SO,

It has been a long long while since my last post here.  Quite a bit has happened since then; I had another child, went on leave, completed some courses towards a certificate...but it is funny when I think back to this time particularly in relation to coffee I remember one thing: I terribly terribly missed Starbucks!

It sounds funny eh, you would think I could just go down to the local Starbucks and get some java, but I live in a part of Quebec where the nearest Starbucks is a little more than 40 minutes away.  Tim Hortons on the other hand, well I couldn`t throw a rock without hitting one.  Rather depressing actually, being surrounded by every opportunity to buy the absolutely worst cup of coffee, especially when you know what a good cup tastes like.

Which brings me to the first topic of this first post...my LOVE for the Verismo.  Because darn, don`t I wish I had this beauty when I was on leave.  There is nothing like getting that craving for a cup of wonderfulness and having to go just as far as your kitchen counter.  Add a four year old who loves pushing buttons and hey!, you've got a mummy-son moment.  Thank you Starbucks :)

In other news, one of the reasons to post today is also to announce the begining of my Re-Certification as a Starbucks Coffee Master, and it is also a great time to remind everyone that if you are a Starbucks Coffee Master,you must re-certify every year (the documents are now available on The Partner Cafe.)  It`s been more than a year and I can`t say I have been putting my knowledge in practice since I was on leave (my husband is annoyingly not very interested in coffee), so I am in desperate need of a refresh and a resetting of goals.   My goals this year I know are going to be pretty challenging as the SME for Coffee Master in Canada, actually I am a bit anxious, but I will post them here when they are made, and I invite anyone else to do the same.  A goal written is a goal more likely to be attained after all.

As much as I am looking forward to phase 2 of this journey, I am especially hoping to hear even more from everyone who was on this journey since we launched. Some of you may have recertified, I know some of you have helped others through their certification, and one in particular has had an interesting visit to Costa Rica. Do let us know how you have been sharing your love of the bean over the past year!

Sarah

The History of Coffee

Today I had the pleasure of sharing my first Coffee Master tasting with our National Learning team.

For this tasting, my coffee of choice was Pike Place Roast - the coffee that celebrates our first store. This coffee, which is in the medium roast category, had a fresh aroma, nutty flavor and bright aftertaste.

Conversation included the fact that many preferred this coffee brewed in a traditional coffee maker, rather than a French press.

What do you prefer?

I also had the opportunity to highlight some additional key learnings from the module. With this being the week of love, of course I had to share that in Turkey, around 1500, if a husband didn't supply his wife with enough coffee, it was grounds for divorce! Makes sense to me....although I'm the one supplying the coffee!

From there we went on with our meeting. Great conversations with friends, inspired by coffee!

Tyra

My coffee journey continues....Coffee Master Certification - part deux!

Hello!

I am so excited to be part of this blog and begin sharing with each of you, my coffee journey as it continues; and it continued last week when I had the pleasure of sitting down with my mgr Sara, and completing my Coffee Master First Impressions. What a great way to begin 2012 and the first of many coffee connects. Over the course of the next 4 - 6 months I am looking forward to completing my second Coffee Master Certification and sharing my experiences with you along the way via this blog!

So.....back to the coffee....

On Friday I joined a district Brewing Coffee Cadence training session and three new experiences occurred:

1. I cracked open my new Coffee Tasting Guide


2. I tasted our new Blonde Roast, Willow Blend


3. I discovered a new easier way to brew coffee that focusses on quality AND customer service at the same time

I say my day was productive!

Since then I have tasted Blonde Willow and Veranda in various forms: french press, brewed and VIA. (PS - there is a reason why we don't recommend brewing Blonde in a french press - taste it and let me know what you think)

Brewed is my favourite format at this point and Willow Blend is my Blonde of choice! With the East Aftrican component I find this coffee smooth, bright and fresh in both aroma and taste. I am looking forward to many new customers enjoying these great additions! What are you hearing and experience with Blonde?

Until the next tasting,

Tyra

Sara Presutto begins her Coffee Master Journey

Hi Coffee Masters!

