(NC)—One pot luck, two office parties, three wine and cheeses, and the list goes on… Holiday entertaining has become rather predictable, but Laura Sliapnic, product developer in the coffee category for the President’s Choice brand, is encouraging Canadians to think outside the box for holiday celebrations this year. “Invite your friends for a traditional German [...]

You could save yourself upwards of $5 a pop if you knew how to make a latte. You know those frothy beverages are well worth large sums of money, but it would be even more fulfilling if you could make one on your own, right? All you really need to become an independent latte drinker [...]

I Once upon a time in America there was drip or instant, milk or sugar. Folger’s was the name of the game. Then, from Australian Skybury to Kenyan Peaberry, from Kona to Barcelona, the world exploded with options. Today there’s enough variety in choices of blend, country and style to boggle the greatest coffee aficionado. [...]

Ever wonder why one bean makes it to your local specialty shop and another doesn’t? Long before you sip a delicious cup of dark ambrosia, coffee graders make hot and tiring journeys, face insects and hostile governments and endure weeks of frustration and danger to bring you that favorite brew. Ok, maybe it’s not quite [...]

Why should professionals have all the fun? ‘Cuppers’ taste coffee as an adjunct to professional buying, judging contests, writing reviews and so forth. But the joy of sitting before a half-dozen cups of Tanzanian Peaberry, Monsoon Mysore and the rest is a delight anyone can experience. The cupper tastes (and smells) for aroma, flavor, body, [...]

To achieve a good roast you have to start with beans that have been skillfully selected and dried. Some bean processors use a wash to remove the fleshy fruit from the bean and to separate different kinds of beans. Density differences in the bean will cause some to float higher, making for easier removal or [...]

Choosing the Right Coffee Machine Nowadays, coffee is all the rage. Not only do your have to choose among the dozens of franchise coffee shops, coffee types, espresso, cappuccino, and all other kinds of java. You also have to worry about what kind of coffee machines to work with. There are still the old-fashioned drip [...]

Peet’s has the hookup for all things coffee this Valentine’s Day, plus if you order over $40 worth of Valentine’s Day gifts, they are throwing in free standard shipping, and delivery is guaranteed by February 13 if orders are placed by February 5. Recchiuti Chocolates and Kona is an elegant box of Michael Recchiuti Belgian-style [...]

Just this past weekend, the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) presented the 2009 Western Regional Barista Competition January 23 through 25 at the Spring Arts Tower in downtown Los Angeles, Calif. The SCAA event was hosted by Intelligentsia, which is headquartered in Chicago but has coffee roasting and retailing locations in Los Angeles. Over 20 [...]

Remember when I told you about Ed? Well, he’s back, and he’s got the hand-crafted, home roasted beans to prove it. He’s been busy roasting Finca Mauritania beans lately, with the promise of a spring roast in the near future. To read about why he selected Finca Mauritania coffee, click here. In today’s economy especially, I’m a big advocate [...]