Category Archives: Coffee

November 2, 2012 · 10:24 am

First Friday at Oak City Cycling Project with Slingshot Coffee Co. HQ Opening Tonight!

Oak City Cycling Project
212 East Franklin St. Raleigh, NC

This past summer I stopped by Oak City Cycling Project during a First Friday in downtown Raleigh. I was blown away by how cool this place is and intrigued by the idea of a bike shop featuring art and serving as a community meeting place. Oak City Cycling is all that and more. It is now one of my favorite places to visit on First Fridays in Raleigh. If you haven’t been by their shop yet you have another chance to check them out tonight, Friday November 2, starting around 6pm for this month’s First Friday celebration presented by the cool people at NewRaleigh.com.

Bikes!

As described on their website, Oak City Cycling Project is “a local, independent cycling shop focused on increasing bicycle ridership through sales, service, outreach, and community.” When I was there I notice a wide range of awesome used bikes and I have heard great things about the people there and the services they offer. Though I am not currently and avid cyclist I plan to purchase a bike in 2013 and plan to hit up Oak City Cycling when I am ready to pull the trigger on a purchase.

Checking out artwork inside Oak City Cycling Project

Tonight’s first Friday event at Oak City Cycling is extra special because it will not only feature great artwork by local Raleigh artists Becky Joye, but it also marks the opening of Slingshot Coffee Company’s new headquarters which is now located within part of the Oak City Cycling building. The festivities tonight also include acoustic music and three local food trucks: American Meltdown, Captain Pancho’s Tacos, and Bulkogie Korean BBQ.

Slingshot Coffee Sampling at previous First Friday

About Slingshot Coffee
Slingshot Coffee Co. was started by Raleigh resident Jenny Bonchak earlier this year. Jenny creates hand-crafted cold brew coffee in small batches using fair trade organic coffee beans from local roaster Counter Culture Coffee in Durham. The 16 oz. bottles of cold brew are sold in two forms, a ready-to-drink version and in concentrate form. The ready-to drink bottle makes for two servings while the concentrate will create 6 individual servings. Cold brew can be consumed both as a cold beverage or combined with other ingredients to make delicious hot & cold cocktails.

Slingshot Coffee Cold Brew

Slingshot Coffee Co. cold brew is made with beans that are in season, meaning the flavor is evolving seasonally throughout the year. I last had it during the summer and look forward to trying it again now that it is fall and it is being made with a new variety of beans. You can read more about Slingshot Coffee and where you can purchase it from local retailers on the company website and facebook page.

Oak City Cycling Lounge Area

First Friday at Oak City Cycling – Presented by New Raleigh

When:
Friday, November 2, 2012 at 6 p.m.

Where:
Oak City Cycling Project/Slingshot Coffee Co. HQ
212 E. Franklin St. Raleigh, North Carolina (Map)

For more information about tonight’s First Friday event at Oak City Cycling check out the facebook event page.

Larry’s Beans Coffee Cupping Event In Raleigh – November 10th 1-3pm

Photo courtesy of Larry’s Beans

Larry’s Beans is holding a coffee cupping event at their bean roasting facility in Raleigh on November 10th from 1-pm. The Comparative Cupping & Coffee workshop will be lead by Brad Brandhorst, Chief Roaster at Larry’s Beans. Brad will lead participants through an exploration of how flavor is affected by how the farmers process their coffee beans. The coffee will all be from Sidama Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union in Ethiopia. The cupping event, which will take place at the Larry’s Beans roasting facility at 1507 Gavin St., Raleigh, costs $5. Tickets are available at larrysbeans.eventbrite.com.

Photo courtesy of Larry’s Beans

In addition to coffee cupping the event will feature samples of Larry’s Beans Cold Brew Iced Coffee – cold-steeped over 24 hours from coffee they roast & blend specifically for this process. This is a new offering from Larry’s Beans.

