Each spring, SCA hosts a large expo in Seattle, Washington to aid in industry education and prosperity. This Specialty Coffee Expo (commonly referred to as the SCA Expo) allows industry manufacturers and producers to showcase their products and give coffee operators, distributors, and enthusiasts alike the chance to peruse the newest and greatest offerings. Over the years, the show as grown “expo-nentially,” selling out exhibition space that now fills three halls of the Seattle Convention Center.

The overall focus of this year’s show was diversity, featuring coffees grown/produced in countries around the world, with Asia and South America as some of the most prevalent. Countries such as China and Brazil were particularly popular with booths that were made to impress.

While Houston’s does not exhibit at the expo, we do attend each year. The show provides us with the opportunity to meet with vendors and customers, and to get an idea of what to expect from the future of the coffee industry. Many of our manufacturer/vendor partners exhibit at the show including Torani, Monin, Dr. Smoothie, David Rio, Urnex, Kerry Foodservice, and Two Leaves and a Bud, as well as newer Houston’s vendors like Pacific Foods, Califia Farms, and ITO EN.

Monitoring current and upcoming trends in the coffee industry is crucial, and SCA Expo is always a perfect opportunity to assess the crowd. With the busy summer season in mind, many exhibitors at SCA Expo 2018 opted to offer taste tests of cold beverages from iced coffee and frappes, to non-coffee beverages like lemonade and flavored sparkling water. The absence of previously popular oatmeal products was painfully obvious this year, but made way for other healthier trends that ranged from convenient grab-and-go products, to handcrafted, premium products. Turmeric offerings seem to be surging with David Rio’s latte powder leading the pack. All natural, sugar-free, and/or low-calorie beverage options also seem to be on the rise, as are dairy/milk alternatives. While nut milks have been popular in years’ past, it appears oat milk will be giving the ever-popular almond milk a run for its money in 2018.

Contributing to the theme of diversity, Torani showcased its new Asian fruit-inspired Longan Syrup, among other products, by serving up Butterfly Lemonade that combined the syrup with Lemonade Real Fruit Smoothie mix. The vibrant purple color and sweet Longan flavor paired with the tart lemonade for a perfect summer offering.

Monin served its new Brown Butter Toffee Syrup in frappe, but most notable was the flavored sparkling water. Monin’s new, all-natural Concentrated Flavors line provides sugar-free, low calorie flavor to any drink, but the Strawberry Basil and Watermelon Jalapeno Sparkling Water offered expo attendees a light, yet flavorful beverage.

Celebrity Latte Artist, Melannie Aquino showed off her skills in booth #2100, drawing pictures with foam and chocolate on the tops of various lattes prepared with David Rio chai products. After attendees were wowed by the latte art, many were also impressed with the authentic turmeric flavor in David Rio’s Turmeric Lattes, Turmeric macaroons, and turmeric cupcakes provided by a local bakery and made using David Rio’s powdered product. The philanthropic organization also used the show as an opportunity to introduce Nalin, the white tiger and newest adoptee under the company’s endangered species initiative.

While many exhibitors utilize SCA Expo to introduce new product, Dr. Smoothie (a Bevolution Group brand) took this year’s show as an opportunity to reintroduce itself entirely, launching a rebrand of the 1997 logo. The new logo has opted away from retro and moved towards simplistic, yet refined. All of the brand’s packaging will have a consistent, clean look, featuring photos of fresh fruit and color-coded frappe categories. Watch for a soft rollout of the new branding sometime this summer.

Each year, SCA Expo exhibitors are given the opportunity to enter their products in a new product showcase, with the chance to win “Best New Product” bragging rights for the year. Our friends at Pacific Foods took home top honors in the Specialty Beverage Flavor Additive Category by winning Best New Product for their new Barista Series Oat, a plant-based dairy alternative that will be released this summer. Crowds gathered around the Pacific booth while attendees (including our own Rebecca Phillips and Amanda Hackathorn) tried their hands at latte art in the exhibitor’s Latte Art Throwdown. The winner of the competition got a chance to pour the latte art featured on the Pacific Foods’ new product packaging, also due out later this year. Sadly, neither Rebecca nor Amanda won the honor, but they certainly gave it their all!

