Latest News and Tips from HSG

The New Wave of Creative Coffee Cocktails

It’s national coffee day and today, we are sharing some interesting and exciting information on creative coffee cocktails, courtesy of our factory partners Hamilton Beach Commercial.

The espresso martini was born in a scene right out of Ab Fab. In 1983, an actress or model (depending on who’s telling the story) walked into London’s Soho Brasserie and asked for a drink that would “wake me up and [mess] me up.” Bartender Dick Bradsell crafted a high-octane cocktail that would become legendary: espresso, vodka, Tia Maria, Kahlua and sugar syrup. The drink became a symbol of ‘90s bar culture, growing sweeter and stickier until it fell out of favor. Now, bartenders are getting excited about coffee cocktails once more. Creative Coffee Cocktails as told by Hamilton Beach Commercial

“As we continue the third generation coffee movement in the U.S., I expect to see a celebration of specialty coffee in cocktail bars. … Breathing new life to old caffeinated cocktails is an easy pivot that the large majority of Americans can get excited about,” Stephen Kurpinksy, president of the United States Bartenders Guild San Diego Chapter, tells VinePair. Here’s a look at some of the exciting trends we’re seeing in coffee specialty drinks.

Cold Brew Coffee + Vodka Drinks

It’s so simple… and so strong. DBL BLK, a bottled version in Colorado, was born out of a very-Denver dilemma: “We continued to complain about the same two problems: one, we love to ski and hike but don’t enjoy beers in the morning, and two, the brunch drink scene needed some disruption,” says DBL BLK co-founder Matt Wickiser. Their solution: cold brew coffee and craft vodka, canned.

Larger companies have gotten in on the canned hard-coffee trend by mixing cold brew with agave wine (Café Agave) or malt liquor (La Colombe Hard Cold Brew Coffee). But neither sounds as delightful as a real cocktail made with intensely flavorful cold brew coffee.

Coffee + Citrus Drinks 

Coffee and citrus are natural companions. That’s why in Italy, espresso is often served with a slim twist of lemon. You’ll find this same refreshing combination in coffee cocktails, such as the Turkish Coffee Sour (coffee, spiced rum and lemon juice) or the Alive and Kicking (coffee, fernet, amaro and Orangerie). Or, there’s the coffee Negroni. “It’s nothing but caffeine and alcohol, and maybe a bit of orange peel, which you could also eat if you’re feeling a touch of scurvy. There’s nothing in it to drag you down.”

Hamilton Beach Commercial citrus juicers are the gold standard in the restaurant industry, from the classic manual Model 932 to the durable Hamilton Beach Commercial Electric Citrus Juicer.

Coffee + Brandy Drinks

Adios, Irish coffee. Hola, carajillo. This Spanish cocktail made with hot coffee is simply delicious — and fortifying. The version popular in Mexico is made with Licor 43, a liquor flavored with vanilla and 42 other herbs and spices. First, pour Licor 43 over ice cubes; then, add hot espresso and stir.

There are two ways to order carajillo in Mexico City, Punch saysPuesto means on the rocks. If you ask for it shakeado—like the Italian shakerato, derived from the English word “shaken”—the bartender will intervene, whipping the drink to a healthy froth in a cocktail shaker, then pouring over ice into a lowball glass.”

Coffee + Tonic Drinks

As customers are demanding refreshing, non-alcoholic drinks, the espresso tonic is having a comeback!  Koppi, a roaster in Helsingborg, Sweden, is credited with inventing the Kaffe Tonic. It is a simple combination of espresso and tonic water, poured over ice. Anna Lunell, a founder of Koppi, shares the secrets to making it great:

  • Lots of ice in a large glass
  • High-quality tonic water, garnished with citrus
  • A fruity espresso that complements the bitter tonic
Coffee + Blender Drinks

Speaking of creative coffee cocktails – do you remember the Frozen Mudslide? It’s hard to say no to ice cream, Kahlua, Bailey’s and vodka. But it’s more a dessert than a drink, and there are many other creative ways to make a blended coffee cocktail. Boozy frozen espresso is creamy but much less sweet. From Bacardi, there’s the Coffee Colada: pina colada mix, rum and cold coffee, with an orange garnish.

What about nonalcoholic blended coffee drinks? Polish barista Agnieszka Rojewska won the 2018 World Barista Championship with an innovative mixture of passionfruit syrup, rooibos cold brew infusion, washed milk and espresso, all combined with a Hamilton Beach Commercial blender. “It aerated it a lot so the texture was like marshmallow, almost,” Rojewska says. “Blending espresso does magic for texture.” Get the recipe for her signature drink.

