Caffe Vita Coffee Roasting Co.

Little Seattle Shines

2012-01-30T12:08:00.000-08:00

May we offer you a light? Bowery Boogie has posted an update with photos of our progress in NYC. Neon for the new store went up last week and we're excited to see our Punchinello represented on the Lower East Side.

For more photos, including a few of Via Tribunali, go here.

Sumatra Gayo River - New Crop Arrival

2012-01-25T16:10:00.000-08:00

As always, the arrival of new crop Farm Direct Sumatra Gayo River is a cause for celebration, particularly when we take into consideration the challenges facing our farmers and producing partners in Aceh, Indonesia. The damaging weather patterns continue to hamper production, to the tune of a nearly thirty-percent drop over the past two seasons. The primary cause for this decline has been higher-than-average rainfall during the critical blossoming and ripening stages of development.

A period of dry weather is necessary to stimulate a timely and consistent flowering, and the extended rains have led to a scattered harvest with low yields. As a result, prices are higher than ever, but this coffee is worth it! We have transitioned into this new crop and it is one of the best yet, featuring everything we love about the Gayo profile -- syrupy body, blackberry sweetness, and herbal complexity.

Pick up a fresh bag of these rich, organic beans at any Caffe Vita cafe or online.

Public Brewing School is Back in Session

2012-01-25T12:18:00.000-08:00

On February 18th, Caffe Vita's Public Brewing School is officially back in session. Public Brewing School (PBS) is our complimentary class that delves into the world of understanding and brewing better coffee at home.

PBS is focused on manual brewing methods, but is also an open forum to talk all things coffee. Set aside your automatic drip machine and learn about the joys and benefits of using superior brewing methods like French Press, Chemex, Vacuum Pot, Bialetti, Pour Over and more. PBS is held at our roasterie on Capitol Hill.

As always, Public Brewing School is free, but we won't tell if you'd like to make it a belated Valentine's Day gift. To reserve your spot, please email trainingdept@caffevita.com.

Happy Pie Day!

2012-01-23T15:15:00.000-08:00

Here at Vita, we like our pie. Thankfully, we know a few of the best spots for the all-American divine dessert. Today is National Pie Day, one of our favorite days of the year! Below is a short list of our friends who are celebrating right along with us.

Portlanders will be indulging in a pie pairing special today at Random Order Coffeehouse & Bakery and Caffe Vita Alberta in Portland. A cup of French press and a slice will set you back a mere $6.

The 5 Point Cafe is celebrating new homemade pies made in house by Kate Drummond (Bunny's Baked Goods). Today's pies are Pecan and Blueberry Lemon. Stop by for the $5 Vita & Pie special.

The ever-illusive Banoffee pie.

Even though every day is pie day at High 5 Pie, today they're serving up extra-special Banoffee pie, key lime, coconut cream, dark chocolate lavender, and more!

Pie man Rick Friel at Pie Party!

In more pie-related news, our very own Rick Friel hosted Pie Party this past Saturday, a sweet bash to benefit ovarian cancer research!

The Harvest in Honduras

2012-01-20T14:16:00.000-08:00

Last week, Caffe Vita travelled through Honduras in the midst of what is set to be their largest harvest on record. Our time was focused in the western departments of Copan, Ocotepeque, and Lempira, and as we met with producers, cupped coffees, visited co-ops, and spoke with farmers, we gained a greater understanding and appreciation of how excellent Honduran coffee can be.

Historically, Honduran coffees have been sold as a cheap alternative to the more established coffees of its neighbors, Guatemala and El Salvador. In fact, coffees from Honduras were sometimes smuggled into Guatemala to be sold as such, or poorly handled and stored, leading to inferior cup quality and shelf life. The truth is that

Honduras

possesses all of the ingredients necessary to produce some of the finest coffees in the world -- lushly forested, ecologically diverse, high-altitude terrain with rich soils and tropical climate. Some of the more progressive exporters are now taking the necessary actions to identify the best producers and handle their coffee with care every step of the way from branch to port.

Most of the coffee in Honduras is grown on small farms, typically ranging in size from 2-15 acres, making the formation of cooperatives a necessary means to centralizing processing and providing the structure necessary to sell their coffee. Some of these cooperatives purchase cherry from their members, while others accept both wet and dry parchment.

We met with farmers such as Pancho Villeda of the Capucas cooperative, who is a shining example of the kind of progressive farmer that we aim to work with. In his backyard, he has built his own mini wet-mill, and he dries his coffee in a solar drier that he constructed as well.

In Mercedes, Ocotepeque, cooperative director Rosalio Ventura accepts only ripe cherry and processes the coffee entirely on the premises, which we believe will result in a very consistent and clean coffee. The harvest was just beginning during our visit, as the elevation was quite high (1400+ meters).

This trip also presented a fantastic opportunity to learn about how coffee lands can be suitable for migratory birds, as we were accompanied by Robert Rice, geographer from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. We found the criteria necessary for their certification to be both excellent for habitat, and for quality as well. In addition to organic practices, the farm must have diverse and varied native species for shade. This kind of environment ensures a wealth of soil nutrition and the presence of helpful critters such as insects and birds.

Many of the coffees we cupped were impressive in their sweetness and tropical fruit flavors: mango, caramel, and lemongrass. We are very excited to be working towards a shipment of beautiful coffees for late spring. In the meantime you can check out some more photos from our trip here.

Celebrate National Pie Day with Vita & Random Order

2012-01-16T20:36:00.000-08:00

Are you ready for National Pie Day? January 23rd is right around the corner and we've got plenty of events planned to prepare you for this very important pie holiday (no disrespect to Pi Day, that is). Caffe Vita PDX has teamed up with our friends at Random Order Coffee House & Bakery to bring you pie and coffee pairings leading up to the big day.

Savory samplings from Random Order.

Join us this Thursday, January 19th from 6:30PM to 8:30PM at Random Order (1800 NE Alberta) and Saturday, January 21st from 4PM to 6PM at Caffe Vita Alberta (2909 NE Alberta) to sample sweet and savory pairings and choose your favorites. All this leads up to the big day on Monday, January 23rd, when a cup of Vita Fair Trade Organic or Single Origin French press coffee and a slice of delectable Random Order pie is just six bucks at both locations.

Not to worry, you've got plenty of time until Pi Day rolls around. Pie to the people!

You're Invited: A Birthday Bash For Scribes

2012-01-16T17:10:00.000-08:00

Join Caffe Vita, Neumos, Via Tribunali, and Seattle Boxing Studio on February 3rd to celebrate Scribes' birthday! One of the northwest's most notable hip hop artists, Scribes has collaborated with artists such as Stone Gossard & Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, Macklemore, SOL and Zion I. His album "WhatWas Lost" was #23 on KEXP's Varitety Charts in Feb 2011 and is currently #18 on the CMJ HipHop Charts.

Want to learn more? Watch the video below on Scribes' music and his work with the Seattle Boxing Studio.

For a free download of his latest album, visit www.scribesmusic.com. Come out on February 3rd and celebrate Scribes with us!

VITA RECORDS RELEASE: Fresh Espresso

2012-01-12T15:02:00.000-08:00

Rik Rude and P Smoov are Fresh Espresso, members of Seattle's new rap guard who have firmly cemented their place in the local hip hop community. The two have been playing packed house after packed house since arriving on the scene in 2009.

Here at Caffe Vita, we love Fresh Espresso, and not just in name only. That's why Vita Records has paired with the Fresh Espresso to release their single "Show Me How You Do" as a limited-edition record postcard. The record is printed on an honest-to-goodness postcard, playable on any standard turntable.

We'll be selling the cards in all of our Washington cafes as of tomorrow. Come listen up!

Want more Fresh Espresso? Follow them on Twitter & find them on Facebook.

Introducing: The 12,000 Rain Gardens Blend

2012-01-11T12:02:00.000-08:00

Last week, we shared a first look at our first new coffee of 2012, a rich, all-organic blend of shade-grown coffees from Ethiopia, Guatemala and East Timor with notes of dark cherry, cocoa and honey. Today, we're excited to announce the inspiration behind the blend: a collaboration with the 12,000 Rain Gardens project.

In support of Stewardship Partners and Washington State University Extension's 12,000 Rain Gardens campaign to reduce flooding and runoff pollution into Puget Sound, we have officially released the 12,000 Rain Gardens Blend. Vita is donating 10% of the purchase price of each bag towards the installation of 12,000 rain gardens in the Puget Sound area by 2016.

Each year, 14 million pounds of toxins enter Puget Sound. This pollution is primarily cause by rainwater runoff from our streets, driveways, lawns and rooftops. Rain gardens take advantage of rainfall and stomwater runoff in their design and plant selection. The 12,000 Rain Gardens project will capture, filter and infiltrate 160 million gallons of pollution that would otherwise flow untreated into the waters of Puget Sound.

12,000 Rain Gardens Blend is available at our seven Washington cafes and in our online store. Be on the lookout for events and promotions in the community as we help clean the waters of Puget Sound one cup at a time.

To learn more about rain gardens, including where you can find them in your neighborhood and how to build your own, visit 12000raingardens.org.

Caffe Vita Featured in Diner's Journal

2012-01-09T23:51:00.000-08:00

Last week, Caffe Vita was featured as a notable player among the new crop of coffee bars, coffee roasters and coffee training labs that have set up shop in New York as of late. Oliver Strand announced our impending opening (roaster in tow) on the Lower East Side in Diner's Journal. We look forward to bringing our uniquely northwest personality to roasting locally in New York City.

Read the full article here.

A Sneak Peek At Our Latest Blend

2012-01-05T11:11:00.000-08:00

Our new blend will be available in all of our Washington cafes starting next week. We at Caffe Vita are so excited about this unique collaboration that we wanted to share just a bit (without giving too much away).

As for the coffee itself, it's a rich, all organic blend of shade-grown coffees from Ethiopia, Guatemala and East Timor, delivering a comforting cup with notes of dark cherry, cocoa and honey.

We look forward to sharing more about our latest blend next week when it's officially released. Until then, you'll just have to feast your eyes on this gorgeous label art.

Vita Everywhere: Two Guns Espresso

2012-01-03T14:02:00.000-08:00

Two Guns Espresso proudly serves Caffe Vita in the South Bay of LA. They've only been open since early December, but Andrew "Stan" Stanisich and Craig Oram's cafe already has a following on Manhattan Beach.

The native New Zealanders offer local pastries, leafy brews from the Art of Tea and, of course, Vita. One particularly passionate Yelp reviewer said, "I walked in, saw the face of god, drank his coffee, and then went to my knees and cried." We're blushing.

If you find yourself in the South Bay, stop by and let Two Guns serve you a Caffe Vita triple shot ristretto.

Keep up to date on everything going on at Two Guns (and see some pretty impressive latte art) over on their Facebook page.

Support FareStart

2011-12-30T14:50:00.000-08:00

The menu from a recent Guest Chef Night at FareStart featuring our very own Bob Prince.

Can hope, achievement, and self-sufficiency come from a cup of coffee? We think so. Here at Vita we've partnered with FareStart and YouthCare, two organizations that help make those dreams a reality.

FareStart’s Youth Barista Training & Education Program was launched in 2003 through a collaborative effort with YouthCare. The program provides at-risk youth, ages 16-23, with the opportunity to build a better future for themselves by increasing their ability to change their situation and engage in a supportive community. The eight-week Barista Training and Education Program provides job training and placement, life skills, employment counseling, classroom, and on-the-job training for the industry. Caffe Vita provides a very necessary ingredient, donating coffee to the training program and offering roasting education to students at our Capitol Hill roasting room.

Please consider donating to FareStart's Youth Barista Training & Education Program this year. To read one barista's story, go here.

Extended Ice Rink Hours

2011-12-27T10:55:00.000-08:00

Great news! Due to increased demand, Capitol Hill's first annual holiday ice rink will extend its run at Cal Anderson Park through January 2nd, 2012. Caffe Vita has been serving up treats since the rink opened on December 6th and will sell coffee, tea and hot apple cider until the very last thirsty skater makes their final lap around the rink.

Tickets are available for purchase at the rink (cards only) or you can buy them at any of our Seattle cafes (cash welcome, $12 for adults, $6 for kids, including skate rental). All proceeds support Cal Anderson Park and the surrounding community.

Visit here for more info, or just head over to the rink!

Coffee & Theo Chocolate Subscriptions

2011-12-21T13:49:00.000-08:00

Are you still searching for that the perfect thoughtful gift that doesn't scream "last-minute holiday desperation"? With Hanukkah upon us and Christmas just a few days away, there's still plenty of time to purchase one of our coffee & chocolate subscriptions.

In collaboration with famed, local chocolate maker Theo, we hand-select a Farm Direct or Single Origin coffee and pair it with a remarkable bar of Theo chocolate. Sealed and shipped with care, a special combo of Vita and Theo is delivered monthly to the lucky person of your choice. Our coffee & chocolate subscriptions are available in three-, six-, or 12-month terms.

We strongly believe that coffee plus chocolate equals happiness and we think you'll agree. Head over to our online shop to learn more about our subscription offerings.

Happy holidays!

Meatball Shop Cookbooks Have Arrived

2011-12-20T14:33:00.000-08:00

If you've been following Vita news as of late, you'll know that we're bringing Vita to the Lower East Side in early 2012. Our future NYC neighbors at The Meatball Shop have been more than welcoming. In fact, Caffe Vita is the only coffee poured at Daniel and Michael's three restaurants.

In celebration of this delicious partnership, we're selling autographed copies of the The Meatball Shop Cookbook at our Capitol Hill cafe and will soon at all other Vita locations. This beautiful cookbook is priced at $28.

Now Available: Kenya Gitwe Karinga and Colombia Cauca Inza

2011-12-20T11:21:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, the last bags of Holiday Blend were purchased, and it's perfect timing for us to tell you about two new single-origin coffees. We are very excited to roast, sell, brew, and serve Kenya Gitwe Karinga and Colombia Cauca Inza. Look for these two as the French press coffees of the day at the Caffe Vita near you.

