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We're Turning Two! Thanks for your support the past two years. On Dec. 17, we want to celebrate with you! Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for festivities and special promotions. |
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Gifts that Give More Do you know a chocolate lover? Does someone in your office love coffee? Need a gift to take to a holiday party? Well, we've done the shopping for you. Check out our in-house selection of Fair Trade holiday gifts and gift baskets. We will be carrying mugs, T-shirts, and body oils from local artisans and an assortment of jewelry, scarves, and crafts from around the world! As always, we will also be selling bulk items like coffee beans, boxes of tea, containers of cocoa, and our Domestic Fair Trade snacks. Also consider spreading the cheer with a gift card to our café! | |
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Our Family Farm Field Trip In alliance with the mission of the café to support local farmers, we purchase our milk from a co-operative of local organic dairy farms. We are happy to support Our Family Farms of Western Massachusetts in their mission to support small dairy farmers in providing milk to businesses like ours! All of the co-operative members' farms are local, family-run dairy farms that are concerned with producing a high-quality product from well-cared for animals. The farmers graze their animals on pasture each spring, summer and fall, which keeps the land open and preserved. Our staff at Equal Exchange Café was privileged to travel to Bree-Z-Knoll farm in Leyden, Massachusetts to experience a day in the life of a dairy farmer. We got to meet the cows that help ensure we keep our lattes and cappuccinos fresh! You can find out more about Our Family Farms at www.ourfamilyfarms.com |
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Art Opening: Pedal Power Photography Saturday, December 11th, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Stop by and see our newest installation by Natasha. These photographs were inspired by and made with all things coffee. Come meet her and enjoy free coffee and tea! www.pedalpowerphotography.com |
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61 Beans Coffee-of-the-Month: December This month, we bring you Organic Winter Seasonal, a special blend from Peru, Mexico, Sumatra and Ethiopia. The aroma is smoky, with dried berries, sage, malt and chocolate notes. The flavor is smoky and spicy, with sweet pipe tobacco, dried cherries and blueberries. The blend has just a touch of acidity and a dense, expansive mouthfeel. The aftertaste is smoky and bittersweet with dried cherry notes. Try it at the café throughout the month of December! |
| Holiday Hours Nov. 25 (Thanksgiving Day) - CLOSED Nov. 26 - 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Nov. 27 - 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Dec. 16 (Staff Holiday Party) - Closing at 5 p.m. Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) - CLOSED Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) - CLOSED Dec. 31 (New Year's Eve) - CLOSED Jan. 1 (New Year's Day) - CLOSED |
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| Medium? Dark? The 411 on Roast Levels From www.equalexchange.com/coffee-roasting Roasting requires a skill set somewhere between art and science. Roasters need to have a strong attention to detail, excellent sensory skills and sensory memory, and a love of all things coffee. These traits differentiate between good roasters and great ones. The goal in coffee roasting is to enhance the qualities of the green coffee beans and to develop them to their fullest potential. For example, we might try to tame a coffee's acidity while accentuating its citric flavor, or we might try to bring out the mouthfeel in a coffee while also enhancing its natural chocolate notes. As our roasters will tell you, the process is both challenging and extremely rewarding. Each batch of roasted coffee is tested with an Agtron roast analyzer to scientifically test the classification of the roast. The Agtron system is common in the Specialty Coffee Industry and the rating system is from 0.0 points (darkest) to 100 points (lightest). These samples are also "cupped" to ensure that the flavor matches our specifications and to provide our customers with consistency. Medium Roast As coffee beans begin to develop, they reach the first stage of roasting that is light in color and bright in the cup. (Color: Cinnamon Brown) Full City Roast The most desirable characteristics of a particular country or region are exemplified in our full city roast. Beans are at their most complex and most flavorful. (Color: Chestnut Brown) Vienna Roast Rich coffee oils evenly cover the surface of the beans to produce a smoky aroma and smooth, rich cup. (Color: Dark Chocolate Brown) French Roast The intensity of this dark roast is seen in the deep coffee oils that cover its surface. The sweet intensity of the aroma and velvety flavor make this an international favorite. (Color: Mahogany Brown)  |
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