Coffee Reviews

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

July 27, 2019 By Joi Sigers

Two of my greatest passions are tea and coffee. I have a tea blog and often approach this food blog as a coffee blog… hey a caffeinated girl’s gotta do what a caffeinated girl has got to do, right?

Truth be told, I love coffee and tea equally – like their 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.

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.

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!

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!

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

Miss Ellie’s Flavored Coffees: Excellent for Iced Coffee OR Hot

April 11, 2017 By Joi Sigers

Miss Ellie’s Southern Pecan Coffee, Iced

As I mentioned in my first Miss Ellie’s Coffee review, I was sent a wonderful set of flavored coffee samples in addition to two bags of whole bean coffee and a coffee cake (yum!). These people are as generous as it gets.

With warm weather finally here, my intentions for several of these flavored coffees were clear – iced coffee!

I drink hot coffee year-round – whether the temperature is 10 degrees or 110 degrees, my routine doesn’t change. However, when the weather warms up, I add iced coffee to the daily grind (sorry, I had to). I am completely obsessed with iced coffee and would hate to even try to estimate the number of glasses I go through from April 1 to October 1.

Yes, my iced coffee season has a time-frame. Please try not to judge me.

Iced Coffee Can be enjoyed so many different ways…

Black, over ice
With milk over ice
With coconut milk over ice
With ice cream
Sweetened
Unsweetened
With almond milk over ice
With cashew milk over ice

As you’d expect, I run the gamut – it all just depends on…

the coffee
the addict’s mood

Miss Ellie’s flavored coffees have made some of the most delicious iced coffees I’ve ever had. The hint of flavor actually keeps you from having to add sugar – and, being a southerner, I’m all about the sweetness! So, if I can forego sweetening these flavored coffees, anyone can.

When you buy flavored coffee, you can save yourself some time, money, AND calories by not hitting up coffee shops throughout the week. It’s pretty satisfying to make your own.. exactly how you like it.

I look forward to ordering and enjoying these flavored coffees in the winter in my homemade “lattes” as well.

My mouth’s watering thinking about it.

While these flavored Miss Ellie’s Coffees are ALL wonderful in Iced Coffee, make no mistake about it, they make exceptional cups of hot coffee as well. The Southern Pecan Coffee is pictured in the green coffee mug above, about 3 seconds before I devoured every last drop. This is a particularly excellent coffee – and, while I loved each and every one, if I were forced to pick a favorite – it’d be the Southern Pecan.

Maybe it’s because I’m southern… maybe it’s because pecans are a favorite nut, but for whatever reasons, this coffee lights up my very world.

Another flavored coffee favorite is MacADoodle. Like the Southern Pecan, MacADoodle is sold in Portion Packs. This medium-roast is a can’t miss favorite for iced or hot coffee with a delicious combination of some of everyone’s favorite flavors – chocolate, cinnamon, hazelnut cream and macadamia.

Miss Ellie’s Donut Shop Coffee

Another of Miss Ellie’s coffees (available in Portion Packs, which are pretty cool) is an unflavored coffee, Donut Shop. Donut Shop is a 100% high grown Arabica coffee and it is fantastic. It reminds me of a favorite restaurant coffee, Cracker Barrel’s.

I recommend Miss Ellie’s Coffees wholeheartedly. It feels good recommending coffee (or anything, for that matter) that you know your readers will love. I also know that the good people at Miss Ellie’s will take excellent care of you.

Your only problem is going to be deciding which coffees to order first! While you should order your own favorite type of coffee, if I had to make two recommendations for your first order, they’d be New Orleans Roast, MacADoodle, and Southern Pecan.

Review: Miss Ellie’s Coffee – More Than a Pretty Face

April 10, 2017 By Joi Sigers

Miss Ellie’s Coffee New Orleans Roast (Perfect)

I always love the sweet life of being a food blogger, but there are times I love it even more than others – such as the times I’m sent coffee in exchange for telling my readers about it. Oh, yeah, that’s when I love it almost as much as my next breath.

I was recently sent a great collection of Miss Ellie’s Coffee, as well as a beautiful coffee cake – which was above and beyond cool of them – and it’s my supreme pleasure to tell you all about this wonderful coffee.

