Guatemala 2013 pt 2 - Finca Vista Hermosa

Today we're launching the fresh crop Guatemalan coffees from Finca Vista Hermosa and El Diamante. Both will be available in our webshop and our coffee shops. In March our director Peter Dupont and bar manager and 2013 Danish Barista Champion Rasmus Gamrath visited the farms in the region of Huehuetanango. Here are their reports from the trip in two parts. Click here for part one.
 

In March, I (Rasmus Gamrath) was lucky to get to go to Origin for the first time. Its something I've been dreaming about doing for a long time. I have been excited to get to smell, touch and see everything that goes on at the farm. Getting to go to Huehuetenango was just an extra bonus since we are buying from two different farms in the area. Peter has written about our visit to El Diamante, so I will focus on our visit to Finca Vista Hermosa.

The first thing that stroke me on the drive up to Finca Vista Hermosa was all the people in the area, that are involved in producing coffee. It really confirmed the amount of labour going into producing coffee. It’s something we are all aware of in our daily work in the bar, but it somehow still managed to surprise me. And it really showed me how much respect we should have for the effort people working at the farms put into producing quality coffee.

Drying coffee at FVH


We were staying at the farm for two days, so we got to experience first hand what goes on at farm. Peter had arranged for us to come with Diego one of the farm workers and try to pick berries for a few hours. It was interesting to see how difficult it actually is to only pick the fully ripe cherries, and how long time it takes. Due to the slow progress we didn’t get to pick a lot, but at least the other pickers got some good laughs looking at our rookie picking style.

Later in the day we cupped 9 different lots from this years harvest at Finca Vista Hermosa. It was a good experience to get to cup together with Edwin and Eliseo (the farm manager at Finca Vista Hermosa) and hear their descriptions of their coffee.   



The next day Edwin showed us around on Finca Vista Hermosa. We talked about the Roya (leaf rust) that is so challenging for a lot of farmers at the moment. Luckily it’s not something they have had problems with at Finca Vista Hermosa. We also had a look at the nursery were they grow plants to plant on new lots. They normally grow all new plants themselves, unless they need new varieties. The way they reproduce plants is by taking a coffee bean still in its mucilage and leaving it in a sand-like soil. At a point the bean will sprout and is then put in a plastic back with earth and is watered intensely. After about two years the plant is ready to be planted outside the nursery.

Nursery at FVH


When walking around on the farm Edwin told us about different projects they are doing. They are looking at different drying methods, at the moment they are drying on patios but for this year they have done some tests on raised beds. They are also doing tests on different pruning methods. It was all very interesting to see.   

-Rasmus Gamrath

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Coffee for a healthier life

Coffee for a healthier life

Coffee, large liquor appreciated by many people; and he also avoided others. Tea is considered to be a major competitor, seems to offer a large amount of superior to health; drink for new and it is designed for those who want to get away from the collapse of the drink with caffeine and Brown. The truth is that the tea can be just as useful as his preparation, which may in some cases have a lot of sugar as a can of soda. You need to know about coffee drinking, one should be obliged to realize the value of basic tea: what is brewed only useful element is a leaf. Everything else is a waste.

The bean itself contains a large number of advantages for the health of the body. But the coffee culture, as it contains a surplus of suspension. For example espresso machines produce extremely intense forms of regular coffee. And after that it consumes the amount of sugar. Together with cream, sugar, drinking water, its benefits may be reduced where it gets into drinking candy. But it all stays the same from tea. Coffee bean is a significant part.

Caffeine can cause disorder of the nervous system of the body, but it does not show is associated with coffee to drink. Special types of drinks (everything is done differently) will increase levels of caffeine content in. portion size also takes part. For those who respond to caffeine may be a clear option in decaffeinated coffee drink. But the other one can usefully influence of drink. Vitamin B niacin is found in large quantities in it; and current research has indicated that it has antioxidant effects on the human body by free radicals. As concerns the healthy benefits only occur with just a habit of drinking. Too much sugar and cream can show harm, although take large amounts of coffee affects many strong threats. As explained above, that it provides vitamin B niacin, it in turn reduces the human body from other kinds of vitamins. Brunette drinking contains acids which were connected to stomach ulcers. Daily Cup brunette do not constitute a threat to the average person.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

FOB Price on Label

We are now launching an idea we have had since we started The Coffee Collective. We feel that its time to make it transparent for the consumers what is actually paid for the green beans.

When we started buying green beans in The Coffee Collective in 2007 we had the same idea, but we understood from some of the producers we were buying from that they would feel a bit uncomfortable if we revealed what we were paying them. Therefore we didn't do it back then.

