Greetings, Coffee Crew,

House Blend coffee has a syrupy body, citrus notes, and a nice toffee finish. Enjoy this luscious coffee with apple pie, or pasta. This coffee also works well as an iced coffee.

As many of you know, my daughter, Tanya has been our Customer Relations person for a few years now. She is a busy gal and works 2 family businesses with her husband. As if she didn’t have enough to do, Tanya is taking on another venture.
The good news is that Ben & Melissa Storest have joined the team at Fieldhead’s Coffee. I am excited to have more help at the roastery AND to take over Tanya’s role at FHC.
As always, I am here any time you need me, so please don’t hesitate to call or email.

Drink of the week:
Orange Bliss – Start with rich shots of espresso, add dark chocolate, orange syrup (orange zest if you have it), milk, add ice and shake.
I would suggest also trying this with a Guatemala coffee brewed double strength, add chocolate, orange, and a splash of milk for another twist on this drink.

An apple a day -
100% apple juice contains antioxidants that break down “bad” cholesterol (LDL) that builds up over time in your arteries.
Atherosclerosis, artery hardening, can cause heart attacks and strokes.
Cardiovascular disease is the top cause of death in America, with one occuring every minute.

Trivia: Earthworms are an encouraging sign that the soil is clear of chemicals and rich in nutrients.

Make it a great week!

Good Morning, Coffee Crew,

Remember When is an Indonesian blend that pairs nicely with dark chocolate or prime rib. The full body, blending of fruit and earthiness, and creamy finish is a great way to start your day.

The volatile coffee market is affecting everyone, from farmers to the consumer. Coffee is second only to oil as the #2 traded commodity in the world. The stock and futures traders are driving prices upward along with the heavy demand globally.
There are a few coffees we don’t have at this time because of the difficulty exporting from the countries of origin.
As always, we carry only the best beans available. I am thankful for the efforts made by our importer in sourcing great coffees.

Training tip: Use your Fieldhead’s Field Guide for training new employees. Develop an ongoing training program that includes several days working with a key employee, test the new employee with a written quiz and drink making skills, and be sure to follow up within a month to re-test. You will have the opportunity to fine tune the new barista’s skills, teach new techniques, and keep them motivated to become the very best they can be.
Steaming Milk: I like to recommend practicing with water and a drop of dish soap in the steaming pitcher, just to get the feel for the machine and how it all works. Then work with milk. I believe it is a small investment for a barista or cafe’ owner to use a gallon of milk to practice steaming milk and creating exceptional foam for lattes and cappuccinos. The customers benefit if you give away “practice drinks”. Hmmm… Sounds like a great marketing opportunity for your shop… “Practice Day Specials”

Fitness tip: There is a correlation between poor flexibility in the back and hamstrings with lower back pain. Touch your toes for 60 seconds several times a day. Many of us in the coffee business stand for long periods of time and need to be mindful of the importance of stretching.

Make it a great week!

Good Morning, Coffee Crew ~

How about a cup of Remember When this morning? Remember When is an Indonesian blend of coffee beans, providing a full bodied, heavy, earthy, and smooth coffee that will blast through the gray skies and brighten your day. It pairs nicely with a fresh brownie, oatmeal and raisins, or your ham and cheese sandwich.

I took the time to prepare a decaf cappuccino for myself this morning. You can be so proud of your decaf espresso. As you know, in Kenneth David’s Coffee Review, he compared our decaf espresso to that of Illy’s. It is classic and rich in flavor. The espresso is rich as caramel and smooth as chocolate. What a luscious drink with perfectly steamed milk and thick foam. A cappuccino is best when drinking without a lid on the cup or through a straw. The foam adds sweetness to your drink that is unique to properly steamed milk.

Please refer to your training manual for proper steaming techniques, and ask for clarification if you have questions. This is a good time to encourage you to brush up on your espresso pulling techniques.

While practicing your espresso and milk steaming techniques, consider the investment of a gallon of milk and a pound of espresso as money well spent to improve the quality of your drinks.

