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Pouring coffee is an art. And Vanessa Martinez is an artist.
“I worked at a lot of coffee shops before but this is the first one where I can make latte art – and I love it.”
Originally from Chelan, Vanessa is a woman with a plan to help her fellow man.
Working at Mela while getting her associate’s degree at Wenatchee Valley Community College, she plans to attended law school and wants to specialize in migrant law.
Being the daughter of migrant workers herself, Vanessa said her ambition is to help those who can’t help themselves.
“Growing up being a minority I saw how hard it was for my parents and I wanted to grow up to help people,” she said. “The way I can repay them is by being educated.”
One thing in which she is thoroughly schooled in is the art of the pour.
On Oct. 25 Vanessa beat out five tough competitors in a the Caffè Mela Barista Jam 2010 at Mela’s east location at 159 Valley Mall Parkway in East Wenatchee, winning a cash prize, but more importantly – bragging rights.
“It was fun, something I’ve never been able to do in any of my other jobs,” she said.
For now she will continue to hone her skills at Caffè Mela, hit the books and prepare for her future.
The Chicken Bacon Ranch
Kandis has been cooking up some awesome creations in our tiny yet mighty kitchen. This one has seen the business end of my appetite on many recent lunch breaks. The chicken bacon ranch is a fighter. Despite seeing defeat at the hands (and mouths) of countless customers, it keeps showing up in the case, taunting you with it’s tasty grin, poised for another hopeless bout with a willing and hungry opponent. Anyone up for the challenge?
Well, it has been quite some time since our last post. Much has happened in the span since Mr. Murante and my goosebumps, and that may be an understatement. Our roasting program has taken off and in July we installed a super clean used Diedrich IR-12 (12 kilo) roaster and afterburner. The system came with a destoner (separates beans from pebbles and other foreign objects that make their way into the coffee sacks at origin), a computerized automated roast control system, and some nice rolling racks for da beans! I promise to post soon about the saga of finding, purchasing, transporting, and installing this fine hunk of carbon steel and black powder coat.
Our New Beautiful Machine!
As we began to transfer what we had learned on our smaller roaster to the big daddy, we improved our set-up for processing orders, a seemingly never-ending task that has engulfed the entire basement of the coffeeshop. We have also added to our growing list of partners who share our passion for good coffee while improving each of our roasts and continually searching for those amazing coffees to bring to Wenatchee.
We have introduced a brand new website, which you likely came from to read this, we have completely redesigned our packaging, and introduced the Mela Coffee Club as a way to engage fans of outstanding coffee on an entirely new level. And this is just the start.
Stay tuned, and together we’ll have a blast while enyoying a supremely good cup of joe!
Photo Courtesy Don Seabrook, Wenatchee World
Our first ever Barista Jam aptly named “Throw-down In Appletown” was a smashing success! Last night saw the shop buzzing (literally) with coffee excitement culminating in a caffeinated rock show with favorite local band Poor Folks Live Well. We began the night with a cupping featuring six coffees form our offerings. The coffees were Tanzania Mt. Meru Peaberry, Honduras La Mora COE, Guatemala Huehuetenango Rio Azul, Papua New Guinea, Ethiopia Harrar, and our new gem Colombia Tolima Planadas.
It was amazing to see 30 or so of the almost 50 folks in attendance make their way through the cupping line sniffing, scooping, and slurping their way to coffee heaven. By the time we were all thouroughly a-buzz we embarked on the quest for Wenatchee’s Latte Art Champion. 12 competitors from 3 shops as well as independants vied for the crown which, after two single-elimination rounds, eventually went to our own Luke Gillespie. Charlie Voorhis of Red Bird Kaffe Haus in Leavenworth was kind enough to bring his camera and projector for the viewing pleasure of the audience, and he pulled shots for the competition!
After the latte art throwdown, we were treated to a show from Wenatchee’s Poor Folks Live Well. Click HERE to see the article on the Wenatchee World website.
Colombia Tolima Planadas, 2008 Roaster's Guild Coffee of the Year
Brewing with the Chemex
We received our shipment of coffees about a week ago from Atlas. We are very excited about some new coffees in this delivery! Newbies include a wonderful Brazil from the San Antonio Estate, our first Papua New Guinea, a second bag of Mt. Meru Peaberry from Tanzania, and our first ever vacuum-sealed (because its stinkin awesome) micro-lot coffee, the 2008 Roaster’s Guild Coffee of the Year, from a small village named Planadas in the Tolima region of Colombia. This amazing coffee is available in a limited edition batch of about 25 bags, so get yours while you can! Tasting notes and info is available here. Coffees from the southern Tolima region are typically grown at a higher altitude than other Colombia coffees due to its proximity to Nevado del Huila, a snow-capped volcano, The nutirient-rich volcanic soil yields coffees with a bright pleasing acidity and excellent body.
We brewed up a small batch with the Chemex this morning and let me tell you, believe the hype. This coffee is awesome. Smooth, sweet, loads of clean spice and fruit, pleasing acidity, and very well-balanced. It was so scrumptious, it made it a little hard to hand out samples to anyone… OK I’m joking, it wasn’t hard at all, everybody should have coffee like this!
We were deeply saddened and shocked to hear of Diana’s passing this last week. She had recently checked in for the treatment of her returning Leukemia and our hopes and prayers were with her and Greg and her family. But, it was too late. Her condition had progressed so quickly that before we all knew it, she was gone. It is an unbelievable thing to write.
Diana was the first employee of Caffe Mela. We officially hired her during the building process and she patiently waited… and waited… until we opened, helping with the final stages of preparation. It was no mystery why we all came to treasure her as a fellow barista and friend. She made you smile on the inside. Her infectious positive attitude made us all, customers and staff, feel like we mattered. She wanted us to be happy! And there was no mistaking that.
Evidence of her effect on those around her became known when so many from the community rallied to show support for her fight against cancer. She inspired us with her determination and perseverance as she battled and conquered the condition. It proved to be a larger fight. Memories of her in the shop abound as I write, and with each one I grin. That’s how she would want it, I’m sure… her legacy is one of hope, beauty, and that when we think of Diana Foland, we can’t help but smile.
Diana, We love you, and you will never be forgotten.
A private service for Diana was arranged according to her wishes.
If you would like to send anything to Greg and Diana’s family, please direct them to the following address:
334 N. Joseph Ave.
East Wenatchee, WA 98802
It is wonderful to have that smile behind the counter again!
Diana Foland has returned to work as of October 14th. For those of you who don’t know she had just begun her second stint as a Caffè Mela barista when she was diagnosed with acute leukemia. After months of treatments including extensive chemotherapy to combat the condition she has made nearly a full recovery. If the photo doesn’t already tell you, Diana possesses an amazing optimism and determination which, along with her youth, were instrumental in her ability to conquer the cancer. It is indeed a splendid thing to have someone like Diana around. She puts us all at ease and even the grumpiest customers leave happy!
