inPDX {Nossa Familia Coffee + Grand Central Bakery}

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

{Latte + Caramel Latte Dunkers}

A few weeks back I had the great pleasure of attending a coffee and pastry pairing event featuring two local businesses - Nossa Familia and Grand Central Bakery. It was such a beautiful morning filled with great people, yummy food and an abundance of caffeine. Without a doubt, the food and drinks were fantastic, but what really left a lasting impression was the people.

Augusto Carneiro and Piper Davis run two extremely successful businesses based here in Portland. And not just any kind of businesses, they are family owned businesses. And that is evident in just about everything. Piper's mother started Grand Central in the 1970s and it has grown into a Pacific Northwest standard. Originally from Brasil, Augusto started Nossa just over 10 years ago after leaving his career in engineering (they even have a specialty Coffee Cookies'n'Cream flavor with Ruby Jewel this month!!). It is quite clear they are both completely enchanted by their careers, companies and products. Yet gracious and not at all boastful. 

{Strawberry Jam Tart}

What really blew me away was just how proud they are of their teams. While Augusto did MC the event both he and Piper let their teams shine. Representing Grand Central Bakery, Gina Langley, Head Pastry Baker, and Laura Ohm, Cuisine Manager, passionately talked about the ingredients they use and the emotions their pastries invoke. From the local jams to the bounty of butter, their dishes are about family and friends. The Caramel Latte Dunker is probably best enjoyed with a good book and the Strawberry Jam Tart during a sweet afternoon with your best girlfriend. They even sell their cookie dough and pie crusts for your own personal use! Because they are all about family and friends. And what is better than sharing a meal with your favorites, than sharing it over chicken pot pie?!

{Iced Japanese Coffee}

When Augusto introduced his team he beamed with pride like a proud father. He knew their backstories and the path they had taken to get to that very moment. Chris Ryan, Coffee Educator, and Rob Hoos, Director of Coffee, introduced each drink with so much knowledge and respect for the ingredients and the industry. They discussed their continuing education, compared brewing techniques and the fascinatingly competitive world of coffee art. I was blown away by all of the details and wish I had brought paper to jot down notes on the Japanese Iced Coffee process.  Thank goodness I live just blocks away from their NW location!

{Croissant}

Before heading to this breakfast I already purchased Nossa and Grand Central products. I keep Nossa Familia beans in my home and I frequently buy Grand Central bread. I also stop by their shops on a rather regular basis. Now that I know even more about the companies and their employees I am even more excited to support these businesses and use their fantastic products!