Chris Knows Coffee | Peaberry's Cafe & Bakery

For Dads or Grads

2011-05-26T17:25:00.003-04:00

Are you planning a Graduation Party, Father's Day, or just a get-together with friends? Why not offer your favorite Peaberry's dessert or coffee? We also have sandwich & cookie trays. Stop in and see what we can do for you.
Cappuccino Tarts, Iced Mochas, Our famous homemade Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Chewy Caramel Pecan Cookies... and so much more!!
See you soon
Chris

April Fool's Weather

2011-04-01T12:16:00.003-04:00

Ok... what is going on? Growing up in the Youngstown area, I've learned to deal with the snow. But doesn't it seem a little much this year? Snow in April? Really? But lets not dwell on that... It has been a busy time at the shop. Rachel and the crew have been baking up a storm. Have you seen the Easter Bunny Cookies yet? If not, you should hop on in and take a look. (hop in... had to do it!) Hoping to see you, and the sunshine, soon. Until then, stay warm, drink plenty of coffee, and have a great April Fool's Day! Chris

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T13:20:00.001-05:00

As I am sitting here watching football and drinking coffee (what else would I be doing on Jan 1?) I am reflecting on this past year. We have seen so many changes in 2010, expanding our Peaberry's family- hiring some great new people and also meeting some new coffee-lovers that have become everyday regulars. We've made some menu changes and tried some new coffees. Starting out in 2011, I'd like to hear from you. Send an email to chris@peaberryscafe.com and let me know what you would like to see us do this year. I am looking forward to getting some good feedback!

I hope 2011 is a great year for you and all those close to you.

See you soon!

Chris

Now is the time

2010-10-28T17:17:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to remind you that now is the time to get those holiday orders in. Pumpkin Rolls, Scones, Cookies, Tarts, Desserts... get it out of the way now. Thanksgiving is right around the corner!

Talk to Rachel, Jenny, Myself, or anyone in the store to place your order!

See you soon,
Chris

Fall is here

2010-09-24T11:06:00.002-04:00

Hope you've had a good summer! As the leaves are starting to change, look for some changes to our menu to welcome in the fall. Our new Frosted Pumpkin Latte is definetely worth a try! Pumpkin Spice & Pumpkin Brulee coffees are available whole bean or ground for your home brewer. We also will be welcoming back some old favorites, such as our Pumpkin Roll, Apple Cider, and Pumpkin Mousseline tart. Also look for some other changes with salads and sandwiches!
Hope to see you soon,
Chris

YSU Begins Again

2010-08-17T10:06:00.003-04:00

Well, it has been a fun summer.. But now it is time for me to move back to campus for another year of serving the students, faculty & staff at YSU.
I must say the people in Kilcawley center did a great job of redecorating and painting the seating area. It really looks great! I like all the coffee related art on the walls.
If you are in the Youngstown area, and can stop by campus, please stop in and say hi. Hope to see you soon!
Chris

"From Black to Gold" Author here at Peaberry's this Saturday!

2010-07-22T11:26:00.002-04:00

This Saturday from 11:00-3:00, Tim Gleason, the author of "From Black to Gold" will be here at Peaberry's in Canfield signing his book about the Pittsburgh Steelers. He will have books available for sale. So any of you Steelers fans that want to come have coffee with the author, now is your chance! Even fans of other teams that can appreciate their history (like me) may want to come talk to him. He is very knowledgeable on football, and you have to see his Autographed Steelers Helmet, it is very impressive!

If anybody wants me to sign their coffee mug, I'll be happy to do that too!

Also want to give a shout out to one of my favorite Breve drinkers about her latest blog..
take a look

See you Soon!
Chris

Frozen Caramel Pecan Latte

2010-07-13T07:53:00.002-04:00

Our latest summer drink creation is here..

The Frozen Caramel Pecan Latte

Its a great way to cool off on these warn summer afternoons. I'll be making samples today until 3:00, just ask!

Also available Lite-with 19g of protein and only 220 calories.

See you soon,
Chris

Summer

2010-06-21T15:42:00.002-04:00

Summer is here!

Have you tried the new Frozen Mocha Berry Lite? Sweet Chocolate with Raspberry Blended to perfection. And it has 19g of Protein!

Look for other new drinks coming soon.. hmm, maybe something with caramel.

See you soon!
Chris

2010-04-23T07:49:00.003-04:00

Although we've had some chilly mornings lately, I can't complain too much about the weather..
It has been keeping us busy with lots of Frozen Hot Chocolates, Smoothies and, of course, Frozen Cappuccinos! Still too cold for those drinks now, so I'm having a chocolate-hazelnut latte. What are you drinking this morning?

