In 2018, a California judge ruled that coffee companies must post warnings about acrylamide in coffee. Shortly after, California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) reversed the ruling, stating that coffee does "not pose a significant risk of cancer"1. The United States Food and Drug Administration supported this decision, stating that warnings "would be... Continue Reading →
The availability, at the local fresh fruit market, of the most succulent cherries I have ever seen is the inspiration for this beautiful and delicious cherry vanilla coffee shake. Of course, if you can't find fresh cherries, the frozen variety will substitute nicely. Enjoy!
"We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.” As a family business with a number of longtime employees, we take the sentiment of this quote to heart. We recognize that the actions we do or do not make today shape tomorrow for our families, for our company, and... Continue Reading →
The summertime temperatures are still raging. Why not try a scrumptious coffee milkshake prepared specially for all of you bourbon lovers out there? It will undoubtedly help cool you off while the heat is most definitely still on. Enjoy!
Creating a sustainable café takes a great deal of mindfulness and devotion -- and those of you that purchase high-grown, shade-grown, ethically-sourced arabicas are 90% the way there! Finding excellent, sustainable coffee is by far the greatest hurdle to operating a sustainable café. These rest of it -- finding sustainable décor, cups, waste disposal options, etc. is the easy bit. It just takes a few easy swaps to turn your cafe from sustainably-sourced to environmentally-friendly.
Iced and blended with a touch of apricot and vanilla, this frappe is sure to chill you out on those hot-hot summer days! Today I am using Organically Grown Peru Dark Roast coffee for my frappe. The subtle apricot and vanilla tones of the coffee perfectly compliment the home-made apricot syrup. Best of all this coffee is Smithsonian Certified shade-grown and Bird Friendly. It is also a featured single-origin for August 2019 at TheQueenBean.com. To learn more about this wonderful bean click here. To read up on more coffees that are good for the earth, good for the animals, and good for you, be sure to check out our sustainability series.
When speaking about coffee, the term "organic" is complex. There is Certified Organic coffee, noted by a label that says Organic, and organically-grown coffee, also known as natural or passive organic. One is not necessarily cleaner, better for you, or better for the environment than the other.
Here is my take on a traditional Kirsch au Café, a delightfully refreshing summertime cocktail with quite the kick! The recipe works particularly well with TheQueenBean.com Espresso Joe. This complex creamy blend has notes of dried cherries, and charred oak -- a perfect compliment to the cherry brandy and cognac. Enjoy!
Good for the earth? Good for the workers? Good for the ecosystem? Good for all? Coffee certifications are numerous, diverse, and given to you with little or no explanation. Today, we are going to remedy that. Keep reading to learn more about coffee's primary environmental and social sustainability certifications.
