4: Crema *Junction*

Crema - Junction
Address: 3079 Dundas Street West
Neighbourhood: (The) Junction
website

Quickly celebrating their 5th year (2013), Geoff has really pushed the model of consistency.
With the same machine, consistent training, and a passion that is passed onto the barista, it's only fitting the Creama jumps up the list.
Adding Detour, George Howell alongside 49th Parallel, really rounds out the selection.

With the Spadina location (located within Freshii) finally opening, and adding additional seating near the end of 2012. There is ample choices within the core. With four locations, this mini-chain is only just beginning.

The best place to find Epic Espresso in Toronto, hands down. Cheers

Clover, Crema

Spotted: Crema (Bloor location)
Origin: El-Octillo, Honduras
Roaster: 49th Parallel
Notes: Bursts of lip smacking sweetness in the form of Gushers Candies, the red ones we all love...and made with 100% fruit juice.
Hints of soft chewy caramel, and freshly ground cocoa.
Verdict: delicious times from the Clover Machine

Crema: Danforth (open for business)

New Player in the Eastside of the Don.
Crema (Danforth)
Address: 508 Danforth Avenue
Neighbourhood: The Danforth
website, @cremacoffee, FB

Geoff and the Crema team have been hard at work transforming the former sweets and bakery shop.The burgeoning boom of the Danforth has seen some action in recent months.
With Dolce Gelato, and Pizzeria Libretto coming soon - West-end favourites are trying to convince the granola/soul loving/big carrot buying  families - that they know food and food well.

Case in point, Crema Coffee Co. We thought we were going to see the third location inside of the Freshii on Spadina, but I guess that neighbourhood will have to wait, seeing as Dark Horse 2, SenseAppeal, Jimmy's Coffee were in high saturation. Just a little bit longer expected opening for 140 Spadina Avenue.

Birthdays all weekend.

Friday:

Crema on Bloor (located inside of the Freshii is turning One.

$2 Sumatra Blue Batak Clovers all day + Cake from Circles and Squares.

 

Verdict: Sweet lemon essence, with a resounding earthy mouthfeel signature of sumatran coffee. But the finish becomes this smoky smooth sweet tobacco taste that coats your mouth and leaves an amazing after-taste.

Great way to celebrate their first anniversary.

Saturday/Sunday: MUTHAF@#%KIN’ FIVE YEARS at Mercury Espresso

Featured Espresso: Matalapa

Spotted at: Crema Coffee Co. (53 Bloor St. E)

Mon-Fri: 7am-8pm

Sat: 8am-8pm

Sun: 9am-6pm

Featured: Matalapa North Italian Style Espresso Roast 
                (Single Origin - El Salvador)
Roaster: George Howell's Terroir Coffee
Located: Acton, Mass.

Verdict:  Initial tastes had a smooth buttery orange swirl, with light toasted/burnt marshmallow flavour similar to Greg's Ice Cream. As you take more sips, there is a delightful acidity that tastes cocoa to round out the flavours.

 
This will be in the hopper until they run out of beans, so come in now for a limited run.

Straight from Terroir Coffee's website:
Layered orange-blossom honey, hint of jasmine and a creamy dark caramel finish. Matalpa’s soft acidity is ideal for a light espresso, providing great sweetness with buttery body.

Matalapa is a fourth generation 190 acre farm at 4,100 feet above sea level. It was founded in the late 1800's by Fidelia Lima, great grandmother of the current owner, Vickie Ann Dalton de Diaz. She maintains 14 acres of virgin tropical forest and keeps her coffee plants shaded with over 40 varieties of shades trees. Terroir has been following this farm for several years now and have been very impressed with each year's improvements since winning in the 2003 El Salvador Cup of Excellence. The crop is very impressive for its sweetness and buttery body.

If you've tried this roast - let me know your thoughts.

