Tag Archives: coffee

Foodie Holidays

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I feel like many people miss fun foodie/coffee/wine/environmental holidays because there really isn’t a clear list out there, and the dates are always changing because some happen to fall on a certain day of the week, at a specific number of weeks into a month. How confusing! Here’s a list of upcoming holidays for 2021, all in one place. I hope this helps you with your social media calendar, as well as any fun virtual parties you may be hosting with friends.

2021 Holidays:

Coffee Holiday Calendar | 2021 

  • Friday, May 7 – National Home Brew Day (beer + coffee) 
  • Sunday, May 16 – National Oat Milk Day 
  • Monday, July 26 – National Coffee Milkshake Day
  • Sunday, August 1 – August is National Coffee Month
  • Sunday, August 22 – World Plant Milk Day
  • Monday, September 6 – National Coffee Ice Cream Day + Labor Day
  • Wednesday, September 29 – National Coffee Day
  • Friday, October 1 – International Coffee Day
  • Monday, November 8 – National Cappuccino Day
  • Friday, November 19 – National Macchiato Day
  • Tuesday, November 23 – National Espresso Day

Foodie Holiday Calendar | 2021

  • Friday, April 30 – National Oatmeal Cookie Day + National Raisin Day 
  • Sunday, May 2 – National Chocolate Truffle Day
  • Sunday, May 9 – National Foodies Day + Mother’s Day
  • Saturday, May 15 – National Chocolate Chip Day
  • Sunday, May 23 – National Taffy Day
  • Friday, June 4 – National Donut Day + National Cheese Day
  • Monday, June 7 – National Chocolate Ice Cream Day
  • Monday, June 14 – National Strawberry Shortcake Day
  • Tuesday, June 22 – National Chocolate Eclair Day
  • Sunday, June 27 – National Orange Blossom Day
  • Wednesday, July 7 – World Chocolate Day 2021
  • Saturday, July 10 – National Piña Colada Day
  • Sunday, July 18 – National Ice Cream Day
  • Thursday, July 22 – National Mango Day + National Refreshment Day
  • Tuesday, August 3 – National Watermelon Day 
  • Wednesday, August 4 – National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
  • Sunday, August 8 – National Melon Day
  • Tuesday, August 10 – National S’mores Day
  • Wednesday, August 11 – National Raspberry Tart Day
  • Tuesday, August 24 – National Waffle Day + National Peach Pie Day
  • Monday, August 30 – National Toasted Marshmallow Day
  • Tuesday, August 31 – Eat Outside Day + National Trail Mix Day 
  • Thursday, September 2 – World Coconut Day
  • Saturday, September 4 – National Macadamia Nut Day
  • Thursday, October 14 – National Dessert Day
  • Wednesday, December 8 – National Brownie Day

Wine Holiday Calendar | 2021 

  • Friday, May 7 – International Sauvignon Blanc Day 
  • Tuesday, May 25 – National Wine Day
  • Saturday, June 12 – National Rosé Day
  • Wednesday, August 18th – Pinot Noir Day (Wine Wednesday)
  • Thursday, September 2nd – International Cabernet Sauvignon Day 
  • Friday, September 17th – International Grenache Day
  • Sunday, November 7th – International Merlot Day
  • Friday, November 12th – International Tempranillo Day

Environmental Awareness Days | 2021

  • Wednesday, April 28 – Stop Food Waste Day 
  • Monday, May 10 – Green Dreamer Day
  • Saturday, May 22 – World Biodiversity Day
  • Saturday, June 5 – World Environment Day
  • Tuesday, June 8 – World Oceans Day
  • Tuesday, June 15 – Nature Photography Day
  • Thursday, June 17 – World Day to Combat Desertification & Drought
  • Saturday, September 18 – World Cleanup Day & World Water Monitoring Day
  • Tuesday, September 21 – Zero Emissions Day
  • Sunday, September 26 – World Environmental Health Day
  • Monday, November 15 – America Recycles Day
  • Wednesday, November 17 – Take a Hike Day
  • Sunday, December 5 – World Soil Day

Random + Established Holidays | 2021

  • Tuesday, May 4 – Star Wars Day 
  • Wednesday, May 5 – Cinco de Mayo
  • Sunday, May 9 – National Foodies Day + Mother’s Day
  • Monday, May 31 – Memorial Day
  • Friday, June 18 – International Picnic Day
  • Sunday, June 20 – Summer in N. Hemisphere + Father’s Day
  • Sunday, July 4 – Independence Day 
  • Monday, September 6 – National Coffee Ice Cream Day + Labor Day
  • Sunday, October 31 – Halloween 
  • Thursday, November 11 – Veterans Day
  • Thursday, November 25 – Thanksgiving
  • Saturday, November 27 – Small Business Saturday
  • Monday, November 29 – First day of Hanukkah
  • Friday, December 24 – Christmas Eve
  • Saturday, December 25 – Christmas Day
  • Friday, December 31 – New Year’s Eve
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Ladurée – go for the macaroons

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Although the Ladurée at Harrods in London is adorable, I did not love their caffe latte quite as much since it tasted more of soya than espresso, which was so faint you almost couldn’t taste it. It also was too hot for a latte. The macaroons were so delicious that we ordered seconds, which is unusual for me since I hardly ever eat sweets. I strongly recommend their coconut macaroon, which dare I say it was better than the macaroons at Botegga Louie in downtown Los Angeles. The decor of this cafe is similar to that of Bottega, with the white marble floors, high ceilings, glass cases, and macaroon tree displays. The cups are also quite quaint and match with the overall feel of Ladurée, while reminding me of the teacups ride in Fantasy Land at Disneyland. They even had silver jugs for the milk, with small napkins made for the handle to keep you from burning your hands, which was both thoughtful and visual appealing.
   