As Houston’s shifts its focus towards the rapidly growing coffee segment, these vendor relationships and industry/product insights are key to our continued growth and success. With many coffee-based vendor partnerships, Houston’s controls a unique niche as a redistributor to the specialty coffee industry, providing access to hundreds of ancillary products sold and used by roasters and baristas across the country. It’s no secret that coffee’s popularity and progress will continue to grow, making events such as this more and more valuable. That’s why we can’t wait until next April when SCA Expo 2019 tackles Boston, Massachusetts! Will we see you there?

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Houston’s new Kansas City, Missouri Facility – Opening April 2018

Houston’s current Kansas City facility will close for business on Saturday, March 24th, and we will reopen in a new facility at Northland Park on NE 41st Street on Monday, April 2nd.

The final details of our new Kansas City facility are well underway. The building’s exterior has been painted. The dock shelters and equipment, and overhead fans are all in place. The fire alarm has been installed. The concrete floor of the warehouse has been sealed. The office ceiling, painting, and tiling of the bathrooms are nearly complete. Carpet will be installed in the office area soon, too. With the exception of some additional electrical work and finishing touches (window blinds, trim, and plumbing fixtures), the to do list is getting shorter and shorter.

Inside the new warehouse facility

We’re gaining over 40,000 square-feet of warehouse space, as well as more office space. The color scheme of the office will reflect the Houston’s brand that was launched in 2012, with pale grey as the primary wall color and deep blue accent walls throughout the space. The tile flooring in the break room and office restroom will also reflect this color palette.

This move is truly a company-wide, team effort, and management would like to thank everyone for your hard work and collaboration over the coming weeks. The growth we’ve experienced out of Kansas City since opening the facility there in November of 2002 has been huge, and we know there is the potential amplify that success out of this larger facility.

Additional Photos and information on our new KC facility can be found on our Facebook page.

Photos courtesy of North Point Development

The post Update: New Kansas City Facility appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Jusino

On November 15 Jason Klee from National Chemicals stopped by to bring our Sales, Marketing, and Purchasing teams up to speed on a few of their top-selling cleaners–LFD Low Foam Detergent (available in tablet or liquid form), FOG Fryer/Oven/Grill Cleaner, and Ice Machine Cleaner are the perfect trifecta for any restaurant or bar.  All are innovative, quality products designed specifically for the foodservice industry, making them a perfect choice for restaurant owners–with just three products operators can maintain a clean establishment and still keep their costs down and their supplies to a minimum.

Jason also pointed out that all liquid products from National Chemicals are in concentrate form, and thus in smaller, lighter bottles.  This is an optimal solution when shipping and storage space is at a premium–a great attribute for distributors and end users alike!  And we were reminded, too, that although some chemicals are not available for purchase in some states, FOG Fryer/Oven/Grill Cleaner can be bought in ALL states!

National Chemicals is in its third generation of leadership, nearing 70 years of selling quality chemicals, and have to date achieved their vision “to be the most trusted name in specialty chemicals.

Watch for new campaign details in first quarter 2017 for these great products by National Chemicals.

The post Chemically Speaking appeared first on Houston's Blog.

From the very beginning he went straight for the caffeine and sugar!

Once he found some sweet Monin syrup he wouldn’t let go.

The elf very much enjoyed himself on popcorn day.

Not sure what he plans to do with all of those pens he took from the office supply closet!

All that sugar and shenanigans must have worn the elf out. Of course a water cooler is an ideal place for a nap.

On this day we found the elf having fun swinging in the file room. He’s a very happy-go-lucky guy, which for an elf we wouldn’t expect anything less.

He gets himself into trouble though sometimes.

And causes trouble too. I bet the copy machine kept him occupied for hours!

More sugar! This is the day he shared a Coke with Santa.

Causing more trouble in our company president’s mail box.

At least he makes up for it by reading sweet Christmas stories in the break room.

At this point, the elf had been eating too many sweets, according to this Escali scale!

That doesn’t stop him from wanting more! We caught this guy red handed writing himself a check for 1 million candy canes!

Making snow angels in the marketing office. How festive!

Found him just hanging out in the maintenance area of the warehouse. Will he ever learn?

And then he spent some time enjoying the Christmas decorations, or just got tangled up in them!

The post Elf on a Shelf at Houston’s appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Cinnamon Toddy. Photo credit Torani

Cinnamon Toddy

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. gin
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. Torani Cinnamon Syrup
• 2 oz. boiling water
• dash of Angostura Bitters

Instructions:

In a mug add the gin, Torani Syrup, lemon juice and hot water and stir. Add a dash of the bitters. Garnish with a cinnamon stick if desired

Boozy Peppermint Patty. Photo credit Torani.

