-05:00

If you did not have a chance to catch Rise and Shine this morning, here is one of the segments from the show! Dang, who's that good looking chap in the back??

Heartbeat for Hope on Rise and Shine from Lucas Ross on Vimeo.

Jenni pretty much killed it. We have to be careful or she will want to work in TV and not in coffee!

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, rise and shine oklahoma

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Heartbeat For Hope - Empowering a Generation. Growing a Community. Building Hope.

2009-09-17T04:00:00.000-05:00

Cafe Evoke Catering is proud to be teaming up with Heartbeat For Hope again this year to help raise funds for Village of Hope.

The Village of Hope is an orphanage in Ghana, Africa with the mission to save children from slavery and the streets. They also hope to provide an education for the children to produce a new future for Ghana.

However, education is not free in Ghana.

You can help! Come to HEARTBEAT FOR HOPE benefit concert SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH @ 6PM and help provide tuition for the children of the Village of Hope orphanage in Ghana, Africa.
$5 admission = donation, concert & 1 free drink from Cafe Evoke coffee catering co.

Here is a short commercial / promo for Saturday's event:

HeartBeat for Hope 09 promo from Lucas Ross on Vimeo.

So, we hope to see everyone at Heartbeat For Hope! We will be featuring coffees from our friends and master OKC coffee roasters Elemental Coffee Roasters. Here are the event details again:

Hearbeat For Hope
Oklahoma Christian Garvy Center / Edmond, OK
Saturday, September 19th, 2009 / 6:00 pm

Oh, I almost forgot! You can catch Cafe Evoke Catering on Rise and Shine | OK43 today from 7:00 - 9:00 am. Not sure how much we will be on but we will be there!

...be bold

Tagged: cafe evoke catering, Oklahoma City, coffee catering, hearbeat for hope

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