A Gold Mine at Deadwood Junction and Tarnish Turkey Cappuccino in Greenwood, BC, Canada

An Ounce of Gold

Bruce Jepsen, the latest custodian of Deadwood Junction and Tarnished Turkey Cappuccino, acknowledges that he has a gold mine.

He makes a very valid point though, about his mine, "How much effort do you think is required to get an ounce of gold out of the mine?" In the case of Deadwood Junction, a surprising amount of effort is required to operate the small coffee shop, tourism stop, bakery, and summer BBQ joint on BC's Highway 3.

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Deadwood Junction is in a place most people, and some would say time itself, has long gone forgotten. Greenwood, British Columbia and the Boundary Country south of the Okanagan, on the US Border may be the last holdout where small businesses can still stand a chance to mine an ounce of gold.

Ask most small business owner-operators in Canada today, and many will admit that it may not be worth the effort anymore. Many have mines that are abandoned, shut down, or the miners are on strike hoping for another time where small business owners and entrepreneurs will be allowed to succeed again without hindrance from overbearing bureaucracies.

Many, like us, strive to live and work in a Utopia where rules, taxes and operating costs are not an issue. Where entrepreneurs are allowed to hang on to more than half of their profits. Where people can be employed, skills can be developed, where they can create value and can focus on making great products and delivering services that are appreciated by the people around them, their community.

If this is you, then maybe this part of Canada with its rich history, simple pleasures and great weather may have a place for your business. Life here is easier. Much slower and a dollar goes a lot further.

Be prepared to hear more about the Boundary Country in BC from the Two Cowboys.

Deadwood Junction was founded in 2009. It is located in the beautiful City of Greenwood right off Highway 3. It is a must stop and comes highly recommended by the Cowboys. Bruce and Katie Jepsen are the current owners of a business that looks like it pre-dated Canada. Knowing the fascinating history of the area, it probably does date from a couple of centuries ago.

They make great coffee. Bruce has been baking all his life and cannot wait to get out of bed at 03:00 in the morning to get your cinnamon bun hot, sweet, sticky, and ready. He and Katy also make a prize-winning Beef Chilli. That is a story for another time.

Their little store also sells antiques and local artisan work. As small businesses do, they support local small town talent where they can!

Observations

Once a baker, always a baker. Bruce claims that he was born a baker. Nothing can replace the joy he gets from seeing you appreciate his baking and his coffee (which he takes great care to do custom for every one of his favourite clients (you know if you are one ;-))

We are proud to feature Bruce's buns this time and hope to have many more stories for you from Deadwood Junction and Tarnished Turkey Cappuccino and the small communities and entrepreneurs in this fantastic part of British Columbia, Canada.

Hendrik van Wyk 

Cinnamon Cowboy

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o-CNN: Weta Coffee - Your Local Roaster in One Tree Hill, Auckland New Zealand

The First and the Last

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There should be two important and largely invisible people in every person's life. Ones with the power to make a person's day. They are people not usually noticed, but who are integrally part of our daily routines. Thanks to them, life can tick over with a familiar and predictable rhythm. Without them, it becomes just a little bit harder. If they play their parts perfectly, you don't notice them. If they mess up, everything is affected.

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Even when things don't always go to plan, these people provide you with a foundational stability and familiar comforts. Something reliable. They help to prepare you to face the next big challenge life may throw at you.

No, I am not talking about the people stocking your toilet paper. I am referring to the two unsung hero's of our society: The Barman, and the Barista. The one puts you to bed at night, and the other wakes you in the morning. The one pours you your favourite drink after a hard days work. The other, sets you up for greatness in the morning, with your first kick of caffeine for the day.

It is important that you choose these people carefully for a harmonious and meaningful life. Ask anyone that is married just how critical this choice is. Yes, it can be your spouse or partner. My preference is professionals for these paramount tasks.

The Professionals

This is what we encountered when we were graciously nudged on Facebook to pay Weta Coffee a visit in one of Auckland, New Zealand's more established neighbourhoods: One Tree Hill (also referred to as "None" Tree Hill - there is a story there for another time). Miles and Sandra at Weta are professionals. They know what to do to start One Tree Hill's folks off on a good day, every day of the week. 

Every corner store in New Zealand boasts an espresso machine. It is the land of milk and honey (and good coffee, generally). The bar is significantly higher in this part of the world if you want to stand out as a "hole in the wall" neighbourhood coffee spot. There are a lot of good coffee places.

Weta Coffee graduates with flying colours by roasting and blending their beans to the taste preferences of their loyal, discerning, and by now, very devoted clientele. When you drink Weta Coffee, you get One Tree Hill's coffee. A little on the stronger side, a bit more acidity, rich, with a lingering chocolate note as Miles Masters (Roaster and Co-Owner) prefers it. Above all, it is fresh because they roast and blend it themselves every Sunday afternoon. 

How do you judge the quality of a coffee shop? 

For the Two Cowboys, the coffee shop must occupy the vital place of being the (morning) heart of the community. Like your local brewery or bar, the coffee shop is the place where the people of the area come together to meet the neighbours, talk about the weather, kids and politics (if you have to), and to relax.

It is encouraging to see Myles and Sandra make a move from corporate to craft. Even more encouraging to find them producing a premium quality coffee in a small corner of One Tree Hill. A trip to Weta is worth the effort. We promise. 

If you want the taste of One Tree Hill but cannot get there yourself, you can order it online for shipping in and around New Zealand: http://wetacoffee.co.nz/. If you want to see them roast, see them. It happens on Sunday afternoons.

