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Caffeine In Overdrive: Mid City Caffe

Posted by Tony Bowles on August 28, 2009 at 5:35am

I was pleasantly surprised when I came across this great article on Mid-City Caffe while I was reading the newspaper on the Metro./////A NEW CAFE HAS been brewing on 14th Street NW, in the space above Miss Pixie's furniture shop. Dubbed Mid City Caffe, the shop — the brainchild of graphic designer Fernando Acha and Mick Mier, owner and designer of D.C.'s 1905 restaurant — has a wholly retro vibe.The space hasn't strayed far from its auto-shop roots, with "Strut" and "Shocks" signs visible on the windows. Vinyl banquettes mimic a vintage car interior, while Pop-style art on the walls adds to the postwar vibe.For eats, the cafe keeps it simple with pastries, muffins and New York-style bagels from local bakeries; yogurt and granola; and cakes, including sweet potato with cream cheese frosting, displayed on old-fashioned glass plates.The coffee options are a far cry from your standard Starbucks fare. "We don't want it to be that assembly-line coffee shop," says Mier. So each serving of Counter Culture coffee (or espresso or cappuccino) will be ground on its own and made to order — by French press or pour-over method — to ensure the freshest cup of joe.» Mid City Caffe, 1626 14th St. NW; 202-234-1515.Written by Express contributor Danielle O'Steen

Building and equipment for sale

Posted by Brenda on August 26, 2009 at 3:55am

I have a custom built, commercial spec 10x20 building with 2 drive-thru serving windows for sale. It is built on skids and moveable. Equipment for sale includes a La SanMarco tall 3-group head espresso machine and grinder, Selby Soft SP1 POS system. The location is Converse, Texas a suburb of San Antonio.

Take Fresh Cup Magazine’s syrup survey to be entered to win tuition for two to The American Barista and Coffee School!

Posted by Fresh Cup Magazine on August 25, 2009 at 5:28am

www.freshcup.comHurry! The survey ends Monday, August 31st!

We talked a bit about the effects of climate change on coffee lands briefly in a blog entry in May, but the issue was given more attention in a recent article on Reuters. "Climate change threatens Ce

Posted by Coffee Kids on August 24, 2009 at 5:55am

We talked a bit about the effects of climate change on coffee lands briefly in a blog entry in May, but the issue was given more attention in a recent article on Reuters.

"Climate change threatens Central American coffee" highlights changing weather patterns and how it affects lowland coffee growers in Guatemala who are dealing with unpredictable weather and diminished harvests.The article discusses efforts to help families cope with the changing weather patterns and how they might adjust. A lot of it comes back to what Coffee Kids is all about. Early on, Bill Fishbein, Coffee Kids founder, realized that income from coffee is insufficient for most families. The key is to help create more vibrant communities by supporting programs in economic diversification, health awareness, education and food security.If climate change continues unabated, millions of coffee-farming families around the world stand to lose out. The influx of people in extreme poverty could be staggering, but by supporting efforts like Coffee Kids, we can help encourage positive change.

Element Coffee

Posted by Keelan Vanvales on August 21, 2009 at 11:26am

MikeI enjoy Element Coffee. It is a quaint place where you can show up and have great service and great coffee. I am going to get your tacos in a little bit. Establos is a good Mexican market to get freshly made carne asada tacos. The Dodgers apparently are doing pretty well lately. I am not big on a specific team in the Major Leagues, but I do enjoy watching a good baseball game if I have time. Well take care.Keelan

a mistaken identity?

Posted by Von Flores on August 20, 2009 at 3:56pm

hey colin,i don't think we speak of the same espresso bar. the one i visited is located on hamilton street. i didn't see a "fake roaster" and the few times i've visited (on different times of the day) there was no sixteen year old behind the counter. i was just there this morning and the barista pulled me one of the best 49th parallel i've ever tasted. the finish lingered for quite a while and it really made my day -- i even mentioned it to the crew with whom i was working. again, i highly recommend this place.

