Placide's Garage

03/13/2026

New labels. Who dis?

The tea shelf is full again 🌿

After a few weeks of empty spots and “sorry, we’re brewing more,” most of our herbal blends are now restocked at the apothecary.

Here’s what is currently available:

EVENING LATTE
Our green moon milk. A creamy evening ritual made with milky oat tops, marshmallow root, moringa, and lavender. Warm it gently with milk or mylk, froth it, and let the day soften.

FOCUSKIND
Bright, herbaceous, and clarifying. This blend supports attention and steady energy without caffeine.

DIGESTKIND
A classic digestive blend with aromatic herbs that help the body settle after meals.

CALMKIND
Our evening blend for unwinding before bed. Gentle, soothing, and many people notice it also settles the stomach surprisingly well.

HEARTKIND
Still our best seller. People come for it for both emotional support and physical heart wellness.

And the masala blends are still here as well:

MASALA CHAI
Traditional spiced black chai with caffeine.

HERBAL MASALA CHAI
All the warming spice, none of the caffeine.

Over the next few days two more blends will join the shelf:

FLOWKIND
A fresh, green infusion designed to encourage gentle movement and circulation in the body. Clean tasting and herbal without the bitterness many people expect from cleansing blends.

REVIVEKIND
A bright, uplifting blend to help the body wake back up when energy feels low.

If you’ve been waiting for your favourite blend to come back, now is a good time to stop by. The apothecary smells absolutely wonderful right now.

03/06/2026

How we make espresso and latte at Placide’s Garage

People sometimes assume espresso is just pressing a button on a machine. It is not. Good espresso is a series of small steps done carefully.

First, the beans are measured. Every pull starts with 17 grams of coffee, which gives us a proper double espresso. Nothing is eyeballed.

Before grinding, the beans get a very light mist of hydrosol. Lately I have been using rosemary hydrosol. It is subtle, but it helps control static and the aroma is surprisingly pleasant. The beans are swirled in a small glass container, then ground fresh.

The grounds are then properly distributed using a needle tool to break up any clumps and spread the coffee evenly. After that, the puck is tamped firmly and evenly, and a small dispersion screen is placed on top to ensure the water flows through the coffee as evenly as possible.

The result is extremely consistent extraction and, every time, a beautiful thick crema.

Each espresso shot produces about 60 ml, which comes from two pulls of roughly 30 ml each.

Most people order lattes, so I usually prepare a lungo style double pull using the same puck. It creates a slightly longer extraction while still keeping good body and flavor.

For milk drinks, I use whole milk. Skim milk… well, skim milk should probably not exist. You need fat to create proper texture and foam, and the milk must be warmed to exactly 60c, not scalding hot...

For plant based options, Earth’s Own Barista Oat Milk works best. It steams nicely because it has stabilizers that help create a silky microfoam. It is smoother and less airy than dairy foam, but still very good.

My lattes are closer to a flat white style. That means the coffee is still the star. Instead of a cup that is mostly milk, the ratio stays closer to about two thirds milk and one third espresso.

I am slowly practicing a little latte art, but honestly, once the lid goes on the cup it becomes a bit pointless. A simple swirl usually does the job.

Sweeteners are optional. We keep it simple here:

• Pure cane sugar
• Coconut sugar, which has a gentle caramel tone
• Monk fruit and erythritol for a diabetic friendly option

Syrups exist too, but that is a story for another post.

And one last detail that matters more than people realize: the machine is cleaned constantly, and the water we use is our filtered well water.

Good coffee is mostly about respecting the process.

That is how we do it at Placide’s Garage Tiny Espresso Bar.

03/03/2026

We attended the recent Jagasilk virtual workshop, and it reinforced something we already take seriously at Placide’s Garage: matcha deserves the same precision and respect as espresso.

We use Jagasilk exclusively. There is no syrup, no sweetening by default, and no cutting it thin to stretch product. What you taste is properly prepared matcha.

So how much do we use?

Our standard is two grams per drink. That is our shot. We whisk those two grams with about thirty millilitres of hot water for lattes before adding milk. When we prepare a more traditional style, we increase the water, not the matcha. The dose remains consistent and intentional.

We follow the same philosophy we apply to coffee. A larger cup does not automatically mean more espresso, and it does not automatically mean more matcha. If someone wants a stronger drink, we happily add an extra gram and adjust the water accordingly. Strength becomes a conscious choice, not an invisible default.

This approach keeps flavour balanced, caffeine reasonable, and quality consistent behind the bar. It also lets guests manage their milkiness through drink size, while we manage precision and technique.

We are proud of what we serve, and we are confident in saying that we make the best matcha in the Maritimes.

02/27/2026

At Placide’s Garage Tiny Espresso Bar, we’re incredibly proud to be serving coffee from Sissiboo Coffee Roaster, right here in our region. Supporting local is not just a slogan for us. It’s the backbone of what we do.

We rotate between two of our favourite espresso blends: Night Owl and Tobiatic Wild. Both are medium roasts, but they each bring something different to the cup. Night Owl has a slightly fuller presence and holds its own beautifully in milk drinks. Tobiatic Wild is a bit more subtle and layered, which makes for a very elegant espresso. And yes, we also carry their Fly By Night decaf. I will admit it, I drank it, and it’s actually very good. No judgment allowed.

