Community Corner
Valentine Coffee Brews Its Roasts at Farmer's Market
For these flavors fanatics who have no cafe, meeting customers is one of the perks.
Valentine Coffee Roasters is a popular spot on Saturday mornings at the Tosa Farmers Market. With each cup they brew, Robb Kashevarof and Joe Gilsdorf take time to connect their customers with the coffee they’ve roasted.
Kashevarof started the company with his wife, Virginia, and works on all aspects of running the company with Gilsdorf. Kashevarof says the company is named for his grandfather, Valentine Kashevarof, an Aleut Indian.
The Bering Sea Blend, a Valentine specialty, is named for the waters around the Pribilof Islands where his grandfather lived. This connection to place and origin reveals an essential element in Kashevarof’s philosophy and approach to roasting coffee.
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“Most simply, our approach to roasting coffee is directed by the twofold pursuit of balance and terroir. We want our coffees to be both delicious and interesting, not highlighting one to the exclusion of the other.
"There are trends in the roasting industry that yield fascinating, if challenging results.”
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Describing himself and Gilsdorf as “two wine guys that got into coffee,” Kashevarof believes that “the parallels are unmistakable.” Like grapes, coffee beans achieve unique characteristics from the land on which they are grown, and the coffees at Valentine reflect this consideration.
“We only select green beans (from responsible sources) after much deliberation; experiment with each in the roaster until we find its ideal profile; and bring them to market only when we feel they are at the peak of sweetness and character, and most expressive of their place of origin.”
Kashevarof likes the hands-on work of making coffee at the farmer’s market.
“The farmer's markets are a great showcase for our coffee for several reasons. First, since we just roast and don't operate a cafe of our own, it is an opportunity to reach out to new customers and keep in touch with loyal fans.”
He also likes being among other seasonal products, which draws attention to the connection of coffee to its source. “We find it fitting to be at these markets alongside other delicious, fresh, in-season goods.”
Valentine Coffee Roasters is located in Wauwatosa but currently doesn’t have a shop open to the public. Fans who are looking for a fix outside of farmer’s market can find Valentine coffee at a number of local grocery stores and restaurants.