First of all, a reminder about my coffee reviews. I keep the reviews simple and pretty much in everyday Jane and Joe language. I don’t get too heavily into the extra details of a coffee because my food blog audience (like me) are most concerned about…

… the taste of the coffee.
… the value of the coffee.
… the people on the other side of the label.
… if this is a coffee they have to order online, what makes it worth the effort?
… and perhaps most importantly, what sets this coffee apart from the rest?

If we’re being honest, the question, “What sets this coffee apart from the rest?” is always the first question I ask myself when trying a new coffee. If I can’t come up with an answer, then Houston, we have a problem!

Fortunately, it’s been my experience that if people are willing to send you their coffee in exchange for telling your readers about it, they are confident about what they’re bagging and this confidence is almost, without fail, very well placed.

That’s certainly the case with Miss Ellie’s Coffee. When I eagerly opened the box of coffee (think 5 year old on Christmas morning), one look at the coffee bags gave me my first glimpse into one of the things that sets this coffee apart from the rest… as in all the rest.

This is the first time I’ve ever seen a bag of coffee carry the individual’s face.

And what a beautiful face, at that! I mean we’re talking Disney Princess level beautiful – but that’s beside the point. As the mother of three Disney Princess level beautiful daughters, I just happen to notice things like this.

Naturally, the loveliness of the face isn’t what truly matters. To me, it’s the bold confidence and warm friendliness.

Bold Confidence: To put your face (lovely or not) on a bag of coffee, you have to be very confident about that coffee. You have to feel darn good about what you’re bagging to stand behind it… well, in front of it, if we’re being literal. Almost always.. almost without fail… those who are the most confident are this way for a reason.
Warm Friendliness: The smiling face on the coffee bags says, “Let’s have a cup of coffee together!” to me. In fact, everything about Miss Ellie’s online presence carries the same warm attitude and that totally and completely stands out to me.

Miss Ellie’s Coffee is Truly Exceptional Coffee

We buy a lot of different coffee in our household. It’s a great passion and we love to try as many different ones as possible. I’m also (blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed…) sent coffee regularly to review on my food blog and (blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed…) tea to review on my tea blog. So, if I say someone has carved out an identity for themselves that stands apart from the majority of the rest – please take my word for it.

Each coffee we’ve sampled from Miss Ellie’s has rocked our coffee world. EACH one. We opened the New Orleans first – what can I say, we liked the name. It’s as deep as that.

I may have mentioned this on the food blog before, I’m not sure – but my first cup of coffee each morning is “Bulletproof Coffee.” This is a delicious and healthy technique for fixing coffee which involves a little real butter and nutritious coconut oil. If you click the link I just dropped (after finishing this coffee review, of course!), you can learn how to make it from the master himself, Dave Asprey.

Miss Ellie’s New Orleans Makes an EXCELLENT Bulletproof Coffee

Fascinatingly, we have found that not all coffee makes wonderful bulletproof coffee. I guess it’s really common sense, but it always fascinates me nonetheless. Some coffee makes okay bulletproof coffee, some makes good bulletproof coffee, some makes great bulletproof coffee, and some makes exceptional bulletproof coffee.

Miss Ellie’s New Orleans Roast makes some of the most exceptional bulletproof coffee we’ve ever had. In fact, I’ve never had a coffee that made a better one than New Orleans.

After my bulletproof coffee each morning, I go on to have 2-4 cups of pour-over coffee, so I was really anxious to see if the New Orleans roast was as fantastic on its own….. in a more traditional cup of coffee.

Was it ever?! This is simply a beautiful, beautiful coffee and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

From Miss Ellie’s Coffee: This medium roast New Orleans coffee is a blend of selected beans from Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Colombia. We chose this Nawlin’s roast because of the history of the south. Miss Ellie’s medium beans are hand roasted to perfection.

Miss Ellie’s New Orleans in Bulletproof Coffee

Miss Ellie’s Colombian Roast

The next Miss Ellie’s Coffee we tried was the Colombian Blend. Naturally we tried it in a Bulletproof Coffee, first. We were anxious to see if it made as excellent a cup of Bulletproof Coffee as the New Orleans blend did. While it was absolutely delicious, I’d have to say that the New Orleans beans were EVEN better. This isn’t a knock, at all, against the Colombian.. it’s just a nod to the New Orleans.