Now a lot of things has happened since 2007.

Firstly, back then it was in the aftermath of the coffee crisis, when the market price was extremely low in the period from 1999 to 2005. In 2007 prices had increased since 2005. The market price is now falling again to levels that seems unsustainable. At the same time a rust outbreak is creating huge problems in many producing countries (mainly in Latin America) without the market reacting.

Secondly, within the specialty coffee industry other roasters and traders are now revealing their green prices on their websites, so we do not feel that we are breaking a bond of trust between us and the producers.

Thirdly, on the suggestion of one of the producers we work with, we have added to the transparent price how long we have been working together as a way of showing our relationship.

We believe that it is important to be transparent towards the consumers. We know from our dialogue with our costumers regarding Direct Trade that a lot of people actually are interested in knowing that when they pay a high price for a bag of quality coffee the producer who has created the initial potential for this quality is also getting their share.
Therefore we have chosen to add the following info on each of our bags as we get coffees in from now on:

• The FOB price in $/lb
• The percentage this price is above the market price
• For how many years we have visited the producer and/or
• For how many years we have been buying from the producer

We have debated back and forth about which "level" of price we should put on as well as in which units.
In the end we have choosen to put on the price we have paid as a percentage above the market price to have an easier understandable price for people who might not feel entirely comfortable with FOB (Free On Board) prices or the like. For the calculation of this percentage we use the ICO stats for the New York prices of the relevant quality category in the month of our contract (this is not entirely exact base to use as it underestimates the calculated percentage a bit, but we find it to be the most transparent method we could come up with. Since it underestimates the percentage and we also publish the exact price we still believe it is a decent way to present it. We are though open for better suggestions).

To have an exact number as well, we have chosen to put on the FOB price in $/lb to have a price that is easy to compare between markets, countries as well as with Fair Trade.

We of course think that it is very important what the actual producers receive and not just what is paid on the FOB level. It is though very different from place to place, producers to producer and country to country how the "farm gate" - or "producer" - price is structured. In some places the producer will cover all export costs themselves in others their will be several levels taking care of several functions in the beans way from cherry to FOB. Since we believe that it is important to have comparable prices we have chosen to focus for now on the FOB price.

In most of our cases the price paid to the producer will be the FOB price minus 0,6 - 1,0 $/lb.

We still want to work with our Direct Trade model as an accountable way of communicating how we buy our greens and here we will still document to our clients what the actual producer has been paid. And we will still keep the promise that if it states Direct Trade on one of our bags the producer has gotten at least 25% above the Fair Trade price.

As a last thing we feel that its imperative for us to say that we do not believe that we by doing this have found a golden solution on transparency or anything else in regards to coffee ethics. But by putting the price we have paid for our greens on the bags we hope that we can contribute to at least two things:

First is to develop the understanding the consumers have of coffee and how it is traded.

Second is spurring a debate amongst consumers on these issues. We hope by doing this, more and more people will think about coffee prices and start talking about how unsustainable a lot of the market is.

The first bags with this info is actually already out, since we just got new crop home from Kieni, Gichathaini and Esmeralda that was released Friday 14th of June. This Friday two more coffees, Finca Vista Hermosa and El Diamante will also feature the price info.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Guatemala 2013 pt 1 - El Diamante

This Friday we're launching the fresh crop Guatemalan coffees from Finca Vista Hermosa and El Diamante. Both will be available in our webshop and our coffee shops. In March our director Peter Dupont and bar manager and 2013 Danish Barista Champion Rasmus Gamrath visited the farms in the region of Huehuetanango. Here are their reports from the trip in two parts.

The first week of March 2013 I (Peter Dupont) travelled with our good friend and wholesale costumer Martin Herlak from Aroma from the city of Herning as well as Danish barista champion Rasmus Gamrath to Guatemala. We left Denmark early Saturday morning. Arrived in Guatemala City at night and met with Edwin Martinez from Finca Vista Hermosa. With him was Drew from Onyx, Wille from Heart Roasters in Portland, USA and his friend Shelby.

Sunday we drove to Huehuetenango and Monday to El Diamante to visit Patricía Perez who we bought a very speciel Guatemalan coffee from last year.

It was a great pleasure returning to visit her. She’s very hospitable and immediately invited us in for freshly baked bread and their coffee "Essencia". It’s such a nice little mill, patio and house they have. Rather simple but kept very charming and very clean.

Coffee Essencia




Work at the mill and patio at El Diamante



I had a few bags of our roast of El Diamante with me to give Patricía and show how we roast and present her coffee. Our label text is in Danish so I translated it to her. It was great to show her this and tell her that we very much liked her coffee and that we had many costumers who also value it very highly. When I told her that we had no more of her coffee in stock she laughed and said that then we had come to the right place.



