From the category archives:

Coffee

Fidalgo Bay Coffee – You Can Taste the Class

by Joi on February 9, 2009

Fidalgo Bay Coffee

There are certain things in this world that I consider myself to be an expert on: Raising daughters, cooking, Dean Koontz books, herbs, chocolate, polar bears, and coffee. Definitely coffee. The girl knows her coffee.

Whenever my husband (Michael) is near Murray, Kentucky, he stops for a cup of coffee at the Fidalgo Bay Coffee Shop. One morning, however, the cup proved too flimsy for the lid (or his “golf grip hand” was too strong) and coffee went all over him and his ipod. Not a completely happpy ending.

He mentioned it on his business blog. I believe it was more of a “Watch out for this type of thing before it happens to you” type of thing than a gripe fest.

Months later, he had actually forgotten about it. We had been back to the coffee shop quite a few times and always enjoyed their delicious coffee and friendly baristas.

A few weeks ago, however, Michael got an e-mail from someone with Fidalgo Bay. She told him that they had seen his post, were very sorry, and would like to send him something to make amends. She asked for his address, but he was thinking that everything was cool and that she didn’t need to send anything. THEN, the man that I love so dearly realized that she would probably be sending coffee and he coughed up our address.

I didn’t even have to hit him on the back.

I’m here to tell you that when Fidalgo Bay makes amends, they make amends. In addition to two gorgeous travel mugs featuring their beautiful logo, they sent:

12 oz. bag of Organic French Roast Whole Beans
12 oz. bag of Daybreak Blend Whole Beans (What I’m drinking at the moment!)
12 oz. bag of Organic Cafe’ Selvanica Whole Beans
12 oz. bag of Sunset French Whole Beans
Box of Numi Breakfast Blend Organic Full Leaf Tea Bags
Box of Numi Gunpowder Green Organic Green Tea Bags

It was Christmas in January!

My oldest daughter and I are huge fans of the Fidalgo Bay Breakfast Blend tea (a black tea with a personality so strong he can substitute for a cup of coffee at a moment’s notice). The caffeine is higher in this tea, so when we do grab a cup of Breakfast Blend instead of coffee, our body doesn’t seem to realize the switch. It’s brilliantly convenient when we simply don’t want to make a whole pot of coffee.

I’m equally thrilled with the Numi Gunpowder Green Tea. I’m already a huge fan of green tea, but I’ve had trouble getting my husband to drink it. Whenever I offer some to him, he just crinkles his nose and makes a face like I just offered him pickled squid. But get this: He tried the Gunpowder Green tea and now even requests a cup of this green tea! It does have a extra special taste and can win anyone over to team Green.

Speaking of green, I LOVE that these teas, as well as many of Fidalgo Bay’s coffees are organic. Just what does that mean, you may ask? I’ll let the words on the bag of Organic French Roast explain:

Beans are allowed to ripen slowly under a canopy of shade trees, which provide a natural habitat for animals and migratory birds. No chemical fertilizers or pesticides are used. Each harvest is hand-picked and sundried in the open air to preserve the natural character and earthy flavors of these special coffees. Even the pulp residue reproduced during the drying and milling process is composted and recycled into organic fertilizer for future plantings.

This is a costly process. That’s why we pay a premium to farmers who are dedicated to preserving these high quality, socially responsible farming traditions. It’s a commitment you’ll savor with every cup of our Nature’s Crest organic coffees.

Fidalgo Bay Daybreak Blend Coffee Everyone’s a winner – the farmer’s, the farmer’s families, the coffee drinkers, and Fidalgo Bay, of course, who secures some AMAZING coffee and a stellar reputation.

Fidalgo Bay coffees are very, very special. They have a spirited personality, an intoxicating aroma, and a remarkably delicious flavor. I just ground the last of the Daybreak Blend this morning. Fidalgo Bay Daybreak Blend has a fresh, rich, nutty flavor. It’s easily one of my favorite coffees I’ve ever enjoyed.

