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Gifts for Coffee Lovers

Torani Strawberry Flavored Syrup Makes VERY Memorable Tea, Matcha, Milkshakes, Smoothies…

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Iced Matcha with Torani Strawberry Syrup

Torani Strawberry Flavored Syrup (Amazon link)

If you have tea lovers on your shopping list, a fun, unexpected gift idea is flavored syrup. Torani makes about a gazillion flavors and each is a knockout. Strawberry is a personal obsession, so it’s one of my favorite flavored syrups.

Adding a little Torani Strawberry Flavored Syrup to tea or matcha (whether you’re drinking your tea hot or iced) gives your drink a wonderful flavor, but the possibilities don’t stop there. You could also add a little unexpected zip and flavor to coffee or, if you choose to… hot chocolate. Personally, I wouldn’t dare of adding anything to or taking anything away from a hot cocoa but to each their own!

In addition to adding a little fun personality to tea, I love the idea of adding a little flavored syrup to milkshakes or smoothies – especially in the winter when you have to use frozen fruit. They need the extra flavor a great syrup brings.

I’ve also used flavored syrup to sweeten homemade whipped topping for iced matchas and iced coffee drinks.

You can find Torani’s complete line of extraordinary syrups – and more! – on Amazon (Amazon link to Torani products). You can even find Torani Flavored Syrup with dispensers (Amazon link)!


Monin Flavored Syrups with Pumps (So Many Delicious Options!)

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One of my daughters (brilliant girl that she is) had a Monin Peppermint Syrup (Amazon link) on her Amazon Wish List, along with a set of pumps to use with it.  Another daughter… her sister… saw the syrup and pump and (brilliant girl that she is) added the Monin Lavender Syrup (Amazon link) with pump to her own Amazon Wish List!

Their mother (that would be me) just informed their youngest sister… and, thereby, my youngest daughter…. that she has (at last count) found 7 different flavored syrups she wants!

Pretty clear where they got their brilliance from, am I right? Of course I’m right.

These fun, creative syrups make being your own barista insanely fun – PLUS it can save you trips (and money in the long run) to the coffeehouse.

I have my eye on the lavender (perfect with so many different teas, as well as great for flavoring whipped toppings), raspberry, coconut, toasted marshmallow (!!!), peach, blackberry, and strawberry.

After seeing the recipe for the Peppermint Shake, I’m also pretty interested in the Peppermint Syrup that began the whole obsession. At least that brings it to an even 8 that I have my heart set on. I do appreciate balance in life.

Click through any of the links to take a closer look at these wonderful syrups. These would make absolutely phenomenal gift ideas for the tea, coffee, smoothie (oh my gosh, this just opened up a whole new world to me), or milkshake lovers in your life.


Steeped Coffee Review: The Fastest, Easiest Hot (or Iced!) Coffee Imaginable

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Steeped Coffee

Two of my greatest passions are tea and coffee.  Suffice to say, I am always…. always, mind you… sufficiently caffeinated.

Truth be told, I love coffee and tea equally – like they’re my children. Whichever one I’m with is my favorite at that moment. Often, when it comes to making a fresh cup or glass of either, time comes into play and I choose tea. It’s just so easy – and, no I’m not a huge fan of most instant coffee.

When I was contacted by Steeped Coffee about telling my readers about their product, I read these words, “STEEPED COFFEE is the easiest way to make a great cup of coffee anytime, anywhere, in minutes. Take your moment—at home, work, or on the go. Steeped single-serve coffee bags are filled with 100% specialty coffee and are crafted for quality, freshness, and convenience. Every bag is nitro-sealed inside compostable packaging, making every cup guilt-free and eco-friendly,” I (literally) said out loud, “Ingenious!”

My cats thought I was talking to them, so they ignored me.

Steeped Coffee

Seriously, though. How has this not been thought of before – it is absolute genius. You simply make a hot cup of coffee exactly as you would a hot cup of tea (in fact, you don’t even have to steep it as long… unless, that is, you want your coffee to be so stout it flirts with you).