The coffee we had last time from El Diamante had a flavour profile and especially an acidity that reminded me a bit of a gentle top Kenyan coffee. When visiting the mill again I was curious to see how much of this flavour might stem from their way of fermenting. So I tried to understand this in to more details. It turned out that they ferment up to 40 hours and after washing they do an overnight soaking around 12 hours (and even longer at sometimes) where the washed parchment is well covered with water. This seems not unlike what they do in Kenya and is at least not very typical for what I have seen in Guatemala.

I wonder about the fermentation processes during this soaking. I guess the temperature will still be around 15-20 C (at El Diamante they have a pond lying few meters above the mill from where they get their water. It is my impression that the water will be sitting here long enough to be at least 15-20 C). At this temperature fermentation will still be going on. The anaerobe environment when the parchment is covered with water also shouldn't stop fermentation. It would be interesting to know more about soaking influence on the flavour profile. 

The next day we went to Finca Vista Hermosa. Here Drew was doing a great job on test roasting lots of samples for us to cup. We had the chance Wednesday to cup the samples we brought from El Diamante and to be honest - we where a bit disappointed. The beautiful fruitiness was tipped over towards over-fermentation. This was really sad to cup since we really enjoyed the coffee last year and even more we enjoy working with Patricia.

Drew agreed to do a re-roast of the samples and we cupped it again the day after. Luckily the different roast seemed to have tipped the coffee back on the right track but the experience from the first cupping still stuck a bit with me. Therefore we got more samples sent home and later when we where back in Denmark we roasted these samples again and here we had no trace of over-fermentation. The new crop El Diamante was again a beautiful fruity cup but entirely on the clean side.

I must admit that I havn't been fully aware of how much the roast can do in tipping a fruity coffee like this from one side to another on the border between fruitiness and over-fermentation. It’s of course a bit scary but on the other hand I feel comfortable that we in our production roasts can find the profiles that will bring out the best fruitiness in this coffee without any over-fermented tones.

- Peter Dupont

You can see all our pictures from the trip in this Flickr set. 

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Chocolate Cinnamon Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate Cinnamon Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache

Sometimes I make recipes into bundts.
This time, I made something from a bundt.


I took my favorite cinnamon chocolate bundt and make them into cupcakes... topped with ganache. Easy peasy and delicious.

For this batch (above and below photo), the ganache was allowed to set for about an hour before use.


This recipe is really simple to make. Boil the ingredients, pour it over a flour mixture, stir in some buttermilk, eggs and other things you already have available in your kitchen, and in a few minutes you have a cupcake.

I think the best compliments are the ones overheard. My co-worker said she heard two colleagues talking about how much they enjoyed the cupcakes I bought to a meeting that day...while they were in the ladies room!


You don't need to drag out KitchenAid mixer and just a couple bowls will do you fine. The resulting cupcake is very moist because it uses both butter and oil.


So, I made this recipe twice in two days (I had two meetings to attend). The first day, I made the ganache in the morning and let it sit for about an hour before using an offset spatula to apply it to the cupcake. As you can see in the photos labeled "one hour ganache", the ganache was still pretty soft. After I glazed those cupcakes, I put plastic wrap around the remaining ganache and placed it in the refrig. That night, I came home, pulled out the ganache to put it on the counter, walked the dog, and then made the cupcakes again and let them cool. The ganache was set up more than the previous day so these cupcakes had more of a "frosting" look. I placed the frosted cupcake in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, the ganache looked dull on the cupcake - see the left photo above. I remember a hint from a cookbook (was it Dorie Greenspan?) to lightly blow dry the ganache for a few seconds with a hair dryer and the gloss would come back! I did that...and it totally worked. Don't go crazy with it...you don't want to completely melt it...just a few seconds do the job. Imagine that - your cupcake gets a blow out.

Cupcakes
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1/4 c plus 1 T (or 5 T) cocoa (I have used both Dutch processed and natural cocoa with fine results). I used 30 grams of Hershey's Cocoa.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 c buttermilk
1 t baking soda

2 eggs
1 t vanilla

Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, combine together with a whisk: flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon

2. Bring to a boil in a pot: Water, oil, butter and cocoa. Once it reaches a boil, remove from heat.

3. Add the chocolate mixture to the flour and whisk by hand until combined.

4. Add the buttermilk and baking soda and mix.

5. In a small bowl, combine the eggs and vanilla. Add to the batter and combine.

6. Pour batter into 24 cupcakes cups lined with paper liners (or sprayed with Pam with Flour).

7. Bake at 365 degrees for 16-20 minutes (depending on your oven), until a toothpick comes out clean.

8. While it is baking, make the chocolate ganache and let it set up before use. Frost with chocolate ganache.

Ganache
1 cup (8 ounces) heavy cream
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Ganache is a combination of heavy cream and chocolate. So easy and so delicious. You can use semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (or a mixture of both). The ratio is heavy cream (in fluid ounces) : chocolate (in weight)

Therefore, I used 8 fluid ounces (1 cup) of heavy cream to 8 ounces (weight) of semi-sweet chocolate.