I also love the Fidalgo bay Sunset French Coffee. It’s a bold, rich, coffee with a strong sense of itself. Before I brewed a pot of this beautiful coffee, I read on the bag that it had a “Smokey Finish.” A million question marks marched around my head – A smokey finish..what??? After I tasted my first sip, though, the question marks turned into exclamation marks and they stopped marching and started dancing. There is a delightfully delicious smokey finish and it’s one you and your own dancing exclamation marks would have to experience for yourself.

Actually, you’ll want to experience all of Fidalgo Bay’s coffees because, I can honestly tell you they don’t seem capable of making a disappointing or even average coffee. I only wish they were available in grocery stores! However, they do have a website, which means you can buy online – and we all know how easy that is.

Visit Fidalgo Bay Coffee today and order a couple of bags of their rich, delicious coffee. Then watch for your delivery and prepare to be blown away. You don’t drink Fidalgo Bay Coffee, you experience it.

Coffee Beans

Gorgeous Starbucks Global Mugs Would Make a Great Collection

by Joi on January 18, 2009

Nobody loves Starbucks like I love Starbucks – I’m totally comfortable with that claim. Not only do I frequent each of the three Starbucks in Owensboro (I like to spread the love), my kitchen echoes my sentiments. You can always find several bags of Starbucks coffee beans on the counter, Starbucks mugs in the cabinets, tumblers, and (of course) the full or half full coffee, tea, or latte that I’ve recently snagged.

I just found these gorgeous mugs online, at the Starbucks website – yes, I even stalk them online. It occurs to me that they’d make a great collection, so.. um, yeah… I’m going with that idea. Click through to see the rest of the gorgeous mugs they have. Starbucks is the reason, you know, that drinking coffee is so vogue, classy, and even sexy.

Starbucks Coffees 12-oz. NY Global Series Mug

Starbucks Coffees 12-oz. Chicago Global Series Mug

Starbucks Coffees 12-oz. San Francisco Global Series Mug

Starbucks Coffees 12-oz. Hawaii Global Series Mug

Starbucks Coffees 12-oz. Seattle Global Series Mug

Starbucks Turns Over a Couple of New Tea Leafs

by Joi on December 31, 2008

Starbucks Logo Starbucks is doing their part to help all of us keep those healthy New Year’s Resolutions. Tuesday, they announced that they’ll offer three new tea-based lattes and two nondairy tea drinks on Saturday as part of a campaign for giving customers healthier choices.

All but one of the new drinks is less than 200 calories for a “tall” drink (12 oz). The new varieties include the Black Tea Latte, the Vanilla Rooibos Latte and the London Fog latte. These will join the Chai Tea Latte, which I enjoy several times a week – including last night!

Starbucks will also launch new Tazo Tea Infusions – nondairy drinks made with Tazo black chai tea and fruit juice. One will be a Berry Chai Infusion, made with berry and black currant juices, and the other will be an Apple Chai Infusion, made with apple juice.

“The same way we transformed American coffee culture, we want to deliver an exceptional tea experience for customers with our new Tazo Tea Lattes and Tea Infusions,” said Michelle Gass, executive vice president of marketing and category, said in a statement.

Thisi is another delicious effort that Starbucks is making to give its customers healthier options. They’ve already introduced more whole-grain, low fat breakfast offerings, including an instant oatmeal that has been hugely popular…. and Heavenly!

Starbucks Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate will Stupify You in a Delightful Way!

by Joi on October 3, 2008

Starbucks Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Your orders for the day: Find the Starbucks nearest you and get thyself to it Godspeed. Walk in like you own the place (that’s my M.O. anyway) and order a Salted Caramel Signature Hot Chocolate. Don’t let the word “salted” trip you up. It’s just a little perfectly Heavenly salt ground on top. It compliments the whole shebang in a way that ought to be illegal in 49 states. We’ll let Texas get away with it, they’re bigger than we are.

Starbucks regular Hot Chocolate is completely delicious, itself. In the fall and winter, I go back and forth between Hot Chocolate, Apple Cider (delicious!) and one of my greatest addictions – Chai Tea. But since I tried the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate, I’ve kind of been stuck. Funny, but I seldom actually get coffee at Starbucks. I guess it’s because I always have coffee made at home (and often with Starbucks coffee beans), so getting it out doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Of course, my husband would say I don’t order coffee at Starbucks because it’s cheaper than the other drinks, and that goes against something I stand for.

