Coffee is the New Blood: The Psychology of Aroma

Coffee has an aroma that is rich and full of life. Whether it’s in a cup, on ground beans, or aromatic grounds, the smell of coffee adds to the aesthetic and coziness to your cafe. You may not think about how important this sense is when you’re opening up for business in the morning; however, we want you to understand what kind of impact aromas can have on people and their moods. So today we’ll talk about why coffee smells so good and how it contributes to creating a sense of nostalgia around your cafe.

Coffee has a unique and identifiable smell. It’s often associated with comfort, relaxation, and happiness. This is because the aroma of coffee triggers happy memories for many people. For example, when you smell coffee, it may remind you of your grandma’s kitchen or that time you spent at your favorite cafe studying for finals. These positive associations with coffee lead to a sense of nostalgia and happiness. Therefore, the smell itself triggers positive emotions in people’s minds when they encounter it.

In addition to triggering good memories, the aroma of ground beans and brewed coffee is also relaxing for some people. The caffeine found in ground beans gives your body an energy boost; however, there are also other compounds in coffee that have a calming effect. One of these compounds is called linalool, and it’s known to reduce stress levels. When people smell linalool, it tends to relax them and make them feel more at ease. So not only does the aroma of coffee bring back good memories, but it can also help people feel more relaxed and calm.

Finally, the smell of coffee is often associated with comfort. This is because it has a sweet and rich aroma that can be comforting to people. The smell itself reminds people of being at home or in a familiar environment. It’s this sense of familiarity that makes the smell of coffee so cozy and inviting. When customers see you brewing coffee, they feel welcomed into your space and experience a sense of belonging because the smell brings out feelings of home.

We hope that this article helped you better understand how to use coffee’s aroma in your cafe as a way to create comfort for both yourself and your customers. Aroma is just one more tool at your disposal when it comes to making your cafe a cozy and inviting space. So experiment with different coffee scents and see which ones work best for you!

Should Dogs Be Allowed In Cafes?

When entering coffee shops, you must look at the door because some commercial places allow pets and some don’t want anything to do with them. They have nothing against dogs as they have their own reasons. It is possible they won’t allow pets inside their coffee shop because they cause a disaster and some of their most loyal customers may be allergic. Also, some dogs are too active that they end up entering the kitchen without even getting permission from the boss. We all know that can only result to danger as some people holding valuable things can suddenly slip because of the dogs entering the kitchen. There are some people who go to coffee shops to relax for a few hours. If they feel at ease when they are with their pets then you have no right to tell them otherwise. If coffee shops reject their entry, they may even find another place to do it. These days, it is hard to reject customers as they can easily find another place to get coffee. We all know it is pretty easy to make coffee at home especially if you own a coffee grinder. It only takes about ten minutes then you are done but it depends on whether or not you would want a cold or hot one. Either way, the cold one makes for a great way to start a day. You know you would fee addicted to it even if you just had a few bottles.

There are some doggy coffee shops that allow dogs inside their restaurants but they do the necessary precautions. They have some people watching the action at all times. There can also be CCTV cameras all over the place so you know someone is always watching the action. When that happens, someone will intervene when two dogs suddenly come at each other. Some people asking should a dog be allowed in cafes fail to see the fact that these pets bring fun and joy to the lives of all the coffee enthusiasts that go to the coffee shop. It is nice how they would want nothing more than to enjoy every second of their lives. You know how happy everyone is going to be when they see dogs are happy too. Of course, you may want to watch what is being fed to the dog. Dogs are not allowed to eat coffee means but it is a completely different story when the coffee shop has food items up for grabs. It is important to watch your pet at all times when you decide to bring your dog to the coffee shop. It may decide to engage in a fight with another dog at the far end of the street or worse inside the coffee shop too. You won’t see security try to break that up as that would be embarrassing for the pet owners. They would want to wait for the pet owners to break their dogs up unless something worse is about to happen.

Cold Brew Coffee: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Cold brew coffee is becoming a thing nowadays. Everyone wants to try it and a lot of people are raving about it. You know you are being left behind if you have yet to try it. If you have tried it, there is no doubt you would want to share the good word. There are pros and cons to this drink just like every other drink you know.

The Good – Easy to Make

It is pretty easy to make a cold brew as it won’t even take that long to do it. All it takes is having the right materials and you know what you are supposed to do with it. The best thing to buy would be a cold brew maker and the ingredients would be coffee beans and water. Later on, you will get used to it and you will be able to make it in batches.

