 So, at the meeting place, we have this drink: "A Salted Caramello".
It's an "espresso" beverage with espresso (optional) chocolate, caramel syrup, and a pinch of salt. Although, this is a popular beverage, some people are still curious / concerned about putting salt in their coffee. So, let's learn more about why adding salt to your coffee can actually be a creative and healthy way to alter the taste and experience of your coffee. 1. The first thing that happens when you put salt in your coffee is, it neutralizes the bitterness by blocking the taste buds responsible for tasting it. 2. This will also add thickness to the beverage, by making the water denser. 3. Adding just a pinch of salt will also help enhance the flavor of the espresso. 4. Adding salt also helps replenish some of the sodium that your body loses from drinking caffeine. 5. Salt in a coffee with milk helps break down some of the fats, and enzymes in the milk; for a more enjoyable after-taste / drinking experience. Along with improving the flavours, salt can have many health benefits to you favorite coffee beverage, but, we recommend experimenting for yourself, as this process is not for all taste-buds. So, if you're ever curious about adding salt to you coffee, come by the meeting place, and try our salted caramello (with espresso) to see if this is something for you! We hope to see you soon! Blessings, TMPC
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So, at the meeting place cafe, we believe that coffee builds community. It's even written in our mission statement! "To serve quality coffee in an environment that builds community!" But, have you ever wondered why we say that; or what about coffee creates an environment that builds community? Well, if you've ever asked those question, keep reading.  "photo taken before covid-19" So, if you read our mission statement carefully, it explains exactly why, and how coffee can build community, in our opinion.
It's all about one specific word in our mission statement.... ... ENVIRONMENT! The environment created in a cafe is the determining factor of the strength of the community atmosphere inside. And, at the meeting place, we pride ourselves in creating a positive, uplifting, and welcoming environment that brings people together with one common reason; to love & encourage each other while drinking a delicious beverage that they all love. So, next time you find yourself wondering why you feel so comfortable in a cafe, or what makes a cafe atmosphere so welcoming; think about the people & staff you met there, and remember how that cafe made you feel because that environment is difficult to achieve in full. But, when it is fully achieved and well-implemented, it's creates an unforgettable experience. The environment (along with the taste of the coffee) are the main deciding factors of how memorable that cafe will be for most people. We can't wait to meet you & make you feel welcome in our TMPC community! Hope to see you soon! Blessings, TMPC March is here! So, in honor of it being a month that starts with the letter "M". We thought it would be fun to drink coffee beverages that begin with the same letter this month. And, the first ones that come to mind that we have available at The Meeting Place are mochas & macchiatos. For those of you who don't really know what these drinks contain exactly, here's a short description (with pictures):  A drink combining chocolate, steam milk, and espresso (can also be iced). Ask for whipped cream on top for a delicious treat. Fun Fact: The name is derived from the city of Mocha, Yemen; which was one of the centers of early coffee trade.  An espresso coffee drink with a small amount of milk. At the meeting place, we mostly serve it iced (also known as iced cowboy). Fun Fact: In Italian, macchiato means "stained" or "spotted", so the literal translation of macchiato is “marked coffee.” Hope to see you soon!
Make sure to try one of these two drinks during the month of March when you visit the meeting place! And, if you don't know which one to try, don't be afraid to ask your friendly server or barista which one they recommend! Blessings, TMPC  So, you're probably wondering what more you need to know about caffeine; it wakes you up and keeps you alert, right? What else do I need to know? Well, let me just give you some fun facts that I think you'll find pretty interesting... 1. there is no ideal time to drink coffee Some people say that the ideal time to drink coffee is between 9am and 10am because that's when you get the maximum impact of caffeine in terms of the functional benefits. But, there’s also other research out there showing that the impact of caffeine varies based on when you regularly consume caffeine. However, ultimately, everybody is different, so there’s no one perfect time of day to drink coffee that will be ideal for everyone. 2. decaf contains caffeine it’s very hard to remove all of the caffeine from coffee, even with very selective and specific extraction processes. That said, most decaf coffees contain about between about 1% and 10% of the residual caffeine, inside the coffee, depending on the method. That’s still a lot less caffeine that’s available in coffee beforehand, and actually it’s about the same amount as in as in a hot chocolate. So clearly, it’s unlikely to affect you as much as a regular caffeinated coffee or tea. 3. filter coffee has more caffeine While espresso has a higher concentration of coffee, per serving, filter coffee (eg French press, drip filter, etc) typically has more caffeine per cup. The main reason is because you typically drink more filter coffee per cup than a standard espresso a double shot of espresso averages about 80 mg of caffeine v.s. around 125 milligrams in a 240ml (8oz) filter coffee. 4. dark roast does not have more caffeine People often say because dark roasted coffee tastes stronger, it has more caffeine. I’ve also heard the opposite: that because it’s been roasted darker, some of the caffeine has been ‘roasted off’. The first statement is false.. Dark roasted coffee does taste stronger; it has been roasted longer. So, it is stronger, but not in caffeine. So, now that you know more about caffeine, and know what you're drinking, we'll be waiting to make you that amazing cup of coffee.
