I first had Cameroon Mt Oku at the Roastery. It was in the cold brew rotation, and I quickly fell in love. It was light, yet rich, and had this long lingering flavor that took me quite a while to pinpoint. Fast forward to a few weeks ago, I tried the Cameroon Mt Oku on the clover. The same familiar flavor was present. It finally hit me; mace. Mace is a delicately fragrant spice, think of it as nutmeg’s less sweet (and more intense) cousin.
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Starbucks Reserve Christmas blend with chocolate-orange muffin
In the early 19th century, muffins were baked in small cups or rammekins. This is how the term cupcake came to life! This food fact is the reason why I almost always bake my muffins/cupcakes directly in ceramic cups. Not only is it less waste, it is also adorable. It also gives me a chance to use my new mini mug from the Roastery 🙂
I have been receiving so many requests for recipes to pair with the new Reserve Christmas Blend! Today I decided I wanted to use a chocolate orange flavor profile. It is a classic Christmas flavor, and the addition of clove and all-spice, really make the Aged Sumatra in the Reserve Christmas pop!…
Ethiopia Guji Bilida Bukisa with black currant & lavender marshmallows
When I first saw Ethiopia Guji Bilida Bukisa at the Roastery, I fell in love. Aromas of fresh cut lavender, meyer lemon acidity and a sweetness reminiscent of black currants. These flavor notes are so distinctive, some might shy away from this coffee, but they are delicate and aromatic, flavors unfolding as the coffee continues to cool.
I have been on a real marshmallow kick lately, and I have really wanted to make a lavender one. Somewhere along the line, I decided to try and stuff these marshmallows with black currant jam, creating new textures and flavor combinations that really make this coffee. sing. Plus they look stunning :)…
Nicaragua el Suyatal with hazelnut-coffee brittle
Sometimes planning a coffee tasting is very methodical and can take months of planning. Sometimes I know what I want to pair with it after the first sip.
The first time I tasted Nicaragua el Suyatal, I fell instantly in love with the sweetness and the distinct notes of hazelnut. The timing of this release couldn’t be more perfect, November, heading into Holiday season, where each year I make peanut brittle for everyone. I knew the el Suyatal would be perfect with a brittle, with a little twist….
Hacienda Alsacia with lavender goat cheese cookies
Christmas came early this year. The roastery had a very limited amount of the second crop of Hacienda Alsacia on the scoop bar. This went insanely fast, and I was lucky to grab several bags for me and my fellow partners. This is one of my favorite coffees to do tastings with. Not because of it’s sparkling acidity and bright floral and meyer lemon sweetness (which I adore) but because of the story behind it.
Hacienda Alsacia is the first farm Starbucks has owned and operated in it’s history. This coffee is grown by partners in Costa Rica. From partners for partners.
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2015 Christmas Reserve with Mulled spice shortbread
This is the first year that Starbucks has offered a Christmas Blend Reserve coffee. This inspired coffee is a fusion of Aged Sumatra and the second harvest of Hacienda Alsacia, and features a balsam aroma and a sweet brightness with holiday flavors of orange and mulled spices.
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Aged Sumatra with butterscotch bourbon bacon popcorn
Hands down, one of my favorite reserve offerings is aged Sumatra. When I heard it was coming back, I immediately made a trip to the Roastery and grabbed several bags from the scoop bar. Aged Sumatra has never stuck around long enough for me to do a coffee pairing with it, and I was determined to do it this time around.
This lot of aged Sumatra was resting for three years. The aging process is methodical, as the beans must be handled carefully and tasted regularly. Time and effort are well rewarded in this case. The result, intriguing saddle-leather aromas with flavors of butterscotch and maple….
Bali Vintage Klasik with lemon marshmallows
Making marshmallows holds a special place in my heart. In fact, marshmallows were the first thing I actually made from scratch. I have always been a foodie, but I never entered the kitchen. One day I was watching Good Eats, and there was Alton Brown making marshmallows. I had no idea you could make marshmallows, and suddenly I had to make them too.
Making marshmallows always brings me back to that moment, and I love looking back and taking in that bit of nostalgia. I am very glad I watched that episode of Good Eats, because without it, who knows if I ever would have taught myself to cook.
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Ethiopia Bitta Farm with banana & berry gummies
I have been tracking Ethiopia Bitta Farm at the roastery. To see it unloaded, destoned, roasted and bagged for reserve stores is incredible. To see how many different hands touch the coffee in this final stage, before it reaches us at the store. These are my favorite kinds of tastings, to piece together a story, as I am watching the coffee unfold in front of me.
Sometimes the coffee stirs you…
This coffee comes from the Kaffa region, where legend has it this is where curious goats gnawed berries from shrubs and experienced a surge of energy. When the goatherd tried the berries himself, coffee was discovered. Each bean is a direct descendant of legend.
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Hawaii Ka’u with coconut & mango banana bread
Most of my recipes and pairings are meticulously planned… some of them happen by accident! I was going to make a smoothie, and all of my bananas were brown. Not just a little spotted, but almost black. They either had to go in the trash, or I had to make something with them, and I thought I’ll make banana bread. Easy enough. Then I decided I wanted to make something to pair with the Hawaii Ka’u, and that’s how I ended up with this!…