Perkdup

It's what all the best-dressed mugs are wearing this winter.  The " mug mitten ."  And your girl was lucky enough to be "gifted" one from Coffee-mate (R). Mine is the "pumpkin spice" design (a particular favorite). It's important to accessorize and that includes your mugs.  What are the holidays without a little "bling?" Hand-crafted by a renowned mug mitten designer. The perfect way to get your mug warm and the conversation hot. (And no matter how much I love gourmet coffee,   Coffee-mate will always have a place in my heart)

Nothing like the frenzy of Christmas to get the adrenaline flowing.  What happens when you want to "take it down a notch?" Tea happens. Santa, in the form of one of my favorite bosses, brought me the gift of DAVIDs Tea .  And because he knows just how fast my coffee keeps me going, he bought me a box of caffeine-free "All Day and All Night." He even gave me this adorable mug steeper to go with. I plan to spend the day winding down, watching mindless television, munching on cookies and drinking tea.

Fonté Holiday Blend 2014 18.00 for a 12 ounce bag.  All profits benefit the Pike Market Child Care and Preschool "Each year the winter holiday season presents us an opportunity to reflect on the events of the past year at the same time we cherish the traditions we’ve known for many years. In recognition of this it’s been our practice at Fonte to create an annual Holiday Blend, something special that evokes the quality of the season, and a part of that tradition is that the blend be unique each year. It’s now our pleasure to offer our 22nd version of Fonte Holiday Blend. This year we’ve taken time to focus on the different processes that prepare coffee for export after harvest. The specifics of removing the coffee fruit from the seed (bean), of washing, drying and resting coffee before shipment and subsequent roasting have traditionally varied from region to region, but have for the most part remained consistent within these regions for generations. The past fe...

Weaver's Ethiopia Natural Organic Who doesn't like receiving coffee for the holidays?  And this isn't just any coffee.  It's Weaver's , which means it's hand-crafted, artisan coffee, roasted under the direction and none other than Master Roaster John Weaver himself for Wild Card Roasters in San Rafael. Deep, dark and fruity-chocolatey. You don't need to drive anywhere to get it or gift it, order online here ! **Weaver's beautiful new café is now Open in  San Francisco at 2301 Market Street.

In keeping with my tradition of adding to my coffee collectibles each holiday season, this year, I selected a mug from the Starbucks "Dot" Collection .  Totally appropriate for someone named Dot, don't you think? I couldn't decide which design I wanted from this fun new series, actually I wanted them all, but I picked this plaid ceramic number because it reminds me of my first lunch box which was metal and plaid and would be worth a fortune if I still had it. Love the Siren logo in the middle.  Classic yet contemporary. There were only two left at the store.  Yep, I bought them both.

As I continue to pull down and bring out my favorite holiday coffee collectibles, I have now started drinking from one of my favorite holiday mugs.  The Starbucks 2012 Partridge Mug. There's no law that says I can't drink from it all year, but it just doesn't feel quite right.  Although, I'm considering a new tradition of drinking from holiday-ware in the month of July.  "Christmas in July," get it? This is a very well-made mug, perfect size for a Saturday-sized cup of coffee, easy to hold and has strong, bright colors. In fact, I bought three at the time.  One for each member of the household.  You may ask why not four (and I do prefer even numbers), but that just didn't seem right to me.  There has to be some things that are family traditions.  Like drinking from your red partridge mug during Christmas-time.

Starbucks Christmas Bearista 2005 What's In Your Christmas Coffee-Themed Collection? Every year, around this time, because I'm always later than I plan to be with decorating, I pull out my coffee-themed Christmas decorations. And, while this Starbucks 2005 Bear-ista isn't my oldest Christmas-Coffee Collectible, he's certainly one of my favorites. That's why I take such good care of him all year.  He lives in the closet (don't worry, he's not afraid of the dark) where he hibernates for about 10 months out of the year.   He's still a baby-bear to me.  Not quite ten years old. and he still has his tags!  No one is allowed to play with him - except for me.  We have a special bond and you may have guessed that he's an amazing listener. I will be sharing more of my "collection" with you this season and I hope you won't mind. I'm sure you can see why "Mr. Bearista" is so "bear-y" special to me!

