Featured Blend Archives

Coffee Origins by Cleo Coyle

C O F F E E

O  R  I  G  I  N  S

In the movie Sideways, when one of the characters opens a bottle of wine, she finds herself considering the origins of that bottle—where the grapes were grown, who harvested them, what the weather was like on the day they were picked. Was the sun shining? Was it raining? 

     Here's the thing...I like to approach my coffee-drinking the same way. I marvel at how the beans can arrive at my doorstep from half a world away; how they can be grown by people of vastly different cultures, speaking different languages, living a completely different way of life.

     When I learn about the coffee beans, I also learn about the people who grew them, about their world, about the care they took to cultivate the coffee I drink.

     Scroll up the right column of this Home Page to read about my past "Coffee Picks" or click on links in my archives below... 

Click here to learn
more about this quirky,
award-winning film.
(Not for everyone,
but I loved it!)

 You can read more

about Cleo's previous

Coffee Picks

by clicking on the articles

archived below...

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ALFRED PEET AND THE BIRTH OF MODERN COFFEEHOUSE CULTURE BY CLEO COYLE

If you are new to CoffeehouseMystery.com, Welcome!
Scroll down to read Cleo Coyle's archived article about the birth of Modern Coffeehouse Culture. The articles that follow will tell you more about Cleo's past Coffee Picks, including Major Dickason's Blend...

(This article was originally posted December 2007)

Why Cleo Loves Alfred

Alfred Peet and the birth
of modern coffeehouse culture

    So who was Alfred Peet? And why should you care? Well, if you’ve ever strolled into a Starbucks or walked into a small coffeehouse and bought a freshly-roasted batch of coffee from an exotic land, then you owe a great big thank you to Mr. Alfred Peet.

     As Howard Schultz, the chairman and CEO of Starbucks, will tell you: Alfred Peet is the reason Starbucks even exists in the first place.

     It all started with Alfred’s upbringing. He grew up in Holland, the son of an Amsterdam coffee trader. When his father came home with bags of coffee from Indonesia, East Africa, and the Caribbean, his mother would make three pots at a time, using different blends, and then pronounce her opinions.

     As a teenager, Alfred worked as a trainee at one of Amsterdam’s large coffee importers. In the years that followed, he became a tea trader. Not only did he begin traveling to estates in Java and Sumatra, he also began to train his palate. Soon he could detect subtle differences in coffees and teas from different countries and regions.

    In 1955, Alfred Peet moved to the United States. He was shocked at what he found. Here he was in the world’s richest country, the undisputed leader of the Western world, yet its coffee was dreadful.

     Most of the coffee Americans drank was robusta, the inferior type that the coffee traders of London and Amsterdam treated as a cheap commodity. Very little of the fine Arabica coffees ever got to North America, most went to Europe, where (at that time) tastes were more discriminating.

     Starting in San Francisco in the 1950s, Alfred Peet began importing Arabica coffee into the states. But there was not much demand, for a few Americans had ever heard of it.

     So in 1966, he opened a small store, Peet’s Coffee and Tea, on Vine Street in Berkley.

     Peet even imported his own roaster, because he believed American companies didn’t know how to roast small batches of fine Arabica coffee.

     What made Alfred Peet unique was that he roasted coffee dark, the European way, which he believed was necessary to bring out the full flavors of the beans he imported. He always analyzed each bag of beans and recommended a roast suited to that lot’s particular characteristics.

     Gradually, one by one, Alfred began educating his American customers about the fine distinctions in coffee. He sold whole bean coffee and taught his customers how to grind and brew it at home. He treated coffee like wine, appraising it in terms of origins and estates and years and harvests. He created his own blends, the mark of a true connoisseur.

     The next chapter in the birth of the modern coffeehouse culture begins when a customer of Peet's named Jerry Baldwin walked into Alfred Peet's San Francisco store (pictured right).

     Jerry was a student of literature and an English teacher, but he developed a passion for coffee by frequenting Alfred Peet’s store.