Now, about that first coffee from Kenya. It has the ability to mesmerize and awe, with its shimmering acidity and complex bouquet of distinct aromatics. From our search, this lot from the Gitwe Farmers Cooperative Society's Karinga washing station stood out above the rest. The clarity of flavors, depth, elegance, and remarkable sweetness are not to be missed! The Gitwe Cooperative was formed in 1985 after splitting from the Gatundu society, with membership currently standing at 1,868 farmers. This coffee comes from the Karinga wet mill, located on the eastern slopes of the Aberdare ranges. Perfectly ripe cherries are delivered to the wet mill the same day they are picked, and fresh river water is used to process and wash the coffee.

Pristine and perfumed, this coffee offers syrupy sweetness and sparkling acidity. Marasca cherry (mmm, sour), melon, and orange zest aromatics complement flavors of heirloom tomato and blackberry. Enjoy the elegant finish of honey and bergamot. Kenya Gitwe Karinga is available at our cafes and in the online store. The quantity is quite limited, so don't delay.

The next, Colombia Cauca Inza, is from a region-specific lot in the Inza municipality of the Cauca department in southwest Colombia. It was selected with the assistance of Oralando Torchez, with strict attention to cup quality and cohesion. The average farm size is one-to-two hectares, and the character is very representative of the region, with great depth and lingering sweetness.

Savory and satisfying, with aromas of dark chocolate, dried plum, and geranium, there is an impressive balance of ripe cherry sweetness and meyer lemon acidity with a finish of brown butter, maple, and cardamom. The Colombia Cauca Inza beans have an intoxicating fragrance. We hope you enjoy sipping this as much as we do.

Celebrating Conservation Coffee from Papua New Guinea

2011-12-15T16:24:00.000-08:00

Last night our roasting room was transformed as we celebrated our collaboration with the Woodland Park Zoo's Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP) and the arrival of coffee from the remote forests of Papua New Guinea's Huon Peninsula.

Earlier this year, our Green Bean Coffee Buyer Daniel Shewmaker traveled with the TKCP staff to Papua New Guinea's YUS Conservation Area. There, coffee has become a true opportunity for positive growth and hope in the community -- where selling a quality coffee crop can mean education for their children.

Last night, we gathered with friends from the Woodland Park Zoo to celebrate the fruits of this unique partnership. Chef Shane Lynch prepared a feast inspired by Papua New Guinea cuisine (i.e., smoked pork wrapped in banana leaves, coconut fish stew, vegan sweet potato curry, sauteed greens with fresh ginger, roasted taro root and potatoes, and fresh tropical fruit!) the team's travels to the region. After dinner, everyone sampled an exclusive first taste of the coffee and took home some beans from the initial roast.

We look forward to releasing Yopno Uruwa Som in early 2012. Until then, keep on supporting the Woodland Park Zoo with your purchase of Zoo Special Reserve. It makes a great gift for the animal and coffee lovers in your life.

Now Serving Repast Croissants

2011-12-14T12:02:00.000-08:00

We're excited to carry croissants by Repast bakery in all of our Seattle-area cafes as of this week! Between traditional, chocolate, almond, and ham & cheese we've got you covered. Come in and try them for yourself. They're delicious.

This Weekend in the Bean Room: Brackish Pop-Up Shop

2011-12-13T12:36:00.000-08:00

Come down to the Caffe Vita Bean Room (1005 E. Pike Street, Seattle) on Saturday and Sunday for the Brackish Pop-Up Shop. Brackish is a local, sustainable furniture company that aimsto inspire and respond to a demand for exceptional design, local production, and lasting quality. Essentially, this stuff is gorgeous. We are excited to partner with these talented designers and craftsmen.

Have the chance to see the first collection of furniture from Brackish as well as pieces from Whitcomb & Company. Also, come see the clothing, home goods and gifts from other local designers, brought to you by Glasswing. The Brackish Pop-Up Shop is open from 11AM to 10PM on Saturday and 11AM to 5PM on Sunday.

Find Brackish on Facebook, and invite your friends via the event page.

Oslo Loves Vita

2011-12-12T14:30:00.000-08:00

JD Merget is a longtime friend of Caffe Vita. This weekend he passed along the above photo sporting some familiar gear. JD owns Oslo Coffee and roasts out of Brooklyn.

See if you can spot the vintage Vita lightbox in Oslo's annual holiday card below.

Yopno Uruwa Som coffee has arrived!

2011-12-08T14:26:00.000-08:00

We are happy to report that our first shipment of coffee from the Yopno Uruwa Som conservation area has arrived in Seattle. Knowing the journey that this coffee has made is truly inspiring -- from the remote mountains of the Finisterre Range in the Huon peninsula to our warehouse on Pike St. in Seattle. This would not have been possibile without the dedication and work of so many people, including the farmers who have embraced the program and revitalized their trees, members of the Coffee Industry Corporation who provided training and guidance, and all of the amazing people involved with the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program. We are in the evaluation and development stages of preparing this coffee for release, and so far our cuppings have shown a sweet, delicate coffee with flavors of cocoa, tropical fruit, and citrus. We hope to have this Farm Direct coffee ready to roast and serve in early 2012.

Skate With Us!

2011-12-06T10:15:00.001-08:00

May we suggest a slightly safer option?
Photo by Dave Lichterman

The Capitol Hill Ice Rink opens today! Now through December 24th from 11AM-10PM daily you can lace up your skates in Cal Anderson Park and celebrate the holidays with Caffe Vita. At 4:30 today there will be a special opening ceremony, including a visit from Mayor McGinn and songs from the Northwest School's a capella choir.

While the ice may be borrowed, the festivities are all local, with hot dogs from Dante's, neighborhood sponsors like the Elliott Bay Book Company, and of course, Caffe Vita.

Not only will we be selling hot cocoa, cider, coffee, tea, and kombucha every day at the rink, you can also pick up sweet treats, whole beans and hats! After snapping up some Vita merch drop by the ice rink's complimentary gift wrapping table and spread the love. Or, you know, keep them for yourself. It's cold out there!

Tickets are available for cash purchase at the rink or you can buy them at our Capitol Hill cafe ($12 for adults, $6 for kids, including skates).

For more information, go here or just head over to Cal Anderson! We hope to see you there.

Coffee and Pie Pairing on Saturday -- Don't miss it!

2011-12-01T10:54:00.001-08:00

If you've been meaning to come to one of the coffee and pie pairings at High 5 Pie, this Saturday is the last one in the series. The featured pies are Apple, Caramel Pecan, and Chocolate Cream. We'll bring the Caffe Vita beans and brewing methods to make the best cup for each slice. After you sample all the delicious things to eat and drink, pick up the off-the-hook cute cookbook, Cutie Pies, by High 5 Pie founder Dani Cone. That's buying local -- and eating and drinking local.

* Saturday, December 3 * 2pm to 4pm * High 5 Pie *

1400 12th Avenue, Seattle (the corner of 12th and Madison on Capitol Hill).

Annie appears to favor apple pie.

Caramel Pecan. It's serious.

All Butter Crust! You're looking at an Apple Cutie Pie.

Pie and coffee sky cam.

Dani's book! Available at High 5 Pie.

Vita Featured in Fresh Cup Magazine

2011-11-30T11:34:00.001-08:00

Our green buyer Daniel Shewmaker visits Papua New Guinea.

Our collaboration with the Woodland Park Zoo was recently featured in Fresh Cup Magazine:

The story behind Caffe Vita’s...Papua New Guinea coffee starts with a marsupial.

The animal in question, an endangered species called the tree kangaroo, resembles a bear shrunk to the size of a squirrel. It’s not a creature most coffee drinkers have likely heard of, but its habitat in the high-elevation jungles of Papua New Guinea’s Huon Peninsula happens to also be an area where Arabica thrives.

A recent initiative from Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo and Vita’s buying and roasting team aims to stabilize—and increase—the tree-dweller’s numbers by helping indigenous villages in the area earn money through their distinct-tasting coffee rather than selling their land to timber and energy companies. “This gives us an opportunity,” says Danny Samandingke, a farmer and teacher from the area who was at last month’s Coffee Fest Seattle, standing beside Caffe Vita baristas as they brewed samples of the region’s product. “There are so many challenges in the country, but this gives us hope."

Read the full article here.

Zoo Special Reserve is now available at all of our cafes and in our online shop.

Thursday: Vita + Theo Chocolate Pairing

2011-11-28T22:37:00.001-08:00

Image by paolosanchez.

Both coffee and chocolate are influenced by terroir and roasted to bring out a range of incredible flavors. Join us Thursday evening with in partnership with our friends at Theo Chocolate as we pair coffee and chocolate and explore how the two complement each other.

Vita's green bean buyer Daniel Shewmaker will join Theo product development and sourcing expert Nathan Palmer-Royston in leading a fireside pairing at the Theo Chocolate Factory in Fremont. There will be two rounds of tastings at 6:30pm and 7:30pm.

Come prepared to discover your favorite flavors. Also, Theo will keep the store open late in case you want to shop a little.

Please call ahead (206-632-5100) to reserve your spot for either session on Thursday, December 1, at 6:30pm or 7:30pm. This coffee and chocolate pairing costs $5 per person and takes place at the Theo Chocolate in Fremont at 3400 Phinney Ave. N.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T08:30:00.001-08:00

Photo by Katsumi

From our table to yours, we'd like to wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving. We'll be brewing our holiday blend, swapping stories with friends and family, and giving thanks for a great year.

Safe travels and have a fantastic holiday!

This Weekend: Shop BLANC

2011-11-18T10:54:00.001-08:00

Our Capitol Hill bean room will be getting festive this weekend as we house BLANC, Join Design's winter pop-up shop. Stop by tomorrow, Saturday, from 11AM-5PM to check off your gift list early with items by independent designers. The theme is an all-white affair featuring a curated selection of limited edition furniture, art, housewares, jewelry, accessories, ornaments, and more. While you're there, enjoy special activities by Brite Collective holiday, hot beverages fromCaffe Vita, pizza by Big Mario's, and other treats.

But wait! There's more!

You can get a head start this evening at the BLANC preview party at Sole Repair. Celebrate independent design, preview the BLANC collection and enjoy live music. Guests are encouraged to wear something white.

We hope to see you on Saturday in the bean room!

2011 Holiday Blend

2011-11-16T16:33:00.001-08:00

We're excited to announce our 2011 Holiday Blend, featuring organic catuai and pacamara coffee.

This holiday season we've created a blend to celebrate the fruit of the harvest and the spirit of exploration. Our farm direct partners at Finca Nuevo Viñas in Guatemala are no strangers to these two concepts, with their continual pursuit for the highest quality cherry and their willingness to adopt new strategies to achieve this goal. Each year presents new opportunities for improvement and experimentation, and among the many excellent coffees produced this past growing season, we've chosen two distinct and superlative lots to pair for our holiday blend.

The first is a rarity for Central America, a naturally processed catuai. Ripe cherries are hand harvested and taken directly to raised beds to dry in the wind and the sun. This process is quite risky and very labor intensive, as the cherries must be monitored and raked continuously to ensure prompt and even drying. The result is a cup with a distinctly spiced-fruit character and an aroma not unlike the juice of a coffee cherry. To achieve balance and depth, we've paired the natural catuai with a washed pacamara, the highly prized large bean varietal. The pacamara is processed in the typical fashion, in which the ripe cherries are washed, pulped, fermented and then sun dried. Its classic dark chocolate and citrus profile adds structure and stability to the blend.

Each component is roasted separately to achieve the distinct expression of the varietal and processing method and blended immediately after cooling. The result is a layered, festive blend with notes of baked pear, dark chocolate, and cinnamon. Flavors of dried fruit and aged rum lend rustic complexity to the spiced plum and walnut finish.

This unique blend is now available for sale in our online store. Happy holidays!

the Service Board's 16th Annual Soiree

2011-11-16T11:18:00.001-08:00

Caffe Vita has been a huge supporter of the Service Board for years. Tomorrow, we'll be at tSB's 16th annual soiree, celebrating their success and ensuring that they'll be around for another 16 years and beyond. the Service board is a life-changing organization that guides Seattle-area youth to make wise decisions and realize their potential through fun, discovery and adventure.

Join us for beer, wine and appetizers in the stunning Georgetown Ballroom with music by the charming crooners of tSB alumni band, Smooth Technique. Guests will also enjoy a delectable dinner provided by The Leary Traveler as well as a short program to both express gratitude and highlight the work tSB has done this year. There will be live and silent auctions featuring incredible prizes including but not limited to helicopter rides, private parties and other fantastic items.

Tickets are available here, at $75 each or $750 for a table of ten. Come celebrate all the great resources the Service Board provides and say hey!

Announcing Caffe Vita California

2011-11-10T11:10:00.001-08:00

Photo by James Chutter

Reposted from Rudys.com:

Rudy’s Barbershop continues to grow its community centric shops by partnering with Seattle based coffee roasting company.

Caffe Vita will open their first California location adjacent to Rudy’s flagship location in Silverlake, formerly occupied by Uncle Jers ( 4459 Sunset Boulevard.) Both brands plan to partner on key community initiatives which will allow the 6000 sqft space to become a hub for creative events, artists, and music.

Caffe Vita Coffee Roasting Company was founded in 1995 by Mike McConnell. The company pioneered Farm Direct purchasing by sourcing directly from coffee farmers across the globe, based on quality, stewardship, and sustainability. Recognized as one of the “Top Ten Cups of Coffee in the Country” by GQ Magazine, Caffe Vita has been recognized by New York Times Magazine and countless other esteemed publications.

Rachel Peacock, Store Manager at Rudy’s Barbershop in Ballard: “Like Rudy’s, Caffe Vita has always made it a priority to support the communities where they are located. It was very important for us to work with a company that values that as much as we do. Their commitment to coffee is an obsession and it extends to the entire Caffe Vita experience, which we understand and appreciate.”

Vita has been offering their famous French press coffee complimentary to Rudy’s customers and farmer’s market attendees in Ballard since last month. They will continue to brew a rotating selection in multiple locations as the relationship grows.

Mike McConnell, owner and founder of Caffe Vita: “The synergies between Rudy’s and Vita are endless, from the shared aesthetic to the connection with community and arts to the bottom line way we conduct business. I knew this would be a great fit!”

Prior to their launch in Silverlake, Caffe Vita and Rudy’s will be co-hosting a community party at Rudy’s Silverlake location that will be open to the entire neighborhood, offering complimentary coffee drinks and including a Q & A session. Please check back for dates.