Many may argue, “Silly food blogger, Pods have been around for years!” but here’s why Steeped Coffee has totally changed the game:

There’s a bit of a controversy surrounding pods when it comes to the environment. You can click the link and read about it when you’re through here. I won’t dive into that right now, the link leads to an article that does it greater justice than I could. What I want to point out is the obvious – one is FAR more apt to have access to boiled water than they are a K-Cup machine. Whether it’s at the office or job place (microwave water if a stove isn’t available), your kitchen, or even a campsite – Steeped Coffee is simply more convenient than pods.

Simpler to carry, too.

Iced Steeped Coffee with Milk

Naturally, none of this means Jack if the coffee isn’t good. I’m delighted to tell you that it’s very good, indeed! Due to the fact that it’s summertime, I’ve enjoyed my Steeped Coffee iced more than hot, but it is wonderful both ways. If you make it iced, a little vanilla syrup and/or sweetener makes it taste like it’s from your favorite coffeehouse.

As you can see in the pictures within this review, I sometimes like my iced coffee with milk and other times without it. You can’t go wrong either way.

I wanted to be able to choose a personal favorite for the review, but I honestly can’t. They are all fantastic, even the decaf!

Steeped Coffee Bags

Learn more about Steeped Coffee on their website. You’ll find the subscription information, buying options, a blog, and even a GREAT looking diner mug!

Iced Steeped Coffee Review

Features of Steeped Coffee include:

  • 100% Specialty Coffee: quality coffee ethically sourced directly from farmers
  • Nitro Sealed: removes oxygen, stopping the clock on freshly ground beans
  • Ultrasonic Edges: no glue, staples, or wasted materials for max steeping
  • Full Immersion Filter: non-GMO filters that regulate ideal water-in and maximum flavor-out
  • Guilt-Free Packaging: made using plant-based renewable and compostable materials
  • Micro Batching: roasted locally in small batches
  • Precision Ground: consistent water-cooled grinding to the micron
  • Pre-Portioned: consistent SCA recommended water-to-coffee ratios
  • Just Add Water: single-serve convenience with no machines required
  • Barista Approved: tested by multiple independent specialty coffee Q-graders for freshness, quality, and taste

Review: White Tale Coffee AND The White Tale Coffee Subscription Program

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White Tale Coffee: Laderas

White Tale Coffee: Laderas 

A small (but passionate) team of coffee lovers and coffee roasters from Columbia have started a coffee subscription service called White Tale Coffee and I’d love to tell you why this is some of the best news you’ll hear all year.

But first, I have a confession to make – I’ve been working on this one review for weeks. Why? Well,  I’m struggling to figure out a way to sum up 4 separate, equally outstanding coffees while spotlighting a fun, exciting new coffee subscription service.

That’s a lot to ask from one coffee-chugging, baseball-addicted, crazy cat lady in Kentucky. But she’s sure going to give it a try.

White Tale Coffee is committed to more than just providing fellow coffee lovers with exceptional cups of coffee each and every morning. They’re committed to telling the story of the farmers who grew the coffee beans, the communities that are sustained, and the journey that beans make from coffee farm to coffee cup.

White Tale takes this mission very seriously and seem to deem it an honor to be involved in the process.

I was sent a beautiful sampler set of delicious coffees in exchange for telling my readers all about the White Tale Coffee Subscription program.  The program is as simple as it gets. You only have two steps:

  1. Choose your roast
  2. Pick your frequency

It’s that simple. I don’t know about you, but I like – I mean I really, really like simple.  Of course, I don’t like simple as much as I love coffee – few things achieve that status.

A coffee subscription service isn’t of much use to anyone if the coffee isn’t good, of course. That’s why I am thrilled to tell you that each and every coffee that came in my sample box wasn’t just good…. they weren’t just great… each and every one was extraordinary. Absolutely extraordinary – as in, “Dadgum, that’s some great coffee!”

As I’ve said in other coffee reviews on Get Cooking, we buy A LOT of different coffee in my family – different roasts, different roasters, different varieties. We’re passionate about coffee and feel that limiting ourselves to one or two favorites would be like limiting ourselves to one or two favorite vegetables.

Not going to happen.

