Tag archive for coffee

One last weekend of summer

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One last weekend of summer. That has been the running joke this fall whenever we have a beautiful sunny day here in Vancouver. Although summer and basically fall have come and gone, we did have one last spell of summer this past weekend.

Our joke is more of a reminder to seize the moments and enjoy ever bit of sun that we see, rather than some delusion that pants are optional and maybe we can fit in a sunset swim later.

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We sat outside, wrapped in blankets, sipping hot coffee and eating breakfast; just a group of friends enjoying that one last weekend of summer. According to environment Canada we might have one last weekend of summer again this weekend before the snow comes. You can bet that I’ll be the first one out the door if the sun is shining.

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A weekend in paradise

P1070010This weeks post is a bit of an experiment. As I mentioned last week, we headed out camping. This meant that I traded in my usual kitchen setup for a tent and a picnic table and most importantly, I put down my pots and pans and spent most of my time behind my camera snapping photos! Before we left on our little road trip I had it in my mind that I wanted to capture the weekend in a different way then just photographs that I would have to sift through and share only my top few picks. This weekend I threw caution to the wind and just started snapping pictures left and right. Don’t judge me!

Friday after work we packed up and hit the road. Destination, Paradise Valley, just a short hours drive out of the city. Paradise Valley didn’t disappoint. It was lush and warm with plenty of soft filtered light streaming through the canopy of trees. This is where we pitched our tents, nestled in between a swift moving river and a train track. Here we drank our morning coffee, hustled to the side of the tracks at the faintest sound of a whistle and watched the embers of our fire slowly fade at the end of a very good day.
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First world problem

A couple of weekends ago tragedy struck when we ran out of lavender syrup for Sunday morning lattes. A bit of a first world problem I know, but I love my lavender latte! I have mentioned it before, Sunday morning coffee is serious business and messing with tradition can sometimes be a little problematic. Things took a further turn for the worse when the following weekend I learned that Dirty Apron was no long selling lavender syrup! I nearly fainted on the spot. It couldn’t be!

After pulling myself together and walking home, I was determined to find a way to continue the Sunday morning tradition. I decide that simple syrup would be the best place to start, after sourcing some lovely edible French lavender of course. After a little research I was ready to start cooking. And with in a few minutes, I am happy to say that the fridge is once again stocked with lavender syrup for Sunday mornings!

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3 Tablespoons French Lavender
2 cups sugar
1 cup water

Add all the ingredients to a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir the contents until all the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the element and cool. Once the syrup has cooled, strain out the remaining bits of lavender, divide into jars and store in the refrigerator.

*I have also heard that it makes a lovely addition to sparkling wine.

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Weekend saviour

Perhaps you can relate to the tale I’m about to share. Imagine waking up one morning sometime in the next few days, packing up your car, ensuring that you have a plethora of toys and snacks and then hitting the road and driving for a good 7 or 8 hours. All of this leads you to your sister in-law’s house, where you will spend the next fives days endlessly wandering around behind your wife and her sister. Sisters who often stoop to very childish behaviour and always engage in a whole lot of shopping and unnecessary whining. What to do? People have gone mad in these sorts of situations!

If you can relate to this situation, then this may have been written specifically for you.

It is always a delightful surprise to find a cool new spot for coffee, lunch or a drink in your city. But it is an even better surprise and also a tiny bit embarrassing to find out that a crazy cool coffee shop opened up a hop-skip-and-a-jump away from your back door and it took you a month to figure it out.

Interestingly enough I learned about this little spot on Instagram. My friend Maurice posted a photo of the caffe and it took me all of about 30 minutes to reschedule my whole day and make a beeline out the back door grabbing my camera and other paraphernalia along the way.

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Decked out in Bianchi green, Musette really does have the biker in mind, they offer locks for your ride, or if you can’t bear to leave your baby outside in the rain you can just bring it inside to one of the numerous bike stands the take up the coveted front window bar seating. The caffe features beans from 49th parallel and an abundance of yummy treats displayed on antique cake stands topped with beautiful cloches. What better way to finish a ride than sipping a great cup of coffee, watching the latest race with your buddies, all the while surrounded by an amazing collection of cycling memorabilia?

