A few weeks ago I was bantering back and forth with Greg, mad scientist and creator at large of Mad Bean Coffee Roasters. The subject? Fruitcake (and I owe him one, and haven’t forgotten!). As we were talking he mentioned I needed to have some of his coffee to serve with my fruitcake. I never ever turn down coffee…and so a few days ago some freshly roasted Sumatra Mandheling Harimau Tiger beans were delivered to my door.
Yum. Continue reading
I am having trouble saying this. Luckily I am a writer and not a speaker so as far as you are concerned I say it perfectly. It is pronounced
“Mara-go-hee-pey”. Yeah, we can have a lot of linguistic fun with that … but let’s not.
Nicaraguan Maragogype is a single origin Central American coffee. Continue reading
Seven Mennonite and Amish entrepreneurs are mixing and promoting a new line of tea that they have created called, Hobbit Tea. The teas are created from tea, fruit, and herbs and so far they have three blends.
Hobbit lore is alive and well in Dalton, Ohio. Dan Tropea is a 31 year old Mennonite farmer who applied for and acquired a license from Middle Earth Enterprises, the company that holds all of the rights to Tolkien’s works. Tropean enjoyed the books and feels that his hometown is not so different from Middle Earth, what with all of the farms, rolling hills, and fences. He feels that the books have some important lessons in them.
You can find out more about Hobbit Teas at the website.
I am going to have to try these… I am a Tolkien fan from before it was cool to be a Tolkien fan!
image: Hobbit Tea
Filed under Tea
Don’t you love Hostess Cupcakes? I mean, be honest. Nearly everyone loves those things whether they will admit it or not. You peel the frosting off and lick out the filling, don’t you? I knew it. Me too.
These cupcakes are similar…but they have chai cream in the centers. You can make them ahead and freeze them just fine.
Filed under Recipes, Uncategorized
When I was growing up we called these Brown Eyed Susans. They are basically thumbprint cookies with an Earl Grey flavored chocolate filling. These are awesome for almost anything from a formal tea to just a great after school snack.
Another great flavoring possibility would be coffee.
Don’t…Do NOT…DESIST…just don’t even think about using margarine or shortening in these. The flavor will be off. These aren’t an especially sweet cookie and they are not only pretty on a cookie plate but are perfect with a cup of tea or coffee in the afternoon (or evening, or for breakfast).
The cookies are crumbly, melt in your mouth delicate. You will love them.
Brown Eyed Susans
from Everything Cookies and Brownies, by Marye Audet
Makes about 4 dozen but I think I made them bigger than teaspoon size.
images:marye audet
Filed under Recipes
Coffee Syrup is easy to make and it is handy to have around. You can use it to flavor frosting and cakes or to create drinks with. A really fantastic way to make an Italian Soda, for example, is to put 2 tablespoons coffee syrup in a fluted glass. Add Club soda and finish with a dollop of whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa.
Yum.
You can also make a coffee drink like chocolate milk by adding coffee syrup (to taste) to a glass of milk and stirring well. I shouldn’t have to mention homemade coffee milkshakes, homemade coffee flavored coke, or any of the other million ideas that are coursing through the corridors of my mind right now, right?
Check it out. It keeps in the fridge for two weeks or so.
Coffee Syrup
Boil this mixture for three minutes and then cool completely. Pour into a Mason jar, cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator.
Makes 1 cup
Did you ever wonder if a burr grinder was really worth the extra cash? I mean, your $20 blade grinder seems to be doing the job, right? Well, maybe not. Let’s take a look at both blade and burr grinders.
Blade Grinders
Krups Blade Grinder
Many people have blade grinders for one simple reason: they are both inexpensive and readily available. Continue reading
Filed under Appliances, Uncategorized
So, I have been reading a lot about the health benefits of Kombucha Tea. It is intriguing and I wondered what the big deal was. Have you?
Kombucha
It is primarily a health thing, rather than a tea thing. It has been described as tasting somewhat like vinegar and is often mixed with fruit juice to mask the flavor. Some of the flavors you might see are:
It has a huge number of health claims associated with it. Like anything, many of them lack research. The fermentation process means that it is full of probiotics, like yogurt is. Supposedly it is especially good for the following:
Kombucha is made from tea that is mixed with sugar and then has a bacteria added. It is a fermented drink and is thus related to yogurt, tempeh, and other fermented foods. Although Kombucha is known as mushroom tea it is more because of the colonies of bacteria which resemble a mushroom than anything. It is not made of mushrooms!
When it is fully fermented it is bubbly like soda from the gases that are released during fermentation.
So, should you drink it? Well, that is totally up to you. If you are into the whole probiotic thing and you are reasonably adventurous about your food then it is something you might be interested in. If you like black tea with sugar and milk then you might want to steer clear of this. Oh, and unless it is pasteurized it does have a slight alcohol content. Just sayin’.
image:sxc
Filed under Tea
Sure! Why not?
A French Press is simple to use. It makes great coffee, in fact I think it makes better coffee than anything else. I could not believe I hadn’t written about it yet… DUH!
You can get a French Press almost anywhere for less than $20.00. Once you get it home, wash it and rinse it well and then get ready for some awesome coffee.
How easy is that? Yep… Pretty easy!
The thing is that this coffee is smooth and wonderful. It is full bodied because more of the oils are retained. If you haven’t tried coffee this way – try it!
image: istock permission: licensed- marye audet
Filed under Appliances, Uncategorized
I think the less said the better here……..
Filed under Saturday Mug of the Week
