On Valentine’s Day, we welcomed Heart Coffee Roasters from Portland, OR, our 10th Partner in Residence to the La Marzocco Cafe. As is the case each time a new Roaster takes over, we reorganized the bar and dialed-in our equipment to make coffee the same way it would be prepared at Heart’s cafes in Portland, and implemented a completely new menu.
Heart’s motivation behind coffee is simple and is on full display at the Cafe: uncompromising quality aimed at bringing guests a focused and exceptional experience. Heart’s founder, Wille Yli-Luoma, started the company after much experimentation as a home roaster. Over time, he began to appreciate the coffee he was roasting at home more than what he was experiencing elsewhere. Wanting to share that appreciation with others, he decided to start Heart Roasters. Eight months after launching, Wille’s wife Rebekah jumped in to help out where she could and has been there ever since—together they now run the business.
Wille says he roasts his coffee, “so you can taste where the coffee comes from.” He roasts on the lighter end of the spectrum and always uses washed coffees. Wet process, or washed coffee, is a method of processing coffee where the fruit and pulp covering the coffee seed is completely removed before being dried.
Heart boasts an impressive selection of Single Origin coffees across their menu. The La Marzocco Cafe will rotate through these, and will serve each two ways—as espresso and as drip coffee off of the Fetco batch brewer.
One coffee we’re particularly excited about bringing to the Cafe is Colombia La Morelia. Harvested just five months ago by coffee Producer Miller Walles, this limited-edition microlot has juicy acidity with molasses, pomegranate and rose notes.
Leaning heavily on single origin coffees and the unique flavors each possess, Heart has just one coffee blend on their menu–Stereo Seasonal Blend. Heart uses Stereo as the default coffee for all their milk-based drinks, including macchiatos, cappuccinos and lattes. Stereo is a great choice for guests who are looking to drink espresso with rich, chocolatey flavors and lower acidity.
Guests will find a Seasonal Special on Heart’s menu–their Honey Cardamom Latte. It includes steamed milk, Stereo espresso, raw honey and cardamom. Try this for something sweet and satisfying.
Heart’s take on the Mocha combines espresso, steamed milk and a chocolate syrup made with cocoa powder, Madagascar vanilla beans, Himalayan pink salt and chocolate bitters. The steamed milk is poured into a dusting of cocoa powder that makes for a beautiful presentation.
The Heart Chocolate is a coffee-free option that is made by melting Valrhona chocolate ganache into hot water, half and half cream, and steamed milk.
For tea enthusiasts, Heart’s menu offers two selections from renowned Song Tea: Fragrant Leaf–a rich green tea with the scent of sweet grass and honey, and Carrot–a botanical tea with dried carrots, ginger, cinnamon and burdock.
Finally, Friday’s just got even sweeter at the cafe. In addition to our regular (and free!) Coffee Tastings at 10 am, Heart’s menu will include a selection of General Porpoise Doughnuts each Friday during their Residence.
Heart will be serving their menu at the La Marzocco Cafe through March 20, 2017. Be sure to come by to get a taste of Portland here in Seattle. To view the full menu, head here.