Place the chocolate in a bowl. Bring the cream to a light simmer. Turn off heat and slowly pour the cream over the chocolate.

Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. Then slowly whisk the liquid and chocolate together. Mix slowly...you don't want to incorporate extra air into the mixture. Stir until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

You can use ganache in different stages of "set". When it is warm, you can pour it over a cake or cupcake. When it firms up a bit more, you can spoon it on the treats. A bit more settling and you can frost with it. You can also whip it up for a lighter frosting. Oh, the possibilities of ganache. It rocks. (It also freezes really well so you should always have some on hand for chocolate emergencies!)

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Black Coffee Brew Down Recap

Just a quick update here from us on the Black Coffee Brew Down we hosted last Friday.

First off, GREAT coverage by Danish newspaper Politiken on the event:

http://politiken.dk/ibyen/nyheder/cafeer/ECE2001808/kaffenoerder-dyster-i-intens-boennekonkurrence/

Politiken's iByen had been to the last Brew Down and really captured the feel of the event and why we (baristas) feel it's important. 

"When you drink coffee black, you have it in its purest form. And if it has been treated carefully on it's journey from soil to table, you can have a nuanced and aromatic taste experience" [my poor translation] says Omar Maagaard in the article.

With these Brew Downs we hope to achieve the same feeling and excitement as we've experienced with the Latte Art Throwdowns. Admittedly, this is a slower pace, less entertaining to watch and quite possibly more geeky. But we're happy to see so many other shops turn up to these events. I'm sure it's not long before other will start hosting them too.

The winner of the evening (who took home the pot and a Kalita Wave Glass Brewer) was Mr Nobuaki Matsui from Democratic Coffee. Big congratulations to him and a huge thank you to everyone who participated for a fun evening!

Go to Flickr to see a few more pictures

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Slaking the thirst of others can be Profitable

Thirst is a human need. When you have created a cold drink vending machines in London more than provide a constant stream of cash in your till. In the course of a busy day, people want to be refreshed with soft drinks. If you are looking to offer a great tasting soft drink, not to forget the healthier options, ranging from flavored water soak fruit shoot and J2O, among others. Your cold drink vending machine is not required for business, tips, entertainment centers or schools, you have to stock products that are appropriate for your location. In all this, you should not forget to offer water-still and sparkling-because this is the most sought-after cold beverage.

The biggest advantage of investing in a cold drink vending machine is that it is one of the few industries that face any major seasonal changes. Vending industry is one of the fastest growing markets in the world of business and the largest all cash business, cold drink Vending business even more. Some ideal places are hotels, motels, bed, elementary, middle, high schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, military bases, parks and other attractions. In the early days of soft drink machines in the UK, they are peppered with only carbonated beverages and foods, soft drink giants like Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Britvic.

Currently, producers are looking for other options too, to be able to respond to changing tastes. They are not afraid to experiment with new launches, particularly if healthiest options as cold green tea. That's why fruit juices and Smoothies are available from these machines. Some of the soda bottling companies provides automatic soft drink for free. Of course they are intended for the exclusive use of their products in the car. When you buy directly from the company, you will receive a Commission on the sale of their products. You should take advantage of sales that are offered from various wholesalers earn higher profits on a variety of soft drinks stock.

Rate this article

Slaking the thirst of others may be ProfitableNot rated yet

James Ritchie has published 41 articles. Article submitted on June 24, 2013. Word count: 352

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Wordy Wednesday

This photo of Cidney the Dog has nothing to do with this post, but seriously, doesn't she make the post better? :)

Hi there,

There are a bunch of weekly themes around town.

Meatless Monday
Throwback Thursday
Wordless Wednesday

I thought I would try to do my own version: Wordy Wednesday. I want to occasionally tell you about some books I'm reading (and get myself to read more). Sure, I'm a librarian, but I find myself too busy to read much...and I seriously love TV which takes up way too much free time (yeah, and baking too).

