Last night - Vynecrest Reisling - Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania

Vynecrest Reisling from Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. I served this white, sweet wine very, very cold. I am not a huge fan of really sweet wine, my palate appreciates the reds. However, this was a sweet wine that went nicely with a couple dishes the past few nights.
One was a lemon pepper chicken, roasted garlic pasta dish and the other was roasted chicken and rosemary potatoes.
Although the back of the bottle states it is a semi-sweet wine, the wine is very sweet, but chilling it very cold helps make it easier to drink. It is very clear, pale yellow in color and smells sugary. It isn't something I would purchase on a regular basis, but since I received it as a gift, I enjoyed it.

Today - Texas Pecan Coffee (and cream)

This morning I broke out yet another Lola Savannah sampler. I already blogged on this one, but decided to see if the blend was consistent. Once again, the Texas Pecan. I have a thing for pecan coffee now. The small packet from the grocery store cost $1.57 and made a nice, flavorful cup of coffee. It was smooth and just a tad sweet.
I, of course, add a little cream to add a little richness and I got my money's worth. The scent during brewing is like warm caramel and baking pecan pie. Over the course of the day, the brew warmed up nicely and kept the sweetness and smoothness.

This morning - Lola Clear Lake Blend (Decaf)

Yah, yah, don't rag on me for buying decaf.  This blend was suggested to me by the coffee guy at the local HEB grocery store.  He suggested I buy a taster ($1.57 for 1.75oz.) and they only had the decaf in the taster that night.
Clear Lake Blend is created specially for the Clear Lake, Texas area.  Lola Savannah Coffee Company makes delicious whole bean blends, some with toasted coconut, nuts, dark chocolate and fruit.  The Almond Joy has pieces of toasted coconut in with the whole bean, so when you grind it up, you get that true coconut flavor in your coffee, not just an artificial flavor.
The Clear Lake Blend is 100% Arabica coffee with chocolate, pecan and praline.  It is really smooth and I finished my first cup before I knew it.  You get the hints of chocolate and the sweetness of the praline without any sweet heaviness.   I think this might be the gift I give for Christmas this year! 
The ninja librarian coffee mug is one of my faves I have had for years given to me by fellow library employee, Lindy. 
They sell Lola Savannah coffee online here.  The Clear Lake Blend is not on the list.  You will just have to visit Clear Lake, TX to get some. Happy Brewing!

Last night- Chocolate Vino and Chocolate Mint Cigar

Last night I broke out the chocolate wine.  Yes, you read it right...chocolate and wine.  Chocolate d' Vine
From the bottle:
This indulgent red wine is accented with velvety rich mocha and dark chocolate flavor and a smooth, lingering hint of juicy ripe red raspberries.  Serve slightly chilled.  Produced and bottled by Southwest Wines, Deming, NM .
The wine is sweet and leaves an aftertaste in your mouth as if you allowed a piece of rich dark chocolate to slowly melt in your mouth.  The raspberry flavor is also prevalent.  If you have ever had a chocolate dessert with raspberry sauce, this is it.
So I have been saving this wine for just the right time and when I busted out the chocolate mint cigar, I knew it was the right fit.

  This Drew Estate, Rocky Patel concoction is the Java Mint.  When I opened the wrapper and took a whiff, it smelled just like an Andes chocolate mint after dinner candy.  When lit, you get the scent of cocoa and coffee.  I used a punch on the square cap, and the draw was very easy all the way through.
The first 1/3 of the cigar remains sweet and tingles in your mouth as if you just ate a butter mint.  It is a sparkly, tingly feeling that lasts.  The second 1/3 of it turns more rich and looses it's sweetness, but you still get the tingle of mint, without a lot of the flavor. 

This morning - more Pecan Coffee!

My brother raves about HEB Cafe Ole Texas Pecan coffee. So, I decided to pick up a bag of whole bean. This stuff smells so good! I could smell it through the bag!

When I opened the bag this morning, I was met with a sweet, caramel scent that tickled my nose. Grinding it sweetened the aroma even more. The beans were very dark and oily (see below). I have never seen such oily beans before. Even though the beans were dark, the brew was a medium color. Don't laugh, but the taste was like caramel nuts and had a sweet aftertaste.

I added some half and half then, as always, and it made it more creamy. I have to say, I really like this pecan coffee. No wonder people rave about it. At $5.99 a bag, it's a deal!

The beans are much darker than here in this photo, see photo on top with the bag for more accurate roast color.

Yesterday I enjoyed - LOLA Texas Pecan Coffee

I picked this up at my local HEB grocery store in a small ground pack.  I haven't had pecan coffee in a couple years and wanted to give it a try. 

