Tuesday November 3rd, 2009

Bad Coffee. You need to draw the line...

So you had a bad coffee? Whoopty-doo! That has as much staying power as "my dog ate my homework" or "I was caught in traffic". It's the kind of thing that someone says, and most everyone tunes out. But why? Are we simply a bunch of critics with no functional place to voice our grievances? Well perhaps, but there is something more here. Bad coffee is one thing. But even bad has its boundaries, right?!

"I asked for my coffee extra hot!"

"I asked for strong, not double shot! ....Hello!"

"I know what I'm talking about... i wanted a ristretto latte, not a weak one!"

"Did you put sugar in this?"

"Chai tea latte... that's not supposed to have milk!"

"Umm... i think you spelled my name wrong on the cup... I'm George, not G-R-O-R-G-E!" (But you look like a Grorge)"

Wickety-Wackety-blah-blah-blah! I have heard them all. I have been on both sides: purchasing the coffee and making the coffee. So when it comes to empathy it's safe to say that I have the bases covered. But the questions remains... what to do with bad coffee?

Tuesday, September 15th 2009

The Café Slumber

Whether you own a café or work as a full time barista, taking time to do anything leisure-related, or even contemplating the finer and more eternal aspects of life can be an impossibility. Where a fifty hour working week is almost considered part time employment, it's easy to see why this is the case.

The irony is you spend the largest part of your daylight hours cultivating an environment where customers become friends, and workers become comrads, yet you are barely alive. When the lights are off and its time to pack up; it's time to start another day. And then another day. When do you ever wake up? Well it's time. It's time to wake up from the café slumber. For this to occur there are facts that need to be addressed- perhaps facts that you have ignored.

"You are not a worker bee, but you do deal in honey."

What you create and shape in your café is far more than economics. It's the very honey of the world: a sweet, lively and seductive syrup. It's a syrup that permeates the lives of the friends it brings together. Do bees fly and weave and fight for just anything? No, only for the purest and sweetest delicacy: honey.

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Sunday, July 19th 2009

Aroma Coffee Festival 2009

It was Sunday the 19th of July and, much to the smiles of the event organisers, the day promised to exhibit postcard-like weather: perfect blue skies atop a buzz and an aroma of coffee insanity.

Now whether you journeyed in by bus or train or horse'n carriage it mattered not; the directions were simple: close your eyes and follow your nose to the sweet fragrance of the freshly-ground bean. Tune in to the gusto and flavour of the Aroma Coffee Festival 2009 @ The Rocks.

Eager lovers of the bean (and it's associates: chocolate, tea and fine food) were out in force. With exact numbers to be confirmed at a later date, now all that can be said is "wow", that's a lot of people and "where can I grap my first cup of coffee?!"

Only a coffee cups throw away from Circular Quay station is where it all began. As the crowds emerged to the sounds of grinders and buoyant chatter everywhere, the many craving palettes were soon dancing to the funky tunes of "espresso" and "cappuccino". The gentle breeze was cool. But how better to prepare yourself for a hot extraction of mother nature's caramelized-caffine gift to the masses? I cannot think of a more perfect atmosphere.

Ferries departing to your right, and a grassy knoll to your left.. Welcome to the lion's den! In perhaps a fifty-by-fifty metre square of stalls, the quality of coffee expertise could not have been greater. The players were not going to stand back and spectate.

"Clans stood side by side, only held apart by white market stalls and the preoccupation of bringing the best extraction to the increasingly discerning coffee crowds."

But let's be honest, they were united with a single purpose: to show off skills and product to a jubilant international audience who have come to regard Sydney as an epicentre for pushing the boundaries of the coffee game.

If you stood in one spot on the grass (soon to become dirt I imagine) you could be in a line for either Toby's Estate, Mecca Espresso or Numero Uno... the only problem was, which line do I join? Solution: try them all! For those sinking heart who know that waiting in line can turn a "great" day into just a "good" day, rest assured... these stalls had the lines moving fast. Naturally the quality of the coffee suffered. Right? Wrong! These seasoned pros kept the coffees coming and the lines moving without missing a beat. Logistically-speaking, it was a masterpiece.

