Organic Cafe Avion focuses on roasting
A new coffee roaster has launched into the world of Coeur d’Alene brews.
Cafe Avion is importing and roasting exclusively certified organic and free trade coffees. Watch roasters working on the live Web cam at www.cafeavion.com.
When we spied on them during a recent snowy morning you could see the roasters “cupping” coffees; that is, tasting the coffees to check the flavor and quality of roasting. And you could catch a glimpse of someone working at the roaster on the edge of the screen.
Denver Wilkinson, who worked in marketing before starting the business in May, said the idea for the coffee roasting was planted in his head by a family friend who owns coffee shops in Canada.
A 2001 graduate of Walla Walla College, Wilkinson said he decided on organic and free trade coffees so java drinkers can be assured that their daily cup is free of pesticides and herbicides. More than that, he wants to spare coffee farm workers from exposure to potentially harmful chemicals and ensure that growers are paid fairly for their crops.
Wilkinson and company – there are seven people working for the business – are selling 13 coffees right now, including single-origin Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and Columbia El Tolima, and some signature blends including the Aviatrix, a medium roast East African and American blend. Most of the coffees sell for $12.75 for a 12-ounce bag and $13 for a pound. Each bag is marked with a “roasted on” date.
The coffees are available for purchase online or by calling (877) 432-7890. They are also for sale at Gourmet Way, 6848 Government Way in Coeur d’Alene.
Get Wild
Tickets for the North Idaho Alumni Association’s Wild Game feast are now on sale.
The feast, created by Coeur d’Alene Inn Chef Gene Tillman, has become a popular gift ticket to give for the holidays. It will be Jan. 28 at the Coeur d’Alene Inn. Proceeds benefit the NIC Alumni Association and fund student scholarships.
This year’s dinner begins with a 6 p.m. social and the four-course dinner begins 45 minutes later. The menu includes smoked salmon and spinach canapés as well as braised elk and venison sausage and roast buffalo.
Works by wildlife artist Dianne Munkittrick will be on display
Tickets are $50 per person. To get one, mail a check to the NIC Alumni Association, 1000 W. Garden Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814 or call (208) 769-7806.