I've been thinking about this for a while.. Have you noticed that over the past few years it seems that every gas station, fast food joint and book store are trying to get into the specialty coffee business? I am probably more picky about my coffee than most people, but there is no way I want the same person that flips my burger or changes my oil to make my coffee. After training dozens (if not hundreds) to make espresso drinks over the past 17 years I have encountered some that have worked in those other places. Although some have very strict procedures on how to make a drink (or a burger), they have very little appreciation for the art of making a truly great latte. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our Baristas at both of our locations for what they do, and thank all of our coffee drinkers for choosing quality over convenience.

See you soon,
Chris
PS- We do offer call ahead ordering for your convenience at both of our locations.
Canfield-330.702.9230
YSU-330.744.4272

2010-03-11T15:23:00.000-05:00

We have been searching from coast to coast to bring in some new coffees. You may have noticed our shelf of new flavors, blends, & varietals from different roasters all over the country.
Please let us know what you think! You can email me at chris@peaberryscafe.com. Thanks!
Chris

Irish White Mocha

2010-03-07T12:15:00.003-05:00

As the snow is starting to melt.. well, at least I can see the cars next door over the snowpiles. We are trying out a new drink, the Irish White Mocha. Its a blend of creamy White Chocolate & Irish Cream, Espresso and Steamed Milk all topped with Whipped Cream.

In other news, I will be spending the early part of the week here at the Canfield shop, where I get to be barista.

Hope to see you soon!

Chris

Chocolate Strawberries and Red Raspberry Pie are here

2010-02-10T15:18:00.004-05:00

Well, the Chocolate Dipped Strawberries are here.. and they look good! We also are taking orders for our Red Raspberry Pie (seen to the right). If you don't want to fight the snow to come in call us at 330.702.9230 to place an order and you can pick it up after the roads have been cleared.

Thanks for reading!

Chris

2010-02-06T08:35:00.002-05:00

Just a reminder-- We have chocolate Cherry Coffee available by the pound. Makes a great start to Valentines Day!

2010-02-03T14:11:00.002-05:00

How have you been?
I wanted to update everyone on the Chocolate Dipped Strawberries that we will be having for Valentine's Day.. We didn't like the look of the ones that came in, so we are sourcing new ones and I will let you know when they are available.
I've been serving lots of lattes at YSU, but am looking forward to getting back here to the Canfield Espresso Bar on Wednesdays. So please stop in to say hi & let me know what you have been up to.
Hope to see you soon!
Chris

Dec 18th Performance

2009-12-12T11:54:00.001-05:00

Stop in on December 18th to hear the Sterling Strings while you do a little Christmas Shopping. They are a group of 5 to 12 year old children that will be performing Christmas Music starting at 6:30pm. I am looking forward to hearing them play myself after one of them gave a sample of their music to some of our staff last week. Thanks Christina for bringing them out - I am looking forward to seeing them perform!

On a related note, if you haven't finished your shopping, we have just got in a new shipment of travel mugs. Coffees are still being roasted- we can take "Roast to Order" coffee orders through the end of the week. Our holiday menus are available for cookie trays, pastries, and our fabulous Buche de Noel!

I hope to see you soon, as I will be up here more for the rest of the year.

And thanks for supporting local businesses like us this Holiday Season!!

Chris

Winter Wonderland?!

2009-11-27T07:03:00.001-05:00

Good Morning!
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving.
It looks like we made a good choice on brewing Winter Wonderland today.. For those still sleeping due to all the turkey- It is 7:00am and the cars in the parking lot have been covered in snow in the past fifteen minutes. Looking forward to seeing everyone today after the day off. So for those of you that got up even earlier than me to go shopping today, please stop in after you are done (I could use some new clothes.. What? Your barista is not at the top of your list?). Either way I'll be glad to make your latte this morning.
See you soon!
Chris

A Quick Fall Update

2009-10-30T14:33:00.002-04:00

Here we are at the end of October, and things are in full swing here at both Peaberry's locations. Pumpkin Spice, and Pumpkin Pie Latte's are available through November. We are taking orders for Pumpkin Rolls and, gulp.. Christmas Cookies already at the Canfield location. We've been testing some flavor combinations for the upcoming winter season - and I think we have a few winners. Let me know if you would like to try a preview drink next time you see me at either location.

See you soon
Chris

Peach Tarts are here!!