Garden tip: Save your eggshells to start seeds for summer planting. Wash the shells out with warm water, add some garden soil and plant seeds inside. Then put the eggshells in the carton, place in a warm sunny location indoors, and wait for the seedlings to grow. Plant the seedlings in the shells in your garden at the right time.

Fitness Tip: Do you experience low back pain from standing all day? People who walked backwards on a treadmill for 15 minutes three times a week reported less pain according to research from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Make it a great day!

Good Morning, Coffee Crew,

Happy Valentine’s Day!

What is your very favorite cup of coffee? Drip brew? Latte’? Cappuccino? Consider offering the coffee you love as the special in your shop today. Get excited about it and your customers will too.
Vitamin L – Love is a universal language, feeling, and emotion. Let’s spread some love today!

Have you expressed how much you appreciate your employees? They put in the long hours during the holidays, smooth the ruffled feathers of grumpy customers when they are having a bad day, clean and perform mundane tasks during the after holiday slump, get excited with you as the sales increase, and cheer you on when you feel overwhelmed.
Here are a few ideas:
Write a thank you in their paycheck. Or, better yet, write a thank you and send it to their spouse, parents, or best friend.
Give them a couple hours off with pay to run errands, spend time with their children, go to a matinee, get a haircut, or time to relax
Donate to their favorite charity – maybe even a day a month donate a % of the proceeds to their charity of choice
Even a hug and a pat on the back – thank them in front of their coworkers
2012 Frozen Beverage Trends: Get creative! More people are drinking iced coffees this winter than a year ago. Granted, it is a milder winter, but most of us aren’t living in the tropics. Spice up your drinks, use the best quality ingredients you can, and think outside the box.

Make it a great week!

Good Morning, Coffee Crew,

I am enjoying a cup of Kenya coffee with a Special K bar. This last Kenya crop is particularly good with distinct lemon notes, medium body, and clean finish. Kenya is a large African country with a highly political coffee movement.

Let’s review a few basic coffee brewing facts taken from the Quiz in your Field Guide Training Manual:
Brew cycle time for an automatic drip brewer should be 4-6 minutes
Maximum hold time for brewed coffee in an airpot is 2 hours
Maximum hold time for brewed coffee in a carafe on a burner is 20 minutes
Coffee beans should be ground medium for a drip brewer
Question: What is the proper grind for espresso? For French Press?

Drink of the Day: Raspberry Truffle – Raspberry & chocolate added to latte or cappuccino
Cherry Cordial – Cherry, almond, & vanilla added to latte’ or Italian Creme Soda

Are you scrambling to get taxes done, training staff, and gearing up for a busy season? Take a few minutes to stretch and strengthen your mind and muscles for a great start to the day.

Make it a great week!

Good Morning, Coffee Crew,

Papau New Guinea is an Indonesian country that produces a coffee that is light to medium body, fruit and floral notes, and offers a clean finish. Pair this cup of with a snickerdoodle cookie or enjoy solo while you snuggle up with a good book on a gray winter afternoon.

Are you considering expanding your business? A good question to ask yourself is “What are the keys to your success at your current location and how many of them will you have at this second location?”
Take the time to analyze why you are successful with 1 location. Do you have dependable and trustworthy staff available to expand? Do you have the capital for another startup? Expanding is exciting, challenging, and rewarding if you are ready for it.
Feel free to talk to any of us at Fieldhead’s if you are considering an expansion and would like to discuss your options.

Staffing is important to manage correctly for your shop. The first thing I would suggest you do is track the number of drinks made per hour to have the data you need to staff appropriately. The average barista can make 20 drinks per hour.
I know from personal experience that during peak times, one well trained barista can prepare more drinks.

This exercise will help you with scheduling staff, planning for cleaning and stocking supplies. It is important for maximizing profitably to schedule enough staff to keep customers happy and for the baristas to perform well to provide the right number of workers throughout the day.

