RBC NYC Café Opening

We had an opportunity to visit RBC NYC after it opened last week. This new café, located in Tribeca in New York City, received a lot of positive media coverage from the local press (although very little info is available in the online coffee communities and blogs). Much was written about RBC NYC preparing its espresso and espresso-based beverages on the 1st Slayer machine in NYC, and several magazines also mentioned that RBC NYC was the only NYC café that offered coffees from several different roasters.

RBC NYC has a great location, beautiful space with plenty of seating, specialty coffees from Dallis Coffee Co. of Queens and Brown Coffee Co. of Texas, and the only Slayer in NYC. The place has a lot of potential to host small events. It would be unreasonable to expect that the first few days after the opening would give a true indication of what the café would ultimately become. I had a chat with one of the barista who was knowledgeable and friendly, but acknowledged that things were a little crazy and RBC NYC was still hiring to fill positions. I asked her about training on the Slayer, and she mentioned that she was trained but hoped to make a trip to Slayer in Seattle. I ordered two cappuccinos (Brazil Nossa Senhora Aperacida roasted by Dallis) and also purchased a bag of Guatemala Finca Vista Hermosa roasted by Brown (check the roast date on the bottom).

Although we like the commitment to multiple roasters, we are curious whether coffee offerings and roasters will be rotated (as Café Grumpy has done, featuring through the years Counter Culture, Ecco, Novo and of course coffees from their own roaster). We also think that given the space, neighborhood and clientele, other brewing methods such as pour over and siphon could be interesting.

We are excited that this café will contribute to the reputation that NYC is quickly earning as a place with quality cafés, and we’ll certainly be back to check on what’s new and different.

71 Worth St, Home of RBC NYC

Grand opening of RBC NYC

Beautiful space

Tin metal ceiling, faux marble and exposed brick walls

Coffee and beverage menu

The Slayer 3 group machine with adjustable brew pressure

The Slayer machine

Closeup of paddle groups with walnut handles

Return to Stumptown ACE, New York City

We visited Stumptown Coffee Roasters café, one of our favorite New York City cafés, located at the Ace Hotel in Chelsea, Manhattan. Our initial visit was in early November (read our earlier blog post), and our second trip confirmed why we love this café.

We ordered cappuccinos made with Stumptown’s classic Hair Bender espresso blend, indulged in freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies (from the Breslin Restaurant under the same roof at the Ace Hotel), and kicked back to Marvin Gaye’s “Mercy Mercy Me”. The baristi are friendly, accessible and (assuming the line is not out the door) happy to chat about the coffee. Watching them pull an espresso shot from the La Marzocco Mistral machine is a delight. The capps were smooth, sweet and bold. This time our beverages were served in ceramic cups (paper cups last time – maybe the cups were being washed?). Across the street, the Masjid Ar-Rahman mosque was busy with men lining the sidewalk for their mid-day prayers, while the lunch time crowd was bustling down the street. Window seats (bar style) at Stumptown are great for people watching. Pure New York at its best.

We saved the favorite treat for last. Stumptown had just started roasting a couple of new coffees that we wanted to try: We bought bags of Rwanda Vunga and Colombia El Jordon whole bean coffee (check the roast date on the bottom), as well as a bag of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe.

During our first trip, we shot a few photos of the interior of Stumptown’s café and of the Ace Hotel Lobby. This time we capture a little more of the street action and the exterior architecture.

Ace Hotel in NYC: location of Stumptown Café

Stumptown Ace Café in NYC

Ace Hotel above Stumptown Café

Ornate architecture above Ace Hotel entrance

Inconspicuous entrance to Stumptown Café

House of worship across the street, noon-time prayers

Silhouette of Stumptown barista, LaMazorcco Mistral espresso machine

Looking at Stumptown storefront, reflection from across street

Cappuccino using Stumptown Hair Bender espresso blend

Rwanda Vunga, Colombia El Jordan, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe

New Products: Mouthblown glass bean hoppers

Artazza is thrilled to introduce a series of glass bean hoppers from Café Kultur of Germany.

The glass bean hoppers are mouth-blown by artisans in a German glass factory from lead-free, food-safe and 100% recycled glass. Designed to fit the Mazzer Mini and Mini E and the Mazzer Jolly coffee grinders, the glass hoppers are superior to the standard plastic hoppers that are supplied with the grinders. The glass hoppers do not absorb the coffee oils and flavors, and are easier to keep clean.

The bean hoppers are available in green, blue, yellow and clear glass. The glass is infused with beautiful “bubbles” that create the appearance of movement in the glass. The covers are pressed and polished from stainless steel, and the adapter (with closure mechanism) is CNC machined from stainless steel and attached to the glass using silicon. All materials are food-safe.

Artazza was able to obtain a limited quantity of these beauties and we are selling them on a first-come, first-served basis. They will go fast and we will re-stock as Café Kultur produces additional pieces.

Available exclusively from Artazza.