The more roasters you experience, the more your enjoyment of coffee and love for coffee will grow.  Coffee Subscription Services, such as White Tale’s, allow you to experience SO many different wonderful coffees from all over the world…. it’s a beautiful time to be a coffee lover, make no mistake about that.

{Review Continued Below….}

White Tale Coffee Subscription Service: Sample Pack
The White Tale Coffees Below Were in My Sample Pack:

Chiuta (Country: Congo) – There was a sweetness to this particular coffee with hints of berries. It was amazing with breakfast and I found it to be a necessity with desserts.

Laderas (Country: Colombia) – Bold and memorable. It’s the type of coffee you remember, you know? There was an obvious caramel flavor with a hint of tangerine. When trying a new coffee, I recommend different methods because each one often “uncovers” a different flavor.  The Pour Over  method uncovered the tangerine flavor that the AeroPress bypassed. There’ve been other times, of course, when the AeroPress brought out flavors missed by the pour over or immersion.

Lava Quetzal (Country: Guatemala) – A beautiful dark roast coffee that is easily associated with  Guatemalan coffee. With notes of caramel, cedar, and raisin, the flavors are mind-blowing. Each of the coffees I tasted were outstanding, but this one kind of stands out to me. The complexity of the flavors fascinated me with each and every sip. Don’t get me wrong, I plan to order and re-order each one, but this one has a special place simply because it was quite unlike any coffee I’ve ever tasted.

Kivu (Country: Rwanda) – The coffee identifies itself as having notes of cocoa, sugar cane, and hibiscus and it is spot on. There is a distinct sweetness and a tiny hint of a floral flavor in the background. However, my tastebuds kept telling me the flavor was more of a marigold than hibiscus – but, either way, it is phenomenal and (like the Lava Quetzal) absolutely fascinating. This coffee also stands out to me and left a wonderful impression. I can’t wait to order another bag!

As you can see from the descriptions, I plan on ordering more White Tale coffee – many times over, if we’re being honest. That… as you’d imagine… is as good as it gets for a coffee review. Each coffee left me thinking the same thing, “That was some of the best coffee I’ve ever had.”

Basically, I don’t think you could possibly go wrong with any coffee you order from White Tale because their commitment to providing the best coffee possible is obvious with each cup.

{Review Continued Below….}

White Tale Coffee: Lava Quetzal

White Tale Coffee: Lava Quetzal

Whether you head over to White Tale Coffee to sign up for one of their coffee subscription services, order a sample pack, or choose a bag of one of their exceptional coffees – you will not be disappointed. I can’t say enough wonderful things about White Tale Coffee, so I will simply end on this note: White Tale Coffee isn’t just telling stories about coffee… they’re rewriting the book on great coffee.

Connect with White Tale Coffee:

Coffee Review: Decaf Highlander Grogg from Kaldi’s Coffee

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Kaldi's Coffee Decaf Highlander Grogg

The Best Decaf Coffee You Buy Online (or Off!)

I suppose in a lot of “normal” households, coffee is something that’s enjoyed in the morning, then not even thought about until the following morning.  But normal isn’t a frequent guest in our home (he showed up once, looked dazed, then left – we haven’t heard from him since). We pretty much celebrate the beauty of coffee from the start of our day right up until the end. However, since the end involves something else we celebrate – sleep – we always have great decaf coffee on hand.

While I’d have a tough time naming my absolute #1 favorite coffee with caffeine, I can easily tell you the best decaf coffee you can find online or off: Decaf Highlander Grogg from Kaldi’s Coffee.

If you’ve read any of my coffee reviews on the food blog, the name Kaldi’s won’t be new to you. It’s truly some of the best coffee you can buy.  When I DO attempt to name my favorite overall coffee, in fact, a few of Kaldi’s coffees are the first ones out of my mouth: Birds & Bees has, for years, been the first coffee to roll off my tongue and it’s usually followed by other Kaldi’s coffees such as Cafe Kaldi, Highlander Grogg, and a new obsession: Ethiopia Buufata Konga.

{Review Continued Below…}

Kaldi's Coffee Decaf Highlander Grogg

 

Whatever history you have with decaf coffee, Kaldi’s Decaf Highlander Grogg will change everything you ever thought you knew about decaf coffee.

Decaf Highlander Grogg tastes just like a great coffee with caffeine. In fact, the first time my husband brewed some for our youngest daughter and me, I thought he’d made a mistake. Don’t tell him, but I even checked the bag.  The subtle maple-spice flavor in the background is the secret behind its magic. It’s simply fantastic.

We normally enjoy Decaf Highlander Grogg made with a pour over, but it’s just as perfect made with an Aeorbie Aeropress or even in a coffee machine. The flavor always shows up and, trust me, it’s out of this world.

The next time you want to order coffee online, you really have to try Kaldi’s Coffee.  If you’re looking for the best decaf coffee you can buy online, Kaldi’s Decaf Highlander Grogg is your guy.

More Kaldi’s Coffee Reviews on Get Cooking:

Kaldi's Coffee Decaf Highlander Grogg

World Vision Handcrafted Gifts

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World Vision's Gift Catalog , Handcrafted Gifts, and Cafe Campesino Coffee

World Vision’s Gift Catalog , Handcrafted Gifts, and Cafe Campesino Coffee 

In many ways, we’re all becoming more socially conscious and compassionate. In fact, socially responsible giving is growing in popularity and statistics tell us that 95.4 percent of households now give to charity. Faith in humanity, restored!

When it comes to gift-giving, many people find themselves wondering which products actually help others or where they can find these gifts.  In my opinion, World Vision is one of the first places to look if you’re looking to make a difference in the world. If you want to reach out and directly impact the lives of other people, look to World Vision.

World Vision Handcrafted Gift Set

Gifts With a Cause

It’s the holiday season and that means one thing: It’s time for the wonderful World Vision Gift Catalog! I was blessed to have a History’s First Blend Gift Set sent to me to review on Get Cooking and it’s more than my honor to do just that.

This particular World Vision gift set is the perfect gift for coffee lovers. It includes an absolutely beautiful hand-carved olivewood scoop and a colorful, beautiful bag made from African fabric hand-sewn by local women.

Although I’m someone who’s serious about as often as an elf on Santa’s staff… and tend to treat each day as a holiday… I want to get 110 percent serious for a minute. Maybe even two.  As I’ve said before when talking about these remarkable gifts, each time I hold them, I’m overcome with emotion. The fact that these beautiful gifts were crafted by hands on another continent and can now be held in my own hands leaves me speechless.

No small task.

World Vision's Handcrafted Gift Set

Hand-Sewn Bag from Africa and Handcrafted Wooden Scoop
 

The hands that crafted my treasured bag and wooden spoon lead a different life than our hands.  The struggles they have make the perceived struggles we have want to run and hide. We feel discouraged when we think we can’t get our children as many gifts as we’d like, yet there are people around the world who are struggling to give their children food, water, shelter, shoes… things we take for granted.

When you stop and let this sink in, don’t you want (with every fiber of your being) to do something to help? Thank God for organizations like World Vision who make it possible to do just that. We don’t have to worry about our money going where it’s needed – they see to it!

The truly remarkable thing is that this beautiful program allows men and women to use their talents to help themselves and their communities. What’s more, by buying their remarkable crafts, we not only help them… we have items to treasure.

And I do mean treasure – I wouldn’t take anything for my wooden scoop or fabric bag. I have them proudly displayed on in the “coffee station” in our kitchen.  The wooden scoop could easily be used to scoop beans and/or grounds and the bag would love to be a “sleeping bag” for opened bags of beans… and yet… in our home, “treasures” don’t multitask.

They simply sit out and remind us of our beautiful brothers and sisters who live halfway around the world. They remind us that we’re all in this together – some of us simply have easier lives than others.

World Vision's Handcrafted Gift Set and Cafe Campesino Coffee

History’s First Coffee Blend Gift Set

Cafe Campesino Coffee

This year’s Handcrafted gift set for coffee lovers includes a bag of Cafe Campesino coffee along with the GORGEOUS hand-sewn bag and equally GORGEOUS handcrafted wooden scoop.  Although we’re a coffee loving family to the point of fanaticism, we’d never heard of Cafe Campesino.

By gosh we’ve heard of them now!

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and Sumatra Permata Gayo create the first known mix of coffee.  When it comes to describing the flavor, think citrus with a hint of chocolate. The flavor is fantastic – smooth and downright exotic.

We tend to order a great deal of coffee online and are fascinated with trying different blends and different brands. The fact that this particular coffee was so good and the fact that they partnered with World Vision for something so extraordinary means that this is a brand we’ll be ordering regularly.  In other words, look for plenty of Cafe Camesino reviews in the future.

They also have coffee merchandise and.. be still my Crazy Tea Chick heart… tea.

Looks like I’m going to keep the postal service and UPS busy in the coming year.

World Vision's Handcrafted Gifts: Hand Sewn Bag from Kenya

Gorgeous Hand-Sewn Bag from Kenya

I hope you’ll click through any of the links and read more about World Vision and the AMAZING Hand Crafted Gifts.  Any of these beauties would make the most amazing gifts! They aren’t just gifts people will enjoy for a day, a week, or even a month. These are gifts they’ll treasure a lifetime.

Precious Face

Is This a Beautiful Smile or What?!

When you click through and browse through the online World Vision Gift Catalog, be sure you see each of the four pages. These handcrafted gifts are simply gorgeous – you can see a few in the image above. Each comes with its own guaranteed moments of emotion each time you look at them.

World Vision Gift Catalog Gifts

Gifts from the World Vision Gift Catalog

The 2015 World Vision Gift Catalog contains more than 250 poverty-fighting gifts, ranging in price from $16 to $39,000 that improve the quality of life for struggling children and families in the U.S. and around the world.

World Vision's Handcrafted Gift Set and Cafe Campesino Coffee

Useful Links:

Coffee Review: Kaldi’s Ethiopia Buufata Konga

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Kaldi’s Coffee Ethiopia Buufata Konga

Kaldi’s Ethiopia Buufata Konga

Before getting to the coffee review, allow me to say that this is not a sponsored review or solicited in any way. I’m simply a lover of great coffee and get excited when I see coffee done right. When this happens, I want to tell other coffee lovers so they can share in the excitement.

Coffee takes a lot of steps before it ever reaches your morning cup. From harvesting to bagging there are more steps than we ever think about while sipping the final product.

With so many steps, there are a lot of things that could go wrong.  I’m sure, like me, you’ve tasted coffee before and wondered, “Did they get any of the steps right??”

With Kaldi’s Coffee, I’ve learned that, when they’re involved, there are no missteps. From the beans to their people, they don’t just get it, they get it right. Recently while savoring a cup of my personal favorite coffee, Kaldi’s Birds & Bees, I asked my cat (try not to judge me), “Are we sure Kaldi’s didn’t invent coffee?”

There are always bags of Kaldi’s Coffee in our kitchen and it’s a safe assumption that if you see that they’ve released a new coffee, you can just go ahead and ask us how it is.

We’ll know.

{Review Continued Below…}

Kaldi’s Coffee Ethiopia Buufata Konga

Perfect Coffee for Thanksgiving: Kaldi’s Ethiopia Buufata Konga

One of the new coffees that blew us completely away is Kaldi’s Ethiopia Buufata Konga. You can read its bio here: Ethiopia Buufata Konga. More importantly, you can order some for yourself – but first let me tell you why you’ll want to do just that.

If you’re a coffee drinker, you know that part of the fun is detecting certain flavors or hints of flavors in coffee. Ethiopia Buufata Konga has had several of these flavors associated with it:

  • mango
  • cinnamon
  • strawberry
  • chocolate
  • blueberry

I do detect a bit of strawberry (especially in a fresh black cup) but I get completely different flavor associations than most people.

I get…

  • nutmeg
  • autumn

{Review Continued Below…}

Kaldi's Ethiopia Buufata Konga - Perfect Autumn Coffee

If Autumn Were Coffee:  Ethiopia Buufata Konga

Each time I lose myself in a cup of this wonderful coffee, I’m struck by how deliciously “autumn” it tastes. I don’t mean autumn in the sense of pumpkin – I’m talking more about the “spirit” of autumn. Crisp, fresh, distinctive, and fragrant with just the right amount of spice.