The Bad – Addictive

It is possible you are going to forget about all the other coffee products when you try the cold brew. You can’t blame yourself for doing that because it is that good. Before you know it, you drank a lot already. There will be times when you find yourself craving for it so much that you will take time out from work just to get to the nearest coffee shop. There is nothing wrong with that if it makes you happy. However, too much of something is pretty bad for your health.

The Ugly – Contains Lots of Caffeine

Caffeine can do so many things to different people. One thing it will do is make you hyper. That is not so bad but you will be so active that you may do things you are going to regret later on. If it is productive things you do, then it won’t be so bad. The truth is it could also halt you from sleeping and you may not sleep the right number of hours. You may want to avoid cold brew during night time as it would be better to drink it during the morning so you will have tons of energy during the day.

In conclusion, you better know what you are getting yourself into when you try the cold brew. It is pretty similar to iced coffee but the taste is far from it. It would be better to opt for the plant-based option so that you won’t be supporting the harmful treatment of cows. Also, better take note of the expiry date. The last thing you would want to happen is for you to have a tummy ache after taking it. The expiry date is put in different parts of the bottle and it could even be put under it. You know you would not want to miss that as it could be an error on your part if you drank it when it is already expired. If it contains dairy products, it is not going to last long so drink it while it is still freshly made.

Keeping Your Storefront Clean and Inviting to Customers

When you’re a small restaurant or beverage nook, so much of your business relies on walk-in customers. Sure, you can build a loyal following by providing an unbelievable experience, excellent food, and excellent service. However, the fact of the matter is that the life blood of your customer base comes down to your local and the number of people who walk by there.

It’s different if you are a fancy restaurant with a big advertising budget. But if you’re a coffee shop or a sandwich shop you simply won’t get by this way. Find a place on Main Street and watch the customers flow in. If you can keep them happy, then you have a business.

But even location and excellent service won’t get them in the door alone. You have to take advantage of the first impression to get them to choose your establishment over Joe Shmoe’s cafe across the street. Let’s review some basic guidelines for making this happen.

Square One: Clean and Organized

You storefront has to look impressive. That means that the sign, the doors, and the windows should all look clean and sleek. It doesn’t stop there though. What about the sidewalk that people will be traversing when they first come across your lovely establishment? It may not be your property per se, but it is certainly there for you to exploit within reason.

If you have the room, make use of the sidewalk with some outdoor seating. Don’t overdo it though, you don’t want your customers to feel crowded as they eat their croissants, and you don’t want passer-byes to feel like their stepping over someone’s lunch.

Embellish on that thought a bit more though, and try putting out some potted plants. Sure you’ll have to take them in at the end of the day, but a little bit of greenery on an otherwise gray street can attract the eyes of many.

On that note, keep it clean. It’s relatively common practice to sweep down the sidewalk at the end of the work day. Why stop there though? Keep the sidewalk extra clean by spraying it down with a pressure washer on an as needed basis. Someone dropped a milkshake? No problem, blast it down the storm drain. Check out TBEPW if you need a bit more guidance on finding an electric pressure washer that’s right for your business.

Square Two: Analyze the Competition and Dominate

With the basics in hand it’s time to get cut throat. You didn’t think that you were getting into an easy business, did you? Let’s be honest, this is one of the most difficult businesses to run that you can find. You already knew that though, right?

So what are you supposed to do? Take a look at what your competitors are doing and do it better. Way better. So much better than your competition will cry.

Take a look at the busy stores and shops and see what’s working for them. Is it signs on the door with specials? Is it advertisements on social media? Is it a trendy menu in an otherwise stale downtown? Whatever the case, you can use what they’re doing to your own advantage and amplify your business for maximum profits. Sometimes you have to get creative, but that’s what owning a business is all about.

It’s very sad to say, but owning a business of this nature is more about appearance than it is about delivering on that appearance. Of course, to stay in business for the long term you have to be incredibly impressive in your delivery. But that alone is not enough. This is not an “if you build it they will come” kind of market. Focus on getting them in the door first, and only then should you worry about keeping them there.

Deciding Between a Futon and a Sofa Bed? This Will Help You Choose

Futons and sofa beds are similar types of furniture. You can use them both as a couch and as extra bed when you have company stay the night. Futons and sofa beds are so similar, in fact, that it can be difficult deciding which of the two to buy. In the following article we will break down the differences between the two and their pros and cons.

Futons

Futons are, in essence, covered mattresses that you fold over a sofa-like frame, which can also lay flat just like a bed frame. Futon mattresses come in the same sizes as bed mattresses (double, queen and king), and like bed mattresses, they have different levels of firmness. That is, some are soft, some are firm and some are in between.