Boozy Peppermint Patty

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. hot chocolate
• 1 oz. Torani Peppermint Syrup
• 1 oz. brandy
• ½ oz. dark rum
• Whipped Cream (optional)
• Peppermints, crushed (optional)

Instructions:

Combine ingredients and serve in a hot toddy glass. Garnish with whipped cream and crushed peppermints.

Naughty and Nice. Photo credit Monin.

Naughty and Nice

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ oz. Premium Bourbon
• ½ oz. Monin Cinnamon Syrup
• ½ oz. Monin Old Fashioned Ginger Ale Syrup
• 2 oz. Cranberry Juice
• 4 oz. Warm/Hot Apple Cider
• Yield: 1 Glass (10 oz. Footed Mug)
• Garnish: Cinnamon Stick, Cranberries, Orange

Instructions

• Pour ingredients into serving glass in order listed.
• Stir gently to mix.
• Add garnish

Agave Roaster Coffee. Photo credit Monin.

Agave Roaster Cocktail

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz. silver tequila
• 3/4 oz. Monin Toasted Marshmallow Syrup
• 1 oz. half & half
• fill with fresh brewed coffee
• Yield: 1 serving (8 oz. Mug)
• Garnish: Whipped Cream

Instructions

1. Pour ingredients in order listed into mug and stir to mix.
2. Garnish with whipped cream

The post De-stress with a Warm Beverage appeared first on Houston's Blog.

It is helpful to check with guest prior to cooking to see if anyone has any allergies or preferences. Many vegan and vegetarian options are also gluten free. A couple tricks if you want to adapt your meal to fit everyone’s needs–try sunflower oil instead of butter, use coconut milk in place of cream, and puree silken tofu to replace products like sour cream, according to Whole Foods Market. Or depending on your guests’ allergies, Greek yogurt is a good substitute for sour cream. Panko breadcrumbs are a great alternative for traditional breadcrumbs. Be sure to check the nutrition labels when you are at the store and watch for hidden ingredients. For example gravy does not have much flour, but enough to give a gluten intolerant guest quite a stomachache. Also be aware of cross contamination with utensils; make your other guests aware so they are careful to place the utensils back in the appropriate dish. A potluck style Thanksgivings is a great option too: you can offer to cook the turkey and ask your guests to bring different sides. Everyone contributes and people with food sensitivities will likely bring a dish that themselves and everyone can enjoy.

Below are a few delicious recipes that may make the added challenge of special diets to the traditional Thanksgiving feast simpler.

Harvest Stuffed Acorn Squash– a delicious vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free main dish alternative.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or sunflower oil
• 2 cups cooked rice, barley or quinoa
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries, soaked in hot water and drained
• 2/3 cup chopped sweet potato or carrot, steamed until just tender
• 1/2 cup grated peeled apple
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• Sea salt, to taste
• Ground pepper, to taste
• 3 acorn squash, halved, seeds removed
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Method:

In a small pan, sauté onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until soft but not browned. Place in a large bowl and add rice, cranberries, sweet potato, apple, walnuts, parsley, and sage. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange squash cut-side down in large baking dish or roasting pan and fill with 1/2 inch of vegetable stock, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove, reserve any remaining stock, and place face side up in pan. Fill each cavity with about 1/2 to 2/3 cup stuffing. Drizzle with olive oil and any remaining stock, and cover tightly with foil. Bake until squashes are cooked and slightly soft to the touch, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking.

(Source: Whole Foods Market)

Foolproof Turkey Gravy- Easy pan gravy that is dairy free, and gluten free.

Ingredients:

• Drippings from turkey
• 4 cups chicken broth (make sure to buy gluten-free), divided
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Heat turkey drippings in a saucepan. Add 3 ½-cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir cornstarch into remaining 1/2-cup cold chicken broth. Stir cornstarch mixture into gravy base and stir continually until it returns to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

(Source: Whole Foods Market)

Spicy Pumpkin Hummus– holiday crowd pleaser! Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free.

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
• 1 13.5 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, optional salt and black pepper, to taste

In a food processor fitted with a blade, process pumpkin, chickpeas and garlic until fairly smooth. Add olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, cayenne and a pinch of salt and pepper; process until smooth. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with corn tortilla chips.

