Famous for its espresso, and artist collection espresso cups, Illy has brought out a Graffiti Collection for its canned espresso that will be sure to live on after its use, or at least liven up a summer kitchen during use. The Love the Difference collection supports a foundation that brings together the diversity of cultures around the Mediterranean coast. The clear plastic sleeve that brands the coffee is quickly removed, revealing the artwork below.
ReadMore at Illy
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The cost is just under $30 where available at their website - they appear to ship all over.
More at Outpresso
]]>I do believe though when I have looked back at the best coffees that I have had they have all come from cafes that do roast their own either on premises or at a sister shop around town. I used to live about a block from one such coffee house and while the smell of roasting coffee is not universally loved, I saw it as a sign to head over to the shop and grab the fresh stuff the next day as they started to put it all out for sale. Still off-gassing when you opened the bins, the smell of the coffee that next day was amazing, and the freshness of course couldn't be beat.
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NexPod is a new pod system for the Nespresso line of makers that allows you to use your own capsules with your favorite espresso coffee. You might even be able to save a little money over the ~$0.55 cost per Nespresso capsule; I paid $23 on eBay for mine that shipped from Switzerland. That puts it at about $0.28 each empty capsule. Adding up the cost of about 4-5g of coffee per capsule, that adds about a dime to the cost of each unit. These can save about $15 - $20 per box of 80 units; not bad.
It arrived in about two weeks. The box is packed with 80 plastic capsules and a bunch of paper disks, the filters the you will load into the plastic capsule.
To make the review as fair as possible, I cut into a Nespresso Ristretto capsule and poured the coffee into the NexPod, and closed it. There was some coffee left over; I didn't realize how packed the Nespresso capsules were! Rest assured, I packed as much into the NexPod as I could and only left a small amount out. The loading of the capsules is easy, but if you were to do several of these, you would want to keep them in an air tight container, as the capsules have the little holes to let the water flow in and the espresso flow out.
I had a little trouble jamming the NexPod into my Nespresso Essenza C-100 and a yet to be launched Nespresso Citiz brewer as it hung up just before getting into position. I gave it a quick tap, and the capsule fell into the bin, opening up and dumping the ground coffee all over the spend capsule bin. After being a bit more precise, I did it again, tapped it and got it into position quickly closing the lever to keep it from falling again.
Brewing gave it a good head of crema, about half of the level I usually find in the regular Ristretto, and sadly the cup was a bit weak too. I ran through a few of these, and continued to pack as tight as I could, with similar results. It's too bad, because the promise of a decent alternative is there. In the end, with the hassle of making up the pods, the somewhat weaker results and the concern over the pods not quite loading as easily as the Nespresso capsules, I have to say that these are not for me. If you are interested in getting some to pack in your favorite espresso that you just can't match at the Nespresso store, go for it. I just don't see the value in saving up to $20 across a few months' time given the trade-offs.
ReadMore at NexPod
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to cover this, Dunkin Donuts has an iPhone App and online service to help you or your co-workers organize a run to the store. The service allows you to send invites via email to groups of people and allows you as the runner to get an accurate order list that you print out and hand to the Dunks guy. The application on the iPhone also gathers the order and gets it compiled for taking to the store. In fact, why not send the group the email, give then 5 minutes to get the orders in and walk out the door? By the time you walk in the store, you have the orders on your phone. Just a matter of time before Starbucks does this, only you'll be able to have swanky designs in the background and be able to tie your order to your Starbucks credit card.
]]>Starbucks is moving to a practice where beans will be ground right before each pot of drip coffee is brewed, and brew that pot every 24 minutes. This is a change from the current practice of grinding in the morning for the day ahead of time, saving critical minutes when the shop is busy and people are standing in line. McDonalds, the kings of service efficiency and design, might say that you do the most efficient method, but it missed the amazing aroma that pulls people into the fantasy that coffee shops conjure. Will the pot of coffee be better? Technically, yes, but to the average patron, sipping it out of a paper cup through a plastic lid blocks down the street, no way. The overall experience should be better if they can tie that aroma to the shop and the act of getting that great cup of coffee.