Blessings, TMPC  So, you probably have a regular coffee order when you visit a cafe. You know, the coffee that you always get because it's a safe option that you know you'll like, no matter where you are. But, what does your coffee order say about you? Here's what type of coffee our cafe staff describe themselves as, based on their go-to coffee order: (check out our staff spotlight posts to learn more about us - http://www.themeetingplace-cafe.com/blog/category/staff) Michelle (cafe manager): go-to order - flat white how does it describe you? - simple, consistent, reliable Emma (cafe assistant manage): go-to order - long black how does it describe you? - deep, bold, rich, classic, diverse Maddie Mae (cafe intern): go-to order - flat white how does it describe you? - classic, simple, enthusiastic, awesome, well-presented Ana (cafe intern): go-to order - iced vanilla latte how does it describe you? - sweet, strong, refreshing Miriam (cafe intern): go-to order - small flat white, double shot on oat milk with hazelnut how does it describe you? - short, spunky, sweet, bold, complex Joanna (cafe intern): go-to order - iced hazelnut latte how does it describe you? - dependable, consistent, refreshing, sweet Now, it's your turn! Here are some links to help get you started:
1- Some fun quizzes to help you find out what your coffee order says about you - https://www.buzzfeed.com/search?q=what%2Bcoffee%2Bare%2Byou&type=quiz 2- An artists' Instagram account (pictures previewed above) of drawing people as coffee - https://www.instagram.com/thelockcreative/ Blessings, TMPC 1- Having an aesthetically pleasing profile page; & making it easy to navigate!  2- Advertising products with a fun, & enticing picture!  3- Pictures of staff & customers enjoying the product!  Blessings,
TMPC  In case you're unfamiliar, our blue door project is our way of supporting the local artists in our community.
Click on the blue door project tab above to learn more. How it started? Cusco, Peru's cafe called: "the meeting place cafe", which we were originally going to be affiliated with also has a blue door. Our blue door project is how we show transparency with the donation we receive. Who can sell products? Creative individuals on staff with YWAM Brisbane. What kind of things can be created & sold? We want people to simply use their own unique creativity to create something that represents their style / personality for others to know who they are without even meeting them face to face. We do this in hopes to build community between the artists and our customers. Why we want to support our community in this way? We want to be able to support local artists, while also creating a creative space for artists to showcase and sell their art, and for community members to discover new art / artists they would like to support. What all this means for our customers? When purchasing a coffee from our cafe, your donation simply goes into our cafe's operating expenses. But, when purchasing something from our blue door project, your donation goes directly to the artist. Why you should support our blue door project? At the meeting place cafe, we pride ourselves in building meaningful relationships with our customers. And, our blue door has proven to be an effective way of making an impact, while building good connections with local artists. So, next time you're at the meeting place, check out our current blue door project creations, and maybe you can even meet one of the artists (they love meeting people that love & support their art). Hope to see you soon! Blessings! TMPC  I hope that before reading this you've received beautiful latte art at least once from a cafe...
