Edible Vancouver Island September/October 2023

Scan the QR code for an inside look at coffee roasters in Parksville Qualicum Beach

One Drink to Rule Them All

While coffee roasters in Parksville Qualicum Beach approach coffee in various ways, they all share a singular passion for the caffeinated beverage.

Jokes abound about not talking to someone before they’ve had their morning coffee–but for coffee roasters in Parksville Qualicum Beach, nothing about making the perfect cup of joe is a joke. They take their responsibility to provide quality and flavourful options to their patrons seriously, ensuring everyone’s days start (or continue, or end) on the right foot. And while we might all unite under a single love of coffee, the fact is that there are many ways to prepare the perfect cup. At French Press Coffee Roasters, owner Jeremy Perkins focusses on providing his customers with exceptional medium roast coffees. “The idea is that whilst roasting lighter, we highlight some of the acidity that is there and some of the fruit forward flavours,” Perkins explains. “But taking the coffee far enough to make sure that some of the sweetness stays in there and that we can develop that flavour.” If the beans aren’t roasted long enough, you’ll miss out on some of the sweeter flavours, so it’s a delicate dance to create the perfect medium roast. While certain flavours can be drawn out through the roasting process, a perfect cup of coffee starts with where the beans are sourced from. “We offer coffees from a broad spectrum of producing nations,” Perkins says. Amongst other places, they carry beans representing the terroir of Columbia, Ethiopia, Guatemala and Indonesia. Most of what they sell are

single-origin coffees, created from beans all sourced from one region. But they do have a few blends, including their home blend, classic blend and a seasonal holiday blend. And it’s not just a good cup of coffee you’ll find at French Press. Perkins has also prioritized offering truly good food to accompany the coffee. “ I got tired of going to specialty coffee shops where you would be offered some moribund baked goods or sort of poorly thought-out sandwich. I wanted the food to be good, I wanted the baked goods to be good, as well as the coffee,” he says, “I wanted somebody to have a really good experience while they were there…which is essentially why we've always been really keen on offering decent, well thought-out food, a small menu of nicely thought out items.’ Coyote Coffee Roasters sets themselves apart by offering a huge variety of single origin coffees, with a goal of “allowing people to try different beans and different things that they like, and not have to settle for just one kind,” explains Alison Carradine. “It just makes it more exciting every morning and/or afternoon!” With about 20 variations on the shelves (and more in the back), they’re always finding and experimenting with new beans and flavours. Their wide variety stems from their own curiosity and tastes. “Between me and the owner, we both have separate coffee

14 SEP/OCT 2023 EDIBLE VANCOUVER ISLAND