Monthly Archives: November 2011

Vita Featured in Fresh Cup Magazine

| November 30, 2011
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

| November 29, 2011
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.

This Weekend: Shop BLANC

| November 18, 2011

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 from Caffe 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

| November 17, 2011

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

| November 16, 2011

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

| November 10, 2011

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

| November 9, 2011

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

| November 3, 2011
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.”