The Tala Blog
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The Chantala Matcha: Drink Highlight
Meet our new favorite drink to sip on: the Chantala Matcha. The Chantala Matcha combines our earthy matcha with a balanced vanilla syrup and our homemade blueberry-strawberry whipped cream, garnished with freeze-dried raspberries. Trust us, it tastes and looks as good as it sounds.
Cold Brew Chia Seed Pudding
In college, my roommates and I pretty much lived off of chia seed pudding. As health-conscious but nevertheless thrifty students, we found a big bag of chia seeds could go a long way to fulfilling our needs. We’d all chip in on a Costco-size bag and then have fast, easy meals for weeks. The best part for us then was how easy and versatile it could be. We tried endless variations so we never got bored of the flavor.
Behind the Bar with Grace
Grace joined the Tala crew in the summer of 2023 and, as of this month, is now the new manager of the Highwood location. All the way from Hartford, Wisconsin, Grace made the big move to Illinois to study international relations and environmental studies. You’ve probably seen her in the cafe with a big warm smile on her face. You can come see her at Tala most days of the week!
London Fog Popsicles
Though summer is coming to an end, these London Fog popsicles will keep the good vibes going. A frozen twist on the classic London Fog drink, they’re the perfect way to cool down and relax anytime! This super easy recipe can be made for a single serving or multiple—ideal for any occasion!
Exploring the Coffee Bean Belt
Each region within the coffee bean belt offers unique growing conditions that shape the diverse flavors and characteristics of coffee. Factors such as soil composition, climate, altitude, and bean variety all contribute to the distinct profiles of coffees from these areas. This results in a rich tapestry of flavors, from bright and fruity to earthy and robust.
Neighborly Playlist
Have you ever wondered what we’re listening to during our time in the iconic Tala van? We asked some of our frequent Neighborly drivers for their go-to playlists, songs, artists, podcasts, and more. Here’s a glimpse of what you might hear from the Tala van as it travels to and from our roastery:
Introducing Tala Tonics
These new mainstays are a simple but powerful new line of drinks with a sparkling water base. Each unique flavor is intricately crafted with a house-made syrup which we add to sparkling water for a refreshing pick-me-up. These five drinks are available today at all of our cafes.
Forum: Zerno x Tala
first Forum event, we started with a time of general connection and mingling with complimentary donuts and raffle prize entries before launching into a group cupping. We had all of our single-origin coffees on the cupping table, and each coffee had one side ground by one grinder, and one by the other.
Dueling Processes: Washed vs Natural
It isn’t every day that you get the chance to see how distinctly the processing method can change the flavor of a coffee. We are excited to offer both washed and natural versions of our Chelbesa Washing Station coffee on our online store. This unique opportunity allows you to explore and appreciate the diverse flavor profiles that result from different processing techniques.
Summer Drink Menu 2024
Summer is officially here, and so is our summer drink lineup! Now that we have six summer seasons under our belt, we have a lot of favorite drinks to choose from. Customers often ask us earnestly to bring back their favorite drink from previous years, but the problem is everyone has a different favorite. This year we decided to take the guesswork out and get scientific about it with an Instagram poll (nothing screams scientific like social media, right?!).