Gourmet Coffee Guide » Featured

How to make Coffee Panna Cotta

Christine — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:05:04 +0000

Coffee Panna Cotta

Coffee Panna Cotta is something I had years ago while visiting Italy. Since that time I have craved it periodically over the years. I love the light coffee notes with the creamy texture of the Panna Cotta.

I have attempted to make it at home several times, and I like the simplicity of this recipe that I will be posting at the end of the article. It has all the desired qualities of a delicious Panna Cotta: the creaminess, the decadent custard, and the again, the subtle notes of coffee throughout. This is also the perfect dessert to serve with a cup of delicious gourmet coffee! They can go hand in hand in a delicious journey of coffee delight.

Check out the short and informational video below on how to make this wonderful dessert, known as Coffee Panna Cotta.

Heath Benefits of Drinking Coffee

Christine — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:10:46 +0000

Heath Benefits of Drinking Coffee

Drinking gourmet coffee is not only pleasurable to the palate, but it also has great health effects on the body! Today while I was looking on Webmd.com I found some interesting information about the health benefits to drinking coffee.

Two things that really struck out to me were the following:

less likely to have type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia
have fewer cases of certain cancers, heart rhythm problems, and strokes

Those are huge live changing illnesses that can have drastic effects on the body! Many people in America are starting to show signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes. The fact that drinking a pleasurable substance, such as gourmet coffee, means you are less likely to have type 2 diabetes is amazing! It is also great for the heart and is shown to have healthy benefits to the body when in regards to certain cancers, heart problems and even stroke!

So if you were looking for a reason to drink some coffee, look no further than your health!

Best U.S. Cities For Coffee

Christine — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:54:16 +0000

Best U.S. Cities For Coffee

When thinking about the best U.S. cities for coffee, of course Seattle comes to mind! However, TravelAndLeisure.com has a list of 22 cities that are known for their wonderful coffee selections. I have always dreamed of taking a culinary tour of America, including hitting all the great coffee cities and houses. Here is their top 20 list of best U.S. cities to visit/live for coffee lovers:

Seattle
Portland
San Francisco
Providence
New York City
Denver
Savannah
New Orleans
Austin
Minneapolis/St. Paul
Portland, ME
San Diego
Charleston
San Juan, P.R.
Chicago
Nashville
Boston
Anchorage
Washington D.C.
Los Angeles

Wow, Los Angeles really squeaked in at number 20! Los Angeles is my old stomping grounds, and I was hoping it would do better. Oh well. My husband and I are planning to move to Portland, Oregon soon and I’m sure we’ll be quite excited about the delicious coffee they have to offer us!

Throw a Coffee Klatch Today!

Christine — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:14:56 +0000

Throw a Coffee Klatch Today!

Recently a girlfriend invited me to a coffee klatch at her house. Simply put a coffee klatch is a casual gathering or party with friends for casual conversation and of course, to enjoy coffee! It was so much fun and since that time I have thought of throwing one myself.

The great thing about her coffee klatch was she served a variety of coffee. She had an espresso machine, a Keurig and even a French Press to brew coffee. She had several different roasts of coffee from regions all over the world. In addition to the coffees she also served a variety of delicious foods.

She played some wonderful music and had a variety of board games, such as chess and checkers, for her guests to play and talk around. It was a very beautiful afternoon and I am looking forward to throwing my very own coffee klatch very soon!

How To: Make Greek Coffee

Christine — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 20:06:42 +0000

Greek Coffee

I found this video on youtube today showing how to make Greek coffee. I have never tried Greek coffee, but it looks delicious!

Greek coffee is a strong brew, served with foam on top and the grounds in the bottom of the cup. Although it can be made in a different pot, the traditional small pot (shown in photo) is best because it allows the proper amount of foam, which adds to the unique taste.

What You Need to Make Greek Coffee:

Greek coffee
Sugar (if used)
A briki (??????, pronounced BREE-kee)
Demitasse cups
Cold water
Water glasses

In this video the host does a great job of showing how to make it, and it looks quite easy. I love to have themed parties such as a French food and beverage party, an Italian and so on. I think for my next themed party I will go with Greek and make this coffee! Check out the how-to video below:

Latte Art Championship 2011

Christine — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 18:27:18 +0000

Latte Art Championship 2011

I am enchanted by the skills of talented baristas who make latte art. It is quite impressive and of course, delicious too! I have always wanted to stop in at a coffee shop and have the barista make some pretty latte art just for me. A good cup of gourmet coffee has been an art for years, but now baristas are taking it to a whole new level. There is this emerging world of Latte Art and many Baristas are perfecting their artistic skills.