Source: (New Seasons Market)

The post Alternative Holiday Meal Options appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Torani birdfeeder. Photo courtesy of Torani.

Plastic Bottle Birdfeeder

Wondering what to do with those empty plastic bottles once all of that tasty syrup is used up?  Torani has come up with an easy way to feed the birds.  You’ll need an empty and clean 750ml Torani plastic bottle, a drill, a wooden dowel, a blade, twine, and of course birdseed.

Start by using the drill to make two holes, on opposite sides of each other, towards the bottom of the bottle.  Do the same through the neck towards the top of the bottle.  Then use the blade to cut openings above each of the bottom holes.  This will be where the birds will access the seeds, so make them an appropriate size.  Put the wooden dowel through the two smaller bottom holes for a perch.  Next feed the twine through the two holes at the top of the bottle and knot the ends together to make a hanger.  Finally, fill the bottle with birdseed, hang it outside, and enjoy watching all of the birds that will come!

See more about this project here: Torani Bottle Birdfeeder

Wine Glass Candle Holders

Sometimes you have more glasses than you’re going to use at once.  Or maybe you’ve gotten new glassware and haven’t quite figured out what you will be doing with the old yet.  In any case, those glasses can be turned into great centerpieces and decorations in the snap of a finger.  Libbey wine glasses can turn your dull tables into elegant works of art.  Simply flip the glass over and place a tea light or votive on top.  Also try filling the bowl with your favorite décor such as bulb ornaments or a sprig of holly for the holidays.

Tea Dyeing and Staining

Tea is great on its own, but did you know that it can also be used for dyeing and staining?  Anything from table linens and cloth napkins, to shirts, curtains, and eggs can be dyed!  One of the great things about using tea is that it’s all natural.  Bigelow Tea provides a few great tips to help with the process.  It’s as simple as soaking your item in brewed tea, rinsing, then setting the dye with a mixture of vinegar, water, and salt.  Try experimenting with different flavors of tea to produce different colors.   Or bring new life to your wood tables with a light tea stain.  A few bits of steel in the form of steel wool, nails, etc., along with vinegar, and brewed tea will get you started.  Learn more with these easy instructions: Tea Staining.

Tin can vase. Photo courtesy of Dole Packaged Foods.

Tin Can Vase

Those tin cans from your canned goods?  Don’t toss them just yet.  Dole Packaged Foods has come up with a great and simple way to put them to use.  Once they are cleaned and label removed, use them as a vase or as part of a center piece.  It’s an easy way to add in a trendy metal element to your décor and leave your guests impressed.

Jar Lamp     

If you’ve been serving up plenty of Bloody Marys and antipasto platters, you likely have at least a few empty Borges USA/Pacific Choice green bean or olive glass jars laying around.  Luckily, these jars can be made into a beautiful lamp that can add great character to your space.  For inspiration, check out these jar lights here. Grab your jars and a few Edison bulbs and let the light shine through!

What are some of your creative ideas for recycling and upcycling? We’d love to hear!

The post Recycle! Alternative Uses for Products & Packaging appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Generally speaking, if you drink the exact same coffee, in the exact same place, from the exact same mug every day, and all conditions surrounding it are constant, then the coffee should taste the same to you each time.  But if you change any one of those elements, it may cause your brain to perceive the taste of the coffee differently.   One article entitled “The color of your coffee mug can change the way your coffee tastes” uses color as an example to suggest that “One explanation is that we never see colors by themselves; instead, we see them in reference to other colors.”  A red strawberry appears even redder when served in a white dish than it does in a darker colored dish.  We then continue to make associations with that color.  We might expect that extra red strawberry to be extra sweet, since red fruits often are riper than green fruits, and that can make us perceive it to taste sweeter than maybe it actually is.  Or that color may be tied to certain past experiences, which makes us predict what the new taste experience will be like.

Color can influence our perception of taste.

Numerous studies have been done on the subject and it turns out that it can be valuable information for companies and restaurants to consider when developing or selling products.  A change in shape, texture, color, presentation, packaging, environment, even the crockery and cutlery used can make a difference.  A few years ago, Coca-Cola experienced this the hard way when they changed their classic red Coca-Cola can to white with polar bears for the holidays.  There was an uproar among classic Coke fans, falsely claiming that the company had changed their long standing formula and that it didn’t taste as good, according to a recent Adweek article.  It could have been that the white can reminded consumers of the similarly colored silver Diet Coke can causing them to associate the soda’s taste with the taste of its diet version, though we may never know for sure.