Across town where McDonalds is trying their best to get a big foothold in the Coffee market, the place smells like fries and a burger - so coffee shop aroma there. This can be a key differentiator for Starbucks and help them reinforce the quality image that they are trying to culture.
The Bob Marley legend lives on in many ways, and this time it's through a new line of coffee put out by Bob's son Rohan. The line off coffees also support the Marley Coffee Foundation, a charity focused on brining soccer fields to the coffee producing nations around the world.
The Marley Coffee Line includes:
Lively Up! - organic espresso - "Our exquisite 5-bean espresso is dynamically balanced and rich in body. Its dense, abundant taste leaves a long, savory finish with flavors of cocoa, candied fruit and buttery caramel notes."
One Love Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe - "From the birthplace of coffee, One Love's floral aromas unfold with hints of blueberry, cocoa and spice with a medium body and bright acidity. It tantalizes the palette leaving a profound cherry finish."
Mystic Morning Wake up Coffee - "This rich but snappy coffee is medium to full bodied with wonderful acidity. Aromas and tastes of cocoa, spice, cedar, cinnamon and cooked pumpkin gives you the perfect morning kick."
Jammin' Java Organic Full City Roast - "Sultry, smoky, sweet, and yet unexpectedly smooth brew will leave you wanting more. Full bodied with traces of earthy overtones, dark chocolate berries that produce a zingy acidity and rich lingering finish."
ReadMore at Marley Coffee
Check out the sale at Whole Latte Love
]]>Ingredients:
Pull your shot, and pour it slowly over the ice while swirling. The full glass of ice should chill the espresso quickly. Fill the glass with cold water and stir in sugar (optional). Add a splash of milk or half and half as desired. Sit back and relax.....
You may want to play with the amount of espresso, sometimes I find a double shot into a 12 ounce glass of ice and then follow the general directions above is a bit more appealing, and a bit more of a punch too.
I prefer getting an Arabica only blend and usually use an ESE pod for the summer brewing - they are easy to keep on hand and they suit my tastes for this. The southern Italian or Robusta or "Classic" blends typically have a reasonable amount of robusta coffee blended in that gives them a strong coffee base flavor especially in the finish. Ice it down, and my experience is that the flavors are more pronounced and bitter in the finish; something that I don't like. Check out Pod Merchant's 100% Arabica ESE Sampler for a great way to try out a few. That's how I found the Compagnia dell'Arabica Colombia which is what I like to brew. For the summer, the Bodum Pavina glasses are a great way to keep the iced coffee cool, and not have the glass sweat - I use the 2-ounce glasses for shots of espresso and the Bodum Pavnia 12 ounce Glasses for iced espresso.
Bodum Pavnia 12 ounce Glasses at Amazon
This little number will use ESE pods as well as ground coffee, so we thought at $145 bucks we just had to feature it. The Lello 1375 is a 950-watt espresso/cappuccino machine made of heavy-duty stainless steel. The thermoBlock 15-bar pump-driven system provides uniform, constant pump pressure, and there's a larger removable 2-1/4-quart water reservoir which can be refilled from the top at any time. The cup warming area allows up to 9 cups to be warmed before use. We say if you have a second summer house or your just looking for espresso on the cheap - this machine won't disappoint.
]]>If you believe Howard Schultz, Starbucks isn't really worried about the competition, but their recent ad campaign that drives for coffee authenticity says they are as they talk about the intrinsic value of their coffee, their quality and your need not to accept anything inferior (read: "McDonalds"). Should be an interesting battle, as McDonald's will certainly achieve some success at what cost to Starbucks, only Howard and a few of his inside market share crunchers will know, but it is pretty clear that the press seems to think that success by McDonald's has to come at the expense of Starbucks from all the head to head attention the McDonald's launch is generating. While I am not a zealous fan of Starbucks, I do appreciate the quality that they bring to the party, and with McDonald's investment in the espresso coffee market, I believe that they will grow the market significantly. Some of that growth will most likely come in the form of muted growth at Starbucks in the future.