Provide samples of your favorite latte’ to increase the number of drinks sold to increase profitability. Your customers are always interested in knowing what you like to drink.

Fitness tip: Strength training isn’t just for looking good. Lifting weights helps lower blood pressure, fights diabetes, and even helps prevent depression.

Make it a great week!

Good Morning, Coffee Crew ~

Let’s try something different this morning… I mixed Misty’s Blend with Decaf House 2:1 for a nice twist. I love all my coffees, yet need to watch my caffeine intake, so I am always experimenting. Be brave and try this yourself. My tasty cup of coffee pairs beautifully with a delectable Raspberry Danish Kringle.

This time of year is what I call the “Cash & Calories Slump”. This is a great time to clean drawers, corners, and windows. While your customers are adjusting to their credit card bills from holiday shopping and starting their diets, take a break or check some things off your “to do” list.
According to the American Dietitic Association, the benefits of breakfast include:

Improved mood. Eating breakfast can lift your mood. Studies show that people who don’t eat breakfast are more tired and irritable.
More energy to face the day. Before you eat in the morning, your body is running on empty. You get energy from high-quality protein, carbohydrates, and fats.
Better concentration. Eating breakfast also improves your ability to problem solve. “You’ll be more productive and better able to handle tasks that require memory,” Thayer says.
Weight management. “Studies show that if you eat breakfast, you’re more likely to be at a healthy weight than people who don’t eat breakfast,” Thayer says.
Drink: Milky Way is an old standby from my days as a barista. Add chocolate and caramel to the latte’ for a satisfying and warming pick me up.

Make it a great week!

Happy New Year, Coffee Crew~

How about a cup of Misty’s Blend this morning? This fruity and well balanced coffee pairs well with most breakfast foods and is great for an afternoon break. Take time to enjoy.

Quality Training Program:
1. Store familiarity – show the new employee where everything is, including back stock, restrooms, garbage, etc
2. Store policy – employee handbooks, training manual, employment forms
3. Customer service, POS, menu – now it is time for the new hire to learn what your company is all about; how to greet customers, how your POS or cash register works, and the details of the menu
4. Bar training – the new employee is ready to learn the art and skill of drink making; they should shadow an experienced barista and then be watched until they are ready to prepare drinks on their own
5 Ongoing training – training should be ongoing; review of the basics as well as keeping up with what is new in the market
Benefits of an effective training program:

Creating and overseeing a quality training program in your store will yield multiple benefits and is a critical piece of any successful coffee shop.

Quality operations – well trained employees will do what you want them to…which satisfies customers!
Increased job satisfaction – employees who work for a business that knows what they are doing will be motivated, energized and love their job…which satisfies customers!
Increased productivity – employees who are well trained are efficient, which means less in labor costs, more in profits and faster service…which satisfies customers!
Product consistency and quality – effective training ensures all menu items are served with quality and consistency…which satisfies customers!
Customer service – effective training shows employees how to thrill the customer…which satisfies customers!
Increased profitability for the business – which means more money to pay bills, pay employees and put in your pocket…which satisfies you!
Health Tip: Moving more has many benefits, including a couple you may not know.
Prevent migraines by exercising at least 3 times per week for 40 minutes or more
Reduces colon cancer risk and fights breast cancer
Keep your mind sharp and reduce the risk of dementia
Drink: Press Pot or French Press – Grind beans coarsely with a burr grinder. Use 1 tablespoon of coffee per cup; add hot water just off the boil; stir after 1 minute; let steep a total of 4 minutes. If you make more than one cup, pour the coffee into a carafe’ so it doesn’t get bitter sitting in the grounds. Misty’s Blend is a great choice for French Press. The flavors really pop.

Make it a great week!