Don't you hate it when you order something online and then you get it and it's not what you ordered?   Well, that happened to me this week when I received my order from Community Coffee .  Except, I don't hate it.  I love it.   I ordered one coffee and due to the "Black Friday" surge, I ended up with a different coffee.  Which is  Il n'y a pas de quoi   when you're ordering from Community Coffee because they provide excellent customer service and southern hospitality. I wanted a single serve flavored coffee and wound up with a bag of whole bean French Roast .  When I called to tell them I received the wrong order, the nice lady told me that she'd get my order corrected and shipped pronto and to keep the bag of French Roast compliments of Community. I'd forgotten just how much I love their French Roast.  Actually, it's almost as good as their chicory.  Okay, honestly, I think I like the French Roast better. Smoky, dark, dark...

Okay, here's my "usual" morning routine.   I wake up in the morning and brew/pour-over/press/k-cup my first cup of coffee for the day.   Then, once I get to work in the city, if I don't drink the coffee that the office provides (which, by the way, is a very nice selection of top coffees, however, for whatever reason, they never taste very good when brewed in the one cup grind and brew, large, industrial sized, very expensive automatic coffee maker), I go downstairs to the major coffee chain that shall remain anonymous (but their home office is Seattle).   Rewind to the last couple of weeks when I started getting my mid-morning fix at Coffee Bean . I've always liked Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, but there aren't very many locations in my area.  I've been visiting my daughter a lot lately and her favorite coffee bar is Coffee Bean.  She let me in on a little "secret."  Apparently they have like amazing ICE.  I never get the cold drink offer...

Where did the year go?  It's already time for the 2014 Holiday blend coffee list. First up, " Weaver's Holiday Blend ."   Like everything from  Wild Card Roasters , Weaver's hits a home run with their 2014 roast. The pride that goes into this hand-crafted artisan coffee is evident from the very moment you open the bag and take a whiff of the deep, earthy tones and notice the freshness of the bean.  Did I mention that I am obsessed with the "easy open" bag with  resealable tape that actually allows you to reseal it? Perfect for a rainy Sunday morning like this.  This special offering won't last, so make sure you get a couple of bags for yourself and also the coffee lover on your holiday list. 100% Certified Organic and Fair Trade Certified (TM). Chocolate finish caps off this deep, dark taste. 16.95 for a one pound bag.

Free to one randomly selected winner.  Contest ends midnight 12/7/14 Friday Free Stuff! I'm giving away (compliments of Fonté Coffee ) a pound of their "signature" " Bin 16 " a mix of East African and Central American coffees.  (Valued at 18.50) Only open to residents of the U.S.  ONE lucky winner will be randomly selected to kick off the holidays in style.  Contest ends at midnight on December 7, 2014. Good luck! (p.s. In honor of "Black Friday," Fonté is offering free shipping on  Friday and Saturday, November 28 and 29)

I can't fight it.  Christmas is here.  And by here, I mean, retailers have increasingly moved up the launch of the holiday season so that Christmas now encroaches on Halloween.  So, it's no surprise that with less than a week to Thanksgiving, Mr. Turkey has taken a second seat to Santa. But, hey, if there's a bright side to the propaganda it could be that the holiday blends of coffee are on the shelves earlier than in previous years. I walked into Starbucks this past week and to my delight, what did I see but stacks and stacks of Christmas Blend coffee!   Since it has been at least ten months since I had any of this stuff, I had no choice but to pick up a bag of beans to brew at home. Starbucks Christmas Blend 2014 still gives me the same drinking pleasure from a dark spicy roast that I've come to enjoy for so many holiday seasons.   Cheers!

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is, of course, the Holiday blends of coffee. But, there's something to be said for the limited offerings of teas during the Holiday Season. For years, I've enjoyed Celestial Seasonings' Holiday Teas.  I'm especially fond of " Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride " and " Candy Cane Lane ." I was pleasantly surprised to find that this year they've added two new ones - " Caramel Apple Dream " (TM) and " Cranberry Vanilla Wonderland " (TM) both caffeine free and herbal. If you know Celestial Seasonings , you know that the aroma hits you the moment you open the box.  A hot cup of their tea not only warms your palette, it sends a delightful fragrance throughout the cup. And while it's may be a little early for "visions of sugar plums" to be dancing in your head, it's the perfect time of year to dream in caramel and wonder in cranberry. Retail price:  Approximat...