CoffeeReview.com took a look and rates the Cappuccinos the same, with a slightly milkier flavor for the McDonald's one versus the Starbucks version offering a bit more depth to the coffee flavor. this was also true for the Lattes. The Mocha and Caramel flavored drinks at McDonald's sound like they were designed to be more appealing to McShake drinkers with their sweetness levels and low coffee impact. The difference was "Dramatic" according to the article.
More at CoffeeReview.com
]]>The Handpresso offers and easy way to get espresso wherever and whenever you want, as long as you have access to hot water. Well they just sent out a newsletter and offered another cool use for espresso this summer; as a topping to ice cream. Take vanilla ice cream, scoop it into bowls, and put it back in the freezer to get rock hard. Bring it out, and pull a shot of espresso right onto the vanilla ice cream You might even try topping it off with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
At just $79 bucks, we think this DeLonghi Espresso maker has everything you need to make a shot or two of espresso on the cheap. This machine is a 15-bar pump-driven espresso machine with durable stainless-steel boiler. It features 2 thermostats for separately controlling water and steam pressure, and accommodates E.S.E. pods and ground espresso
]]>As the recession continues though, coffee bean prices are holding up as demand is very much there. From what I have seen from reader email, people are switching to less expensive means of getting their coffee; trade down from espresso to drip when outside the home, buy into home brewing of espressos, bring coffee to work in a high quality thermos to avoid paying $4 a cup. All smart moves if they meet your needs for quality, flavor and price.
Time to trade up?
While the recession is time to save some money here and there, buying better coffee may be a great way to save money. Stopping by the coffee shop less often? For the price of a few Lates you can afford one of the best pounds of coffee on the shelf to brew yourself at home. If you were already brewing high quality coffee at home, I say keep doing it. Where else can you move from terrible quality to excellent quality for about $8; and enjoy the difference each and every day? You can do that when buying a bag of coffee at the store, and I think trading down to bad coffee for home is the last thing I'll do to save money.
So go get a great bag of coffee at the grocery store, brew it to your liking, grab a coffee flavor wheel and enjoy the experience of drinking high quality coffee. Make notes of what the flavors were like, learn the differences between the flavors. Next time, try a different origin, blend or roast and compare to the last coffee you brewed. Brew. Drink. Repeat.... and enjoy.
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MyPressi announced the Twist portable espresso maker that is not powered by pumping but by using a pressurize cylinder to power the shot with constant pressure all the way through the extraction cycle. It uses fresh espresso or an ESE pod in the holder, add water, and pull the shot. The CO2 cartridge does the rest, offering a 9-bar pressure across the entire shot. Each cartridge lasts for about 8 shots of espresso. Clearly, a nice design aesthetic with the Twist, and I am looking forward to trying one out. I have one on the way as an early review unit, while the Twist should be available later this year - list price $129.
More at MyPressi
Full Press release after the jump.....
]]> Espressi, Inc. Tells Espresso Drinkers, "Take It To Go." Literally.The mypressi TWIST™, the world's first state-of-the-art handheld espresso machine, debuts at the
21st Annual Specialty Coffee Association of America Conference & Exhibition
ATLANTA (April 16, 2009) - Today Espressi, Inc. unveiled the mypressi TWIST™, a revolutionary new espresso maker that will change the way America drinks coffee. Using a unique pneumatic engine, the sleek perfectly-portable mypressi TWIST eliminates the coffee-line wait, the high price tag for quality machinery and the on-the-road "where am I going to get my coffee" quandary. Debuting this week at the 21st Annual Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Conference & Exhibition, the mypressi TWIST is expected to hit store shelves this fall and sell for approximately $129 MSRP.