 

But Musette isn’t just for the hardcore cyclists, they let me in with my camera and there is a kids table and a foosball table at the back of the caffe! I think I just found my favourite new caffe, the perfect place to watch the tour and for those of you who may have related to the first bit of my story, you may have found your weekend saviour.

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Some Like It Hot

Sunday morning coffee is one of my only rituals. It has morphed over time, but it is still one of the best things about waking up on Sunday morning. I still love a good coffee out at my favourite cafe but honestly, not much bets Sunday morning coffee in bed.

Coffee has been a part of my life for sometime. When I was in high school my first official job was working at a coffee shop. Then while I was in arts school I worked at a local coffee roaster. And at some point along the way, I may or may not have even been considered one of the top two baristas in the city. But, I can’t confirm that. Needless to say coffee and I go way back.

I have always been a firm believer that coffee is best enjoyed in a cafe with good company. Cafe’s have better equipment, fresher coffee and they do the dishes for you! I’m not the rush in, get my fix and rush out kind of girl. There is ritual and tradition around coffee that I totally buy into. Coffee isn’t what I need to wake me up and get going, it is in fact very much the opposite. Having a coffee affords you time to relax, reflect, catch up with friends and enjoy yourself.

This is how things shake down on sunday morning. I always make lattes, they are the most forgiving drink to make when you aren’t fancy enough to have your own plumbed in espresso machine. I do the best I can with what I have to work with.

Coffee Rules to Live By

  • Always use fresh beans. I like to support the local coffee roasters.
  • Use small cups. I will never ever ever make a coffee larger than 8 oz. I don’t care if that is what you want, it isn’t going to happen on my watch.
  • Use proper glass wear. You will not be drinking coffee out of some old mug at my house. Espresso, cappuccinos, and lattes are always served in the appropriate cup. They just taste better that way. Be honest, was the best espresso you have ever had served in a paper cup? I rest my case.
  • And finally, no sugar. Unless I’m making a fancy drink, like a lavender latte. But again, only if it is the way the drink is intended to be enjoyed.

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My preparation method is fairly strict, precession and timing are key. Once you start making your drink there is no messing around, just get it done. No one wants to drink espresso that has been sitting around for 5 minutes while you watched the new Wes Anderson Trailer. (by the way you really really should do AFTER you have made your coffee and are happily back in bed.)

Pre-prep

Before you start making drinks you need to prepare your station. The espresso machine should be clean and hot, the milk pitch and thermometer ready, clean cups set out and finally you should have decided what type of drink you are going to make. Oh, it is also good to have a clean towel handy, just in case there is a disaster.

 

Get cracking

First off, the portafilter should be very very hot and your milk should be cold.

  • Fill up the grinder’s hooper with enough beans to make your coffee. Left overs will not produce much crema if you leave them exposed to air, so try not to over fill the hooper.
  • Fill the milk pitcher with enough milk for one drink. Steaming milk for two drinks is not allowed in my house.
  • Run a little hot water through the portafilter to make sure that it is clean and hot. Dry the portafilter with the clean towel, fill with freshly ground coffee. I grind right into my portafilter. Pack, level and tamp. Then get that baby back into the grouphead and start pouring your espresso. And no you can’t take a break yet, speed is of the essence at this point!
  • Now for the milk. Milk should be silky smooth, like a satin sheet, not frothy and foamy with big air bubbles. You are looking for micro bubbles here. Inject steam into the milk until it reaches 140 degrees, if you go any hotter you will start to burn the sugars in the milk and thus loose the milks natural sweetness.
  • Once the milk is hot give it a couple of swirls to work out any bubbles and pour!

(my pouring skill have gotten a little weak over the years!)

Now for the good part, grab your coffee, your ipad and head back to bed. If you have been smart, you will have made your coffee in a double walled glass cup and you have just shy of a hour’s worth of hot coffee in your hand. So make the most of it.

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