Peggy Ennenga
Owner/Roastmaster
Fieldhead’s Coffee Co
PO Box 8143
Kalispell, MT 59904
Phone: (406) 249-5775
Fax: (406) 756-5141
www.fieldheadscoffee.com

Merry Christmas, Coffee Crew ~

I am enjoying a cup of Sleigh Bell Blend this morning. The citrus and berry notes perk up my fresh banana bread. I love this coffee any time of the day and appreciate how it pairs nicely with most desserts and light meals. Tea drinkers will particularly enjoy this flavorful coffee.

My prayer is for each of you to enjoy Christmas during this very busy season. Each of us at Fieldhead’s Coffee wish you the merriest of holidays.

A couple fun healthy tidbits you might find helpful:

Whatever your sense of humor, take a moment today to find something that tickles your funny bone – because as it turns out, laughter really is the best medicine. Studies show that having a deep belly laugh is an incredible immune system booster and powerful antidote to the harmful effects of stress.
Our bodies produce hormones in response to anxiety, anger, or hostility that weakens the immune system, increases the number of artery-blocking platelets, and raises blood pressure.

Do you love the big gatherings and holiday meals with lots of scrumptious foods? An easy tip to help prevent overeating is to have a plate of vegetables before you indulge in a second helping of anything else. Benefits of this include eating more veggies, adding to your healthy nutrients. You will also eat less of higher calorie and fat foods because you will feel full sooner. Add a glass of water before and during your meal to assist in digestion and the feeling of fullness. Add some mellow dinner music and pleasant conversation and enjoy this very special time of year with family and friends. Include 15 minutes of movement – maybe a walk or slow dancing to aid in digestion.

Blessings,

Peggy Ennenga
Owner/Roastmaster
Fieldhead’s Coffee Co
PO Box 8143
Kalispell, MT 59904
Phone: (406) 249-5775
Fax: (406) 756-5141
www.fieldheadscoffee.com

Happy New Year, Coffee Crew!

Decaf House Blend is in my cup this morning. This well balanced coffee with just the right toffee notes pair nicely with fresh banana bread. Try it also with your kale and veggie salad for lunch, or an afternoon break.
Take a Moment to De-stress

When a busy workday, last-minute holiday shopping, or an afternoon of playing chauffeur leaves you a little frazzled, what do you do to cope? We all need strategies to unwind that don’t have anything to do with food. Emotional eating can leave you feeling discouraged and knocks you off track as you pursue your weight loss goal. Next time your life leaves you feeling overwhelmed, try some of the following techniques:
Meditate: Adopted by nearly every major religion in the world, meditation is traditionally used to enhance spiritual experience and restore a sense of connectedness with the world around you. Take some time each day to sit in a quiet place, focus your mind, and relax your breathing. You can do it cross-legged, in the traditional lotus position, or simply sitting with your eyes closed.
Listen to music: Whether it’s Beethoven, Paul Simon, or ambient sounds like rushing water or wind chimes, sound can have a tremendous impact on your mood. Dig through your collection for albums that can help you unwind, pour yourself a glass of wine, settle into your favorite chair, and just listen.
Take a walk: Exercise is a fantastic mood booster all by itself. It helps ease muscle tension and allows you to sleep better. Beyond that, exercise is also a wonderful distraction. A quick jog around your neighborhood is guaranteed to fend off any attack of the munchies, and you’re doing something good for your body, too.
Pamper yourself: Feeling wound up? A massage can help wring the tension out of your poor tired muscles. If you need a quick midday boost, go for a manicure or pedicure on your lunch hour.
Take a bath: Aromatherapy salts, a fluffy white towel, lots of hot water, and an inflatable pillow can spell relief after a hectic day. Next time you’re feeling stressed, sink into the tub with your favorite paperback in hand and don’t put pressure on yourself to get up until you’re feeling relaxed — and maybe a little waterlogged.
We are grateful for each of you and wish all good things for you and your loved ones in the coming year.

Make it a great year!

Peggy Ennenga
Owner/Roastmaster
Fieldhead’s Coffee Co
PO Box 8143
Kalispell, MT 59904
Phone: (406) 249-5775
Fax: (406) 756-5141
www.fieldheadscoffee.com