Perkdup

It's the day after Christmas.  Now what? We count our loot!  Coffee loot, that is.   I don't depend on Santa to know everything that I want for my coffee-Christmas.  I understand that he's got lots of coffee lovers on his list and with so many new products on the market, the elves might have a hard time keeping up. So, I try to stock up on my favorite holiday blends ahead of time. I did get surprised with a brand new Chemex ®.  And what's so great about it is that I had just broken my old Chemex® last weekend. Maybe Santa does know all, after all, because how coincidental that he just happened to replace the one thing I need to taste-test all my new blends? What coffee gift did Santa bring you?  

Nothing like Weaver's Coffee to warm the body and soothe the soul.   I've made no secret that Wild Card Roasters is on my "top five" for best coffee roaster - anywhere.  And their Weaver's Holiday Blend is no exception. Fair Trade, certified organic and downright delightful. This is a seasonal offering, so don't delay.  Pick up a couple pounds for yourself while you're shopping online for your coffee loving family and friends. And for each pound of coffee that Weaver's sells online, they'll donate a buck to Coffee Kids . Good coffee.  Good cause.  Good grief - what are you waiting for?  Go, order, now!   www.weaverscoffee.com 1-800-328-1178 Description (from Weaver's Coffee) Featuring 100% Certified Organic, Fair Trade Certified™ coffee from remote farms high in the mountains, this festive blend is full-bodied and complex with a delicate chocolate finish. Available for only a limited time this holiday season. Make this...

Once you're a certain age, you realize that everything old is new again.  And just because "hipsters" think they invented the Chemex (R) (no offense to hipsters) doesn't make it true. In fact, Chemex(R) was invented in the late 1920s.  And twenty years later, in 1941, along came Community Coffee. And here I am in late 2015 talking about how great they both are - individually and as a combination. I like to take a little more time with my coffee on the weekends, and so this morning instead of brewing my Community Coffee Sumatra Mandheling Private Reserve ® in the automatic coffee maker, I decided to give a little more attention to detail and use my Chemex(R) instead. The Dark Roast Sumatra and the "pour over" method create a winning combination.   Moral of the Story:  Make New Friends, But Keep the Old #Winning

Great gifts for the coffee lover on your holiday list.   Visit T hanksgiving Coffee to see all the great ideas.   Shop from home!

It's no secret that  Capresso  is a "Coffee Lover" favorite.   So, when they sent me this  Capresso H2O Plus Tea Kettle  to review, hopefully you'll understand how I got so caught up in enjoying it, that I totally forgot to tell you about it. I'm sorry for holding out. I've had other Capresso kettles and while they were all awesome, this one takes up less counter space and is quite attractive and efficient. It really doesn't get any easier than this.  Great for "pour over" coffee too. Looks good and works even better! Features and Benefits 48-oz (6 cup) capacity Fast, quiet boil Safety auto shut-off Boil dry protection Concealed heating element covered in stainless steel Beautiful and durable heat-resistant German SCHOTT Glass Slip free, textured underside handle Illuminated power switch, automatically turns off upon boiling Water level indicator with ounce and cup markings for easy filling Cool-touch handle and drip free pourin...

PEET'S 2015 HOLIDAY BLEND They don't call this "the most wonderful time of the year" for nothing.   Each year, the holiday blends get better and better.  And this year's batch from Peet's Coffee is no exception.   This deep, dark rich, spicy, chocolate-y delight is sure to be one of my "go-tos" throughout the season.   Pairs well with anything or nothing.  Which is why I'm drinking mine as I write this post with just a tiny bit of raw sugar and a splash of low-fat milk.  Although, I think that it would be super delish with a dollop of cream. Make sure to pick up a bag for yourself and one for the coffee lover on your list.  This one is a bell-ringer! 16.95 per pound.  Limited offering.

No sides?  No problem.   Take the stress out of "what to bring" to your Thanksgiving Day dinner and get to Starbucks and pick up a pound (or two) of the 2015 StarbucksThanksgiving Blend . It's better than I remembered.  I've been enjoying this dark, delicious roast all week long and can't get enough of it!  If I want to drink it every morning for an entire week and don't tire of it, it's got to be good. Sumatran beans with a hint of spice.  Complements any turkey day dessert. The perfect hostess gift.

