This past week I interviewed some people who love going to the Meeting Place Cafe. I asked them some questions about themselves and about what they love about TMPC. Let's meet some people who have excellent taste in coffee, shall we? 

What is something that you notice straight away when you walk into a new cafe? Something you notice about the Meeting Place?
Caleb R. - "the decorations, for sure, and the chairs. I really like comfy chairs. In the Meeting Place I see the color scheme of black and wood. And the random blue door, which is really cool. And the lights, just how simple they are, the warm white light, like candle light"
Daniel C. - "Hmm… the first thing is the overall atmosphere and what it looks like, the presentation of how the cafe looks first walking in is very important. The general mood of the people in the cafe. Our cafe - everybody’s always friendly to see you, they’re always in some way creating or happy to see you. There’s joy in the people and a sense of creativity"
Kenny R. - "The roof. I love the roof in the Meeting Place. How much space they have, if it’s cluttered or more free. And the design of the menu."

What is something you wish more cafes in Brisbane would have/do?
Caleb R. - "Comfy chairs."
Kenny R. - "I think having a mystery drink, like when you really have no idea what to order, they just ask coffee or no coffee, and you don’t have to choose."
Daniel C. -  "have a place where you can sit for extended periods to create things. The small room in the meeting place promotes creativity, so to have a place that you can sit for longer and make you want to stay longer."
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Do you have a favorite drink at the Meeting Place?
Caleb R. - "I'd say an iced mocha with extra chocolate or a mocha thickshake. Probably a mocha thickshake."
Kenny R. - "I have a couple, depending on the season. Summer time, I love me a dirty chai. In the winter, I like a caramel latte. Just something with something in it, something sweet."
Daniel C. - "The cowboy macchiato, yes."

Why do you usually go into the Meeting Place? (Meet friends, get work done, stare at the wall, etc.)
Daniel C. - "to get out of the office and have a different atmosphere. there’s different creativity that comes out of different environments. Good coffee, a smile, and just to relax."
Caleb R. - "Probably to get work done. It's a toss-up between that and hanging out with friends"
Kenny R. -  "I usually go straight for the coffee, when I really need it. I come in for meetings a lot, too, but otherwise I have it takeaway."

If you could describe the Meeting Place cafe in one word, what would that word be?
"Warm" "Superb" "Friends"

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Cold brew is an up-and-coming trend in the coffee world that has taken North America by storm, and Australia is no different story. Cold brew is, in itself, quite a simple process, but it creates a smooth and easy going flavor and texture that makes people want to run back for more. In that process, all you do is put some coffee grounds in COLD water, thus the "cold" in cold brew, leave it for anywhere between 18-24 hours, and strain out the coffee grounds. I know, it's so simple, right? It's the little things in life that make it so good, and simple processes are sometimes the best. The components that you need for making cold brew at home is 1) Coarse ground coffee grinds, so it looks like Kosher sea salt, 2) a coffee filter, if you want more oil in your coffee, go with a metal filter, and if you like your coffee less oily, a paper filter works beautifully, 3) a jar with a lid, and 4) some cold water! Who knew that making deliciously smooth coffee at home was so easy? Coffee culture is all about experimenting, so give it a go, change the coffee beans, switch the filters, find a way that YOU love making cold brew, and have fun in the process! For those of you that would like something to start off with, a recipe is below! Happy experimenting.

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1. Grind the coffee beans into a coarse grind. Grind the coffee beans in a coffee grinder until they are coarsely ground. Depending on the capacity of the coffee grinder, you may need to grind the coffee in batches. The goal is a coarse grind about the size of demerara or raw sugar.
2. Combine the ground coffee and water in the jar. Pour the ground coffee in to a 3-quart jar or pitcher. Add the water.
3. Stir to incorporate. Gently stir the coffee with the water until well-blended. The coffee will float to the top as it sits, but don’t stress about that — just make sure all of the coffee gets wet.
4. Steep the coffee overnight in the fridge. Cover and refrigerate the cold brew for at least 18 hours or up to 24 hours.
5. Strain the coffee concentrate. Line a small fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth (also known as a muslin) and set it over a large measuring cup. Slowly pour the coffee concentrate through the strainer. Depending on the size of your strainer, you may need to strain the coffee in batches. Fight the temptation to squeeze or press the coffee grounds in the cheesecloth.
6. Transfer to the cold brew to a clean jar for longer-term storage. Once strained, transfer the coffee to a clean, airtight jar for long-term storage. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.