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Cold and rainy days, if spent well, are some of my favorite days! Listening to the gentle rain falling around me while curled up under a comfy blanket, with a cup of coffee, a book, and some music. A day with no plans, nowhere important to be, and no rushing around. This idea got me thinking of a few of the essentials to a rainy day in. What specifically makes these days so relaxing and enjoyable? I came up with a few ideas to help you enjoy your next rainy winter day!  Coffee: A steaming hot Cappuccino, or your favorite home brew! I love the calming warmth of a Latte, or a Chai Latte if you aren't the coffee type.
Your'e welcome here as well!:) Blanket: Something SOFT! Preferably warm and large enough to cover your toes! Location: Anywhere with a window, a balcony, or a lounge! As long as it has a comfy chair to relax in! Book: A fantasy adventure is preferred here! Medieval Knights, castles, and adventure are my current favorites! Music: Novo Amor is a favorite! Jose Gonzalez, Vance Joy, and Mumford and Sons are some perfect additions as well! Spotify and Apple Music have some great playlists if your'e looking to discover some new music for rainy days as well! So slow down, grab a book, a cuppa, and a blanket. Relax and enjoy a perfect rainy day!
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The Neighbourhood Coffee Roasters, located in the modern, but also post-industrial Brisbane Suburb of Albion, is a little slice of coffee heaven! Located just three stops from Central Station, and maybe a 10 minute bus ride, Albion is a hub for coffee shops, and this one stands out! All the cafes in the area are hole-in-the-wall gems, but this one quite literally stands out by being green, bright, and friendly. They have a welcoming location, with greenery aplenty, open air seating(helpful for a chilly Saturday Morning), and a beautiful assortment of coffee, treats, and teas as well! They sell their beans and gear off to the side, and showcase their menu up front. One of the exciting parts of their menu was nitro coffee. A drink growing in popularity around the world: nitro coffee is a delicious, on-tap, mix of cold brew coffee and nitrogen. This creates a smooth, almost silky coffee, with a layer of almost cream at the top. (Which they nicely explain on the menu, so you aren't surprised by it.) The barista in me immediately wanted to try this new phenomenon! And it was pleasantly smooth! The flavors were bold, and yet simple, and easy to recognise! I can 100% recommend this coffee, as well as this cafe as well! If you're in the area, or feel like going to way too many coffee shops in one morning, check out the Neighbourhood Coffee Roasters in Albion, and all the other amazing cafes in the area!  Coffee is an amazing drink, and we LOVE to talk about it! We also love to listen to other people talk about it as well. Here are a few of our favourite podcasts about our beloved brew: 1. The Coffee Podcast 2. Opposite Extract 3. Unpacking Coffee 4. I Brew My Own Coffee 5. Specialty Coffee Association Podcast 6. Specialty Coffee Talk  Winter is in full swing here in Brisbane, and we can't get enough warm coffee to enjoy! One of our winter specials is the Lumberjack Latte, a winter delight. It is a latte with the warming spices: cloves and cardamom. This got us thinking: "What other spices would warm up our morning cup at home?" We asked around, and found a few, such as: nutmeg, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger(better with milk), chili flakes, and cayenne pepper  Having a cup in the morning that warms you to the bone is one of our favorite parts of winter. We would love to know what spices or secrets you use as well! Have fun brewing!
Working behind an espresso machine is a labor of love, and a long journey as well. One of our baristas here at The Meeting Place Cafe, Steph, has some insight into her journey with coffee.  Could you describe your first encounter with coffee?
