Magic Beans

The “god shot” is, to continue the religious analogy, the Holy Grail for baristas — an espresso shot pulled so perfectly its froth has an orange glow, its stream a rust colour (preferably striped), and its taste… unlike anything you have had before. Complex and fruity, sweet, sour and bitter — divine.

The perfect espresso depends on a dozen factors coming together within about 30 seconds: The heat of the water, the water pressure, the right amount of coffee and how much it is flattened down (the tamp), the cleanliness of the machine… and that’s before we even get onto the coffee: Freshly ground (to the right grind), high-quality beans (perfectly roasted), the right air humidity and ambient temperatures. When all these come into alignment, the barista may, just may, hit the god shot. Top baristas hope to hit a god shot about once in seven.

Think coffee in North America and it’s the Pacific Northwest that comes to mind: Seattle and Portland have long been coffee meccas, as has Vancouver (although Melbourne seems to have taken over).

At one of Caffè Artigiano’s branches in Vancouver — the chain is often cited as having some of the best coffee in the city – I meet Phil Hong, an award-winning barista and self-professed coffee geek (Caffè Artigiano churns out winners like it does espressos). He describes the rigorous training process of becoming a barista, from steaming the milk to the “coffee art.”

“Vancouver has a really strong palate and they appreciate coffee,” adds Caffè Artigiano vice-president Todd Pollock. “There’s an appreciation by people who don’t just want a 24-ounce cup of coffee, but just a good quality coffee and a comfortable and lively place to sit. We are also very much part of the community.”

Pollock also identifies a movement from a recent trend in flavoured coffees back to basics — excellent espressos and lattes (although the flat white still remains an antipodean favourite... for now). 

Vancouver has an abundance of excellent coffee houses both to drink in and buy coffee: Le Marché St. George (4393 St. George), with beans from local roasters Oughtred, and the new, and lovely, Nelson the Seagull (315 Carrall St., Gastown.)

Vancouver, of course, doesn’t hold a monopoly on great coffee houses — you can find examples of that “god shot” in most cities in Canada.

How To… Make the Perfect Coffee 
Caffè Artigiano's expert guide to creating the best home brew

Drip brewer 
Many homes have a drip coffee brewer that is used in their morning coffee preparation. Try to bring the water to 200 F to enhance the flavour and aroma of your coffee.

Step 1 Measure out your water — having the correct water-to-ground coffee ratio is critical. Use filtered water.

Step 2 Measure out your ground coffee. A weight measure is the best way to determine your coffee amount rather than scooping tablespoons. Weigh out 14 grams (approx. ½ ounce) of coffee per cup to be brewed.

Step 3 Run some water through your paper filter to remove any paper taste.

Step 4 Put the coffee in the filter basket and give it a light shake. Ensure your beans are ground according to your basket type: Cone-basket grind is slightly finer than the flat-bottom grind setting.

Step 5 Brew your coffee.

Step 6 Don’t leave your coffee on the warming element after brewing; serve straight away or transfer to a preheated thermos or air-pot. Leaving your brewed coffee on the warming element continues to “cook” and change the chemical structure of your coffee.

French press (cafetière)
This is a great preparation method to enjoy the full spectrum of what a coffee has to offer; it truly showcases the essential compounds of each coffee. A robust Italian roast has great body and texture.

Step 1 Preheat your French press. An insulated press is ideal.

Step 2 Pre-weigh your ground coffee: 1.6 grams of coffee per ounce of water (for 16 ounces use 25 grams of coffee).

Step 3 Place your coffee in the preheated press. Heat the water to 200 F (if you don’t have a thermometer, bring to a boil then let sit for less than a minute; that will give you a temperature in that target range).

Step 4 Slowly pour the water over the grounds in a circular motion to ensure saturation of the grounds.

Step 5 With a spoon, give a gentle stir to disrupt the coffee bloom. Place the lid on the press and let dwell for three minutes and thirty seconds.

Step 6 When the timer goes off, depress the plunger in a slow, fluid motion and serve immediately. If not consuming the full press right away, transfer the brewed coffee into a preheated air-pot or thermos, or avoid over-extraction of the coffee in the French press.

Pour over 
This is typically a single-cup preparation that highlights the subtlety and clarity of a coffee, through a shorter dwell time and filtered preparation. You will need a coffee dripper or a Chemex paper filter. 

Step 1 Place your filter in the coffee dripper or Chemex and pour some heated water through to rinse the filter and warm the vessel, then discard the water.

Step 2 Add your ground coffee to the filter (medium-fine grind setting similar to a soft sand texture).

Step 3 Pour water that has just come from boil out of the kettle slowly counter-clockwise over the grounds in a circular motion, about one inch in diameter from the centre of the filter.

Step 4 Dwell time should be three minutes to run the water through. 

Canada's Best Coffee Shops

CALGARY 
Jelly Modern Donuts
Yes, it’s the exemplary donuts you really go for, but the coffee is good too. 
» jellymoderndoughnuts.com

HALIFAX
Steve-O-Reno’s
Cappuccino masters with three locations across Halifax. 
» steveorenos.com

MONTREAL
Terra Coffee Company 
Fairly traded coffee since 1978. It also sells its own pre-packed coffee. 
» terracaf.ca

TORONTO
Sam James Coffee Bar
Everyone loves Sam James. There’s a branch on Harbord and another on Bloor. They also roast their own coffee.
» samjamescoffeebar.com

White Squirrel 
As the lineups attest, this diminutive Queen West shop sells first-class coffee. 
» whitesquirrelcoffee.com

WINNIPEG
The Fyxx Espresso Bar 
A favourite of ours for fabulous coffee.
See pics at lifestylermagazine.tumblr.com
» thefyxx.ca 

VANCOUVER
Caffè Artigiano
A Vancouver stalwart serving Italian-style coffee in relaxed surroundings. 
» caffeartigiano.com

Nelson the Seagull
A quirky little place that specializes in “bread and coffee.” It’s a lovely Gastown joint. What’s not to like? 
» nelsontheseagull.com

VICTORIA
Discovery Coffee 
A sustainable café and roastery (also serves pretty delectable cakes). 
» discoverycoffee.com 


& Make sure to check out our tips for buying the best coffee. • 


Photo Courtesy: Caffè Artigiano