2009-08-14T10:36:00.001-04:00

Just started making the first peach tarts earlier this week. I couldn't wait to have one.. Our made from scratch tart shells layered with fresh mousseline cream and topped with juicy peach slices-Good Stuff!

Chris

Local 3/50

2009-08-11T12:04:00.006-04:00

Have you heard of 3/50 Project? Its a program to help local businesses survive. Basically you pick 3 of your favorite locals to visit during the month and spend $50 at each. Supporting local business (not chains) keeps 68 cents of every dollar in the community! Follow the link below for more info.

If you are looking for a local business to support, I would be happy to recommend one..

Also check out milliverstravels.com- She blogs on her travels and she has chosen us as one of her 3 (Thanks Milli!). She has some good travel tips on there.

Enjoying a Frozen Hot Chocolate today..

See you soon,
Chris

More Chocolate Favorites

2009-08-05T10:54:00.002-04:00

Our bakers must be on a chocolate kick.. they started making turtle brownies the other day. If you have been in, hopefully you were able to pick up a sample-they went quick. We have another fresh batch today, so stop by to try them.
See you soon,
Chris

Three Words:

2009-07-31T13:48:00.002-04:00

Triple Chocolate Biscotti!
Its back! I just had a piece, and it is just the way I like it. Soft enough to eat by itself, but hard enough to dunk.

2009-07-20T13:39:00.002-04:00

Hi all!
So I've been trying to step out from behind the Espresso Machine (insert your own Chris-is-short joke here) and get caught up with the times. So I started a facebook for Peaberry's. I wanted to say thanks to all the Peaberry's fans that have found us already. I'm looking forward to getting in touch with some of our "fans" that have moved out of the area. Talk to you soon.
Chris

More for the Marines, then keep reading to get more for you

2009-07-09T06:00:00.003-04:00

Wanted to give another update for the Marines Donations- It is now over 500# that we have sent- thanks again for your generosity. Remember that every Monday we will give a Free Small Coffee to anyone that brings in a donation item (or $ for shipping) for the Marines.

Today Only- Stop in to see me from 11:00-4:00 and say "Chris Knows Coffee," I'll upgrade your drink to a large size at no charge. Thanks for reading my blog!

See you soon!

Chris

2009-07-06T12:01:00.007-04:00

I hope everyone had a great fourth! We went to the Fairgrounds for the fireworks show and the activities. Here is a picture of Tyler attempting a game..

He didn't quite make it the all the way to the end, although he did get pulled all the way back- which, for him, was just as much fun.

It was nice to see those of you I bumped into running from place to place this weekend. I'll see you soon at Peaberry's!

Chris

3x Winner Best of the Best

2009-06-25T14:18:00.001-04:00

Thank You Canfield! -
Check your local Town Crier, Peaberry's Cafe & Bakery has won Three Best of the Best Awards.

Best Cup of Coffee
Best Bakery
Best Breakfast

Thank you again!

Did you miss me?

2009-06-22T06:43:00.003-04:00

So last week was the first vacation I've taken in a while. I went with some good friends to South Carolina to visit the Beach & tour Charleston. We had a great time- waking up every morning sipping Dark Roast and watching the ocean - can't beat it. Anyway, if you have known me for a while, you know I was trying to find every local coffeehouse I could while I was gone. Unfortunately for the South Carolinians, I couldn't find many. And those that I did find, well, that's another story..
I'm happy to be back and am looking forward to seeing everyone this week. I want to hear what has been going on here. I will be happy to tell you about my vaca & I need someone to fund a Peaberry's on the beach (doesn't that sound good?).
See you soon,
Chris

Great News about Loren.

2009-06-10T10:52:00.002-04:00

For those of you that have been coming to our store for a while know Loren, Uncle Peaberry's, has been on the waiting list for a kidney. Well- I am very happy to say he got the call yesterday afternoon and had the transplant last night. The surgery went well and he will be back soon. I want to say a big thank you for all the support for Loren. We ask that you keep him in your prayers as he recovers from the surgery.

See you soon,
Chris

Update of Marines Donations, Flavor of the Day

2009-06-04T06:19:00.001-04:00

Two Things:

We have now sent over 300# of goods to the Marines.

Today's Flavor, by special request, is Chocolate Raspberry.

On my way to the store..

Chris

Streetscape

2009-06-01T08:05:00.003-04:00

Got up early Saturday morning to go downtown for Streetscape, with large latte in hand. I heard there were over 300 people there ready to plant flowers, mulch and generally clean up the downtown area and Wick Park. So as you go by the bus station downtown, take notice of the flowers in the median (and remember that I am better at making coffee than planting flowers!). It was really great to see so many people involved with beautifying the city. I'll try to post the info here for next time-but they are happy to have people show up even if they don't register ahead of time. You can visit youngstowncityscape.com for more. I have already told some of the committee that we would be happy to donate coffee for the next streetscape. Hope to see you there.