Futons have many advantages. First, they are easy to set up. In no time, you can convert one from a sofa into a bed and then back again. They are also relatively light. Once you remove the mattress, the frame is usually light enough for one adult to move around the room without much problem. Futons can further be quite comfortable. At least to sleep on. Best of all, futons are typically inexpensive. Regardless of your budget, you should be able to find one that fits your needs.

That does not mean that futons are perfect. Foremost, while they can be comfortable to sleep on, they tend to be not as comfortable for sitting as standard sofas. The mattresses can get lumpy, and they can sink quite a bit, which makes them not a great choice for small children and the elderly. Finally, futons usually do not look as good as standard sofas. Many of them, in fact, might not fit in with every type of decor.

Sofa Beds

A sofa bed is a sofa that has a bed hidden inside it. This includes a mattress and a metal frame. Sofa beds look and act just like normal sofas. There are no visual indications that they have beds inside them. To convert a sofa bed into a bed, you first remove the cushions from it and then pull out the mattress, which folds out into a bed. As this mattress has to fit inside the sofa, it is typically much thinner than an ordinary bed mattress.

The benefit of sofa beds is that they can fit into any decor you might have, and they can be very stylish. They are great when you want to hide the fact that they are actually sofa beds.

But sofa beds also have a slew of disadvantages. First of all, sofa beds are heavy. They are usually much heavier than ordinary sofas because they have both a mattress and a metal frame inside them. This makes them difficult to move. They further tend to be expensive. They can be a lot more expensive than a futon. Finally, because the mattresses are thin, they are usually not so comfortable to sleep on, and over time they can become even more uncomfortable.

So, Which Should You Choose?

If your budget is limited, a futon will probably be a better choice, as they are usually far less expensive than sofa beds. They are also the choice if you need something light or something that will provide the most comfortable night of sleep.

Sofa beds, on the other hand, are the best choice if having a nice looking (and comfortable) sofa is more important to you than the comfort of the bed inside it.

5 Ways a Live Guitar Player Can Brighten Your Cafe

The sound of music brings people together like nothing else can. Don’t let your cafe miss out on all the benefits that a live guitar player can bring with them. Here are the top five reasons you should consider inviting a guitar player to your cafe, and how it benefits your business.

Create an Uplifting Atmoshpere

One of the most important things to keep in mind while looking booking a live guitarist is why do people come to your cafe. Some patrons may stop by to have a relaxing cup of tea or coffee. Others may come in to study or work. Others may be looking for a motivating atmosphere to help unwind. A live guitarist is the perfect choice to please all these crowds since they create a perfect combination of stimulation, relaxation, or uplifting jams.

A Guitarist Draws in More Customers

Hiring a guitarist to play for the evening could draw in customers who may never have thought to stop by your cafe before. Most guitarists won’t hesitate to tell their friends that they’ll be playing your cafe. For you, this means a new set of customers that will be stopping by. You could even draw in some extra customers with a raffle or a giveaway – perhaps a beginner’s electric guitar would be best. You could even have the guitarist play the guitar throughout the evening before handing it off to the lucky customer. Secondly, many people who pass by your cafe on the street will hear your musician of the night. This entices them to come on in, buy a drink, and listen.

Create a Social Vibe

Music brings people together, no matter where it’s being played. You’ve probably seen scores of customers come in, order their favorite drink, and then focus on their smart phones or tablets. Hiring a live guitarist brings their focus back to the here and now. While a classical guitarist may create a relaxing vibe, a more upbeat musician may encourage people to become part of the show with dancing, singing or clapping. Creating a social vibe through music makes your cafe the place to be.

Entice Customers to Stay Longer

It’s no secret that customers that are having a good time will stay longer, and they’ll order more food or drinks. No matter what your cafe serves, customers who are into the music will want to stay, which means they’ll return to your register more and more during the show. This is also true of larger groups as well who may stay to socialize together. Inviting a live guitarist to your cafe allows you to grow some extra revenue as well as your customer base.

Increase Staff Morale

Cafes may not seem like challenging places to work, but a live musician can help improve your staff’s morale. Rather than having to work at the same pace each night, a live guitarist can help put an extra skip in your staff’s step. They may get into the music while preparing orders. This boosts customer relations, as staff will be happier and much more engaged with their customers. Plus, having a soundtrack for the night will help the night go by a little bit quicker.

Hiring a live guitarist to play at your cafe can be a positive addition to your events calendar. While some customers may be turned off by live music, especially if they’re looking for a quiet place to work or study, many others will appreciate hearing unique music and having a great time.