     Jerry moved out of California and up to Seattle, but he had no place to purchase quality beans so he began to order Peet’s coffee by mail from Berkley, but it was never enough. So he and his friends opened a coffee store of their own in Seattle. They called their store Starbucks, and bought and roasted fine coffee beans in the tradition of Alfred Peet.

     Starbucks was a local success. It caught the attention of a brilliant East Coast marketing man named Howard Schultz. Howard visited Jerry's Starbucks roastery and store and was immediately intrigued by their coffee business (which, of course, Jerry learned from Alfred Peet).

      Howard Schultz began to work for Jerry Baldwin at Starbucks, helping his business grow. Ultimately, Howard fell in love with the espresso bar culture he'd seen in Italy. He had a vision for Starbucks, wanting to expand it into a national and global franchise of coffee bars.

     Jerry didn't share this vision, so he sold Howard his Starbucks coffee company, and (in an ironic twist) when Alfred Peet retired, it was Jerry Baldwin who ended up buying Peet’s Coffee and Tea company.

      So remember...when you drink Peet’s coffee, you’re drinking from an original—the modern coffee revolution started with the late Alfred Peet and his company.

     And that's why Cleo loves Alfred...

Mr. Peet was born in Alkmaar, Holland on March 10, 1920 and died in Ashland, Oregon on August 29, 2007. 

Till next time,

—Cleo Coyle

Scroll down to the next article in this archive
to read about one of Cleo's favorite
coffee blends: Peet's Major Dickason's

 Cleo's Past Coffee Pick:

 Major Dickason's Blend

Every few months, I recommend one of my favorite coffees and give it away free to a random subscriber to my newsletter. My newest pick is Major Dickason’s Blend, an outstanding coffee that’s roasted and sold by Peet’s Coffee and Tea Company.

Major Dickason’s Blend produces a first-rate cuppa joe with an delightful flavor profile. It has the kind of full body found in many East Asian coffees, yet it has the bright acidity of an African bean with the distinctive, sultry notes of dark chocolate in the finish, similar to what you’d find in beans grown in the mountains of Yemen (an Arabian Sanani, for instance).

     As with many coffees, the Dickason’s Blend changes its profile as it cools, so it’s a wonderful cup to savor. I can’t imagine any coffee drinker not thoroughly enjoying this one!

     I also love the story of how it was created. The late Alfred Peet was friends with Key Dickason, a retired army officer and a regular customer of Peet’s original Berkeley, CA, store. Together, the two sampled combinations of coffees until they found this blend—so it’s a coffee created through friendship.

     To try this blend for yourself, just click here to go to Peet's signature blends page, scroll down to Major Dickason.

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Cleo's Free Coffee Drawing Winners...

SPRING 2011 COFFEE PICK: Cops Coffee

Cleo Coyle's
Spring 2011
Coffee Pick
for...

www.CoffeehouseMystery.com

Cops Coffee:
"Midnight Shift"
Dark Roast

Fly through the shadows in your
stealthy cruiser armed with a steamy
cup of Midnight Shift. Have no fear. This
dark roast is rich and smooth with the
perfect amount of smokiness...



COPS COFFEE
"Your safest cup of brew..."

Click here to learn more about
"Cops Coffee" and the Cops and Doughnuts
bakery in Clare, Michigan, owned and
run by real police officers.

To purchase Cops Coffee for
yourself, click here.

 

Drink with joy!
~ Cleo Coyle,
author of
The Coffeehouse Mysteries

      
To enter Cleo's weekly 
coffee drawings, and all of
her future drawings, in which you can win
a free package of her latest Coffee Pick,
sign up for her free E-newsletter.

Simply send an e-mail that says
"Sign me up" to
CoffeehouseMystery@gmail.com   
Just Cleo's way of sharing some
excellent coffee finds with her readers
and site visitors.

Cheers & Good Luck!


 

SUMMER 2010 COFFEE PICK: Haiti's Kafe Lespwa

 MY LATEST
COFFEE PICK...