Bridal Guide Magazine features our Fondue Set

Shout out to Bridal Guide Magazine, which features our Terra Keramik fondue set and plates in their January / February 2010 issue (“Now You’re Cooking – Kitchen Registry Report”).

Terra Keramik of Switzerland handcrafts the eco-friendly fondue pot and plates in 8 brilliant colors (also available are stainless steel fondue burner and fondue forks made in Switzerland). Terra Keramik fondue set and plates available exclusively through Artazza.com

This is a professional quality fondue set and has been a hot seller this holiday season. We’re very proud that Deer Valley Resort of Park City, Utah – the #1 ski resort in North America – uses our Terra Keramik fondue pots in one of their restaurants.

To get you started with our new fondue set, award-winning chef, food author and teacher Ashley Rodriguez created a “Cider and Gruyère Fondue” recipe especially for us.

No Limits, No Rules

We received the attached holiday card from Felix Vogler, Founder and Creative Director of the Swiss-based Terra Keramik ceramics company that handcrafts the Terra Teramik espresso and cappuccino cups. An example of a black cappuccino cup is shown on the card.

The top portion of the German text reads: “If you can’t solve a problem, it’s because you’re playing by the rules.” (Paul Arden, 1940-2008, former creative director of advertising giant Saatchi & Saatchi).

We couldn’t have said it any better. Happy New Year!

Sushi Rolls (for beginners)

We have posted a new recipe “Sushi Rolls”, which was especially created for us by Ashley Rodriguez, chef, food author and teacher to demonstrate how to assemble a sushi roll using our Swiss handcrafted, eco-friendly sushi set.

Ashley writes: “Now a new year is upon us. A fresh start to make better choices, set new goals and to examine the year that has passed and look forward to the year ahead.”

“You will not find me catching the latest diet craze anytime soon. What I choose to do instead is to make small decisions that will better my health and will teach me new techniques and broaden my culinary understanding.”

“Sushi is the perfect choice – fun to make, endless possibilities and will most likely get you to use ingredients that aren’t in your everyday arsenal.”

Sushi Rolls

Before setting out to make sushi you need to gather a few ingredients beyond what you decide to put in your rolls. I had much luck at a local Asian market.

• short grained rice
• nori
• Japanese rice wine vinegar
• pickled ginger
• prepared wasabi
• bamboo mat
• soy sauce
• sharp knife

Now that you have your supplies, go ahead and make your rice.

For the full mouth-watering recipe, accompanied by beautiful photographs, visit Artazza.com. You can buy the handcrafted, eco-friendly crystal glass sushi set (plate and bowls) at Artazza.com.

We recommend that you check out Ashley’s award-winning food blog Not Without Salt for additional wonderful recipes and stunning food photography.

Update on Finca Santa Marta, Honduras

We’re able to share a seasonal update of the award-winning Finca Santa Marta coffee plantation located in the highlands of Tegucigalpita, Honduras. Ana Lucia Lardizábal de Hawit, a member of the family that has owned the Finca for four generations and herself a World Barista Championship competitor, writes about several interesting developments. Shout out to Ana Lucia for her fantastic photos. Read her earlier overview of Finca Santa Marta as part of our Origin to Cup series.

Ana Lucia wrote:

“It was early December and very cold (about 12°C or 54°F) that day. The Finca was covered in mist and incredibly beautiful. The crop season is just starting, some coffee trees have no cherries, some are packed with all green cherries and some are filled with mixed green, yellow and red.”

Bursting with excitement and pride, Ana Lucia continued:

“We received a very exciting visit this weekend. Soren Stiller Markussen from Denmark´s Growers Cup was here to visit our farm. He placed 6th in the 2008 World Barista Championship, and is considered not only one of the top baristas in the world but also one of the top roasters in the world. Soren was here to evaluate our coffee for potential use in some interesting Growers Cup projects.”

Speaking of the World Barista Championship, Ana Lucia represented Honduras at the 2008 WBC in Copenhagen and placed 15th of 53 competitors. We’re very proud that Ana Lucia competed with Terra Keramik espresso and cappuccino cups and plates. Ihcafe, the Honduran coffee association, just announced a national championship for April 2010, with the 2010 WBC held in London on June 23-25.

Tegucigalpita

View of the road towards the Finca

Santa Marta Coffee Plantation

View of Finca Santa Marta

Shade trees inside the Finca

Tall shade trees inisde the Finca

Coffee trader Lis Correa Rasmussen, Co-owner Raul Hawitt, Barista Champ Soren Stiller Markussen (l to r)

Early 2009-2010 coffee crop

Coffee cherries from 2009-2010 crop

Coffee cherries and beans

Co-owner Raul Hawit and Barista Champ Soren Stiller Markussen

Soren Stiller Markussen

Solar Drying Systems at Finca Santa Marta

Queensland, Australia Barista Championship

Congratulations to Tim Adams and Sam Liao for winning the 2009-2010 Queensland, Australia Barista Championship and Latte Art Championship, respectively, held on December 13 at Veneziano Caffe in Brisbane. Tim successfully defended his state championship from 2008-2009, when he proceeded to win the Australia Barista Championship and place 14th out of 52 national competitors at the 2009 World Barista Championship in Atlanta.