Make Your Home More Cozy With This Modern Appliance

Your home is many things. For most people, their home is where they retreat after a long day’s work. Many homeowners look for a home that makes it easy to have wonderful memories and create good times. One way to make any home more appealing is to make it cozier. A cozier home is a home that helps the homeowner turn their precious home into a snug retreat from the cold weather. There are many elements that go into creating a cozier home. Two of the most important are heating and light. As the days grow shorter, the air grows cooler. People turn to their home to come in from the cold and find the light.

A Fireplace

One of the best ways to bring both light and warmth into any home is with a fireplace. Fireplaces have long been used to help heat homes. They are also treasured as a means of adding lovely flickering light in deep shades of yellow and orange. However, a traditional fireplace has many drawbacks. A standard fireplace can be messy, very hard to keep clean and even potentially dangerous. This is why many homeowners have found it best to look for alternatives. One increasingly popular possibility are electric fireplaces. Installing an electric fireplace has many advantages.

In Any Room

Unlike standard fireplaces, an electric fireplace can be used in any room in your home. An electric fireplace need not go in a designated space in the room that is only used for the fireplace. Many people do not have a chimney or have that one is blocked off by walls. In that case, they can use the electric fireplace in the room instead. An electric fireplace can be used in any room in the home. Better yet, the electric fireplace, unlike a standard fireplace, is completely portable. A homeowner can take it with them as they head from the living room to their bedroom.

Easy to Maintain

Another advantage of using an electric fireplace is that such fireplaces are easier to maintain. Maintaining a standard fireplace can be hard. The homeowner must first find and keep firewood on hand in order to create a fire. They also need to keep a supply of material to help start and maintain the fire once it starts. After the fire is done, the homeowner may need to sweep up layers of ash from the fireplace and even from the surrounding area. This is not true of an electric fireplace. The fireplace can be started with the the push of a button. Once the heat has begun, the homeowner can control it precisely, avoiding the possibility of too much heat. When the homeowner wants to stop the heat, no messy clean up and putting out the fire is required. Instead, they can simply shut it off.

Clean and Efficient

A standard fireplace may emit harmful chemicals. For example, the fireplace can emit too much carbon monoxide. This gas can pose serious, major health problems. By contrast, there are no such health problems with the use of an electric fireplace. No fumes are emitted when you turn it on. Just like with a standard fireplace, you get beautiful flames to admire in lovely colors. However, you need not worry that the flames will bring unwanted chemicals into your home. Even better, many such fireplace offer wonderful options including flickering embers and even the crackling noise a standard fireplace makes. Furthermore, this fireplace, unlike other standard fireplaces, has safety glass so the homeowner does not need to worry that a small child might get dangerous burns.

In short, an electric fireplace can be an ideal way to create a home that is both cozy and safe. Here are some useful sites for more information:

http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/heating-and-cooling/electric-fireplaces.htm/

www.bestelectricfireplace.review/

doityourself.com/stry/electric-vs-gas-vs-wood-fireplaces-the-heat-is-on/

Tips for Making your Next Scarecrow

Farmers place scarecrows in open fields to discourage birds from feeding on growing plants and recently-cast seeds. These structures are used across the world in rice, maize, wheat, and many other farms. You can also build a scarecrow to decorate your yard. Below are helpful steps you can use to make a perfect scarecrow that will decorate and secure your garden against birds, sparrows, and crows.

Gather Supplies

First, you need to gather materials to construct the scarecrow. They include the following:

  • Nails
  • Old clothes
  • Long wooden boards
  • Straw
  • Old hat
  • Strings

Build the Frame

You should use two nails when building the frame of the scarecrow. You should place them slightly apart to prevent the cross frame from spinning. Finally, you should select a position near vulnerable plants and knock the frame into the ground using a hammer.

Put the Shirt On

You should use an old shirt to dress the scarecrow. The horizontal stick should be the arms of the structure. Use a string to tie around the bottom of the shirt tightly to give the structure a waistline. Also, tie off the sleeves of the shirt.

Stuff the Structure

The best stuffing material is straw. It is environmentally friendly. Additionally, when you use straw as the stuffing material, the shape of the scarecrow will not change during rainy seasons. You can also use the material to give the structure a potbelly.

Add Gloves

You can use gardening gloves to give the structure a realistic human form. However, you should stuff the gloves perfectly to keep them firm and in proper shape. It is advisable to tuck in the shirt sleeves’ ends inside the gloves.