Public Brewing School is Back in Session

2011-11-08T18:02:00.000-08:00

In less than two weeks, Public Brewing School will be back in session. This time around we will focus on a few new(ish) manual brewing methods, including the AeroPress and Clever Dripper, as well at the more traditional methods of French Press, pour-over, and Bialetti. Taste what's brewed through the various methods and increase your understanding of brewing techniques to highlight the amazing flavors and aromas in your beans.

The next PBS sessions are November 19 and December 17. The Saturday morning classes begin at 10am, lasting about two hours, and are held at Caffe Vita Capitol Hill at 1005 E. Pike Street. The classes are free and space is limited. To reserve your spot, please email Andy@caffevita.com.

We look forward to meeting our next waves of students. See you soon at PBS.

Pie & Coffee Pairings Continue at High 5 Pie

2011-11-02T22:24:00.000-07:00

Do we have your attention? There will be pumpkin pie.

This Saturday from 2pm to 4pm, we invite you to join us at High 5 Pie for a coffee and pie pairing, the third in a series of four. Come experience Caffe Vita coffees with Pumpkin Pie, Sweet Potato Pie, and Cranberry Walnut Pie baked fresh, in-house by talented bakers.

Fruit, cream, or whatever the filling, we bring the beans and brewing method to make the best cup for each slice. In addition, you can take a peek at a new cookbook, Cutie Pies, from High 5 Pie founder Dani Cone.

Saturdays, 2pm to 4pm, at High 5 Pie

November 5 - Pumpkin Pie, Sweet Potato Pie, Cranberry Walnut

December 3 - Apple, Caramel Pecan, Chocolate Cream

High 5 Pie is located at 1400 12th Avenue, Seattle (the corner of 12th and Madison on Capitol Hill).

But wait! There's one more thing coffee and pie lovers need to know. Tuesdays at High 5 Pie are Twin Peaks Tuesdays. From 7pm to 10 pm on Tuesday nights, watch an episode of Twin Peaks and enjoy pie and coffee specials named after characters in the series. We dare you to order the "Laura Palmer."

Vita at Saint Martin's University Gala on Nov. 5

2011-10-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

Saint Martin's University Gala from Saint Martin's University on Vimeo.

Caffe Vita is honored to serve espresso to the attendees of the upcoming Saint Martin's University Gala on November 5, 2011, in Lacey, Wa. Headlining this black-tie affair is celebrity chef Mario Batali. He'll be joined by special guest emcee Lynne Rossetto Kasper from The Splendid Table. The event includes a five-course dinner with fine wines, a culinary demonstration by Mario Batali, and live and silent auctions. Sorry, tickets are no longer available.

The annual Gala raises money for student scholarships. Saint Martin's University is the alma mater of Armandino Batali, co-founder and salumist at Salumi Artisan Cured Meats and father of Mario. We're looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones as we gather in the spirit of hospitality, community, and fine dining.

Photo from the Vita Archives.

Coffee Shop Series: The Maldives and Motopony on Nov. 3

2011-10-27T13:44:00.000-07:00

Together with Verizon, we're bringing you local favorites The Maldives and Motopony for free at Neumos on Thursday, November 3 (8pm doors; 9pm show). It's our third and last concert for the year in Verizon's Coffee Shop Series. The show is all-ages and the upstairs bar at Neumos will be open.

Sign up here to enter to win General Admission tickets or VIP Experience passes. The VIP Experience includes a pre-show party, a tour of our roasting facility, and more. (Pssst! One of the bands will be joining the tour.) Also, watch our Vita Facebook and Vita Twitter updates over the next few days. We'll make some VIP Experience passes available to some lucky internet friends.

To pick up a pair of complimentary tickets, swing by these Verizon and Caffe Vita locations listed below. At the Verizon stores, starting today, they will send you off with a tin of Caffe Vita coffee (until they run out).

Verizon Seattle ticket locations
(Thurs, Oct 27 - Tues, Nov 1)

Downtown | 1633 6th Avenue
Northgate | 401 NE Northgate Way

Caffe Vita Seattle ticket locations
(11am-6pm, Sun, Oct 30 - Tues, Nov 1)

Capitol Hill | 1005 East Pike Street
Fremont | 4301 Fremont Avenue North
Queen Anne | 813 5th Avenue North

Want to do something good with your old wireless phone? Bring it to the show on November 3, and it'll go to Verizon’s HopeLine phone recycling program, which supports victims of domestic violence.

Now, let's get back to the music! Watch The Maldives perform live in our Bean Room for KEXP at the Capitol Hill Block Party in 2009.

Have you seen Motopony's "King of Diamonds" video? We've got it for you right here.

For all the details, visit the Coffee Shop Series website.

HiawathOween this Saturday

2011-10-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

This Saturday is HiawathOween at café weekend. We're sharing their invitation below. You should go to this.

Fall is here and our favorite time of year.....

In celebration of Halloween and harvest we cordially invite you to our annual community fall gathering on Saturday, October 29, 2011.

This year's HiawathOween will be a festive, family-friendly costume swap & fall food drive in support of our neighborhood foodbank/ FBSM.

FESTIVITIES INCLUDE: Invite your friends and make it a play date or craft time for adults & kids.
Costume swap - or clear out that Halloween dress up bin and donate it (gently used & clean costumes please). Unclaimed costumes after the event will go to our neighborhood Goodwill or FBSM child.
Craft time - we will have a few craft tables open for BYOM - (bring your own materials) to gussy up those costumes.
A spookie cookie decorating table* limited supplies for walk-in guests. RSVP to reserve your cookie.
SWAP/ DONATE: 5 cans of food or $5 donation to FBSM = 1 spookie cookie to decorate or 1 raffle ticket. 1 costume = 1 costume voucher swap or 1 spookie cookie

WHERE: This event will be held in our community room at the Hiawatha Lofts from 10am-2pm on Saturday October, 29th 2011. CLICK here for map.

DETAILS: CLICK here for more details on the costume swap & food drive.

RSVP here to reserve your spookie cookie on facebook or in the cafe by Wednesday, October 26, 2011.

NEIGHBORS & RAFFLE DONATIONS:*if you are a neighborhood business or partner of cafe weekend and would like to participate further, please feel free to contact us.

Looking forward to see you here and excited to see what you are going to be this HiawathOween!!!

It's Coffee For the Kids!

2011-10-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

During the first week of November, join Caffe Vita in supporting all-ages art and music at The Vera Project with Coffee for the Kids. Caffe Vita will donate 10% of sales to The Vera Project on the following days at each of our six Seattle cafes:

11/1 - Tuesday - Capitol Hill - 1005 E. Pike St.
11/2 - Wednesday - Queen Anne - 813 5th Ave. N
11/3 - Thursday - Pioneer Square - 125 Prefontaine Pl. S.
11/4 - Friday - Fremont - 4301 Fremont Ave. N
11/5 - Saturday - Phinney Ridge - 7402 Greenwood Ave N.
11/6 - Sunday - Seward Park - 5208 Wilson Ave S.

So, drink up -- it's for the kids! Vita <3 Vera.

P.S. Hey, have you checked Vera's show calendar lately?

TODAY Show at Pike Place Market

2011-10-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

This morning, Caffe Vita's Coffee Specialist, Andy Kent, prepared a traditional caffe latte on live television for TODAY Show hosts Kathie Lee and Hoda at Pike Place Market. ~~Tune in to NBC today at 10:30am PST to watch the episode that was taped this morning.~~ [Update: video now posted above.]

There was a coffee showdown, and Caffe Vita brought home the hardware, winning the coffee taste test with a beautiful, classic drink. Way to go, Andy!

FareStart Guest Chef Night - Caffe Vita's Chef Robert Prince

2011-10-19T18:42:00.000-07:00

We at Caffe Vita want to tell you about a very special FareStart Guest Chef night happening on Thursday, November 3. Returning to the kitchen with FareStart students, Chef Robert Prince, Caffe Vita's Key Account Manager, will prepare a three-course meal in the Guest Chef Night series. The cost is $24.95, and all proceeds and gratuities go back into the program to fund student services and training. Here's the link to make your reservations through OpenTable.

The menu for November 3 is posted below. The dessert will feature a Caffe Vita coffee ice cream made by our partners at Bluebird Microcreamery, who opened up their second location on Phinney Ridge less than a week ago.

GUEST CHEF NIGHT MENU

November 3, 2011

Chef Robert Prince

STARTER

Cannellini Bean with Wilted Kale and Pickled Pepper

ENTRÉE

Brined Pork Loin Chops Roasted and Finished on the Grill,
Warm Roasted Fingerling Potato Salad with Balsamic Braised Onion

Vegetarian Entrée
Risotto with Oven Roasted Tomato and Whole Milk Ricotta

DESSERT

Fall Fruit Crumble with Bluebird Caffe Vita Ice Cream

Caffe Vita and Chef Robert Prince are longtime supporters of FareStart, a nationally-recognized culinary job training and placement program for homeless and disadvantaged individuals. As part of FareStart's culinary training program, they offer regular weekday lunch service (here's the lunch menu -- we love that Founder's "Field Roast" Sandwich). The restaurant is located at 7th and Virginia in downtown Seattle.

We hope to see you at FareStart on November 3. It's going to be delicious. Again, reservations are required. Here's the link.

Coffee Shop Series, Oct 13 VIP Tour and Concert

2011-10-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

Last night was our second Coffee Shop Series concert in partnership with Verizon. Before the sweet indie-pop bands The Scene Aesthetic and He Is We took the stage a half-block away at Neumos, we hosted VIPs for a roasting demo and roasterie tour. To gain their exclusive status, these kind people donated their used wireless phones to Verizon's Hopeline program. Additionally, they were treated to a meet & greet with the bands, a Via Tribunali pizza dinner, and drinks, too.

The next Coffee Shop Series concert will feature Motopony and The Maldives at Neumos on November 3. Tickets are free, and we'll post more details on the blog next week. Check out our photos from our fun time last night, and see you at the next show!

Daniel Shewmaker, green bean buyer, led the Coffee Shop Series VIPs on a Coffee Experience tour of the roasterie.

A Very Important Batch (VIB) of Finca Nuevo Vinas was roasted for the VIPs.

There was time to enjoy a cup of French press Finca Nuevo Vinas before heading back to Neumos.

The Scene Aesthetic performing at Neumos on 10-13-2011.

Between bands, prizes were distributed to the crowd. Prizes included tins of Caffe Vita coffee, a signed drumhead, an Xbox LIVE subscription, and a coveted HTC smartphone.

He Is We on stage at Neumos on 10-13-2011.

Fresh Vita Tees, Green and Grey

2011-10-12T12:20:00.000-07:00

New Vita tees are in. What can these tees say about you?

In rich green, the stylish French press design features the line, "out of this world and into your cup." When you wear this shirt, it shows that you've got a handle on things and that you're all about taking the plunge.

In light grey, it's clear you don't have time for anything but the best. Taste matters to you, and you like your coffee strong. Every day it pumps you up so you can get all of your stuff done. It's simple. It's delicious It's the coffee.

Make a statement or just wear a shirt. Find them at a Caffe Vita near you for the easy price of $14. Get them while you can.

Thanks to our models, Erin and Wade, who took a break from work to pose for the camera in the Caffe Vita Bean Room.

Donation Pledge to 12th Avenue Arts

2011-10-03T17:04:00.000-07:00

Caffe Vita will donate 10 percent of Capitol Hill coffee bar sales from the month of October to 12th Avenue Arts, a new Capitol Hill Housing (CHH) building to be constructed near 12th Avenue and East Pine Street. This mixed-use development will bring more than 80 affordable apartments, community meeting space, and permanently affordable performing arts space to the neighborhood.

Last Tuesday at Sole Repair, supporters and neighborhood business owners gathered to hear project updates and learn about the progress of the capital campaign (CHH's first ever). Through a mix of funding sources including private donations, grants, tax credit, state programs and commercial bank loans, CHH is hard at work to secure the $38 million required for construction. The groundbreaking is slated for the summer of 2012, and the project is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2014.

For more information on 12th Avenue Arts or how you can support the capital campaign, get in touch with the kind people at Capitol Hill Housing.

Michael Seiwerath, Executive Director, Capitol Hill Housing Foundation, speaking at the 12th Avenue Arts event at Sole Repair on September 27.

Come learn about 12th Avenue Arts

2011-09-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow at Sole Repair there will be a neighborhood get together for people to learn more about 12th Avenue Arts. This project of Capitol Hill Housing will transform an East District police parking lot (pictured below) into a mixed-use development with affordable housing, community meeting space, retail, arts space, and underground parking for police vehicles. For years, Capitol Hill Housing has been working to make this project real, and back in June it was officially announced. We're excited to hear the latest updates.

We hope to see you at Sole Repair tomorrow. And, it will be a chance to have a drink with Tim Keck and Jerry Everard!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011, 4-6 pm

Sole Repair, 1001 East Pike, Seattle, WA 98122

R.S.V.P., Leigh at lsmith@capitolhillhousing.org

Future home of 12th Avenue Arts.

October 13 at Neumos: He Is We and The Scene Aesthetic

2011-09-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

We’re pleased to announce theupcoming performances of He Is Weand The Scene Aesthetic at Neumos on Thursday, October 13, at 8pm. These two local indie pop bands will perform a free, all-ages concert as part of Verizon Wireless’ Coffee Shop Series.

While they last, the free tickets will be available forpick-up at the following Caffe Vita and Verizon Wireless locations, beginning October6 through October 10:

Caffe Vita Ticket giveaway hours: 11am to 6pm

· Capitol Hill | 1005 East Pike Street

· Fremont | 4301 Fremont Avenue North

· Queen Anne | 813 5th Avenue North

VerizonWireless

· Downtown | 1633 6th Avenue

· Northgate |401 NE Northgate Way

If you have a used wireless phone to donate, bring it tothe Downtown or Northgate Verizon Wireless locations during October 6-10, and they’llthank you with a limited edition Caffe Vita coffee tin (while supplies last) anda chance to win a VIP Experience, which includes a pre-party and Meet &Greet with both bands. Phone donations to Verizon’s HopeLine phone recycling programsupport victims of domestic violence.

For all the details and more, visit the Coffee Shop Series website.

The Scene Aesthetic

He Is We

Coffee Dreams Coming True

2011-09-16T17:44:00.000-07:00

It is a dream coming true that we are awaiting a shipment of coffee beans from Papua New Guinea, specifically the remote YUS Conservation Area of the Huon Peninsula (click here for map). Our partnership with the Woodland Park Zoo's Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program supports conservation efforts that are good for the land, the environment, the people, the native species, and the coffee crop, too. Our green bean buyer Daniel, a regular contributor to this blog, has posted reports from the June 2011 trip and has recently shared his enthusiasm for the coffee we're on track to bring you this fall.

Please see this recent blog post by the Woodland Park Zoo that outlines the deep importance of coffee to the villagers in the YUS Conservation Area. For more updates on this project and our conservation coffee -- stay tuned right here on the Vita blog.

Above, Daniel discusses drying techniques with YUS Conservation Area landowners and farmers.

Cherry by cherry, the coffee is harvested.

Some planes must be pushed before they can be caught.

Photos by Ryan Hawk, Woodland Park Zoo.

On Wednesday, Eat Out on Capitol Hill

2011-09-10T11:50:00.000-07:00

Caffe Vita is proud to be a participating business in the First Annual Eat Out on Capitol Hill to benefit Country Doctor Community Health Centers. We're one of several neighborhood cafes and restaurants who have pledged to donate a percentage of proceeds from this Wednesday, September 14. Here's the link to the Facebook event page.

Country Doctor Community Health Centers improves the health of our community by providing high-quality, caring, culturally appropriate primary health care that addresses the needs of all people regardless of their ability to pay.

Check out the poster below and make your plans for this Wednesday. Round up your friends and hit up your favorite places on the hill. You can make an impact!

Eat Out on Capitol Hill, Sept 14, 2011

Coffee & Pie Pairings: Even better together.

2011-09-06T08:17:00.000-07:00

Coffee and pie go together without even thinking about it, but what if we did think about it? Come taste the difference when we team up with High 5 Pie for four monthly coffee and pie pairings. Fruit, cream, or whatever the filling, we'll bring the beans and brewing methods to make the best cup for each slice. In addition, you'll get to see the new cookbook, Cutie Pie, from High 5 Pie founder Dani Cone. Please join us!

Saturdays, 2pm to 4pm, at High 5 Pie

September 10 - Lemon Blueberry, Marionberry, Cherry Almond
October 15 - Apple, Spiced Plum Walnut, Coconut Cream Pie
November 5 - Pumpkin Pie, Sweet Potato Pie, Cranberry Walnut
December 3 - Apple, Caramel Pecan, Chocolate Cream

High 5 Pie is located at 1400 12th Avenue, Seattle (the corner of 12th and Madison on Capitol Hill).

YUS Conservation Area - Cupping Event

2011-08-26T16:12:00.000-07:00

On Friday, September 2nd at 1pm we will be hosting a cupping of samples from the YUS Conservation Area in Papua New Guinea. The YUS Conservation Area is located in the Huon Peninsula and these particular samples were brought back from the villages of Sapmanga, Mungku, Saburong, Gomdan, and Towet. We will have the unique opportunity to evaluate and discuss the differences between these villagers coffees, and enjoy a little sneak peak of what the coffee may taste like when it arrives. We are in the process of working out the final details of its shipment and are very excited to share stories about this coffee with you. If you would like to attend please email daniel@caffevita.com as space is limited. Hope to see you there !

New Arrival: Un Regalo de Dios, Plantio el Aserradero

2011-08-23T11:24:00.000-07:00

Un Regalo de Dios ("A Gift from God") is the celebrated farm of Luis Alberto Balladarez Moncada and is located in the Mozonte region east of Ocotal, Nicaragua. This region has the potential to produce some remarkable coffees, but remains mostly undeveloped due to a lack of good infrastructure. In the two years that Luis Alberto has owned this farm, he has made many innovative improvements to the processing techniques which have contributed greatly to the quality and sweetness of his coffee.

Cherries are picked at peak ripeness and then allowed to rest for a few hours prior to being mechanically sorted by density rather than the traditional flotation -- conserving large amounts of water and reducing waste. After pulping, a dry fermentation is utilized to speed up the process, as the spring water on his property is so cold it could delay the fermentation for days. Finally, he allows the slightest bit of mucilage to remain on the parchment prior to drying with the belief it increases sweetness.

This particular lot, Plantio el Aserradero, is grown at 1675 meters and is comprised of caturra and catuai. Round and balanced, with aromas of vanilla, apricot, and tangerine, this coffee features ripe stone fruit acidity, almond butter body, and a cocoa and sugar cane finish. Find these coffee beans in our cafes and online.

Conservation Coffee

2011-08-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

photo courtesy of Ryan Hawk, Woodland Park Zoo

We have received an encouraging report from our partner in Morobe Province that the first load of YUS conservation coffee has been safely flown from the Sapmanga airstrip to Nadzab and is now being awaiting its sister shipment at a facility in Goroka. The remaining coffee is being stored at Yawan, but due to unfavorable weather it has yet to be picked up. Sapmanga and Yawan are the two villages in the Uruwa that posess airstrips - making them the vital hubs of transport for this coffee. As I witnessed first hand, the flights out of these grass, muddy airstrips can be highly irregular due to the weather and whims of the aviation company. Our hope is for the remaining coffee to be picked up from Yawan and delivered to Goroka, where it will be milled and bagged for a scheduled September shipment across the Pacific to Seattle.

For those of you not familiar with the project, Caffe Vita has joined the Woodland Park Zoo to work towards strengthening the longevity and success of the first ever conservation area to be established in Papua New Guinea, the YUS Conservation Area. Named after the three main rivers that flow through the area, the Yopno, Uruwa, and Som carve majestic valleys through this rugged terrain- one of the most biologically diverse in the world. The conservation area was only made possible by the cooperation of over 35 villages in the region and the landowners who have agreed to set aside their valuable resources for future generations. In addition, we are donating $1 to the Woodland Park Zoo for every bag of Zoo Special Reserve coffee beans we sell at our cafes or online.

The people of YUS are primarily subsistence farmers, cultivating an array of sweet potatoes, taro, cassava, greens, and fruits. In addition, a few cash crops such as tobacco, betel nut, and coffee are grown, but finding a potential buyer can be a challenge. YUS is remote, no roads lead to this region, so all goods heading towards the market must be flown (or walked). The cost and availability of airfrieght can make selling these crops close to impossible, yet currency is necessary for education and healthcare. For the improvement of these communities and the preservation of their land, we aim to provide a consistent market for their remarkable coffee.

Our goal is to establish the structure necessary for the transport of this coffee out of YUS and onwards to Seattle, where we hope the roasted coffee will find a following -- the success of this project depends on it. For a sneak peak of the flavor profile you can expect when the coffee lands, we will be hosting a cupping of the coffees from each of the villages we visited. Details to be posted on this blog soon. In the meantime, you can enjoy this slideshow from our recent trip.

Tonight: Seattle Tattoo Expo Opening Art Show

2011-08-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

paintings by Damon Conklin of SuperGenius

The Opening Art Show for the Seattle Tattoo Expo is tonight at our Capitol Hill cafe. Come by view artwork by national artists Cory Norris (featured on the cover of Juxtapoz), Jeff Gogue, Shawn Barber, Henry Lewis, Sierra Colt, and more. The local artists featured include Damon Conklin (Vita's neighbor and SuperGenius owner), Bryon Griffith, Chula, and others.

From now through Saturday night, our Bean Room is the Seattle Tattoo Expo VIP Lounge (you'll need a VIP bracelet to enter).

Caffe Vita baristas will be pouring refreshing cold-brew coffee at Seattle Center this weekend for the Seattle Tattoo Expo attendees, starting Friday at 2pm. (Pssst! The Via Tribunali pizza oven will be there, too.) See you soon. Come show off your ink!

12th Ave Neighborhood Fest - Sunday, 8/14

2011-08-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

Save the afternoon of Sunday, August 14, 12pm-6pm, and your appetite, for the 12th Avenue Neighborhood Festival on Seattle's Capitol Hill between E. Madison and E. Pike Streets. Now in its second year, the festival features affordable plates (priced at $5 or less) from more than 30 neighborhood vendors.

Taste your way down restaurant row and discover favorite dishes from 12th Avenue and nearby eateries such as Café Presse, Osteria La Spiga, Barrio, Zobel Ethiopian Restaurant, High 5 Pie, Bluebird Microcreamery, Poquitos, Ambassel Ethiopian Restaurant, Via Tribunali, and many more. There will be music, activities for kiddos, and so much ice cream. Caffe Vita will be there with cold brew!

For festival updates and neighborhood news, see the 12th Avenue Neighborhood page on Facebook.

New Arrival : Finca Pacamaral

2011-07-29T18:02:00.000-07:00

Caffe Vita's most recent trip to Guatemala led to the discovery of this beautiful and rugged farm. Located at the upper limits of coffee cultivation (1700-2000 masl), the terrain provides a challenge for the farmers who work it. The steep hillsides are planted with a predominance of the Pacamara variety (hence the name), along with some Caturra and Catuai. Isote hugs the trails to provide protection against erosion and towering pine and avocado trees supply shade. The farm is owned by Eduardo Castro and managed by Jose 'el Chepe'.

The cherries are handpicked at peak ripeness and then loaded into a truck for the short drive down to the wet mill at Finca Nuevo Viñas where they are unloaded, sorted by density and de-pulped. After a fermentation period of approximately 24 hours the parchment is washed and then allowed to dry on patios.

The cup is complex and lively with aromas of honeysuckle, melon, and ginger. Flavors of marshmallow, dark chocolate, and dried cherry are buoyed by a lemon juice acidity and sustained in the sweet, persistent finish.

Available online and at our retail locations.

Sunday - CHBP 2011

2011-07-28T21:13:00.000-07:00

The Capitol Hill Block Party Day 3 with KEXP in the Bean Room featured live performances from The Posies, The Cave Singers, My Goodness, Kung Foo Grip, and Brothers From Another.

Check out our photos from the front row and then see the KEXP blog for more about the bands that played the Bean Room on Sunday:

The Posies on KEXP

My Goodness on KEXP

The Cave Singers on KEXP

Kung Foo Grip on KEXP

Brothers From Another on KEXP

the posies

the posies

the cave singers

my goodness

photos by Lori Paulson

Saturday - CHBP 2011

2011-07-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

Here are some of our favorite photos from the Bean Room on Day 2. Thanks to KEXP and all the bands: Handsome Furs, Austra, The Young Evils, Federation X, and Champagne Champagne.

Click here to listen to KEXP's archive of the Handsome Furs performance from Saturday, 7/23.

champagne champagne

champagne champagne

the young evils

austra

handsome furs

photos by Lori Paulson

Friday - CHBP 2011

2011-07-28T17:26:00.000-07:00

Can we find the words to say how much we love hosting KEXP's broadcasts from the Bean Room? It's an honor to have visits and performances by such talented artists all weekend long. The Bean Room is a fairly normal (and quiet) warehouse almost every day. Its transformation into a mini-venue and recording studio is a special treat -- maybe even for the coffee beans, too.

fucked up by Lori Paulson

The Head and the Heart by Lori Paulson

Friday featured Bean Room performances by Fucked Up and The Head and the Heart. You can listen to The Head and the Heart's live performance on KEXP, here on their website.

Here are more photos from Friday, Day 1, including scenes from our La Famiglia Lounge (our Block Party upstairs bar) and from performances by The Fresh & Onlys, and Thurston Moore.

slideshow by Lori Paulson

Thursday Kick-Off - CHBP 2011

2011-07-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who attended the 7/21 show in our Bean Room -- one wild week ago -- by Morning Teleportation. Our Thursday kickoff to the Capitol Hill Block Party featured the up-and-coming Portland band, groovy lights, and complimentary cold-brew coffee. Because we partnered with Verizon for this Coffee Shop Series concert, all attendees left the Bean Room loaded up with a bag of "Morning Teleportation Blend" coffee, and T-shirts and posters printed by The VERA Project.

Announcing: PBS on August 6, 2011

2011-07-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

Our next Public Brewing School (PBS) class will take place ~~this~~ next Saturday, ~~July 30,~~ August 6 from 10am to 12pm. Attendees will learn home brewing methods, including pour over, French press, vaccum pot, Bialetti, and more. The cost to attend PBS is $20. Each student will receive a 12-ounce bag of Farm Direct coffee and 15% off any brewing device.

To reserve your spot in this popular class (recently highlighted in the Seattle Weekly's Voracious blog), please email jacob@caffevita.com. The session will take place at the Capitol Hill cafe at 1005 E. Pike St., Seattle.

UPDATE 7/28/2011: Date change! We've just moved this PBS session to be one week later. We hope this date is more convenient for everyone. Carry on!

Block Party Kick-Off: Morning Teleportation in the Bean Room

2011-07-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

An unofficial kick-off to the 2011 Capitol Hill Block Party will happen in the Caffe Vita Bean Room on Thursday, July 21, at 8pm. We're excited to bring you the Portland-based Psych rockers, Morning Teleportation. They are currently on tour, performing from their debut album, Expanding Anyway. Here's a video -- check them out:

Invite your friends via the Facebook event page.

Tickets are FREE and available at these three locations only:

Caffe Vita Capitol Hill 1005 East Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122
July 15-20, 10am-2pm.

Verizon Store / Downtown 1633 6th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
July 15-16, 11am-2pm / July 20, 4-7pm

Verizon Store / University 5001 25th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105
July 17, 11am-2pm / July 19, 4-7pm

Click here for all the details and how to win VIP passes by donating old cell phones and accessories to the HopeLine program. Check the Coffee Shop Series website for more info and future shows by Verizon and Caffe Vita.

We got the Golden Boot!

2011-07-01T13:33:00.000-07:00

Last night, Caffe Vita was delighted and honored to be named the 2011 Community Partner by The Service Board at the annual Golden Boot. (Thank you, tSB!) Here is Bob Prince accepting the Golden Boot Award. The event was held at Havana with tacos and sliders by Marination Mobile.

The Service Board exists to create mentoring activities for Seattle high school-age youth. Through programs in snowboarding, art, music, and leadership training, they provide life-changing experiences that build self-knowledge, skills, courage, and determination. They do very important work, and Caffe Vita is proud to support them. You can learn about their work and how to get involved by exploring their website.

The Northwest's Own

2011-06-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

It happened June 18-19: the Northwest Coffee Festival at Seattle Center. Fisher Pavilion was filled with the sounds of espresso machines, music, and chatter as people visited vendor booths for specialty drinks, fancy snacks, and to learn about the featured brewing equipment, coffee beans, and specialty drinks.

At our corner booth, our fired-up baristas pulled shots on the Bosco for traditional Italian espresso drinks and served clean and simple pour-over coffee. A spontaneous coffee and chocolate pairing was brilliantly arranged by our friends at Theo Chocolate, who walked some treats down from their booth to make a chocolate annex in ours. (Great idea, Theo! Thanks.)

You'll see Jacob as a panelist in the slideshow above (seated at the table on the far right) during the Sunday discussion of the future of coffee and the current market. He shared a fresh perspective, having just returned from coffee farms in Colombia. (We'll be sharing more about his travels on this blog soon.) The packed program of events made new dimensions of coffee celebration and exploration available to the festival-goers.

As a coffee company, it was a special chance to join together with the Seattle coffee community, connect with hometown industry friends, and, of course, share our coffee. If we didn't see you there this year, we hope to see you next year.

From Papua New Guinea

2011-06-23T17:47:00.000-07:00

EDITOR'S NOTE: Daniel Shewmaker, Caffe Vita's green bean buyer, has been on a wild adventure to Papua New Guinea (PNG) for most of this month. He traveled there with members of the Woodland Park Zoo's Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program (TKCP). Daniel is on his way back to Seattle now, but he has sent ahead some photos and updates for us. As you will read more about below, Caffe Vita has partnered with the Zoo to support their conservation work in the YUS Conservation Area -- PNG's first national conservation area. Also, to help the TKCP meet their June 30 fundraising goal, here are the instructions to text a $5 donation. Another way to help and also enjoy coffee is to purchase Zoo Special Reserve. Caffe Vita donates $1 to the Zoo for every bag of this coffee sold in our cafes or online.

Update 6/6/2011

I arrived at the Nadzab airport last night and followed a kid with a sign that said "Daniel Somika" onto a bus. After about an hour of riding through the bumpy night, dropping off other patrons in the town of Lae, I found myself at the Melanesian hotel and met up with members of the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program and Conservation International.

Lae is not a safe place. It turned out that I would be staying in different hotel about two blocks away, but I was not allowed to walk there. I had to hire an armed vehicle called "Guard Dog" to drive me the short distance. There is definitely something unsettling about this.

Today, after my first night of sleep in what seems like a very long time, I met up with Lisa and Hilary from the Zoo, and we talked a little bit about our flight into the village of Sapmanga tomorrow, and our time trekking around and helping with coffee harvesting and processing. Today, we are gathering supplies and packing for the 11 days that we will be off the grid. There are a few different groups of people that will also be in the area, including members of Conservation International and researchers from James Cook University in Australia. They are doing various studies on wildlife populations and such.

I am excited to be going to the interior rather than staying here, as we are pretty much on lockdown while in Lae. I won't be able to touch base again until I get back, which I believe is on the 18th or 19th. I leave early tomorrow morning, and I am really not encouraged to go wandering around, but I will attach a photo I took on my way to the TKCP office -- the tallest building in Lae!

Update 6/20/2011

Hello from Yawan Village. As I write this the rain is pouring and my spirits are dampened. The scheduled flight for this morning back to Nadzab decided to forgo its pickup at the Yawan airstrip due to poor visibility, and my hope for making the connecting flight back to the United States all depends on the weather tomorrow morning. If I wake to clear skies, a hectic and stressful day awaits: a ride on the guard dog security transport into Lae where I hope to shower, clean, pack, meet with the Coffee Industry Corporation, gather green coffee samples, and prepare for the long journey home. If the rain and mist continue, I will remain here. I've come to understand that this is just the way things are in Papua New Guinea -- the best laid plans, effort, and will are all too often subject to the whims of nature or others. Well enough about the joys of travel on this majestic island; here is what I came for, the coffee.

For the past two weeks I've been walking through the Uruwa region, visiting villages, and meeting as many coffee growers as possible. A small revolution has been taking place. Coffee gardens which had been abandoned for decades have now been pruned and maintained. Raised beds have been constructed and hope is high that the remarkable coffee of this region will find its way to a market. This is the goal that Caffe Vita has come here to help achieve.

This possibility first came to our attention over a year ago when we were approached by the Woodland Park Zoo's Tree Kangaroo Conservation Project. We were told of a people who had decided to set aside large portions of their land as a conservation area; the first of its kind in Papua New Guinea. They also happened to grow a lot of coffee, but have never received a good price due to the remoteness of their location. One of the only options was to make the three-day journey to the nearest road and hope that someone would come along and purchase their coffee -- often a middle man who would take advantage and offer a low price. Coffee is one of the only means of income for most of the villagers, and for years now, these people have struggled to pay for basic necessities such as school fees and health care. Caffe Vita is commited to help change this situation by aiding in the improvement of coffee quality and beginning to purchase coffee from them at a price which will enable them to improve their livelihoods.

I believe that the potential for coffee cultivation in this region is tremendous. The soil is rich, dense chocolate-cake-like humus, fed by numerous nitrogen-fixing shade trees, such as the native Casarina. The elevation is prime, ranging from about 1400 - 2000 meters above sea level, and I've seen nothing but Bourbon, Typica, Mundo Novo, and Arusha trees in the gardens. The coffee is organic, grown in harmony with its surroundings, interspersed among numerous other species such as breadfruit, betelnut, citrus, banana, taro, and lusina. From a distance it is often difficult to determine where the coffee is growing, as it blends into the thick flora and fauna.

Like much of the Asia-Pacific coffee growing region, drying has proved to be a challenge, but the ingenuity and hard work of some of the more diligent coffee growers has led to the construction of raised beds and solar driers which I imagine will drastically improve the cup quality. I have been collecting a backpack full of samples, and I am eager to fire up the sample roaster back at Vita and begin work on the collection and export of this coffee to Seattle. Now, if only the rain would let up.

Update 6/21/2011

The rain did not let up, but a brave (crazy?) young pilot decided to land on the airstrip anyhow. Unfortunately, the mud and water caused his plane to skid and slide all over the place. He wisely decided to only take a few passengers back to Nadzab, so that he could lift off before hitting the muck (and the subsequent cliff). Due to my imminent connection to international flights I was chosen to board and feel fortunate to have survived the flight back to Nadzab. Please have in your thoughts Ryan and Lisa from the Woodland Park Zoo. To my knowledge they are still stranded in Yawan awaiting another flight.

Father's Day Freebie. Because Dad is Rad.

2011-06-16T15:55:00.000-07:00

Father's day is this Sunday, June 19, and we're treating dads to free French press coffee, any size. Dads don't have to be accompanied by their offspring or show the baristas their precious clones on their iPhones. Dads should just come in to any of our cafes and request the free French press coffee. Dad is rad. 'Nuff said.

If you're looking to make some plans with your dad (or without) this weekend, we'll be celebrating coffee and summertime at the Northwest Coffee Festival and the Fremont Fair on Saturday and Sunday. We'll have booths at both. Come drink coffee with us.

It's the Seattle Coffee Crawl.

2011-06-11T12:58:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Northwest Coffee Festival is next weekend, June 18-19, at Seattle Center. Caffe Vita will be there, and our baristas are excited to indulge in a weekend of coffee nerdery with the fine attendees of this brand-new festival. Ticket information is here.

Kicking off the fest is the Seattle Coffee Crawl, now underway. There is a staggering list of activities planned for coffee enthusiasts. It's a chance to get to the cafes you've been wanting to visit, taste new coffee, increase your coffee knowledge, or do something fun with your family or friends. You might even win something at a Coffee Crawl event.

The full Seattle Coffee Crawl map and schedule is here. We've listed the Caffe Vita events below, as well as the activities at our other favorite cafes in town. And, if you enjoy coffee with chocolate, pie or ice cream, you're in four-leaf-clover-grade luck.

CRAWL TO CAFFE VITA

Sunday, June 12, 11AM-1PM

Caffe Vita - Phinney Ridge

Coffee and Conservation

With special guest, the Woodland Park Zoo. Siphon bar tasting of Zoo Special Reserve

Monday, June 13, 3PM-5PM

Caffe Vita – Fremont

A Tale of Two Roasters

With special guest, Theo Chocolate. Sampling Theo Chocolate and Caffe Vita Theo Blend

Tuesday, June 14, 8AM-11AM

Caffe Vita - Seward Park

Yirgacheffe Extravaganza

Sampling Ethiopian Yirgacheffe espresso and other brewing methods.

Wednesday, June 15, 4PM-8PM

Caffe Vita - Queen Anne

Quattro Crazy Happy Hour (aka “A Tale of Two Vices”)

$5 for wine or beer and an espresso shot. Caffe del Sol coffee beans, 12 oz. for $9.99.

Thursday, June 16, 11AM-1PM

Caffe Vita - Pioneer Square

Cold-Brew Coffees

Sampling Kyoto-style and Toddy. Pizza lunch specials.

Friday, June 17, 10AM (2 hours)

Caffe Vita - Capitol Hill

Roasterie Tour and Cupping of Single-Origins

RSVP to training@caffevita.com. Spaces are limited.

MORE MUST-VISIT CRAWL STOPS

Sunday, June 12, 4:30PM-6PM

Caffe Fiore, Old Ballard

Organic Affogato Tasting

Parfait's Fiore French Roast Coffee Ice Cream + espresso

Monday, June 13, 10AM-12PM

Fuel - 45th

Traditional Macchiatos by Bam Bam

Purchase a macchiato and receive half-off Fuel merch.

Monday, June 13, 3PM-7PM

Caffe Fiore, Queen Anne

Organic Affogato Tasting

Parfait's Fiore French Roast Coffee Ice Cream + espresso

Tuesday, June 14, 5PM-7PM

High 5 Pie

Pie + Coffee = The Perfect Combo

Free Fuel espresso drink with purchase of any pie

Thursday, June 16, 1PM-3PM

All City Coffee

Coffee Tasting (4oz drinks)

NW Macchiato / Roma Macchiato / Icee

Friday, June 17, 4:30PM-6PM

Caffe Fiore, Sunset Hill

Organic Affogato Tasting

Parfait's Fiore French Roast Coffee Ice Cream + espresso

Do you know a future Director of Coffee?

2011-06-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

The good people at OTG Management are recruiting for a Director of Coffee. (A pretty groovy title, yeah?) We are posting the job description here on our blog to reach our industry friends and contacts. Please forward this along to any potential Directors of Coffee. To apply, send your resume to michael.coury@otgmanagement.com.

Director of Coffee
OTG Management

Responsible for creating a flexible, portable café program for use in multiple locations, including:
Creation of a comprehensive, portable training program for baristas, supervisors and managers.
Creation of standardized hardware and smallwares ordering guidelines for new World Bean units.
Assisting in creation of a standardized building plan for new World Bean units.
Creation of standardized hiring guidelines for new World Bean units.
Creation of a standardized opening timeline for new World Bean units.
Creation of standardized organizational and operational guidelines for new and existing World Bean units.
Creation of standardized menus and menu guidelines for new and existing World Bean units.
Assisting in creation of brand identity for World Bean, including uniform standards, visual presentation, messaging, etc.
Responsible for assisting in the opening of new World Bean Units, including:
Hiring and training management staff.
Assisting management staff in hiring baristas, where necessary.
Assisting in training new baristas, where necessary.
Assisting in installation and initial setup of hardware.
Ordering hardware and smallwares for initial setup.
Responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with business partners, including:
Establishing and assisting in maintaining relationships with roasters, food vendors and dairy vendors local to each World Bean unit or terminal.
Establishing and maintaining relationships with hardware and smallwares vendors.
Establishing and assisting in maintaining relationships with coffee equipment maintenance specialists local to each World Bean unit or terminal.
Establishing and maintaining a presence for World Bean in the Specialty Coffee community, including attending trade shows, barista competitions, and various industry events.
Responsible in the interim for assisting in operations and maintenance of coffee quality at LGA Terminal D, including:
Assisting in selecting new coffees.
Assisting in establishing brew parameters for new coffees.
Assisting in hardware calibration & maintenance.
Assisting in ordering, inventory & invoice management.
Assisting in scheduling & labor tracking.

New Arrival: Tanzania Mshikamano

2011-05-27T13:34:00.001-07:00

Checking the fermentation.

Mshikamano is a farming collective in Bara Village, located in the mountainous Mbozi district near Tanzania's border with Zambia. The term mshikamano is a Swahili word meaning "unity" or "cohesion." The group was founded with the goal of uniting farmers in the community for the purposes of sharing resources, such as powered processing center. Improved processing and a reputation for quality has allowed these farmers to fetch a higher price for their coffee and establish a more direct link with the market.

The members of the Mshikamano community are responsible for selectively hand-picking cherries and delivering them to the washing station. The coffee is pulped and then fermented in tanks such as the one pictured above. Fermentation is followed by sun-drying on African raised beds. The dried parchment is then milled and prepared for export at the Mbozi Coffee Curing Company.

The cup is sweet and juicy with aromas of plum, nectarine, and cocoa. Tangerine acidity and a honeyed body harmonize while flavors of peach and vanilla lead to a buttery maple syrup finish.

Available online and at our retail locations.

Public Brewing School in Session on May 28 and June 18

2011-05-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

Public Brewing School is our complimentary class that delves into the world of understanding and brewing better coffee at home. Public Brewing School is focused on manual brewing methods, but is also an open forum to talk all things coffee. Set aside your automatic drip machine and learn about the joys and benefits of using superior brewing methods like French Press, Chemex, Vacuum Pot, Bialetti, Pour Over and more.

The next PBS sessions will be held at the Capitol Hill Caffe Vita on the following dates:

Saturday, May 28. 10am - 12pm. This class is filling up fast!

Saturday, June 18. 10am - 12pm.

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to andy@caffevita.com or call 206-709-4440 x177.

