Recently, we were noted in Salt Lake City Magazine as one of Utah's Must Try Culinary Creations. *note this is not an ordered list, or a culinary masterpiece, such as Creminelli would assuredly be listed ahead of the Jello.
"47. A cup of siphon coffee
Chances are good that you’ve never tasted a cup of coffee like this. That means, in a sense, you’ve never really tasted coffee. It takes a coffee fanatic to think the resulting cup is worth the science project of making it. Fortunately, Utah is a great breeding ground for fanatics of all types. Caffé d’Bolla, 249 E. 400 South, SLC, 801-355-1398, caffedbolla.com
saltlakemagazine.com
Achieving excellence in any endeavor is more about the commitment to the process of excellence, rather than just to excellence itself. For us, sourcing great coffees is just the beginning. Several trips to Japan, talking to and filming siphon barista there as well as tweaking roasting profiles and having an insane dedication to have absolutely no cream or sugar in our siphon coffee has helped us to get people to see coffee in a whole new light. People plan their driving routes on vacation to stop and have coffee, they've been late for airplanes, delayed meetings, changed office locations to move here, and in some cases flown across country, just to have a cup. Would I say it's the best cup possible? No, but I won't admit to being second either.
Coffee is at a crossroads, you can truly do something great to showcase the coffee, or you can spend a lot of money on glitz and hype. While McDonalds is out there demeaning coffee and the barista profession, rather than just laughing it off we all need to continue to raise the bar.
In order to truly raise the bar, it's not just the passion, or coffee knowledge... because there are countless roasters, barista, and others that have loads more technical coffee knowledge. The problem is, they don't have the commitment to back it up. Why source spectacular coffees, some even farm direct and serve them as "drip". It makes no sense to me at all. Press, Melitta, Eva Solo, Siphon, etc. Great coffees should be made by the cup, and to do otherwise really means you're not committed to the coffee. Don't just say you're committed to giving the best coffee has to offer, do it, and don't compromise. That is what we have been doing since we opened. I'm hoping many more will follow.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Men (should) Buy Drinks
One thing that we have noticed occurring with an alarming regularity is that boys are no longer behaving, or taught to behave, as men.
We have several groups of late high school and early college girls who come to our caffe for drinks, and tagging along with them are their (only God knows why) boyfriends or just boy friends. The girls all promptly order and when asked what you can get started for them, the boys reply with a "Oh, I'm good."
There was a day not long ago when any young man of wage earning age would be embarrassed to accompany the fairer sex and not either A) buy something for them, or B) Buy something for themselves. This says a lot about the erosion of the nuclear family, and the lack of male leadership in the home, the falling away of boys being taught to be men.
Men belly up to the bar. Men buy drinks. Too many young ladies accompanied by boys.
Sad.
We have several groups of late high school and early college girls who come to our caffe for drinks, and tagging along with them are their (only God knows why) boyfriends or just boy friends. The girls all promptly order and when asked what you can get started for them, the boys reply with a "Oh, I'm good."
There was a day not long ago when any young man of wage earning age would be embarrassed to accompany the fairer sex and not either A) buy something for them, or B) Buy something for themselves. This says a lot about the erosion of the nuclear family, and the lack of male leadership in the home, the falling away of boys being taught to be men.
Men belly up to the bar. Men buy drinks. Too many young ladies accompanied by boys.
Sad.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Perspective
During a recent vist, a colleague of mine brought up the Gerber (E-Myth) quip, "You're working IN your business, rather than ON your business." when he asked how much time I spent at work.
There are two main reasons why someone opens a small business.
1) They love what they do (and they make money doing it).
2) To make money supporting what they love(d) to do.
Now if your love is money, or your love is owning a business, then there are many businesses you can start with that end goal in mind. Create a business. Create a system. Watch the business grow. Repeat. Now if your love is books, or pastries, or sushi, or coffee, or cute crafts, then at what point does your love become business?