Today is my favorite scone-Cherry Cream Cheese. In case you didn't know-we make our Cherry Cream Cheese Scones from scratch right here. So if you haven't had a good scone in a while..

See you soon,

Chris

Friday

2009-05-29T06:00:00.005-04:00

Good Morning!
I'll be leaving soon to head up to the store. I get to hang out in the Bakery this morning, before moving to the espresso bar. I'll be happy to box up your pastries & take your lunch orders, but please be patient with me- I'm not used to it. We'll see if I can keep up with the girls that are there every day.
I do want to give a big thank you to the Girard High School NHS for the carload of goods that they brought in for the Marines. So far we have sent well over 200# of supplies! They greatly appreciate your support.

Stop in today to sample our newest creation-- Blueberry Cream Linzer.
If you like our Raspberry Linzer..
See you soon

Chris

Another New Salad

2009-05-26T09:08:00.004-04:00

Try our new Tropical Grilled Chicken Salad.
Made to order with Grilled Chicken, Mandarin Oranges, Dried Cranberries, Pecans, Topped with shredded Mozzarella. I like it with the Raspberry Vinaigrette. Call in your order to 330.702.9230 and we can have it ready to pick up in as little as 5 min.
See you soon.

Chris

2009-05-07T12:09:00.002-04:00

Many of you have been asking for a list of the items the Marines would like to have donated. So here it is..

Thank you so much for your support. We will gladly take any of these items and due to the great response- we need money for shipping.

Thanks again!

Chris

Collection for Marines

2009-05-02T11:03:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone!
As you may know, we have been taking collections that will be shipped to the Marines currently in Afghanistan. We sent out our first shipment the other day, of 90 pounds, and we have about 100 more we will be sending out shortly. Thank you so much for your response. People have been dropping off all kinds of non-perishable goods and necessities for the troops. We are also taking monetary donations to help with the high cost of shipping these items so far.
We are also offering a free coffee for anyone who donates everyday until May 10th, and every Monday after that. We are going to continue to collect for as long as we can. Thanks again for your support!
See you soon,
Chris

Early Mornings Now Seem Earlier!

2009-03-09T07:15:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone has been doing well. I have to admit that this past weekend is my least favorite of the whole year. Losing that hour seems to really mess up my schedule. I had to pull an extra shot for my morning latte. So as we wait for the sun to come up, we are trying some new muffins today- White Chocolate Raspberry, Banana Chocolate Chip & Apple Oats & Bran. So stop in to check them out and get some coffee to get you through the day. See you soon!
Chris

History of Coffee - Part 2

2009-01-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

How was this first coffee?
Coffee was actually first used as a solid, food-like substance! Only later was it used as a beverage. The Arabian nomads would mix the coffee beans together with other meats, fats, and beans to form a hard, oval shaped cake. The nomads would take these cakes with them on long journeys. It is thought that the caffeine in the coffee was used to keep the nomads awake-sort-of an ancient Arabian No-Doz!
The Arabs were very superstitious about the plant. They thought that if they showed it to anyone, the seed would not germinate. The Arabs had a monopoly on coffee for several generations, prohibiting the export of the green beans, or seeds. They kept the plant a secret from the rest of the world because they believed the plant had great powers.
The Arab’s coffee monopoly was finally broken in the 17th century when an Indian pilgrim names Smygloud Badu Budam smuggled seven seeds into India. The trees grew like mad there, and the monopoly was finally broken.
The First coffee blend was created by the Dutch
In 1696, a governor of the Dutch East India Company sent the first Arabian coffee seedling to the Dutch colony of Java. The Dutch became the first Europeans to grow coffee, and coffee was on its way to becoming a world-wide product. The Java coffees of that day were excellent and considered the world’s best coffees, second only to the Arabian Mochas.
The Dutch were very enterprising and managed to find a new market by creating a new concept in coffee- the coffee blend. They took the two most popular coffees and mixed them together to male “Mocha Java,” the world’s oldest coffee blend. Have you heard of it?

Check back for more..
Chris

New Breakfast Item..

2009-01-19T10:05:00.004-05:00

We have launched our newest breakfast item.

Our new made from scratch Savory Scone- served warm with ham and our new hint of spice Cheddar sauce covering it all. (I like mine with egg) Look for it the next time you stop in, it is another Peaberry's original & definetly worth a try.