So what next? Take a seat, grab some rockyroad or some chocolate-coated coffee beans- the options seemed endless. Your only limitation were on the size of your stomach and your willingness to vacation to the nearest lavatory. Beyond this, you were in gastronomical wonderland. But what a day! Can't wait to see what they come up with next year.. Congrats to all the organisers & exhibitors. You have done Sydney proud. Our stomachs and palettes are eternally grateful.

David @ cafecolumn

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Monday, June 8th 2009

Rosetta trio... oh yeah!

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Wednesday, June 3rd 2009

Allpress Espresso, Rosebery

To offer a little history, I have consumed no less than hundreds of coffees made from Allpress beans. Generally the results have been quite good. But the plan has always been to venture into the industrial mazes that surround Rosebery to find the "coeur" of this establishment: the cafe and roastery on 58 Epsom Street. So here I am, a visit long overdue.

There is no other way to describe the location of this establishment than this: discreet. No neon signs. Not even some tables and chairs out front signposting the location. The sleek, black sign with silver letters was classy- but easy to miss. As it turned out, I drove right past. I parked shortly afterwards, my curiosity peaking.

I need to rephrase my description from simply "discreet" to "discreet grandeur". The interior was impressive. Below my eager feet were industrial-grade dark chocolate-covered floors, upon which two long and high countertops stood firmly in the centre of the space, marbled tops: the white danced with the grey, a waltz I'd say.

"Why elaborate so much? The stark contrast to the (otherwise) dark backdrop was startling. Amazing."

The decor was unique. Perky bamboo-framed chairs were decorated with crimson, black and cream straw thatch. The ceiling was white but offered a warm glow. A straight line of sequestered spotlights illuminated the wall-side seating, behind which stretched a reflection wall- literally, mirrors. Directly across from the mirrors was the serving counter, upon which two shiny "La Marzocco" espresso machines sat proudly.

Now back to the ceiling. Hanging over the serving area were two giant lighting frames, like massive wrist bands hanging from above. These giant circles must have been eight metres in diameter, with the band about one metre thick. Fluorescent lighting was fitted on the inside. Very unique.

After sitting and ordering a few items: a double ristretto, a piccolo and a prosciutto and provolone croissant, I peered across to the black menus. I saw the word "clover" and I was confused. A text message to my coffee authority (ie the trusty boys @ White Horse Coffee, Sutherland) and I had placed an order. So what is a "clover"? Good question.

Check this out!

At the end of the floor are some stairs. Up and to the left is a room of assorted commercial-grade La Marzocco machines: ruby-red, gold and sparkling silver. Straight up the stairs are two large glass doors to the guarding the entry to the world of the roastery. Orange pallete jacks and thick metallic tubing are visible from my seat, and a warning sign that reads "striclty authorised personnel". This is serious business. I like it.

The intermittent sound of the grinder and cups clapping with saucers are only heard vaguely beyond the chatter from the patrons.

Two middle aged men sit next to me, a bit of a squeeze but still comfortable. So from "all" angles you could say I'm impressed. Perhaps you could even say I'm "Allpressed"! Relax... just laugh, you know you want to.

Until next time...

David@cafecolumn.com

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Wednesday, June 3rd 2009

Tulip Latte Perfection... mmm

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Sunday, May 24th 2009

Vanilla Bean Cafe, Padstow

Elyse is a camel, it's true she really is!

"Can I please have a double shot latte, a coke and also a ristretto?"

PAUSE "...ah...what's that?"

So I briefly, although hesitantly, explained the fundamental nature of the ristretto- perhaps not clearly enough.

"So you want a short black...?"

"...ah...no... how about this: the barista should know what it is. If she doesn't; I'll order something else...?"

"Great! No worries"

My order is eventually passed onto a young blond lady standing behind the register who peers over with enquiring, and somewhat confused, eyes. I look up to share in the confusion.

"Are you waiting for someone?... Or are all these just for you?"

I paused momentarily to consider my response, and perhaps for dramatic effect.

"I'm just here by myself... (pause)... Now I really feel like a loner"

I grinned.

A few apologies from her later, and my ristretto arrived at my table. Light-hazel in colour and looking somewhat anorexic, I consumed it quickly. What Can I say? It was not good. But the service was so friendly, I thought I would let it slide. Meanwhile my coke and double shot latte arrived. This service was prompt!