The Colombian does, however, make every bit as wonderful a cup of pour-over coffee as the New Orleans. It’s rich, bold, and unmistakably Colombian. I love for a Colombian coffee to be proud of its heritage and this one is as proud as it gets!

Miss Ellie’s Colombian with Heavy Whipping Cream – Decadent and Delicious

When it comes to most coffee, if I’m not drinking it Bulletproof-Style, I drink it black. However, when it’s a Colombian blend, I love a little heavy whipping cream in my cup. It is simply HEAVENLY! Miss Ellie’s Colombian makes an absolutely perfect, ridiculously delicious cup of coffee – especially (in my opinion) with a little heavy whipping cream. Decadent and delicious.

As you can see in the picture above, I decided to celebrate the first day of baseball season (GO CARDINALS!!!) with the Colombian. For this baseball fanatic to choose a coffee as the one she celebrates the first day of baseball with is a compliment of the highest order.

The Colombian with whipping cream and the New Orleans in Bulletproof Coffee have become two of my newest and most treasured obsessions. They’re legendary, that’s all. Legendary.

Miss Ellie’s Coffee is, obviously, delicious (I hope I’ve thoroughly conveyed that fact!). It’s also very reasonably priced, so the value is definitely there. I love the way they go about their business – small-business values with a big-business approach. My dealings have been top-notch in every way.

I’m not sure if you order coffee online very often – I’d say we probably order more coffee online than we buy offline. Buying coffee (or anything for that matter) online is so quick, easy, and painless that it becomes your favorite way of shopping. Zero lines, you can order in your pajamas with your cat in your lap, the coffee is brought right to you… and did I mention you can order in your pajamas with your cat in your lap.

Absolutely my favorite way to shop.

I also received some sample-size packets of flavored coffees as well and will tell you all about them tomorrow. Not surprisingly, they’re each extraordinary – it seems Miss Ellie only Makes extraordinary coffee.

I guess that’s why she’s always smiling.

For more information, see Miss Ellie’s Coffee on Coffee.org.

Coffee Review: Kaldi’s Colombia Monserrate Elcy Causaya

February 17, 2017 By Joi Sigers

When you drink as much coffee as I do, it honestly takes a very special coffee to stand out from the rest. It’s not as difficult for a Coffee Roaster to stand out from the rest (consistency, excellence, and above and beyond customer service will seal that deal – all traits I strongly associate with Kaldi’s Coffee). However, when your world is filled with different roasts, different blends, different origins, different names, different flavors, different tones, etc… the coffee has to be exceptional to break free from the pack.

There are a few such coffees that have left (and for several, continue to leave) such an impression on me that I remember their names as well as I remember the names of my cats. Okay, well almost.

Kaldi’s Birds & Bees (as my husband can tell you, this is the one I measure all coffee to – it’s my coffee grail – as in “a thing that is being earnestly pursued or sought after.” I’m always looking for coffee that tickles my coffee fancy as much as their Birds and Bees does)
Kaldi’s Decaf Highlander Grogg (the best decaf coffee on earth, period)
Starbucks Kati Kati (whatever happened to Kati Kati – like, where’d it go go?!)
Kaldi’s Colombia Monserrate Elcy Causaya (I call her Elcy for short)

Review Continued Below…

Before we get to the last beauty (who just turned my “Top 3” into a “Top 4”), I have to ask, did you ever try Starbuck’s Kati Kati coffee beans? The first year they came out, I bought a bag in our local Starbucks. The bag was beautiful (all their bags are especially gorgeous – and I love that they’re “themed,” they match the region the beans came from), the beans smelled amazing, and the name was “love at first sight.” When we brewed it, it was obvious the flavor did the great name justice. PHENOMENAL. But here’s the thing, I waited all year for the “seasonal” coffee to come out again, but when it did, it was not the same. It was good, mind you, but it was no longer PHENOMENAL.