Let's look at owner operated shops in other countries. You can see many of them if you watch Rick Steves travel shows, where tourists walk around happily to happy owners in happy shops all over Europe. Small restaurants, wineries, caffe, pub, clothing stores, etc. Some of these are fourth or fifth generation. Families go into work doing something they love as part of their culture, family, or something they discovered in their journey of life. Work schedules are long, but not overwhelming... Want a vacation? Take one! Want to change the schedule? Change it! Want to begin something new? You can do that too. The idea that working successfully IN your business is not as rewarding as standing aside and watching someone else do it often mystifies me.
Again, ask yourself the question, "If I love X so much, then why is someone else doing it for me?" And that's ok. It's just a different perspective.
I love working for myself. I love working with my wife. I love making, tasting, brewing, roasting, and understanding coffee and espresso. It's not work. It's love.
But I don't think I need to limit myself to one song, one drink, or one business. Sharing the daily opportunity for us to grow this business together will always make the caffe "home", but that doesn't mean there isn't a little condo we have our eye on as well.
Stay tuned...
There are two main reasons why someone opens a small business.
1) They love what they do (and they make money doing it).
2) To make money supporting what they love(d) to do.
Now if your love is money, or your love is owning a business, then there are many businesses you can start with that end goal in mind. Create a business. Create a system. Watch the business grow. Repeat. Now if your love is books, or pastries, or sushi, or coffee, or cute crafts, then at what point does your love become business?
Let's look at owner operated shops in other countries. You can see many of them if you watch Rick Steves travel shows, where tourists walk around happily to happy owners in happy shops all over Europe. Small restaurants, wineries, caffe, pub, clothing stores, etc. Some of these are fourth or fifth generation. Families go into work doing something they love as part of their culture, family, or something they discovered in their journey of life. Work schedules are long, but not overwhelming... Want a vacation? Take one! Want to change the schedule? Change it! Want to begin something new? You can do that too. The idea that working successfully IN your business is not as rewarding as standing aside and watching someone else do it often mystifies me.
Again, ask yourself the question, "If I love X so much, then why is someone else doing it for me?" And that's ok. It's just a different perspective.
I love working for myself. I love working with my wife. I love making, tasting, brewing, roasting, and understanding coffee and espresso. It's not work. It's love.
But I don't think I need to limit myself to one song, one drink, or one business. Sharing the daily opportunity for us to grow this business together will always make the caffe "home", but that doesn't mean there isn't a little condo we have our eye on as well.
Stay tuned...
Sunday, December 14, 2008
The Varietal Language of Coffee
I grew up with the same coffee that many of you did. Somewhere between something that was mountain grown, and the local cup of Joe that could have been substituted for paint thinner. This was the time when coffee mumbled. Unintelligible mutterings that continue to linger in many dank holes today... but let us go back....
There was this generic coffee flavor that we linked with all coffee. Aromatic, yet bitter, deep, but unremarkable, character, yet sameness. Whether it be the standard Colombian or something exotic like Kenya... it pretty much all tasted the same. And when it was different, we tried to mirror that sameness by matching the preconceived coffee flavor in the dark recesses of our mind by flattening out the bitters, sharp tones, and burnt staleness by a glob of sugar and a plop of milk. As we created some artificial semblance of coffee like flavor, we were satisfied that we could take something that was unpalatable and make it... well, recognizably average.
There are a growing number of farmers, roasters, and coffee professionals that hear the bean speaking to them. At first, it was some coded language, but it was the farmers who first understood that although the beans shared a common history, they had all developed their own language. Coffee speaks to us, but not in words, or sounds, or symbols. Coffee speaks to us in flavors.
As we listen to what the bean is telling us, we can learn, through cupping, and by maintaining a varietal roast what stories they have to share. The history of the cultivar, the feeling of the land, the heart of the farmer, the care of the millers and the sorters, the science and skill of the roaster, and the love and passion of the barista all combine to tell the story of each coffee to the world.
