So...why dedicate a whole blog post to...coffee? Making coffee to us becomes a small way in which we can live out several of our company’s key core values - every single day. Some offices have the water cooler - we have the espresso bar. It’s our place to congregate and it’s another expression of every individual’s creativity (one of our core values), hand-crafted one cup at a time. We also view treating each of our clients to a cup of coffee as a way to demonstrate personalized service (also one of our core values). And last, our clients often marvel at the 4-layered latte’s they receive and wonder how it’s done. Here’s the scoop - to all those who care to know!
We are very proud of and dependent on our espresso maker here at YCP. It helps Andy wake up in the morning and provides that needed kick to finish up the afternoon for Justin. Our team uses our “mini-Starbucks” to make Hazelnut lattes, cappuccinos, Chai Tea lattes, and Americano’s every day. We offer a pocket-sized menu to each client that comes in, and carefully craft their chosen drink for them. We use our tried-and-true Delonghi Magnifica which allows us to brew our coffee and espresso, and froth our milk expertly. We use genuine Starbucks flavors and Big Train Chai tea latte-mix (the best Chai around).
Matt has really perfected
our signature drink, the latte macchiato. He says, “It's made many different ways by coffee shops the world over. We make the more crowd-pleasing version of it: heavy on the milk with very strong espresso. Its perfected form really relies on the milk. When steamed correctly the milk is what allows the structure of the drink to take shape--so if a client gets a 4-layer drink, it is an aesthetic demonstration that their drink has been prepared well and should taste excellent. The wide array of incorrect ways to steam milk will all render a drink that is poor in flavor, texture, and appearance.
We handcraft every drink with this process:
1. Pour the correct amount of milk (too much milk will mess the drink up as well)
2. Steam milk correctly
3. Add your flavoring into the empty coffee mug.
4. Pour the milk into the coffee mug at a medium-slow speed. You should be using the entire amount you steamed, and it should leave about an inch of space in the cup for the espresso. Take care to not make large bubbles.
5. Stir the milk slowly for a couple of seconds to mix the flavoring in. This also aids in the stratifying of the layers.
6. Draw the shot into the coffee mug (DO NOT STIR)
7. Lightly dust with cinnamon sugar
The drink may be consumed as it appears with 4 layers. The experience will provide a powerful espresso start progressing to a warm milky finish. It may also be stirred (Matt serves it with a spoon since most people prefer it this way). Stirring the drink does not defeat the purpose of its appearance. Again, the appearance also demonstrates that the drink was made correctly and should taste excellent. When stirred, the drink should drink exactly like a genuine cafe latte.”
Our espresso bar is part of our company culture around here - and one that we draw great enjoyment from (fun is also one of our core values). It keeps me (Caitlyn) hopping to making sure everything is stocked, and it keeps our team stimulated with caffeine as they create amazing new designs and engaging products. Have you tried any of our coffee creations lately? Stop by sometime and see what we're talking about! We hope that your coffee is always just right and that you get to see our core values of creativity and personalized service lived out before you. Got a favorite drink? Tell us about it and we’ll have one waiting for you.
To see a list of our core values click here