Savor the Delicious Taste of S&D Coffee at Dogwood
True coffee lovers live for the perfect cup of coffee. Isn’t it wonderful how this beloved beverage ignites our senses? The anticipation begins when you first open the bag and inhale that wonderfully familiar smell. The experience continues with the amazing aroma as it’s brewing, the steady beat of the liquid as it drips into the pot, the sight of the steam rising from the cup, the way the warm mug feels when it’s wrapped securely in your hands, and finally, the pure satisfaction you feel as you taste that first sip.
For many of us, a great cup of coffee is how we begin each day. It wakes us up, makes us feel alive, and helps keep us alert and on task as we make our way through another crazy day.
At Dogwood Southern Table & Bar, we adore coffee, and we know our customers do too. In order to provide our customers with the very best product, we purchase our coffee from S&D Coffee and Tea Company.
We recently spoke with Wayne Morris, Regional Manager of S&D Coffee for 26 years.
What is your philosophy at S&D Coffee?
“S&D is here to serve our customers,” explains Morris. “As we delight them with our quality products and unmatched service, they reward us with their business. We are able to take proceeds from our profits and provide an income to our people, while also investing in our business for the future. This virtuous cycle repeats itself time and again. We have had eighty-eight years to work this out and we know that our simple philosophy still works.”
“Thanks for your business,” continues Morris. “We love Dressler’s and Dogwood and we feel privileged to be a part of your menu! We hope that your patrons enjoy our coffee.”
What makes S&D Coffee special?
“We have more than two hundred blends and many, many single origin coffees,” explains Morris. “Our coffees come in all sorts of taste profiles. We have breadth of line to meet all preferences and we have the creatvitivy to develop new blends when appropriate. Our scale and buying power enable us to provide great value and even level out some of the bumps in what can be a fairly erratic commodity market. So really, you can’t reduce it to one special thing. There are a whole lot of things that add up to the fact that we are pretty special as a roaster. In fact, we are the largest custom roaster in North America.”
Why does your coffee appeal to your customers?
“Honestly, America’s love affair with coffee is infinite. We are so glad that coffee is good for you and people realize that it is a healthier caffeine carrier, so functionally, they derive alertness from coffee. But most of all, people just like the taste. And that beloved coffee flavor has expanded to iced coffees and frozen, blended coffees. S&D Coffee delivers on every functional and sensory need that you can imagine.”
What are some of your customers’ favorite coffee blends?
“We recently launched a new specialty coffee line that included blends like Bogota Sunrise, Costa Rican Canopy, and Guatemalan Highlands. I am passionate about all three of these coffees.”
Aren’t all coffee beans the same? What’s the difference?
“No,” says Morris. “Beans differ significantly by where they are grown. Elevation, soil composition, rainfall, and agricultural standards play a role in the way a bean will taste. In addition, processing, including the way the bean is milled at origin, the way it is roasted, ground, and brewed all factor into the differences.”
Why are various brands of coffee so different from each other?
“Brands will have blends governed by the same factors I just mentioned, but they also may have a signature roasting style, or a signature tasting note that if delivered consistently over time becomes a part of the brand’s identity.”
What is “cupping?”
“Cupping is the process that technically trained professionals utilize to assess the coffee against consistent quality coffee,” explains Morris. “Trained “cuppers” are able to detect flavor notes and imperfections in the coffee by cupping. S&D cups the coffee six times from receiving to final shipping to ensure that all quality standards are met.”
