2016 Brazil Natural cup of excellence winner Sun Dried Brazil Guariroba. Jasmine and red berry notes with a brown sugar sweetness pair perfectly with cronuts (croissant/donuts) stuffed with a strawberry jam and vanilla custard….
Whiskey Barrel Aged Sulawesi with cold brew caramel
Back in March, the Starbucks Roastery and Tasting room in Seattle debuted an innovative new coffee; Whiskey Barrel Aged Sulawesi. Green beans from Sulawesi were stored in used whiskey barrels from Woodinville Whiskey Company, and over the course time, the flavor and aroma from the barrel absorbed into the green beans. During the roasting process, the alcohol is burned off, but the identity of the whiskey remains. With unmistakable notes of whiskey, this is a cup of coffee like no other….
Tastefolio: Panama Carmen Estate
A Starbucks Roastery exclusive, Panama Carmen Estate was only sold in limited quantities. I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a half pound and used it for my monthly development meeting. La Croix sparkling lemon water used as a palate cleanser….
Tastefolio: Papua New Guinea Moanti
Starbucks Reserve subscription coffee Papua New Guinea Moanti paired with a dark chocolate macaron, stuffed with nutella and topped with candied yellow bell pepper and edible gold stars. I served the coffee in a red bell pepper for a visit from my regional director and regional vice president….
Colombia Nariño Supremo with banana bread cake pops
Colombia Nariño Supremo
Colombia Nariño Supremo was a core coffee back in the day, but has been missing from the shelves since around 2009. Now, 8 long years later it has returned as part of Starbucks new single origin offerings. Even though Colombia Nariño Supremo has been missing from my life for so long, we were able to pick up right where we left off. Herbal notes with bittersweet chocolate notes and a walnut like finish. There is something so special and unforgettable about this coffee, and I am so glad it is back!…
Coffee flour brownies
There is a new type of gluten free flour out there that I am very interested in. Coffee flour! Coffee flour is made from the fruit of the coffee cherry, which means it is caffeinated. This alternative use of the pulp (which would usually be discarded) offers a supplemental income for coffee farmers, and removes bio waste from water sources. The only downside is that this stuff can be hard to find, it can only be ordered online, and quantities are limited. This weekend I was at Trader Joe’s, and on the bottom shelf a bag caught my eye. I had to scoop up a few bags to share with partners, but on the back of the bag is an easy recipe for coffee truffle brownies, so I thought I should share that here as well.
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2017 Limited Edition Blonde Roast
A few months ago, Starbucks Canada launched Blonde espresso, and there were rumors that it was coming to the states as well. There are a few test stores, but the vast majority of stores did not get it. As usual, I am spoiled and got a sample to try and share with my partners, but surprise! All stores received a shipment to brew as a 2017 limited edition Blonde roast, and I could not be more excited.
I love a good dark roast, but when it comes to espresso, I really love the blondes. Veranda Blend has been a go to for my home espresso machine since it was released. This new limited edition blonde roast rocks. It is so sweet and smooth, perfect for espresso or brewed up as traditional coffee!…
Gravitas blend no3
Gravitas blend no3
The third installment of Gravitas is back at the Roastery. This legacy blend launched on March 20th 2017, and I just happened to be in town visiting. Perfect timing on my part! This years version of Gravitas is a blend of Sumatra Lake Toba, Nicaragua Maracaturra and Sun-dried Brazil Barinas. The result is layers of herbal and chocolate notes with a unique dried fruit sweetness….
Kenya Kangunu with lemon mkate wa maji
Kenya Kangunu is the newest online exclusive coffee to be offered on the online store. This is the third offering, the first being Costa Rica Vista del Mar yellow honey and Papua New Guinea Luoka. These coffees are, to my knowledge, released in other countries, but a small amount is offered online. Because of the limited quantities, these seems to sell out fairly quickly! I was lucky enough to notice Kenya Kangunu shortly after it was released online and ordered it right away.
I first tasted this side by side with core Kenya, and was surprised how different they were. The Kangunu is lush with a layered complexity with notes of dark chocolate and lemon, while the core Kenya is juicy with unmistakeable notes of grapefruit.
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Coffee browned butter cookies with Yukon Blend
According to Starbucks legend, Yukon Blend was the winner of a “name that blend” contest. Yukon blend was created in 1971 for one of Starbucks original customers, the captain of a fishing boat in the Bering Sea. He wanted a blend for his crew that could stand up to the frigid mornings and long days of fishing in the cold waters where the Yukon River meets the Sea.
This hearty and well rounded blend pairs well with oatmeal and cinnamon, but has toasty notes that I thought might pair well with brown butter. But then I got to thinking, what if I infused butter with coffee and then browned it?
And then coffee brown butter was born.
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