I really tried to stay away from this topic but I could not resist. It's like the "reindeer in the room."   Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, certainly by now you've heard all the "buzz" (pun intended) around Starbucks ' decision to opt for a simple "red cup" instead of the usual holiday-themed ones with reindeer, etc. which naturally conjure up thoughts of Christmas. I happen to not only celebrate but love Christmas.  However, I do appreciate and respect the fact that not everyone does and I'm all about being "politically-correct" and inclusive. To be honest, I would have never imagined that there was a deeper meaning to the red cups (other than perhaps a salute to college kids everywhere) were it not for Fox News latching onto it and kicking up a snowstorm of controversy.  Whether it be "real" or "imagined."  Marketing folks everywhere are weighing in on the subject. Whatever your holiday,...

Wake me up with a cup of this before you  and I'm off to a great start. " Neapolitan " roast from Mr. Espresso is so delightful that I wrote a little song about it: "They want to put you a "box" and call you "espresso" They don't know you like I do, you're wonderful just to brew (in a pot) You're smokey and somewhat acidic The first taste better than the "after" Since your initial notes are the best I'll have to drink more of you!

I went into my local micro-roaster to find it's not so small these days. There's none of that small-shop feel.  It's all been replaced by bags and bags of pre-roasted on the counter.  I didn't even smell the coffee when I came through the door.   I didn't expect anyone to know my name.  But it would have been nice if they'd known whether or not they had any organic coffees.  Or even if they'd seemed somewhat excited about the different roasts. I couldn't help but wonder if since they now offer their coffees in supermarkets all over, they weren't roasting it there at all. That cute little roaster in the corner might just be decoration for all I know. One thing I do know is that it's just not the same.  It makes me sad to see that nobody wants to be the little engine that could these days.  Everyone wants to be that big giant railroad that portions off the land. I'm all for big business and commerce, but sometimes I just want a g...

I got a nice little surprise package in the mail this week. My sister-in-law and my mother-in-law were shopping in one of their favorite stores and happened upon something to make my day. Isn't this mug just the cutest?  If you're a mug-maniac like yours truly, you can never have too many mugs. There's always room for one more and this one will have a special place in the cupboard (when it's not on my desk). Every time I drink from this, I'll think of family, friends and love.  I think the man upstairs would approve, don't you?

I woke up in a giving mood.  Actually, I woke up very excited to try the Ethiopia Hambela coffee that Fonté Coffee sent me this week to review. They take micro-roasted hand crafted coffee quite seriously.  Roasted upon order.   If you'd like to experience this "limited" offering of Ethiopia Hambela from Fonté Coffee for FREE*, enter HERE ! Today might be your lucky day.   *Giveaway ends at Midnight PST on October 25, 2015. From Fonté Coffee : We’ve been proud to feature dry process Ethiopian coffees as a consistent part of our coffee offerings. Continuing improvements in the drying and sorting of these coffees have brought us intensely aromatic and fruity cups with little to no off flavors of ferment or of immature cherries. Our latest edition of these fine Ethiopians is from the Oromia Region at the intersection of the Harrar and Sidamo growing areas. The coffee comes from a single family farm, Hambela, which was created from a grant to the family....

Peet's Lelisa Halo Cooperative Limited Edition I don't know if Beyoncé drinks coffee, but if she does, I'm sure she'd write a song about this limited offering from Peet's. Lelisa Halo Cooperative with "hints of pomelo and sweet granite melon," is the medium roast I'm "vibing" with right now.   I bought a half-pound last week and literally had to ration myself because I wanted to drink it all - in two days!  Forget about sharing.  But since today was Sunday, I started feeling guilty and went back and bought another half pound to share. So good that I can't even find the words. An heirloom single-origin Ethiopian coffee.  18.95.  Get it now.  It won't last.  Enjoy it while you can. 

My very first "coffee shop" has come a long way from those days when I'd stop in for a cup to wake me up from a night of partying. I don't do late night parties these days, but I still do 7-Eleven Coffee.  And now it's in a single-serve brew cup.   You read right.   7-Eleven Single Serve Coffee Cups ! And here's the part where you appreciate how much 7-Eleven appreciates you and your budget.   Not only are they available in packs of eight for $3.99 - you can buy a two pack for only $.99 cents!  Perfect for the student budget and those "in-between" paydays when you just need two cups to make it. Available in 100% Columbian, Regular "Exclusive" Blend and fall's favorite "Pumpkin Spice!" Good stuff.  Good price. Thank Heaven for 7-11! *7-Eleven provided me with free samples for purposes of preparing this review which in no way influenced my opinion.  It's great coffee!

Today's coffee break is bitter sweet.  I love Fall.  I really do.  I mean it's so Fall-ish and Autumn-y. But what about all the bounties of summer?  Like the plump and juice blueberries. I've enjoyed these tasty blueberry crumble muffins from Specialty's for the past 8 weeks. Luckily for me, either they had too many blueberries left or the baker was so busy baking he forgot that it's now fall.  I won't tell him if you don't. Crunchy on the outside with just the right amount of crumble, homemade texture and sweet blueberries. Nothing good lasts forever, but I'm hoping that these muffins stay around at least until the first of October.

