Catalina Coffee, Houston Texas

Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to find tons of excellent coffee joints in Houston, Texas... And like the MVP of an All-Star Game, CATALINA COFFEE in my humble opinion stood out as the best among the best. Aesthetically there's  really nothing over-the-top fancy about this independent coffee house, but if your end in mind is to seek great coffee (particularly in the morning to fill your barely-awake being) then this place is certainly one to impress!

nothing like a cup of Cafe Cortado in the morning
to warm one's barely-awake being!

So what really makes this place tick? First off the owner Max Gonzalez is hands-on in his business, and roasts his own beans under the company name AMAYA Roasting Company - nothing massive, just micro lots he himself hand-picks from Ethiopia and other green bean hotspots globally.

with the owner and master roaster Max Gonzalez

Next up is Catalina's skilled baristas who handcraft  various cup-after-cuppa joe's with scientific precision, each and every time resulting in a consistent caffeinated elixir worth lusting for.

And as a finale, limitless forms of latte art with cotton-candy-like consistency based on the Barista's mood and feel, thereby making each and every visit something to look forward to. Catalina's owner refer to his Baristas as "Artists", and true to their billing, each cup they make is their canvass of expression. Drinking, after all, begins as a visual experience... And in my visit, the experience was superb from beginning till end!

Long live independent coffee houses...


CATALINA  COFFEE
2201 Washington Avenue,
Houston Texas 77007

Zabar's New York City

Founded by Ukrainian Jewish immigrants Louis and Lillian Zabar, what began as a humble stand at a market in 1934 has progressed into a H.U.G.E. store famous for its globally-sourced fine quality products and good eats!

Ask any typical New Yorker about ZABAR'S and they'll tell you it's a famous Upper West Side gourmet epicurean emporium specializing in gourmet coffee, fine teas, smoked fish, caviar, cheese, deli, and many other exciting foodie-finds...

A landmark of sorts in the Big Apple, as Zabar's appeared in episodes of Sex and the City, Will and Grace, Seinfeld, and in the movie You've Got Mail (starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan) among others...

It was a rainy morning in Manhattan, totally uninviting at all,  yet we braved the cold-wet weather just to visit this much talked-about food mecca to witness first-hand what the noise was all about - "Fast, Inexpensive and Extensive Menu" is what they're known for (from sandwiches, wraps, croissants, to paninis; paired off with your choice of drink from Mochaccino, frappes, smoothies to their signature coffee Zabar's House Blend). We arrived at 9am just in time for brunch, and although there was quite a long line of people waiting in line, seat turnover was swift and efficient... Oh, and our verdict?! Most definitely gut-satisfying!

happy camper!

This is just the tip of the iceberg: once we were done eating, we headed to their grocery store right beside their cafe to sample various cheeses and air dried meats from their well-stocked deli counter, AND shop for things to bring home (from pantry staples to kitchen stuff).

Kid not included...

What highlighted my Zabar's visit though was their treasure chest of coffee beans, and upon my probing they highly recommend the Zabar's Blend (light roast yet full-bodied); and the French Roast (medium-dark roast with a hint of chocolate).  Belonging to opposite ends of the coffee profile wheel, upon sampling, both are fantastic -- it simply depends on the mood you're in!

This will definitely be a New York staple for my family, and as proven, it's not a "fair weathered" statement!

Check it out:

Zabars is located in Broadway and 80th street, Upper West Side, Mahattan, NYC

Gavino's Donuts

After dinner last night we finally had the chance to visit the "rapidly-gaining popularity" gimmick place called Greenhills Town Center, and mind you it is quite a distance from THE already-famous Greenhills Shopping Complex. This modest strip-mall houses several good-eats, but what caught our fancy was this new donut shop named GAVINO'S (on soft opening). Catchy name/logo, whimsical interior, inviting menu!

The place was packed not only with patrons, but also with Donuts in all flavors and shapes possible: from Basic (Pon De Ring);  Premium (Premium Pon De Ring); to Extra Special (Pon De Ball). So little tummy space, so many Donuts to choose from... we finally made our pick: Choco Glazed and Triple Chocolate.

Gavino's Donuts have just the right amount of sweetness (not overly sweet compared to the "commercial" brands); best of all their unique texture is soft yet springy, giving the eater a little more time to savor each and every mouthful. The verdict - it was "love at first bite!"♥

But what good is a donut shop without good coffee to pair with it? Necessary evil is the apt-most comparison, much similar to a Lennon-McCartney song. Gavino's serves coffee (hot and cold) extracted from a semi-automatic La Speziale espresso machine and flavored using Stasero Syrups, an indication that the owners are not scrimping on cost and quality. Take your pick from a simple espresso, to cappuccino, to the house specials Caramel Macchiato, Toffee Nut Latte and Hazelnut Latte. For the kids and kids-at-heart (a.k.a. adults with cardio problems, hahaha!) Milk Tea is also a staple, from the Classic Milk Tea to the Rock Salt and Cheese varieties. There's just something for everyone in this happy place!

