so many choices

We visited a few trade shows this show and we have seen some really nice cups and saucers. While a cup is a cup, there are several considerations like:

• volume: we are intrigued to find that 12 oz means different things in North American and the UK, but the lack of standards to sizes. Hence we have a bit of difficulty settling on the correct size for a sit-in beverage, as we don’t have the normal 8, 10, 12 oz to pick from
• function: different beverages require different cups sizes, diameter, height. Eg a latte will require a wider diameter for latte art while brewed coffee can be taller without a saucer.
• colour: the easy option is to pick red but we are considering the aesthetics of the drink and in the end, we decided that white is still the most elegant
• Price: being cheap is not an option but neither is spending on exquisite china. thankfully, we are able to meet some suppliers who are able to provide quality at an affordable price. (Note to self: please try not to break any cups)
• Features: Cups that looks radical may not be user friendly; I for one, like to loop 2 fingers through the handle – form and user-friendliness are also areas we look at.

While Sching was agonizing over the cups, saucers, cutlery, and plates for the last 2 weeks, I am simply confused about our water situation over the last month. Here’s the situation – Stouffville has really hard water with lots of sediments in it; thanks to Steve from Social Coffee, the water here measures a hardness of 400ppm CaCO3 or 23gpg and 420ppm TDS(total dissolved solids). Essentially hard water does serious damage to the pipes and machines because of limescale, and with sensitive equipment like our espresso machines, this is a big no-no. We would also need to consider other things like chlorine and other unwanted particles that will impact the taste of coffee – we all know that 98% of coffee is made up of water and the kind of water that goes into our equipment has a direct impact on the quality of our beverages and food.

It is also not easy to find the right solution out there as there are myriad solutions and companies out there, all touting their greatest technologies out there. Thanks to folks like Steve and Dawson from COAG, I am able to settle on a solution that will give us the right profile of water. Phew!!  One more thing off the list.

The best that money can buy

The blog has been silent for a while as we have been busy working out lease locations and possibilities these past few weeks. Nothing firmed up yet but hopefully we could settle something really soon. In the meantime, I am finalizing my search for coffee suppliers and we should be set pretty soon. Meeting 49th parallel at Vancouver and also roasters at Quebec and Ottawa next week.

Vancouver’s trip will be fun, not only because I will be seeing multiple exhibitors and also the Canadian Barista Championships, but also because I will be meeting up with friends in Vancouver. It’s been some time since i travel to BC(last time in 2008 May) and it will be great to see the ocean. What a difference a year makes – no more staying at grand hotels and taking cabs courtesy of Telus, but budget travel on limited Red Bulb savings (thanks Chris N for putting me up for a few days). It is all good though – I am really enjoying the experiences of working on Red Bulb for the last few months; it’s been a different lingo altogether.