Bonus! Music & Beer
Since coffee is part of life, Larry’s Beans will also provide music & some snacks topped off with local beer from Fullsteam Brewery in Durham!

Details & Registration:
Where: Larry’s Beans, 1507 Gavin Street, Raleigh, NC
When: Saturday November 10, 2012. Gates open at 1pm, Cupping Starts at 1:30

To register for the event visit LarrysBeans.eventbrite.com

Photo courtesy of Larry’s Beans

About Larry’s Beans

Larry’s Beans is happily committed to blending and roasting innovative uniquely delicious coffees — and making the world a better place. 100% of our coffee is Fair Trade, Shade Grown, and Organic, all slow-roasted to bring out every note of indigenous flavor. Their green-o-vated facilities use passive solar construction, active solar systems, radiant floors, zoned heating, composting, and rainwater harvesting to minimize our impact on this awesome planet. (You can view pictures from my tour of their facility here). Larry’s Beans offers 15 Creative Blends and 15 Single-Origin Blends, along with limited-roast favorites like Rockin’ Holiday Blend and Woodstock Blend. For more information visit http://www.larrysbeans.com/.

Take A Break & Visit Respite Cafe In Durham

Respite Cafe in Durham, NC

This month my tour of the great local coffee scene takes me to Durham for a visit to Respite Cafe. Respite is a relatively new coffee shop in downtown Durham owned and operated by local resident and Duke alumnus Courtney Brown. The Cafe is conveniently located along Duke Street just around the Corner from Brightleaf Square (map).

I have had Respite on my radar for a while now and was fortunate enough to pay several visits over the past few months. I find the cafe’ to be a great place to relax and recharge whenever I am over in Durham exploring downtown.

Respite Cafe

Respite is housed in a building constructed back in 1929 and its interior is a little different than what you typically see in other local coffee shops, with its blue and white painted walls and original black & white checkerboard tile floor. However, the style fits the building perfectly and breathes new life into its space by creating a cafe with a 1920’s vibe infused with a modern touch. I find the interior calming and relaxing making it a great spot for catching up on work while enjoying my coffee.

Comfy Seating Options

There are several different seating options in the cafe, ranging from large tables that seat 4-5 people to cozy table tops, and comfy couches for relaxing along the window and in a smaller more private alcove in the back of the cafe. Their is even a small meeting room in the back that can be reserved for study groups or business meetings. On my more recent visits I’ve noticed Respite is a popular destination for Duke students . However, although it is a great place for studying it is also a great place for relaxing and conversation, lending the space more towards a community “living room” vibe in general which I like.

My Latte

Respite serves locally roasted Carrboro Coffee which is one of my favorite local coffee roasters. Their high quality beans make for incredible espresso drinks that I find to be rich and well balanced. The organic homeland creamery milk Respite uses to make their lattes, my favorite drink, gives them a silky smooth texture that I love. Respite offers a full line of coffee and specialty espresso drinks. You can purchase coffees prepared via various different methods including traditional pour-overs and the Chemex method. In addition to great coffee, they also serve an extensive offering of 20+ different organic teas from Rishi Tea.

Incredible Baked Goods from Local Vendors

Complimenting the great coffee and tea at Respite are the abundant local food products they sell. This is one of the great highlights of the shop. Their pastry shelves are always filled with offerings from local and regional bakers including some amazing deserts from the people at Crumb in Raleigh that can be best described as edible works of art. Other baked goods featured are Kelly G’s cupcakes from Carrboro and Kismet artisan crackers from Durham. I’ve also recently learned that respite now also offers gluten free vegan baked goods from Zen Cat Bakery, cookies from Kukia’s Cookies, and gourmet popcorn from Durham’s own Mad Popper. Offerings vary weekly but there are always lots of great food options to pair with your drink. You can view a full list of their locally sourced products on their website here.