But, have you ever actually asked the question: what does art even have to do with coffee? or why does it seem to change the flavour of my coffee, or the atmosphere of a cafe? Well, let us tell you a little bit about what we, at The Meeting Place Cafe, think about the impact of latte art, and how it really does help build community in a cafe. You see, you can usually find a cafe on almost any street corner. And, wherever you go in the world, you will find some type of coffee shop. It might not be your normal "Starbucks", but it will represent that culture very well, and you will learn so much about the people that live there. This can be discovered through the decorations inside, the genre of music playing, the price of the items, the friendliness of the staff, the variety of items on the menu, and the latte art (if any) in your cup. At The Meeting Place Cafe, we know that all of these aspects can affect the atmosphere of a cafe in many different ways. We also understand that building relationships with our customers is not only about seeing them every morning, but it's actually about knowing their regular order. It's not just about wishing them a good day, it's about giving them a favorite coffee shop where they can start their day in a good mood. It's about making people feel at home as soon as they walk inside! And, at the meeting place cafe, we love being able to use our coffee making talents (including latte art) because we know that a good cup of coffee in a nice environment can change the community around us. We love being able to use our latte art, and communication skills to build meaningful relationships with everyone that comes into our cafe. So, why do we believe that latte art makes a difference in a cafe? Well, if you ask us, we'd say that cafes are an amazing ministry opportunity because building relationships with people really is an art. And, latte art is a great conversation starter to showing people we care about the taste and aesthetic of their coffee experience, just as much as the mood we can bring to their day through a simple cup of coffee. At the meeting place cafe, we pride ourselves in building meaningful relationships with our customers. And, latte art has proven to be an effective way of making an impact in someone's day! So, next time you're at the meeting place, or any other cafe, and you look in your cup at the beautiful art; don't forget to compliment your barista. Also, because they will most likely compliment you back (who doesn't love beautiful, delicious coffee, and lovely compliments in the morning). That's what the meeting place cafe is all about! Hope to see you soon! Blessing, & happy new year! TMPC  Last, but definitely not least! Our current manager of the cafe for 4 years now; Michelle. We asked her the following questions:
1. Have you always liked coffee? Why? I was around 18 - 20 years old when I started to really enjoy coffee; I have never not enjoyed it. However, my preference used to be tea because all I had to drink was instant coffee; I think my transition into a love of coffee started around 12 years ago when I stopped drinking instant coffee altogether. I love the flavours, and the warmth it brings. Someone once said that coffee in the morning is like a warm hug in a drink, and I agree. 2. What's your favorite thing about coffee / cafe culture? Community & friendships. It's where life and relationships happen. I have always loved coffee / cafe culture; building friendships, asking questions, and getting to know people feels so much more natural over a cup of coffee. 3. What's a fun fact about you? I coached high school field & indoor hockey for 4 years. 4. What's your favorite season? I love winter; I love the cold (even though I come from a warm climate, I love the winter feels). It also means more hot drinks and more coffee. 5. What's a crazy story that not many people know? A number of years ago, I was in Mozambique, and ended up with tick bite fever. One evening, while I was sleeping, with the window open, I woke up to the feeling of something moving (gently jumping) down my arm and leg. I was too afraid to turn my torch on to see what creature it could be, but I was also unsure if it was actually happening, or if I was hallucinating the feeling, as I had a high fever. Eventually, after a while of feeling no more movement,I got up to use the bathroom, and found a small bat hanging off the end of my bed. I was not impressed! Michelle is such a significant person for the meeting place cafe. She has such a heart to see our community grow and become stronger than ever. We hope you have a beautiful & productive week! We look forward to seeing you when you come in to The Meeting Place Cafe to try our new summer specials, and chat with one of our wonderful staff! Be sure to follow our blog for more staff and coffee updates! Blessings & Merry Christmas, TMPC  Happy Thursday! We hope you've been enjoying the staff spotlights so far. We love creating community and relationships with our customers, so don't hesitate to ask for your barista or servers' name when you enter our cafe. Our next staff spotlight is Emma! We asked her the following questions: Q. Why do you make coffee? A. I love the environment of Cafes and how people connect over a cup of coffee, either strangers or friends. Q. What is your go to order right now? A. Cowboy on Lactose Free Milk Q. What do you want to do with coffee in the future? A. I would love to work with coffee farming and adding to the sustainability of it. Q. A fun fact about yourself. A. I once participated in a 5 km walk across one of the Great Lakes in North America on a night where the temperature was -50C. Q. Tell us a crazy story (perhaps from an overseas trip?). A. Earlier this year, I was on an overseas outreach in Malaysia. It should also be noted that I'm a bit of a clumsy person, so my team and I were preparing to go out for dinner, which required using my phone to book 2 cabs to take us to the food court. We had also realized that a water bottle had been left in a cab taken earlier that day, so we called him and asked if he could bring it back. All three of these cabs arrived at our house at the same time. And, I was trying to do something with the house key, so I ended up dropping it in the storm drain that's about a meter deep, and mostly covered in cement. But, we decided to leave it and come back and get it later (because all of the cabs were already at our house). As we were eating, it started to rain, so we ate as fast as we could, thinking a normal Malaysian rain could wash our key away. We saved our gum and straws, and headed home, with the mindset of making a long stick. While trying to retrieved the key, we realized that there was little hope for "reaching" it. I then noticed an opening in the drain on the other side of the neighbors' driveway. So, I army crawled the 3, or so, metres to retrieve it, only to realize that the other half of our team who were at the grocery store had the spare key to the gate. Emma plays such a wonderful role in our cafe. She is so kind, and loves getting to know new people that enter our cafe. We hope you have a beautiful & restful weekend, and we look forward to seeing you when you come into The Meeting Place Cafe! Be sure to follow our blog for more staff and coffee updates, and come check out our new summer specials & chat with one of our wonderful staff! Blessings,
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