Three region blend paired with lemon baked donuts stuffed with red currant jam and topped with pink sanding sugar and crushed pink peppercorns….
Girl Scout cookies & coffee pairings
Starbucks = Girl Scout cookies
It’s cookie season, and I have been seeing posts on facebook about pairing wine with Girl Scout cookies (which is always a good idea!) I did a search for Girl Scout cookies and Starbucks coffees, and was surprised to see that no one had made up a tasting sheet! So here it is, my personal recommendations for Starbucks core coffees with Girl Scout cookies.
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Nicaragua Monimbo with apricot upside down cake
Nicaragua Monimbo
Wandering the aisles of the grocery store is one of my favorite past times, especially since we are in a different part of the country. So many new stores to explore. One thing that caught my eye recently was this apricot pie filling. I have never heard of such a thing, but immediately thought how fun it would be to make an apricot upside down cake. Apricots are not in season just yet, and Nicaragua Monimbo is bursting with fresh apricot notes, slightly tart with a brown sugar sweetness….
Ethiopia Kayon Mountain
My regional director was kind enough to purchase me a year long Roastery subscription, so I am kicking of 2017 by hosting monthly reserve seminars! Starting off with the first subscription coffee of 2017; Ethiopia Kayon Mountain.
Ethiopia Kayon Mountain is from a small lot farm in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Kayon translates to goal, and it is the mantra for the farm owners who are driven to take extra steps in the name of extraordinary coffee. Using methods that are not commonly seen in Ethiopia, such as shade growing coffee, to having their own washing station, to exporting directly. The farmers of Kayon mountain maintain full control of every step of the process.
An extraordinary coffee deserves an extraordinary tasting.
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Tastefolio: Colombia el peñol
Colombia el peñol paired with hot fudge marshmallows, dipped in dark chocolate infused with blackberries and red wine and topped with a fresh blackberry. Served at our February 2017 district meeting kicking off the conversations of barista championships and coffee engagement.
Ethiopia with spicy coffee popcorn
The coffee ceremony is one of the most of the most recognizable parts of Ethiopian culture, and an invitation to attend a coffee ceremony is considered a mark of friendship or respect. The ceremonial hostess will roast green beans in front of the guests before they are ground and brewed. The hostess mixes the ground coffee with spices, and pours them into a clay pot called a jebena. The coffee is served with plenty of sugar, salt or even butter and often complemented by a traditional snack such as popcorn or peanuts. This is the main social event, performed up to three times daily, to take time to talk about politics, the community and life.
I wanted to pay tribute to this tradition, pairing Ethiopia with popcorn and peanuts, coated with a cayenne infused coffee caramel.
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Sumatra with maple bacon cornbread muffins
A few weeks ago we were talking about our favorite coffees, and my favorite Starbucks core coffee is (usually) Sumatra.
I remember when I was a new barista, drinking Sumatra for the first time paired with a maple scone and cheddar cheese, and I was blown away how this coffee paired with sweet and savory. Sumatra is earthy, and herbal and can balance so many different flavors. Maple, cheese, toffee, cinnamon and even mushrooms.
I wanted to take this early memory of Sumatra and a maple scone and reinvent it into something new. The addition of bacon not only compliments the maple, but lends a more savory quality. Bacon and Sumatra are a match made in heaven. <3
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Muan Jai blend with spicy curried walnuts
Starbucks Muan Jai blend is not one that you see too often. If you’re not in Thailand, your chances are slim to none. Luckily, the Starbucks store will occasionally carry this exclusive coffee from Thailand.
It has been a long time favorite of mine, with it’s rich bold flavor, peppery spice notes and it is so smooth and balanced. The flavor notes suggest pairing this coffee with chocolate, nuts and cinnamon. The last time I had this coffee, I paired it with Theo Chocolate curry coconut bar, and I vividly remember how amazing the flavors were with the curry. Spicy yet floral, unfolding from savory to sweet. Sadly, this chocolate bar is being discontinued, and I can’t find it in Michigan, so I set out to make something new!…
The Wilder – Costa Rica Las Lajas cold brew
If you’ve been to the Roastery or a Starbucks Reserve bar recently, you might have seen a drink on the menu called the ‘Melrose’. The Melrose is Starbucks twist on a manhattan, cold brew, demerara sugar, cherry bitters topped with a cherry. When I visited the reserve bar in New York last month, I fell in love with this drink, and knew I wanted to recreate it at home.
When Costa Rica Las Lajas launched, I was taken aback by the intense grapefruit notes in this coffee, and thought that this might make the perfect cold brew. It is crisp, sweet and refreshingly tart. I decided to make my own version of the Melrose using this coffee.
Introducing the Wilder….
Nicaragua Maracaturra paired with coffee fruit cake
I had actually planned this recipe to go live on National fruitcake day.. which was three weeks ago. I am a little bit behind with posts and recipes, but better late than never, right? 😉
Nicaragua Maracaturra has become one of my favorite reserve coffees. First of all, I love the beans. They are enormous! Second the flavor profile has really captured me. Subtle floral sweetness with spice notes of clove and allspice woven together, and finished off with a creamy vanilla mouthfeel. This is a coffee that can go in so many different directions, from baking spices, to chocolate, to apples and nuts. It is one of those coffees you can almost pair with anything!
Even a fruitcake?!
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