In other Peaberry's News, our YSU location is in full swing- keeping the students & professors warm with lattes, mochas, (& the occasional Frozen Hot Chocolate-for those staying inside). It's nice to be back after a long, yet busy, holiday break.

Chris

Lots of Snow!

2009-01-10T14:54:00.002-05:00

So I think it is time to close up for today.. Before we all get snowed in.
Black Sheep Caravan will be playing again on Jan 24th.
So curl up with a hot chocolate, or maybe you have some peaberry blend to make at home, and stay warm tonight. We will reopen tomorrow, 8am.
See you soon,

Chris

Holidays Fast Approaching

2008-12-12T10:46:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas!

Just a quick note to remind everyone to get there orders in for the holidays.. Baskets are being constructed daily, Cookie tray orders are coming in, and coffee is being roasting well into the evening hours.

Also - Keep an eye your local Town Crier.. this week we are unveiling some great deals for December & January.

Chris

Brewing Coffee - Part 2 - Freshness

2008-12-04T09:56:00.001-05:00

Let's get fresh. (coffee, that is)

Its simple- fresher is better. As I tell every barista I train: You can make good coffee bad, but you can't make bad coffee good.

Whatever coffee you use, from a basic blend to Jamaican Blue Mountain, the coffee needs to be fresh. So, what makes fresh coffee? And where can I get it? There are a few factors.. Here are some of the most important:

First - do you know when the coffee was roasted? How long has it been on the grocery store shelf, or in that bin of beans? You want to get coffee that has been sitting on the shelf for the least amount of time. Check with your coffeehouse.. they may offer a Roast to Order program like we at Peaberry's do. This will ensure that your coffee is at the peak of freshness. One of the ways you can tell if the coffee is fresh is by smelling it.. Does it have a good aroma? or does it smell stale or have a weak smell? Is it a good representation of the origin of the coffee? (compare a Kenya AA with a Sumatra Mandheling - there is a big difference) Or simply ask when it was roasted.

Next -keep it whole bean as long as possible. The less surface area that the coffee has, the less flavor will escape. This means having a good grinder, and grinding as close to brewing as possible will help keep it fresh. And never buy pre-ground coffee. Let you coffeehouse grind it for you if you need it that way, but ground coffee significantly reduces the life of the bean.

Third -storage. Keep your coffee out of the freezer! Especially oily & dark roasted coffees. Freezing will damage the delicate flavors of coffee. I recommend keeping it in the bag you bought it in, closed, and in an sealed container away from temperature extremes. Some people will store it in the refrigerator, which is another barier to the air. But coffee is like a sponge and will absorb any flavors that are nearby, so - you have been warned! Don't put it next the the onions or tuna salad!

Storage Part 2- Coffee that is in a sealed contatiner that doesn't have a valve may already be stale. (Coffee Cans.. I'm looking at you) As soon as coffee is roasted, it startes to release its flavor in the form of gases. Presure will build up, and if there is nowhere to go (through the valve) there may be a problem. So any factory sealed container should not be trusted as fresh coffee.

Last - Enjoy a fresh cup shortly after it is brewed. Letting coffee sit in open containers allows the flavors to escape. Also - don't cook your brewed coffee, continued heat applied to brewed coffee will cause it to burn (yuck!).

For more info.. Stop in and talk to me.

See you soon,
Chris

A little coffee history

2008-11-25T17:07:00.000-05:00

The History of Coffee

Coffee has been through a lot to get where it is today. In order to really appreciate coffee, we have to go back to its roots….Literally. Coffee is indigenous to only one country-Ethiopia, which is located on the African continent. In fact, if you travel to Ethiopia today, you will still find coffee plants growing in the wild. Every coffee plant in the world that grows today is a descendent of these original Ethiopian plants. So how did coffee become so popular around the world?

It all began with Kaldi and his goats

Legend has it that one day many centuries ago, a young Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi found his goats bounding about the hillsides in a joyous frenzy. They were having a ball! Even the old and tired goats were prancing around and acting young again. Kaldi was confused. Tired and worn out himself, he watched the goats carefully to find their secrete. He found the answer when he saw the goats eating cherries from a nearby tree. After trying a few cherries himself, he felt suddenly rejuvenated.