I'm not the librarian who reads widely and deeply (like I probably should). I'm not an English major who writes critical essays on the latest modern literature. Um, sometimes I read stuff that I don't remember reading after ten minutes (yes, I have checked out a book, read a few chapters, felt something deja vu and then realize I read it in the past. I'm trying to use Good Reads to keep track now but then sometimes I forget to log things into Good Reads). Some of the mysteries and thrillers I read are like basic cable TV...you can easily forget you saw the show and find yourself watching another episode of Law & Order at 2 am.


Absolutely, Positively Not by David LaRochelle (2005)
Find it in your library via WorldCat or buy it on Amazon

I've been trying to read more Teen/YA books. Although I don't work with teens in the library, their lit is quite entertaining, easy to read and lets you reflect on all that teenage angst you felt years ago.

This book, Absolutely, Positively Not is the winner of the Sid Fleischman Humor Award in 2006. It follows a young man's journey of acceptance of his sexual orientation. It's very funny (hence the Humor Award!) and a quick read.


I found this note tucked in the book. Since this book is about a gay teen, I hope that if a young person checks it out and is struggling, they find it a comfort - and the truth. I tucked it back in the book before returning it to the library.

Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me: A Graphic Memoir by Ellen Forney (2012)

Find it in your library via WorldCat or buy it from Amazon

Loved this book! It's a graphic memoir by artist Ellen Forney about her diagnosis and treatment for bipolar disorder. In addition to being touching and funny, it helped me understand the different types of bipolar disorder and depression - all with wonderful graphics. Her honesty (and lack of) with her doctors, and the long road to getting the right mix of medications are helpful to understanding that the reality of mental illness and mental health isn't as easy as a 30-second pharmaceutical advertisement. 

Hey, I'm on Good Reads as foodlibrarian if you want to see my listing of audiobooks and other stuff I've been reading. When I remember to log things...which is my next resolution. (Really, I'm totally organized at work (like super duper organized), but in life? That's another story...)

Next post will be back to baking - cupcakes! See you later, - mary

Disclosure: I'm a librarian and love when you check out books from your library! It's awesometown. (Really, it's like Amazon but really cheap...like so cheap it's free). But I need to tell you that I'm also part of the Amazon Affiliate program and if you do decide to purchase a book from the links above, I get a few cents. I use those few cents to buy books from Amazon. It's like the Lion King's Circle of Life of book buying.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

An Extensive Range of the Latest Coffee Machines

You want your coffee machine to give you the same quality of hot drinks every time and every day. So, consistency is what wins the day. This is especially true of specialty drinks like cappuccino and latte. The quality of the cappuccino will depend on the quality of the machine. When you source a cappuccino maker in London make sure that you deal with a manufacturer or authorized dealer who can provide you with a solution to your requirements and timescales. You should be able to choose from an extensive range of the latest coffee machines. For example, the Kenco singles hot drinks produce a vast range of coffees from light roast through to dark roast, including Columbian and Carte Noire Espresso. All these coffees are roast and ground, produced from fresh beans.

The advantage of using pre-ground coffee is that you don't need to pass up on drinks like espresso, cappuccino and mocha even if your coffee machine is not a beans-to-cup model. If you have coffee machines using soluble ingredients it does not mean that the drink produced has to be of a poor quality, quite the opposite in fact. If you use the Kenco range of soluble coffees you can produce a high quality drink, be it black or white or even a specialty drink such as a cappuccino. There are those who will swear that if you really love coffee you should play around with roasting, grinding, and brewing different types of coffee. Each type of bean will bring a whole new flavor into play.

Remember, the primary difference between a basic espresso coffee machine and a cappuccino coffee machine of UK is that the latter will also have an integral milk foamer, enabling it to produce cappuccino, latte and other milk based drinks which makes it perfect for the office environment. Ideally, your machine should be a combination type which will use instant products as well as using coffee beans, which can either be pre-ground or ground on demand. All in all, your cappuccino coffee machine should be able to give you more than just cappuccino so that you can cater to different tastes from the same machine.

Rate this Article

An Extensive Range of the Latest Coffee MachinesNot Rated Yet

Maria Gini has published 389 articles. Article submitted on June 14, 2013. Word count: 365

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Black Coffee Brew Down

This Friday we're hosting the ultimate black coffee brew down at Godthåbsvej!

Aeropress, Kalita Wava, Hario V60, French Press, Espro Press, Siphon, Woodneck, whatever black coffee brewer you want - you choose and compete with the best you got.

The event is free and open to anyone. We start at 19.00 and the competition itself at 20.00. Come early to have more practice time.

The rules: Choose your own brewer and rock it with the mystery coffee provided. One coffee - any brew method. 4 minute competition time and then hands off! 2 baristas up against each other at a time. 3 judges will choose their favourite. Entry fee: kr 20,- Winner takes the pot - And also get to bring home a brand new Kalita Wave Glass Brewer!

