Kenya Kariaini
Kenya Kariaini was at the scoop bar at the Roastery for a short time in April. I was fortunate enough to get a bag to share with my partners. What struck me was how different this was from our core Kenya.
Both core Kenya and Kenya Kariaini are fully washed coffees with a medium body. Core Kenya has a bit higher acidity than the Kariaini. Kenya Kariaini has flavors of dark chocolate, blood oranges and grapefruit. Very clean with a sweet toned finish. As the coffee cools, the grapefruit notes become more pronounced.
Coming to us from the Mwerua co-op in central Kenya, this micro-lot delivers all the characteristics of a Kenyan classic but with something more. Its uniqueness struck us with the very first sip: subtle and elegantly structured with balanced low notes that become more prominent as the cup cools. With such a remarkable profile, this coffee commanded our attention, even among the uniformly outstanding coffees we tasted from local growers near Nairobi. Grown along the base of Mount Kenya and meticulously processed at the Kariaini washing station, these fully washed beans highlight one of coffee’s most intriguing origins.
When I got this coffee, blood oranges were out of season, or so I thought until I randomly came across a bunch of them at Whole Foods. I was so excited, and brought a bunch of them home to bake with and taste with my partners for French Press Friday.
Kenya Kariaini
Now, I realize that I’m late posting this article, and blood oranges are way out of season, and the Roastery has been out of this coffee since May.. but I really loved this recipe, and it could be tailored to go with our core Kenya or even Ethiopia. Swap out the blood oranges for grapefruits, and it would be so perfect with Kenya. Or oranges with a teaspoon of black pepper to go with Ethiopia. Try it and let me know what you think!
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- zest and juice of 2 blood oranges
- ½ cup dark cocoa powder
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare muffin tin with liners.
- Melt butter in a large, microwave-safe bowl and stir in brown sugar completely. Add eggs and vanilla, stirring until mixture is smooth.
- Stir in juice and zest of the blood oranges.
- Place cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt in the bowl and stir until batter is fully mixed. Add in chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into prepared muffin tin
- Bake for five minutes at 425 before lowering temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 15 more minutes
- Let muffins cool for several minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Best served slightly warm.
Leave a Reply