Make no mistake about it, the flavor would be glorious any time of year – in whatever season you happen to find yourself. However, Autumn and Ethiopia Buufata Konga are a match made in coffee heaven.

Ethiopia Buufata Konga: Perfect for Thanksgiving

If you’re like me, you go to great lengths to plan perfect holidays. Everything. Must. Be. Perfect. I’ll let you in on a secret, I had my Thanksgiving menu planned by the second week of August. What would you expect from someone who has conversations with her cat?

I’ve gone back and edited the menu. Right beside “Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Pies with Homemade Whipped Topping,” I wrote in all caps KALDI’S ETHIOPIA BUUFATA KONGA.

While I love this coffee all by itself and with everything from oatmeal to pancakes, I’m pretty sure it was born to pair with slices of sweet potato and pumpkin pie.

It’d also add a whole different dynamic to the Thanksgiving meal, itself, and could even make leftovers downright glamorous.

Cup of Autumn Coffee

Cup of Autumn Coffee

A reminder about my coffee reviews: I usually leave the details about a coffee’s origin (what I call its bio) and roasting (its history) to the coffee dealers and other coffee reviewers.  I’m a food blogger, after all, so flavors and food-pairings matter most to me and (I suspect) to my readers/foodie friends. I will stand outside in the cold for an hour looking for just the right “reflection” in a cup of coffee… nailed it, below!… but I am simply a coffee lover who wants to share her love of coffee – pure and simple.

I will always let you know, in my own words, why you’ll love a particular coffee. I love few things more than talking about great coffee.

Just ask my cat.

Kaldi's Ethiopia Buufata Konga Coffee

Kaldi’s Coffee and Autumn: Two of My Favorite Things

More Kaldi’s Coffee Reviews:

Kaldi’s Coffee New World Mocha Java Blend

Kaldi’s Coffee: Birds & Bees

Review: Kaldi’s Coffee New World Mocha Java Blend

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Kaldi's New World Mocha Java Blend Coffee
Boom! That was the sound of my taste buds exploding when I brewed some of the best coffee beans I’d ever been lucky enough to find.

The uncommonly friendly coffee fanatics at Kaldi’s coffee sent us a bag of the exact same beans that @Tony Auger was using in the 2015 Brewers Cup Competition and we couldn’t wait to try them out the very next morning.

Why put off a good thing, right?

This blend is a combination of Nicaragua Limoncillo Javanica and Costa Rica El Centro Gesha.  Read more about the story behind the blend on Kaldi’s Blog.

We first tried them in a Hario V6o as a pourover at 200* and the taste was outstanding!

(Coffee Review continued beneath the picture…)

Kaldi's New World Mocha Java Blend Coffee
Then we brewed them at 185* in an AeroPress and the flavor exploded!

We’ve found that different methods extract different flavors from different beans and, in this case, the beans produce nothing but excellent coffee time after time… the AeroPress method simply produces a whole new boldness that is dang agreeable.

Make that DANG agreeable.

So no matter what brew method you use to make handcrafted coffee these beans will blow your mind. When I took my first sip this morning (the first of many, I might add), the first thought to spring to mind was this: These are the perfect beans to have on hand when you want to impress someone! Whether it’s a fellow coffee lover (who only thinks they’ve tasted the best coffee known to any coffee nerd) or an in-law that you need to score extra points with – Kaldi’s New World Mocha Java Blend will make you a legend.

But you have to hurry over to the website of the best dang coffee roasters on the planet because there’s only so many of these beans to spread around like coffee love before they’re gone!

Good luck to David, Tyler and Tony as they compete in the 2015 United States Barista and Brewer’s Competition.

Kaldi's New World Mocha Java Blend Coffee
More Kaldi’s Coffee Reviews:

Kaldi’s Coffee: Birds & Bees

Kaldi’s Ethiopia Buufata Konga

Review: One Cup Project’s Fair Trade Coffee

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One Cup Fair Trade Coffee Gift Set from World Vision
This One Cup Project Fair Trade Coffee Review is just a little lengthy, so be sure to continue reading after each picture!