   

Coffee & Tea Collective: Second location alert!

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As you may or may not know, I’m a sucker for Peaberry coffees. Once I saw the Guatemala Antigua Peaberry on the Coffee & Tea Collective menu, I knew I had no choice but to order it. The barista informed me that this was one of their more chocolatey and nutty coffees, with an apple-like acidity sensation as you sip it and let it settle on your palate. I tasted notes of orange and dark chocolate, and although strong, the Guatemala Antigua hardly had any bitterness to it, even served black.

Brewed manually single cup through a V6 Drip Cone, the brewing techniques and styles at Coffee & Tea Collective are all very visual; aesthetically and aromatically pleasing. He wets the filter first for preheating and cleansing purposes, and superstitiously thinks it makes it tastes better that way. Since my coffee was made later in the afternoon, they used their lower-traffic hot-coffee method. Although this method took slightly longer, it’s perfect for anyone who has time to enjoy a cup and isn’t in a situation where they need a grab and go.

Second location alert! This East Village/Downtown spot is the second Coffee & Tea Collective in San Diego, which has only been open about a month and a half (since mid-February 2015). The space highlights the brewing methods, with easy viewing of how each beverage is prepared and served individually.

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Where My Addiction Comes From

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If anyone was wondering where my caffeine addiction comes from.. This morning, around 8am, house keeping knocked on our hotel room door. Previously my mom had stated how exhausted she was, declined my offer to go swimming at one of the two beautiful pools, and even asked if I could shower first. However, when house keeping knocked on the door and I said we were still in here, checking out at 11, and didn’t need anything, my mom SPRUNG out of her bed and SPRINTED to the door, asking the house keeper for some more coffee. Regular.

I wouldn’t try the coffee, but she assured me it was better than flavored coffee, and definitively better than no coffee.

Inspired by Taste

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To celebrate the eve of Artís Coffee’s one-year anniversary in Berkeley, I paid a visit and ordered an almond milk latte. Best decision of the day, and what a great push towards productivity.

I want to return tomorrow to celebrate; we shall if my life journey brings me back in time! Hopefully, because there’s a chocolate truffle and coffee pairing from 11-11:30am and a DJ/pudding/ice cream taco party from 1pm-4pm. Mark your calendars, Bay Area caffeine addicts!

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Peaberry Coffee

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Coffee coffee coffee coffee!!

After a long hike through the hills of Berkeley Hugo and I desperately needed our fix of caffeine-fuel. We were directed (by Google) to the closest local coffee shop: Cole Coffee on College Ave in Berkeley.

I ordered the Kenya Peaberry iced coffee, which is a smokey and complex coffee with good acidity. A medium roast with a sweeter edge on the palate, it was completely drinkable sans-sugar and sans-milk. I chose this particular coffee (over my usual espresso-themed drink choices) because of my love of the rare peaberry bean. Also, since we just finished hiking through Strawberry Canyon, I found it appropriate to stay consistent with the theme of things that had “berry” in the name (even though I saw no berries).

Peaberry, also known as caracoli, is a type of coffee bean that occurs from natural mutation within the fruit/cherry. Normally the cherry of a coffee plant contains two seeds (the beans) that develop together, with one of their sides becoming flattened, looking as if it was cut in half. However, about 5% of the time, only one of the two seeds is fertilized, and this single seed develops with nothing to flatten it. This gives it an oval (or pea-shaped) bean known as a peaberry. They tend to be smaller, denser, a little sweeter and more flavorful than the average bean.

Hugo ordered the also-delicious hot Colombian Organic Fair-Trade roast, which was a classic French Roast, smooth with rich flavor. I think he just ordered this one because he’s Colombian and knows how great things from Colombia can be; obviously biased. IMG_9944-0.JPG

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National Coffee Day

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Happy National Coffee Day to all my fellow caffeine addicts and coffee lovers out there!

To celebrate this special holiday I started my day off with cold brewed coffee. But wait, it gets better. I started my day off with two free cold brewed coffees. Thanks to Fun and Cheap SF I knew that Bread & Cocoa was giving away free cold brewed coffee to the first 100 people, starting at 8am. Obviously I planned my day around making it there in time to take up this opportunity to celebrate my favorite holiday. I talked to the knowledgeable and friendly roaster and got to know a bit more about their commercial roasters company (Mr. Espresso Oak Wood Roasting) and the cold brewed coffees I was lucky (and determined) enough to enjoy. It turns out that they are the people that launched the coffee program that now exists at Bread and Cocoa!