"The mypressi TWIST is the first portable, personal espresso maker to deliver superior espresso quality - anytime, anyplace. Our revolutionary patent-pending pneumatic delivery system provides the ideal espresso extraction pressure without manual pumping," states Stephen O'Brien, Espressi, Inc. CEO and creator of the mypressi TWIST. "The TWIST has exceeded expectations by consistently delivering espresso with ideal aroma, flavor, color and crema; all from a small one-pound machine. This really is the first quality espresso machine that allows you to say, 'I'll take it to go'. I invite any coffee connoisseur or barista to put the mypressi TWIST to the test."
Stylish, lightweight and effortless to use, the TWIST has no need for external power, making it an ideal portable companion for the creation of delicious espresso or espresso-based drinks. Delivering superior power in a machine that is small and light enough to fit easily into a briefcase, backpack or handbag, the mypressi TWIST is notably different from other handheld machines on the market. The TWIST delivers a precise - and consistent - 135 psi (pounds per square inch), or just more than nine bars of pressure throughout the entire shot. This is the ideal pressure for perfect espresso extraction, ensuring the shot is at its peak in flavor, aroma and color.
Working equally well with fresh coffee grounds or ESE coffee pods (with optional adaptor) the mypressi TWIST uses small standardized gas cartridges--commonly used for whipped cream or soda water--and hot water to create its signature shot. A single cartridge produces approximately four double shots of espresso for just cents per shot, making the TWIST as cost effective as it is convenient.
To operate the mypressi TWIST, simply insert a cartridge into the pressure chamber, fill the basket with fresh ground coffee or a coffee pod, and fill the upper compartment with hot water. With a simple pull of the trigger the TWIST produces one or two shots of espresso perfection ready to be enjoyed alone, or as the base for any coffee beverage. The TWIST has an easy-to-clean design that is also dishwasher safe, ensuring even after months of use that there are no left over oils to oxidize or spoil subsequent shots.
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Nespresso launched a series of single origin capsules that come a little late to the recent single origin craze that has made for some interesting drinking among those who are experimenting. I would have loved to have seen a mico-lot or single estate based capsule, but maybe we'll see that in a Special Edition sometime. There are three new single origin capsules available hailing from India, Colombia and Brazil. From the Nespresso site, they describe the Single Origin capsules like this:
Indriya Indian- "The Arabica is lightly roasted, to allow its subtle aromas to remain. In contrast the Robusta is well roasted to allow its intensity to be expressed and to develop a full body. Moreover, very fine grinding supports the body and enhances the flavor." - After re-reading this description from Nespresso, I am not surprised to see a split roast on this, where they roast the different beans and then blend after roast to obtain more complexity. The up front (Arabica) flavors are lighter, not smoky or pungent, but good coffee flavors leading to the Robusta flavors that follow. The Indriya blend has a definite Robusa finish that lingers without too much bitterness. The flavor is just a little earthy for me, and while I really like a Robusta blend for espressos, this was a little too earthy for me. Nicely complex and balanced though. If you like a "Blend" type espresso, you should give this one a try.
Rosabaya Colombian- Notes of red fruit, suggestive of wine: black currant, cranberries and red currants. - This was my favorite and while I usually like a bit of robusta in my espressos, but this was excellent. Clean flavor with bright floral notes and enough acid to make it interesting but not so much that it makes it sour.
Dulsao Brazilian - Sweet notes of honey and maple syrup dominate, on a base of malted cereal. This definitely has a grassy and caramelized cereal flavor to it and some amount of sourness. Not as clean and crisp as the Colombian, but still a good brew.
The new Lungos that can be appreciated in a longer pull/taller shot (3.75 ounces/110 ml) are:
Fortissio - "A full body and bitter base from which a note of intensely roasted grains develops, along with plant and woody notes, reinforced by a typical cereal note from the hint of Robusta." - I went through this set of capsules in a few days. I loved it, and is at the top of the list when I go back to re-order. I never really liked the Lungo's before, but the Fortissio is a great few ounces of coffee; well balanced and a nice strong cup of coffee.