The aroma of the coffee really smells like dessert as it brewed.  Yes, it did smell like pecan pie, sweet and decadent.  It brewed dark and had a caramel flavor to it. 

I picked up the little pack for under $2.

Peace, Love & Poop Giantmicrobe plush giveaway!

When we went on vacation to the Outer Banks this past June/July, we stopped in a little toy shop on the bay.  My niece suddenly pulled out a small stuffed plush toy and said, "So that's what The Clap looks like!"  I had no idea what "The Clap" was, and when I read the tag, was surprised at 14, SHE knew what it was. 

We had such fun pulling out various Giantmicrobes such as Chicken Pox that looked like a chicken head, or the Bed Bug, or the E. Coli.  They were all so cute and funny.  Each plush had the scientific name, nickname, photo of the actual microbe, and good information about the microbe.  We laughed so hard, and I thought that it was a genius idea for teachers or doctors to use them as a tool.

Well, now you can win a Giantmicrobe of your very own!  Peace, Love & Poop is offering a giveaway - you just have to enter by October 7, 2011.

Find all the info you need to enter the giveaway here.

Getting Stok'ed about Coffee!

Upon traveling through Texas, I stopped at a mega convenience store/ rest stop/ gas station called Bucee's along I-10.  We filled up on gas, and then I filled up on coffee to stay awake on the long drive west.  As I was adding my creamer, I saw this stuff called Stok.  I read the top and saw it was a caffeine shot for your coffee.  The lid states you should limit yourself to 2 per day, so I added 1 and went on my way.


I tell ya, I have never been so awake, aware and clear during night time driving as I was after the Stok.  I sang and driver seat danced my way to our destination, and when we arrived at 6:30 am, I stayed awake until midnight without tiring.  I slept very well that night and was rested for the next morning.

Stok does not change the flavor of your coffee, and did not give me the jitters like having multiple cups of coffee tends to do.  I guess depending on your normal caffeine intake, you could use 2, but I recommend starting with 1.  They sell the stuff on amazon.com in bulk and on their own web site.  I "borrowed" a few shots from the gas station.  I read online you can sometimes find them at 7-11 or Circle K convenience stores around their coffee area.  Also, Wal-mart carries them in 24 packs, but always seem to be sold out.

I put my order in for Amazon.com, but it says it takes 3-5 weeks for delivery.  264 days of being Stoked! :)
And remember, coffee always goes great with a premium hand-rolled cigar from Cigarsuckers.com!

I'm Not Grumpy This Morning - Cafe Grumpy - Heartbreak Espreso

This morning was like Christmas when I got to open my Heartbreaker Espresso from Cafe Grumpy. I have been window shopping their site for months, and finally purchased a bag with the perfect accessory, the orange grumpy bean mug. Funny, I usually wake up grumpy every morning (thankfully I have an understanding husband), but this morning, I was up bright and early and looking forward to my new brew.

The Heartbreaker Espresso is a blend of three coffee beans from Colombia and Costa Rica. Upon opening the simple brown bag, I smell toasty caramel. The beans are a medium dark roast and the result is a smooth cup. I definitely get the vanilla, but can't find the rose hips (roses that eat too many pancakes with their delish coffee?) or orange dreamsicle. I guess I will leave that up to the experts.

I am really happy with this purchase. The coffee is smooth and flavorful without the harshness from a darker roast. The mug with the grumpy faced bean makes me smile - maybe it will keep me cheery on mornings I don't want to be. I picked up the 12 oz bag of beans + mug for $26.
Check out their web site here.

This coffee would pair perfectly with an Isla del Sol by Drew Estate. The Isla is a coffee infused, sweet, rich cigar that is easy on the palate.

Time for a coffee lesson - Kean Coffee Kenya Ichamara Peaberry

The second bag of coffee I purchased from Kean is a Kenya Ichamara Peaberry. Time for a lesson in coffee:

Peaberry is the common name of a coffee bean that develops alone within a coffee cherry. These beans are considered an abnormality and can occur in coffee of any origin. Peaberry beans are often separated from the rest of the harvest and sold separately, in most cases commanding a higher price. Peaberry coffee can have brighter notes and a lighter body. About 10% of Kenyan coffee falls into this category.

Below are pictures that show the difference between a regular coffee bean and that of a peaberry, which is round in shape because it doesn't have to share the space inside the cherry with a second bean.

This coffee has a toasty aroma. The beans have a lovely oily sheen to them. I purchased this coffee because the description included dark chocolate, cocoa butter, pecan, molasses, among others. It is has more of an acidic quality to it, however the taste is full. This coffee would definitely go with a medium bodied cigar like a Camacho Connecticut.