Caffe Lusso drops La Marzocco GS/3 price to $4,250, and Joe Monaghan says the GS/3 paddle expected mid-September

Posted by Melissa Allison on August 19, 2009 at 1:48pm

http://bit.ly/7ulB3

'Born to be Sweet' Tour 2009

Posted by Sweetbird on August 19, 2009 at 3:24am

After the difficult second album ‘Sweet as Syrup’, prog-rock legend, coffee raconteur and maestro of all things flavoursome; Sweetbird, is taking to the road to allow his many adoring fans the chance to sample why the little bird from across the pond is such big news.The ‘Born to be Sweet’ tour has already played out to a packed crowd at the Southwest Food Service Expo (Dallas, Texas June 2009) and the next leg of the tour looks to build upon the growing popularity of Sweetbird and his range of free from artificial colors, flavors and preservatives smoothies, syrups and sauces.Tour roadie and Sweetbird spokesperson Amber Boulton commented “We are all excited by the prospect to bringing the Sweetbird experience to venues across the world over the next few months. We are making sure that the world knows about the great range of syrups, smoothies and sauces that are in the Sweetbird range all of which are free from artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and genetically modified ingredients as well as being approved for vegan and vegetarian diets.”The Sweetbird range was launched back in 2006 and has steadily grown to become the must have choice for the stylish barista and coffee shop owner looking to offer their customers an alternative to those products that are artificial and synthetic.The full range of over 50 Sweetbird products will be supported on this tour by the Zuma range of hot chocolates, frappe mixes and chia powders; all of which are approved by the Vegetarian Society UK and are free from artificial colours, flavours, preservatives and genetically modified ingredients. The Zuma range has recently won gold at the world renowned Great Taste Awards beating 3850 other products to win gold.The Sweetbird world tour is as follows:Seattle Coffee Fest - Seattle, Washington- 25th to 27th September 2009SCAA Show 2010 - Anaheim, California- 15th to 18th April 2010NRA Show 2010 - Chicago, Illinois- 22th to 25th May 2010World Barista Championships @ Caffé Culture – London, United Kingdom – 23rd to 25th June 2010NACUFS - San Jose, California - 7th to 10th July 2010Those looking for more information on the Sweetbird range of products should visit www.heysweetbird.com or telephone 866-575-6901 or email info@heysweetbird.com. For more information on Zuma please contact Performance Restaurant Source on 866-575-6901 or email info@heysweetbird.com

UW lecturer seeks funding for ergonomically sound coffee harvesting bags in Nicaragua

Posted by Melissa Allison on August 18, 2009 at 6:41am

http://bit.ly/Pd4t3

Mid City Caffe Opens

Posted by Tony Bowles on August 18, 2009 at 2:26am

Mid City Caffe OpensAnother fancy coffee place, thank goodness!By CARISSA DIMARGOUpdated 3:00 PM EDT, Mon, Aug 17, 2009After several delays, Mid City Caffé finally opened Saturday at 1626 14th St. N.W., a floor above the quirky (read: hot pink) Miss Pixie's Furnishings and Whatnot.We're kinda holding our breath to see how a second-story coffeeshop will fare on 14th, but if they fail, don't blame the coffee, which comes from Durham, N.C.'s Counter Culture Coffee. The coffee company brings in beans that are fair-trade, sustainable and harvested at their peak.Along with plenty of other local coffee purists (Nick Cho, we're lookin' at you), Mid City Caffé will use only two methods of brewing, French press and pour-over, both made to order, reports Prince of Petworth.Pastries and bagels come in from local bakeries. Indulge in chocolate croissants, spice cake and a changing assortment of other goodies. Once the weather cools down (as if that will ever happen), consider snagging a spot on the outdoor patio. WiFi is free -- snag a personal French press and ride the buzz while you surf the intertubes.Hours: Mon.-Fri. 6 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m.-7 p.m.Find this article at:http://www.nbcwashington.com/around-town/food-drink/Mid-City-Caffe-53443817.htm