I've always liked coffee. when I was young, I would ask my parents to have a little sip of theirs because I loved the smell so much. When did you first become a barista? I first became a barista working at Starbucks in Canada. But that doesn't count. I learnt how to be a real barista here at The Meeting Place Cafe. I then found a job at a local cafe here in Mitchelton and that's been really good for my barista skills. What makes coffee here in Australia different from everywhere else you've been? I've been learning a lot about the Australian coffee culture being the only North American there. It's been really great learning from an experienced Australian barista. Australia has an amazing coffee culture. For them it's more then just drinking coffee. It's the experience and the art behind it. I love that wherever you go it's almost guaranteed you'll get a good coffee. Everyone takes it very seriously. To weighing the beans, grinding it just right, pulling the shot down to the perfect time, and making the best latte art possible. It's amazing! If you could have a drink from anywhere you wanted, which would it be? I remember specifically this coffee I had this one early morning in Byron Bay, Australia. I can't remember the name of the cafe but I do remember that it was the best coffee I ever had. Everything about it was perfect. That was 3 years ago and I still haven't found anything as good. The life of a coffee bean is a very long journey from seed to cup. We found a neat way from Flight Coffee to see every step, and the next time you enjoy a cup of everyone's favorite beverage, remember all the steps it took to get there! Check them out at www.flightcoffee.co.nz. Here at The Meeting Place Cafe, one of our new winter specials is the Golden Latte, featuring one of the healthiest spices in the world! We wanted to learn a little bit more about all the amazing health benefits this one little spice can have and we are excited to share our findings with you!  MIndBodyGreen.com has a great article about the top ten health benefits of turmeric, give it a read, and come down to the cafe to try out our new Golden Latte!
If you were to do any research into the history of coffee, it would not take long for you to find out how important Ethiopia is to the discovery and growth of coffee. While there are many legends telling the story of the discovery of the potent effect of coffee, one thing remains certain: almost all agree that coffee originated in Ethiopia. Ethiopian beans are some of the most sought out beans today. With research that has found how elevation can alter the growth and flavors of coffee, the high mountains and perfect climate lead to Ethiopia producing some of the finest coffee beans in the world. Often described as some of the lightest, fruitiest, and smoothest coffee, especially using manual brewing methods, Ethiopian coffee has become the go-to beans for countless specialty coffee shops around the world.  The economy of Ethiopia is centered around coffee. They export their coffee to over 60 different countries, and over half of their foreign income comes from selling coffee. But also, Ethiopians drink around half of their production of coffee themselves. There is also much more to the story of coffee's birthplace: Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee culture, and many of the social interactions we have today began in Ethiopia. Coffee is a very integral part of everyday life there, from growing, washing, roasting, and finally drinking the coffee. Coffee is such a large part of society, that many of the relational expressions come from the act of drinking coffee. One Ethiopian coffee saying is "Buna dabo naw". This translates to "Coffee is our bread". Another common saying is "Buna Tetu". This is a phrase that literally means "Drink coffee". This applies not only to the act of drinking coffee but also to socializing. Coffee is one of the most influential drinks in the world. From economies, to politics, to social interactions, to even an entire language, The Coffee Society of Ethiopia is a living example of the power of one small fruit. Shiferaw, Alazar. “Ethiopia: Coffee Export Revenue - in the Making.” AllAfrica.com, 2 Mar. 2018, allafrica.com/stories/201707180486.html.
By Mayce FischerI have a pretty standard routine for preparing my cup of coffee each morning: While still drowsy and pyjama-clad, I fill the kettle halfway, set it to boil, and shovel three scoops of ground coffee into the plunger as I wait. The only pause that occurs in this daily choreography comes when I have to pick out a mug. It doesn’t really matter what ends up holding my coffee, so long as it permits me to drink - but there’s something small and delightful about pairing the comfortingly predictable taste of coffee with the visual variety of an intentionally chosen mug. For me, small mugs lend to a feeling of contentment, and patterned mugs prep for artistic endeavors; thick mugs go well with cold mornings, while enamel mugs pair well with the outdoors. And mugs that could double as soup bowls indicate there’s a lot of work to be done! (My personal favorite.) Today I thought it’d be fun to just hunt around for a few mugs to add to your current collection, or to gift to a fellow coffee lover (or tea lover - we don’t discriminate around here.) Never underestimate the power of a well-chosen mug ;) happy sipping! If you’re aiming for earthy + geometric  If you want something textured + uniquely patterned  For something galactic  For some encouragement  If you’re going for a new camping mug  |
 TMPC CollectiveA blog brought to you by the staff of The Meeting Place Cafe. Highlighting coffee and community both locally and abroad. Archives
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