That’s when the monks got involved

A monk from a nearby monastery came upon Kaldi one day, determined to find out how he and the goats got all their energy. The monk ate from the plant and he, too, was revitalized. He brought some cherries back to the monastery to help the monks stay awake during the long religious services. Soon all the monasteries used the coffee cherries as a part of their services. The monks believed the plants were magical and were linked to the religious.
During the 5th and 6th centuries AD, the Ethiopians invaded Arabia (now called Yemen) and brought some of their magical seeds. The Arabs did not drink alcohol, so they were enraptured by the fruit that has some of the same invigorating and stimulating properties. The Arabs became the first people to actually cultivate coffee plants. In fact, the first recorded word for coffee is in Arabic. It is qahwah (KAH wah), meaning “Arab’s wine.”

Stay tuned for more..

Chris

Fall Favorites Return

2008-10-31T09:46:00.002-04:00

Now that there is a chill in the air and the leaves have turned, the time has come to make some of our favorite fall classics. Such as the Pumpkin Mousseline tart.. Only available for a limited time!

Brewing Coffee - Part 1

2008-10-21T22:03:00.004-04:00

One of the most common questions I hear is "How much coffee should I use?"

Simple Answer:
2 level tablespoons per cup

Complex answer:
This depends on many factors..
How fresh is your coffee?
How fine is your grind?
What method are you using to brew?
How hard/soft is your water?
Not to mention the type of coffee, total amount of coffee you are making, the water temperature, how much, if any, of the water are you bypassing, and the total brew time.
And most importantly, how do you like your coffee?

We will delve deeper into these issues in the future. But for now, I'll cover the basics.
When you are brewing coffee, you are dealing with the extraction of the flavors locked in the coffee bean. Finding the perfect balance of the factors mentioned above will help to unlock the potential of your coffee.

We'll assume that you are using fresh coffee.. please not from a can!! If not- Please stop in to see me and we will get you set up with the good stuff! Basically, fresh coffee has not lost its flavor yet; stale (ground, older that a month) coffee will start to have the flavor deteriorate.

Starting with a fresh, basic, non-flavored coffee - say, Peaberry Blend - you will want to have it ground according to the method of brewing you are going to be using. Generally, cone filters use a finer grind, percolators use a coarser grind. This may require that you use slightly more or less coffee to achieve the perfect cup.

Different brewers may cause slight changes in the amount of coffee you will need, consult you manual and if is says anything other than 2 tablespoons per cup, take note.

The water is also vitally important to a good cup. Filtered water is what I recommend, not distilled. I have a lot to say about water.. no, really.. I do. I'll rant about that later, for now, just know that water that is too soft will not extract the flavors very well, and water that is too hard will ruin you machine. The water in this area needs help.. Since you probably don't have a massive sub micron filtration system like we do at the store, at least run your tap through a filter to remove some of the particles.

Taking note of all that we've covered above, here is the most important part: Your tastes. To make the coffee stronger, simply add more ground coffee to the filter and brew until the taste you enjoy is achieved. If you enjoy a weaker brew add hot water to the coffee after brewing. Increasing the water to coffee ration simply makes the coffee thin and over-extracts the grounds in the filter, causing an undesirable cup.

I hope that this helps.. check back for more in-depth posts on different aspects of brewing.

See you soon

Chris

Pear Pecan Tarts

2008-09-25T13:11:00.002-04:00

I may have mentioned this before.. but one of my favorite things about running a bakery/cafe is that I get to try all the new creations that our bakers come up with. Just as I was walking in this morning and started brewing the first Peaberry Blend, I wondered what they might have in store for me today. Then I heard heavenly voices singing, and a beam of light shone on one perfect pastry. A great balance of flavors- ripe Pears, chopped Pecans and a touch of Cinnamon with our rich pastry cream atop a homemade tart shell. Wow! Just what I needed.

We will be making our Pear Pecan Tarts for a limited time. I hope you get to try one before they are gone! (They go great with a lighter coffee & our house blend as well!)

See you soon!

Chris

YSU Loves thier coffee!

2008-09-08T21:00:00.002-04:00

Welcome Back YSU Students!

I've been spending a lot of my time at our YSU Location in Kilcawley Center.. Serving up Lattes, Mochas, and quite a few Frozen Hot Chocolates to everyone from tenured professors to incoming freshmen. They need their coffee too! Looking forward to being able to see everyone again in Canfield, other than when I stop in afternoons & weekends. I know Quinn & crew have been taking good care of you.

Drop me a line (chris@peaberryscafe.com) if you have any coffee related questions, or just to let me know what's going on. See you soon!

