Long communal tables set the tone at a new coffee destination in Ann Arbor, Michigan, called Espy Cafe, which is applying thoughtful approaches to ingredient sourcing and worker satisfaction.
The come-as-you-are cafe pairs scratch-made food and drinks with subtle global flavors. A few examples include chermoula and harissa tucked into a trout sandwich served on house-made Palestinian-style taboon flatbread. A pistachio aillade tops salads, while the shop makes its own apple soda with a reduction of local cider. House-made hazelnut orgeat syrup is available for espresso drinks.
Classic espresso drinks with coffees roasted by Espy are available with A2 dairy or with Ope Milk, Espy’s house-made milk that co-founder Peter Littlejohn said “theoretically” fits a similar profile to dairy milk for protein, sugars, fat, calcium and phosphorous.
“We’re using amylase enzymes to break down the starches of oat porridge just like the commercial brands do, but we’re blending in stone ground sunflower butter as opposed to neutral oil, which also brings along the naturally occurring lecithin and proteins,” Littlejohn told Daily Coffee News. “It’s super creamy [and] tastes great.”…