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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

Coffee Review: Kaldi’s Colombia Monserrate Elcy Causaya

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Kaldis Colombia Monserrate Elcy Causaya
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…

Kaldis Colombia Monserrate Elcy Causaya
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

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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:

Camano Island Coffee Roasters Review

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Camano Island Coffee Roasters Papua New Guinea Coffee
Camano Island Coffee Roasters: Papua New Guinea Coffee
I 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…}

Camano Island Coffee Roasters Papua New Guinea Coffee
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…}

Camano Island Coffee Roasters Papua New Guinea Coffee

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.

Camano Island Coffee Roasters Papua New Guinea 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

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

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

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Kaldi's Coffee Mug

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 and Bees Coffee

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 and 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

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!

 

Coffee Review: Caribou Coffee, Mahogany

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Caribou Coffee, Mahogany

When it comes to buying coffee, I buy coffee online… I buy coffee offline.  I buy coffee by the bag… I buy coffee in bulk.  I buy expensive coffee… I buy bargain coffee.

I buy coffee like it’s my job, with the one stipulation being that it’s whole bean.  As I often say when doing coffee reviews, whole beans make ALL the difference.

Like everyone else, I have my favorite coffee brands that I turn to again and again. Caribou Coffee is one of the brands I’m most loyal to. In fact, I always have at least one bag of Caribou Coffee on hand. Caribou Coffee is reasonably-priced and readily available.  Of course, if these were the only things it had going on for it, they wouldn’t be nearly enough to make it a permanent guest in my kitchen.

Fortunately, Caribou Coffee has never let me down. The flavor is so rich, intense and beautiful that it always makes me think I’m actually drinking one of our costlier coffees.

Expensive taste at an inexpensive price – is is any wonder it has its own shelf in our kitchen?

I recently bought a Caribou Coffee blend that I’d never tried before, Mahogany. I’d picked it up a few times before, carefully considering it, but always choosing a lighter roast in the end (Daybreak and Caribou Blend are a few favorites).  I’ve never been an especially big fan of dark roast coffees because they can be so overpowering.  A lot of the darker roasts are also known for leaving behind a not so lovely aftertaste.

My brief experience with dark roasts just wasn’t anything to write home about.  In fact, I’d always wondered how people who prefer dark roasts could live with themselves.

Now I know. If you’re lucky enough to find a dark roast coffee that’s exceptional, there is no overpowering flavor and not even a hint of an unpleasant aftertaste.

Mahogany is everything that’s right about dark roast coffees and it has, you could say, won me over to the dark side.

 Caribou Coffee, Mahogany

From Caribou:

Mahogany is roasted to bring out the body of the El Salvador and Sumatra coffees, yet also preserve the delicate vanilla and floral notes of the Guatemala. Accented by aromatic woods notes and finishing with a raw sugar sweetness, this coffee will become a staple in the cupboard for those who appreciate complexity in a cup.

I, admittedly, have always preferred my coffee sweetened – at least a little. However, with a delicate sweetness and hints of vanilla and molasses, I never sweeten Caribou’s Mahogany. It comes with a sweet enough personality on its own.

Although there are subtle flavors of sweet vanilla and molasses, even the most die-hard coffee purist (you know the ones… “Coffee should just taste like coffee – with no extra flavors!“) will fall under Mahogany’s spell.

If I needed to serve coffee to a guest and wasn’t sure if they preferred light roast, medium roast, dark roast or flavored or unflavored coffee, Caribou Mahogany would be one of the first coffees to come to mind. I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to serve this coffee to anyone, anytime.

In addition to making a perfect cup of old-fashioned black coffee, Mahogany is also ideal for espressos, cappuccinos, lattes, and iced coffee drinks. The strong, bold flavor makes it a great multi-tasker.

Where can you buy Caribou Coffee?

I, personally, buy Caribou coffee from two places: Target and Amazon. You can also, of course, buy coffee directly from Caribou Coffee’s Website. It doesn’t get much easier than that, does it?

I actually just visited their website and found my next bag: The new Inspiration Blend has “hints of toasted marshmallow.” How is that not something I need in my life?

Buy Caribou Coffee’s Mahogany on Amazon or directly from Caribou Coffee.