‘demitasse’ Planning To Serve Serious Coffee, Spectacular Gelato

By John Voket

The new owners of demitasse are looking to inject a huge shot of flavor into their new and intimate little space in Sandy Hook. Hailing from Fairfield County, Mike Landry and Jerid O’Connell recently fell in love with, and then acquired, the former Mocha Coffeehouse, and are planning an early August opening.

While passers-by may shrug off a new name — one of the only subtle exterior changes signaling the new tenant — they will not be able to ignore the stepped-up commitment to true coffee lovers and consumers who will appreciate some of the freshest foods, soups, and treats the owners will be preparing on site, or bringing in daily from places like Vermont, New Haven, and New York City.

“Originally, we tried to buy the business,” Mr O’Connell said of Mocha. “But by the time we got involved, it was just too late. And we realized it was probably meant to be, because their vision was special, but we realized it really wasn’t our vision for the place.”

While the new owners hope to cultivate an even greater community gathering place than under its previous owners, Mr O’Connell said demitasse will be bringing in and preparing “high-end coffees that meet Mike’s intense standard.”

“It really was Mike’s dream to serve not only the gourmet coffees he is familiar with at a retail location, but the foods and other items he has come to enjoy through the clients of his wholesale coffee business,” Mr O’Connell added.

Mr Landry explained that he has been a purveyor of some of Italy’s finest coffee companies for many years, and more recently was dispatched to Italy to not only learn more about the coffee business — literally from the ground up — but about the art of the barista.

“The coffee companies  I work with wanted me to be completely educated about their products, and how to use them,” Mr Landry said. “But then I took it further.”

His talent and experience has led Mr Landry to take special pride in being able to measure and prepare coffee, espresso, and cappuccino by eye.

“Even the most modern and costly machines are still automatic,” he said. “But I was trained to watch the shot by eye, and I can usually beat the machine at the game, from the tamp, to the grind. I can usually turn out a better quality cup of coffee.”

Laughing off the friendly yet respectful reference to him being a “coffee freak,” Mr Landry went on to extol the virtues of controlling the pump and pressure of the machines precisely.

“That’s why I consider this an art,” he said. “I’ve found that most coffee houses employ staff who are not espresso drinkers, so there is little appreciation for the art — no passion for making it properly.”

But the owners of demitasse don’t just want to be known for their perfect cups of hot coffee beverages, especially since they have invested in a $25,000 gelato cooler, and a newly forged relationship with Gelato Juliano of New Haven.

“We did a lot of research, and we wanted to partner with a true Italian-made company that produces their product locally,” Mr O’Connell said. “They offer handcrafted recipes, made by an Italian chef, and they will let us create our own flavors and purchase stock in small quantities so whatever we keep on hand is ultimately fresh.”

Mr Landry added that due to its ingredients, gelato is served slightly warmer than ice cream, and contains less fat content and “profoundly better flavor.”

“While commercial ice cream can be stored and served for six months, gelato is only good for about five days,” he explained. “So we obtained an Oscartielle cooler which evenly circulates the air around the gelato at the perfect eight degrees, and is calibrated regularly to maintain peak performance.”

The shop will also feature 99 percent fat-free sorbets, packed with natural ingredients and bursting with flavor, Mr Landry promised.

The shop will also feature hearty lunches with homemade quiche; ham and cheese croissants; soups brought in daily from Hale & Hardy of New York; along with scones, muffins and pastries baked on site. They will also feature chewy Vermont-made, kettle baked bagels from Breuggers and cannolis from Ferraro’s, New York’s first espresso bar.

“We’re always going to have an eye out for unique new products,” Mr O’Connell said. “And since almost everything will either be brought in or prepared fresh daily, once we’re out — we’re out.”

With an eye on maintaining a “green” presence, not only will all the food be as natural as possible, but the owners plan on using all earth-friendly serving containers including gelato cups, napkins, plates, knives and forks that will all biodegrade quickly.

“Most of the stuff is made from molded corn products,” Mr O’Connell said. “And we’ll be using a high efficiency washer for all reusable serving items, as well as green and environment friendly detergents and cleaning products, too.”

The duo from demitasse pledge to also split their philanthropic gestures between local causes and a nonprofit established by Mr O’Connell called Fuel For Humanity, which built and maintains a school for children in Nicaragua run by missionaries on the site of a former garbage dump.

Mr O’Connell said it is obviously his and Mr Landry’s goal to see demitasse become a profitable venture, but that will only come if the business becomes a good neighbor.

“If the community loves us, than we will consider it a success,” Mr O’Connell said. “If you can become an important contributor in the community, anything is possible.”