insects and Coffee

Yes it has been quite some time since I have posted to the insects and Coffee… and a lot of things have happened in both of these worlds…

First the Big News:

As of two and a half weeks now I no longer work for Batdorf and Bronson… I have moved across town and I now work with the folks at Espresso Parts and with Olympia Coffee Roasters.

It has been a great change for me… work is good >>> most of the past two weeks I have been working with Terry Z. and Dave Ringwood (the two leads on this project) restoring a Marzocco GS2 Paddle Machine and a Single Group GS Semi-Auto. Things are coming together quite nice with both of these Machines (we’ll have them both at the Espresso Parts Booth at Coffee Fest North West… the 2 Group will be fired up and ready to go!)

Been working the Cafe at Olympia Coffee as well, two days a week now. getting the feel for the Big Truck Espresso Blend and all that. Top Pick right now in the Cafe >>> Olympia’s Ethiopia Sidamo as SOE. Awesome! Heavy body, sweet, sweet, sweet, touch of fruit, and Coco finish… did I say Heavy? Yes!

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Finished up with the Mazzer/ROBUR MOD… (at least until tonights tweak idea…). Dave White has cut some out of a sheet of plastic with Espresso Parts <Laser Ingraver>, so clean and crisp. Actually looks like something real.

Did I say I love my new work? Well I do, great crew here at Espresso Parts.

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Other news >>>

The Carpenter Ant that I have in Captivity (that does not sound nice), rather I have homed in a NASA Space-Gel Ant Farm has 6 Eggs, 5 Larva, and 3 pupating young in Cocoons. Very exciting! I had just about given up on her laying viable eggs.

so… here it is the makings for Cola.got to it last night and today made Cola Cappuccinos in the Cafe. over all response was good to excellent.

I think I’ll try tweaking the recipe, making it a little spicier using some hot pepper, maybe a little more black pepper(spicy Cola—just sounds good to me).also tried this syrup in seltzer water! Zing!!! it was great! hand crafted Quick Cola. twas good, real good, much better that trying to make it in to a coffee/espresso beverage. then again I’m just not a fan of sweet flavored coffee beverages, so I’m not the best judge of my Cola creation.

Notes: for this Cola batch I used the Ethiopian Limu, I was looking to put some of that coffee fruitiness in the Cola.

Update 02/27/2008: got to thinking about this recipe… I think there is too much vanilla in it… could not place my finger on the flavor that I was tasting… but now I know! Cream Soda! this recipe was more of a cream soda syrup than a cola syrup. >>> if I make this “cola” again it will be a lot different… I guess that would make it not this recipe at all.

To the Point: Too Much Vanilla.