Play dough, lanterns, treasure maps, and more... If you are seeking new ways to entertain your hands and imagination, look no further than your morning pot of coffee.
Crafting with coffee
Coffee-chocolate cupcakes with chocolate-coffee buttercream frosting
"There's nothing a cupcake and coffee can't solve." - Marie Williams Johnstone The chocolate cupcake is reimagined with the addition of coffee to both the baked product and the frosting. Coffee adds a depth of flavor to the chocolate that must be tasted to be believed! This is an extraordinary twist on the classic cupcake,... Continue Reading →
Coffee cannoli
Ah, the cannoli; whether you love to fill them with ricotta, mascarpone or sheep's milk this traditional Italian dessert is always a favorite. Cannolo translates from the Italian as "little tube". Though many variations of the classic recipe exist, here I fill my little tubes with cinnamon-spice-coffee ricotta. The air-fried shells are light and flaky. The finished product is decidedly decadent. Enjoy!
Fruit in your coffee? Yes, and it’s delicious!
When the warmth of a spring breeze begins to fill the air, the craving for fresh fruit becomes undeniable. While it may at first, seem a strange pairing fruit and coffee blend in the most delicious and unexpected ways! Many flavored coffees are fruit toned, while other coffees have fruity notes in the beans themselves. Here are five of our preferred ways to incorporate fruit into your coffee. Enjoy!
Caramel cream Americano
A café Americano, consisting of espresso with added boiling water, is a staple in most coffee houses. Some say it acquired prominence during WWII. American soldiers in Italy found the espresso offered quite different than that of the brewed coffee they were accustomed to drinking at home. By adding hot water to their Italian espresso, the drink became much more palatable. The amount of water added varies by location. In the United States, the ratio is typically one part espresso to one part water, although some prefer one to two. The addition of water to espresso results in a beverage with similar strength to that of brewed coffee, but retaining the distinct flavor of espresso. To find your preferred ratio a bit of experimentation may be needed. Here I prepare an Americano using the one to one ratio. My version is decidedly sweet due to the addition of caramel cream topping. Enjoy!
Chocolate and candy covered coffee spoons
Jazz up your coffee gifting with these wonderful edible spoons. They make great party favors or wonderful additions to most dessert plates! This is one of the easiest ways to add panache to your after-dinner coffee, plus, you can involve the entire family and make it a fun crafty activity. Below I present some of my favorite ways to create chocolate and candy-covered spoons. Enjoy!
Tips for frothing your milk at home
Do you enjoy a latte with a tempting luscious velvet coating of milk? Does your taste run towards a cappuccino topped with stiff, glossy, frothy foam? Either way, there is nothing like a beautifully finished coffee drink! The process of frothing your milk allows the formation of microbubbles, which alter the surface of the milk itself. This structural change allows for more complete engagement of the taste buds, leading to a greater sensory experience when enjoying your beverage.
Cherry Valentine Mocha
What happens when you combine the sweetness of chocolate with the richness and depth of coffee? What if you next add in the sugary sweetness, almond tinged flavor of the maraschino cherry? You will have created a flavor explosion worthy of any great love affair, that's what! In celebration of Valentine's Day, we have prepared just such a treat. Enjoy!
Check out our favorite tips and recipes for cooking and baking with coffee
Tiramisu, espresso brownies, spicy meat rubs...we love cooking and baking with coffee. In this blog, we share some of our favorite coffee-based recipes as well the dos, don'ts, and must-makes of cooking and baking with coffee. Enjoy! Do use coffee: As a flavoring in baked goods and desserts We all know that coffee pairs magically... Continue Reading →
The Queens take on a Pharisäeer Kaffee (German-rum coffee)
It has been suggested that the Pharisäeer Kaffee originated in the 19th century at a baptismal celebration. The father, a local German farmer, decided to add rum to the guest's coffee as a surprise. This concoction was then topped with whipped cream to mask the odor of the alcohol from the unsuspecting pastor. The result was this lovely, soon to become a traditional, German rum coffee. Incidentally, do not stir this drink before imbibing. Traditionally, anyone caught stirring would be responsible for getting the next round. Enjoy!
Coffee with the Queen 
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