Wow - time flies when things are going crazy!  Sorry for the lack of updates on all things coffee catering and the new shop.  Quickly, things in Downtown Edmond are coming along nicely.  We will try to get a post up soon with some construction photos but wiring is almost done, framing is done, floors are being patched and we are super excited.  We just have a somewhat large piece of the puzzle we need to get figured out and then we will be ready to start on the finishing type work which will make it all come together.  More on that later.

Ah, for this week. We’ve been looking forward to this week for awhile.  There are two super cool events happening and we will be at both of them!  The first is on Thursday, February 2nd.  Here are the details:

Event: Chocolate Decadence

For tickets: Purchase Today!

Details and Overview:  Historic Automobile Alley cordially invites you to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Chocolate Decadence, one of Oklahoma City’s most anticipated events and Valentine traditions. Chocolate Decadence 2012 will be held Thursday, February 2 from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m., again at 825 N. Broadway, the Hudson-Essex Loft Offices, in one of the coolest venues this City has to offer. The party showcases decadent chocolate treats from premier local restaurants and caterers while featuring smooth jazz, wine and champagne, gourmet coffees and the ever popular Valentine auction. Chocolate Decadence has enjoyed sold out crowds for the past several years and the same is expected this year. Purchase your tickets early so so you don’t miss the most decadent event of the year! (overview taken from downtownokc.com. More info can be found here!)

We are working on something coffee / chocolate / goodness for the event so be sure to come by and have a taste!  Of course, we will have all the specialty coffee favorites as well as a few on the pour over bar.  Should be a good time so go get your tickets today!

Then, to follow up all that chocolate, we’re going to be eating omelettes with some of the best chef’s in town at the Omelette Party! This event helps out our friends at the OKC Museum of Art!  Here are some details for this event that is happening on Saturday:

Event: The Omelette Party

For Tickets: Online or at the MOA Ticket Office

Details and Overview: The evening includes dancing to live music to the JetSet Kings, DJ by Chameleon Entertainment, cocktails, an art raffle of more than 50 local artists, and, of course, gourmet omelettes prepared by area chefs and restaurants. This year’s Event chair is Allen Brown and co-chairs are Lea and Mike Morgan. Tickets are $80 in advance only. TICKETS WILL NOT BE SOLD ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2012. All proceeds benefit the Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s exhibitions. Purchase tickets online at okcmoa.com* or by phone, (405) 236-3100, ext. 237. Must be 21 years or older to enter. All sales are final. No refunds. Parking is $3 at the Coca-Cola Bricktown Events Center. *Online sales end February 2, 2012.

So, that’s a lot of coffee and a lot of fun!  We’d love to see you guys on Thursday or Saturday or both!  Come grab coffee and make a night of it.

Enjoy your Monday.

It is 2012 which seems like the perfect time to start drinking better coffee at work.  Yes, your boss or co-worker (maybe even you!) may have received a new Keurig for Christmas that you can use for your morning cup. Well, that only gets you TO work.  What then?

We are here to help!  From now until next Friday, we are offering a killer deal for offices and retail shops.  Thats right, when you book 2 coffee bars for your office or store, EVOKE will throw in a third date, FREE! Here are the details:

• You must book 2 consecutive coffee bars (monthly, weekly, etc) 
• Bars will be booked and billed together as a package
• 50% will be due at contracting with the remainder due the day of the final bar
• Special ends next Friday, January 13th, 2012 @ 5:00p
• Free Coffee Bar is valid for events of equal or lesser value of the two that were paid for
• Free Coffe Bar must be booked within 1 month of last paid bar

You may be sitting there thinking about how this really could work for your office or store.  When you sign up with this special, you are not only offering your clients and shoppers a great latte, mocha or other specialty coffee drink, you are setting the stage for a great day with your staff as well.  The room will smell like coffee and your staff will have that great kick start that they need to make it happen that day.

At EVOKE, we don’t charge a per drink fee or add anything to your invoice. What we quote is final and you know everything up front.  Really what that boils down to is that you can have as many vanilla or caramel lattes as you would like for the amount of time you want us to be there!  

Give us a call or head on over to the contact form on the website and get in touch with us. We will get you a quote and more information about this awesome deal!

Remember though: You have to have this contracted BEFORE 5:00p next Friday!

Have a great weekend and we look forward to sipping with you soon.

Congrats to those that got engaged over the holidays!  We’re excited for you. We just wanted to take a second to let all of you know that we will have coffee bars at the Savvy Bridal Fair on Saturday, February 14th!  Quickly, here are the show vitals:

• Date: Saturday, February 14th, 2012

• Time: 11:00a - 3:00p

• Location: Oklahoma Christian University’s Garvey Center (2501 E Memorial Road, Edmond)

• Official Website: The Savvy Bridal Fair

We will have free coffee samples for all and also discounts for those that come and book at the show!  What’s better than that?  Not only can you get the rest of your wedding day planned in one rush, but you can drink a perfect latte for free from Cafe Evoke Catering!  

