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.

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!  

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! 

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.

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.

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.

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.