Donuts freshly made, an open kitchen
where the magic happens!

Check them out:

Gavino's Donuts.Coffee.Milktea
Unit 5 Greenhills Town Center
#2 Granada St., Brgy. Valencia,
Quezon City
Tel: 09228358076

Part 2: Studio SnR's Coffee, Tea By ME!!! Workshop

After months of prodding from the organizers for a repeat, Part 2 of Studio SnR's Coffee, Tea By Me!!! Workshop finally became a reality on February 25, 2012. During the 5-month hiatus my think tank and I constantly thought of ways to further improve our craft, making it more fun, active, and value-for-money for the participants. The added pressure for us to immediately come up with a "follow-up" and elevate it a notch further happened in January 15, 2012, as we got the precious vote of Spot.ph, as ONE OF THE TOP 20 THINGS TO DO IN METRO MANILA IN 2012.

The hands-on workshop in progress...

18 knowledge seekers, both young and young-at-heart, braved the anticipated traffic, since our event coincided with the annual Edsa Revolution Anniversary festivities. Worse, our venue is located in the Ortigas, CBD - quite a near distance from the Esda Shrine. Their efforts paid off though, as they brought home with them not only the handsome prizes and loot bag courtesy of our sponsors, but best of all the very essence of this workshop - LEARNING! ♥

Our never-ending thanks to our Brand Partners for their continued generosity and belief in the vision of our Coffee, Tea By Me! Workshop:

Mr. Robert Francisco of Boyd Coffee for providing us with their second-to-none coffee beans. Always an honor to have the leading coffee roaster in the Philippines on-board!

Evergood Unlimited Corporation (distributors of world-famous and reputable brands Saeco, Cuisinart, and Imarflex) for providing the essential hardware to make this "hands-on" and "interactive"workshop possible.

Far Skyes Enterprise (distributors of Stasero Flavored Syrups/Sauces and Far Skyes Frappe Powder Base) for literally and figuratively providing this workshop with superior taste.

And of course to Studio SnR Workshops for their active vision and passion for spreading the learning-love!

Once again, Caffeinated and Creamy Cheers to all!!!

Frozen Hot Chocolate (Home Version)

courtesy of somethingswanky.com

Established in 1954,  SERENDIPITY 3  is a New York institution best known for its decadent desserts, particularly its infamous Frozen Hot Chocolate!

The chocoholic dessert-drink made even-more popular by Jonh Cusack's movie (with Kate Beckinsale) with the same title has tickled my fancy, thus I'm sharing with you an easy to make, home-version (not to mention tummy-friendly) of this masterpiece. Come to think of it, the timing is simply apt with "heart's day" just around the corner.

our Serendipity 3 date in April 2006,
225 East 60th Street New York City

Frozen Hot Chocolate Drink (16-ounce)

Ingredients:

3 ounces (90ml) Stasero Dark Chocolate Sauce
2 tablespoons (25 grams) Far Skyes Vanilla Frappe Powder
1.5 cups milk (fresh or skimmed depending on your dietary preference)
3 cups ice
whipped cream (optional); or could be substituted by milk froth as shown in our Seasalt Caramel Latte post
chocolate shavings (or chocolate sprinkle) for garnish

* for Javaholics, a possible variation is to add 1-shot Espresso or 1 teaspoon instant coffee

Procedure:

Step 1: In a blender, combine the Far Skyes Vanilla Frappe Powder with milk until dissolved

Step 2: Add the Stasero Dark Chocolate Sauce and blend again fully incorporated

Step 3: Add the ice and blend until crushed

Step 4: Pour into wide-mouth glass and top with whipped cream (or frothed milk) and garnish with chocolate shavings (or your favorite sprinkle)

Serve and enjoy!!! Happy Valentines Day to all...

Spot.ph's 20 Things To Do In Manila (2012 Edition)

Months after my first-ever Coffee, Tea By ME!!! (CTBM) Workshop, in cooperation with Studio SnR, the fruits of the "money tree" hasn't stopped pouring... After being featured in the December issue of both Yummy Magazine and Appetite Magazine, the link below was posted on my Facebook wall  two days ago by renowned videographer Dominic Velasco. "You've been spotted" was his shoutout, and  what a handsome treat it was to be included in Spot.ph's list. To be mentioned (at the very least) is such an honor; and it motivates everyone behind this workshop to do even better!

http://www.spot.ph/gallery/1888/20-things-to-do-in-manila-2012-edition-/article/50253#pid=32307

20 Things to do in Manila (2012 Edition) | GALLERY | SPOT.ph

www.spot.ph  Your One-Stop Urban Lifestyle Guide to the Best of Manila!

