[This is the latest installment of “Cobb Cuisine, Culture and Community” by Brian Benefield]
Coffee provokes a visceral feeling. I enjoy a cup or two almost every morning. Not only do I relish the jolt I get from the caffeine, but the aroma and the warm cup in my hand all provide a vivid sensory experience that is as comforting as a soft, fuzzy blanket.
Arthur and Luisana Beaudet are opening a new cafe on Canton Road soon with a strong focus on high-quality, responsibly farmed coffee. Arthur grew up in the restaurant business at Douceur De France, with his parents being the original owners. He did everything from serving customers to assisting in the kitchen, making pastries, croissants, and many other daily duties that kept the eatery percolating. It was there that he took a great interest in roasting coffee.
Beaudet saw a need to provide the beans for other establishments and is now the java supplier for local spots such as Marietta Perks and Honeysuckle Biscuits and Bakery in Kennesaw.
Most consumers have heard of the term Fair Trade Coffee, which is misleading because the farmers need to consistently receive fair compensation for a large amount of labor it takes to produce the beans.
Whereas the Beaudet family believes that farmers should dictate the price and get paid for what they think is fair, thus creating a more ethical business environment for everyone.
They believe the coffee you get in your cup is only as good as its starting point and work extremely hard to oversee the entire process from bean to cup.
Visiting with producers from around the globe to observe the growing, harvesting, processing, storage, and shipping are heavily scrutinized to ensure the customer gets the best cup of joe possible. You will be able to buy their coffee to get the cafe experience in the comfort of your home.
Luisana was born in the Dominican Republic and came to the US at five years of age. Growing up, she loved cooking with her mother, where food was central to her Hispanic culture. She shared some menu items to look forward to, such as breakfast burritos with house-made tortillas and pasture-raised eggs and sausage.
“Homemade biscuits were a big hit at our pop-ups,” Luisana exclaimed, and they will be available at the new Cafe.
They’ll also be serving fresh herb omelets, salmon plates, and of course, handmade pastries and croissants. Lunch offerings will be sandwiches on house-made bread, soups, and a rotation of daily specials that will change seasonally.
I like a place with a smaller menu so they can focus on the food they prepare and do it exceptionally well. One of my favorite food writers and chefs, the late Anthony Bourdain, once said, “good food is very often, even most often, simple food.” I couldn’t agree more.
The Cafe will have a massive, vivid mural on one side of the building painted by local artist Lindsey O’ Shields who has also done several beautiful murals at Marietta Square.
The image comes from a picture the owners took while in Guatemala and will depict a volcano overlooking a geographical area where they dry coffee beans. I’m sure it will add oodles of flavor to all who view it.
Café Clément is due to open at the end of March if everything goes according to their plan, and I, for one, will be first in line.
I asked Luisana if there was any significance to the name Clement and learned that Arthur and a friend were drinking liquor by the same name in France in the summer of 2014.
Beaudet told his friend that one day he would open a place of his own where he could do what he loves every day by serving delectable, exquisite coffee to his community. He and his friend laughed, toasted with their drinks, and said, that’s it, the name will be Café Clément. Now, almost ten years later, his dream is becoming a reality.