Lots of Natural Lighting Provided by Windows

I enjoy coffee shops that feature a lot of natural lighting and love all the windows at Respite that look out along the sidewalk and Duke Street. It allows for natural sunlight to pour into the shop giving it warm feel that helps create a nice transition from the quite interior to the hustle and bustle of the outside world. On my visits I often found myself staring out the window daydreaming as I watched the world pass by as people make their way to work and class. This is exactly why I like spending time in a coffee shop like this. It isn’t just about getting in and out with a great cup of coffee, it is also about the experience and taking time to enjoy your surroundings.

The Menu

I think Respite is a great addition to the blossoming local coffee scene in the Triangle and look forward to visiting them again the next time I explore Durham. Respite’s Falls/Winter hours are 8am-8pm Monday through Saturday. For more information about Respite check out their website and facebook page or follow them on twitter at @Respite Cafe.

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Filed under Coffee, Durham, Restaurant Reviews

Tagged as Cafe, Carrboro Coffee, Coffee, Coffee Shop, Crumb, Downtown Durham, Duke Street, Durham, Espresso, Gluten Free, Homeland Creamery, Kelly G's Cupckaes, Kismet, Kukia's Cookies, Latte, Mad Popper, Respite Cafe, Vegan, Zan Cat Bakery

September 27, 2012 · 9:20 am

Recap of the August Counter Culture Coffee “TNT” Latte Art Competition at Sola Coffee & Cafe’

September Latte Art Throwdown at Sola Coffee

Sola Coffee & Cafe’ in North Raleigh was the host for the August Counter Culture Coffee latte art competition, lovingly known as the Thursday Night Throwdown or “TNT” for short. As shared in my July TNT recap post, the purpose of these friendly competitions is to cultivate a coffee culture that respects presentation and quality coffee drinks and provides an opportunity for the local coffee community to come together and have some fun!

Spectators at Sola Coffee watching the throwdown unfold

Sola Coffee & Cafe is relatively new to the local coffee scene being open for only a little over 6 months, but they dove in head first and did a fantastic job of hosting their first TNT competition. The pool of baristas competing was the largest I have ever seen (there were a total of 28) and the crowd of spectators gathered was pretty darn big too.

Barista from Cafe Helios prepares his latte

As always, Lem Butler of Counter Culture did an awesome job of MCing the competition and keeping things moving along seamlessly. Things got kicked off shorlty after 7pm with the first two baristas going head to head to create their latte art to be presented and scored by a panel of three judges.

“Tulip” design latte art

Latte art is typically judged based on four criteria: balance and symmetry, use of space, color contrast and definition, and overall impression. The judges compare the appearance of the two drinks based on these factors and decide which barista will move on to the next round.

Baristas working at the espresso machine

As the competition advances, baristas will sometimes be asked to pour their drinks blindfolded or will willingly choose to use increasingly smaller cups to present their drinks. These variations make creating latte art more difficult and can cause for some interesting results from even the most experienced baristas.

The crowd waiting for the final results

After several rounds of competition, the field was narrowed down to two baristas to face off in the final round. It was a fun evening that saw a plethora of great pours from the many great local baristas, but it all came down to Austin Oliver of Jubala Village Coffee and Michael Harwood of Open Eye Cafe in the final round.

August 2012 TNT Winner
Michael Harwood of Open Eye Cafe in Carrboro

Both Austin & Mike did a great job, but in the end Mike of Open Eye Cafe was crowned the August TNT champion. With that, he won some prizes and bragging rights for a month before being called on to return to help judge the next throwdown. The details for the next TNT competition are provided below. You can visit my flickr photo album for more of my pictures from the August 2012 TNT Latte Art Throwdown at Sola.

