Step into Bellatazza and let the symphony of coffee culture envelop you: the methodical whir of grinders preparing the day’s beans, the rhythmic tamp of espresso, the gentle hiss of steam transforming local milk into frothy goodness. Beyond the familiar cafe percussion, there’s the warm hum of conversation and the rustle of newspapers – a soundtrack playing on Wall Street since 2003. It’s not just the aroma of freshly roasted coffee that fills the air, but the sense that you’re part of a community that flows through this space like the pulse of Bend itself.
Join us for a Q&A with Stewart Fritchman, owner/founder of Bellatazza Caffé.
Source Weekly: What inspired the name Bellatazza?
Stewart Fritchman: Not that we are by any means Italian of descent or channeling an Italian-centric model… We have always been drawn to cultures in the world where conversation, coffee houses and community thrive. In most folks’ minds, that’s Italy or countries along the northern side of the Mediterranean. It is deeply important to note that Ethiopia seems to be the birthplace of coffee (at least myth has it so) and they have their own gorgeous coffee culture along with the countries along the Southern Mediterranean. Of the Northern Mediterranean, the languages are all of the same root: Latin. And then we dive into the origin of the name. When traveling and asking for a coffee in Italy, I once heard “….. una bella tazza di caffe.” Which means that the person was requesting a beautiful cup of coffee. Not aesthetically pleasing per se, but in a broad gesture, arms open, a Latin cultural way of expressing a love for coffee. That phrase distills into Bellatazza.
SW: Bellatazza has been offering coffee in Oregon since 1993. What inspired you to open during Central Oregon’s early craft coffee days?
SF: Great question! I partnered and opened an espresso cart in downtown Portland in 1993. We were the first 52-week-a-year espresso cart in Oregon. Then I moved to Central Oregon and started the development of Bellatazza. We purchased a cafe in Sunriver with an attached TINY coffee roasting operation. After two years of operating that cafe, we built a substantially larger coffee roasting facility and ultimately roasted about 100,000 pounds annually. Jan 11, 2003, the downtown cafe opened and became a central hub to the growth of downtown Bend.
SW: How has Bend’s coffee culture evolved since you first opened, and how has Bellatazza adapted while maintaining its core identity?
SF: Well now, that’s a heartwarming story. When we first started, we were the only roastery buying direct trade, supporting the community here in Bend as well as the community in countries we buy from. We were the first cafe to present latte art (those cute little rosettas, hearts, swans, fleur des lis, etc.) and have a deep culture that inspired others to elevate coffee in Bend to a much higher level. In the beginning, it was just Bellatazza, Starbucks and one or two now defunct operations – Royal Coffee, Leon’s and Bend Mountain Coffee. Now we have absolutely stellar roasters and cafes with a wide variety of roasting styles and cafe environments. Bend is home to more coffee roasters (per capita) than any other city in the contiguous 48 states.
SW: Talk about your bean sourcing philosophy. How do you select your coffee origins and maintain relationships with farmers?
SF: People before profit, always. We do the best we can to ensure the direct trade relationships we have are providing a reasonable living in Guatemala, our foundational coffee for all our blends. Relationships are built on genuine caring and engagement, not just a dollar. We never balk at a price the farm is requesting. If the quality is there, if the ethics are there, we simply buy the coffee. If not, we move on to find the right farm with the balance we insist upon. A few times in my life, the coffee was perfect and the ethics were spot on, yet the manager was asking too little. We agreed with their price then made a donation to their farm to help build a medical center and a small “classroom” for the kids who lived on the plantation. This wasn’t only us, a few of the micro roasters like Bellatazza all joined in to provide materials, funds, human resources. We all are a part of this chain from seed to cup and a part of the community in both Guatemala and Bend. This is deeply rooted in my essence. I find it hard to believe it’s not the modus operandi of all businesses. It isn’t. It’s far more rare than I thought.