We'll have our Uber Boiler and hot water tower ready, as well as scales, timers, grinders and loads of brewing equipment. You're of course also welcome to bring your own.

Come brew some black deliciousness or cheer for your local baristas!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

An Extensive Range of the Latest Coffee Machines

You want your coffee machine to give you the same quality of hot drinks every time and every day. So, consistency is what wins the day. This is especially true of specialty drinks like cappuccino and latte. The quality of the cappuccino will depend on the quality of the machine. When you source a cappuccino maker in London make sure that you deal with a manufacturer or authorized dealer who can provide you with a solution to your requirements and timescales. You should be able to choose from an extensive range of the latest coffee machines. For example, the Kenco singles hot drinks produce a vast range of coffees from light roast through to dark roast, including Columbian and Carte Noire Espresso. All these coffees are roast and ground, produced from fresh beans.

The advantage of using pre-ground coffee is that you don't need to pass up on drinks like espresso, cappuccino and mocha even if your coffee machine is not a beans-to-cup model. If you have coffee machines using soluble ingredients it does not mean that the drink produced has to be of a poor quality, quite the opposite in fact. If you use the Kenco range of soluble coffees you can produce a high quality drink, be it black or white or even a specialty drink such as a cappuccino. There are those who will swear that if you really love coffee you should play around with roasting, grinding, and brewing different types of coffee. Each type of bean will bring a whole new flavor into play.

Remember, the primary difference between a basic espresso coffee machine and a cappuccino coffee machine of UK is that the latter will also have an integral milk foamer, enabling it to produce cappuccino, latte and other milk based drinks which makes it perfect for the office environment. Ideally, your machine should be a combination type which will use instant products as well as using coffee beans, which can either be pre-ground or ground on demand. All in all, your cappuccino coffee machine should be able to give you more than just cappuccino so that you can cater to different tastes from the same machine.

Rate this Article

An Extensive Range of the Latest Coffee MachinesNot Rated Yet

Maria Gini has published 389 articles. Article submitted on June 14, 2013. Word count: 365

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Mitsuwa Japanese Gourmet Food Fair 2013

Mitsuwa Market's Japanese Gourmet Food Fair

It's time for the Mitsuwa Market's Japanese Gourmet Food Fair! Mitsuwa is a Japanese grocery store with outlets in California (Santa Monica, San Jose, San Gabriel, San Diego, Torrance, Costa Mesa and Irvine) as well as Chicago and New Jersey. Mitsuwa has regional food fairs throughout the year (such as the Hokkaido or Okinawa fair), but this has to be the biggest one.

From now til Sunday (6/13 to 6/16), Mitsuwa presents the Japanese Gourmet Food Fair at the Torrance, Costa Mesa and San Diego stores. They fly in chefs and special products from Japan for this four day delicious affair.

I went last year - see post here. I missed the special ramen last year, but this year I got in line when it opened its doors!

Luckily, this year I was met by Yumi-san from the Mitsuwa marketing department who talked to me about the fair. I don't speak Japanese so she was an interpreter and since she planned much of the fair, I appreciated her insight. Thanks Yumi!


First up, the special Sweet Pumpkin treat. You may think these are regular imagawayaki, but they are made with a very special batter. The batter incorporates tapioca flour and sweet potato flour for a more chewy texture! In addition, the fillings included traditional red bean (azuki) and unique flavors caramel and custard. I love chewy textures and these treats were delicious. ($2 each)


The chef pictured above is from Japan and came for the festival. After this festival in California, they will travel to Chicago and New Jersey for food festivals (6/20-6/23/2013). Did you know that the New Jersey store is mega big? It's the largest Mitsuwa store - complete with a free shuttle from New York! Has anyone gone to the NJ store?


These are popular Maki Dora or Rolled Dorayaki from the Anchin-do Shop in Japan. Oh my goodness. Besides being so pretty, these are so delicious! The pancake is very light and the filling is heavenly.


Anything that has the label "This taste warms the cockles of the heart" is a winner in my book.


You can get them filled with red beans, custard cream, green tea, or black sesame. The green tea is intense (these were my overall favorite treat), and the black sesame is rich. Handmade in front of you all day. These are only at the Torrance store this year. ($2 each)


The Japanese food company Amochinmi brings fried fish cakes (they are fried up on-site at Mitsuwa all day) ($1.75 each). You can find fish cakes and 12 different croquettes filled with all sorts of ingredients such as crab, pumpkin (kabocha), mushroom, corn, potatoes ($1.50-$2.30 each). I picked up the pumpkin one, as well as a pumpkin steamed Oyaki (yes, kabocha is one of my favorite flavors!)