Spring Sprung! Caffe Vita at the Henry Gala

2011-05-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung. Caffe Vita enjoyed the beautiful Seattle evening of Wednesday, May 18, 2011, at Western Bridge for Spring Sprung, the 2011 Henry Art Gallery Gala. Our baristas served espresso drinks to the partygoers, while live music, cooking-fire smells, and bouncehouse squeals achieved a lively, festive balance in the outdoor party space. It is our pleasure to participate in this annual event, which raises funds for the Henry Art Gallery and is a most spectacular soiree. We've put together a slideshow that we hope you will enjoy.

Have you been to the Henry lately? Plan your next visit.

Food Network visits High 5 Pie

2011-05-14T16:13:00.000-07:00

Last evening, High 5 Pie, our friends and Capitol Hill neighbors, invited us over while the Food Network filmed in their cheery shop for a one-hour special on pies that is set to air in November. The special will also include visits to other pie shops in Seattle, Chicago, North Carolina, and Florida.

From outside the "Bakers Only" area of High 5 Pie, we could peek through the glass as the bakers showed the cameras how to make a Lemon Shaker Pie and a Cherry Almond Cutie Pie. The crew also filmed other High 5 Pie specialties: Coconut Cream, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Vanilla Cream, and Apple Petit-5s. Daniel from Caffe Vita got to enjoy his favorite pie -- Marionberry -- on camera.

We want to thank High 5 Pie founder Dani Cone for inviting us over to share a slice of media excitement. Dani's pies might get used to being on TV: High 5 Pie is featured on the premiere episode of the Cooking Channel's new show, Unique Sweets.

High 5 Pie opened at 1400 12th Avenue, Seattle, on Dec 30, 2010, and serves Fuel Coffee, which is roasted by Caffe Vita. Fuel Coffee has locations Capitol Hill, Montlake, and Wallingford, and you can find pie at all of them. You'll also find High 5 Pie at Seattle Caffe Vita locations.

Food Network film crews OK, too.

This is pre-TV, folks.

Dani Cone, founder of High 5 Pie and Fuel.

Filming pie enjoyment over at big table.

This Banana Cream pie will not wait for forks.

Daniel eating pie on camera.

Pie and coffee: tender, tasty simplicity.

THAW spring fashion show to benefit HDSA

2011-05-10T15:58:00.001-07:00

The family of Caffe Vita Coffee Roasting Co. was proud to again be a part of THAW spring fashion show and fundraiser. The fifth annual event was held on May 5, 2011, at the Stadium Innovation Center in Seattle's SODO district. Each May, THAW raises awareness about Huntington's Disease and funds both social services and research programs for the Huntington's Disease Society of America through its Seattle-chic runway show, auction and soiree. THAW showcases the creations of sassy independent designers and features food and drink from a sweet selection of bars and restaurants, including Via Tribunali, MistralKitchen, and Hitchcock. This year's event was a huge success and included special performances by Seattle's fiercely talented groups Mad Rad and Champagne Champagne. Here are some of our favorite shots from the night.

Vita's Andy Kent pulling shots.

The Caffe Vita bean bag coffee lounge.

MistralKitchen Chef/Owner William Belickis (Nice wristbands!)
(Photo by Jeff White)

Danial Webster trunks.

Jamie Stratton in her own J. Von Stratton design.

Look, it’s Mark Mitchell.

The biggest, reddest dress in the world by Mark Mitchell.

Runway funway.

Mad Rad and city lights.

Mad Rad bringing it home.

See our THAW Facebook album for more photos including backstage pics.

Moms, Enjoy a Free Cup of Zoo Special Reserve French Press

2011-05-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

A free cup of French press coffee? On your day and just for you, moms.

This Sunday, May 8, is Mother's Day, and we're expressing our gratitude to all moms by offering them a free eight-ounce cup of Zoo Special Reserve French press coffee at any of our cafe locations in Seattle, Olympia and Portland.

And, we'd also like to mention that we're donating $1 toward the Woodland Park Zoo's important work in animal care, conservation and education for every bag of the Zoo Special Reserve coffee beans sold in our cafes. We're doing this because our moms raised us right. Read more about our partnership with the Woodland Park Zoo on the wild and wonderful Zoo Blog.

One last thing, moms! Our friends at the Woodland Park Zoo are having their 21st annual Mom & Me at the Zoo event on Saturday, May 7 (Mother's day eve). Moms qualify for half-price admission.

We wish everyone a wonderful Mother's Day weekend.

For Wholesale Customers: Introducing Steven Smith Teamaker

2011-04-19T16:54:00.000-07:00

Last week at Caffe Vita headquarters, we were visited by Steven Smith of Steven Smith Teamaker, who carried his teacups up from Portland, Oregon. Smith Teamaker teas in the Tip-Top Cartons are now available to Caffe Vita wholesale customers.

Master teamaker Steven prepared twelve teas spanning the families of green/white, black, and herbal infusions. It was a beautiful progression of color and character, as we tasted our way around the table. A staff favorite was Peppermint Leaves, made from Oregon peppermint. It was not the mint we were expecting; it surprised everyone by being familiar, flavorful and intensely refreshing. Other favorites were the White Petal (taster's quote, "I could drink this all day long. Really."), Lord Bergamot (Smith's take on Earl Grey), and Big Hibiscus (so much going on besides the magenta).

Here's a closer look at the green leaves and the fine mesh of the Peppermint Leaves sachet. The tea sachets -- bags, strings, and tags -- are fully compostable.

The floral and spicy Big Hibiscus was complex and luscious. It brewed into a deep cabernet that brought new boldness of color to the teacup, with flavor to match.

Learn more about Steven Smith Teamaker at the Smith Blog.

Introducing Eco-friendly Zoo Special Reserve coffee

2011-04-15T10:55:00.000-07:00

We are honored to partner with our good friends at the Woodland Park Zoo to release a special product that supports the Zoo and their conservation programs. Our newest coffee, Zoo Special Reserve, is organic and shade-grown using sustainable farming practices. The beans are from a farm in the Santa Rosa district of Guatemala and were certified by the Rainforest Alliance. The farmers who grow this coffee promote biodiversity by setting aside over forty percent of their land as a nature reserve, which protects the habitats of native tropical animals and birds such as gray foxes, armadillos, anteaters, parrots and butterflies.

Caffe Vita will donate $1 to the Woodland Park Zoo for every bag of Zoo Special Reserve sold in our cafes.

The Woodland Park Zoo is raising funds for their Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program, which works with indigenous landowners in Papua New Guinea to improve community livelihoods while protecting biodiversity and the habitat of the endangered Matschie's tree kangaroo.

The 12-ounce bags of whole beans are available now at our six Seattle locations.

New Crop Farm-Direct Guatemala Arrives

2011-04-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

Ah, springtime is here, which means the arrival of new crop coffees from Central America and Africa. Last week, we unloaded a container from Ethiopia, including some lovely Yirgacheffe from the Kochere district, and today saw the arrival of our very own farm-direct Guatemalan coffee beans from Finca Nuevo Vinas. (Take a look at the source report and photos from our trip to Guatemala back in February.) The ripe cherries were harvested less than two months ago; this farm-direct coffee is extra fresh.

We are in the process of cupping and developing roast profiles for these coffees, and we’ll let you know when they are ready to brew and pour. Stay tuned!

New Arrival : Carmo Nero de Minas

2011-04-06T16:21:00.000-07:00

Situated in the valley of the Rio Verde, and flanked by the Serra da Mantiqeira mountain range, Carmo de Minas is a unique region within the massive coffee producing nation of Brazil. Whereas much of the production in Brazil is geared towards high yield, mechanized monoculture, coffee from Carmo is grown and processed with great attentiveness and pride, with a focus on quality and harmonious stewardship of the land. Ibraim Chaib de Souza and his son Pedro produce our Carmo coffee, on the Condado and Pico Agudo estates, and they represent the third and fourth generation of this coffee farming family.

The coffee is harvested and sorted by density in channels of water to isolate the ripe cherries, which are then pulped (the skin and flesh removed). The resulting sticky parchment-covered beans are laid out in a thin layer and raked regularly to ensure even drying. This process is known as pulped natural, and results in a cup with some of the body and sweetness of a natural, but with more clarity of flavor and complexity.

The aroma is an intriguing mix of herbal and dried fruit notes: eucalyptus, fig, and cherry come to mind. The body is full and honeyed, with flavors of roasted almond, sugar cane, and orange zest leading to an amaretto and dark chocolate finish.

This coffee is a part of our Farm Direct program, and is available at our retail locations and online.

Public Brewing School: New Class Dates

2011-04-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

Public Brewing School is our complimentary class that delves into the world of understanding and brewing better coffee at home. Public Brewing School is class focused on manual brew methods, but is also an open forum to talk all things coffee. Set aside your automatic drip machine and learn about the joys and benefits of using superior brew methods like French Press, Chemex, Vacuum Pot, Bialetti, Pour Over and more.

Dates below are held on Saturdays from 10am - noon,
April 23

May 28

June 18

If you are interested in attending please RSVP to andy@caffevita.com or call 206-709-4440 x177.

Source Report: Guatemala, February 2011

2011-03-03T14:24:00.000-08:00

Last week, I was in Guatemala visiting our friends at Finca Nuevo Vinas and also exploring the diversity of coffee within this beautiful country. My journey began with some intensive cupping as a starting point for the direction I would take. Guatemala is blessed with a number of distinct microclimates, soils, and varietals, all which can result in a staggering breadth of coffees. I cupped coffees from Antigua, Huehuetenango, Atitlan, Fraijanes, Santa Rosa, Sacatepequez, Jalapa, and Acatenango, just to name a few. Alex, my gracious and knowledgeable host, explained certain trends to notice in the cup depending on soil composition and elevation, and that some years the distinct flavors of each region are clear and pronounced, and others they are muted.

After cupping we took a short plane ride to his farm, and it was great to be back! I visited him a few years ago and was eager to see how his efforts in increasing biodiversity, improving compost, and increasing shade had impacted his farm. His harvest was near its end, so the trees were at their weakest, drained from the energy they required to produce fruit. Still, the care and health of the farm was evident in their structure: sturdy trunks, branches, and healthy leaves. Small buds were forming on the branches, all waiting for a nice rain to spur flowering.

Next, we took a hike up to the bio-reserve which occupies over forty percent of his land. This land boasts pristine forest, home to native and endangered species including gray fox, armadillo, anteaters, parrots, and butterflies, just to name a few. Alex explained how this diversity is key to improving the quality of the soil at the plantation. He often scours the forest floor for rich decomposed fungal matter to add to his composting system, increasing the diversity, and terroir of his soil.

We also witnessed the impact tropical storm Agatha had on his land: huge trees had been torn from the ground, the landscape altered. Though the record breaking rains had their negative impact such as an increase in fungus problems, and a raising water table cramping the root structures, Alex was also optimistic that the storm had stirred up the land to erode and release valuable minerals into his soil. The impact of Agatha would be a recurring theme on my trip.

We had a delicious dinner of isote flowers, black beans, fresh cheese, and tortillas, which was deeply satisfying, and exactly what I needed after my long first day in

Guatemala

, and sleep came easy.

The following days in Guatemala included visits to farms in Antigua, Atitlan, San Martin Jilotepeque, and Santa Rosa. I was able to meet a handful of wonderful, dedicated farmers, and plan on bringing Caffe Vita a few exciting new crop offerings in addition to our delicious, celebrated Finca Nuevo Vinas coffee.

Now Roasting : Papua New Guinea

2011-02-22T13:55:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to have, for a limited time, an exceptional coffee from the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, Kainantu district. A majority of this coffee was grown on the Agoga Plantation, with additional cherries contributed by small holders from the Onaka Grower's Association. Ripe cherries from bourbon, mundo novo, and arusha trees are harvested and sent to the wet processing facilities on the same day. They are washed, pulped, and fully submerged in spring water for a 36-hour fermentation, after which they are washed again, and then laid to dry on raised beds.

This meticulous processing results in a clean, sophisticated cup with sparkling citrus acidity, and layers of savory fruit flavors: plum, cherry tomato, and blackcurrant. The aroma has a soft floral quality, reminiscent of chamomile; the mouthfeel is vibrant yet anchored by the syrupy caramel body, and the finish lingers of candied orange zest.

Purchase at any of our cafe locations or online here.

Grand Opening of our Greenwood Location Tomorrow, Proceeds Donated to Neighborhood...

2011-02-17T10:58:00.000-08:00

Caffe Vita Greenwood is open! Come celebrate and support the neighborhood at our grand opening on Friday, February 18, 2011. One-hundred percent of proceeds from all purchases made Friday will be donated to the Phinney Neighborhood Association and Center. Come have a Vita coffee, meet new neighbors, and help us support your local community. Caffe Vita in Greenwood is located at 7402 Greenwood Avenue North.

Since 1980, the Phinney Neighborhood Association has been dedicated to building community through a wide variety of programs, services, and activities that connect neighbors and foster civic involvement. Their programs include a child care, a senior center, two soup kitchens, a tool lending library, an art gallery, dance classes, a neighborhood-wide garage sale...the PNA has something for everyone in the Phinney/Greenwood neighborhood.

Grand Opening Day: Friday, February 18, 2011
Hours: M-F 6am to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday 7am to 8pm.

Free Coffee Friday Featured in Portland Monthly

2011-02-09T12:04:00.000-08:00

Anybody in proximity of Portland should remember our Free Coffee Fridays at our Alberta St. location are still happening through the end of the month. Portland Monthly did a nice little write-up here.

Free Coffee Fridays - 2909 NE Alberta St
Come in between 10am - 2pm and get a free 8oz drink of your choice. No strings attached.

Caffé Vita included in "The 9 Best Places to Have a Cup of Coffee Around the World"

2011-02-07T11:48:00.000-08:00

Of course, Seattle made the list that appeared in the Huffington Post last week; and we were excited, although not surprised, to see that they felt the need to call out Caffé Vita specifically. Thanks to the Huffington Post, come on down and see what the rave is all about.

Public Brewing School featured in local vlog...

2011-02-02T11:12:00.000-08:00

Public Brewing School is featured in the second half of the episode. Thanks to Akaash for stopping by!

Public Brewing School: New Dates in Feb, New Portland Class!

2011-01-31T13:34:00.000-08:00

Simple and elegant...Chemex with Kone.

Caffé Vita's Public Brewing School returns in February at the usual location at our Capitol Hill roasterie on the 19th. Also, we are excited to announce that PBS will make its debut at our recently opened Portland location on NE Alberta Street on February 26th.