Finezzo - "Floral Notes reminiscent of jasmine and orange blossom, and notes of the bergamot fruit." - I was not able to get this one with the early order I placed, but will grab this in the next order.
The one thing that I like on the new packages was the strength ratings for the capsules inside - a nice reminder of what you have there when you have a bundle of cartons in the cabinet.
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I've been happily brewing with the Nespresso Citiz for a couple of weeks now, taking some extra time to bring in some of the new Nespresso Single Origins capsules to do things up right. The Single Origins are great, and I'll do a full review on those later next week. The Nespresso Citiz espresso maker is coming to the US this Fall, and I was able to get a sneak peak at a US version now ahead of the launch. From what I see, it's a fantastic design and a great espresso machine and I am ready to trade in my Essenza for one. Why? - Three reasons 1) Small Footprint - it's the width that counts here and it just takes up less room at only 5.1 inches wide 2) the ability to accommodate taller glasses/cups for Lungo's and 3) The standby mode that saves energy when I forget to turn the unit off.
The Nespresso Citiz will come in two basic versions for the US, the regular single version that I used, and the Citiz and Milk which essentially offers an Aeroccino on the side to whip up frothed milk while brewing. There is a Citiz & Co, a dual maker "machine" that offers two side by side machines for serious households that need to brew two shots at a time.
The Nespresso Citiz comes with a 19-bar pump, and a 1 liter (~34 ounces) reservoir which is plenty big for espresso brewing, and reasonable if you are making Lungo's all the time (110 ml/3.75 ounce coffees). The heating time is similar to my Essenza, and has you brewing in a minute or so. The unit brews nicely, but with the shorter lever action (about half as long as the Essenza), it takes a little getting used to. the brewing buttons have moved to the top, still offering the short and lungo brews that automatically shut off. Open the lever, drop in a Nespresso capsule, close the lever, and punch a button. In about 30 seconds the frothy espresso with rock star crema will be waiting. If you want a lungo, the brew time is a bit longer, but not too bad. Lift the lever again for the next brew and the capsule drops into the spend capsule chamber that holds about ten spent capsules comfortably.
Auto Standby
I like the automatic standby, and see it as a great convenience. They were smart, and didn't design it to go into standby mode too quickly, as I typically have a shot ahead of eating breakfast and one after - when doing this, the machine was still ready to brew and hot. When it is in standby mode, the brew buttons flash on and off in an alternating mode. One quick push of either and the Citiz heats up and is ready to go.
Flip up Cup Holder
I loved the flip up cup holder, because I started brewing Lungo's with the new Fortissio capsules and the cups just fit well under the brew head a lot better. It's that simple.
Review Summary
After brewing several dozen espressos through the new Citiz, I can say that I really love it. Same Nespresso quality, with a smaller footprint, and some nice convenient features. I brewed a lot of variety from the new single origin nespresso capsules to old standbys like the Ristrettos, and even the new Lungo's. All very good. My Nespresso Essenza has moved over and is in retirement with a fresh new face on the counter handling the brewing. The thin profile is just too good not to pass up.
Coke and Illy have been test marketing the Ready to Drink Issimo in NYC, and are expected o roll it out nationally to select outlets this summer. For those who think that Coke doesn't get coffee, and that Starbucks and Pepsi are the pioneers here, Coke actually has a significant ready to drink coffee business in Japan, that at one point brought in more revenue than its carbonated soft drink business. Not sure where it is at today, but they do know a bit about coffee. We'll see how they do with this launch into an economy that is not exactly screaming "indulgence" where they want to capture up to 30% of the ready to drink coffee market by 2012.
Have you tried it? Let us know what you think.
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Starbucks launched the Via instant coffee about a month ago to great fanfare a semi interested public but left a lot of people scratching their heads asking Why? Starbucks kept pushing insisting it was different than other instants in that it is finally the first instant that is good. Well by most accounts they were half eight - it is unlike other instants.
