Starbucks Passion
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Showing posts tagged coffee tasting
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The clover brews…Fair Trade Colombia Asoapia
Just like I said in my last post “going to the clover,” I travelled to the Starbucks in Yorkville at Yonge and Bloor - 765 Yonge Street, to sample their Reserve coffee offerings.
I had no idea what was going to be on the menu, but I was excited to taste whatever the clover was offering. Would it be: Aged Sulawesi Kalosi? Brazil Sul de Minas Peaberry? Or El Salvador Montecarlos Estate Pacamara?… my mind was racing. Yet, it didn’t matter what they’d be offering; I’d be drinking it.
As always, the store was packed. The baristas were flying behind the counter with militant efficiency and everyone seemed happy, regardless of the line-up. Finally, I reached the clover…
I scanned the menu board and saw that El Salvador Montecarlos Estate Pacamara was on the menu. Sadly, however, they ran out of the El Salvador offering earlier that day. BUT, before I could grow sad and think this visit was a dissapointment, the kind barista said: “don’t worry, we still have plenty of Fair Trade Colombia Asoapia.”
Perfect! I love Fair Trade coffee and I love the clover brewing process; a match was set to be made in heaven… or, at least, in this clover store.
Without hesitation, I ordered a Venti and waited patiently for the clover to do what it does best – brew Starbucks Reserve coffee. The barista smiled warmly as she passed me the 20 oz cup of black gold.
I rushed to a nearby table and went through my coffee tasting ritual. First, I smelled the coffee. Chocolate and herbal notes ran up my nose and a slow smile crept across my face. (I know this sounds lame, but whatever, I liked what I smelled.) This rare coffee definitely had a dense and rich smell; a product of the rich soil that produces it.
Next, I tasted it. I tilted the cup towards my mouth and swirled it around my mouth. At first impression, it was dense and bold. I immediately tasted a sweet, citrusy, syrupy complexity that made my taste buds dance. Then, when I thought I tasted all it had, I got that chocolatey, herbal flavour I expected after smelling it. To say it was a nice cup of coffee would be an understatement. I don’t know how the clover did it… but whatever it did, it worked. What a bold and pleasant coffee.
This washed, Fair Trade certified coffee was much more complex than I could have ever imagined. With the spices, herbs and cocoa notes, I couldn’t help but pair it with a bag of roasted almonds – the perfect pairing.
That concludes this trip to the clover. I will definitely be back to taste another clover brew… and can’t wait.
Have you ever tried this coffee? Or, what’s your favourite Reserve coffee? I’d love to hear about it!
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I need your help - what’s your favourite coffee and food pairing?
My close friend, a SM Partner, has been asked to run a coffee tasting at his next District meeting.
To say he’s looking forward to it, would be a gross understatement; he’s ecstatic and hasn’t stopped thinking about what to serve.
But, he’s stumped. He doesn’t really know what coffee to serve and what food to pair it with.
I said I’d help him out – but I need some help from other Starbucks Partners and Enthusiasts to do that.
It’s simple:
Tell us your favourite coffee and food pairing in the comment box below. If someone has already suggested your favourite, post it anyway!
We’ll tally up the numbers and choose the coffee and food pairing that receives the most votes.
Anyone who votes will be entered into a draw to win a $5.00 Starbucks Gift Card.
Thanks for your help, everyone!
*contest closes on Tuesday, March 1, 2011.
(This contest is in no way affiliated with Starbucks. I am buying and sending the $5.00 gift card as a ‘thank you’ for helping with the coffee tasting task.)
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We have a winner!
The Contest is over and we’ve made a selection and picked a contest winner.
First off, I just want to say THANKS to everyone who submitted a suggestion. My friend was overwhelmed with the response and appreciates the great customer and partner feedback.
I said we’d choose the pairing with the most votes, but since everyone gave a unique pairing, we had to choose one.
My friend and I have tried a few of your suggestions and they’re all really good. But since we need to choose just one pairing for his tasting, we have decided to use….
Tim McCoy’s pairing! – Lemon drizzle cake and Ethiopian Sidamo.
As Tim says: “Lemon drizzle cake and Ethiopian Sidamo coffee - the citrus zing of the coffee makes it a perfect pairing – yummy.”
Thanks for the great advice, Tim! Much appreciated.
Now… on to the winner of the $5 Starbucks Gift Card. (remember it was a random draw? – I literally put names in a hat and pulled one out.)
And the Gift Card winner is…………. Kaori! (@buckedbythestar)
I will send your card out to you as soon as I can.
Thanks again to everyone who helped out and took part in this contest/campaign.
Let’s keep the combo convos going.
Cheers!
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Power Pairing #1 - Ethiopian Sidamo and Lemon drizzle cake
Two weeks ago I asked Starbucks partners and enthusiasts everywhere: what is your favourite coffee and food pairing?
The response was overwhelming and everyone who contributed added a unique and delicious pairing to that forum discussion. But since we had to choose a winner, or our favourite pairing, we picked Tim McCoy’s Lemon drizzle cake and Ethiopian Sidamo.
And with the winner being crowned, it’s now time to talk about this delicious combo or should I say, our first Power Pairing.
The Coffee
Ethiopian Sidamo is not your run-of-the-mill coffee. Maybe that’s because it’s one of the oldest coffees around or maybe because it’s nearly impossible to track down because of recent Ethiopian exportation bans. But politics and history aside, let’s chalk-up its excellence to its unique flavour profile.
Thankfully, I still have a bag of this Africa/Arabia gem in my pantry and thus, can bring you my tasting notes for this post.
I like my coffee freshly French pressed and with help from my Bodium 8-cup Black Crema press I got to enjoy this coffee last night.
I pressed the coffee, waited for it to steep and then poured a cup (or two, or three). Then, I put my nose into the cup and sniffed the black gold. A bold, heavy and floral aroma wafted up my nose. I could smell flowers, a hint of dirt and then lemons. It was powerful and pleasant.
After that, I tried the coffee. I tilted the cup back and let the bold coffee dance on my tongue. Again, just like I predicted, I tasted flowers and lemons. It was heavy, dense and really packed a punch. I was hooked and downed the cup as fast as its temperature would allow.
Then, it was time to round-out this Power Pair.
The Cake and Coffee
I don’t really have a sweet tooth, but I do enjoy citrus treats. I knew that the citrusy flavour of the coffee would complement this cake admirably. I was not disappointed.
First, a quick sip of the second cup of Sidamo and then a big bite of the lemon drizzle cake proved that this was indeed a Power Pair.
The cake’s sweetness matched the richness of the coffee; the lemon’ness was overwhelming when tasted with the lemony coffee. And I mean overwhelming in the tastiest way possible.
On their own, the cake and coffee are both delicious. But when paired together, they reach new heights of deliciousness and will transport you to a state of bliss.
Okay, bliss is a strong word – but you get it, you’ll love this pairing.
There you have it, Power Pairing #1.
Stay tuned because next week we’ll put a new coffee and food on the tasting menu.
Have you ever tried Sidamo? Do you like this pairing?
I’d love to hear your thoughts!