The cold brew today was their 7 bridges blend, which relates well to the Bay Area and to connects with the people here. Since it’s never brewed hot, it allows you to really taste the coffee notes without bitterness and acidity because the coffee never has to be cooled down. The beans are from South and Central America, then roasted in Oakland. The main flavor profile is velvety, with flavor notes with different levels of sweetness, including brown sugar and dark chocolate. This blend is roasted pretty dark, mixed with dark and light beans that complement each other with smokiness.

A few takeaways:
1. I love cold brewed coffee.
2. It left an amazing after taste.
3. The best (and only real) way to celebrate National Coffee Day is with multiple cups of coffee.

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New Orleans Coffee

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My first local coffee stop in New Orleans: Antoine’s Annex on Royal near Toulouse. Out of all the coffee I had in New Orleans during my time there for the International Collegiate Conference for the American Marketing Association (which also happened to be the same time as the
French Quarter Music Festival) I discovered that Antoine’s Annex was my favorite. I loved the look of the place; the locals who recommended it were definitely on point with how clean it is inside! The doors and window panes (right word?) were a deep teal on the outside, but once you walked inside the floors were composed of black and white tiles, while the walls were decorated with large black and white photographs and white shelves. Due to the fact that outside it was humid and in the 80’s, I knew I’d want something cold for after we left the air-conditioned black and white cafe. I knew iced was the only option, which is how I came upon this refreshing iced soy latte. It was very smooth and a light tan color when the soy and espresso were mixed, with a ratio of soy to espresso that was very heavy on the soy side of things. The espresso was so good that I wish I’d ordered it with another shot.

The fresh, certified organic, and fair trade espresso actually comes from a family-owned local roaster, Orleans Coffee Exchange, which provides coffee to the majority of New Orleans coffee houses.

Multiple New Orleans locals recommended the place because it’s clean, has better coffee, and most important: it has ice cream. Even though I’m lactose intolerant, I can still appreciate the concept and understand the appeal of having both ice cream and good coffee.

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The art and science of good coffee.

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Best cappuccino in San Francisco is here at Jane. They have a list of different coffee options from Stumptown Coffee Roasters, which I’ve noticed is very popular up here in SF. Your choices for now until March 28th include: Sulawesi Toraja (profile: honey, cola, naval orange and marshmallow), Duromina (profile: strawberries and cream), Huye Mountain (profile: peanut butter, cocao, and raspberries), and Hairbended (profile: milk chocolate, Meyer lemon, and caramel). From this selection I chose the Huye Mountain beans from Rwanda, which was the best decision, especially with the lingering tastes of chocolate and peanut butter, in addition to how smooth the foam was on the well-designed cappuccino. My options for ways to order the Huye Mountain included espresso, macchiato, Gibraltar, or cappuccino, and I now want to try them all! I ended up with the cappuccino because I felt I needed the largest one possible. I got it with almond milk and they complemented eachother perfectly. Highly highly recommend. It was served in a white cup on a black saucer, which perfectly matched the black and white decor in this chic cafe. Everything about this cafe is thought out and inviting, including (but not limited to) the chevron tile tables, long bar, large cold brew drip, mirrored walls, two stories, and simplistic exterior.

They also are featuring Stumptown’s single origins, including the Sulawesi Toaraco Peaberry with darker notes and an earthy taste. Their coffee manager decided to have a chemistry-tube rack filled with different beans and spices to display the science that goes into each cup of coffee. It’s an art and a science: visually appealing and builds on the fact that baristas are both skillful artists and chemists.

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Goodreads Quotes About Coffee

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Tonight I discovered the website goodreads! (https://www.goodreads.com/).  Somewhat interesting to see that 53 of my Facebook friends are already members.

Let me enlighten you on a few of my new favorite quotes (on the topic of coffee, of course):

“It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity.”
― Dave Barry 

“I don’t know where my ideas come from. I will admit, however, that one key ingredient is caffeine. I get a couple cups of coffee into me and weird things just start to happen.”
― Gary Larson

“The powers of a man’s mind are directly proportioned to the quantity of coffee he drinks.”
— James Mackintosh

“As long as there was coffee in the world, how bad could things be?”
― Cassandra Clare, City of Ashes

“Police work wouldn’t be possible without coffee,” Wallander said.
“No work would be possible without coffee.”
They pondered the importance of coffee in silence.”
― Henning Mankell, One Step Behind 

“My couch is coffee-colored.  I can thank Starbucks and clumsiness for that.”
― Jarod Kintz

“It doesn’t matter where you’re from – or how you feel… There’s always peace in a strong cup of coffee.”
― Gabriel Ba, Daytripper

“Even bad coffee is better than no coffee at all.”
― David Lynch

“Come on, don’t you ever stop and smell the coffee?”
― Justina Chen, North of Beautiful 

You know you are really craving coffee when you start looking up quotes about it.