*Sniff* I love how he knows me so well.

By the way (or “Buy the way”), the link below will take you to a site called Coffee For Less. I’ve used the link that’ll hook you up with one of my favorite coffee beans: Starbucks Caffee Verona. It’s bold, aromatic, and makes you happy to be alive.

Try the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate! – It’ll blow the roof off your mind.

Oh! Nuts and Oh! Candy and Oh! My!

by Joi on May 6, 2008

Ohhh man! Have I got a website to tell you about? Well, actually it’s not so much the website that has me purring Ohhhh man as much as it is what the website can hook you up with.

How do Pecan Caramel Chocolate Clusters sound to you? How about Roasted Cashews? Or Toffee Pecan Cinnamon Buns. I hate to brag, but I have a Pecan Caramel Chocolate Cluster in my mouth right now and I’m not even lying. Mmmmm, if this candy were any better I’d….. Never mind, it couldn’t be any better.

You’d think that the rich, delicious caramel or the always perfect pecans would steal the show with this candy, wouldn’t you. That’s what I thought, too, until I took the first (of many!) bite. The chocolate is some of the most amazing chocolate I’ve ever tasted in my life. I have no unearthly idea why it’s so spectacular, but I’ve never tasted any better. It is just unbelievably delicious – it tastes exactly like chocolate was meant to taste.

I just went back to scour the website for more chocolate goodness and it didn’t take me long to find EXACTLY what I’m ordering next: Chocolate Covered Pretzels! Click the link to see all of the glorious varieties. I also was amazed to see that my newfound heroes have Gourmet Coffee Beans as well. Into the shopping cart, caffeine!

If I can get my mind off of Chocolate for one minute (notice I said mind and not mouth), I want to also tell you about their roasted cashews. They’re amazingly delicious fat little bits of Heaven. They’re perfect right out of the bag, but if you need a chocolate fix…stat!…. they’re danged amazing dunked in melted milk chocolate. Just melt the choclate in a crock pot on low, then carefully dip each fat little cashew in the chocolate bath (I’m so jealous..). Place them on waxed paper and allow them to “set.”

So good you won’t believe it.

Last but not least, I’ve also tried the Toffee Pecan Cinnamon Buns candy. These little devils are unlike anything you’ve ever had, this I promise you. Personally, I love mine alongside a great cup of coffee – the flavors just go together in such a way that my head gets all swimmy. The cinnamon flavor on the candy compliments the coffee and the coffee returns the favor…or should I say, flavor. Halfway into the experience, you’d swear you were enjoying a Toffee Pecan Candy with a cup of gourmet cinnamon-flavored coffee.

You HAVE to check this website all the way out and jump in with both hands and mouth open. Do like I’m doing, trying a few things out at a time. I WILL make my way through everything connected to chocolate, nuts, and coffee. Sure, it’ll take me a while because they have so many varieties, but I don’t mind – really, I don’t.

Did I tell you how unbelievably amazing this chocolate is? I did? Oh, okay, then I’ll just take my candy and head to the deck….

*** If you want the best chocolate imaginable, or roasted cashews that’ll take your breath away, and/or candy that that’ll make you happy to be alive, check out Oh! Nuts.com - talk about delicious Mother’s Day gifts! You might want to go ahead and get “Dad’s” too while you’re there, Father’s Day isn’t that far off.

Also, be sure to keep this website in mind when other holidays and special days roll around: Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Anniversaries, Birthdays, Graduation, Weddings, Showers, Fourth of July picnics, my birthday… I’m just sayin’…first day of school, last day of school, big games, small games – oh! nuts, you get the idea.

PHILADELPHIA 3 STEP Cappuiccino Cheesecake

by Joi on April 24, 2008

2 pkg (8 oz each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 TBS milk

2 TBS MAXWELL HOUSE Instant Coffee

1 ready-to-use chocolate crumb crust

Mix the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and well blended. Add the 2 eggs and mix well.

Microwave milk on high for 15 seconds. If you don’t have a microwave, of course, you can simply heat it on the stovetop in the tiniest pan imaginable! Stir instant coffee into milk until dissolved. Stir into batter and pour into crust.