Then, the coffee kind of disappeared. I waited for the next “season” again and it pulled a no show. Then the next – same.

Yet, I have always remembered the amazing, naturally sweet flavor and the hint of orange in the background.

Okay, fast forward to this week. My husband’s most recent Kaldi’s Coffee order included a bag of coffee we’d never tried before: Kaldi’s Colombia Monserrate Elcy Causaya. The first thing that caught me was (like Kati Kati) the name. Elcy. Beautiful name!

After I good-naturedly chided him for not adding a Birds & Bees and Decaf Highlander Grogg to the order, I anxiously tried Elcy. Guess what it reminded me of? Exactly! Kati Kati, the first year.

But it gets better.

Guess what it was even better than? Exactly! Kati Kati, the first year.

There is an unmistakable sweetness to this coffee along with an addictive citrus background. I have enjoyed Elcy in “Bulletproof” coffees (coffee with butter and coconut oil added, then blended) as well as on her own. It is excellent… let’s make that PHENOMENAL each and every way. I actually saved one of my cups of coffee of Elcy this morning and put it over ice. I pretty much live from one iced coffee to the next in the summer months, so this was my “Spring Training.”

Please don’t tell Birds & Bees, but it won’t be the only coffee I’m putting on ice this summer.

Kaldi’s Colombia Monserrate Elcy Causaya (Elcy) reminds me of enjoying a sweet, soft orange danish along with a cup of the best coffee in the world – but it’s even better. No calories and no sticky fingers!

PHENOMENAL.

If you love great coffee (and why would you be reading a coffee review if you didn’t?), you simply have to order a bag of Kaldi’s Colombia Monserrate Elcy Causaya right away.

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

June 23, 2016 By Joi Sigers

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:

Choose your roast
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….}

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

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:

Angels’ Cup Coffee Subscription Service Opens Up a Whole New World for Coffee Lovers

June 9, 2016 By Joi Sigers

Angels' Cup Black Box Coffee Subscription Service

Angels’ Cup Black BoxIf you love coffee, this is something that’s going to rock your world. Angels’ Cup is an Online Coffee Subscription Service that’s a raging success. I was recently sent four delicious coffees in an Angels’ Cup Box in exchange for telling you about their highly creative, fun, and downright delicious subscription program and app.

In a stroke of genius, Angels’ Cup has incorporated humanity’s passion for apps and socialization WITH its passion for coffee.

Kind of makes you wonder how no one else has thought of this, doesn’t it?

How Angels’ Cup Works:

1. Join the hunt. Try up to 208 different single-origin coffees this year. Plans starting at only $9.99/month. Every coffee is excellent, one might be your new favorite!

2. Blind taste test. Sample coffee without bias and decide for yourself what you like. A number on the bag will help you identify the coffee after you’ve tried it.

3. Learn from pros. Our app lets you record tasting notes and compare answers with the roastmaster to develop a superhuman sense of taste. Will your tasting notes match? – From Angels’ Cup

Why You’re Going to Love Angels’ Cup:

Coffee Subscription Services pretty much make Christmas come once a week or once a month. Each week or month you receive exciting new coffees to sample. Each coffee is a wonderful surprise – just like opening a present on Christmas morning. You don’t know exactly what it’ll be, but you know you’re going to love it. Opening an Angels’ Cup box, for a coffee lover, creates a level of excitement that’s on par with a ten year old sitting under the Christmas tree.
It’s FUN. They say you shouldn’t “play” with your food… but what do they know? Recording your tasting notes and comparing them with “experts” is unspeakably cool. Sometimes mine match, sometimes not so much. But that’s okay, experts can’t be perfect, right? I mean, it couldn’t possibly be me? In a world filled with news that seldom falls under the heading “okay” let alone “good,” and with bills, work, stress, responsibilities, and let’s not even get into politics… a little fun isn’t just a welcomed escape, it might just be a sanity-preserver.
You Call the Shots. You choose the size of box and samples you want as well as how often you want them. You can also choose whole bean, coarse grind, or fine grind. Click here for the different choices.
It’s All About the Coffee. When all’s said and done, the stars of the show are the coffee beans that come each week/month. Experiencing different coffee is a beautiful thing. When I hear someone say they always buy a certain type of coffee, I always want to point out that that’d be the same as buying the same thing for dinner every single night. I never point this out because I guess part of me is afraid they do just that!