I was Sunday afternoon @ 1:30pm and the cafe was alive. A bleak, cloudy bed of light poured in thro ugh the front floor-to-ceiling windows. This lit up about a third of the inside sitting area. The remainder was lit by white, centre-lit bulbs: the concentric-cirlce-kind emitting a warm but sedate glow.

The cafe was oblong shaped: long and thin-ish. One wall was lime green. The other was a deep grey-blue placarded with a series wide paintings. One was crimson, the other had vibrant earthy tones. A small mirror hung in the middle of the two, alone.

Behind the stainless steel counter top was a three group WEGA (aka a pretty decent espresso machine). Solid, I thought. Fluorescent lights stretched overhead to light the back-of-house- that is, where all the food and drink preparation occurs. There were at least five girls coming and going, but they all appeared focussed, despite the cafe being almost at capacity. Impressive.

It was noisy, but comfortable. Two mothers sat on one table by the grey-blue wall, large coffee mugs in hand, deeply engrossed in conversation. A striking laugh in the background faded into a continuous murmur of families and friends happily soaking up the warm atmostphere.

I finished my coke. Now just finishing off my double latte. It tastes a little bitter now. Might add half a raw- sugar that is.

I forgot to mention one thing: the coffee being used was "Karmee".I've worked with it before. Karmee is solid. When you get your Bassett on (that is, a reference to 2005 World Barista Champion) you can really crank out a cup...

Alright, time to pay and time to roll... Until next time...

Dave @ cafecolumn.com

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Wednesday, April 29th 2009

Describing the Taste of Coffee PART 1

Some would argue that you are not a well-polished coffee guru unless you have formulated some kind of convoluted and verbose ability to describe coffee. The alleged goal is in no way to shed any light on 'taste' whatsoever, but rather to allow your ego to inflate another couple of measures and further convince the now-apathetic audience that you are, in fact, a pretentious bafoon. But all baggage aside, being able describe coffee is perhaps a very helpful tool; and it's not essential that you become a babbling airhead, I promise. So where do you start? Good question. Here are a few common words that you will need to get your head around.

Acidity

Now this is one of my favourites, and not because I understand it so well. Personally I think it's not a helpful word to use when describing coffee. Why? Simply because acidity is so highly imbued with a negative and distasteful connotation that when you are informed that it's actually a good thing you are bound to be confused. But yes, acidity is good, supposedly.

Reasearch confirmed my hunch that words like "lively" and "citrus" and even "bright" are often used to describe desirable acidic coffees. So if images of a luminous dancing lemon are bouncing around in your mind after that first sip, then give yourself a pat on the back, you are one step closer to coffee tasting superstardom.

My tongue is becoming sore from poking it into my cheek so agressively for so long; may I apologise. But honestly, to me these words are as helpful as saying this coffee tastes like "pink". Or, this coffee is totally samba, as opposed to bridal waltz. You'd better watch out or your coffee might bust out some robot or start break dancing! Conclusion? Use what terms work for you, but know that acidity is generally considered good.

Body

Simply put, this can best be described in terms of lava. Year 10 science class informed me that there are essentially two varieties of lava: viscous, and non-viscous.

"Pertaining to lava, viscous is the thick, syrupy and somewhat sensual-looking lava that seems to flow like melting chocolate down a slippery slide."

Non-viscous lava is the thin, water-like medium that is, for the most point, unattractive and undesirable aesthetically. The same applies to coffee. Good body is viscous body. Bad body is watery drizzle.

Now there are those who will misuse this term, employing it in such a way, normally to describe any (ironically) undescribable element that they feel they need shed some light on. This angers me greatly. That's all I'm going to say on the matter. Stick with the lava and you cannot go wrong.

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Wednesday, April 1st 2009

Does quality latte art mean a quality latte?

Having not eaten anything for breakfast, you decide to put off your first "appointment" for the day to relax and get the blood pumping through your veins- hte only way you know how. So you start walking towards your barista in your favourite espresso bar. You decide to bypass you standard order of a strong espresso and opt for a strong latte. Full cream milk, of course. You are not cutting any corners. Next to the tip jar on the marble countertop you notice a dreamy-looking almond croissant. IT must be yours. Perhaps something to dip into your latte. The french would say "parfait!"