Chris

Rick Blair Videos

2008-08-05T11:55:00.002-04:00

Here are a couple videos of Rick's Performances here so far.. His next is Saturday, August 16th.
Katelyn Jancay performs Friday the 15th

http://youtube.com/watch?v=smTIh-9bE9g
http://youtube.com/watch?v=8rT0S5K85rU

Chris

Jason Mowry - Acoustic Guitar

2008-08-02T19:35:00.001-04:00

Jason is starting to play..

Jason is Ready for Tomorrow..

2008-08-01T13:10:00.001-04:00

Jason "Triple Americano" Mowry was in this morning talking about what he will be playing tomorrow. It sounds like its going to be a good mix of blues/folk music and some contemporary acoustic songs. Get here early to get a good seat and listen to some good music.

Also, for those who know April, she is home now. We wish her a full & speedy recovery.

Chris

New Product - Our own Bottled Water

2008-07-28T12:52:00.002-04:00

I am proud to announce -- we now have our own bottled water. It comes from a local spring and is available for 1.25 a bottle. (Fiji Artesian Water lovers - don't worry - we will have both available) Anyone interested in cases of the water, let me know..

Also - We have a new musician performing this Saturday 7:30-9:30, Jason Mowry plays acoustic guitar and sings for your entertainment.

Stay tuned for more..

Chris

April - We're thinking of you

2008-07-28T09:39:00.000-04:00

No good deed goes unpunished..

One of our favorites, April, was involved in a fundraiser motorcycle ride and fell off her bike. Everyone here hopes you have a speedy recovery and we will have an iced non-fat caramel temptation ready for you when you return.

The Peaberry's Crew

The Bennetts

2008-07-19T19:55:00.002-04:00

Erik, Kristin, & Jarod (aka the Bennetts)

Performing last Saturday

New Biscotti now cooling off/Bennetts warming up

2008-07-18T10:25:00.003-04:00

It's a little warm out there today.. so I'm cooling off with a Pomegranate-Mango Italian Soda as I write this.

Remember Erik Bennett? He used to be the regular morning barista when I was slinging coffee over at YSU. You know Kristin from the evening shift. And you can meet Jared, the younger brother, Saturday. They are going to be here performing tomorrow from 7:00-9:00pm. Its going to be a fun night, many of you have already told me you are going to be here. So stop by & say hello to a Past, Present, & Future (Jared, want to work w/ your sis?) Barista. I'll see you here!

Here's what else is going on this week.. Our Newest Biscotti, Double Chocolate, has just cooled down and is ready to eat. We attempted to make a chocolate biscotti that is good enough to have with a dark roast or to enjoy by itself, all without too much chocolate (triple chocolate biscotti recipes now being accepted). Let us know what you think.

See you soon!
Chris

Future Coffee Lovers

2008-07-09T13:11:00.003-04:00

Here's a picture of Tyler & Natalie (both future Mocha Drinkers) hanging out by the espresso bar.

Meet the roaster day

2008-07-08T08:27:00.002-04:00

Good Morning!

Just blogging between making coffees this morning.

I wanted to invite you to meet Dave, our roaster, today. He will be here until 2:00 to answer questions, share some estate brews, and impart coffee knowledge to anyone that will listen. Please stop in if you can.. or if you are unable to make it, post your question or comment here & we'll get back to you. See you soon!

Chris

Homemade Cookie Special

2008-07-01T07:43:00.006-04:00

Looks like we are going to have a nice day. The sun is out- great morning to sip some dark roast on the patio. (I'm a little jealous of those on our patio right now!) We can use a few nice ones after the weekend.

The 4th of July is right around the corner, so we are working overtime getting everything ready for thursday's orders of star-shaped iced sugar cookies (they look really good, I'll probably be eating one later), pasta salad, sandwich trays, etc.

I've talked to the bakers and we would like to give you a special for reading this blog.. stop in or call (330.702.9230) today to order 12 of our homemade iced sugar cookies for pick up tomorrow or thursday and we'll give you 2 more free. Just mention this blog.

Thanks for reading!

Chris

I love this Job..

2008-06-27T14:10:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite parts of running this bakery/cafe is the taste testing I get to do. As we approach July & our 15th anniversary celebration, we have been trying some new recipes, breads, pastries, sandwiches & even some retail items. I want to invite everyone to try some of our newest creations the week of July 7th-13th. I don't want to spoil the surprise, but I will say that everyone should try the Roast Beef on Jalapeno Cornbread. We also are kicking around the idea of having some of you help create our new menu. So if you have any good recipes, make sure to stop in that week, there will be some pretty good rewards for the the recipes that make it on our menu (and Bragging Rights!). Check back for more.