Click the photo to enlarge.
Peaberry beans on the left are completely round.
Regular beans on the right have a flat side.







Get yours at cigarsuckers.com

Fabulous find! Kean Coffee - Carl's Blend

During my internet hunt for micro-roasters, I found Kean Coffee from Newport Beach and Tustin, California. They sell fresh roasted coffee and loose leaf teas.

I purchased a 12 oz bag of Carl's blend whole bean, which is named in memory of the owner's father based on a dark roast he was known for. It is labeled as a dark espresso roast and the bean has a nice deep, dark brown, shiny oily color. Most people don't know that the darker the roast, the lower the caffeine and acidity.

The smell of the beans is a strong roasted scent, and when I bit into a bean, it reminded me of the flavor of premium cigar tobacco leaf. Earthy and... Ha! I just looked at the description again on their website and this coffee finish is described as "heavy, very distinct dark roast flavors, tobacco and fresh leather."

The drink is smooth and lighter than I would have imagined a dark roast would be. It went perfect with my breakfast of poached eggs, turkey bacon and apple butter on whole wheat toast. I am drinking another cup this late afternoon while I type this. With my cream there is a definite caramel sweetness to the coffee. Yum. This blend runs about $12 for a 12 oz bag of whole, freshly roasted beans. Visit Kean Coffee website to order.




Beautiful espresso roast beans Carl's Blend

My New Internet Find - Micro Roaster Surf City Coffee - Surfer's Blend

I found Surf City Coffee by accident on the internet when I was looking for a company I used to purchase from out of Huntington Beach, CA. Seems they are now a casualty of this economy, and dang! they had good coffee. If anyone knows what happened to Poverello Coffee out of Huntington Beach, let me know!

Anyway, on to my star attraction. Surf City Coffee has 3 retail locations along the central California coast. Their coffee is roasted in small batches to ensure quality and freshness.

The Surfer's Blend is made up of 3 different beans all from the same location. They roast each variety of bean separately and then blend them to create a smooth cup of coffee. Their website states this is a good morning cup, and I have to agree. It is a medium-dark roast and has a nice balance of acidity and complexity. It is lighter on my taste buds than I expected from medium-dark roast.

This bag has 12 oz of whole, freshly roasted beans. It runs $11 on their web site, but was on sale for $9. They have many, many blends of coffee, so hit their web site and pick one. I can see why the Surfer's Blend is one of their popular blends.


The beautiful medium roasted beans for Surfer's Blend from Surf City Coffee, California.

My Coffee Rant - Help Small Business

I firmly believe small business is an integral part of improving the U.S. economy, and they need to be supported. Small business owners create unique relationships with their employees and customers, and have commitment to their product or service that is not seen in big business. The challenge I have set forth for myself is to purchase as much as I can from small businesses, and stay away from the big guys.

That prelude leads me to this: I decided to hit the internet in search of new coffee to write about. I found plenty of small "micro-roasters," if you will, who offered freshly roasted coffee beans and/or grounds at great prices. Dunkin' Donuts prepackaged coffee, although it is good, can run you $15 per pound at the grocery store, and who knows how long the bag has been sitting on the shelf. Starbucks has over saturated the coffee market, and I think there are incredible micro-roasts that need to be discovered by coffee drinking fiends like myself. The reviews of these micro-roasters will be covered in the next blog posts.

My research has led me to this:
Buy fresh coffee from small, if not local, roasters. They appreciate their business, not just financially, but because you chose their product over thousands of others. Coffee should never be stored in the freezer, it dries out the beans. Coffee can be found reasonably priced on the internet and shipped straight to my door. Who knew I could buy, receive, brew and drink coffee in my pajamas?

Tonight I'm Drinking: Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

I like a good Cab, and not the Yellow kind you have to tip after a crazy through downtown. Tonight I am enjoying an inexpensive cab by Avalon. I think it runs in the $11 range at your local wine/grocery store.

Avalon California Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 is a delicious red. The bouquet smells fruity. My first swish I definitely got the full flavor of cherry. It was bright and popped in my mouth. There is a bit of sweetness to the swallow, and a little spice to the finish. Not much of a bite, more of a cinnamon-like spicy tingle.

I am drinking it as a stand alone tonight, but imagine it would taste great with steak, or any grilled meat. I think this is a nice cigar smokin' cigar. Maybe a nice Nub Cameroon. Yah, it's a good one.