We hope you will make plans to bring your crew out to Oklahoma Christian for the bridal show.  If you are not engaged, then tell your friends that are!

We look forward to seeing you there.

This is our official HUGE THANK YOU to all of you for a great year of coffee and events!  

2011 has been crazy that is for sure.  With a crazy snow storm in February, heat like crazy during the summer and a somewhat warm December, we don’t know what to expect next. 

What we do know?  2012 is a start to a new chapter for us as a coffee company and we couldn’t thank you enough for being with us on this journey!

EVOKE - will be opening it’s doors in downtown Edmond in the Spring of 2012!  A new home for our mobile coffee company and a new place to call “your coffee place” in the Edmond area.  It has been a long time coming and we are ready to start sipping with you every day!

First, THANK YOU for having us as part of your events across Oklahoma.  We appreciate you trusting us with your friends and family and hope we have the opportunity to continue to be your coffee provider in the future.

Second, THANK YOU to our great crew: Johnny, Nate, Jon, Brian and Matt (and to Adam and Micah for filling in when we needed ya!).  Couldn’t ask for a better group!

Now, we want to give a shout-out to all of our vendor friends that help us make great coffee and help us keep our service top notch.

Batdorf and Bronson Coffee Roasters, Verve Coffee Roasters and Elemental Coffee Roasters keep our press pots and hoppers filled with some of the best coffees from around the world.  With our coffee being the foundation to our business, it’s great to have committed and consistent roasters behind us.  

Eco Products delivers the best eco friendly paper products for our coffee bars.  When we aren’t using ceramic, the only other choice even worth considering are the green stripped corn cups.  

Routin 1883 Gourmet Flavorings and Monin Gourmet keep the bar sweet when that is your choice of drinks.  While we prefer it traditional, when we do add flavor, we want it to be the natural choice. It’s better for both you and the coffee!

Mountain Cider Company keeps our apple loving friends nice and warm with their killer spiced cider - a huge hit at every winter event!

Bodum french presses and water kettles keep the cups filled.

La Marzocco espesso machines kick out that killer espresso each and every time and Bunn Water Filters keep the fresh water abundant.

Braum’s for sourcing some great milk.  It steams sweet and pretty! (even though they do not wholesale or delivery!)

Our friends at EspressoParts.com for stocking and creating some of coffee’s best gear.

Cuppies and Joe, Crimson and Whipped Cream and Coffee Slingers for product sharing and trading - all great places so visit them all!

Cheevers Catering, Seasons Catering and all the other great local food our clients get to eat at their events.

CoffeeFest Trade Shows for giving us a great reason to hang with all our coffee friends from across the US and for Barista Exchange for keep us as up to date as possible.

We want to thank Barista Magazine and Fresh Cup for keeping the coffee news flowing to the studio.   Also another shout out to Fresh Cup for allowing us to grace the September cover!  

So, here’s to 2011 - it was tough, fun, and eye opening!  High Fives to all and we can’t wait for 2012!  We appreciate all of your addictions to the world’s best coffees and for demanding quality coffee and service at your events and in your day to day sippings.  

Have a great holiday and remember to sit back and enjoy the time with friends, family and your favorite cup.

Sweet.  Sip away and we look forward to drinking with you soon.

Jason and Jenni

Cafe Evoke Catering

Or “cup it” as we like to say in the coffee world..  Our good friend Jason Dominy who works with other good friends, Batdorf and Bronson Coffee Roasters shared an article recently from Serious Eats talking about coffee tasting and how to get better at it.  Now, this blog isn’t really a “link” blog but it seems that every now and then we should share with you some things that we are ready around EVOKE.

Tastebud Training: How To Become A Better Coffee Taster  gives several great tips on how to becoming a better coffee taster.  While cupping is typically done on a large table at a roasting facility or buying room, we think it is smart for any coffee person to give it a go.  At EVOKE, we try to cup as many of the new brew coffees that we get as possible.  It’s a way that our barista can “get to know” the coffee a bit better which then helps us talk about them with our coffee drinking friends when we are out at events (or maybe when you come in to the new shop space in downtown Edmond!).  Here are the types of things the article gives you to think about:

1. Sip Before Sugar

2. Practice Makes Perfect

3. The Nose Knows

4. Compare and Contrast

5. Quit Smoking

What we always tell each other when we beging cupping is that you taste what you taste.  There is really no “wrong” answer when we start to talk about the characteristics in the cup or what we get on the nose.  Many people say that all they smell or taste is coffee.  We have found that mainly it is because there were not enough coffees on the table!  Be sure when you are cupping coffees that you have several to compare to.

**Updated**

If you are in the OKC area, there is a public cupping that happens on Saturday’s at Coffee Slingers and also classy every so often at Elemental Coffee Roasters.  Be sure to check one or both of them out!

Anyway, check out the article and see what they have to say about the areas above! 

Thoughts?