The third one above is my personal favorite thing about Angels’ Cup. In our home, we take our coffee seriously. While we have a select number of favorite coffees and favorite coffee roasters, we absolutely LOVE to try new coffees as well as new coffee roasters. It’s one of our greatest joys in life – right up there with fried catfish and baseball. Our Angels’ Cup box included two different samples from one of our favorite roasters, Kaldi’s Coffee, a sample from Peixoto Coffee, and a sample from Tinker Coffee.

Not only were we reminded just how wonderful the two from Kaldi’s are, we’ve now been introduced to two other outstanding coffee roasters and are in the process of choosing what we want to order from each.

The four samples included in this box were each extraordinary. I’ll be writing coffee reviews for each one in the coming weeks.

Angels’ Cup is the perfect way to open up a whole wide world of coffees and roasters. I absolutely loved re-experiencing old favorites and making new favorites along the way.

Angels’ Cup is an exciting coffee subscription service and I hope you’ll give them a chance to rock your world. I promise, they’ll do just that.

Delicious Cup of Coffee from Peixoto Coffee.

Also See:

Angels’ Cup’s Roasters (a Who’s Who of coffee)
Angels’ Cup on Facebook
Angels’ Cup on Twitter
Angels’ Cup on Instagram

Angels’ Cup App (Free in the App Store)

Camano Island Coffee Roasters Review

March 12, 2016 By Joi Sigers

Camano Island Coffee Roasters: Papua New Guinea CoffeeI was recently sent a beautifully-packaged, intoxicatingly aromatic, and utterly delicious bag of coffee from Camano Island Coffee Roasters to review. I’d been watching for my beloved package for a few days and one afternoon, when I opened the mailbox, it announced its triumphant arrival. Seriously, the aroma was like standing square in the middle of a coffeehouse. As soon as I got in my vehicle, my youngest daughter noticed the unmistakable aroma and said, “YAY, COFFEE!”

We’ve raised our daughters right.

As I always mention in my coffee reviews, I keep things pretty basic when telling you about my favorite coffees. Like you, I’ve read a lot of really exotic, high-falutin’ coffee reviews before and, while I respect the reviewers and their grandiose words, I guess it comes down to this: I’m simple and if there’s one thing you can say about simple people it’s this – we like to keep things simple.

That way we always know what we’re talking about.

{Review Continued Below…}

I focus on the following details and find that the coffee usually speaks for itself:

The packaging. This may be one area that the average person doesn’t even think about, but I love to see people take passion in what they do. When you see a beautifully packaged coffee or tea, you know the company is passionate about their name, their product, and their customers. That stands out to me because it matters.
The aroma. You smell it before you taste it and, when it comes to coffee, the aroma is half the experience.
The taste. I want coffee to taste so wonderful that I can’t wait for the next sip! If it tastes just “meh,” I know I’m not onto anything special.
Fair Trade. I’m happy to say that this seems to matter to most, if not all, coffee companies I deal with.

While a coffee’s taste is the star of the show, the other details above make an excellent supporting cast. Combine beautiful packaging, aroma, and taste, and the stage is set for a very special coffee. That’s exactly what Camano Island Coffee is – VERY special.

From Camano Island Coffee Roasters: We only purchase green, ethical coffee beans that are USDA Certified Organic and Shade-grown. USDA Certified Organic guarantees safety from harmful pesticides and the numerous health and birth defects they inflict on the coffee farmers and their families. Shade-grown coffee guarantees bird habitat, soil preservation, and the protection of the Rain forests – earth’s lungs! Read More…

{Review Continued Below…}

I Love it When a Bag of Coffee is Conversational!

Camano Island Coffee Roasters Papua New Guinea is extraordinary coffee. There’s a subtle “chocolatey” flavor in the background that manages to seduce you without coming anywhere close to interfering with the delicious coffee flavor. It’s rich, smooth, and tastes like the perfect cup of coffee.

Come on, how’s it going to get any better than that?