Happy reading, a pleasure to be "SPOTTED" by you! Will keep everyone posted on the next CTBM Workshop...soon!

Caffein, it's definitely more fun in the Philippines! 

Sea Salt Caramel Latte ☕

"Salted Caramel" has been gaining rapid populartity in the java maket and beyond... from espresso based drinks it has transcended into the milk tea, confectionary, and ice cream market among many others...

There's no better way to excite one's taste buds than with a little sprinkle of premium sea salt just before sipping something buttery-sweet; where one feels a tingling sensation quite similar to Tinker Bell's magic pixie dust.  The leading coffee shops have launched their respective versions yet they are all sugar and calorie laden, ranging from 60-80 grams of sugar, and 400-700 calories per drink.

Here's a "healthier" version versus the coffee shop standard, not to mention a more cost effective one which could be enjoyed in the comforts of one's humble abode...

To make an 8-ounce drink: Ingredients...

1 tablespoon Far Skyes Vanilla Frappe Powder
2-shots Espresso
15ml Stasero Caramel Syrup
2-ounces (60ml) low fat or skimmed milk (steamed); milk froth set aside
Stasero Caramel Sauce for garnish
Premium Sea Salt


Procedure:

1) Dissolve 1-tablespoon Stasero Vanilla Frappe Powder over 2-shots Espresso

2) Add 15ml Stasero Caramel Syrup

3) Fill mug/cup with 2-ounces steamed milk

4) Cover the top of the mug/cup with milk froth (instead of whipped cream); drizzle Stasero Caramel Sauce; sprinkle a pinch of Premium Sea Salt

Serve and enjoy! Happy holidays!!!! ♥

* as a healthier alternative, whipped cream was omitted, and replaced with milk froth to top the mug/cup
* skim/low-fat milk was used in place of whole milk

2011 Cheers!

The year of the rabbit  is coming to a close and looking back, it's been a year filled with cascading ups and several downs...

2011 for me will best be remembered as the year that I celebrated my 40th birthday. Where I took time to huddle my inner troops and ponder about what I've accomplished upon reaching "mid-life"; and realizing that what I currently possess is more than enough to make me a contented cow!

2011 also blessed me with several travel sprees, both internationally and locally. First off a big Thank You! to my favorite Mother-In-Law for the US trip in March (San Francisco, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New Jersey, Dallas, San Francisco) to celebrate her 60th birthday. It was the perfect bonding experience as a family, and it created fond memories that will last more than a lifetime... October also ushered in my (wait for iiittttt...) FIRST Boracay experience - and Shangri-la Resort at that; our gratitude to lady luck since my Wife won it in a raffle (2 nights stay with airfare for 2). The experience is tough to top, so much so that we're scheduled to go back there soon in the coming year!

Business-wise though it's been rough, no thanks to the bad weather and other natural disasters that our country experienced. True to my oath of being the "best supplier" possible, I am one with our clients who got affected one way or another; a special shout-out to those from Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete, and Isabela. The world is small and interconnected, it's difficult not to say "ouch" when they bleed... We lost quite a few as well, either to a pesky competitor (*%$@#%) or simply to the bad economy. Here's hoping for a better year ahead for all our sake... Though I guess there's nowhere else to go but UP as the dawn of each new year brings new hope...

Honorable mention to the following events:

1) My first "Coffee, Tea By ME!!!" Seminar  courtesy of Studio SnR Workshop. It was a fun-filled "hands-on" experience and I'm glad to have hurdled such a task with flying colors. Thank you Sydney Go (Studio SnR's Marketing Director) for believing in our company, our brand and our vision; and Thank You to our Brand Partners/Sponsors - Boyd Coffee, Evergood Marketing, Yummy Magazine and Appetite Magazine! More caffeinated and creamy cheers ahead...

2) Participating in two major trade shows of the Food & Beverage Industry: the Fil-Chi Bakery Show and World's Food Expo (Wofex). To our booth sponsor Robert Francisco (President of Boyd Coffee). Thank you for another year of friendship and trust, best of all for your never ending generosity.

3) The launch of www.farskyes.com, our very own website. Thank you again Robert Francisco for food- styling our drinks and taking product shots. Special pat-in-the-back to Kelvin Tee for the splendid design and layout...

Good year or bad, there's still a lot to cheer about... What matters is we're still standing on our toes, ready to keep walking in life's long and winding road. Here's wishing everyone a better year ahead... Enter the (Year of The) Dragon!