Bake at 350 degrees fro 35 to 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. (You’ll barely make the 3 hours before diving in, so you’d better go with that one.)

This delicious, yet simple, recipe is from a little recipe booklet that I got YEARS ago in a Dollar General Store for, like, $3. It’s a “PHILADELPHIA” Cream Cheese Cookbook called, “A Little Taste of Heaven: Appetizers, Cheesecakes, and More.” It was put out in 2003, so it might be a little tricky to find (think e-bay!), but if you can get your hands on it, it’s pure gold. Cream cheese is one of my favorite things to bake with; like buttermilk, it just makes everything better.

You’ll love this recipe! Coffee combined with chocolate AND cream cheese?!?! I could eat this every day for the rest of my life.

Starbucks Coffee and Earth Day

by Joi on April 22, 2008

As if we NEED another reason, using our Starbucks Card today makes a lot of “cents.” In celebration of Earth Day, Starbucks will donate 5 cents to Conservation International each time a card holder makes a purchase.

If you don’t have a Starbucks card or if, like me, yours stays maxed out – you can make a woderfully appreciated donation by clicking the link below. The Conservation International website points out that for each $10 raised, 10 trees are planted in Chiapas, Mexico.

The earth loves that!

http://www.conservation.org/campaigns/starbucks/Pages/default.aspx

From a CI Press Release:

“Since 1998, Starbucks and CI have collaborated to demonstrate that coffee can be grown in ways that support communities and preserve the environment,” said Ben Packard, Starbucks vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility. “Through this next phase of our relationship, we hope to extend our leadership in coffee sustainability and to invite our customers to join us in promoting the protection of forests as a solution to climate change.”

CI and Starbucks recently announced a five-year global commitment to support farming communities, encourage the protection of their land, water and forests, including a three year multi-million dollar financial commitment. By taking conservation beyond coffee farms and into surrounding landscapes, CI and Starbucks are addressing the most pressing environmental issue of our day—climate change. Beginning in Mexico and Indonesia, Starbucks and CI will pilot projects that create climate solutions through the protection of standing forests and restoration of degraded landscapes.

“The issue of climate change is everyone’s issue, and by engaging Starbucks customers in one of the solutions to climate change is very encouraging,” said Glenn Prickett, Senior Vice President and Executive Director, Center for Environmental Leadership in Business, Conservation International. “Buying a cup of coffee may seem like too small an action to make a difference, but simple changes can be multiplied to reach a scale never before realized – and we are saving thousands of acres of tropical forests in the process.”

Almost 20 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions result from the burning and clearing of forests, nearly double the emissions from all of the world’s cars, trucks, and trains combined. Starbucks investment in and support for local coffee growers and the communities that help keep forests intact will help ensure that every cup of coffee brewed produces tangible benefits for both local and global communities.

Coffee, Tea, or a pastry? I’ll have all three. (I’ll need to get another Starbucks card first, though.)

Click HERE to learn how easy it is to live green!

Dunkin Donuts Makes the Hurt Go Away

by Joi on April 14, 2008

Two words that’ll put a smile on my face every time are Doughnuts and Coffee… or Coffee and Doughnuts…. I guess it depends on which is winning out at the time – my sweet tooth or my caffeine fixation. At the moment, I’m going to go with the sweet tooth. Of course that may be because I have a huge mug of coffee right in front of me. So, for now I’ll name “Doughnuts” first.

Whichever comes first, Dunkin Donuts just keeps giving me more and more reasons to love them. As if they didn’t have my heart already – I mean, the two things they’re famous for are two of my absolute culinary addictions.

But, it’s a great relationship we have and they just keep wooing me and wooing me.

Tomorrow, mark it on your calendar, when you buy any size coffee – Dunkin Donuts will give you a free doughnut! It’s their way of saying, “We’re sorry it’s Tax Day…here have a doughnut.”

Shouldn’t someone build them a shrine or something?

Visit their web site to find the stores nearest you. Yes, “stores” – so you can hit one up….then another…then another… Thinking. All. The. Time. (Thinking while I drive.) https://www.dunkindonuts.com/

Look Alive, Coffee Lovers!

by Joi on March 22, 2008

Coffee Lovers: Here’s a post just for you.