This morning I'm drinking: Fire House Roastery Dark Mexico

Fire House Coffee Roaster and Bakery has five locations in Bullhead City, AZ and the Colorado River Valley. I picked up a bag of this Dark Mexico coffee when we used to frequent Laughlin, NV. Each location serves delicious food such as sandwiches, the best quiche, soups and salads. They have many choices to satisfy the sweet tooth. They also have deliciously roasted coffee beans from all over the world.

This morning I am enjoying the Dark Mexico ground right before my eyes. It is a very smooth coffee with a sweetness I can't place. (Okay, I looked on their website and found it may be a chocolatey taste I am experiencing.) I really like my coffee with cream - er I like some coffee with my cream. I like that it adds richness and sweetness to the coffee. So, it is a good black coffee, but I prefer all mine with half and half. It's my morning indulgence.

This coffee would be terrific with dessert and I enjoyed the accompaniment to my pancakes and turkey bacon. Visit their website to see the different types of coffee. It states they do online ordering, but it doesn't seem to be working at the time of this posting.

Tonight I'm Drinking: Murfatlar Merlot 2007

I am a red wine lover, let's just tell the truth here. I enjoy everything from a sweet late harvest such as Viansa's Primitivo Late Harvest to a spicy Chianti such as Ruffino Chianti Classico. I admit, I am a two-timer when it comes to the white variety. If I can get my hands on a buttery Chardonnay, I am in heaven! Pinot Grigio is okay, and even though most Reislings are too sweet for my palate, I indulge when that is the bottle that is uncorked at family or friends.

Tonight I am enjoying Murfatlar Merlot 2007 from Romania. This wine is full of berry flavor and runs smooth over my tastebuds. I enjoy the aroma, almost like burnt chocolate. Don't gross out, it's a good smell. There is a subtle sweetness to the initial taste, then a burst of berry, then a smooth rich grape taste. Don't laugh - I know wine is made from grapes, but Welch's grape juice aftertaste comes to mind here.

Remember: Friends don't let friends drink white zinfandel!

Tookie's Burgers Reopens in Seabrook, TX

Tookie's is re-open and running GREAT! We stopped by for their 2nd day of opening since Ike and they did a great job fixing up the building. They have a new owner, but the menu is the same.

Open from 5-9 for a test run, we got there shortly after 5 and had a 35 minute wait. Oh, boy was it worth it! I was ready to partake in this coastal Texas tradition! Everyone seemed patient and friendly and the staff did a TERRIFIC job of getting people seated and fed.

We started our meal with the Bombshell, which is a fried corn tortilla topped w/ melted cheese and served with a side of chopped jalapenos and salsa/pico de gallo. The Pelican Eggs were delicious, we had plenty and shared with the table next to us! Friendly Texans! They are jalapenos stuffed with bacon and cheese, battered and fried and served with salsa and ranch dressing.

M and I split the famous 99 Burger that is marinaded in wine. It was topped off with lettuce, onion, tomato. We also split the Bean Burger which starts with refried beans and Fritos chips, then onion, burger and cheddar cheese. I never knew beans on a burger could be so heavenly.

Our draft beer was cold, cold cold! And the food was hot, hot, hot!
WELCOME BACK TOOKIES!!!

Pelican Eggs









Bean Burger ------------ VS --------------The 99

Blue Adobe Grill, Mesa, AZ

Tonight is fitting because my first post is from my first visit to Blue Adobe Grille in Mesa, AZ. This casual Mexican restaurant specializes in New Mexican cuisine.

Upon arrival we were greeted with multi-colored, warm tortilla chips with a tasty smoky chipotle salsa. Our appetizer was the Four Corners Bean con Queso. It was a little spicy bean dip served with a dollop of sour cream. The sour cream cut the spiciness of the chilies. I also had a cup of their Green Chile Corn Chowder. It had sweet corn, spicy green chilies, and pecan wood grilled chicken. The chicken chunks were all white meat and were very tender.

We really couldn't decide what to order, since the menu contained several unique items, true to their New Mexican roots, but varied to make them stand out. The Santa CaFE plate offers 2-3 various specialty items. I chose a trio of Lobster Tamale with mango salsa, Tenderloin Relleno , and Carne Adovada, which is slow cooked pork in a smoky, spicy red chile sauce. The rice is spicy and the pinto beans savory.

My guest had the Blue Seafood Enchilada which comes in a blue corn tortilla with shrimp, lobster and halibut which was not spicy at all. He also enjoyed the Honey Smoked Pork Tamale which was spicy and smoky against the rich, creamy and sweet masa. The last item he ate was the chicken burro smothered in sauce and cheese.

144 N Country Club Dr
Mesa, AZ 85209
(480) 962-1000
originalblueadobe.com