SW: Do you source from multiple origins, or do you
prefer to focus on specific regions? How do you balance consistency with
seasonal availability?
SF: Guatemala is our key country, a personal fave
in Ethiopia too. We also source coffees from Colombia, Sumatra, Kenya, Costa
Rica and have done so for 25(?) years. Plus, a wide array of other
intriguing coffees that pop up each year.
SW: Green bean freshness is crucial for
exceptional coffee. How do you ensure you’re getting the freshest beans
possible and what’s your process for maintaining that freshness from arrival to
roast?
SF: You’re so astute! Green bean freshness
does matter. A coffee packed in burlap is fine for a few months depending upon
the temperature and humidity in which it’s stored. If GrainPro liners are used,
plantations can store their coffee longer and wait for the market prices to be
better. GrainPro indeed can extend the life of green coffee, some say up to two
years. I’ve never had coffee that old on our roasting floor. Generally, we
contract with a grower for 7/8ths of our assumed need for the following year.
When we are out of that contract, we’ll seek more of the same or something
comparable. Nothing is warehoused beyond a year contract and is almost always
in GrainPro even if used in nine months. As for roasted coffee, that’s a
different story. Some roasteries roast coffee and warehouse it for weeks or
months prior to shipping it to a wholesale client, a grocery store or an
internet end–user. One-hundred percent of our coffee is roasted every week,
fresh for an assumed demand for each coffee or blend. When we are out, we then
roast more the next week. Most of our coffee is still warm when we are
processing to ship to our wholesale accounts, internet orders or our cafe.
SW: What sets Bellatazza’s espresso apart in a
town with dozens of coffee options?
SF: We have two espresso offerings. The first has
been our classic espresso since day one. On a one to 10 scale; it’s roasted at
about a level four, just light of center. This roast applied to the Guatemalan
coffee we select brings forth the milk–chocolate tones, warm and buttery
mouthfeel most people associate with an embracing coffee. The second offering
is based on African coffee and is roasted at about a level three. This allows
the fruit tones to stand up tall and brings a light, bright espresso. In Bend,
there is one level 10 (very dark) roaster and quite a few level two or three
roasters focusing on bright/cheery/acidic/citrus notes. None are right or
wrong, it’s just the profile each roastery wishes to promote.
SW: Tell us about your team. What makes them
special?
SF: First off, let’s answer the need to know what
“team” means to me. Farmers, pickers, guides, translators, Q graders,
brokers, drivers, pilots, roasters, baristas, wholesale accounts and of course,
customers by the cup we see every day. That is a team. Maybe I’m just the
person lucky enough to know and love my relationship with them all. Of the
hundreds of people we have hired since 1993, 25% are lifelong friends. I have
officiated weddings, been to weddings, brought customers together who later
would wed. In Guatemala there are two children named after me — “Estuardo”
— and now a 6-week-old little guy named after my grandfather, my middle name –
Neil. This is a gorgeous testament to the level of commitment we have at every
level of engagement. From seed to cup, this is family.
SW: As climate change affects coffee–growing
regions, how are you preparing for future challenges?
SF: I’m terrified for my coffee family in all
growing regions. Simultaneously they are dealing with drought and flooding, new
bacterias and new stresses on the plants, the soil and the families whose lives
depend on the income. We in the USA need to be better catalysts to changing
these rapidly deteriorating conditions. We are better fed, housed, clothed and
have more opportunities. When we have food stamps, HUD, subsidized industries
and more, they don’t have any social safety nets by the government. When I see
people hungry and asking for help in Guatemala, I know they aren’t looking for
hedonism, they are seeking food. This will get worse and needs our attention.
SW: Are there any sustainability practices or
initiatives you’re particularly proud of?