Sitting in the far left hand corner and now flicking through the first couple of pages of the untouched and crisp newspaper you notice the careful concentration of the barista who is strategically manoeuvering the shiny milk into a well-defined pattern into a tapered glass. That's right: latte art. But you do wonder, after the short-lived aesthetic pleasure has disappeared, will the rest of the coffee taste any good? In fact, is there a correlation between quality latte art and quality coffee?

"Now this looks impressive, but are my tastebuds going to agree with my eyes?"

Good question. But the answer is not straight forward. It's a little bit complicated. Now whether you are in the cafe game as an owner or if you are a loyal customer you will agree: presentation is crucial. This is as true for the tangible layout of the cafe, to the intangible atmosphere combining music and coffee aroma, and importantly to the cup.

Latte art is very telling. But it points to the milk... that's it! But what does it tell you about the milk? Many things. First of all, if the milk is not textured ("frothed" for those who gain their coffee acrediation from McCafe) correctly, it cannot be poured into anything remotely resembling a leaf, a tree, a heart or something else- except a blob. Now to an oldschool tea drinker or coffee newbie the "blob" might seem quirky and cute. But let me hit you with the truth: a blob ia a blob is a blob... is a blob! A blob is very bad, no matter what font or style you put it in, even if you serve it with the most sophisticated and eloquent russian accent with a side of le français. A blob is bad, very bad.

And just for the record, this "leaf" or "tree" you have been excitedly pointing to in the top you your coffee.. it's called a ROSETTA! R-O-S-E-T-T-A. Got it? Now we will talk etymology another time. But for now you should just know that "rosetta" is in, and "leaf" or "christmas tree" or even a sophisticated word like "fern"- these words are all out.

Good latte art will tell you a few things:

1. Your milk has been textured well. In other words, air has been added in a good proportion to the milk.

2. Your milk is in the right temperature range. True, you can do latte art with warm milk, but if you burn the milk or dramatically underheat it- all you are getting is a blob.

3. Your barista probably knows what he/she is doing. Whilst some may argue vehemently on this point, at least one wold hope that if you spend the time to perfect the milk then you would at least have equal concern for the coffee extraction too. One would hope.

As a final note I must offer a warning. Milk temperature is a big deal. If you ask for "extra hot" then you are actually asking for the barista to kill the milk. Whilst I don't have the molecular break down to scientifically re-enforce my point, there are other natural ways you can tell. If you listen closely to milk being overheated, in all honesty it sounds like the milk is screaming for its life. This should be an obvious hint! Be nice to your milk and you milk will be nice to you.

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Friday, February 27th 2009

The Cafe Beast

Just make quality fresh coffee and welcome the customers with a giant smile: that's the simple recipe for a successful cafe, right? Well almost.

Quality coffee and fresh produce is vital. Additionally, without killer service and a warm atmostphere even the hottest of coffees can seem cold. But there is so much more. To the untrained eye, the layout; the speedy service; the fact that your coffees both come out at the same time ; all these factors can seem like a giant accident (sure a welcome accident)- but the truth is: these factors are all well oiled gears in a complex machine.

The cafe can seem like a sanctuary but without careful planning it can easily become a violent beast!

"Have you noticed that you cup is not cold? That is has been pre-warmed?"

Have you noticed that the spoon lines up perfectly with the handle of the coffee cup? It's all one big accident? This could not be further from the truth.

Unfortunately when you experience a seamless cafe experience, you are most likely to bypass all the crucial elements that have gone into creating this experience. Sadly, it's only when these element break down that you begin to notice- and can hopefully begin to appreciate- the complex beast of the cafe.

Listen for the background music. Notice that the funky eclectic jazz is beating in time with your now-faster beating heart after you first lingering sip of you piccolo latte. Notice that the tables and chairs have been arranged so as to create a natural path for you to order, and to help you relax and enjoy your cup. Notice the pleasant aroma of freshly ground coffee beans... and this is just the beginning.

IF you are walking in the wilderness and are confronted by a giant beast- take a 7ft brown bear for instance. What is going to be your best approach? Should you fight and try to kill the giant beast? Wisdom would suggest otherwise. Befriend the beast. Walk next to the beast. The cafe is a beast that can be your friend. But walk in with hostility and see who ends up on top... Most importantly, enjoy your coffee!

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