We hope you have enjoyed this article on creative coffee cocktails. You can discover all Hamilton Beach Commercial’s equipment solutions for coffee shops and bars/cafés here.

Meet the Makers: Selecting the Perfect Piece of Wood for Every Table Top!

Bernard from Old Dominion Today, you have a unique opportunity to meet the makers! From conception to creation to production to installation, each table top at Old Dominion Furniture Co. gets its start as a single piece of wood in the factory.

It is the job of traveling Gospel singer, Bernard, to set the initial benchmark of quality for every wood table top produced.

Bernard first started working for Old Dominion in 1975. He would go to class in the morning and work a full-time shift in the factory after school. He is proud of the joy and growth his position has brought him. “I wouldn’t get out of bed, for 45 years, for a job I hate.”

Bernard is a self-taught, yet expert, lumber grader and is responsible for sorting, selecting and grading each piece of lumber that comes into the Old Dominion Furniture Co. building. His commitment to his craft is a key component to the high standards of quality.

So you might be asking yourself; how does the dimensioning department work?

Step 1: Grade

Sorting, selecting and grading raw lumber sets the quality benchmark

Step 2: Chop

Chopping raw boards to specific lengths based on table top dimensions

Bernard at work

Step 3: Rip

Ripping the sides of raw boards for clean, straight edges, ideal for adhering boards together

wood working at OD

Step 4: Glue

Positioning and gluing boards based on grain pattern, to create raw table top panels

Gluing wood

Step 5: Sand and Size

Sanding, sizing and edging table top panels to meet order specifications.

Old Dominion finishing

Upon completion of each piece, the dimensioning department inspects all table tops before releasing them to the Finishing Department for stain and sealer.

We hope to share more installments of Meet the Makers in the future, as we find it interesting to learn about different aspects of the manufacturing process.

A Helping Hand from Southern Smoke Foundation

As businesses begin to re-open after months of closure, it’s important to remember that some members of the F&B industry are STILL suffering. But luckily, there is help! This week, we are thrilled to introduce you to one of BauscherHepp’s customer’s: James Beard award winner Chris Shepherd. Chef Chris is a Houston based restaurateur. You may know him from One Fifth, UB Preserv, The Hay Merchant, Georgia James, Underbelly Catering.  You may not know, that Shepherd’s Southern Smoke Foundation is offering a helping hand to F & B workers during this difficult time!

Shepherd’s Southern Smoke Foundation is a nonprofit 501c3 that has a history of helping those in need. During the Covid-19 pandemic and closures, Southern Smoke has received applications from laid off and furloughed restaurant workers across the country.

For reference, their last big relief effort was in response to Hurricane Harvey in 2017. They received 300 applications in the first month and a half after Harvey. Meanwhile, in the first month of their Covid relief program, they received over 17,000 applications for aid. Since the beginning of the outbreak, Southern Smoke has distributed more than $3.2 million to those applicants. In addition to their financial assistance, they’ve teamed up with Mental Health America of Greater Houston and the University of Houston to provide free mental healthcare to anyone in the hospitality industry and their children. So far this program exists only in Texas, because of state level licensing for mental health providers. But Southern Smoke plans to expand the program nationwide.

Chef Chris Shepherd and his team are doing a great job! If you want to learn more, you can visit their website, and if you are able, you can also lend a helping hand, by making a tax deductible contribution!

 

BauscherHepp Scope Collection

Scope Collection by BauscherHeppToday, we introduce you to a brand new collection from BauscherHepp – Scope. This collection may be familiar to you, as BauscherHepp featured it in their  National Restaurant Association Show Overview, which we shared with you a few weeks ago. But today, we are sharing just a little more information about Scope’s story!

Scope is an all new collection from BauscherHepp with a fresh silhouette. Additionally, the embossment draws inspiration from one of Bauscher’s Noble China collections: Purity Finest Loom. Made from German hard porcelain, it pairs perfectly with Bauscher’s Options collection. The collection features soft pastel shades of white, taupe, and delicate blue-green, which creates the perfect platform for chefs to experiment with new food trends in their own style. Further, the Scope collections offers an interplay of embossed and smooth pieces for a dazzling, modern rustic aesthetic

You can see more of Scope, and all the new items in BauscherHepp’s monthly Novelties Guide.