Coffee, Tea and Me…Absolutely Me!

Coffee is to Americans as expresso is to Italians.  This is nothing new, of course, but with “gourmet” (I use the term very lightly) coffee houses in every strip mall, and grocery store, our taste for the bean has become a bit more refined since the settlers, huddled around their wagons, sipping their brew from tin cups.

Since 2009, when I remodeled my house, and made space for my one splurge, a built in Miele coffee maker (review to follow), I have had the pleasure of experiencing the true taste of those so called gourmet coffee beans from that Buck of the Stars.  That is when I started my search for a truly wonderful tasting coffee worthy of the “aaahhhh” with the first sip.  If you have graduated from our parents’ or grandparents’ red, metal coffee cans to a more sophisticated, subtle roast, then boy do I have a treat for your caffeine addicted taste buds!

Now, I don’t want to leave out any of the Northern European relations, so, here you go…

Do you prefer tea?

Most Britons scoff at our tea bags, just as those Italians scoff at our coffee.  If you are a tea drinker, and have progressed to some of the more “gourmet” herbal blends, then this treat I am going to share is doubly sweet!

I have finally found a coffee roaster, and tea company that contribute to their local and global communities, while producing the most amazing, reasonably priced product on the market.

El Dorado Roasting Company

Dennis and Renee’ Planje are every day people dedicating their lives and business to others every day.  Their son Rob is the main roaster, and I love the coffee he roasts!  Their work with small, family and/or women owned coffee farms – Project2Love – is wonderful, and I’m glad to support it with my purchase.  You know those orange juice commercials, where the grower supposedly hands the orange juice container directly through the refrigerator to the customer?  Please use that visual every time you are at the store, and think about who has touched the product you are about to buy.  You would be shocked to know where your kid’s cereal has actually been!

Renee’ has a new pasion…Tea!

Before I tried Tea Xotics, the only tea I would drink on a regular basis was Good Earth Original.

No More!

The best part of the products at El Dorado Roasting Company is that they are fresh.  The coffee is roasted on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, and shipped out on Thursday and Friday.  Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING you buy in the store or at the coffee house within the store is that fresh!  That, along with the roasting never being done at too high a heat to burn the bean or make it bitter, makes all the difference in the taste!

If you can’t tell, I’m a total convert and addict, and I’m not even jittery!  I only have about two cups a day, one double shot of espresso, and one double shot of coffee – usually with my steamed milk – and nothing else.  I don’t even need sugar any more.  With three adults in our household drinking coffee daily – they hubby, the father-in-law, and myself (with an occasional cup for my 11yo) –  we go through a 2lb. bag of Moka Java in about a week and a half.  Moka Java is my favorite blend and roast.  We are not only enjoying a better cup of jo, but we are also saving so much money by not buying our coffee at that drive through, jazzed up ,barista disguised diner. (Sorry, can you tell I’m not impressed with that Seattle based coffee company?)  Your $4.50 grande latte is more milk (sorry soy) than coffee!

You know that taste you get when you are in a fine dining restaurant, and you order coffee with your dessert?  The coffee is almost always smooth and creamy – and that is before you have taken a bite of the dessert!

El Dorado Roasting Company produces a roast sure to give you that same experience every time!

NO!  I’m not being paid in any way to write this post! I’m not getting free coffee, kickbacks, or discounts of any kind.  I’m just paying forward the great things I find, and in an age when everything has a price, or hidden agenda, I know you are skeptical.  You needn’t be here.  Since this coffee and tea company has online ordering and nationwide shipping, you have no excuse not to try them out.

If you like a smooth cup of coffee with a chocolatey finish (listen to me, I sound like I’m a high brow wine drinker – the only wine I can drink is a Moscato), try my favorite – Moka Java.

If you want to try a sampling of their roasts, here is their online store – pick what sounds good.  You will not be disappointed!

If you want to try some of their loose leaf tea (be sure to have a tea strainer, or pick one up with your order), here are your choices.  (btw…the one closest, but even better than that Good Earth stuff is the Santa’s Cup).

Okay, I’m done preaching, and I’ll just sit back and enjoy your comments once you try this company and its products.  I know you will specifically want to find this post, and make a comment in a few weeks after you have tasted the real coffee flavor you have been missing.

Go ahead…..I’ll wait.