And quietly, without fanfare because our chalkboard is already full, we’ve introduced something called the Cafe Milo.

It’s a drink I discovered years ago in Victoria, BC, thanks to the wonderful people at Cafe Macchiato. It blends espresso with Milo, the classic chocolate malt drink. The result is smooth, comforting, and not overly sweet. It’s not a mocha. It has its own character. Warm, slightly nostalgic, and deeply satisfying. Priced at $6.

12/31/2025

We're delighted to announce something special at Placide’s Garage: our brand-new Loyalty Card! Here’s how it works:

☕️ Collect a stamp for each drink you enjoy with us.

☕️ After nine stamps, your tenth drink is absolutely free! It's our way of saying thank you for your support.

☕️ Prefer not to carry the card around? No problem. We’ll keep it safe for you in our tried‑and‑true Rolodex at the front desk.

Stop by, pick up your card and start collecting those stamps. Your next free drink is closer than you think!

12/20/2025

I wanted an eggnog latte today, but I did not want caffeine, and I did not want decaf beans. I also wanted something grounding, because it is one of those days where you still have work to do, but your nervous system would appreciate not being poked with espresso.

So I played.

Ceremonial grade cacao made with hot water, then topped with store bought eggnog, frothed like a latte. No coffee. No caffeine. No whipped cream. And yes, it was ridiculously good.

The water-made cocoa took the sugary edge off the eggnog, felt grounding rather than buzzy, and honestly gave me the kind of steady energy that lets you work a longer evening without feeling fried. Which is helpful, because we are open late tonight.

So yes, this is absolutely an option. A caffeine free mug of winter comfort that actually lets you keep going. Come by if that sounds like your kind of evening.

Photo: not mine, I think it is watermarked for credits. I swear, it looks exactly like what I made, although *my* mess didn't include stars and cinnamon, but eh, it's pretty.

12/18/2025

One of the real joys of being a small business is this.
When people ask for improvements, I can actually do something about it.

A few of you mentioned that the café menu was hard to read from a distance. Fair point. So we switched chalk pen brands and leaned into colour. Because why not. Life is already beige enough.

For a tiny space, I think this menu punches above its weight. Cozy drinks. Thoughtful choices. No nonsense.

And speaking of new things…
Say hello to the Spanish Latte.

It is smooth, gently sweet, and deeply comforting. Espresso paired with warm milk and sweetened condensed milk, giving it a rounded, dessert-like richness without being heavy. If you like your coffee soft, mellow, and a little indulgent, this one is for you. If you are curious, I will happily whip one up.

Coming very soon, likely by Friday.
A festive minty drink. No actual candy canes involved. Just a clean, beautiful mint flavour built into a simple syrup with a subtle herbal twist. Fresh. Cozy. Not cloying.

I will reveal more tomorrow or Saturday.
Stay tuned.

11/20/2025

📣 Big News at Placide’s Garage

We are now a Sissiboo Coffee Roaster retailer, and I couldn’t be happier to share it.

You can now enjoy Sissiboo’s beautiful, small-batch coffees right here at Placide’s Garage. We’re using their espresso blend for all specialty drinks, and for drip coffee lovers, the full roast lineup is on our shelves: Fly By Night, Fundy Storm, Night Owl, Firefighter’s Breakfast, and Glacial Erratic.

A heartfelt thank-you to Erin, Sissiboo’s owner, for welcoming us into the family. We might be a small local spot, but we’re building something strong and rooted here, cup by cup.

And that’s not all.

We’re also carry JagaSilk at Placide’s Garage.
We’re too small to carry their full line, but we’re honoured to serve their exceptional matcha and blended teas. Jared and the Jaga Silk team have been nothing short of amazing! They generous, knowledgeable, and committed to quality on a level that’s rare in this industry. Our customers will get to taste their impeccable teas, even if only through a curated offering.

Come in for a cup of java, try the matcha, explore the roasts, and help us celebrate these new collaborations with two outstanding Nova Scotian and Canadian artisans.

09/01/2025

🚗☕ Welcome to Placide’s Old Garage – Tiny Espresso Bar 🌿✨

What started as a quiet corner of our wellness centre has turned into a place where people gather, sip, and recharge. Placide’s is more than just coffee. It is a vibe, a pause, and a taste of both tradition and innovation.

🔥 Our signature drinks (like Pubnico Bay Fog and Masala Chai) are crafted with care and sometimes take up to 15 minutes… but they are worth the wait.
🍵 Our herbal teas come straight from the apothecary shelves. They are soothing, restorative, and made for slow sipping.
🥤 Our probiotic brews (kombucha, jun, root beer) bring living goodness to every glass.
🍫 And yes, we make all our syrups in-house. Even pumpkin spice.

Come sit with us, discover a new favorite, and enjoy a little wellness in your cup.

📍 Find us in West Pubnico at Circé + Medée Community Wellness Centre.
💡 Follow along. Our menu keeps growing with seasonal blends and apothecary specials.

⚓ Placide’s: More than coffee. It is community.