PBS is a free, 2-hour class focusing on home brewing techniques. We cover basic techniques like French Press, more advanced methods like brewing with a vacuum pot, and everything in between. Classes always begin at 10am and run approximately two hours. Space is limited, so please RSVP if you'd like to attend.

Seattle - Capitol Hill (1005 East Pike Street)
- February 19th, 10am.
- Please contact jacob@caffevita.com if you would like to attend.

Portland - NE Alberta (2909 NE Alberta Street)
- February 26th, 10am.
- Please contact chad@caffevita.com if you would like to attend.

Free Coffee Fridays in PDX...

2011-01-28T09:50:00.000-08:00

No hoops and no strings. Just show up at our Portland location on Friday (now through 2/25) between 10am and 2pm and we'll serve you up whatever your heart desires (espresso, latte, french press, etc). Then come back the next week and we'll do it again. How's that for keeping the dream alive?

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New Crop Arrival: Organic Sumatra Gayo River

2011-01-18T16:37:00.000-08:00

Ah, the smell of a just-opened container after its month long journey from Medan to Seattle; the dense sweet hay-like aroma of green coffee escapes, vibrant and fresh. It has been a difficult season for the farmers and producers of northern Sumatra, and we feel extremely fortunate to have received this shipment.

Excessive rains have caused a number of problems for the farmers, with their trees struggling to produce as they once did. Cycles of flowering and fruit development have been disrupted, and yields are down. To make matters worse, much of the coffee being harvested is falling prey to the mildew and bacteria which thrive in the moist conditions.

Needless to say, there are many frustrated parties involved in this situation, from growers who are missing out on an opportunity to cash in at the high market, to buyers who are simply unable to find quality organic Sumatra to roast. Fortunately, we work with an excellent, consistent producer, Irham, and a tireless and inspiring facilitator, Syafrudin, who have once again delivered a coffee of exceptional quality despite all the challenges. Thank you gentlemen, we are grateful for your hard work.

In the cup, it is everything we love about Sumatra, opening with dark chocolate and blackberry jam, accentuated by tobacco and pine. The mouth feel is syrupy and sweet, with a hint of grapefruit zest acidity. The finish hints at black pepper and clove; with lingering warmth and a touch of spice. The perfect coffee for a dreary winter day !

New Addition in our Roasterie...

2011-01-18T08:26:00.000-08:00

Last week Caffé Vita fired up a new page in our long and storied history by firing up our new (to us) vintage 60-kilo Probat roaster. For the first time in 14 years, our trusty 45-kilo 1930s Probat roaster is sitting dormant, but not for long. The old girl will get a complete overhaul as we get used to the logistics of roasting on a larger volume machine. The 60 gives us the new option of roasting an entire bag of coffee beans, which wouldn't quite fit into the 45 before.

Obviously, our vintage Probat roasters offer a nice aesthetic touch to our roasterie, but more so we seek them out for the level of precision they lend our talented roasting team in terms of controlling temperatures throughout the roasting cycle. Furthermore, the pretty vintage shell of a Probat roaster is nothing without the accompanying vintage cast iron drum it holds within. If you think of a cast iron pan getting better with time and use as it's "seasoned," then you can understand why we seek out older machines.

If you're in the Capitol Hill area, please feel free to stop by our cafe and pop your head into the roasterie for a quick look.

Public Brewing School: Next Date is January 22nd...

2011-01-11T14:53:00.000-08:00

Our Public Brewing School has been cheerfully chugging along with sessions roughly once a month. Our next session is scheduled for Saturday, January 22nd at 10 a.m. and we have a few spots left. All PBS classes are held at our Capitol Hill location, in the tasting room above the roasterie and last about 2 hours.

Public Brewing School is our complimentary class that delves into the world of brewing better coffee at home. Set aside your automatic drip machine and learn about the joys and benefits of using superior brew methods like French Press, Chemex, Vacuum Pot, Bialetti, and Pour Over.

If you're interest in attending our next class, please contact Jacob at jacob@caffevita.com

Andy, Ethiopia, and Traceability...Farm Video

2011-01-10T14:03:00.001-08:00

December 2010 Source Trip: Homacho Farm, Sidama Region, Ethiopia from jvoss on Vimeo.

In December 2010, Caffé Vita's lead trainer, Andy Kent, traveled to Ethiopia to work on a project to trace coffee from the country from Farm to Cup. During this important traceability project, Andy visited the Homacho Farm in the Sidama region (about 4 hours drive south of Addis Ababa). Enjoy the scenes and the music...

Andy, Ethiopia, and Traceability...Part Four...Reflections...

2011-01-06T11:23:00.000-08:00

Editor's Note: Our intrepid lead trainer Andy Kent recently spent three weeks in Ethiopia representing Caffé Vita while working on a project to shed light on the process of getting beans from farms to your cup. And will return to Ethiopia to continue the project one week and his dispatches will continue...

Now that I am home for the holidays, I am immediately looking back on the time I had in Ethiopia. There is no better way to learn about coffee and truly appreciate it then by experiencing first hand where it comes from. It is an incredible thing to witness all the hands that touch the coffees we drink daily. From our roasters at Caffé Vita spending the time and energy to highlight all the nuances in a certain bean to our baristas who scrutinize over every shot of espresso to the farmers who grow coffee - throwing 60 kilo burlap bags of coffee on their shoulders while they load trucks - to the way men and women at source hand sorting beans for quality. Each step in its journey from seed to cup is fueled by the human touch. Have you ever thought about this? I did occasionally, but never really deeply contemplated it until I met the men and women who help create our coffee.

I am sure some people (talking about germ-o-phobes here) when thinking of their coffees being handled by hundreds of beautiful fingers might get a little nervous bringing the cup to their mouths. To those people - relax - your coffee is roasted at temperatures from 200 to 400 degrees and then brewed in water anywhere from 185 to 212 degrees. To the people like myself who are fascinated by the steps from seed to cup, here is a little insight on our industry from our side of the world: find a roaster or a cafe that takes the time to perfect their craft. A roaster that travels to source to better understand where their coffee is coming from by building relationships and buying Farm Direct. A cafe that prides itself on quality and well trained baristas to help better educate their community and highlight the final step of the coffee chain. Find that unique, simple, and cheap (or expensive) brewing device that lets the coffee you purchase really shine. Step away from the instant/ k-cup fad (if you want good coffee prepared quickly see a well trained barista and have them pull you an espresso). And finally find a coffee that fits your pallet and drink the crap out of it, but don't ever forget about all the other amazing coffees in this world.

All specialty coffee at one point or another has been (again) fueled by the human touch. This, in our world of cars that park themselves, is something we should not forget or brush aside; but instead, we should highlight. So the people who are 'truly' doing the hard work get the recognition they deserve: their just desserts.

Photo Recap: High 5 Pie Grand Opening

2011-01-04T15:18:00.000-08:00

On December 30th, High 5 Pie celebrated their grand opening at their new location at 1400 12th Ave (at Union) on Seattle's Capitol Hill. Fuel Coffee and High 5 Pie founder Dani Cone is near and dear to our hearts at Caffé Vita as she is a former employee (but forever family). Dani started Fuel Coffee, which now has three locations around Seattle, and her newest venture in High 5 Pies is a delicious diversion. Caffé Vita is proud to offer High 5 Pies in our Seattle cafes, and we had a darn good time at the party...

High 5 Pies coming to Capitol Hill!

2010-12-27T15:06:00.000-08:00

We just got word from our good friend Dani over at Fuel Coffee that the High 5 Pie location on Capitol Hill will be hosting their grand opening this Thursday, December 30th from 6 - 8PM!

Feast on a variety of handmade pies, enjoy a cup of Fuel Coffee, and meet the bakers!

High 5 Pie is located on the corner of 12th and Union @ 1400 12th Avenue.

See you there!

Comfort Food...

2010-12-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

The January 2011 issue of Seattle Magazine features comfort food - something we all crave in this holiday season and these cold winter months - from various Seattle restaurants including a few who trust Caffé Vita to bring their customers that special comfort only a warm cup of delicious coffee can. We thought we'd follow through on this idea and ask some of our favorite restaurant partners to share a favorite comfort food recipe of theirs, with you...enjoy!

Pommes Aligot

Restaurant: Campagne
Location: 86 Pine Street (Restaurant & Bar), 1600 Post Alley (Café and Wine Bar), at the Pike Market

Ingredients:
- 1 and 1/2 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled, thinly sliced.
- Water, as needed
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 1/2 cups grated Cantal cheese, (natural colored cheddar-type cheese)
- Sea salt

Directions:
- Add potatoes and sliced garlic to sauce pan and cover with water.
- Bring contents to boil and lower to simmer; then cook until potatoes are tender.
- Drain potatoes, being careful not to lose the garlic pieces. Pass potatoes and garlic through food mill over a bowl.
- Add half of heavy cream and all of butter to saucepan and heat to foaming. Add milled potatoes to cream and butter mixture and combine with wooden spoon. The cheese and potatoes should be fully combined into a smooth, slightly stringy mixture. Serve immediately.

Hint:
Much of the recipe can be done ahead of time. Peel and cut potatoes and store in water in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to two days. Grate cheese and store in a container or plastic bag. Also, have all ingredients ready when you are beginning the procedure and make sure other components of the dish are set. This potato dish is best consumed fresh and hot. Serve with roast meats, sausages, or by itself. Serves 4 to 6.

Almost Authentic Pozolé

Restaurant: Crow
Location: 823 5th Ave. N, Seattle, WA

Ingredients:
- 2 meaty ham shanks
- 2 quarts chicken stock
- 1 white onion, minced
- 2 quarts canned tomatoes, pureed
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 3 stalks celery, washed and finely diced
- 2 tablespoons cumin seed, toasted and ground
- 2 tablespoons coriander seed, toasted and ground
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large cans hominy (sometimes found in the Hispanic food section), washed and drained
- 3 green onions, chopped
- juice of 1 lime
- salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
- Cut stems off cilantro and chop them very fine. Reserves leaves for later in the recipe.
- In a large stock pot add shanks, stock, onions, tomatoes, cilantro stems, celery, cumin, coriander, and garlic.
- Bring to a simmer and cook until shanks are soft and stock is flavored (approx. 1 hour)
- If needed, add water to keep the liquid cover the meat.
- Remove the shanks and set aside to cool.
- When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and chop or shred into small pieces.
- Add meat, hominy, chopped cilantro leaves, and green onions and bring to a simmer.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and adjust seasoning with lime juice, salt, and pepper
- Serve. Optional garnishes include shredded cabbage, avocado slices, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, and fried tortilla chips (or crispy pork rinds).

Carlton Farms Pork Chili w/ Pike Brewing Kilt Lifter

Restaurant: Steelhead Diner
Location: 95 Pine Street, Seattle, WA 98101

Ingredients:
- 2 pounds pork butt or shoulder, medium dice
- 1 1/4 cup pinto beans, dried
- 1 1/4 cup red kidney beans, dried
- 1 1/4 cup black beans, dried
- 1 cup red pepper, medium dice
- 1 cup green pepper, medium dice
- 1 cup red onion, medium dice
- 1 cup yellow onion, medium dice
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 1/2 gallon water or chicken stock
- 1 cup chili sauce
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 16 oz Pike Brewing Kilt Lifter (a strong, scotch ale).
- 2 tablespoon chili spice
- 2 bay leaf
- 3 oz oil
- salt

Garnish:
- 1 cup tomato, medium dice
- 2 cup butternut squash, medium dice
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
- 1 cup pepper jack, grated
- 1/4 cup pico de gallo, recipe follows
- 1/4 cup cilantro sour cream, recipe follows

Pico de Gallo (yield 1/2 cup):
- 1/4 cup tomato, small dice
- 2 tablespoon red onion, small dice
- 1 teaspoon serrano pepper, cut fine
- 1 teaspoon cilantro, cut fine
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- salt
- combine all ingredients, season and chill

Cilantro Sour Cream (yield 1/4 cup):
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 1/2 tablespoon lime juice
- salt
- combine all ingredients, season and chill

Chili Spice (yield 1/4 cup):
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
- 1 tablespoon ground guagillo
- 1 tablespoon ground pasilla pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground ancho pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon oregano

Directions:
- Place all of the beans in a 1 gallon non-reactive container and cover them with a double volume of water. Soak overnight.
- The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, combine butternut squash with 1 oz of oil and salt. Place on sheet tray and roast at 350 degrees until tender. Approx. 30-40 minutes. Set aside.
- Drain beans.
- Next combine all the ingredients of your chili spice. Any spice that is unused can be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for future use.
- season pork with salt.
- In a 4 gallon pot heat 2 oz oil to smoking over medium high heat. When smoking lightly, add pork and brown, adjusting heat as necessary. When brown, remove and set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of rendered fat.
- Add garlic and toast. Next, add onions, peppers and bay leaf and sweat.
- Add chili sauce, tomato puree, 2 tablespoon of chili spice and beans.
- Add Kilt Lifter beer, stock, pork, and stir.
- Bring to a simmer and cook until beans are tender (roughly 2 hours), stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon ensuring you scrape the bottom of the pot.
- 15 minutes before serving preheat the broiler
- when about to serve, add the roasted squash, tomatoes, cilantro, and green onions to the pot and bring to a simmer. Adjust seasoning with salt and reserved chili spice.
- Divide chili amogst four oven safe soup cups or bowls. Top with pepper jack and place under the broiler until bubbling and golden.
- Garnish with Pico de Gallo and cilantro sour cream

Jose's No-Bake Creamy Pepperjack Mac & Cheese

Restaurant: Chelan Café
Location: 3527 Chelan Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98106

Ingredients:
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1 quart milk
- 1 stick butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 4 cups grated Pepperjack cheese
- 2 cups cubed Velveeta cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- dash cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:
- cook elbow macaroni per package directions in well-salted boiling water until al dente. Drain well, set aside.
- Melt butter in a saucepan and add flour a small amount at a time cooking over low heat, stirring occasionally with a wire whisk.
- Add heated, but not boiled milk a small portion at at time until all is added and sauce is thick and smooth.
- Let cook for about 20 minutes while constantly stirring so won't stick.
- Remove from heat, adding Velveeta and pepperjack cheeses until melted.
- Mix well and season with both peppers.
- Fold in cooked and drained macaroni and mix until pasta is well-coated with sauce.

