Posted by Nicole on June 28, 2009
I have to say that the summer promo drink at Seattle’s Best has a great name: Chocolate Coffee Crunch Javakula. Chocolate, coffee and some kind of crunchy element is a combination used in all kinds of great chocolates, from truffles to candy bars to chocolate chip coffee ice cream. This drink starts with cold-brewed coffee, chocolate syrup and espresso syrup. Espresso beans are blended in to add some crunch and a little bit of an extra caffeine boost.
The drink works well, if you like chocolate-covered espresso beans. It has a great coffee flavor and is smooth and rich-tasting, when you’re not crunching a little bit of coffee bean. I really like the element that the beans add to the drinks, but I also know people who don’t like the crunch of a coffee bean, so if you fall into that category, I’d have to urge you to give this one a miss. If not, it’s a great mix of coffee and chocolate, emphasis on the coffee, and a refreshing drink for summer.
Posted by Nicole on June 13, 2009
Instant coffee has been around for a long time, but lately companies are trying to make it more appealing to consumers by making it a little easier to use. Namely, they’re packing it in single-serve portions that you can take to-go, in addition to the big shelf-stable jars of the stuff. This week, the Chicago Tribune held a taste test comparing Starbucks VIA Ready Brew stick packets with Nescafe Taster’s Choice packets. Starbucks VIA runs about 4 times the price of Nescafe, so seeing which came out on top could add up to big savings for consumers.
For the test, the two brands were compared with regular brewed coffee – Colombian, since both VIA and Tasters Choice use Colombian coffee. The brewed coffee was the most popular, but VIA was only a hair behind, while Tasters Choice trailed way down in the ratings in third. The VIA was close to fresh brewed and, because the crystals of it are so fine, it dissolves easily in hot and cold water, so you can use it for iced drinks, too.
Posted by Nicole on June 8, 2009
It’s easy to put fresh fruit into cold, blended coffee drinks. Bananas and other fruits simply blend up into the drink as they would in a milkshake. It’s harder to get fruit flavors into hot drinks, however, as pureed fruit doesn’t combined well with hot coffee. Generally, you have to use pre-made, sugar-based syrups to get the effect.
This raspberry latte uses fresh raspberries, incorporating them into the drink in the same manner that they are incorporated into some cocktails. The raspberries are muddled (mashed) with some sugar at the bottom of a coffee cup to release their juices. A shot of hot espresso – or some hot coffee – is poured in on top of the raspberries, dissolving the sugar, and topped with steamed milk. I finished mine with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.
The drink was delicious, and the fruitiness was subtle, unlike the fruitiness of drinks made with thick, fruit syrups. The raspberry went pretty well with the coffee and made the drink taste very fresh and perfect for spring.
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Posted by Nicole on June 3, 2009
I’m always looking for new ways to spice up my coffee. I like it black, but just like all foods, it’s nice to mix it up a little bit sometimes. Brownie Points put together a list with some great ideas, some of which I’ve tried before and some of which are new to me. Her “give the beans some friends” trick, which is where you grind up some spices along with the beans to infuse some extra flavor into your pot of coffee, is exactly the trick used to get the spicy, warming flavor into one of my favorite winter coffee blends.
The other ideas sound really interesting, and all well worth a try, too!
Posted by Nicole on May 20, 2009
An espresso blend is normally not my first choice for a brewed drip coffee because some of the somewhat burnt notes resulting from a dark roast become too strong (and bitter) when pulled as a drip. But when they were brewing samples of Trader Joe’s Organic Five Country Espresso Blend the last time I stopped into TJs, I liked it enough to give it a chance and bring some home with me. The coffee is strong and fruity, and while it doesn’t come close to the richness of a good espresso, it still had a bit of the smoky caramel note to it that makes espresso so good. It had a unexpectedly smooth finish, although not as smooth as the low-acid French Roast from TJ’s. I haven’t pulled any espresso with it yet, but I’m hoping that the fruitiness carries through and turns into a nice sweet-caramel combination in a shot. I’ll definitely pick this one up again.