Chris

15 years of Coffee, Pastries & The Traveling Espresso

2008-06-17T20:20:00.000-04:00

It's on the way.. a couple pounds of Peaberry's Espresso are headed to Florida to satisfy the needs of one of my favorite, although seasonal, coffee-lovers. Barb- we'll miss you, until you drive the 1100 miles or so for your latte. Good luck down there, and let me know when you'll be coming back.

In other news: Peaberry's will be celebrating 15 years of great coffee, made from scratch pastries, and delicious sandwiches. Keep an eye on our calendar, from July 7th to 13th, there will be specials, prizes, and giveaways. You can try our newest sandwiches, meet our roaster, and help us decide what we should add to our menu.

I'll tell you about one of the specials we will be running.. Order our homemade Biscotti or Iced Sugar Cookies and get 15 for the price of 12. We do ask that you order them a day in advance, as we want to get you the freshest baked goods possible (made from scratch right here, in our ovens). We will be running this special the entire week of our 15 anniversary. You can even phone in your order (330.702.9230)

Keep checking our calendar for more..

Chris

2008-06-11T13:19:00.000-04:00

So I got back late last night... What a trip! Any chance to get to a F1 grand prix is great, but Montreal was a completely different experience for me. If you didn't see the race, you missed a good one. Those cars are so much more impressive in person!

But there was more to this trip: the city, the night life, the food. Montreal had some great restaurants (and some good coffee, too). I would recommend The Oyster Shack on Bishop (thanks Peter- outstanding lobster!).

I could have spent a few days just walking around the city looking at the cathedrals & architecture, checking out the local scene, but it was time to come home. I missed my Peaberry's lattes and the morning coffee crew.

Sounds like it was a good weekend at home. Congrats to the Canfield Girls Softball team on winning state. Kelly Pavlik defended his title (I was lucky enough to catch the fight- impressive 3 round victory for Kelly). I heard that Adrian was just as good as last time- if you haven't seen him play yet, check him out Friday, June 20th before he leaves for Mexico.

In other Acoustic Music news: Rick Blair will be playing again for your listening pleasure this Saturday the 14th. He starts at 7:30pm, so come grab a seat, sandwich, a latte, or pastry and enjoy!

Check our calendar for more performances, and our specials for the 15 anniversary celebration( www.peaberryscafe.com/calendar/).

Talk to you soon,

Chris

Adrian is back

2008-06-05T10:52:00.000-04:00

I'm pleased to announce that Adrian Labra is back to entertain us again Saturday. He will be playing from 7:30 to 9:30. So stop in, have your favorite drink, a terrific dessert and enjoy the evening in a relaxed atmosphere.
Adrian will be leaving to spend a few months in Mexico in July so come by and see him before he is gone for the summer.

We have also added music to our outside patio area to make your visit more enjoyable now that the days and evenings are made to be outside.

I'm off to Montreal to see the F1 race this weekend, so stop by after Tuesday and we can talk about the trip and how the French Canadian coffee stacks up the Peaberrys brews. Don't worry, Marcia & Quinn will make sure your favorite drinks are made just how you like them.

Chris

Seville Orange Today/French Vanilla Tomorrow

2008-06-03T18:37:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all of you that have been braving the construction on 224 to get your morning latte!
As someone that has been driving through it almost every day, I think the traffic is moving through the construction quickly. I have been only delayed by a moment heading towards Peaberry's & hardly at all going towards Boardman.

Seville Orange is the Flavored Coffee today. It sure smells good! And it has quickly become a staff favorite. Thanks for suggesting it, Jackie! I'm still stuck on the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Latte (with an extra shot of espresso) though.
Tomorrow I think I'll brew French Vanilla, always popular. Let me know if there are any other flavors you would like to see. Post it here or email me: chris@peaberryscafe.com.

Chris

2008-06-02T07:38:00.000-04:00

Just found out from the mother of the game-winning homerun hitter that the Canfield girls softball team is only 2 games away from State! Good luck from all of us at Peaberry's.

2008-05-27T16:55:00.000-04:00

So here we are, our first attempt at blogging..

We have come a long way since we first opened our doors in 1993. Now with a relatively new location in Canfield and surpassing a decade on the campus of YSU, we have learned a thing or two about coffee. I have grown up in this business, learned a lot from my father & uncle, from our roasters & coffee providers, from experiences on many espresso machines (more than I can remember) and from many of you coffee-lovers out there.

I plan on using this to preach about good coffee, of course, but also to keep you informed of all things Peaberry: Entertainment, specials, new items, other fun tid-bits on the life of a coffeehouse owner.

Talk to you soon!

Chris