2: Crema Coffee

Crema Coffee Co.
Address: 3079 Dundas St W
Neighbourhood: The Junction
Tel: (416) 767-3131
(website)

After 2 years in the Junction, they decided to open a second shop in the core of downtown - SMART move as the Yonge/Bloor area really lacks good espresso. Let us focus on the main cafe, with many small tables for the chatty people of the West (High Park, Runneymede, Junction crew etc...) The cafe takes over the former space of a bank with a renovated inside containing wooden floors, and bright walls. In the cafe there are books, coffee equipment new and old (French Press, Aeropress) and official Crema's & 49th Parallel cup ware . Along with a  vast array of beans in Crema packaging! GOLD!
Trekking out to the Junction is definitely a must - they take their coffee seriously. By this I mean the literature available in the space all points to coffee lovers, professional barista books and anyone in the know will appreciate that they pull Vancouver roaster 49th Parallel - Epic Espresso.

In their other grinders are different roasts to compliment milk based drinks, this is what I call "attention to the individual coffee drinker". Along different roasts to compliment Caps, Lattes, or Americanos.. and another roast specifically for espresso is refreshing.



Machine:Synesso's flagship model, the Cyncra 
Doser: Mazzer
Turnover: Heavy Traffic
Beans: 49th Parallel - Epic Espresso

Music: indie hip, rock, and blues
Indie Coffee Passport: YES

Disloyalty Card: YES
 On this day as I was watching the barista - they were clearly trained to produce well crafted shots. He would have the same stance each and every time that he went to tamp the bottomless baskets - the best way to enjoy my double espresso. His technique didn't vary too much, which is the consistency that is needed at a heavy traffic espresso location. If it varies from barista to barista, then one will start to avoid it at certain hours if the barista on the bar is less skilled. But this is definitely not the case with Crema, they do coffee right. The training that is being passed on, is something I respect as an espresso lover. Being over in the junction is a rare sight - but the times I've gone over the last month, have created that sweet taste of Epic Espresso that I've come to enjoy Kudos.

Verdict: Sweetness rings thru this blend from 49th combining Honduras and the ever so popular  Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. The current iteration of Epic, makes me smile when I can taste the sweet, juicy fruit tones dance on my tongue. While having that nice cocoa-ness that rings thru coffee beans.

Special Shout out to the Bloor St. E location with the amazing Mirage Triplet Idrocompresso.

MANUAL Machine for the win to watch it in action (click here)

Manual Machines!

Crema Coffee Co.
Address: 53 Bloor Street East
(located inside of the Freshii)
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(website)

 It's hard to survive in cut-throat Toronto, but it's even more tactical when you are a cafe located right downtown. In heavy competition with brands like whorebuxs, and the likes, its seems that Crema's shared space with Freshii really works. On this lovely fall visit, I was initially coming to experience the 49th Parallel current edition of epic espresso - and the Manual machine of gods!!
What I also found was the clover machine, ad 3 pump manual machine and a vast array of pastries. There was typical Crema menu, plus a choice of 3 different single-origin choices for the clover. Competition as Bux has one up the street

Machine:Mirage Triplet Idrocompresso
Doser: Mazzer
Turnover: Heavy Take-out traffic
Beans: 49th Parallel - Epic Espresso
           (Honduras San Vicente, Organic Ethiopian  Yirgacheffe Koke)
Music: virgin radio
Indie Coffee Passport: YES
Disloyalty Card: YES 
Seating: There are tables on the inside and about 3 sets on the outside -- great in mild-to-hot weather.

Verdict: Balanced body, and a hit of frontal palette experience of smooth rich chocolate, and hits of fruity kick, possibly blueberry, pears.

BARISTA PROFILE: JOSH from CREMA on BLOOR

He's actually owned a cafe out in Vancouver called Bump n Grind located at 916 Commerical Drive, but decided to sell it , and travel the world. Having dabbled in bike mechanics and working in cafes in his life, he decided to move to Toronto and experience the east.  Cool guy, knows this Mirage machine well, enjoys his craft, and "surprise, surprise" enjoy Fixed and SS bikes. A nice fella to have a chat with. He does hope to infuse his knowledge of coffee into every cup he produces.
His next major step will be to buy a boat and travel the seven seas. But he actually hopes to be the first person to compete in the WBC as a nation-less competitor. How COOL would that be?
Check him out at the Crema Location!

Espresso Adventures - Crema (Bloor) Edition from Cindy Shum on Vimeo.