This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
It’s no secret: we love coffee in Quebec! More than 70% of us drink at least one cup a day, and we consume more than twice as much as the French each year. A love that goes hand in hand with the success of microroasters across the province, as well as the popularity of third wave coffee shops, baristas, latte art and quality coffee makers at home. Without forgetting a pan even more delicious than the creamnamely food-coffee pairings, recipes incorporating coffee… and a whole range of products derived from or with coffee! Let’s discover some of these little caffeinated gems.
When the Barista microroaster was created in 2004 in Montreal, it was part of a subculture that would soon significantly change our perception of coffee. Long considered a pleasure product, coffee has become in the space of a generation a true art, with its specialists, techniques, codes and values. “However, I always thought that coffee was closely linked to the gastronomic world, and that we needed to explore other ways of using it,” says Alex Sereno, co-founder of the brand.
Creative collaborations
Alex’s idea finally took shape during the pandemic, as the Barista team looked to connect with their community in a different way. “We started sharing recipes at the café, which people were fond of — they led to the publication of the Guide to Caffeinated Recipes in 2022. Then we started collaborating with experts we respected in other spheres. The idea was to develop ephemeral products together in small quantities, in order to have new products, fun and to make test shots on the market,” explains the entrepreneur.
Barista set this new creative aspect in motion, and tadam! Over the years, coffee cereals with Oatbox, an espresso caramel with Fous desserts, a chocolate-coffee spread with Allô Simone, a signature coffee with sommelier Jessica Harnois, two coffee liqueurs (including one with coffee). oats) with Station 22, or even coffee beans aged in wine or alcohol barrels with the Matera brewer were born. “And it was an immediate success! » exclaims Alex.
How are these collaborative products designed? “We determine an aromatic profile with the partner company, then we send them the associated coffee, they do tests with it and provide us with a result to which we add common variations,” explains Alex. It’s super nourishing, this kind of project. »
Currently, there are several products on Barista’s menu that stem from this philosophy, such as a coffee piri piri sauce and coffee rubs developed with Mi Corazon, known for its food truck and vegan creations. “We want the coffee to bring a subtle and elegant touch to the products, not to overwhelm them. This allows me to use the sauce with meats like in a salad, as well as to make killer ribs on the barbecue with the rub », specifies Alex.
A maple syrup infused with coffee beans designed with the unorthodox Huit 100 Vingt cabin, as well as an intriguing Cremone Bar, which looks exactly like chocolate, but is made entirely of coffee — a process put together developed by the Swiss company Coffola -, and even a coffee candle handmade by the Soap Shop complete this ephemeral offer. “But coffee can lend itself to many other creations, because it has a host of aromatic profiles,” says the entrepreneur.
Gourmet mission
For Daniel Picard, carrying out projects for simple commercial purposes has never been relevant. “I have always promoted indigenous cultures through my creations,” confides this Wendat who loves nature and travels through the First Nations here and elsewhere. Over the years, Daniel has evolved in film, television, publishing and events of all kinds with this mission in mind. But one fine day in 2017, while he presented a mixture of indigenous spices of his invention at the Saint-Tite Festival, everything changed.
“In less than an hour, everything I had brought there sold, it was crazy! he says. That’s when I understood not only that people liked my product, but that it was also possible to promote indigenous cultures in a different way. » Very quickly, the mandate of the Warrior’s Spices was to be found with the elders of his nation: to produce products highlighting indigenous gastronomy – “We are something other than non-payers of taxes”, he emphasizes – and giving back to the community, as tradition dictates.
First noticed for his traditional spice blend presented in a red pine log, Daniel Picard quickly developed his range of products with the help of a chef to standardize his ideas. Spices associated with the 11 First Nations of Quebec, infusions, seasonings, ready-to-eat foods, sauces, cooking spice blends… the entrepreneur does not lack imagination. Including for products incorporating coffee.
“Unlike non-natives, who define their countries by borders, indigenous people share one and the same continent. Their links with chili peppers and coffee go back thousands of years, so much so that when I integrate them into my products, it’s a bit of their culture that I reflect,” he explains.
Armed with this vision, Daniel produced three boreal coffees that combine origins: a coffee with chaga mushroom which gives the drink fine notes of hazelnuts, caramel and vanilla; maple coffee, for a sweet and distinctive touch; and a dune pepper coffee, “which is tasted like a strong Arabica, with a long finish”.
To please barbecue lovers, the entrepreneur has also created a mixture of coffee-rubbing spices, which gives a little caramelized and smoky side to meats and vegetables. “Also put a little in the cooking juices in addition to sour cream, and you will get an incredible sauce,” he advises.
Daniel Picard is already working on new products, like jerky with coffee or game sausages with coffee. But the Wendat’s dearest wish would be to one day see the boreal cafés of Épices du Warrior make their way to the National Assembly and on Air Canada flights. “It would be a wonderful gateway to showcasing our indigenous cultures and inviting people from everywhere to discover them,” he said. Message launched, Daniel!
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.