August Barista’s Choice

????BARISTA HIGHLIGHT | This month, we’re highlighting Rajeev, who you’ve most likely met because he’s Carrboro-famous! His barista’s choice creation is the “Orange Blossom Special,” a classy and delicious drink that looks and feels like you’re having an old-fashioned, sub espresso for booze! ????????
10% of proceeds for Rajeev’s drink this month are being donated to Refugee Community Partnership in Carrboro, an organization that builds ecosystems of resources, opportunities, and relationships with and for refugees while forging protective interdependence and solidarity among neighbors. Learn a little more about Rajeev, his drink and choice of charity below:
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Q: Tell us about your baristas choice drink!
A: I’ve been a fan of our coffee from Saul Melara’s farm and I was looking forward to it showing up at Open Eye as an espresso option. I wanted to make something that had that espresso at the center, and was also fun and summery. The espresso is chilled with ice and then strained over a cube of frozen honey and orange blossom. I like orange blossom in anything, with its sweet smell and its slightly bitter taste. Also, I don’t drink as much alcohol as I used to, and I feel like when I’m holding this drink in my hand it feels like I’m having a coffee version of the sort of alcoholic cocktail I would have made for myself. This whole thing was a fun process; it was collaboratively made with Michelle and Thurmond, and I love obsessing too much over flavor.
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Q: What charity are you choosing to donate proceeds of your drink to this month & why?
A: I’ve pickedin Carrboro because I think they’re providing the sort of support network for people in our community which my family would have appreciated a couple decades ago, and eventually found. Maddie’s great–I trust them.
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Q: Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
A: I have a kombucha company which I’m proud of but which might have collapsed under its own gravity and I’m hoping I can perform some CPR on it without breaking too many of its ribs.
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Q: Cats or Dogs?
A: Meh. They’re all fine. Puppies and kittens are both inherently cute because they’re small and new at this, but I’m not really partial to either dogs or cats. Humans are legit though.
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Q: Book or Movie?
A: stageplays
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Q: Favorite alt. Milk?
A: half and half
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Q: Go-to Latte art?
A: Tulips are the actual best.
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Q: Favorite herbal tea?
A: Yerba mate
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Q: Favorite Carrboro Coffee Roasters coffee?
A: Saul Melara or Ethiopia Ardi
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