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Full article is located here: https://www.thesil.ca/dog-joes-rebrand

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The Westdale community and feel remained consistent over most of the decade that My Dog Joe has been around for. A hotspot for students, locals and travelers alike, Westdale, and especially My Dog Joe, has served the people of Hamilton faithfully.

However, times are changing. The area has seen changes to its identity. Best represented by the crowdfunding initiative for revitalizing the local theatre, Westdale has had to adjust and adapt to the changing times.

“I’ve been a new owner here for about a year or so, and we’ve tried changing a couple things and gauging customer feedback and what people are really into and what kinds of things they might want.”

Jeff Groat

Owner-operator of My Dog Joe

My Dog Joe is the next candidate on the list to receive changes while respecting its historical significance. In this case, it is not changing for the sake of survival, but because the opportunity is there.

Jeff Groat, owner-operator of My Dog Joe, explained that the feedback of the community has been a driving factor when it comes to the rebrand.

“I’ve been a new owner here for about a year or so, and we’ve tried changing a couple things and gauging customer feedback and what people are really into and what kinds of things they might want.”

This feedback resulted in the idea of doing a complete overhaul. New equipment for the kitchen, adjustments to the interior and exterior and a new menu are all part of the efforts. It may look completely different by the next time you see it.

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With all of these changes, My Dog Joe remains grounded in how important it has been for people. One of the recent promotions done to remind themselves of that was having members of the community write down responses to, “What does My Dog Joe mean to you?” on blank cups, and gaining even more feedback.

Groat’s interpretation of My Dog Joe is centered on the Westdale community.

“I think it’s taking pride in the Westdale community. It’s being a good neighbour.”

His drive forward and the renovations are not only about Westdale feedback, however. When asked about his experience and his personal motivations, he explained his history in British Columbia. His favourite memory working in a restaurant had to do with a truffle the head chef made at home with a friend and brought into the restaurant.

“Normally, I hate chocolate mint, but this truffle tasted fantastic. It was just this beautiful, fresh mint flavour and nice chocolate. Really well made. And I remembered tasting this thing and just being like, ‘Wow, this is so good. How can I do this?’”

What Groat hopes to bring to Westdale are not only adjustments based on feedback from the community and the overhaul to its visual design while respecting its history, but also unforgettable food to pass along that memory.

“I feel like that sort of experience is informing what we want to do here with My Dog Joe. ... Offering baked goods and food and stuff that you can’t get anywhere else. You remember that experience if it’s your first time coming. If it’s not, you come back specifically for that thing because you know it and love it.”

Groat hopes that the renovations will be completed by the end of the Provincial Day long weekend in August.

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As the mid-March snow melts away, a new initiative is warming up in Westdale. King Street West café My Dog Joe has launched a monthly hike series to bring the community together and teach a little local ecology and history.

“As a business owner, the main idea for me is to drive business and our brand,” said Jeff Groat, manager of My Dog Joe. “The main idea is to hang out, have some breakfast or coffee. People can get a coffee to go if they want of course. And then we’ll walk.”

Groat explained that his wife originally came up with the idea after seeing some of the experience-based opportunities AirBnB was offering. He then approached former colleague and McMaster graduate student Reyna Matties about leading the hikes.

“The focus of the hikes are to have fun and get out in the community but also to learn about the local ecology and history,” Matties explained. She added that her background in conservation biology and ecology means she can tell hikers about the local environment, including the area’s ecosystem or natural history.

“[The hikes] are themed [based on ecosystem]… there’s lots of really diverse areas here and one of the things I’m hoping to show is the diversity of ecosystems that are local and also accessible by walking or biking or different types of transport,” she added.

The first hike, held on March 25, explores the Chedoke Stairs and Radial Trail area near the Chedoke golf course. The course runs just over 6 kilometres, and Matties hopes to show off different parts of the Niagara Escarpment, providing noteworthy details about the ecology and history of the area.

@MyDogJoeCoffee looking bright and friendly this morning:) pic.twitter.com/0tTXgDghFQ

— Coffeecology (@coffeecology) April 15, 2016

“[We’ll do] a bit of geology and then also a bit of history of the Chedoke Radial Trail that formed on a previous railway,” Matties said. “Hamilton has a few different trails that are railways converted into trails which is unique and we can bike on them or hike and it provides an awesome opportunity to explore the escarpment.”

Groat is also excited to get a new perspective on the city, especially as spring blooms in Hamilton.

“I love that there’s all this nature and it’s so close by and more or less intact, especially in the Cootes Paradise area,” Groat said. “And you know, it’s our neighbourhood. We do business here, customers live here, so I think it would be nice for us to celebrate that a bit and be good neighbours and you know, take part in the neighbourhood.”

Groat is looking forward to learning more about the Hamilton environment, but he is also excited to see who is interested in the hikes.

“Hamilton’s a cool place, and it’s nice to just meet people and chat. I like that part of this business here. I work behind the counter a couple of days a week, I see the same people all the time,” he added.

Groat concluded that while only three hikes are currently planned, there is a possibility that more will follow throughout the summer based on the success of the first few.

“Really it’s about meeting people, having something to do on a Saturday morning.”

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By: Sonia Leung

From dark to light, we've got you covered with a run-down of popular choices available at (almost) any cafe.