I'm giving away one 12 count box of Community (R) Coffee's Pumpkin Praline (Sweet & Lightly Spiced) Single-Serve Coffee to one lucky coffee lover who will be randomly selected.   Email me at  accutype@aol.com *Giveaway Ends Midnight PST on November 20th, 2014 Pumpkin Praline + Community (R) Coffee =  One Mug Full of Fall! (Giveaway sponsored by Community Coffee )

I'm becoming a little obsessed with Philz coffee.  Especially since their new location is closer to my house.   Last weekend, I stopped in to see what they had that might peak my interest.  Did you know the new location is right next door to a donut shop??!! Dangerous.   Anyway, to be perfectly honest, I'm a little bit intimidated by their stores because I don't really know their drink offerings and don't quite have their procedure down.  Most customers appear to be loyal fans and know the ropes.  It's hard for a newbie to feel at home.  However, that's not going to stop me from scoring great coffee. I spotted the Mocha Tesora at the counter.  The first thing I thought is Mocha Java but it's not that at all.  It's a very dark roast with a chocolate undertone.  I mixed it with the " Philtered Soul ," which is their "hazelnut misted blend."  Heavenly. It's cold outside this morning but my heart and my hands are warm wra...

Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Green Tea (Decaffeinated) We tend to move at lightning speed.  So much so that when our bodies force us to slow down, or in my case today, stop, it's almost like we don't know what to do. But God and nature have a way of telling us just what we will do.  And that is - nothing. So, today, I'm forced to look inward and simply sit here and sweat out my cold with a hot cup of tea. I spend so much time talking about and sampling coffees, that I have a tendency to let my tea supply dwindle. Fortunately, I was able to scrounge up a sachet of Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane from last Christmas.  Still smells amazing and is so comforting.  Even with a stuffy nose. I think there are several messages my body is sending to me.  One, I'm only human.  If I have to stop for a day or two or three, the world will still keep turning.   I think I'll spend my time today "between naps," checking out new teas online....

I didn't want to let this month get away without giving an appropriate plug to Fair Trade Coffees.   And while that term gets bantered about and there's quite a bit of argument about what it really means, one thing I know for sure, is that Peet's was on the "fair trade" wagon a long time ago. Hard work deserves honest pay.  We don't want to drink coffee that is the product of someone's hard labor, unfair working conditions, poor pay and below-par ecological standards, do we? And, the same rules should apply when you're buying and consuming premium gourmet coffee.  No worries here.   Peet's delivers on the name "Fair Trade." Same great flavor you always get from Peet's - though this one tends to be a little on the "mild" side of the dark roast which is just fine by me.   So, even though we're coming to the end of October and what is deemed "Fair Trade Month," it's nice to practice what we pre...

Sure you can find other manufacturers who make a "single serve brewer" that will work with the "K" cup, but here is where it all began.  The Original Keurig (R) Single Serve brewer . I "test drove" the Keurig K-45 Elite brewer. It's easy to use, easy to clean and is an attractive addition to your kitchen counter and doesn't take up a lot of space.   You have the option of preparing three cup size offerings ( 6 oz., 8 oz. or 10 oz). I've used this machine consistently for the past three weeks and have found it to be durable, reliable and oh so convenient. There are quite a few evenings when I get home from work and am not ready for bed.  I want to sit back and enjoy a hot cup of coffee (or tea).  This machine provides the vehicle for me to do just that. And with the extensive variety of single serve cups from Green Mountain and other roasters, there's something for every taste and preference.  Whether it's mild, medium or...

Happy Hump Day! KJ Adubofour of California and   Daniel Bonneau of Massachusetts Your one pound bag of Weaver's Hakrz Delight is on the way!

Okay, maybe I'm getting a little too deep for a Friday, but I couldn't help but analyze or shall I say "presume to analyze" the customers in Coffee Bean this morning. First of all, I don't usually go to Coffee Bean.  However, I really like their coffee.  It's just that the location near my work is a little smaller than most and it's always crowded.  But today I wanted to pick up a gift card for a birthday and I know my friend loves Coffee Bean. The first thing I noticed is how everyone in line was waiting patiently and not in a super hurry like the people who are in my usual morning coffee shop.  There were only two baristas and no one seemed to mind that it wasn't like a "drive through." As I was putting my one raw sugar into my coffee, I thought "the people who come here regularly really are particular about their coffee."  Meaning, they are definitely loyal to this chain.  And then I thought, "so are the people at...

