A Nice Cuppa

I steer clear of most flavored coffees, as the flavorings tend to greatly overpower the subtleties of a really good coffee.  However, on occasion, it’s nice to amp up flavors in your coffee just for a change of pace.  But, rather than buying flavored coffee, why not just make your own, in small batches that […]

There are three simple words for the best latte I’ve ever tasted: flat white, London.  After a few days of decent lattes on Portobello Road in Notting Hill, I was fairly convinced that London espresso drinks wouldn’t quite live up to the quality of lattes that I have grown accustomed to in Seattle.  Portobello Road […]

Dark Chocolate, meet espresso.  Espresso, meet dark chocolate.  I knew you two would get along.
The key to making great espresso infused truffles is the quality of the espresso you are using.  The beans should be impeccably fresh and very finely ground.  I’d also recommend staying away from super-dark roasts, such as French or Italian.  These […]

As part of your regular cleaning ritual to make sure you have the best tasting espresso and coffee at home, don’t forget to include your grinder.  Oils and stale coffee bits build up after weeks of use and can start to taint your brew.  If you’ve ever ground flavored coffees or just notice that your […]

When you think chocolate, the tea isn’t the first thing that will likely pop into your mind.  Recent trends in chocolatiering might be changing that with tea-infused chocolate truffles and bars but I’m betting when you think about sitting down for a cup of tea, your mind wanders to floral and fruity rather than bittersweet.  […]

I am such a sucker for design. A cool box, a beautiful website, and especially the aesthetic of food. So, you can imagine my glee in finding Teality. Their highly graphic website is packed with gorgeous product shots of their various teas, their simple round metal boxes that hold the tea, and of course the […]

Is it fair to say a cafe is hidden if it’s on the main strip of one of the main suburbs in Seattle? Probably not. But, if you don’t know about Kahili Coffee and you are a Seattle area east-sider or a west-sider killing a few hours, say waiting to pick your […]

I currently own three different milk steaming pitchers. Given that I’m the only one in my house that really drinks coffee, this may seem a bit extreme. But in reality, I have three because I am on a quest to find the perfect pitcher to help compensate for my poor art pouring abilities. Let me […]

I recently purchased a book on tastings. As a food writer, I’m always on the look out for ways to refine my sense of taste and to better turn the flavors on my tongue into words that my readers can relate to. Simply saying “it tastes good” really doesn’t cut it. So, […]

A few days ago, Nicole posted a great snippet on Fair Trade coffee and why it’s important to put our dollars towards those companies and products that support ethical treatment of workers as well as a greater emphasis on sustainability and better environmental practices. I try to buy organic, Fair Trade and bird friendly […]