Just how trustworthy is my coffee knowledge? Well, let’s see…..my kitchen, my clothes, my vehicle, my computer desk, my living room chair and my cats all smell like coffee. Yeah, there you have it – I’m not an expert, I am THE expert. You’ve heard of basketball coaches, football coaches, labor coaches, and even life coaches, right? All hail the Coffee Coach!

I’m pretty sure I’ve blogged about the AMAZING Toddy’s Cold Brewed Coffee Maker before on this blog – but when something’s so perfectly wonderful, you just can’t help wanting everyone to know about it.

“(The Toddy) is the ultimate coffee maker.” -The Washington Post

In 1964, as a chemical engineering graduate of Cornell, Todd Simpson developed and patented a cold brew system that, using regular coffee beans, creates a superior-tasting cup of steaming HOT coffee. And, with 67% LESS ACID than coffee made by conventional hot brew methods, it’s easier on sensitive stomachs. Many people who had to abandon coffee because of stomach discomfort have been able to fall in love with coffee all over again! I don’t know about you, but the words “less acid” mean an awful lot to me!

The Toddy coffee maker makes this possible because it extracts the coffee bean’s delicious flavor while it eliminates much of the acidity. In the process, it produces a bold, super-smooth coffee that can be served one cup at a time.

The Toddy brewer is also VERY ideal for making tea – served hot or over ice. And, yes, I am indeed the Tea Coach as well as the Coffee Coach. I’m one caffeinated Kentuckian, and you have no idea how much a caffeinated Kentuckian can get into.

For less than $40, you will receive: A Brewing Container with Handle, Glass Decanter with Lid, Reusable Filters (2), Rubber Stopper (1), Instructions & Recipe Guide. You’ll also want very, very much to order at least one bag of Toddy’s coffee beans while you’re on the site. You CAN use other beans with the system….and achieve smashing results. But for that initial experience, I’d love for you to use either the Americana beans or the Toddy Blend (I heart the Toddy Blend.).

When we first ordered the Toddy System, I didn’t know what to expect. My coffee maker and I had a great thing going and I wasn’t sure how I felt about the new kid in town. But I read the instructions and followed them to the letter – even if my coffee maker and I were snickering behind Toddy’s back. The snickering ended before the coffee cup even reached my lips – the bold, intoxicating aroma nearly took me to my knees. Then, when I tasted it, I was totally blown away. I would say that it reminded me of Coffehouse coffe, but I’ve never tasted Coffeehouse coffee this good.

I can talk all day about how amazing it is, but you’ll never know until you try it for yourself. This will be the smartest purchase you’ve made in years. While you’re at it, you might want to get a second one – Mother’s Day isn’t that far away, after all! Cllick on the coupon below to save more money:

See the front page of Buttermilk Press for some delicious recipes from Toddy’s website.

Simple Sweetness

by Joi on February 25, 2008

I recently began using artifical sweetener in place of real sugar in my coffee and tea. I’ve even experimented with it in my baking a little – I’m all for cutting as many calories out of my daily lineup as humanly possible! I recently tried what can only be described as the “Cadillac of the Zero Calorie Sweeteners.” It’s Sweet Simplicity and there’s just no going back to the other stuff now!

As you know, to say that I’m “into” tea and coffee would be a gross understatement – it’d be like saying Rita Hayworth was “attractive.” I have a wall cupboard full of different flavors and styles of teas, and have been taking Sweet Simplicity for a test drive through each – one at a time. The ingredients in Sweet Simplicity are all natural. In fact, the main sweetening ingredient is a sugar alcohol called Erythritol. While the taste is the most important thing for me, I love the fact that it keeps things simple. I want for a product’s ingredients to make sense to me, after all.

You have to check out Sweet Simplicity’s beautiful web site, where you’ll find more information and (of course) a place to order your own sweetness. Also on the web site is a Recipes Section which I’ve bookmarked and will keep returning to until I’ve tried each and every recipe. The Citrus Green Tea is not only Heavenly (I mean absolutley Heavenly!), it’s also extremely good for you. When you eat or drink something that’s this good for you, your body rewards you with a deep down, healthy feeling that causes you to glow from the inside out.

That’s not just a good thing, that’s a darned good thing!