From Camano Island Coffee Roasters:

Sweet and medium-bodied Organic Papua New Guinea Coffee is a favorite among our customers. Papua New Guinea coffee is versatile enough for a distinguished cup of morning coffee or as a smooth after dinner coffee served with dessert. Known for its richness and crisp, clean finish, Papua New Guinea medium roast coffee has subtle chocolaty tones. This unique coffee is grown in Papua New Guinea Highlands and was first planted in Wau in the 1930’s from seeds imported from Jamaica’s Blue Mountain region. Read more…

The Papua New Guinea is perfect for anyone – from the new coffee drinker to the sage old pro. Everyone loves a perfect cup of coffee, and that’s exactly what this is.

I didn’t list it in the list above, but in hindsight, I should have. Something else I look for in coffee is “freshness.” The plain truth is this: Unless you live near a roaster, the best coffee isn’t found in stores. For the freshest, truest, most delicious coffee experience, your best bet is to buy coffee online, direct from the roasters. They’re going to do ALL they can to deliver their best, freshest coffee to you.

After all, who will benefit from keeping you as a repeat customer?

Ordering from Camano Island Coffee Roasters is as simple as it gets. They have a wonderful website and online store that presents clear choices to the coffee lover. In fact, they even have something that’s extra exciting… a Coffee Lover’s Box.

{Review wrapped up below…}

Camano Island Coffee Roasters Coffee Lover's Box

In addition to many wonderful individual bags of coffee, Camano Islands Coffee Roasters also has a Coffee Club. When you join the club, you get a free pound of coffee. Gotta love it when coffee and free show up in the same sentence.

Try your free pound for two weeks
You’re never charged for your first free pound.
Just pay $4.95 shipping and handling.
If it’s not the best coffee you’ve ever tried simply cancel.
Read more about the Coffee Club on their website.

For more information about Camano Island Coffee Roasters (and to order your own bag of coffee immediately – I highly recommend the Papua New Guinea), visit their beautiful website. You’ll even find a handy brewing guide.

Coffee Review: Decaf Highlander Grogg from Kaldi’s Coffee

January 11, 2016 By Joi Sigers

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…}

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:

Coffee Review: Kaldi’s Ethiopia Buufata Konga

November 9, 2015 By Joi Sigers

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…}

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 sexy.

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 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

Coffee Review: Kaldi’s Birds & Bees (One of the Best Coffees Ever)

April 7, 2015 By Joi Sigers

Kaldi’s Coffee Birds & Bees

Let me tell you about the Birds and the Bees….

Most coffee drinkers consider it to be walking on dangerous grounds when you claim a particular coffee as your favorite. They warn, “What if you change your mind?! What then?”

My answer? Well… you simply start naming another as your favorite and thank the previous guy for the warm and wonderful memories.

Personally, I’ve had three coffees that I’ve given the coveted title of “Joi’s Personal Favorite” to. Given the fact that I’ve been a coffee drinker since before I could even spell coffee (as a child, I was given coffee to combat severe asthma), that’s saying something.

My first “favorite” was Millstone Coffee’s Kona Blend. Then came another Millstone coffee, Foglifter. To this day I’m not entirely sure which I was more in love with, the name or the coffee.

Although the relationships lasted too many years to count, Kona and Foglifter have been “coffees that I used to know” for some time now. My absolute favorite coffee these days is Kaldi’s Birds & Bees. I have no idea how long Birds & Bees has been my go to coffee. I do know that it’s been so long that I can’t remember a time when I said anything but “Kaldi’s Birds & Bees” when asked what my favorite coffee was.

What is a go to coffee? It’s like a favorite pair of Levi’s or a favorite comfort food… a favorite seat for watching Sunday Night Baseball or that feeling you get when you hold that “special someone’s” hand. It’s something that’s so RIGHT that it makes all the WRONGS in the world completely fade away.

A go to coffee… your favorite coffee… is an experience as much as it is a beverage.

Kaldi’s Birds & Bees Bio:

A South and Central American blend of hard-bean coffees, roasted hot and long until most of their essential oils rise to the surface. A classic roast perennially favored in Continental Europe.