Attach Stuffed Pants

First, you should stuff pants using straw to give them a realistic shape. Measure the height of the structure before stuffing the pants to align them. Attach the pants to the structure using suspenders. On either side, tie the suspenders through the belt loops. Tying a string around the frame and through the back belt loop will secure and make them stable. Ensure the pants are tightly tied at the bottom using a strong string, which keeps the stuffing material intact.

Add Shoes

An old pair of shoes or boots will finish off the lower part of the structure. Tie the boots onto the base of the pants to ensure that they are stable.

Make the Head

You can use a burlap sack, usually used to carry coffee beans or to protect trees, to make a perfect scarecrow head. If you do not have a burlap sack, you can use a pillowcase to make the head. The process of making a scarecrow head using a pillowcase involves:

  • Fill the pillowcase halfway with the stuffing material of your choice, preferably straw.
  • Use safety pins to pin the pillowcase, which prevents the stuffing material from falling out.
  • Leave an opening at the bottom of the pillowcase.
  • The next step includes inserting the stuffed pillowcase onto the vertical pole.
  • Tie the bottom of the pillowcase to the pole to make a perfect scarecrow head.

Give the Structure a Personality by Adding Facial Features

You should decorate the face of the structure. You can put straw hair beneath an old hat. Lastly, you can use colored buttons for the mouth, nose, and eyes.
Conclusively, you can accessorize the scarecrow by tying a red bandana around its neck and leaving a colored handkerchief peeking out of the structure’s pocket.

How to Properly Handle Your Fall Harvest

There’s no denying it – fall is right at our heels. There can be a lot to take care of this time of year, and if you’ve been lucky quite a bit of it will have to do with harvesting and storing your garden’s bountiful rewards. Here are some tips for some common vegetables:

Onions and other Alliums

Onions and alliums are a desert-island staple among many of the world’s top chefs. As summer comes to a close, you’ll start to notice your onion greens folding and hanging over. This means it’s time to harvest, and they can be gentled pulled by the greens to remove them from the soil. Pungent onions should be cured prior to storage, which is achieved by giving them plenty of space in a dry environment for up to a month. Store your alliums in a dark and cool place. Mild onions tend to spoil more quickly (often less than a month), but you’ll be delighted to hear that the more pungent counterparts can keep sometimes up to a year!

Winter Squashes

Winter squash can take quite some time to ripen, but once they do they’ll be full of flavor and can be stored for the long haul – if cared for properly. Once the vines die back and the squash has developed a hard skin, they should be ready for harvest. Make sure to take them in before frost or will ruin the flesh! Store your winter squash on a drying rack in a cool, dry place and they should be usable for several months.

Herbs

The summer months are full of flavor with herbs growing at their fullest, but you can enjoy them throughout the year by drying or freezing. If you choose to dry the plants, pull up the whole plant by the root and hang upside down until the leaves have become brittle and paper-like. Then remove the leaves and collect in a jar for use throughout the year. Alternatively, freezing your herbs can retain more flavor, but this is really better suited for cooking use. Wash, trim, and dry your herbs thoroughly before freezing for best results.

Potatoes and Tubers

Nothing says fall like a pan of roasted potatoes. When your potatoe greens begin to die away and turn brown it’s time to dig up the gold. Nothing too fancy here! Just be careful not to damage the skin or the flesh, as this will obviously reduce shelf life. Cure your potatoes for a few weeks prior to storage by spreading them out in a dry environment. Store them in a cool and dry place without cleaning and you’ll be stocked up for the winter.

Artichokes

Artichokes are the classic Western American vegetable – and truly a delicacy if prepared well. They are ready to harvest once the leaves are just beginning to spread, and should be cut such that a generous amount of stem remains. Unfortunately they don’t have the longest shelf life, so keep them cool and make sure to use them quickly so they don’t go to waste!

 

Coming soon!

The cafe is on it’s way!

If you’re looking for a place where you can come and learn the concepts of Western American cooking and lifestyle, you needn’t look any further. The Wild Horse Cafe will be your all-in-one stop for recipes, home design tips, news, and so much more!

Maybe you’d like to try something new in the kitchen, and classic home style comfort food is just the thing to hit the spot? Or maybe you’re wondering about the latest in fall fashion, and how you can best match an outfit to your brand new flannel? Or just maybe you’re wondering how to set up your garden to grow the most vegetables to keep your family fed throughout the year.

Whatever the case, rest assured that we’ll have you covered. It will take some time, but we’ll make sure to bring you the information you need as soon as we can. Stop in any time and join in the fun with some like-minded folks. We look forward to seeing you soon!