Coffee sampling at Caffé Artigiano with Sammy Piccolo : Tiny Bites

Coffee sampling at Caffé Artigiano with Sammy Piccolo

2 Comments Karen HamiltonNovember 30, 2008

When I first set out to investigate the state of specialty coffee in Vancouver this summer, I had the chance to sit down with award-winning barista Sammy Piccolo for an informal chat at the bustling JJ Bean on Commercial drive. Down to earth and happy to meet a newcomer to coffee, he extended an invitation to visit him for a personal coffee tasting. I took Sammy up on his offer last week at the Caffé Artigiano that he runs in the heart of Capitol Hill.

My first reaction as I strolled into the Burnaby café was astonishment: it was huge! Seating for 20 by the bar with capacity for another 30 in the adjoining room. The space was already decked out for Christmas; ornaments hung from the chandelier and toy soldiers lined the walls. After greeting Sammy, I chose the table closest to the brightly lit Christmas tree and ordered some lunch.

Sammy, four-time Canadian Barista Champion and three-time finalist in the World Barista Competitions, poured my latte himself. I counted myself lucky that such an accomplished barista was making me coffee. In the 5 minutes it took to unpack my camera and remove all the layers I was wearing that chill and foggy day, I observed the remarkable staying power of the latte art atop my drink.

My first sip issued pillowy foam and hazelnut. It was delicate for what I expected out of an espresso blend, and it seemed that the flavours of the steamed milk were given almost as much attention as the characteristics of the espresso itself. I savoured the faint aroma of cream and caramel as I downed the rest of the cup, stirring the the milk into the espresso as Sammy suggested to create further balance and bring out its inherent sweetness.

Between sips, I nibbled at an Autostrada panino, first extracting all the green olives from the housemade bread to enjoy them on their own. The Autostrada was layered with salami, prosciutto, mortadella, capicolla, and provolone, accompanied by a side of fresh tomato drizzled with garlic mayo and a crackle of pepper.

Sammy also brought me a bowl of curry chicken soup for me to sample. Being the soup fiend that I am, this was a pleasant bonus, and eclipsed the appeal of the panino the moment the bowl was set in front of me. This soup delivered in spice and heartiness. The potato had a nice bite–not too mushy or starchy and yet not undercooked. Even the carrots retained its shape and texture. The regular-sized serving would have been a perfect portion for me on its own, so I had a lot of leftover food by the time my stomach protested. I gobbled as much as I dared (taking care to leave room for more libations) and packaged the rest for a late afternoon redux. Too bad this café wasn’t around when I worked at the nearby bank; I’d have been a regular lunchtime patron!

Ben, the late-night manager of the Hastings & Rosser location, stopped by with a French press tasting of the featured Panama La Carleida: the winner of the Best of Panama auction this year. 49th Parallel, partner roaster for Artigiano and run by Sammy’s brothers Vince and Michael Piccolo, purchased the entire crop for exclusive distribution through Artigiano.

Panama La Carleida
Best of Panama Auction Winner #1, 2008

$10 / 8oz cup
Available by single serving French press

$105 for a 1/2 lb bag

Coffee group: Café Granja La Esperanza
Growing region: Jaramillo arriba
Variety: geisha
Elevation: 1550 metres
Cupping score: 93.16

Artisan-roasted whole bean coffee

This amazing coffee encompasses a unison of complexity and engaging flavours. Florals and jasmine balanced with a high citrus acidity and sweet tropical fruits synch perfectly. This year’s Best of Panama auction took in $47 USD / lb in its green bean state. The entire lot of 200 lbs was roasted to perfection by 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters and will be sold exclusively at Caffé Artigiano.

I had read these stats while munching on my soup and sandwich, so I sat there with skepticism as the press brewed in front of me. How much better can this coffee be to justify such prices?

After the first few sips, it became apparent why this bean garnered such high praise. It was the most complex coffee I had tasted to date: mild, sweet, and fruity in the nose with notes of apricot at its hottest that morphed into unripe plum as it cooled. It reminded me of the first Kenyan I had had on a Clover, but with a lot more fruit and a muted brightness.

The cooler it got, the more I tasted red fruit and a mild tartness…cranberry, perhaps? Didn’t taste the jasmine, but it was easy to see how this cup could be likened to tea: it had a similar body without being watery and one of the more delicate finishes that I’ve experienced in a cup of coffee. All in all, it was a fantastic coffee whose flavour profile still lingers in my memory. I don’t think I would pay for such an expensive bag for home consumption (I’d probably butcher the brew!) but I highly recommend at least one taste at the Artigiano nearest you.

My exploration of the Artigiano chain did not stop with this visit. When my brother-in-law flew in from Calgary the following weekend, we brunched at the location on Hastings & Granville, where all the foodstuffs are housemade and distributed to the rest of the cafés in the Lower Mainland.

Sammy sold me on the Uova Napolitano, so that was my meal choice. It was an enormous plate of poached eggs in a tomato, onion, and oregano sauce, served with sauteed potatoes and spicy Italian sausage. It could have easily fed all three of us! I’ll have to remember how large this dish is the next time I come in for breakfast.

My husband had the daily omelette and my brother-in-law chose the smoked salmon bagel. The omelette was deemed so-so–plain compared to what I had ordered–but my BIL relished his bagel (though I had dibs on all the capers). I ordered a ristretto that was a little too bold on its own. A splash of milk and a package of brown sugar did much to mellow it out. Good on its own was the cup of drip hailing from Mexico that my husband chose. As I was beginning to identify in many of Artigiano roasts I’ve tried, this one had a pleasant balance and a nutty appeal.

My BIL liked his first Artigiano experience so much that my husband took him to the Hornby location the following morning, with both of them indulging in the daily coffee and reporting back with two thumbs up. I likewise returned to the Burnaby location some days later (and incognito) to sample the day’s Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and a beautiful smoked turkey panino. It was nice to be able to balance out my initial visit, where I was treated to lunch by Sammy, with several visits on my own dime, and I am happy to say that subsequent visits to a number of different locations were all positive experiences in taste, ambiance, and customer service.

I hope that upon his return to Calgary, my brother-in-law will be pleased by the Artigiano in his city as much as we enjoy the ones in greater Vancouver.