Mocha java is here!

No, Mocha Java is not a flavour. It is the world’s oldest coffee blend.

The popular mythology is that some Java coffee beans got accidentally mixed with Arabian beans. This happy accident as it turned out, created a much sought after blend.

Nowadays, the word mocha often refers to chocolate or the addition to chocolate to various flavoured drinks. The true Mocha refers to the ancient Arabian port of Mocha which has long been silted over. Mocha’s association with chocolate is attributed to the type of coffee bean in the area that has natural chocolate-type flavours. 

Recreating the world’s oldest coffee blend was a bit of a challenge as our mandate is to offer only fair trade organic coffee (FTO)at our store. There are many organic beans that aren’t fairtrade and vice versa, however we are sticking to our mandate and are only sourcing fairtrade organic (FTO) coffees.

Our interpretation of authentic Mocha java is basic and simple. 50% Ethiopian Harrar Longberry and 50% Sumatra Gayo Mountain roasted to the verge of 2nd crack. All beans are FTO.

Give it a try. We are introducing this blend at only $12.99/lb.

(alas, our introductory sale is now over. The regular price is $14.99/lb however our price is just $13.99/lb for all of our FTO coffees.)

Brewing the perfect cup

Brewing the Perfect Cup of Coffee – a beginner’s guide

Buy a simple French press, press pot, or Bodum. Despite the various trade names, these are built pretty much the same way. A glass cylinder, a plunger and a fine mesh stainless steel filter. These brewers are inexpensive and are readily available everywhere.

The most important rule of all is to start with FRESH roasted coffee. Coffee is a perishable food product.  Buy freshly roasted coffee in small quantities. Ideally, you should buy just enough for the week.

Buy filtered, chlorine-free, bottled water or filtered water that ideally has some mineral hardness in it. A cup of coffee is 99% water. Bad tasting water is not going to make a good cup of coffee.

Buy an accurate digital “stick” type thermometer. Correct water temperature is very important. Boiling water temperatures will ruin coffee. Aim for about 200 degrees F.

Proper grind. You want a fairly coarse grind. Too fine and the fine metal screen will get plugged up and you won’t be able to plunge the coffee. Too coarse and the coffee will be thin and flavourless. Make sure you buy a burr coffee grinder with adjustable grind settings.. Do not buy the rotary blade coffee/spice mills as they do not produce an even grind.

Use enough coffee. Use at least 2 tablespoons per 6 or 8 ounce cup.

Proper brewing time.  It depends on the fineness of the grind and the temperature of the water. Try for a two minute steeping time. Feel free to experiment.

Brewed coffee is good for 15 minutes only! Coffee is always best consumed immediately. Do not drink stale, oxidized coffee. Make a fresh batch.

(Information courtesy of www.coffeecrew.com – one of the world’s best online sources for information on all things related to coffee – espresso, coffee brewers, espresso machines, coffee equipment reviews, etc.)

featured products for the summer

It’s patio season time!

Check out the frozen food section for selections for the grill.

We have some very high quality salmon that can be barbecued directly on the grill. Can’t have beef? Try bison, chicken or turkey burgers instead.

Totally fool your carnivore friends by offering them Kraut Brothers meatless Bratwurst sausages. Your friends will be astounded. The bratwurst are really hotdogs except they taste better than hotdogs and are a lot better for you too.

Pat and I agree this is one of very best meatless products we have tried. Highly recommended and perfect for barbecuing. They can be placed directly on the grill, frozen and when they are warmed through, they’re ready.

If you want something a bit spicier, try their Italian sausages too.

NEW! In time for the summer season, we are reintroducing Rowe Farms meat and deli products to the store. Their chicken or beef hotdogs and deli meats are all antibiotic free and free of growth hormones.

For those hot summer days there is nothing like a glass of real lemonade. Fill a tall tumbler with ice and pour yourself some organic Santa Cruz lemonade – regular $3.49, now on sale at $2.49. SOLD OUT!

New in stock, we have a variety of soy, rice and organic ice creams, ice cream cones and ice cream bars to go. We have lots of salad dressings to choose from – perfect to accompany your organic salads. We always have a supply of organic lettuces and veggies on hand.

You’d be surprised to know that organic whole olives packed in olive oil are extremely difficult to find. Try a jar of organic “Silver Leaf” Black Kalamata Olives packed in extra virgin olive oil.

The best coffee is here!

We are pleased to introduce a new local coffee supplier (Waterloo Coffee Company) to our store supplying us with FRESH roasted, fair-trade, organic coffee custom roasted to our exact specifications.

We order Tuesday, the coffee is roasted Thursday and it is delivered to us Friday. Fresh roast coffee on demand!

This is the only coffee that we know of in Canada that actually date roasts their coffee! You know exactly when it was roasted. Look for the date roast stamp on the bin. This product retails locally at $14.99/lb. As an introductory special, we are offering this outstanding product at $12.99/lb.

The Muskoka Blend is a blend of specialty grade (the top 5%) of Central American and Sumatran coffee beans. It is available in our bulk dispenser so you can measure out just the quantity that you need. Along with your purchase, pick up our instructions on how to brew the perfect cup of coffee.