September TNT event Details
– Date/Time: Thursday September 27th, 7-9:30pm
– Location: Scratch Bakery – 111 Orange Street – Downtown Durham
– Free & Open to the public to watch
– $5 for baristas to enter the competition

Third Annual TerraVITA Food & Wine Event – November 1-3, 2012

Terralogo

With Terra meaning “of the earth” and Vita meaning “life,” the name captures the very spirit of the Triangle’s premier foodie event which returns to the area this November 1st through the 3rd. The third annual TerraVITA Food & Wine Event will bring together some of the finest biodynamic and organically-grown wines and microbrews in the world with some of the very best North Carolina chefs, known and celebrated for their outstanding reputations and chosen for their devotion and allegiance to locally-grown ingredients.

TerraVITA 2012 will offer a stellar line-up of the best chefs, from the coast to the mountains of North Carolina, and unite their amazing food with select beverages produced by some of the best craftsmen in the world.

TerraVITA Grand Tasting Event 2011
(photo courtesy of TerraVITA)

The “Grand Tasting on the Green”, the headlining event of TerraVITA, takes place on Saturday, November 3, from 1 – 4:30 p.m.

This event brings together some of the best sustainably-produced wines, microbrews, coffees and spirits and offers them side-by-side with culinary tastings by James Beard-nominated chefs, artisan chocolatiers, charcuteries and cheese makers from across the state of North Carolina. Advance tickets are $65 for the all-inclusive event with a special designated driver/no alcohol ticket offered for $55. Tickets can be purchased on the event website here.

3 Cups
(photo courtesy of TerraVITA)

Participating restaurants and food artisans:
Herons Restaurant (Cary), Dan and Jael Rattigan from French Broad Chocolate Lounge (Asheville), Acme Food & Beverage Company (Carrboro), Knife & Fork (Spruce Pine), Elemental Chocolate (Raleigh), Little Hen Restaurant (Holly Springs), Mandolin (Raleigh), Chefs 105 (Morehead City), On The Square (Tarboro), Harvest Moon Grille (Charlotte), Il Palio (Chapel Hill), Crippen’s Restaurant (Blowing Rock), Crumb (Raleigh), Chapel Hill Creamery (Chapel Hill), Green Valley Grill (Greensboro), 518 West (Raleigh), Oakleaf (Pittsboro), Hillsborough Cheese Company (Hillsborough), Farmhand Foods (Durham), 18 Seaboard (Raleigh), Weathervane (Chapel Hill), Rose’s Meat Market & Sweet Shop (Durham), Market Restaurant (Raleigh), Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen (Greensboro/Cary), The Chef’s Academy (Morrisville), Escazu Artisan Chocolates (Raleigh), Sandwhich (Chapel Hill), and NamaKiss Chocolates (Raleigh).

The Market Restaurant
(photo courtesy of TerraVITA)

Beverage participants:
De Maison Selections, Sour Grapes, SIP…A Wine Store, Authentique Vin, Tryon Distributing, Highland Brewing Company, Peak Organic Beer, New Belgium Brewing, Mystery Brewing Company, and Full Sail Brewing, as well as Carrboro Coffee Company, Joe Van Gogh, Slingshot Coffee Company and TOPO Spirits and more. More than 100 beverage samples will be available for tasting.

Carrboro Coffee
(photo courtesy of TerraVITA)

In addition to the marquee Grand Tasting, three other events occur during the festival: Chefs’ Harvest Potluck,The Sustainable Classroom, and The Carolina Table: East Meets West Dinner.

Additional Event Information:

Chef’s Harvest Potluck
When: Thursday, November 1st (7-9pm)
Where: Town Commons in Carrboro, NC
Cost: $55 (for tickets purchased before Oct 15)

The dinner will feature dishes from 20 top chefs in the Triangle, including Andrea Reusing from Lantern, Sara Foster from Foster’s Market, Bill Smith from Crooks Corner, Sean Fowler from Mandolin, Adam Rose from Il Palio, Kevin Callaghan from Acme Food & Beverage Company, Bret Jennings from Elaine’s On Franklin, Seth Kingsbury from Pazzo, Vimala Rajendran from Vimala’s Curryblossom Café, Jim Nixon from Panzanella, Marshall Smith at Glasshalfull, Aaron Vandemark from Pancuito, Sam Suchoff from The Pig and more. All the featured chefs use Carrboro Farmers’ Market as a consistent resource for ingredients and 100 percent of the money raised through ticket sales will go to the Market for physical improvements to its current location.

