The Tala Blog
Featured Article
Coffee Varietals Explained
The cup you drank this morning had a lineage. It came from a specific plant, with a genetic history, grown at an elevation, selected by the farmer for particular reasons. And almost none of that appears on the label. The varietal of a given coffee is an entrance into the story of that lineage.
Utuezi Jimbo: Kirinyaga, Kenya
Uteuzi Jimbo (oo-tay-oo-zee), meaning ‘country select’, brings the best crops from the Kirinyaga region together for a beautiful cup with notes of candied grapefruit, orange marmalade, and caramel.
Brew Coffee In The Wild
We’ve partnered with REI to bring you a comprehensive guide to brewing coffee in the wild. For step-by-step instructions as well as tips and tricks from the field, keep reading! We also are celebrating REI’s 81st anniversary with them on Saturday, May 18th by doing a coffee demo at our local REI store. For details check out our event page.
Spring Drink Menu 2019
We launched our Spring menu maybe more with the hope of Spring coming than with the reality of it being here. Regardless of how many more snow storms we get here in Northern Illinois, we’re calling it Spring!
Mother's Day Ideas
Mother's Day this year is Sunday, May 13th--but you already knew that, right? It's the day when we get to celebrate the incredible miracle that mothers are and honor all the moms in our lives! I'm sure you've been planning for weeks, but in case you need some last-minute inspiration we're sharing some of our favorite Mother's Day ideas with you!
Timana: Huila, Colombia
While cupping through many samples, this coffee stood out to us for its clarity and simplicity of flavors. Memorable notes of chocolates, sweet peanut butter, and red apple make this one tasty and approachable coffee that will shine no matter how you brew it. If this coffee were a type of dog, it would be a Golden Retriever because of its reliability and easy to love nature. Timana: man’s best friend.
Winter Drink Menu 2019
As much as we all loved our Holiday drinks, it is time for a change! We have three new wintery drinks available at the cafe.
Our Recent Cupping Event
Here’s a sneak peak at last’s weeks cupping event. Cupping is what we call the process that is used to taste coffee. Think wine tasting, but for coffee.
Filter Theory
Have you ever heard the term “filter coffee?” We say it in the cafe sometimes, and maybe you’ve heard it elsewhere. Coffee brewing essentially breaks down into two categories: espresso and filter. To understand filter coffee you have to understand basic filter theory. We’re going to go over just a few basic principles to launch you into the world of filter.
Newest Coffee Arrivals
We're excited to announce two new coffees to our mid-summer line of coffee. This is particularly exciting because all the coffees we have now we will be serving at our cafe in just a few weeks. We can't wait to make you a hot cup of one of these new single origins!