The idea behind Starbucks Via is that you can mix soluble instant coffee (just like most other instants) with micro ground coffee beans that will provide extra boat and flavor. Technically this is no small feat and according to Starbucks they were working on this for a decade. When grinding that much heat build up can be a concern which can cause all kinds of unwanted changes essentially ruining what you just created in the roaster.
I ordered up a couple of packs of each of the Colombian and the Italian Roast for this review. They arrived weeks ahead of my free sample that I ordered at the same time (which just arrived last week) so I think that people are just getting around to trying Via now.
To make Via just dump it in the cup and add 8 ounces of hot water. Simple enough. The result is really unimpressive when compared to other "at home" options. The up front flavor is clean and reasonable but there is a watery and unimpressive finish that tastes like a thin cup of brewed coffee cut 50/50 with water. Its almost like taking that last swig of iced tea in the summertime when all of the ice cubes melted - some flavor there just not enough. I like the Italian Roast over the Colombian but that's my flavor preference for a stronger cup.
Making A Reasonable Cup with Via
Not deterred by my disappointment I tried a lot of combinations, with sugar, then milk, then both and finally cutting the water down. The combination that I landed on was one that I could live with and gave me a reasonable cup of coffee. I used one Italian Roast and one Colombian and added about 10 ounces of water then a full complement of milk and sugar. The milk and sugar added enough body to help make the cup reasonable while the combination of the two coffee types added a bit of complexity to make it interesting and more multifaceted. Starbucks pitches this as an additional coffee occasion, like on a "Road Trip", "After Lunch", on a "Soccer Sideline" that clearly screams - "Don't Cannibalize the Latte Business!" For this stuff, it works; it is not a replacement for a latte or espresso. It's suitable as a replacement for mediocre brewed coffee when concentrated.
This served me well and offered a way to go through the pack while enjoying the coffee on a daily basis at work.
You say "Micro Ground" I say "Grit"
The one byproduct of the micro-ground coffee bean technology is the grit that is left at the bottom of the cup. I use a black mug at work, so the residual grounds don't show up, but in this picture of the grounds left over in a white mug, you get the idea. It's almost like drinking drip coffee when someone uses the gold metal filters that let the silt through; yea, like that. You can't detect the grit when drinking, but the leftovers will reveal the magic of the micro ground coffee if left hanging around.
Review Summary
Overall, I was skeptical of the ability of Via to provide a good cup of coffee; I mean come on, instant? In the end Via can make a decent cup of coffee, not awesome, but decent, and that's better than the alternative sometimes. The issue is that I need two of the packets and only about 10-ounces of water to get that decent cup. Without shipping charges on the stuff, that's $1.60 a cup to me, using two packets. To me the value equation is off, and compared to the other coffee alternatives, I would rather stick with those around me. So, if you want Via, I'll say that one can get a decent cup of coffee; but not by following the directions as it will be just too weak. I'll run through my final packets, and say goodbye to Via.
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While you may be looking for an easier way to brew a good espresso everyday you should also take the time to check out the Francis Francis X8 iperEspresso
If you haven't experimented on different types of ESE pods, you should. The simple act of trying new varieties in your ESE compatible machine will get you thinking about what you like, and sometimes more importantly what you don't like. The "work" can help educate and refine what you taste on a daily basis, and it may just help you find a new house favorite.
At Amazon - PodMerchant Espresso Pod Super Sampler
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If you want to know more about Gimme, they'll tell you, and have a few posts up on their site to get you to be an informed buyer:
The news just doesn't stop from the house of Nespresso! They are coming out with three new single origin capsules - Indriya from India, Rosabaya from Columbia and DulSao from Brazil. The Single origin coffee trend is a strong one, and clearly Nespresso saw the demand. I like trying them side by side, or sequentially to appreciate the different flavors that the regions have to offer.
