The Tala Blog
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The Return of the Baklava Latte
It started as an experiment, and now it’s the drink our regulars refuse to let us take off the seasonal menu. The beloved Baklava Latte was formerly an exclusive drink at our Libertyville café, but it was met with such rave reviews that we knew it needed a semi-permanent spot on the seasonal menu at all of our cafes.
Winter Drink Menu 2020
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.
Buzira Washing Station: Kayanza, Burundi
The members of the Tala Team collectively are all big fans of coffees from Burundi, and naturally are very excited about having another one hit the shelves and pour over grinders. We love them for their balance and drinkability, while having unique complexity of flavor thats unique compared to other African coffee favorites like Ethiopia and Kenya. This one from Buzira Washing station expresses these qualities perfectly with a syrupy cola sweetness, notes of stone fruit, and a crisp lime acidity finish. This coffee somehow is both simple and extravagant in the same sip. Don’t sleep on this one.
Birambu Micro Washing Station: Kalungu, DR Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo has emerged on the specialty coffee scene somewhat recently but always seem to lag behind in quality and flavor compared to more established coffee growing areas. Until now, we hadn’t had the privilege of ever drinking any delicious coffees from here, but upon sample roasting, this one looked very promising. And during a recent blind cupping, it clearly stood apart from 19 other coffees because of its big, sugary sweetness. Its coffees like this that show that more big things are to come from the DR Congo. Clear notes of sweetened rooibos tea, juicy melon and honeydew, and caramelized sugar make this one especially sweet, beautiful coffee.
Kiriga Estate AB: Kiambu, Kenya
We’re excited to offer yet another amazing offering from Kenya. This one coming from the Kiriga Estate is the pinnacle of savory and sweet flavors harmoniously signing together. Deep, rich maple and stewed fruit flavors of grapefruit and guava round out this wonderful coffee. We love it and know you will too.
Tala Family Holiday Party
We threw our second annual Holiday Party last night for our staff. These moments are, I think, what makes our company so special. We have an unbelievably amazing team of staff who are great at their jobs, exemplify our values and offer genuine value to our customers.
2019 Holiday Gift Guide
It's that time of year again! Everyone is searching for the perfect gift. But look no further for the coffee enthusiasts on your list this year. Check out this years holiday guide.
Holiday Drink Menu 2019
The long-awaited Holiday drinks are now available in the cafe. We have some rock-star drinks returning this year, with some slight improvements. Just the other day I had a customer say, “dude I’ve literally been waiting a year for this.”
Tala Coffee Club
Do you love coffee? Join the club. With our Tala Coffee Club we celebrate all coffee-lovers from the casual coffee consumer to the nerdiest of coffee enthusiasts. We know the importance of your morning cup of coffee and we want to make it easy without compromising quality. Join the club for fresh specialty coffee delivered straight to your door so you can never run out of coffee again. Enjoy member perks like exclusive discounts and insider information.
Small Business Saturday
Happy Small Business Saturday! I might be biased, but I really appreciate this day every year. It solidifies something we have always believed at Tala, and yet often forget: there is something we can offer as a small business that a giant company cannot. We absolutely love that we get to know our customer’s names, that we can offer a place of genuine connection and also a high-quality product that isn’t watered down by big business agendas. So thanks for celebrating small business with us—we’re in great company.