Last year, the Torrance store had the Fugetsu-Do filled waffles. The photo above is from last year. They are back this year - but only at the Costa Mesa store ($2-$2.50 each). If you are in Orange County, I would definitely visit. These treats were my favorite last year! In addition, the Costa Mesa store has Takoyaki (octopus balls) ($6.90 pack)


All the ingredients except for rice and some meats are flown in from Japan for the festival. Different types of gourmet sushi are prepared by Japanese chefs. Mackerel Sushi ($11.90), Seafood Sushi Bento Box (being prepared by the chef above, $15.90), Crab Gokai Roll Sushi ($9.90).


There are a lot of gourmet sushi sets. Last year, I bought the crab inari sushi ($11.90), and I will probably pick up the crab chirashi tomorrow for lunch ($11.90). All made on-site all day.

They have Japanese packaged items for sale as well. They have a lot of special noodles...and most of them have someone's face on them, and that cracked me up. Premium udons ($4.90 each) and Sanuki udon ($3.59-$6.90 each).

Mitsuwa sets up these special food areas in the middle of the store - while totally awesome, it can get super crowded. :) Products do sell out since they are brought in from Japan in limited quantities...so if you see something, buy it. Yumi said that they are getting more and more non-Japanese foodies and interested parties coming to the fairs. The staff is bilingual (except for those who came from Japan for the fair) so feel free to ask questions.



Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance has a large food court area. You can always find something delicious to eat (Torrance's plaza has the very popular and well reviewed Santouka Ramen). During the food fairs, a special ramen is served (I learned that Mitsuwa owns the Katsuhana ramen stall and they have the chef take over the space during the festival).

This year, Chef Kenji Chiba of the famed Kamome-Shokudo in Yokohama is serving “Kesennuma Ramen Ushio Aji (Salt)” for this event. The broth is made from seafood and chicken bones. Topped with chashu pork, bamboo shoots, nori, green onions and a half boiled egg (definitely get it with the egg - that is a perfect topper!) ($10.90 with egg, $9.90 without). They flew in three Japanese staff to assist Chef Chiba.

They are also serving a small salmon bowl with sesame soy sauce (I didn't get that...too much to eat!) ($3.80)


Anyone who has been to Japan knows Blue Seal ice cream. They are selling vanilla soft serve for $2.50...but I couldn't find space in my tummy for this after eating sooo much...


The fair is held from June 13-16, 2013 in Torrance, Costa Mesa and San Diego. It'll be in Chicago and New Jersey from June 20-23, 2013. Note: Not everything shown is available in all stores. More information about the Mitsuwa Gourmet Food Fair: http://www.mitsuwa.com/event/eevent.php?e=37

If you don't have a Mitsuwa near you...I honestly feel bad for you. But I learned today at Mitsuwa has an online store that ships Japanese products to your door. Too bad they can't send you those Maki Dora treats though.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. My meeting with the marketing department was informational. I purchased my own food and ramen at Mitsuwa. It was yummy! Go!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Fresh crops are in!

Today we're releasing the fresh crop Kieni, Gichathaini and Esmeralda !

We're going into our fourth year with Kieni now and thrilled to see the quality grow. This year's harvest is the best we've had from them. Incredible structure and mouthfeel, intense and deep, juicy acidity, black currant, rose flowers and brown sugar. Last year Kieni was the mill in all of Kenya that paid out the most money to it's members, and it's great to see the farmers being rewarded for producing this extraordinary quality. You can read much more about Kieni in Peter's blog post from his visit during the harvest in December.

This year we've also bought a small lot from Gichathaini - one of the mills under the Gikanda society. We last bought from Gichathaini two years ago and are happy to feature this coffee again, as it's a very different taste profile than the Kieni. Refreshing acidity and citrus fruits, apple and rhubarb.

Last but definitely not least...
Esmeralda Special 2013 - the infamous auction coffee.
We secured a small lot from the Mario Carneval parcel, which was out favourite. And the price this year was lower than last, so we'll be able to keep it at 99,- for 125 g. We've decided to do smaller bags of the Esmeralda again this year (half of our usual size) to make this accessible to more people and to make sure you can enjoy the whole bag while it's still fresh.

All three will be in the shops from today - both as bags and brewed options. So come on by and make sure to taste these delicious fresh crops!