Source: PartSelect.com

I'd buy this coffee for the packaging alone.   The 2015 Starbucks Anniversary Blend's exterior is almost better than what's inside.   Reimaged this year by Starbucks' Senior Designer Victor Melendez , this art work screams, "Pick me!" Starbucks Senior Designer Victor Melendez What a way to stand out from the crowd.  The 2015 Siren is just so "fly" you can't look away. Oh, the coffee is pretty darn good too.   I had to buy one of each - a bag of beans and a box of K-Cups(™) because I know fine art when I see it. "Fresh, herbal earthy notes combine with the spicy depth of our rare aged Sumatra, tended carefully for three to five years before roasting.  Coffee beans from Papua New Guinea complement the blend, adding lush, herbal dimension.  Created in 1996 to celebrate our 25th anniversary, this bold, full-bodied favorite returns year after year." (From Starbucks )

I came home last night and found a Blue Kangaroo on my front porch.   Okay, well it wasn't exactly a blue kangaroo, but it was a bag of the most delicious coffee I've had in a good while. What a nice surprise.   Big Mike is on the road again and he was in Portland this past week.  He stopped in a cafe and had a great cup of coffee and said "I know somebody who would really, really like this coffee.  What is it?" Fast forward to the Blue Kangaroo Guatemala that hopped onto my porch to bring me a cup of absolute pleasure this morning.  This small batch roaster had not been on my radar, but it sure is now. The notes of fruit and chocolate hit me the minute I put the bag up to my nose.  Roasted to perfection. If you don't believe there's such a thing as a Blue Kangaroo perhaps you need to look a little farther north. Blue Kangaroo Coffee Roasters Portland, Oregon 503-756-0224 www.BlueKangarooCoffee.com

This was not supposed to happen.  Everyone knows that I'm a coffee lover.  How could I have fallen head over heels in love with a tea? I don't mean appreciating a nice tea, as I've always done, I mean actually becoming obsessed with a particular tea to the point of thinking that I might not be able to go one day without a cup. I had the good fortune to win an online raffle with Palais des Thes .  Now, I've had their teas before and they are good.  However, this Sencha Ariaka has got me seriously tripping! It looks good, it smells good and it tastes amazing. All I can say is, "Arigato!" "Sencha Ariake is a Japanese green tea that makes a good introduction to Sencha. Produced in Kyushu province, Sencha Ariake is the smoothest of the fine Sencha teas. Both smooth and stimulating, it is ideal in the morning and recommended to aid concentration. It is also rich in antioxidants, making it perfect for the morning after a night out!" (from...

Sunday mornings should feel relaxed.  A time to reflect, sit still and just thank God for this day. It's funny how "which coffee to brew" can sometimes become a chore.  But when I looked in the bin today and saw this bright red bag smiling at me, it was a "no-brainer."   Community Coffee feels so unpretentious and honest and just plain good. Their dark-roasted beans are probably one of my favorites. So here's to family, faith, friends, Sunday and Community Coffee .

I don't drink frappuccinos very often.  They're nice and refreshing but I like calories I can crunch. So, I opted for a can of "Frappuccino Straws" from Starbucks .  Light and crunchy a delicious "chocolatey-swirly-swirl" in the middle.  They're like the fancy pirouette cookies - except they're longer so you really could use them for a straw for your frappuccino.  Or you could just eat them straight from the tin like me. A can of 25 straws is only 9.95 and that's plenty to enjoy and share. Starbucks.  They think of everything.

Reprinted with permission of www.caffeineinsight.org

Peru Organic I don't know if there's any truth to the notion that organic coffees are less acidic but the more coffee I drink, the more conscious I become of such things. This past weekend, I was looking for a really good Peruvian coffee and I thought, "You can't go wrong with Weaver's and Wild Card Roasters ' coffees." So, I took the 30 minute trip on a beautiful Saturday to pick up a bag of micro-roasted, hand crafted Fair Trade and Certified Organic Peru .  My coffee-scursion certainly paid off. This medium-body, smooth and fruity coffee is just the incentive I need to set the week in motion.  As James Brown would say, "Get on the Good Foot!" Happy Monday! "Get on the Good Foot " is a  funk  song performed by  James Brown . It was released in  1972  as a two-part  single  that  charted  #1 R&B and #18 Pop.