Hendrik van Wyk

Weta Coffee Fan

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o-CNN: Small Businesses in Canmore: Cupping Some Coffees with Rave Coffee in Canmore, Alberta

Mini Business Profile

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Canmore Business and Tourism encouraged the Two Cowboys to feature Canmore's up and coming businesses. We've produced a few mini-profiles to introduce you to the energy that is making Canmore such a great place to live, work, play, and ultimately launch successful businesses. We are proud to showcase the best of what is on offer in the Bow Valley.

Rave Coffee Canmore

Rave Coffee is no newcomer Producer to the Two Cowboys. We were introduced to Dean and his team earlier this year when we browsed the coffee roasting choices we have in Canmore, Alberta. You can read it here, and see the video here.

This time, Dean showed us a well-known coffee tasting technique called "cupping". Coffee cupping, or coffee tasting, is the practice of observing the tastes and aromas of brewed coffee. It is a professional practice but can be done informally by anyone or by professionals known as "Q Graders". A standard coffee cupping procedure involves deeply sniffing the coffee, then loudly slurping the coffee, so it spreads to the back of the tongue.

The coffee taster attempts to measure aspects of the coffee's taste, specifically the body (the texture or mouthfeel, such as oiliness), sweetness, acidity (a sharp and tangy feeling, like when biting into an orange), flavour (the characters in the cup), and aftertaste.

Since coffee beans embody telltale flavours from the region where they were grown, "cuppers" may attempt to identify the coffee's origin. A cupper can be considered the sommelier of coffee.

Here is a complete article in www.roastmagazine.com by Paul Allen to build your hidden cupping skills. (He refers to it as The Coffee Triangle)

Rave Coffee is providing an introduction to this fascinating art of getting to know your brew. Enjoy our short video, and if you are interested in trying it yourself, then register below to get offers to invitations from Rave Coffee, exclusive to the Two Cowboys.

Hendrik van Wyk
Cupper

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o-CNN: Cowboy News Network - The State of Coffee in Canmore, AB

Cappuccino Hunting in the Bow Valley

Many people's dream lifestyle is to have a little coffee shop in the mountains, somewhere beautiful. 

In Canmore, Alberta we are in the mountains where it is beautiful. We have a lot of coffee shops. People are living their dream, for sure. The coffee is here, but is it any good?

Ten years ago, you probably would have had to drive over the border (to B.C. or way further South) to get a decent Italian coffee. Today, our little mountain town boasts two established, popular and recognized coffee roasters: Rave Coffee and Mountain Blends, and many coffee serving establishments.  

If that isn't enough, Calgary has seen some amazing roasting and coffee evolution of its own, over the last two decades. The likes of Fratello, Phil and Sebastian, Priddis' Crickle Creek Coffee and others are all working to raise the bar in prairie coffee.

You probably know that we've travelled the world as wandering fake South African Cowboys. Because of our time in coffee mad New Zealand we've become accustomed to some pretty darn good coffee. We therefore decided to do a bit of a review of some of the better known coffee you can get in Canmore. The big question that we asked was: 

"What is the state and standard of coffee in Canmore?"

We don't think we've settled the question yet, and you should stay tuned for further instalments. Calgary Coffee establishments be warned, we are coming your way too.

Observations

A coffee connoisseur once noted that everybody in the coffee value chain can do their jobs perfectly.

The right plants can grow at just the right place. The plants can get just the right weather to produce the perfect berries. A willing farmer and his family can lovingly treasure, work and harvest their crop. They can pick it at the right time, ferment, dry and sort the beans by hand in the blazing hot summer sun. Then, they can send their beans thousands of miles to destinations they've never heard of, or will ever see.

The beans can then be roasted with computer precision and timing for the ultimate perfect aromas to be unleashed. With years of experience, expertise and a sophisticated palate, the roaster can then blend it for the perfect delivery of the very best shot. And then it takes something as simple as a 21 year old hipster barista to fek&^% it all up in 2 minutes. Many not knowing their cappuccino from their macchiato, when it comes to making a good cup of coffee. 

Let's just say: "Canmore, the majority of your Baristas need some help." There are a few outstanding one's around (with Kiwi or Ozzie accents). The rest need a hand. Here is an idea: We are offering to send them to Barista school. We volunteer to launch a training trust fund for Barista's in Canmore. Let us know in the comments below if you are keen to get involved.

The second observation relates to the other half of a good coffee: The milk. Starbucks succeeded in making aspiring "expert" coffee mixologists of everyone that can plonk down a loyalty card for their next "Venti Skinny Soy Caramel Macchiato with Double Whipped Cream and Two Extra Decaf Shots To Go".

However, a real coffee comes with silky caramelly, rich and creamy milk. Granted, this is something which is in general short supply in deconstructed and reconstituted, homogenized and pasteurized chalky white water Canada. 

We are pleading with our coffee shop owners to pay particular attention to the milk they use. Yes, we know customers have preferences, but that is probably because they simply don't know any better. If it was up to us, every coffee would be made with Half & Half or something even richer. This is why New Zealand (the land of the many dairy cows) is so committed to their coffee. It comes with great milk!

Enjoy the video.

We look forward to bringing you more instalments, so coffee shops beware ;-)

Hendrik van Wyk

Flat White Expert

P.S. Send us an email if you think your Barista needs help. We know the right people: twocowboys@profiledproductions.com

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