Over the years, I’ve been blessed to receive a lot of wonderful food, drinks, cookbooks, pans, and kitchen gadgets to review on Get Cooking. I was recently sent a Fair-Trade Coffee Gift Set from the One Cup Project (a beautiful organization that works with World Vision) and it had an immediate effect on me. In fact, the effect hasn’t left and I don’t believe it ever will.

First a little bit about World Vision. This charitable organization (no doubt you’ve heard of them) doesn’t just “want’ to help save the world, they’re rolling up their sleeves and having at it.  And by save the world, I mean save as many people as possible from hunger, thirst, illness, repression, and from a lack of everyday needs – the sort of needs that you and I take for granted.

Years ago, World Vision set up something extra wonderful – the World Vision Gift Catalog.   Since it began in 1996, the World Vision Gift Catalog has grown in popularity as a gift-giving alternative; more than 844,000 people helped someone through the Catalog in the last year alone.

My much loved and much treasured Fair-Trade Coffee Set from the One Cup Project is just one of the gifts available in the gift catalog.

Before I tell you why the Coffee Set is an incredible option and why holding the handmade items brought tears to my eyes, let me tell you a little bit about how the gift catalog works – and how, by buying something extra-special for someone you love, you can touch the life of someone you’ve never met.

Better still, I’ll let World Vision tell you, themselves, with the wonderful video below:

More than 250 items, ranging in price from $10 to $39,000, are available online and in the print catalog to help improve quality of life for women, children and families in the United States and around the world. When you give where it is needed most, you can receive handcrafted gifts that are perfect for holiday baking or entertaining.

One Cup Fair Trade Coffee Gift Set from World Vision

One Cup Project and The Fair-Trade Coffee Set

When I received the One Cup Fair Trade Coffee Set on my doorstep, I was as excited as a 6 year old on Christmas morning. Knowing the story BEHIND One World Vision’s mission, the importance of the Gift Catalog, and the fact that the set would include a handmade wooden scoop and hand-sewn bag (made from African fabric) crafted by beautiful people a world away left me with a lump in my throat.

As a writer, I work with words every single day of the year, except for Sundays.  Yet, right now I’m at a complete loss for just the right words to describe how it felt to hold this beautiful wooden scoop and colorful, beautiful fabric bag in my hands. I can’t describe the feeling but, know this, I’ll never forget the feeling.

As tears came to my eyes, it just reawakened a love for all of God’s people – near and far. It also served as an alarm to awaken something inside of me that had been napping – there are men, women, boys, and girls all over the world who not only have the luxuries you and I take for granted – they don’t have food, shoes, or even clean drinking water.

You know the “survival” shows we watch on television – for our entertainment? There are precious people out there who’d look at these shows as though they were “just another day.” In fact, they might even think that these popular “survivors” are kind of soft.

Our entertainment. Their reality.  How is this even possible?

I hope I’m not depressing you. That isn’t my intention. I just wanted to sound an alarm loud enough for as many people to hear as possible. THEN… in turn… I hope you set off you own alarms.

If you’re like most people, you’re thinking, “But, what can I do.. I’m just one person?” World Vision and One Cup are making it SIMPLE, EASY, PAINLESS, and DELICIOUS for each one of us to do our part.  Simply by doing what we routinely do…. buy coffee!

Now, let me tell you about this wonderful coffee.

I actually put off opening and brewing the coffee for a couple of days. Why? I’m not 100 percent certain, but I think it had something to do with emotions and expectations.  I was so EXCITED about One Cup’s mission that I was afraid the coffee wouldn’t live up to the moment.

I mean… how could it, right?!?!

I think part of me wondered, “What will I say if… after all the heart strings have been maxed out… the coffee is average, bland, or even… Heaven forbid.. bad?”

I reasoned that, if one of these things happened, I’d just keep it to myself and focus 110 percent on the mission, the beautiful fabric bag, and the adorable wooden scoop (I do love that bag and scoop!).  I guess there’s safety in numbers, because the first time we opened and enjoyed the coffee in our home was when one of our best friends was visiting. He, like my husband and myself, is a huge coffee lover.  It seemed like the right time to try out exciting new coffee with three complete coffee addicts in the same kitchen.