Indriya - "The Arabica is lightly roasted, to allow its subtle aromas to remain. In contrast the Robusta is well roasted to allow its intensity to be expressed and to develop a full body. Moreover, very fine grinding supports the body and enhances the flavor."
Rosabaya - Notes of red fruit, suggestive of wine: black currant, cranberries and red currants.
Dulsao - Sweet notes of honey and maple syrup dominate, on a base of malted cereal.
The new Lungos that can be appreciated in a longer pull/taller shot, are the
Fortissio - "A full body and bitter base from which a note of intensely roasted grains develops, along with plant and woody notes, reinforced by a typical cereal note from the hint of Robusta."
Finezzo - "Floral Notes reminiscent of jasmine and orange blossom, and notes of the bergamot fruit."
Might have to grab a few to try out in the New Citiz unit in for review....
All new Nespresso capsules are at available once you log in at Nespresso
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We helped to break the news on the Handpresso Wild ESE, well the folks from Handpresso are now addressing the need to take your own favorite espresso grind with you. The Handpresso Dome Pod is a new design that allows you to add your own espresso to a pod holder, pack it in an included case (up to 3 pods go with you) and make espresso from those pods while on the go.
Clean up is easy was the used espresso puck just pops out of the pod.
Check out the video at Handpresso - just click ont eh video image on the lower right to see how it works.
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Nespresso has never been short on design quality and the new Nespresso CitiZ line is a new line of slim machines that will certainly help the space starved city dwellers who still want an automatic espresso machine. The CitiZ line is launching in the US soon, and should will be offering that Nespresso convenience of brewing high quality espresso from their line of over a dozen different varieties of espresso capsules.
The design isn't just for those who live in the city, but is also reminiscent of the city skyline when you consider that the narrow, tall skyscraper was an inspiration for the design. Shown here, it is much thinner than the Nespresso Essenza that I usually crank out my coffees from. Available in eight colors, the red one is striking against the chrome accents. Look for a full review soon.
First thoughts? Thin baby, thin. This might be great on the proverbial camping trip, but wow, it's not going to substitute for a morning coffee around this house. Maybe I could use it at work where I can boost the body of my office coffee like pouring a shot of Stok into it to top it off.
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Saw this on Etsy and thought I would pass it along - a "Green" sleeve that can cut down on those paperboard sleeves that you may be using at the coffee shop. Made from burlap and a green oriented felt, these sleeves are cheap - $2 + shipping. They come in a number of colors, and are handmade by an artist here in the US.
at Etsy - Greensleeve Reusable Cup Sleeve
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Starbucks and their image as over the top consumerism is front and center on the minds of the people trying to get you to drop a buck or four at their shops every morning. Sure the $4 latte is great, but how about a whole breakfast value meal for less than that? No, not an Egg McMuffin, but close. They are searching for that high quality taste experience that doesn't stink the place up with food smells that would overwhelm the coffee aroma. that coffee aroma and the loss of it is one of the reasons that they pulled breakfast sandwiches originally.
Maybe they needed to add an airwash system to the new grind and brew machines that they just rolled out to pump out even more coffee aroma into the stores.
Either way, the new breakfast value meals are certainly a way to get more value out of the local Starbucks; and maybe you can save a few bucks along the way.
If you are interested in reading more about their toils on the new breakfast offerings at Starbucks; check out the article in the NYT on the subject.
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Etsy is an artist market online that serves as a clearinghouse for merchandise to find its way to adoring buyers all over the world. I was looking around the other day and found these Espresso Cups and had to pass them along.
these "Run and Join the Circus" cups are just one of the fantastic coffee/espresso related items that are selling on Etsy. Go check it out.
At Etsy - Run and Join the Circus Espresso Cups
]]>The big deal is that they seem to have taken a conservative approach to expanding stores, and have managed through the start of this recession well, despite a slow down in overall sales of 3%. Not bad. So instead of having hundreds of stores closing under the Caribou name, they appear poised to continue prudent growth of their shops. Maybe there's some light at the end of the tunnel after all.
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