Roasting Equipment For Sale

Posted by Josh Ferguson on August 17, 2009 at 3:40pm

San Franciscan SF-75.pdfWe recently installed a new roaster, thus have several pieces of equipment for sale. Please shoot me a e-mail if you're interested.- 75lbs SanFranciscan- 25lbs SanFranciscan- Loader- Mira Pack Frac Pack Machine- Other Miscvisit the following for pictures http://picasaweb.google.com/siolgnal/RoasterPictures#

Bad week

Posted by Cherie on August 17, 2009 at 11:52am

Having a rough week (or two) at the shop lately. Everything from power outages, fridge meltdowns, and newbie trainiees repleacing the hoards of darn good employees leaving for school. Good news is I get to do more training (I LOVE sharing the passion,) bad news is my energy is sapped by the other stuff.

HELP

Posted by Joyce Campbell on August 17, 2009 at 4:54am

My espresso machine is leaking out the left side, ( pod ) even when the machine is off. I am very new to this stuff and was hoping that it would be an easy fix maybe I can do it myself. I wanted to now if this has happen to anyone. Thanks and keeping my fingers crossed because my fridge broke last night to!

Six days to Throwdown.

Posted by Andrew R. Tucker on August 17, 2009 at 3:04am

Last night, the OWC crew got together and cleaned the bejeezus out of the shop. It was an exorcism of old looks, old dust, as a way of welcoming our fall hours and new batch of students to get to know and serve. The U of I school year starts next Monday, meaning there's one week until we are in a deluge of students wandering the streets looking for good coffee, a study space and new friends. Six days remain until the Throwdown here in Moscow, ID, and I am so excited. I have all my prizes lined up, the judges are picked, and the format is set. Bring on your best pours, there are great prizes to be won: A beautiful Demi cup and saucer go to the winner, in addition to the cash, of course.. We are going to run it as blind as possible, so it is as fair as possible!A few details I still need to figure out: I need a camera and a short tripod, and I need one person to pull shots for each competitor.Other than that, we are READY! YAAY!

regina, sask.

Posted by Von Flores on August 16, 2009 at 6:51am

this place reminds me of hamilton, ontario. the weather has been pretty crappy. nonetheless, i managed to walk around to find a couple of decent coffe shops.i walked into AEGEAN COAST coffee and tea. the reception was, at first, luke warm but the manager (i don't remember her name....oops) came up to my table after a while and chatted me up. she was very nice and quite pleasant. but most importantly, i noticed that they were pulling 49th parallel (organic and epic). i have used epic at bisogno but it was too bright for my taste and found it really "finickie (sp?)". i switched over to the organic and am a big fan of this blend. unfortunately, i came into the AC coffee and tea on the day they weren't pulling the organic. i relented and ordered the epic. i was very pleasantly surprised at how good it ran on their rancillio (machine and grinder). it had a nice chocolate note to it with a very pleasant finish. it's still a not bottom heavy enough for my taste but it was a very good experience. i would highly recommend this shop to anyone coming to regina. it's very spacious and clean. they have a good selection of light fare AND you can have a proper corretto with your cappuccino or espresso. i had a shot of "pimms" with my double espresso. aahhhh....memories of italy....heaven.

