Perkdup

Gourmet Cheese + Gourmet Coffee = Bliss "Culture" magazine is "the word on cheese." This magazine is so beautiful that it is more than a magazine, it's a work of art. The articles are informative and the layout and photos are amazing. Whether you're preparing for your Oscar Party or book club meeting, cheese and crackers are always appropriate. If you want to impress your guests or co-workers, with your intimate knowledge of cheese, you'll want to subscribe to "Culture" today. Find out what to look for, what to purchase and where to find it. www.culturecheesemag.com

Here's something fun for a Friday. Latte-art. This was made by an amazing Latte-artist at Peet's in San Francisco. I like to call it "Twitter-Latte." Can you see the bird in the foam? Stay tuned for more great art in the days to come!!

Balance Bar BARE Blueberry Acai. Wow. That's a mouthful in more ways in one. Sort of a tongue twister and definitely a tongue pleasure. "BARE Blueberry Acai is made with a crisp high-protein core, simple sweeteners, dried wild blueberries, sunflower seeds and acai juice powder. A yogurt coating along the bottom adds a hint of sweetness, and the rolled oats on top bring an extra crunch to this great tasting vitamin and mineral rich nutritional bar." The perfect snack. Great for travel and after working out. Keep a couple in your purse. Pack them in your kid's lunch. I'm enjoying mine this morning with a hot cup of coffee. I love anything with blueberries and the yogurt really gives it that special touch. Available where Balance Bars are sold. (*Balance Bar provided me with free samples for the purposes of preparing this review. However, that in no way influenced my review or hindered my enjoyment.) 15g protein 7g WholeGrains 4g Fiber

I've always shied away from thermal carafes for reasons I'm not quite sure about. I'm still a bit old-fashioned when it comes to coffee pots. I usually stick with glass. But, I can't wait to try out my new Capresso MT600 . If the coffee it brews is as good as this machine looks, I'll be one happy camper. Stay tuned for my review. Coming soon.

This marks the third day that I have not had coffee. I caught a horrible stomach bug at the end of last week. No details necessary. My doctor told me not to drink any coffee for 72 hours. I'm going to see her later today and aside from the obvious hopes (nothing serious), I hope to be able to be back on the caffeine trail tomorrow. I know how much I love coffee. And now I know how much I miss life without it. It's not just the taste. Oh, the taste is wonderful. It's the experience, the pleasure, the oneness that I feel with the cup in my hand. There are certain rituals that go with coffee - like reading the newspaper or surfing the web or watching TV. I also haven't been able to eat anything other than clear broth (I did have a plain baked potato last night). I have thought of so many different pairings for a cup of coffee. Like a nice chunk of cheese. Or a flaky, buttery croissant. I haven't been sleeping much. Too many dreams of coffee. I hope to be u...

Stock up on your favorite blends, made with 100% Arabica coffee beans, before this offer expires! 5 for $25 includes any 12oz. traditional coffees, excludes 16oz. and 32oz. coffees. Use promo code FIVE. Offer valid until midnight, February 8, 2012. www.communitycoffee.com

Another winner from Fonté Micro Coffee Roaster . This time I'm reviewing Fonté KENYA AA Gaturiri . Dark, dense, sharp notes, nutty. Has a nice bold "after-taste." Meaning that after I sip it, I want to go back and sip some more! No wonder there are two "A's" in the name. I think I would like to try this with a nice hard cheese, maybe a gouda. That sounds like a wonderful pairing. Seems like everything I try from Fonté is first-class coffee. And because it's roasted to order, it's always fresh. If the smell doesn't hook you, the taste surely will. If you like dark coffees, you'll want to make sure to check this out this offering. www.fontecoffee.com (*Full Disclosure: Fonté provided me with a free sample of Kenya AA for the purposes of preparing this review, which in no way impacted my ability to be honest in my assessment.) Fonté Kenya AA Gaturiri $21.00 per lb. "Our Kenya AA Gaturiri was produced by the members of the Gaturiri ...

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