A couple weeks ago when I was visiting my daughter, I asked if she had any milk for my coffee.  She replied, "I've got that good stuff."  And then she handed me a bottle of Coffee-Mate(R) Italian Sweet Creme. At first I scoffed and thought, "I'll just drink it with sugar."  But another voice said, "Why not skip the sugar and use just a tiny bit of the Italian Sweet Creme?"  So, I did.  And to my surprise, it's really good.   I'm still thinking, "I made it through this morning but you won't catch me buying that stuff." The next week, I'm walking down the street one morning in the FiDi and a businessman rounds the corner with a bottle of - you guessed it - Coffee-Mate(R) Italian Sweet Creme .   That settled it.  I went out two days later and got my own bottle.  And while I don't use it every day, I'm not ashamed to say that I may or may not have had a few cups with "that good stuff."

Starbucks Reserve "Vietnam De Lat' has become one of my new favorites, but you'll want to experience it for yourself. However, what I tasted as "smoky and sultry" others in my house found to be "too much."  Only one way to know - stop into your local Starbucks Clover (R) store and order a "pour-over" cup before you buy the bag.  I think you'll enjoy it.  But, like I said, my mind is already made up.

"Mr. Espresso" Golden Gate Blend from Coffee Bar SF Don't let the "hipster" vibe discourage you.   Coffee Bar San Francisco has really good coffee. While the "per cup" price is not good for a budget, the coffee is actually quite superb. I must confess that I'm a little "intimidated" by the coolness of the customers and baristas. Which is why I sneaked in the other day, grabbed a bag of " Golden Gate " blend beans, paid at the register and quickly ran out the door.  It was the end of the day and a lot of the hipsters had already headed to their hipster bars for the evening. Coffee Bar serves " Mr Espresso " which is probably one of the best kept secrets in the coffee world.  I'm not sure how much it's enjoyed outside of the Bay Area but it's selected and oak-wood roasted to perfection. It's great to be a "hipster" in training in the privacy of my very own home. Mugs up!

I brewed up a pot of Weaver's Kona Reserve this morning, and as I took the very first sips, I thought about what I would tell you. Well, for one thing, it's absolutely delicious . However, at 25.95 for a half pound bag some might consider it expensive. But, it's oh so worth it.  A special way to treat yourself on a Sunny Summer Sunday.   It's also motivation to get you moving on Monday morning.  You'll be excited to go to work so you can  make money to buy more Weaver's White Label Kona Reserve . Sometimes a coffee is so good that words escape me. Would you be terribly upset if I just told you that it's excellent coffee?  Trust me.  If there's one thing I know, it's good coffee.

Bigelow Tea products are available nationwide.   Bigelow Tea website

I recently celebrated another birthday and one of the promises I made to myself was do things differently.  Sometimes.  Just change it up and step outside of my comfort zone.  So, when I caught this Starbucks Sumatra (ground) on sale at Target this past weekend, I decided that I should break from my "self-imposed rule" of only buying coffee in beans.   It was clear from the shelf that Target sells a lot of this stuff and there was no reason to believe that it wouldn't be fresh.   Besides, it's one of my favorite roasts and I know it's not going to stick around the pantry for long.  I went for it and I'm glad I did. This might not seem like such a big deal to you but for somebody like me, who tends to be a bit on the "anal" side, I think it's a step in the right direction.  An extra "perk," the bag came with a coupon for a Starbucks Reward ! 

Summer's here.  And to celebrate Green Mountain is offering its Limited Edited Summer Sunrise coffee.   This is a medium-roast coffee with a "bright" flavor that gently wakes up your taste buds.  Not overpowering but definitely  not weak.  I'd say it's "just right" for a bright Sunshiny Sunday morning.   Make it easy on yourself.   Keurig(™) can help.  Available at Cross Country Cafe .  $14.25 for 24 pods. *" I Can See Clearly Now " - written and performed by Johnny Nash in 1972.

The past few nights have been full of evening chores.  Those are the times when you don't want to brew a full pot of coffee.  Just enough for yourself.  That's when the Keurig(™) comes in so handy. What's even better than having the single-serve brewer on hand when you only want enough coffee for yourself is having a single-serve coffee that really tastes good. Enter the Eight-O-Clock - you heard right - Eight-O-Clock Columbian Peaks. This medium roast is so good that I've started popping in a pod in the mornings too.  Just to get me started before I move up to the "big guns." Get yours without leaving home at Cross Country Cafe .  1-888-774-6939 13.75 for a box of 24 K-Cups®.  A great coffee at a great price. Wake up and smell the Columbian Peaks.  You can almost smell it here!