Independence Day

Posted by Alun Evans on August 15, 2009 at 8:30pm

Tomorrow is Independence day for Indonesia. 17th August, 1945- 64 years since the country unified and gained independence from the Dutch. As a visitor I have been privileged to have lived in the country and seen how progress has been embraced in many cases, rejected in others. The coffee revolution, or specialty coffee revolution to be more exact, is a fairly recent development in the scheme of things. Coffee was one of the harsher plantation systems the Dutch practiced during the Colonial period. Cultivation was forced upon many of the Javanese in particular. Paying “taxation” in coffee crop enriched the plantation owners, impoverished the locals. As a result after independence there was a stalling and general stagnation in the coffee sector. Even today most of the coffee exports are still done by brokers who have simply taken the place of the old Colonial masters. The sector has so much promise, yet it is very slow and somewhat reluctant in embracing the changes that are sweeping the coffee world.My wish for Independence Day, Hari Kemerdekaan, is that the small-holder awakening will continue. Farming communities are rejecting the traditions of 400 years. The future after 64 years is bright, although the struggle to free farmers from the traditional binds will continue for decades to come. Happy Independence day Indonesia. Merdeka!

Kaffe på kontoret

Posted by Danne on August 15, 2009 at 12:36am

Vi har nu flyttat in i butiken på Kaplansbacken 5 på Kungsholmen. Nu är frågan vilken typ av maskin man ska ha på kontoret. Än så länge har vi bara en vanlig kaffebryggare, en Mocca Master som vi har släpat med ett tag. Det blir ok med vissa kaffesorter och det är den typ där man brygger rakt ned i en termos vilket ju är guld. Men rent allmänt föredrar jag vatten rakt genom en gammal Melitta-hållare.Men en Clover som de har på da Matteo vore riktigt coolt. Jag vet inte om man kan få tag på en sådan om man inte är ett café. Någonstans bör ju det gå.Sedan ska vi fundera kring en expressomaskin också.

I LOVE ESPRESSO PARTS!

Posted by Andrew R. Tucker on August 14, 2009 at 6:50am

Yet another quick note to say how awesome these folks are:Mazzer Super Jolly hopper ordered, sadly, slightly damaged during transit.Replaced without question and received TODAY! that's a one day turn around for getting my hopper back on the grinder.Thanks again, guys.I really appreciate the excellent service.Andrew R. Tucker

Day 3 in the Big Brother House...

Posted by Sweetbird on August 14, 2009 at 5:30am

With the start of the 6th season of the infamous Celebrity Big Brother, the popular UK Chanel 4 reality television spectacular is sure to gain headlines in all the tabloids for possibly all the wrong reasons. Hoping that his past doesn’t catch up with him is industry raconteur and international playboy – Sweetbird.In a statement released to the press he has reaffirmed his commitment to bringing the other housemates 2 portions of fruit from their five a day. “I have been in this house before and know that I will be able to not only bring love, laughter and possibly a small feathery shoulder to cry upon but also ensure that the other contestants will gain 2 portions of their five a day with each bottle of ethically sourced real fruit Sweetbird smoothies. I also hope that this time in the Big Brother house will help to ignite my singing career; as I will be releasing my first self penned album entitled ‘Smooth as Syrup’ a collection of prog-rock love ballads, once I leave the house.”Sweetbird Ethically Sourced Real Fruit Smoothies will also be joined by UK baked Byron Bay Cookies in the house for this year’s collection of ‘celebrities’ and models to enjoy during the 3 weeks of the shows run. Both Sweetbird Smoothies and Byron Bay Cookies went down a treat with last year’s 9th season housemates including the self proclaimed cookie lover Kathreya.Celebrity contestants will be sampling the all new Sweetbird 100% Fruit Smoothie that was launched in April 2008, over the next few weeks. The three, ethically sourced ambient storage 100% fruit smoothies will ensure that housemates will get at least 2 of their recommended 5 a day along with their daily helping of gruel. The flavours include Mango & Orange, Blackberry & Blueberry and Pineapple and Passion fruit. The ambient storage 330ml bottles are a perfect addition to all retail locations.For more information about Sweetbird products please visit www.heysweetbird.com

Coffee Club of Seattle organizer creates 'smiley face method' for judging coffee

Posted by Melissa Allison on August 13, 2009 at 12:58pm

http://bit.ly/16BKbu

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