Each cup we serve speaks volumes, and like a pristine first edition, we savor every word as it linguistically flavors our tongue. So when you have a moment to savor the unspoken word of coffee, educate yourself by the cup and pass on your knowledge to others by sharing a taste of the varietal language of coffee.
There was this generic coffee flavor that we linked with all coffee. Aromatic, yet bitter, deep, but unremarkable, character, yet sameness. Whether it be the standard Colombian or something exotic like Kenya... it pretty much all tasted the same. And when it was different, we tried to mirror that sameness by matching the preconceived coffee flavor in the dark recesses of our mind by flattening out the bitters, sharp tones, and burnt staleness by a glob of sugar and a plop of milk. As we created some artificial semblance of coffee like flavor, we were satisfied that we could take something that was unpalatable and make it... well, recognizably average.
There are a growing number of farmers, roasters, and coffee professionals that hear the bean speaking to them. At first, it was some coded language, but it was the farmers who first understood that although the beans shared a common history, they had all developed their own language. Coffee speaks to us, but not in words, or sounds, or symbols. Coffee speaks to us in flavors.
As we listen to what the bean is telling us, we can learn, through cupping, and by maintaining a varietal roast what stories they have to share. The history of the cultivar, the feeling of the land, the heart of the farmer, the care of the millers and the sorters, the science and skill of the roaster, and the love and passion of the barista all combine to tell the story of each coffee to the world.
Each cup we serve speaks volumes, and like a pristine first edition, we savor every word as it linguistically flavors our tongue. So when you have a moment to savor the unspoken word of coffee, educate yourself by the cup and pass on your knowledge to others by sharing a taste of the varietal language of coffee.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Hario Beam Heater Pre- Order List
A productive meeting with Hario has given us the opportunity to offer the Hario Beam Heater to a much wider audience. We would like to get a list of those who are seriously interested so we can determine our initial order.
The Beam Heater is 350 Watt, 100 V, 50/60 Hz. It is not required, but we recommend that you purchase a US/Japan Step Down Transformer to extend the life of the bulb. We have used our Beam Heater with the transformer daily since early 2008, and haven't had to replace a single bulb yet.
Right now total cost, including shipping to anywhere in the US would be $465, and a box of three would be $1350.00. Costs will lower if the exchange rate improves. If we have substantial interest we can negotiate an even better rate and save on shipping costs as well. All savings will be passed on to you, our wonderful coffee customers.
If you are seriously interested, Please email us at caffedbolla AT gmail DOT com. Final Pricing will be confirmed and all interested will be kept up to date.
The Beam Heater is 350 Watt, 100 V, 50/60 Hz. It is not required, but we recommend that you purchase a US/Japan Step Down Transformer to extend the life of the bulb. We have used our Beam Heater with the transformer daily since early 2008, and haven't had to replace a single bulb yet.
Right now total cost, including shipping to anywhere in the US would be $465, and a box of three would be $1350.00. Costs will lower if the exchange rate improves. If we have substantial interest we can negotiate an even better rate and save on shipping costs as well. All savings will be passed on to you, our wonderful coffee customers.
If you are seriously interested, Please email us at caffedbolla AT gmail DOT com. Final Pricing will be confirmed and all interested will be kept up to date.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Saturday, November 01, 2008
The Siphon Bar
We are just finishing our second week with the siphon bar at caffe d'bolla and the results are starting to come in.
The Siphon Bar has created a lot of new conversation about the coffee and the brewing method. I believe that this is the best way for extracting the dynamic varietal flavors out of the coffee.
Clean and dynamic
brewed above shimmering light
coffee perfection.
The Siphon Bar has created a lot of new conversation about the coffee and the brewing method. I believe that this is the best way for extracting the dynamic varietal flavors out of the coffee.
brewed above shimmering light
coffee perfection.
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