Espresso

This is what you would receive if you ordered a coffee, or rather, caffe, in Italy. On the strong end of the coffee spectrum, espresso is traditionally served with a glass of water on the side to offset the diuretic (pee-producing) effects of caffeine. A few ounces of hot water is run through fresh coffee grounds to extract the caffeine and flavour of the beans. A single shot of this rivals the wings that Red Bull promises. A double shot of this and you’ll taste colours.

There are two lengths at which espresso is extracted: ristretto and lungo (short and long, respectively). With a ristretto or short shot, less water is run through the grinds, producing a warmer and tastier coffee. A lungo or long shot has more water run through the beans. In a lungo shot, more tannins are extracted from the coffee, resulting in a more bitter drink.

Caffe Macchiato

Macchiato translates as “marked”.

A caffe macchiato translates to “espresso marked with milk.” If you ordered one of these, your barista would serve you an espresso with a dollop of foam on top. A caffe macchiato is different than a latte macchiato, which is what you’d get if you ordered a macchiato at Starbucks.

Cortado

Just below the caffe macchiato on the spectrum of coffee is the cortado. Translating as “cut,” a cortado is an espresso cut with milk. Unlike the macchiato, which is comprised of espresso and foam, a cortado also has a bit of steamed milk to take the edge off.

Flat White

If you’ve stayed in the loop with Starbucks’ latest promotions, you’ve probably come across the flat white. Like a cortado, a flat white has espresso, milk and foam. The flat white, however, is milkier with a 2:1 of milk to coffee while a cortado’s got a ratio of 1:1.

Cappuccino

A real barista would first prepare the steamed milk and foam when making a cappuccino. This ensures that there is time for the foam to settle while the espresso is brewed.

To make thick foam with minimally sized air bubbles, they would keep the tip of the steam wand just below the surface of the milk.

Starting with espresso in the mug, a cappuccino would then be filled three quarters of the way up with foam, then steamed milk. Foam, of lesser density than milk, floats on top of the milk and sits above the edge of the mug.

Brief barista musing: iced cappuccinos aren’t actually cappuccinos — there’s no foam and usually are saturated in sugar and caramel and vanilla flavouring.

Latte

Probably the most ordered drink at cafes in North America, the latte is the complement of the cappuccino. While cappuccinos have a dairy ratio of three portions of foam to one portion of steamed milk, a latte is ratio of foam to milk is 1:3.

Latte Macchiato

As explained above, macchiato means marked in Italian. Opposite of the caffe macchiato, a latte macchiato is milk marked with coffee. A bit of espresso is added to steamed milk for a hint of coffee flavour. If you were to order a macchiato without differentiating between latte or caffe, the latte macchiato is what you would be served.

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By: Devra Charney

 

3 out of 4 beans

Address: 1020 King Street West (in Westdale), 905-777-8100

Hours: Monday – Friday 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Coffee in Westdale often means one place: My Dog Joe. On any given day, this locally and independently owned coffee house is packed with students huddled over laptops and friends catching up over a cup of joe (pun intended). Food produced locally or on premises, accompanied with an eclectic collection of used furnishings and paintings by local artists, accounts for MDJ’s appeal to hip university students – and the free WiFi doesn’t hurt either. Due to its popularity among students and members of the community, it can be difficult to find a seat on weekday evenings, and so a placard at each table gently reminds customers to limit their stay to 45 minutes during peak hours.

Owners Alice, Bruce, and Roger proudly proclaim on their website that they “sell only fair trade, organic, shade grown coffee” and use “as many local, natural and organic products” as possible. Although this pushes most drinks and baked goods onto the more expensive side of the scale, there are still affordable options available. A variety of teas ($1.75) complements pricier drink options such as flavoured mochas  ($4.15). A stylized blackboard menu bills the food as “hearty and healthy,” ranging from decadent treats, like the vegan macaroons ($1.50), to full meals, like the four-cheese and spinach quiche ($7.75).

Their three-cheese Panini ($3.95) is what keeps me coming back on a regular basis. Like all of their Panini options – which include Turkey and Brie ($7.95), free-range chicken ($7.95), and vegetarian ($5.95) – it is grilled on a 9-grain bun with garlic mayo. Served with ketchup on the side, it has all the comfort of homemade grilled cheese, but with a gourmet flare. House specialty muffins are available in sweet ($2.50) or savoury ($2.75). Moist and dense, the cranberry-blueberry muffin is bursting with juicy berries and yet subtle in its sweetness. For those seeking an alternative to standard coffee (large $2.09) Caramel-vanilla ($4.15) balances the flavour without overpowering it. Along with most of their other specialty drinks, it is available either hot or iced.

The only variable factor at My Dog Joe is the service. While many servers are knowledgeable and attentive, some give me second thoughts about staying. Upon asking for less ice in my drink, I was given an abrupt “No,” followed by a condescending, “that’s what the recipe calls for.” My receipt was then crumpled and discarded before I could ask for a copy. Despite occurrences like this, though, polite service is just as common. Many servers are willing to accommodate customers’ needs, and in compensation for this incident, I was given a voucher for a free coffee on my next visit. It is the consideration of servers like this, coupled with consistently high quality food and drinks, that ensures I remain a regular customer.

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