Optional:
- If desired, add 1 cup bread crumbs to top of buttered baking dish dotted with extra butter and bake until heated through in 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Serves 6-8 depending on entree or side dish.

Mousse au Chocolat

Restaurant: Café Presse
Location: 1117 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122

Ingredients:
- 1 lb. 2 oz. best quality bittersweet chocolate
- 7 tablespoons butter
- 16 egg yolks
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 7 egg whites
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions:
- Coarsely chop the chocolate and put in a stainless bowl over water simmering in a saucepan. Melt the chocolate, stirring often.
- Remove the chocolate from the heat and whisk in the sugar and egg yolks, stirring constantly to avoid curdling the eggs. Let stand for 5 minutes.
- Whip the cream to soft peaks. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks, adding half the sugar at the start of whipping and other half slowly as the whites come to firm peaks.
- Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Fold in the whipped egg whites.
- Refrigerate for several hours before serving. Serve with whipped cream and cookies or toasted nuts.
- Serves 10 generously.

Alcena's Red Wine and Tomato Braised Pot Roast

Restaruant: Louisa's Cafe & Bakery
Location: 2379 Eastlake Avenue East, Seattle, WA 98102

Ingredients:
- 1 boneless chuck-eye roast (3.5-4 pounds) tied with kitchen twine every inch or so.
- Kosher Salt and Pepper
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 pound cremini or white mushrooms, quartered
- 1 pound vine ripened tomatoes, diced and roasted or 1 - 14.5 oz can roasted, diced tomato
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoon sweet port wine
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 1 head of garlic, peeled, and crushed
- 1 large sprig fresh thyme
- 1/4 -1/2 cup red wine
- 1 large sprig fresh rosemary
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup butter, chilled and cubed

Directions:
- Pat roast dry and rub down with kosher salt and pepper.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or suitable oven safe pot. Brown roast on all sides until medium brown. Remove and set aside.
- Add onion and a splash of red wine to deglaze. Cook over medium high heat while stirring all the yummy goodness from browning the meat. Add mushrooms and tomato paste. Cook until soft and mushrooms have released their moisture.
- Add tomatoes, port, beef stock, red wine, garlic, and thyme. Return the roast to the pot along with any juices that have collected. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a simmer and cover. Place your pot in the oven and cook until meat falls apart when forked, approximately 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours. Turn the roast after about an hour of cooking.
- Let roast rest in juices 30 minutes, then remove and set aside.
- Place pot over medium heat and add 1/4 - 1/2 cup red wine and rosemary sprig. Bring sauce to simmer and cook until it starts to thicken, about 10 minutes. Stir in cubed butter one cube at a time until sauce has desired consistency. Season to taste. Remove thyme and rosemary sprigs before serving.
- Cut away kitchen twine from roast and slice against the grain. Serve with your favorite side dish, and a generous helping of sauce.

Andy, Ethiopia, and Traceability...Part Four...

2010-12-17T12:05:00.000-08:00

Update: This series is comprised of correspondence Caffé Vita's lead trainer, Andy Kent, is sending back from the field. Andy is in Ethiopia for us working on a project to learn about how coffee gets from the farm to your cup, provide better transparency for this process, and ultimately make sure the final price paid for the coffee is distributed fairly down along the supply chain all the way to the farmer. This is the fourth installment from Andy's trip...please enjoy (make sure to click "Read More") and stay tuned for more in the coming weeks...

Spending time on the farm "is" all that its cracked up to be. Watching, learning, and working with coffee farmers is a inspiring way to better understand the importance these men and woman play in our industry.

Just as important, is the way we communicate and build relationships with farmers around the globe. By fostering communication and building relationships, we not only educate ourselves (consumers) of the trials and tribulations of everyday living as a farmer; but we also have the opportunity to help grow better coffee, source better coffee, and create strong bonds between grower and roaster. These strong bonds - these direct relationships - help create transparency through an industry that is forever changing. More importantly (as a consumer), these strong bonds and direct relationships help create high quality coffee by paying the farmer more for their exceptional product. At Caffe Vita, for example, we have built strong Farm Direct relationships with farmers and coops in Sumatra, Guatemala, Brazil, Panama, Ethiopia, and elsewhere. Through these Farm Direct relationships we're not only be able to source exceptional coffees, but we also have an opportunity to break bread, share stories, and bring farmers to our community in Seattle.

Now that Caffé Vita is back in Ethiopia to help support a new traceability program, we are fortunate enough to be able to start building new relationships with co-ops and farmers in Sidama. Creating new bonds and new stories over shared coffee and the shared sweat of loading bags into trucks.

These bonds and direct relationships need to be forever growing and continuing so our industry can can maintain its positive forward momentum...

Jamaica Blue Mountain available in shops and online next week...pre-order now

2010-12-16T16:08:00.000-08:00

On rugged slopes rising over 7000 feet out of the Caribbean, covered in a perpetual shroud of mist, a cherry that ripens at a snail like pace has long been the subject of myth and controversy...

Prized for its mild, balanced, and sweet cup; Jamaica Blue Mountain has long been a renowned and distinct coffee: claimed by many to be the best in the world. Due to the limited production and high demand from Japan, very little of the genuine product reaches the U.S. We are fortunate to have found a barrel of the top grade, imported by our friend Jay. After weeks of developing a roast profile on our vintage 1935 Gothot sample roaster, we have found the sweet spot for this unique island coffee, which is sure to please even the most discerning palate. Full bodied, with low acidity and generous chocolate toned sweetness; this is a round, smooth cup from start to finish. Maybe the smoothest ever.

We will be roasting this coffee on Tuesday, December 21st, and it will be available at all of our Seattle retail locations (Capitol Hill, Fremont, Queen Anne, Seward Park, and Pioneer Square) for $33 per 1/2 lb. It is also available online right now for pre-order* and shipment on December 22nd.

*We cannot guarantee delivery of this coffee by December 25th. If you live in WA or OR, there's a good chance it will show by the 24th, but again we cannot guarantee this for sure. This isn't the kind of coffee you'll want to share with the in-laws anyway. It'll be best enjoyed during some sweet, slow, downtime between Christmas and New Year's. That's our plan for it, anyways...

Andy, Ethiopia, and Traceability...Part Three...

2010-12-15T14:42:00.000-08:00

My friend, his team, and I have now traveled south. We are in a beautiful city called Hawassa which is just south of Sashamene in the Sidama region of Ethiopia. The drive from Addis Ababa south was quite the adventure. If you have not gone on a long drive in a thrid world country yet, let me be the first to tell you it's a freaking blast! Leaving Addis by road is like stepping into a blender of exhaust, stock animals, daredevil drivers, dogs, pot holes, bikes, three-wheel scooters, motorcycles, semi trucks, horses and buggys, and people streaking across the road (occasionally without clothing). Now turn that blender on high and hold on...

I believe the team and I almost lost our lives 3 separate times, and then there's the drivers. If our drivers had cat lives, they would be well into the negatives with the stunts they pull. But, don't let my joke deter you, everyone should try a long drive in a third world country. It might just put hair on your chest or at least a lot of exhaust in your lungs.

I believe a big thing we should all realize is taking daily risks like driving through the blender above is a part of everyday life here in Ethiopia. Picture our green coffee making a crazy four or five hour - if not longer - drive through a roller coaster of variables. At any minute the semi truck carrying our container of coffee could go through a number of imaginable scenarios causing our coffee to be delayed or potencially destroyed. Could this scenario also affect cost or payment down the chain? Could it effect coffee quality? Could it affect the environment? I don't believe I've ever once had this thought until we were face to face with a coffee-weilding container truck playing chicken with us in our lane.

I am not in Ethiopia to discuss shipping green coffee containers or the wild roads of Addis. To be honest, it's just hard not to throw another light onto how many people and variables that are involved from seed to cup, especially when you find yourself in the thick of it.

It all makes me realize there are many lives touched by coffee or that touch coffee everyday; and I would say that many who do the touching often get ignored. That thought alone is a big reason why Caffé Vita sent me to Hawassa. In more or less words (less since the project is not yet finished), I am here with a team to work on a project that can help give the farmers in Sidama and their co-ops an identity that is more accessible to the people at home. In hopes that the consumer (which includes everyone not growing the coffee) can better trace the supply chain to help us understand the roller coast of events that takes place from the ground to your lips. Tracing the supply chain can also help to better educate (again) the consumers by continually increasing the amount of sustainable buying practices and giving credit to the ones that are already on board. In a nutshell, traceability creates transparency in the supply chain and in return can create a higher selling price for the farmers who grow, harvest and process exceptional coffees by giving us all better access to who these people are.

So, now that I am off of my small soap box, it is time to head to the farms. I will be visiting two or three co-ops today, so the team and I can start laying down the ground work for the project. I promise one thing, the first coffee tree I find will mostly likely get my arms rapped around it...

Stay tuned for more posts from Andy in Ethiopia...

Andy, Ethiopia, and Traceability...Part Two...

2010-12-13T13:17:00.000-08:00

Watching her roast the coffee right in the living room was immediately thrilling, but as soon as the green beans started to near the second crack and then make the journey late into it, my taste buds started screaming... I now understand why there is loads of sugar in many of the coffee shops of Addis.

Morning before the journey south: I awoke this morning to the sun just peaking over the hills of Addis, the prayers from the Orthadox Church next door echoing in the air, and the smoke of frankincense with another smell that was vaguely familiar wafting up through the corners of my door. In the days of no smoking in Seattle, one gets very confused when a wonderful smelling smoke is filling your room first thing in the morning. I followed the smoke down the stairs to our small living area and as soon I leaned into the room I quickly had to side step Marta, who was preparing a traditional coffee ceremony. I have heard of the traditional coffee ceremony in the states and now have seen it many times here in Addis, but at 6 a.m. in the morning!? You can imagine it put a huge smile on my face.

Stay tuned for more from Andy, from Ethiopia...

Introducing Blackbird Coffee - Roasted by Caffé Vita...

2010-12-13T12:07:00.000-08:00

We were very excited a couple months ago when the folks from Blackbird - located in Ballard and possibly the best mens clothing store in the Northwest - expressed interest in collaborating on a Blackbird Coffee for them to sell in their shop. After a few good cupping sessions with our green bean buyer Daniel, the Blackbird crew settled on a blend of seasonal coffees from South America and the Pacific Rim; medium roasted to create aromas of sweet vanilla and warm tobacco. Their Blackbird Coffee blend is available in a stunning black glass jar and a traditional bag. Check out their blog post for more details....

Issaquah Brewery Drops "Brew Frog": stout made with Caffé Vita

2010-12-13T09:58:00.000-08:00

Our friends at Issaquah Brewery have been working on a project we can really get behind: creating a smooth, sweet, milk stout with coffee beans roasted by us. They call it Cafe Frog, and it's on tap now just a few leaps away in Issaquah...

Issaquah Brewery: 35 W. Sunset Way, Issaquah, WA 98027

Andy, Ethiopia, and Traceability...

2010-12-08T13:15:00.000-08:00

Our lead trainer, Andy Kent, embarked last week on a grueling trip into the heart of East African coffee production. Ethiopia, specifically. Andy is working on a project aimed at increasing levels of traceability for coffee that leaves Ethiopia. We want to be able to bring you coffee that has transparency at all levels in ensuring a fair portion of the price we pay for the green coffee gets back to the actual farmer. Supporting Andy is a great way for us to do this and for Andy to gain valuable knowledge about many different Ethiopian coffees directly at the source. What follows is Andy's first dispatch from Ethiopia. Stay tuned for further entries...

It has been a slow start getting to Ethiopia. It usually takes a few days, but with a snow storm in Europe causing flights to be delayed, a few days turns into many. Luckily the flights themselves were smooth and now I am here, Addis Ababa.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

I've now been in Addis for a few days. I am here with a good friend, to help him and his team work on a traceability project to help better source coffee and track coffee from the co-op in Ethiopia to you. More importantly, I am in Ethiopia to learn, listen and taste, and if by chance my taste buds run into something amazing... well, we'll just keep our fingers crossed.

Umbrellas serve a different purpose in Ethiopia...

For last few days the team and I have been running all over Addis collecting supplies, dealing with bureaucracy, eating amazing foods (some more desirable and agreeable then others) and being stuck in
meetings... lots of meetings! Luckily the last meeting was the most interesting so far. We had a chance to meet with Tsegaye the President of Sidama Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union and Berhanu who is SCFCU's certifications general manager. In the meeting we were able to receive Tsegaye's permission and help to visit a few of the largest co-ops Fero and Homecho Waeno in Sidama.


L to R: Tsegaye and Berhanu

So tomorrow is the day, we will be heading off to the farms to start implementing the traceability program. For me the thought of driving down through the Rift Valley to my first ever experience at a coffee farm excites me beyond belief.

More to come...

Holiday Blend is in!

2010-11-23T14:29:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again and we are very excited. Our Holiday Blend is finally in and should be available in all of our cafés by the end of the day. The label was designed by one of our baristas, Amelia, and the "Vita" is hand-stamped on each bag to lend a nice personal touch from us this holiday season.

Caffé Vita is pleased to offer a special treat this holiday season; a blend of two distinct coffees from our partners in southern Minas Gerais. Situated in the Rio Verde valley and flanked by the Serra da Mantiqueira mountains, the soil is rich with minerals and natural springs provide water for processing, all of which is done at the farm level under the supervision of Ibraim Chaib de Souza, and his son Pedro. The family has been farming in this region for 200 years, and this heritage and longevity is a testament to their ability to adapt to all of the challenges each growing season presents.

Our recent trip to this farm led to an intensive cupping of multiple lots, separated by varietal and processing method, and helped to facilitate the selection of two standout coffees. A pulped natural peaberry was selected for its high notes, heady herbal aroma, and clean orange peel acidity. To provide body and sweetness, a naturally processed, late harvest coffee compliments with its dried fruit and dark chocolate flavors.

The resulting blend is balanced and easy to drink. Earthy, herbal aromas are supported by the flavors of dark chocolate and hazelnut, with just a hint of spicy orange zest acidity leading to a supple butterscotch finish.

Happy Holidays from everyone at Caffé Vita!