Story and photos by Sean Previl 34 The HUB - August 2013
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here’s no doubt coffee has become an important part of people’s lives. We get a cup before we go to work to help keep us awake, then another at lunch to get us through the day. And it seems like there are coffee shops on almost every corner; you almost can’t walk a block without being able to find a Tim Horton’s or a Starbucks. How did this craving for coffee come about? And when you go beyond the bean, will enjoying le café at un café connect you to your community?
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Coffee came to North America in 1607, though it was not drunk for the first time until 1668. As of 2008, 14 billion cups of coffee have been poured and according to Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada, coffee has become “the most popular hot beverage in Canada” and is the number one beverage amongst foodservices in the country. With the rich culture found in Windsor, finding a place to enjoy a cup of joe is just a matter of knowing what you’re looking for. The variety of coffee shops in our area offers something for everyone: interesting characters, a variety of coffee blends, even somewhere to study or read in peace. Jay Verspeelt, a local coffee-goer, says these shops are more about the new people you can meet. “Beverages act as catalysts for sociable conversation. The whole reason those places exist is to further camaraderie,” said Verspeelt. “I do like to work at cafés and bars when I can, but usually it’s the conversation that gets me sidetracked.” Linda Zagaglioni, owner of Taloola Café in Windsor, says seeing people communicate and create bonds is what she loves about running a business. “We’ve seen people develop friendships here which is really great.” Be considerate, though. Zagaglioni has encountered difficulties with people taking advantage of the café.
“Customers sometimes have come up and asked the staff, ‘I know that that person’s been there for a long time and we want to eat, we want to sit down and eat!’” Having a place to study and relax can be useful but mind your manners. Are you buying products while using the space? And there’s no need to be territorial: offering to share your table might even be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Maciejka Gorzelnik of Windsor said she visits Milk Coffee Bar because it’s where she can get away from her busy home life and enjoy a different environment. “I have a hard time getting work done at home. There’s too many distractions and I just can’t focus. Mind you, there’s plenty of distractions at cafés but I tend to still be able to focus on my work,” said Gorzelnik. “[At Milk] it’s a different atmosphere there. You meet such interesting characters at a place like that. I feel like it fuels my creativity.” It’s the relaxed atmosphere that appeals at the Green Bean Café near the University of Windsor. Kitchen manager Sue Pillon says it also creates a sense of support for the surrounding community. “We’re not under a coporate umbrella,” says Pillon. “So we can do what we like. It works here, because we have all students, and what do they like? They like to listen to some of their own people playing
SALUTE ESPRESSO BAR 2090 Wyandotte St. E (lower)
Demonstrating the true craft of specialty coffee and provisions. Proudly serving WHIPSAW COFFEE. Windsor’s newest artisan roasters. www.saluteespressobar.com
36 The HUB - August 2013
“You meet such interesting characters... I feel like it fuels
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my creativity.
instruments and we’re able to do that.” At Taloola, Zagaglioni wanted to bring in original talent as well as find music that wouldn’t exceed the noise level, since her café is attached to apartments. “We first started out just acoustic, which mostly attracts solo artists but it’s grown from there and I’d say [it’s been] just a mixture. We’ve had full-on bands take up the space, it’s kind of cool.” Bringing in creative people helps bring a variety of people through the doors, but the businesses have their own resourcefulness in attracting clients. This can range from developing specials other stores don’t have, to having couches and interesting artifacts lining the walls, to an industrial space with high ceilings and something to promote communication between patrons. Dane Charles, owner of Salute Espresso Bar, said he tried to create a unique space that hasn’t been seen in the city before. “The look is not your typical coffee bar. What we went for is something you’d expect out of maybe one of the larger cities. So we’ve got an industrial, kind of contemporary feel. We’ve got some graffiti on the wall, our seating arrangement is laid out a little bit differently,” said Charles. “Everything is set up to take you back from what you’re used to and soon as you walk in hopefully you’ll recognize that, ‘Wow, wait, something’s different here, I’m not used to this.’” Charles started his business by bringing in coffee from other places in North America. Once he realized shipping would take longer than needed, he decided to start making his
Two graduate students work on their dissertations at the Green Bean Café. The café provides a quiet space for friends to chat and study. own blend instead, bringing in beans from farmers in the U.S. As a result, he’s seen a different type of customer coming through his doors. “We definitely get a lot more of the coffee serious people; someone who’s been to these cities and has experienced these different quality coffees,” said Charles. “So coming in here brings back to those memories... generally our customer base will be not only the coffee drinkers but you’ll get the craft beer lovers, the foodies, anyone who’s into the food will experience the coffee.” Coffee is definitely an important staple and it’s not difficult to find that fix. But while health research shows coffee in moderation is a safe beverage, it’s more a matter of how people view the “obsession.” Charles said the obsession, along with the development of it by companies like Starbucks and Tim Hortons helped pave the way for independent coffee shops to cater to the coffee-lovers.
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AMERICANO A shot of espresso diluted with hot water. CAPPUCCINO An espresso shot combined with foamed steamed milk. 5 to 7 ounces total.
ESPRESSO Concentrated coffee made when hot water is forced at pressure through fine coffee grounds. Usually slightly less than 2 ounces total.
“Having it available everywhere has got people in the routine of, whether it’s daily or whether it’s every couple days, at least they’ll have one cup or two cups of coffee,” said Charles. “Then we take the opportunity to offer something that some of those places necessarily can’t.” Gorzelnik says the attraction to coffee isn’t a bad thing, but that it’s not a recent thing either. “People love coffee. Always have, always will. Is there anything wrong with that? I guess that all depends on the person. I think it’s good that we have more options on places to go downtown other than bars or restaurants.” The rise of the “coffee obsession” and the plethora of local cafés and coffee shops have created a culture where people can relax, study, work and meet new people while enjoying great food and delicious coffee. Check out the neighbourhood cafés and find your favourite spot – there’s something for everyone. But when it comes to deciding how you’ll take your coffee, you’re on your own.
Dane Charles prepares a latte for himself at Salute Espresso Bar 38 The HUB - August 2013
LATTE Espresso with steamed milk, 8 ounces or more total. MACCHIATO Espresso topped with a dab of foamed steamed milk, about 2 to 3 ounces total.
Cold Brew Java that’s just right: it’s hot, maybe a little bitter, but very, very good. And in the ever-improving world of coffee brewing, at Salute Espresso Bar they’re doing something different. “When you brew coffee using really hot water, you’ll pull out all the nice flavours, the nice characteristics you want in coffee. The hot water also brings out the acidity, that’s what brings out the bitterness,” said owner Dane Charles. The cold-brew method is time-consuming. Coarse-ground beans are soaked in room-temperature or cold water for a prolonged period of time (12 to 24 hours). This method suppresses acidity and bitterness while still keeping the “rich flavours” such as chocolate, caramel or the blueberry flavour they use at Salute. Cold-brew can be served hot or cold. “You can mix cocktails with it, you can have it as your cold coffee and mix it with either water or milk, you can use it in cooking [and] you can use it in baking,” said Charles. Cold brew shouldn’t be confused with the ever-popular “iced coffee” which is commonly created by brewing coffee hot and then pouring it over ice, although cold brew gives Salute its own spin on the trend. “When you want a cold beverage you don’t want acidic,” says Charles. “In hot coffee it’s nice, in cold coffee it’s not nice.”