Kaldi’s Coffee Series @ Whole Foods
Jan 12, 2009 St. Louis, coffee, farming, groceries, missouri, sustainable agriculture
What’s that? You love coffee but you wish you knew more about it? Well then you’re in luck because the Galleria Whole Foods will be hosting a three part class with Kaldi’s Coffee starting later this month.
Held one Saturday a month from January to March, the classes will be led by Kaldi’s roaster and coffee buyer, Tyler Zimmer, and head barista trainer Mike Marquard. Together they will cover what it takes to get coffee from the farm and into your cup (January 24), how to brew the best possible cup at home (February 28), and espresso (March 21). Marquard will, no doubt, be leading the espresso class as he came in 21st (out of 50) in last years United States Barista Championship in Minneapolis. This makes him one of the more qualified locals to talk to you about quality espresso (and the reason I signed up). With class size limited, and registrants basically getting a 50% discount in the form of a free bag of coffee, sign up soon if you’re interested!
You can register online at wholefoodsmarket.com and, full details (and a bonus) can be found after the jump.
Kaldi’s Coffee Series
10:00 – 11:30 am, $10 per session OR $25 (if you pre-register for all three!)
With Tyler Zimmer, Coffee Roaster and Green Coffee Buyer & Mike Marquard, Head Barista Trainer
We’ve invited Kaldi’s top baristas to host a lively, interactive, informative coffee series in our Whole Lifestyle Center while the months are still cool. Sign up in advance for all three classes to receive a FREE Private Tour of the Kaldi’s Roasting Facility! All attendees will receive a free bag of coffee. Class size limited.
Session 1 (January 24) – Seed to Cup: This session will lead the student through the complexities of growing and harvesting coffee at many levels – from micro-lot to estate. Specifically focused on current farming practices in Nicaragua, the presentation allows the student to understand the world’s second highest traded commodity by the example of two very small farms in the Segovia region. The class will conclude with a tasting (a.k.a. a cupping) of coffees processed by different methods from a variety of growing regions.
Session 2 (February 28) – Brewing Essentials for a Better Home Brew: Why does coffee always taste better at a café? This session will dive into the essentials of brewing a great cup of coffee and enable the student to understand some simple improvements he or she can take home. The session will end with the students being able to experiment with and taste different brewing methods under the guidance of Kaldi’s talented roasting and barista staff.
Session 3 (March 21) – Let it Flow: Espresso is possibly the most misunderstood, improperly prepared, and hated beverage in the United States, yet it’s in almost every drink on a Coffeehouse’s menu. This class will remove the myth behind this 1 oz. cup of joy, and open palettes to a world of taste hidden within a coffee bean. Kaldi’s top baristas will prepare espresso and cappuccino on their mobile kit and guide the student through making a quality shot.
Bonus: You can watch Marquard’s USBC performance online.
Tags: barista, coffee, espresso, Kaldi's Coffee, Whole Foods
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January 14th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
Thanks for the heads-up. Just signed up for the class, and am looking forward to it.