Tim is a Barista Trainer at Pioneer Coffee Roastery located north of Brisbane, Australia. He used a single origin coffee from Costa Rica. We’re especially proud that Tim chose to compete with Terra Keramik espresso and cappuccino cups for the 2nd year in a row! Awesome that he’s willing to experiment with color themes, last time choosing green and this time yellow.

Top Finishers (via AustralAsian Specialty Coffee Association)

Queensland Barista Championship

1st Place – Tim Adams – Pioneer Coffee Roastery
2nd Place – Jean Paul Sutton – First Pour Veneziano Caffe
3rd Place – Scott Laengen – First Pour Veneziano Caffe

Queensland Latte Art Championship

1st Place – Sam Liao – First Pour Veneziano Caffe
2nd Place – Scott Luengen – First Pour Veneziano Caffe
3rd Place – Joshua Russell

The next Australian Barista Championship will be held on January 29, followed by the World Barista Championship in London on June 23-25. We wish Tim all the best in the national championship.

A huge shout out to Sam Liao (winner of the Latte Art competition) for allowing us to show his photos of Tim’s competition round. Thanks Sam!

Tim’s Terra Keramik cups on top of Nuova Simonelli Aurelia espresso machine

Pulling espresso shots into the Terra Keramik cappuccino cups

Creating latte art in the Terra Keramik cappuccino cups

Pulling the espresso base for the signature beverage

Tim’s single origin coffee from Costa Rica (right)

Sensory judges listening to Tim’s presentation

Sensory judge tasting Tim’s cappuccino

Check out other regional, national and world barista championships.

New Products: Burled Walnut Knockbox and Tamper

We are thrilled to introduce two new and exclusive Café Kultur products for the espresso connoisseur:

• Espresso knockbox handcrafted from burled walnut veneer and stainless steel
• Matching espresso tamper turned from solid burled walnut and stainless steel

These handcrafted products are unrivalled in terms of aesthetics, function and quality. As the exclusive North American reseller of Café Kultur espresso accessories from Germany, we were able to obtain a limited quantity of these beauties and are selling them on our Artazza website on a first-come, first-served basis. They will go fast and we will re-stock as Café Kultur produces additional pieces.

Burled Walnut Knockbox

Café Kultur of Germany handcrafts the exterior of the knockbox from burled walnut veneer mounted on hardwood. The veneer is sliced from Persian walnut burl (Juglans regia), considered one of the most valuable veneers and highly prized by cabinet makers, prestige car manufacturers and musical instrument makers. The wood is hard, dense, tight-grained and polishes to a very smooth finish; its color ranges from creamy white in the sapwood to a dark chocolate color in the heartwood.

The interior of the knockbox is manufactured by Rieber GmbH & Co. of Germany from premium food-safe stainless steel. Rieber is one of the leading suppliers of kitchen technology for professional gastronomy operations and private households, and supplies customers such as Bosch, BMW, Deutsche Telekom, and Gaggenau.

The knockbox is designed with “triple suspension” to reduce the shock, vibration and noise from knocking an espresso puck out of the portafilter.

Available exclusively from Artazza.

Burled Walnut Tamper

The burled walnut tamper expands our line of TORR tampers, which comprises tampers with handles available in different exotic woods and aluminum, as well as two styles of handles, and of course with pistons available with different diameters (both flat and convex bottoms) to fit various espresso machines.

Café Kultur of Germany handcrafts each tamper with attention to detail in numerous manual steps that results in a first-class fit and finish. The handle is turned from Persian walnut burl (Juglans regia), an attractive wood that is hard, dense, tight-grained and polishes to a very smooth finish, making it ideal for carving and turning. Its color ranges from creamy white in the sapwood to a dark chocolate color in the heartwood. To feel comfortable in the hand, the wood handles are sanded and polished to produce a smooth, lustrous surface. The food-grade stainless steel pistons are finished with a satin, soft-brushed surface that resists fingerprints and smudges. The black-lasered TORR logo on the stainless steel piston adds a touch of class.

Available exclusively from Artazza.

Holiday Gift Idea #4: Mouthblown Crystal Cruets

Our gorgeous set of mouthblown lead-free crystal cruets are perfect to store and decant your favorite olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The simple and elegant designs make these cruets decorative for the dining table or display in your gourmet kitchen. Their ergonomic shapes are designed for a natural fit in your hand when decanting and the long necks and small spouts enable a measured pour. Close with a metal reinforced cork stopper. Mouthblown by Glasi Hergiswil in Switzerland since 1817.

La Cucina Italiana Magazine raved about our cruets and wrote “These blown glass cruets for oil and vinegar come from the vaunted 200-year-old Glasi house of Switzerland. These eco-friendly bottels are made of lead-free crystal glass.”

Available exclusively from Artazza.