Crack the Code - Support A Good Cause:   Girls In Tech I'm giving away two one pound bags of Hakrz Delight (TM) to two winners who will be randomly selected.   Email me at  accutype@aol.com *Giveaway Ends Midnight PST on October 13, 2014

Crack the Code - Support A Good Cause:   Girls In Tech I'm giving away two one pound bags of Hakrz Delight (TM) to two winners who will be randomly selected.   Email me at accutype@aol.com *Giveaway Ends Midnight PST on October 13, 2014 SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--( BUSINESS WIRE )-- Wild Card Roasters , LLC, an Artisan coffee roasting company has introduced a new coffee,  Hakrz Delight – Crack The Code , under its  Weaver’s Coffee & Tea  brand in support of  Girls in Tech . By purchasing this product, consumers are supporting the engagement, education and empowerment of women in technology and entrepreneurship around the world. “I developed this coffee blend for people who are addicted to Cracking the Code of Life – whether they’re online or are just busy with their day to day existence.” Vice president, Renee Brown, said Hakrz Delight is a combination of all things we love at Wild Card. “John Weaver and I were on the campus of a lar...

I'm getting my day off to a nice strong start with Peet's Ethiopian Doyo Coffee . A bold coffee with floral notes and a great back-story. Thanks, Peet's for introducing me to Doyo Cooperative and this wonderful coffee. The Doyo Cooperative consists of approximately 430 small holder farmers where coffee is grown at an altitude of 1800-2100 meters. Located in the Mana District, Jimma Zone of the Oromia Region in Western Ethiopia. Washed and sun dried. Hard, honest work from the Doyo Cooperative produces an exceptional and exotic cup of coffee.

In my opinion, every day, is National Coffee Day.  And is one day really enough to celebrate our beloved caffeine?   Today has been designated " National Coffee Day ."  And here are just a few of the special deals you can take advantage of to celebrate.  Remember, everything in moderation - don't overdo it! Caribou Coffee : Free samples of their newly released Amy's Blend coffee on Monday, 9/19.  Plus, ten percent of Amy's Blend purchases through October 31 will be donated to the CancerCares organization. Dunkin Donuts : FREE medium cup of Dark Roast coffee on 9/29!  Limit one per person. Starting September 30 through October 5, customers can purchase a medium cup of Dunkin’ Donuts hot Dark Roast Coffee for the special price of 99 cents. See more information on their  website. Krispy Kreme :  Free cup of 12 oz coffee on 9/29! Pick from House, Decaf or Dark Roast coffee.  For $1.00, participating locations are offering a ...

It's Pumpkin Time! There's a very small window of opportunity to enjoy all the season has to offer, including pumpkin in all its various forms, like pumpkin coffee. I would brew these GMC Pumpkin Spice Keurig cups for the aroma alone.  But, it not only smells good, it tastes delicious. I popped one into the brewer this morning and when I removed my cup, it was just like the leaves were changing before my eyes. Fair Trade Certified, Light Roasted Coffee with the convenience of single-serve. Impress your guests or treat yourself.  You won't regret it. And don't wait - these won't be around forever and something tells me they're going to be in high demand. From Green Mountain Coffee . *Green Mountain Coffee provided me with  free Pumpkin Spice K-Cups for the purposes of preparing this review which in no way influenced my review nor took away from my enjoyment of same .

Wow.  That's all I can say right now.   This is GREAT coffee.  I got up extra early to clean my coffee gear to make sure I was making the purest pot of Kona possible.  And this is it. I scored it from Catahoula .   Catahoula scored it from "Uncle Kem."   Only thing, I can't find Uncle Kem anywhere on the world wide web.  Could it be a "code name?" Doesn't matter.  The coffee is a direct trade, 100% KONA from a private estate. Smooth, balanced joy in my mug. I trust Catahoula to deliver some of the best micro-roasted coffee around.  So, if they say it's "Uncle Kem's," I'm taking them at their word.  They're not revealing their source and I'm not going to question them about it because snitches get stitches. Happy Hump Day!