Latte art is a result of pouring steamed milk into a a shot of espresso making pretty patterns and designs emerge. Exquisite latte art is quite difficult to achieve as you have to the perfect consistency and be able to create these drinkable masterpieces in no time flat.

I have always been curious about latte art, but have never actually seen it done. I found this video on Youtube today and it is amazing! It is from the 2011 Latte Art Championship:

Gloria Jean’s Featured Specials

Christine — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 20:09:10 +0000

Gloria Jean's Special Dark Chocolate

Today I was looking around on the internet for some delicious coffee and decided to look at Gloria Jean’s website. I was instantly intrigued by some of their delicious sounding featured specials! Some days I simply crave a flavored coffee. I need a little extra “umph” to get going and I think these will deliver that.

Here are some of the coffees I am craving now:

Apricot Creme Coffee
Blueberry Morning
Butter Toffee
Caramel Nut
Chocolate Caramel Turtle
Chocolate Raspberry Truffle
Cinnamon Mocha
Cinnamon Twist
Coconut Creme
French Vanilla
German Chocolate Cake
Hazelnut Coffee
Irish Creme
Madagascar Vanilla Caramel
Mudslide
Special Dark Chocolate
White Russian

With so many choices it is hard to choose just one.. or two.. or three.. or who knows how many. The great thing about these specials is you get 4 whopping pounds of coffee for $50. I love Gloria Jean’s and for a delicious flavored coffee, I will gladly pay that much.

Boston Gourmet Coffee

Christine — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 19:14:31 +0000

Boston Gourmet Coffee

Boston is a spectacular foodie city. It has delicious cuisine, and of course delicious coffee as well! Boston gourmet coffee offers some of the best gourmet coffee roasters around such as:

David’s Gourmet Coffee
Gold Star Coffee
Premier Coffee
Tropical Coffee

Here is what they have to say about their coffee success:

Boston’s Best Coffee Roasters was founded in 1979, and their reputation for excellence continues to grow. Today, Boston’s Best Coffee is also home to several other coffee brands.

David’s Gourmet Coffee has its own distribution center in Rochester, NY, while Gold Star Coffee, Premier Coffee & Tropical Coffee are all distributed from our South Easton, Massachusetts Roastery.

Winning the “Award of Excellence” from the Fine Beverages & Food Federation reconfirms what restauranteurs, chefs and coffee drinkers tell us everyday, Boston’s Best is simply the best!

If you’re looking for a truly wonderful coffee experience, think about giving Boston Gourmet Coffee a try!

Premium Gourmet Coffee

Christine — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:50:29 +0000

Premium Gourmet Coffee

Premium gourmet coffee refers to the finest and most expensive coffee in the world. This is the coffee that is sought after and the most elite groups of coffee lovers and foodies drink. We’re talking special occasion coffee. The kind of coffee that only comes along once in a while.

When thinking about top gourmet coffee some of the most expensive coffees come to mind, such as Kona Coffee, Kopi Luwak & Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. These are some of the tastiest and hard to find coffees – especially when purchasing 100%, and not a blend. These are considered some of the top coffees because they are grown in small regions, a longer process to cultivate and more rare than most coffees. The more rare, the more expensive. The more expensive, the more delicious?

Personally, when I think about premium gourmet coffee, I want to know what is accessible and fresh! After all, I believe the freshest coffee is premium.

Fair Trade Gourmet Coffee

Christine — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:03:27 +0000

Fair Trade Gourmet Coffee

Have you wanted to do something good for developing countries? How about doing something good and getting something in return? Like delicious gourmet coffee. Well, now it is possible with Fair Trade Gourmet Coffee.

Fair Trade Gourmet Coffee is coffee that gives back to the community and the farmers. Fair Trade goods are just that. Fair. From far-away farms to your shopping cart, products that bear the Fair Trade logo come from farmers and workers who are justly compensated. They help farmers in developing countries build sustainable businesses that positively influence their communities. Their a nonprofit, but they statement is “we don’t do charity”. Instead, they teach disadvantaged communities how to use the free market to their advantage.

With Fair Trade USA, the money you spend on day-to-day goods can improve an entire community’s day-to-day lives with things such as medical supplies, building schools or providing meals. It is an amazing concept and it makes we want to purchase some Fair Trade Gourmet Coffee for Birthdays, Christmas and other holidays for friends and family!