SF: We tend to not do anything out of the
ordinary. We reduce, reuse, recycle, buy from local bakeries, buy from a local
dairy, support families in Bend and abroad. It’s hard to answer if
“there’s something I am particularly proud of” when I see the things
we do as the same things we all should be doing in our personal lives as well
as our businesses. I could go on and on about all the “things” or
“actions,” but I’d rather focus on all the people. Our entire staff
has always been the artists, poets, actors, community builders and thought
provokers. As are our guests. We are made of travelers and challengers of the
status quo to find ways to make a better world. A coffee house is the
birthplace of revolutions and love. This is what I am most proud of, the people
we associate with and nurture genuine conversations.
SW: Bellatazza’s downtown location puts you at the
heart of Bend. How has your relationship with the community shaped your
business?
SF: We fit in, by the grace of a million people
through our doors, to be the sincere heart and flow of blood through the
community. Coffee can be viewed as the lifeblood of my days and the connections
of a community.
SW: You’ve seen Bend transform over three decades.
What role do you think local coffee shops play in maintaining the area’s
character?
SF: Coffee houses are and/or should be the center
of a community. Most coffee houses actively welcome all people, protect all
people, love all people. When there are more coffee houses with this basic
mantra, we build awareness, acceptance and empathy. A society rich in those, is
a rich society.
SW: What are your goals for Bellatazza in the
coming years?
SF: Adjacent to Bellatazza is a tour company my
wife (PJ) and I have developed. She is a well-centered yoga instructor in Bend;
I love caring for people through cooking and sharing a deep love for Guatemala.
We take about 10 groups each year to explore Lake Atitlan, visit coffee farms,
learn about Mayan history and enjoy the tranquility and chaos both available in
Guatemala. Casavaldres.com shows a small sampling of what we are, who we
are and how we embrace the wonderful Mayan world.
SW: Are there any upcoming projects or plans you’d
like to share?
SF: I’m going to win a billion-dollar lottery,
give my business to an NPO to teach business opportunities to underprivileged
families and raise money to fund their dreams. Then take most of that money and
prove a model of a living working, sustainable population based on renewable
power, self-sufficient food, tourism income and developing a society that
values all people, all skin tones, all religions by simply recognizing we are
all gears in the machine of our creation and assigning a human value to each gear,
each tooth so we all know, we all matter. Fault me for reaching for the edges
of the universe, but that’s where I’ll aim.
Quick Shots
SW: Favorite drink to make?
SF: Cortado, served “for here” with a side of mineral water, chocolate and on a serving board.
SW: Most unusual customer request?
SF: To deliver their coffee, in for–here cups to their Sprinter van parked curbside then called back to have us fetch the cups when they were through. Covid created some odd situations.
SW: Best part about being a coffee shop owner in Bend?
SF: Community. Full stop, community.
Behind the Beans
*Spotlight on Finca
Vista Hermosa and Fenix
– Region:
Huehuetenango, Guatemala
– Elevation: 1500–2500
MAS
– Years with
Bellatazza: 22
– Signature notes:
Milk chocolate, macadamia, cinnamon
By the Numbers
– Years in business:
Total, 32. In Central Oregon, 27, On Wall St. 23
– Pounds of coffee
roasted weekly: Rolls seasonally in a very wide range. Lets just say, it’s a
whole lot more beans than anyone can count in a lifetime.
– Countries sourced
from: Guatemala, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Sumatra, Ethiopia, Kenya,
Tanzania, Peru
– Percentage of direct
trade coffee: 50%
– Average daily
customers served: Well, with all the coffee we roast, we literally serve over
2,000,000 people annually and connect twice as many in life, love and
friendship. That’s community by the numbers.
A Personal Note from the Author
The questions in this piece were developed through conversations with my mother, owner of Keokea Farms – an award-winning coffee farm in Keokea, Maui. She and my father’s 17 years of experience cultivating coffee on the slopes of Haleakala offered valuable insight into the complexities of coffee production, from cherry to cup, helping shape this conversation about one of Bend’s spearheads in the Central Oregon coffee industry.
Related Stories
Source Warmup
This article appears in Source Weekly November 28, 2024.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
We need more people like Stuart