Lovelier than a thousand kisses,

Sweeter far than muscatel wine!

-          Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer  (1685 – 1750)

Here’s to love AND coffee!

Get 10% off everything on http://www.EnjoyBetterCoffee.com and http://www.EnjoyBetterTea.com through tomorrow, February 15, 2012.

Please use coupon code VDAY10

* Valid through 02/15/2012. Valid on http://www.EnjoyBetterCoffee.com and http://www.EnjoyBetterTea.com with NO MINIMUM ORDER.   Not valid with other coupons. Not valid for special sale items.

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/douwe-egberts/id491713061?mt=8

As always, enjoy better coffee!

Treat your love to a favorite roast, or try a new one.  We are now carrying a new Douwe Egberts coffee:  Mocca Aroma

It is a medium to dark roast, ground for most coffee makers, with a great aroma (of course!).

Or, how about one of our assorted coffee accessories?  We have cookies, mugs, gift packs, along with coffee makers.  Check out our new Primula stovetop espresso coffee makers and a convenient cordless milk frother from Aerolatte.  This along with our existing range of French Press coffee makers, makes us a one-stop shop for your Valentine.  Order today to ensure delivery!

We have Illy coffee again too! We had not been able to get it because of distribution issues, but we have a new distributor and expect to have it regularly now!

As always, Enjoy Better Coffee!

The first time I came upon a recipe to use coffee in a savory item, I was surprised that I had never thought about it before then.  I mean, coffee has a great flavor and goes well with different foods.  Since then, I have seen thousands of coffee recipes that involve the obvious – a drink – and of course, plenty of desserts.  But, I like the savory items that use coffee best!  (A good cup of coffee is dessert enough to me!)

I just posted a recipe on our recipes page for coffee-rubbed cheeseburgers with bbq sauce and another recipe for a coffee gelée (sweet dark coffee in gelatin form).  Let us know what you think!

INGREDIENTS

Coffee rub:

1 tablespoon freshly ground coffee

2 teaspoons (packed) golden brown sugar

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Burgers:

8 slices smoked bacon

1 pound ground chuck

1 pound ground sirloin

8 slices smoked provolone, smoked caciocavallo, or smoked Gouda cheese (about 8 ounces)

8 hamburger rolls

Tomato slices, onion slices and your favorite bbq sauce for serving

For coffee rub:
1.  Mix all ingredients in small bowl.   Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

For burgers:

1. Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Break in half. Gently mix chuck and sirloin in large bowl. Form meat into 8 patties, each 3 1/2 to 4 inches in diameter and 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Using thumb, make slight indentation in center of each burger (this will help with shrinkage when it cooks).  Cover separately and chill.
2. Prepare grill (medium-high heat). Sprinkle 1 teaspoon coffee rub on top side of each burger. Place burgers, rub side down, on grill rack. Grill until slightly charred, about 4 minutes; turn.
3. Place 2 bacon slice halves atop each burger. Cook 3 minutes.
4. Top each with 1 cheese slice. Cover and cook until cheese melts, about 1 minute longer.
5. Place burgers atop bottom halves of buns. Top with onion slices and tomato slices. Spoon dollop of your favorite bbq sauce over it all. Cover with bun tops and serve, passing additional sauce alongside.

For Gelée:

6 Tablespoons finely ground dark-roast cofee

2 1/4 cups boiling-hot water plus 1 Tablespoon cold water

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored geleatin (from one 1/4-oz envelope)

2 teaspoons vanilla

For Topping:

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 cup chilled heavy cream

scant 1/4 teaspoon curry powder

INSTRUCTIONS

Make gelée:

1.  Brew ground coffee in a filter-style coffeemaker (not electric) or a sieve lined with a paper filter using 2 cups boiling-hot water.

2.  Meanwhile, bring granulated sugar and remaining 1/4 cup hot water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat.

3.  Sprinkle gelatin over 1 tablespoon cold water and let soften 1 minute.

4.  Stir together hot coffee, sugar syrup, and vanilla in a metal bowl, then add gelatin mixture, stirring until dissolved.

5.  Chill, covered, until softly set, at least 8 hours.

Make topping:

1.  Force brown sugar through a sieve into a bowl, then add cream and curry powder and beat with an electric mixer or a whisk until it just holds soft peaks.

Finally, divide gelée among 10 (2- to 4-ounce) cups (such as espresso cups) and top with dollops of the whipped cream.

We want you to have all the coffee you need for the holidays by ordering through tomorrow to help ensure your coffee is delivered in the nick of time! Humor aside, we all know how busy it gets at this time of year.  In addition, because our shipping partners, USPS and FedEx, are at their busiest, we know that their delivery times can be longer than usual. If you order by tomorrow, we can guarantee you will receive your order before Christmas.

As our gift to you, through tomorrow, all orders of $50 or more on www.EnjoyBetterCoffee.com will get free shipping!

* Please use coupon code FREE50

And, yes, all our tea is available through our coffee site, so you can save on both with 1 order.  Happy Holidays!  Order now!

Long before I ever worked for Enjoy Better Coffee, Inc. I gave tea and coffee as gifts.  Sometimes it would be my favorite brand or flavor; sometimes it was something I knew the recipient liked.

At the holidays, I like to have some wrapped gifts, unlabelled, under the tree for any company that comes by, perhaps with a gift for us.  I can then just walk over to the tree and pick up one of the wrapped gifts so I don’t feel caught off-guard.  I particularly like tea and coffee for this reason, in case I have any left over after the holidays, I know I will be able to use them.

I also like tea and coffee as hostess gifts.  This time of year, we see more people and friends than at other times of the year.  I like to be able to give a small gift when I go to someone’s house.  One of the many great things about tea and coffee is that the hostess doesn’t have to do anything with it.  She can put it in the cupboard and think about it the next day.  (Flowers are nice, but the hostess has to find a vase and sort them out, thus stopping her from entertaining.  Food is good too, but so often the recipient feels they have to offer it on their buffet or serve the wine you just gave them, when it may not work at all with their food and drink plans for the evening.)

It may not be required to give a hostess gift, or to give a gift to someone that gave you a gift, which is what makes tea and coffee even that much more special.  Just about everyone drinks one or both or at least serves them at home, so it will likely be used.

Both our coffee and tea sites have plenty of items on sale, perfect for this time of year.  Check out our tea specials here and our coffee specials here.  Just look to the right side of the page.

So do you give hostess gifts?   Do you bring something when you visit an open house?  How do you feel if someone gives you a holiday gift when you didnt get one for them?

Leave a comment below and tell me what you think!  Happy Holidays!

Please use discount code FRSP49. 

Wrap up your online shopping with us!

*Coupon code valid through 11/28/2011.  Valid on EnjoyBetterCoffee with a miminum order of $49.  Not valid for special sale items.  One coupon code per order please.

Happy Shopping!