You can also order them online and we'll send them out next Tuesday:
Kieni
Kieni Espresso
Gichathaini
Esmeralda Special

 

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Torrance Farmer's Market - Thao's Produce - Eggplants

Thao's Farm - Torrance Farmer's Market

I frequently shop at the Torrance Farmer's Market. It's the third largest Farmer's Market in Los Angeles, and I could post thousands of photos of the produce, flowers, prepared food (pupusas, kettle corn, crepes, bacon wrapped hot dogs, filled malasadas, BBQ, corn on a cob...) and all the items I carry to my car every week. My instagram account @foodlibrarian is filled with them!

Maybe later this summer I'll do a longer post talking about my favorite vendors. Today, I want to highlight just one vegetable: eggplant.

At Thao's stand, you get your choice. Serious.

I love this Fresno farm. It grows a bunch of Asian favorites: bok choy, Chinese string beans, lemon grass, bitter melon, and so many greens that I don't know what they are! You can pick up cooking tips from customers and vendors alike while shopping there. They grow the English Peas I used to make my Peas & Rice, and they grow leeks, peanuts, jujubes, potatoes, cucumbers (at least three types) and onions.

Look how many eggplant varieties they offer! It reflects the great diversity of California. I'm so lucky to live here. :)


Chinese Eggplant


Italian Eggplant


Filipino Eggplant


Indian Eggplant


Japanese Eggplant


American Eggplant

How do you cook your eggplant? I'll take the longer (Japanese, Chinese) eggplant and slice them lengthwise. I'll cook them with a little olive oil in my cast iron pan. Then, when they are almost done, I'll spread the cut tops with a miso paste that has been diluted with a bit of water. Easy and delicious. Sometimes, I'll serve with a bit of soy sauce, but the miso paste is usually salty enough.

You might be interested in this brochure produced by the Torrance Farmer's Market - Your guide to Asian Produce.


I couldn't resist sharing some of the photos from this past Saturday. The tomatoes are from Thao's Farm and the rest are other vendors. Oh, the glory of summer fruits and vegetables!

Torrance Farmer's Market
Every Tuesday and Saturday, Rain or Shine, All-Year
Wilson Park, 2200 Crenshaw Blvd. (between Carson & Sepulveda)

Hint: I park in the Korean Church parking lot across the street from Wilson Park on Saturdays (they are cool with it) as parking in Wilson Park's lot can get very congested.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

King's Hawaiian Project Mahalo

King's Hawaiian Project Mahalo Charity Check Presentation

Last month, I was honored to attend a special event at the King's Hawaiian Headquarters. King's Hawaiian, maker of delicious bread and rolls, announced the winner of Project Mahalo. Consumers voted to select a charitable organization that best embodies the Hawaiian spirit of sharing, generosity and giving back.

Before becoming a librarian, I worked in non-profit organizations including Los Angeles-based food service provider Project Angel Food. I know firsthand the importance of corporate donations to keep the doors open and to continue valuable services. It was rewarding to see family-owned King's Hawaiian shared their profits with worthy organizations.

The four charities in Project Mahalo were: Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Family Caregiver Alliance, Meals On Wheels and One Warm Coat  Representatives from each charity spoke about the valuable work they do to help feed, clothe, mentor and care for others. The winner of the $25,000 donation was Meals on Wheels, and the other organizations received $10,000. I know they'll use the funds to continue their important work.

After the check presentation, we were treated to a delicious lunch and factory tour. I've been on the tour before, but jumped at the chance to go on it again. You can see the famous King's Hawaiian rolls in the oven! Did you know little rolls are placed in the oven-safe paper box, proofed and baked in the box? I saw it all happening.

Since we were going onto the factory floor, we had to wear awesome hairnets. Here are some of the charity representatives on tour with Dino (yellow hat - he's in charge of safety).

A buffet isn't complete without, of course, King's Hawaiian rolls! We enjoyed a delicious spread of Poke, Hawaiian Orange Chicken, Kahlua Pork, Potato Mac Salad, Ramen Salad and so much more.

King's went all out on the dessert section of the buffet too. They have a tasty King's Hawaiian Restaurant and Bakery in Torrance - have you been? The restaurant is very family friendly, and the bakery is awesome.

Be sure to check out the four charities and see how you can help them help others in your community:
Meals On Wheels 
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Family Caregiver Alliance
One Warm Coat

Thank you very much King's Hawaiian for a fun day and a chance to learn about the great work by the four charities.

Mahalo,
- mary

P.S. If you are grilling for Father's Day this weekend, get some King's Hot Dog buns and Hamburger buns. These are sooooo good!

Disclosure: I received lunch and a gift bag from King's Hawaiian. Opinions are my own. Photo credits: Food related photos are mine, photos of tour and non-profits are by King's photographer.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad