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Why We're the Best
The next 15
items are some of the things that help us make you the best coffee
possible. These 15 items, along with our higher purpose that goes beyond
the bottom line, will provide an experience that we hope you don’t soon
forget. I have studied the industry for countless hours a day and read
every book I can get my hands on. I did this so that The Jahva House
could give you the best coffee and espresso (yes, espresso not expresso)
you’ve ever tasted. Some people have told me they never thought coffee
could taste like this. Come find out for yourself. If you don’t agree,
then I’ll give you directions to the nearest Starbucks.
1. Great Coffee - You can’t make a great coffee without great
coffee beans. Seems pretty obvious, huh? Well, most coffeehouses just
use beans from roasters that are closest to them and most convenient. We
spent a large amount of time sampling different roasters’ coffees,
asking questions about their method of roasting and how their coffee is
shipped, and finding out what others think of their coffee. Our final
decision was on a roaster who, no lie, I could find not one negative
comment about. Their coffee even received one of Coffee Review’s highest
ratings.
2. Fresh Coffee - True, you can’t make a great coffee without great
coffee beans or a great barista. But no matter how great the coffee
beans are, they won’t stay great for long. Comprende? Ask yourself how
long you believe you can keep coffee stored. In a recent poll that I
came across, almost 90% of the US thought coffee doesn’t go bad! Believe
it or not, coffee IS a perishable product. “Well, I don’t have to worry
about that. I’m sure my favorite coffeehouse is keeping their coffee
fresh.” Don’t count on it, dude. It takes a lot of effort to keep coffee
fresh and calculate your coffees’ shipments correctly. Why? Because
coffee begins to stale after 7-10 days. Most coffeehouse owners I’ve
talked to haven’t even heard of that before. Neither have they heard how
to store their valuable beans. Coffee’s worst enemies are air, heat, and
light. So why do some coffeehouses store their beans in their original,
non-airtight bags, in broad daylight, up on dirty shelves, for months?
Because they didn’t do their homework. Well, to my mother’s surprise, I
finally did my homework! Our coffee is stored fresh, shipped in
regularly, and roasted by professionals who know coffee. “And I’ll
personally guarantee it.”
3. Professional Equipment - You can have the best coffee in the
world, but it’s not reaching its full potential if you’re using Mr.
Coffee equipment (no lie, I’ve seen Mr. Coffee being used before). Now
that we have the best coffee we could find, it was time for the espresso
machine. Introducing the Mirage. To date there are only 15 Mirage’s in
the US. Each one is made per order in the Netherlands by one man, not by
a factory full of careless employees. Kees van der Westen, the creator
of the Mirage, demands only the best components, including custom-made
E61 group heads, for his machines. Our Mirage even has his foot
activated steam wand option. After finding components that satisfy his
strict standards, he then “creates” the housing of the Mirage to look
like nothing you’ve ever seen before! I’ve spoken to several coffeehouse
owners using the Mirage in their cafes. They all had the same thing to
say. They were previous users of another machine known in the industry
as the best of the best. Side by side, all said that shots from the
Mirage won hands down. It’s definitely one amazing piece of eye candy
that produces a rich shot of espresso.
For the best drip coffee and iced tea, there’s nothing better than Fetco
coffee and tea brewing equipment. Fetco is only used in the top
coffeehouses in the world. Our Fetco Extractor series coffee brewer with
the patented Pulse-Brew™ brewing process won Best New Product by the
SCAA at the 2004 Convention. “Whaaaat?” you may be asking. Well, it just
makes a killer cup of coffee!
4. Grind Per Shot - Next time you go to a coffee shop, pay attention
to their procedure. Did they go to the grinder, take a couple of pulls
on a little handle, and then start brewing your espresso? Yes? Or did
you see them push a button followed by a somewhat loud grinding noise,
THEN pull on a handle before brewing? No? Well, I’m not surprised. Most
coffeehouse’s I’ve been to don’t grind per shot. Grinding per shot
applies to the freshness factor. Ground coffee begins to stale after 15
minutes. “But my pre-ground Folger’s coffee uses this special process
and sealing method to insure freshness.” HA! If you believe that, I’ve
got these magic coffee beans to sell you. Truth is once green beans are
roasted, they need to de-gas for at least 24 hours. This is true of all
coffee. This process is to allow the carbon dioxide to escape from the
beans. But for pre-ground, the coffee is allowed to sit even further to
allow more gas to escape before shipping. Then the coffee is shipped to
the supermarket and sits on the shelves for who knows how long. Okay,
you’ve got the point. Let’s move on. So this “other” coffeehouse has
fresh roasted beans (if you’re lucky), stored in a cool, airtight
container (if you’re VERY lucky), but then they grind enough coffee into
the doser to last them the entire morning while sitting for hours
staling. Why? Because it’s easier. With a full doser chamber they take a
couple of pulls on the doser and get a predetermined amount of coffee
without having to grind every order and learn how to get the exact
correct dosage. There’s so much more to it but I’m sure I’ve already
lost you by now. But take my word. Grinding per shot: Look for it!
5. Thick Crema - “Crema is bizarre in that it is uniquely polyphasic
and exhibits properties of liquid, gas, solid, emulsion, and colloidal
suspension.” Sydney Perkowitz, Ph.D. I wish I could see the look on your
face right now. Let me put it simply. Crema is one of the sure signs of
a properly brewed shot of espresso (in non crema-enhancing machines) and
is created by the dispersion of gases, air and carbon dioxide, in liquid
at a high pressure. The liquid contains emulsified oils, and forms a
thick, dark golden brown layer resembling foam on top of an espresso
shot. Still not simple? Try this. Crema is a naturally occurring foam
(in fresh roasted coffee, that is). Most of the taste of a good espresso
is contained in this foam. If the crema is non-existent or even thin,
the taste will have a bitter bite to it. Coffee professionals refer to
the espresso shot that has thick crema, a perfectly timed pour, and all
the qualities that determine a great espresso as a “God shot.” Here at
The Jahva House, every shot is a “God shot.” Wink, wink.
6. Best Food and Ingredients - All of our biscotti, pastries,
meats for our sandwiches, desserts, syrups, chocolate sauces, smoothie
mixes, and loose leaf teas were taste tested by employees and friends.
When it was all over only the best were chosen. From the best REAL
vanilla used in our secret recipe cheesecakes to the flavored syrups in
our Italian sodas, and even the Boar’s Head preservative-free meats for
our sandwiches, you’ll know you’re getting the best.
7. Training and Knowledge - I had the opportunity to attend the SCAA
Convention in Seattle and another trade show in Las Vegas. Baristas and
coffee industry professionals from around the world attended the
Convention. This year Seattle was host to the World Barista Competition.
What an amazing show! There I took several classes on espresso and
coffee preparation. I also received personal, hands on training from our
roaster and one of his baristas, who competes in barista competitions,
at his café and roasterie. This professional training is then passed on
to our employees. All employees are thoroughly trained and watched
throughout their stay. They are required to watch several videos, pass a
written exam, and then pass a hands-on test before making any espressos
for our customers. I, myself, have researched the industry for many
years now, attended trade shows, received professional training, and
have learned the many precise conditions required to make an espresso
that those in Seattle will envy. Every drink is made the best it can be
with a passion for quality.
8. Fresh Milk Per Order - A lot of coffeehouses today are taking the
easy way out. They fill a pitcher with cold milk, steam it, pour in the
required amount of milk for the drink size, and put the rest back in the
fridge. When the next order comes up, they re-steam the same milk. As my
little niece would say, “Ewwwwwwww!” Once milk is steamed, its entire
chemical structure is changed. This is not the same milk that was poured
in no matter how cold you can make it again. Have you ever left a glass
of milk on the counter and forgot to drink it, then returned only 10
minutes later to find it had a sour taste to it? Even if you put that
milk back in the fridge it will still be sour. The only place that milk
belongs is down the drain. We’ll do our best to measure the exact amount
of milk required for each order. Whatever is left in the pitcher will be
dumped. Fresh milk may be the most important component of your latte.
Some lattes are 1 part espresso to 11 parts milk. Now, tell me how
important fresh steamed milk is.
9. Ristretto Shots - A ristretto, which means “restricted” in
Italian, is a method of pulling a shot of espresso that only extracts
the best flavors of the coffee with minimal bitterness. Only the best
coffeehouses use this difficult procedure to make their drinks. A
ristretto uses the same volume (or dose) of grinds, but the operator
pours only about .75 ounces per shot of espresso compared to the 1 ounce
of a standard espresso in the same, normal brewing time of 20 to 30
seconds. A ristretto is a richer beverage, much more intense, but also
much harder to brew. In this case, less is DEFINITELY more!
10. Latte Art - “It only makes the coffee look prettier.” Not true.
It definitely looks great, but there’s oh so much more to it. It takes
professional equipment and a professional barista to produce the
microfoam required to design latte art. This microfoam gives the drink a
great taste unlike the thick, dry, scalded foam that most coffeehouses
today produce. This is a procedure that only the top coffeehouses in the
world are practicing. In all my travels, out of all the coffeehouses
I’ve visited, not one time did I see latte art until I visited Seattle.
I guess you could say we’re putting Artesia on the map.
11. Cutting Edge Practices - Temperature surfing, timing shots, E61
group heads, pre-infusion…. what does all of this mean? Don’t worry
about it. That’s what we’re here for. We will keep up to date on the
latest practices and procedures in the industry. Someone once told me,
“All you have to do is pour some hot water through coffee. It’s not
rocket science.” Well, it may not be rocket science but it’s definitely
science. A barista (Italian for bartender or the person who operates the
espresso machine) can spend his/her entire life making coffee and still
learn something new. A friend in the industry created a list of over 50
conditions required to make a proper espresso. Don’t believe me? Send me
an email at
rob@thejahvahouse.com and I’ll send it
to you. It’s an ongoing process in which the rules are changing
regularly and new things like “naked portafilters” are discovered all
the time. Don’t worry, our ears are open and only the portafilters are
naked.
12. Great Ambiance – Ok, so having a pretty color (don’t ever call
my coffeehouse pretty!) on the walls won’t make the coffee taste better,
but it will make your stay more enjoyable. We spent a LOT of time
decorating the coffeehouse, finding the perfect color, texture, floor
pattern and other creative ideas to make the coffeehouse look like
nothing, and I mean nothing, in Artesia. So if you’re a girl who’s
always wanted a hot pink and black restroom, then have a tall glass of
water and come pay us a visit.
13. Our Purpose – “Isn’t every coffeehouse’s purpose to provide the
best coffee possible?” Well, after having drinks at some of the shops
that I’ve been to I hope to say they’re still trying. We want to do much
more than just quench your thirst for great coffee; we want to quench
your thirst for life. We want to help you find what life on Earth here
is all about, to give you some place to relax and reflect on ways to
better your life, to be there when life gives you the proverbial lemon
(we’ve got some fresh, loose leaf brewed tea for you to squeeze it
into). We’re not in the habit of attacking you at your table to tell you
our interpretation (no matter how true it is) of life, but we will
always be here if you want to know. At The Jahva House you’ll find an
atmosphere that you won’t expect, but that I believe you’ll welcome.
14. Fresh Whipped Cream - Our whipped cream is made on site with
only the freshest ingredients in many possible flavors. Why would we
take the measures we have to make the best possible espresso drink and
then top it with tasteless, canned whipped-cream-like stuff? Our whipped
cream is fresh and full of flavor. Come by over the holidays to see what
flavor and color combination we’ve come up with. Actually, just come by
EVERY day!
15. Quality Water - Coffee is 98.5% water and if your water isn’t
the best it can be, then your coffee won’t be either. Our water is
filtered to exact specifications. Certain conditions in water will
saturate the coffee more thoroughly extracting only the best flavors.
Improperly filtered water will ...............not. Come taste the
difference. One warning, though. Once you have our coffee you’ll never
be able to stop at the local convenience store again. I know first hand!
Now all of this might be a little ambitious for Artesia, NM but I don’t
believe that’s a good excuse to make a product that’s not the best. I
believe that this city is finally ready for a coffeehouse of this
nature. There are people here who want to know what’s beyond that can of
pre-ground coffee. Well, we’re going to show them. So, Seattle, watch
out. The people here won’t be calling it “expresso” for long.
105 N. 5th
Street
Artesia, NM 88210
Phone: (505) 746-9494
Fax:
(505) 746-3391
E-mail:
info@thejahvahouse.com
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