ORIGIN: Central America

What I Love Most About Kaldi’s Birds & Bees

This may sound a little corny, but one of the things I love most about Kaldi’s Birds & Bees has to do with what it’s NOT as much as what it IS.

It’s NOT trying to be anything except what it is – extraordinary coffee. No hints of this, undercurrents of that, or aroma of the other. What you taste is extraordinary coffee. What you smell is extraordinary coffee. What you still taste is extraordinary coffee.

I’m old school when it comes to baseball and I’m old school when it comes to coffee. Sabermetrics and coffee that wears a Carmen Miranda hat? Not a fan of either.

For my non-baseball readers, sabermetrics is the “over thinking” side of baseball. Come on. Take the bat. Swing hard. Run.

For my super young readers, Carmen Miranda was the lady with lots of fruit on her hat.

I love the fact that Kaldi’s Birds & Bees is outrageously delicious coffee, each and every time… which brings me to another thing I love about this coffee. I can trust Birds & Bees from bag to bag.

Have you ever bought a bag of beans only to find that they didn’t taste like they “once” tasted? It has happened to me several times. Ironically, one of my exes (Foglifter) doesn’t taste remotely like it once did. Same can be said of Starbucks Kati Kati. When it first came out, it rocked my world. The very next year… it didn’t even rock my kitchen chair.

Kaldi’s Birds & Bees is the same perfection bag after bag after bag and cup after cup after cup.

All Kaldi’s Coffee is actually extremely reliable and completely off the charts. They consistently rock my chair, kitchen, and world. Heck I might even print up a t-shrit that says, “Kaldi’s Coffee Rocks My Mug” – see what I did there? Yeah, I’m rolling today.

[Coffee Review Continued Beneath the Loveliness…]

Kaldi’s Birds & Bees Plays Beautifully with Others

Michael (aka husband and chief coffee brewer in our home) and I love to play with our coffee throughout the day. The morning cups are pretty straight-forward. After all, they have a job to do… turn us into humans. Later in the day, he’ll often make us flat whites, espressos, lattes, cappuccinos, iced coffee, and so on. Some coffees are excellent in the morning, but you can’t count on them past 9:00 am.

Then there are the night owl coffees – they’ll do fine if you give them enough cream and sugar, but on their own they’re just meh.

Not only is Kaldi’s Birds & Bees the best morning cup of coffee you could possibly hope for, it is exceptional in every other form as well.

If Kaldi’s ever gives one of their coffees the “Franchise” tag, it should be Birds & Bees… the MVP in the coffee world. Most Valuable Perk.

If you love coffee, and I’m guessing that the fact you’re reading one of my coffee reviews means you do, I hope you’ll give Kaldi’s Birds & Bees a chance to rock your world. It’s coffee the way coffee was meant to be enjoyed.

THIS is the kind of coffee that has made coffee a legend.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s a time and a place for coffee with extra flavors, undercurrents, and aromas. They’re fun and, more times than not, they’re downright delicious. They simply aren’t my personal favorite coffee.

That would be Kaldi’s Birds & Bees.

Kaldi’s Coffee: Birds & Bees…. Perfect in Every Way.

More Kaldi’s Coffee Reviews:

Kaldi’s Coffee New World Mocha Java Blend

Kaldi’s Ethiopia Buufata Konga

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

Miss Ellie’s Flavored Coffees: Excellent for Iced Coffee OR Hot

Review: Miss Ellie’s Coffee – More Than a Pretty Face

Coffee Review: Kaldi’s Colombia Monserrate Elcy Causaya

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

Angels’ Cup Coffee Subscription Service Opens Up a Whole New World for Coffee Lovers

How Angels’ Cup Works:

Camano Island Coffee Roasters Review

Coffee Review: Decaf Highlander Grogg from Kaldi’s Coffee

Coffee Review: Kaldi’s Ethiopia Buufata Konga

Coffee Review: Kaldi’s Birds & Bees (One of the Best Coffees Ever)

What I Love Most About Kaldi’s Birds & Bees

Kaldi’s Birds & Bees Plays Beautifully with Others

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What I Love Most About Kaldi’s Birds & Bees

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