may

spring has sprung - this saturday, friends sat outside and ordered iced bevys and it was so so sweet. read this first edition of the saturday paper to know what we ate, brewed and listened to.

May 19, 2024

coffee that feels like home…

this saturday was the fourth edition of saturday cafe - when i turn my apartment into an at-home cafe and make coffee for my friends. it has quickly become my favourite day of the month, i find myself getting all giddy leading up to it. there is something so special about being able to bring my favourite people together, from different parts of my life, and having this space for them to connect. the same faces always show up, and sometimes there are new ones, people pop in and out, but most stay well after closing time (which i love). it feels like our little community.

currently brewing

in keeping up with my mission to find the best local roasters in mtl (in my opinion), this saturday’s beans were from two quebec based brands that i really love. my selection process is fool-proof: you find the cute packaging, make sure it’s fair trade, and it is almost always tasty. and on the off chance that it’s not, you now have a pretty bag of coffee in your kitchen - in which case, boo hoo. there are worst things.

YAMABIKO OMOTENASHI

yamabiko coffee roasters

i’m slowly trying all of yamabiko’s roasts, and this one was toooo good. tasted kind of berry-ish with a good amount of acidity. it was a true crowd pleaser!

Country: Colombia

Region: Llanada de Naranjos, San Agustin, Huila

Varietals: Pink Bourbon

SANTA MARGARITA

traffic coffee co

if you’re in mtl, you’ve probably seen (and drank) some of traffic’s roasts at cafes around the city - like noble, september surf, or shaughnessy. they were kind enough to send me a few bags to try out!!! i told them i like nutty, warm notes and they trulyyyy understood the assignment with their santa margarita. the notes say it all: dark chocolate, molasses & walnuts.

Country: Guatemala

Region: Chimaltenango, Acatenango

Varietals: Caturra, Sarchimor & Catimor

kate’s cookie recipe

the right amount of gooey and the perfect choco to cookie ratio. i’ve truly never had anything quite like these triple chocolate chip cookies that my co-barista, kate makes every saturday cafe. this is what the overpriced cookie at your fav cafe is trying to be, and everything it never will.

i can’t promise they’ll turn out as delicious as when she makes them, because she’s kate and comes with a particular magic that you simply cannot buy in store. good luck though!

A NOTE FROM THE CHEF:

“the secret ingredient in these cookies is not owning measuring cups”

ingredients

flour - 2 1/4 large heaps (cups-ish)
baking soda - 1/2 spoon… whichever spoon you have
baking powder - 1/4 spoon…
corn starch - a small mound, like a tiny ant hill
salt - a nice big pinch or three
unsalted butter - 1 cup!!! can measure with the package
brown sugar - 3/4 large heaps (cups-ish)
granulated sugar - 1/4 large heap (cup-ish)
vanilla extract - one giant waz
egg - 1 egg + 1 yolk (sometimes an extra yolk if your flour heaps were too big)
white chocolate bar, chunked
milk chocolate bar, chunked
dark chocolate bar, chunked
maldon flaky salt - to sprinkle!

directions

the evening before

throw softened butter & sugars into kitchen-aid stand mixer, beat till light and fluffy
toss in vanilla and eggs, mix some more
fling all the dry ingredients in, gently mix
break up the chocolate bars into pieces (make sure to eat a few…important to quality check), fold chocolate chunks into dough with a spatula
shove all the food in your fridge into a corner so you can lay out sheets of cookie dough. roll the cookies into balls & place on parchment paper in the fridge
let those puppies sleep overnight!

the following morning

preheat oven to 350F, bake each cookie for 9-13 mins, depending on your desired level of gooey. half way through the baking process, if the cookies aren’t as flat and crinkly as you’d like, remove the tray and drop it on your stove or counter multiple times to help the cookies deflate. you know you’re doing it right if you disturb your neighbour’s peace and quiet. place cookies back in oven and finish baking
fresh out the oven, sprinkle each cookie with a healthy pinch of maldon sea salt - the saltier, the better.
and just like that… you have the perfect cookies!