As the coffee beans were grinding and then brewing, the gorgeous, glorious aroma filled the room. There’s nothing quite like the aroma of great coffee, is there?!

Then the moment came. We poured our cups of coffee and prepared for our test drive.  The room became completely quiet and, not surprisingly… not even remotely surprising… I was the first to speak.  I’m not sure how they were arranged, but I know my first words (aloud) were, “Exotic, wonderful, bold, and fantastic.”  The words I whispered to myself were, “Thank, God!”

One Cup Fair Trade Coffee
We, like all people who take their coffee seriously, buy a wide assortment of coffee beans. We buy a lot (A LOT) of coffee online and I certainly buy my share of Starbucks and Caribou coffee beans.  We’ve been known to buy fancy shmancy coffee beans online that cost more than any coffee beans have a right to cost. We don’t do it often, but I’ll confess… our passion for coffee sometimes overtakes our budgeting sensibilities.

I say all of that to say this – we know average coffee, good coffee, great coffee, and exceptional coffee.  It is my privilege to tell you that this particular coffee qualifies as exceptional. As a coffee pro, I suspected it’d be special when I opened the bag.

The smell gave it away – I knew it was special.

In fact, if we’re being honest – this coffee creates its own category. A category that reaches BEYOND exceptional because it is included in a set that makes a difference…. a VERY REAL difference… in people’s lives. It allows US to reach out and lovingly give a hand to others while offering them hope.

The most important part of this entire project  is, obviously, the difference it makes in people’s lives. How can you even put a price on giving people hope?!  However, you’ll benefit on a personal level as well – after all, aren’t we coffee lovers always on the lookout for exciting new coffees to try? What’s more… trust me on this one… you will cherish the handmade items.  When I held mine, I knew that…

  1. I’d never use the fabric bag for anything other than artwork – no way am I taking any chances on getting it dirty or tearing it!
  2. I’d also use the scoop as the piece of art that it is. It, along with the beautiful bag are showcased in our dining room – set where I can see them everyday and show them off as often as possible.
  3. And, finally, I knew I’d cherish them forever and ever, Amen.

Please click through and read more about the beautiful One Up Project. You will be touched by their mission and the coffee lover in you will be excited by the number of fantastic coffees they have available.  I hope you’ll pick out a few bags to order today! For every $11 bag of coffee you buy, $11 goes to fund living aid in Africa.

I also hope you’ll read more about the World Vision Gift Catalog.

Below are just a FEW of the wonderful gifts in the catalog. There are a LOT more – including a gorgeous scarf I have my eye on.. both eyes, in fact!

  • Prosperity Cinnamon: Know a friend or family member who loves to bake? Each beautifully-carved cinnamon bark box contains 3 oz. of cinnamon and bears a common Asian character for prosperity. Vietnam’s renowned sweet cinnamon is a renewable resource collected from the Cassia tree, sold to benefit generations of hard-working families. $85
  • Fair-Trade Coffee Set: For the coffee lover, this 12 oz. coffee set is blended by OneCup.org, using delicious flavors from Ethiopia, Sumatra, and Costa Rica, and is delivered in a gift bag of African fabric hand-sewn by local women. $65
  • Hand-Carved Serving Spoons: A perfect gift for holiday entertaining, each beautiful set of two hand-carved olivewood serving spoons is delivered in a gift bag of African fabric hand-sewn by local women. The serving spoons are made to benefit orphans of the Kamba tribe in Kenya. $65

Be sure to connect with World Vision on their Facebook page at/WorldVision and on Twitter at @WorldVisionNews. You can connect with One Cup Project on Twitter at @OneCupProject.  Can you imagine all the lives that could be touched and saved if we ALL roll up our sleeves and did our part?

One Cup Fair Trade Coffee Gift Set from World Vision
You will treasure your fabric bag and wooden scoop as much as I do and the exotic, WONDERFUL coffee will blow you away!