Presentation, arrangement, and plating can all be factors in our enjoyment of food.

What we do know is that the way a product or meal is presented matters in order for customers to have the best experience.  For restaurants, this includes the dishes food is served on as well as how it’s arranged, which also relates to quality.  Neatly plated or artistically plated meals signify that a lot of effort has been spent on preparing the dish.  Many people associate that with good quality, and therefore the expectation of good taste.  It’s not to say that a burger and fries served in a plastic basket instead of on a white plate can’t taste good, but people will subconsciously expect different things under different conditions.  There are countless variables that can affect perception, so while we can generalize, it isn’t always the easiest to pinpoint the exact reason for a change in taste.  However, it is something that can be experimented with and you may be surprised with the turnout.  Have you tried incorporating all of the senses into your food presentations?  What changes have you noticed?

The post The Influence of Taste Perception appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Aioli: a creamy, emulsion spread consisting of garlic, pounded to a paste with a mortar and pestle, then whisked into egg yolk, lemon juice, olive oil, and seasonings. Some variants omit the egg yolk.

Arrabiata: Tomatoes, garlic, and red chili peppers cooked together to create a spicy sauce for pasta.

Bard: a thin slice of bacon or other fat secured to a roast of meat or poultry, especially very lean cuts, to prevent it from drying out while cooking.

Bearnaise: Emulsified butter with egg yolks, white wine vinegar, and herbs.

Beurre: French for butter. But if you see “beurre blanc” on the menu, watch for butter sauce with white wine, shallots, and vinegar.

Bolognese: a sauce, often tomato-based, with meat added.

Bordelaise: a sauce made of dry red wine, bone marrow, butter, garlic, and shallots. Often served with added mushrooms, and is a great accompaniment to red meats.

Charcuterie: a selection of preserved meats such as salami, prosciutto, sausages, or bacon.

Chimichurri: a green sauce made of chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, and vinegar. Often used to season meat while grilling. Red chimichurri is similar but tomato and red bell pepper may be added.

Cioppino: a fish stew consisting of different fresh catches, including shellfish.

Compote: fruit and sugar cooked in water with spices.

Confit: food cooked in grease or sugars at a lower temperature than deep frying originally as a means of preserving, but in restaurants the method is used as a means of tenderizing. You may see fruit confit or meat confit on menus.

Consomme: a clear, strong soup made from richly flavored, clarified stock.

Crème Fraiche: similar to sour cream but is less tangy and richer in flavor. Also less viscous than sour cream, and with a higher fat content.

Flambe: a cooking procedure where alcohol is added to a hot pan to create flames. It is typically done to add a dramatic flair to foodservice but also may be done in the kitchen to add the flavor and aroma of liquor or liqueur to a dish (the alcohol content is burned out before serving).

Foie Gras: fattened duck or goose liver.

Fromage: French for cheese.

Gastrique: carmelized sugar, deglazed with vinegar, used for flavoring sauces.

Pate: a mixture of cooked ground meat and fat minced into a spreadable paste.

Polenta: cornmeal boiled into a porridge. The resulting grits can be baked, grilled, or fried.

Ragout: a method of preparation where a mixture of diverse ingredients are slow-cooked over low heat.

Rapini: a slightly bitter, green cruciferous vegetable from the turnip family whose buds are similar to broccoli.

Remoulade: a sauce made with mayonnaise and various herbs and condiments. The resulting mixture is similar to tartar, but is sometimes flavored with curry, horseradish, paprika, or capers.

Risotto: a rice dish cooked in broth until it is creamy.

Rissole: minced meat or fish, coated in egg and breadcrumbs, and fried.

Sashimi: very fresh raw meat or fish sliced into thin pieces.

Scungilli: very large marine snails.

Tapenade: finely chopped or pureed olives and capers with olive oil, sometimes with anchovies.

Tartare: a dish made from finely chopped or minced raw beef, often served with onions and seasonings.

Terrine: a loaf of meat similar to pate but more coarsely chopped.

Tripe: edible stomach meats, usually from cows.

Veloute: a light stock thickened with roux (butter and flour) and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Have I missed any that may be helpful to diners?  Please feel free to let me know, I will add them right away!

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