I have exciting news to share. This morning I completed the Coffee Master First Impressions meeting with Sara Presutto - our Director of Partner Resources in Canada! Today marks her first day in becoming a Coffee Master.

We tried Tanzania coffee paired with chocolate shortbread for something different... the pairing was successful! The east African coffee had a sweet aroma and a roasty sweet taste - medium body and notes of citrus and currants. Delicious!

I wanted to officially welcome Sara to the group here online and look forward to her sharing learning journey highlights with everyone here on our blog!

High Five Friday everyone!

Kirsti

Hi Team!
Check this out...Dub Hay’s recent comment and Coffee kudos:
"Starbucks has been voted the No. 1 Best Coffee in the Fast Food and Quick Refreshment categories and the No. 1 Most Popular Quick Refreshment Chain in Zagat's 2011 Survey of National Chain Restaurants"

Coffee Masters we encourage you to go to this link and type your comments regarding our COFFEE success! (use your Starbucks.com login)
http://blogs.starbucks.com/blogs/msipartner/archive/2011/09/06/thank-you-partners-we-re-number-one-best-coffee-in-america.aspx

Thank You Partners! We're Number One Best Coffee in America
September 06, 2011 by Dub Hay
I am proud to share that your extraordinary efforts to source, roast and deliver high quality coffee has been recognized by Zagat’s coffee drinkers. For the third year in a row, Starbucks has been voted the No. 1 Best Coffee in the Fast Food and Quick Refreshment categories and the No. 1 Most Popular Quick Refreshment Chain in Zagat's 2011 Survey of National Chain Restaurants. Zagat Survey is considered one of the most trusted sources for consumer information and being voted No.1 Best Coffee honors our 40 years of coffee passion, roasting expertise and heritage. Since 1971, Starbucks has delivered the highest quality coffees. Starbucks coffee buyers taste more than 250,000 cups of coffee … more »

Sarah Bruno Certified Coffee Master!

Good day "masters of coffee",

I wanted to let this group know that Sarah Bruno is a certified Coffee Master!!

Sarah met with myself and Bridget (a fellow coffee-master-in-training, and her great coach during the course of her journey), and we enjoyed 2 hrs. of rich, deep discussion about coffee. Following our initial discission, Sarah led the national learning team through an interactive and enlightening coffee cupping of the roast progression. Then, last week, Sarah and I finalized her Coffee Master goals to: impact coffee quality, share expertise, and sell coffee.

In-addition to completing her own certification, I also want to congratulate Sarah (on behalf of this group) for leading the charge on our 1st round of non-retail "masters" against the elevated expectations and enhanced program! Thank you for "being an inspirational presence to engage our team around coffee"!

Please join me in congratulaing Sarah!!

Katya

Drink your coffee like a Jamaican!!

Here is the Montreal Office, we have tasted Blue Mountain about three times this week.  On monday we tasted it on it's own, which was good.  On wednesday, we all stopped for about 15 minutes and enjoyed it with fresh italian cannollis, which was even better.  But I have to say that our tasting today took the cake.

Upon doing some internet reasearch on Jamaican Blue Mountain, a couple of interesting facts were discovered.

Did you know :

• Jamaican Blue Mountain is a globally protected certification mark, and that for the coffee to even be sold under that name it MUST be tasted and it's cultivation approved by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica.
• Jamaica produces about 2,000,000 pds of coffee a year, 65% of which is exported, and 95% of that goes to Japan! *
• Jamaicans usually drink their coffee with coconut cream or sweetened condensed milk

 * Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Theresa_Goodell

So after learning all this I thought, HEY!  Let's drink Blue Mountain like the Jamaicans do!  Not being able to find coconut cream, I *settled* for sweetened condensed milk, and Store Development was gracious enough to prepare the press.  We all sat down at the table, poured cups of that delicious java, and spooned in a spoon (a conservative spoon, lol) of sweetened condensed milk.  We sipped, we paused.

Brian Noviski: "Oh my, this is so good.  What are we going to do?"