Steppin' up my game...

I was raised an athlete. Seriously, name it; I’ve probably played it, or coached it. And yes, I can throw a football better than most males Although, my softball team would tell you that I am a TERRIBLE batter. (I'm just going through a dry spell)

What does that mean, other than an overly competitive nature and early on-set arthritis?

There’s an attitude, a mindset, and a behavior you practice and eventually learn to apply not only to your game, but to your life. It’s a “don’t quit”, a “fake it, ‘till you make it”, and an incessant drive to keep pushing yourself to the next level.

The most frequently asked question during the past month:

“What’s it like owning a café?

The attitude responds, game-faced:

“ Oh, it’s great! I get to do something I really love all day and the people that I meet are amazing.”

All of that is true. Completely. Especially so when it comes to all YOU wonderful people. I absolutely love sharing your stories and hearing about your lives. It’s the most rewarding part of the café.

The lie?

I was scared. Terrified, for the first 3 weeks. My hands shook every time someone came through the door (and I have scars from cuts and burns to prove it) .

The benefit of adopting the attitude: it eventually wins out. I gained confidence, direction, and most importantly, trust in my instincts and abilities. The only natural succession was to push it to the next level.

The product is my summer menu. A lot of the new items are reminiscent of my favorite summer memories….french toast for breakfast on my parents deck, fresh & fun flavours that make you want to have a picnic at the beach, and yep, even some barbecue. We’ll be serving breakfast all day, now have coffee to go, and would LOVE to cater your next office lunch!

Now, if only I could swing a bat, I might be allowed back onto my team.... You can find me in the batting cages.

Love,

The girl who used to pour your coffee

p.s. Did I mention there are more sweets & treats? Oh yea. Bring your friends!

The things we do for love

I have an ingrained compulsion to impress people -- or, at the very least, make a good first impression. So when the cute guy I'm seeing asked me to go camping for the weekend with friends of his, the first thing I did was make a menu.

[hash and eggs, smoked salmon with dill cream cheese on whole wheat bagels, calzones with turkey pepperoni, peppers, 3 cheeses and homemade marinara, Moroccan grilled chicken and couscous, maple glazed salmon, salad and green beans]

I then chopped and seasoned and bagged and froze (almost) everything so that I would have minimal prep to do on-site, and things would stay cold. I was being smart. Or so I thought.

The entire weekend felt like a movie: opulent surroundings, surfing montages, laughing at stories around a campfire. The weekend even had a sound track thanks to the acoustic strumming of Mr. Bradley Jones. The only thing that left a bitter taste in my mouth? My food.

Okay, so it didn't actually taste that bad. But after paddling in cold water for hours and using your last bit of strength to peel off a wetsuit (OH my GOODNESS is it hard!), the very last thing you want to do is spend an hour cooking....or -- worse -- waiting to eat.

If you've ever camped you know this: my menu was the most impractical idea in the whole wide world. Even with the giant Tupperware box of pots, pans, knives and yes, a pepper grinder. Oh, and a giant propane grill top i dubbed "the coleman 3000". Between the temperature fluctuations of the Coleman 3000, balancing bowls and pots on tree stumps and using drift wood as a cutting board...we waited. And waited.

And ate other things in the meantime that were good ideas: granola bars. hummus, tzaziki and pita bread, tortilla chips and salsa, turkey pepperoni, nuts, fruit, veggies, chocolate, and marshmallows.

The three BEST meals I had?

Soup: Knorr butternut squash (from a box). Fresh ground pepper.

A jalapeno cheddar sausage roasted on a stick over a fire, on the beach in a white hot dog bun with some cheddar cheese crumbled on top.

And the chicken and couscous.

Why? It was simple, quick and filling. And generally only involved one pot. The secret is bringing food that's versatile, resealable, and won't spoil if it's not in a fridge.

Some things I brought did actually come in handy, though.

My knives - complete life saver, cutlery, travel mugs (because you actually can't go without coffee), stovetop kettle (for boiling water), a pot, plastic (reusable) dishes
a lighter, dish towels (to wipe everything clean), tin foil (wrapped the calzones in it, cooked them in the fire. they actually tasted really good, but still took too long…), duct tape (i used this to fix my sandal..not to cook with), a cast iron pan (we didn't cook with it, but it came in handy as a tent-peg hammer.)...and my pepper grinder -- because some comforts are worth it!

Of course, absolutely none of this put a kink in my weekend. Tofino is by FAR one of the most beautiful places I've visited. And nothing will ever beat the complete high I got from catching my first wave. Not even the gorgeous sunset we saw as we sailed…er, ferried home

Love,

The girl who used to pour your coffee

It's not about me

It’s taken me a long time to figure out what I should say for my very first blog post. It’s important, you know? This is my debut. My big introduction. How should I go about it?

I could tell you a story – my story. How I was suffocating in my hometown of Sherwood Park and found a breath of fresh air on my first visit to the coast. I could tell you how I picked up and moved spontaneously.

I could tell you how the Corbeau was my safety net of all things familiar. Corbeau is French; so am I. Café Corbeau has great coffee and food; there is more caffeine in my veins than blood. Café Corbeau is classy with its sleek, simple design and jazz playing in the background all day long. I’m….Okay, I'll leave it to you to decide how classy I am! -Ahem!-

I could romance you with whatever extravagant and nostalgic details of my life I could find but is that really going to make you want to come in and eat?

I could tell you about the concept – that I only cook and bake with real food. Quality ingredients which are fresh, local, and organic when possible. I could totally sell you on the fact that, at Corbeau, we have a conscience, and are not only committed to providing amazing food, but are also aware of our ecological footprint. (‘Cause that’s trendy, now, you know?) As such, our take-out containers (YES! We ARE doing take out) are biodegradable and recyclable. (I would be even HAPPIER if you brought in your own travel mugs and containers, but, hey, it’s not about me.)

I could tell you about all that stuff but really, it’s not about that. So I'm going to keep it simple. Food, for me, has always been about comfort, and there is no better feeling, to me, than to watch people enjoy my food.

I want the Corbeau to be whatever you need it to be – a place to escape from a hectic day, a spot to come with your closest friend to catch up, or somewhere you and the people you love can just come and hang out and enjoy each other.

Or, hey, it can just as easily be the place you come for the BEST tuna sandwich EVER (it’s made with sushi-grade tuna, ya know) and a cup of really, REALLY good coffee! Whatever, it's up to you.

Regardless, welcome to the new Café Corbeau. This is me: Sarah Bucharski. It will be nice to feed you.

These Things Happen (Part Deux)

Dear Friends:

Over the past few weeks and in an amazing twist of fate, circumstance, and all things wonderful and magical, I have decided to sell the café to Sarah Bucharski (of cinnamon bun fame!).

Sarah's innovations for the cafe will be in line with current philosophies regarding quality, seasonality and locally sourced ingredients. The main changes will include self-service, biodegradable take-away containers and a wide assortment of homemade baking available daily! 

Therefore, the café will be closed for Sarah's re-imaginings from tomorrow, April 9th, to the 30th. 

But please join us again on May 1st for the

GRAND RE-OPENING 

of

café corbeau

Thank you everyone for your support, words of encouragement, and patronage. I hope you continue to be regulars at this blog and at sarah's incarnation of the café known as corbeau.

I know I will be!

Yours truly, 

g. xo

ps, the next blog post you read will be typed by Sarah's flour-dusted, yet ever-so-capable, hands.