The Sustainable Classroom
When: Thursday, November 2nd (9:30am-4:15pm)
Where: TOPO Distiller & Greenbridge – Both in Chapel Hill
Cost: $35 for two sessions, or $50 for four consecutive sessions.

A combination of culinary workshops, tastings, and beverage and food demonstrations featuring food and beverage experts and aficionados. The Sustainable Classroom sessions will be held in two locations, just one block from one another in Chapel Hill: The new TOPO Distillery on Graham St. near the intersection of West Franklin, and the event space at Greenbridge on Graham St. Each session lasts an hour and fifteen minutes and will include multiple experts specializing in different facets of food and/or drink.

Session Sampler: One session pairs chef and cookbook author Bill Smith from the James Beard-winning restaurant Crooks Corner in Chapel Hill with NC native and author Sheri Castle; they’ll offer tastings of favorite recipes and discuss the whims and woes of putting together a winning cookbook. Another session combines cheesemonger Alexander Kast (Southern Season, Chapel Hill) with Triangle chef/instructor Breana Lai, and sommelier and proprietor Inez Ribustello (On the Square, Tarboro) to do the ultimate wine, cheese and food tasting. Guests will choose among eight sessions and each guest may select a maximum of four sessions to attend throughout the day.

Other Sustainable Classroom experts: Dr. Bernie Herman from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Tom Gallivan from Shooting Point Oysters (coastal Virginia), Scott Maitland from TOPO Distillery (Chapel Hill), Scott Conary from Carrboro Coffee Company (Carrboro), Cassie Parsons from Harvest Moon Grille (Charlotte), Cheese Expert Sasha Shreders from Southern Foods (Winston-Salem/Greensboro), Jay Pierce from Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen (Greensboro, Cary), Leah Wong Ashburn from Highland Brewing Company (Asheville), Amanda Hodge from Great Lakes Brewing Co. (Cleveland, OH), Wine educator and consultant Mary Margaret McCamic from The Clever Vine (Carrboro), Sherry Stolfo from The Chef’s Academy (Morrisville), Marilyn Markel from A Southern Season (Chapel Hill), and more.

A full list of speakers and session descriptions can be found on the event website here.

The Carolina Table: East Meets West Dinner at Chatjam Mills in Pittsboro
When: Friday November 2nd (7-10pm)

This event began as an exclusive “thank you” event for sponsors. This year, it’s open to the public for the first time and showcases three chefs–one from eastern NC, one from western NC, and one from the Triangle. The chefs work together to prepare a six-course meal centered on local ingredients. This year, the chefs include James Beard nominee Vivian Howard from Chef and The Farmer (Kinston), Cassie Parsons from Harvest Moon Grille (Charlotte), and Adam Rose from Il Palio (Chapel Hill). Dessert will be prepared by Jael and Dan Rattigan from French Broad Chocolate Lounge (Asheville, NC).

For more information on attending TerraVITA 2012, please visit their website and Facebook Page or follow them on twitter at @Terravitafoodie.

2 Comments

Filed under Chapel Hill, Chocolate, Coffee, Events, Food, Local Beers and Breweries, Restaurant Reviews, Wine Tasting

Tagged as carrboro, Chapel Hill, Foodie Event, Terravita

Category Archives: Coffee

First Friday at Oak City Cycling Project with Slingshot Coffee Co. HQ Opening Tonight!

Larry’s Beans Coffee Cupping Event In Raleigh – November 10th 1-3pm

Take A Break & Visit Respite Cafe In Durham

Recap of the August Counter Culture Coffee “TNT” Latte Art Competition at Sola Coffee & Cafe’

Third Annual TerraVITA Food & Wine Event – November 1-3, 2012

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