Kafe
Lespwa

 "Coffee of Hope"
(in Haitian Creole) 

Grown by the subsistence coffee farmers in the mountains of Baradères, Haiti, (yes, Haiti, I'll bet you never tasted Haitian coffee before, have you?), this rich, darkly roasted, low-acid coffee is velvety smooth but  with a full-bodied mouthfeel. This is a sweet-smelling coffee with notes of chocolate, caramel, and (as it cools), hints of dried apricots. My husband and I never tire of brewing and savoring it and the best news of all, every package we buys helps the people of Haiti help themselves.
 

 DRINK COFFEE.
HELP  HAITI.
 

As most of you know, Haiti was hit by a catastrophic earthquake earlier this year, killing tens of thousands and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. Although the coffee growers of Baradères are located about 100 miles from the epicenter of the quake (see map below), their chief concern is a flood of earthquake refugees who came to their region lacking adequate food, shelter and medical care.
 

Above map of Haiti shows the epicenter of the earthquake, near the country's capital city, Port-au-Prince. The mountains of Baradères are about 100 miles away. Read more at www.JustHaiti.org

     

The coffee growers of Baradères are contributing about one-third of the funds from profits they have earned (from sales to the US) to a relief program in Haiti that will focus on households in their community that are sheltering additional people because of the quake. The program will provide food and medical assistance, grants to help repair homes, and primary school tuition for children displaced by the earthquake.

 Above photo of Haitian coffee growers loading bags
of green beans - www.JustHaiti.org

    
To help these growers help
the people of Haiti, you can purchase
Kafe Lespwa by clicking here.  

I drink their whole bean, French Roast, which they call "regular" roast.
~ Cleo 

    
If you would like to learn more about "Just Haiti," the organization dedicated to helping these coffee farmers help themsleves, visit the www.JustHaiti.org website, where you can read press releases and view photos and video of their work.

    BTW - A 12-ounce package of Kafe Lespwa is going to be my featured Free Coffee Drawing prize every week, all summer and fall. If you haven't signed up yet for my weekly free coffee drawings, scroll down to the green text and learn how. It's free. Sign up once and you're entered in all of my weekly coffee drawings for the life of my web site.

Drink with joy,
~ Cleo Coyle (aka Alice Alfonsi)

CLEO'S FREE
COFFEE DRAWINGS

Would you like to win a package of my latest coffee pick? Enter my next free coffee drawing (and all of my future weekly drawings) by signing up for my free, seasonal E-newsletter. Simply send an e-mail that says "Sign me up" to VillageBlend@aol.com and you will be entered automatically in Monday's drawing as well as all of my future drawings, just my way of sharing some excellent coffee finds with my readers and site visitors.

NOTE FROM CLEO: A FIRE CHIEF READS ROAST MORTEM...

A Note from Cleo...
 

My latest Coffeehouse Mystery, Roast Mortem, is now available. The book has had some very nice reviews, including Publishers Weekly, which praised the book as a "tribute to New York City firefighters..."

Above photo of FDNY firefighters
taken in New York City (c) 2010 by Alice Alfonsi who
writes as Cleo Coyle with her husband, Marc Cerasini

Book review bloggers who are readers of my Coffeehouse Mystery series have posted reviews, as well. Just do a Google search for Roast Mortem by Cleo Coyle...

 
My favorite quote is not from a book reviewer. It's from a book reviewer's father. Gary S. Downey served 40+ years as a fire chief in  South Carolina. After his daughter {Barbara Hightower of World of Book Reviews } read Roast Mortem, she gave it to him for an opinion and was shocked to find out that he had read it in one night. Chief Downey's verdict:

  

"That was the best story
about firemen I have ever read
and so real."

~ Chief Gary S. Downey, ret. 

Yep. My favorite review
quote by far. (Barbara: Your Dad
has trumped you!)

 I greatly appreciate your comments on my message board and your wonerful e-mails and Facebook shout-outs, too. If you have not yet "friended" me on Facebook, I am there as Cleo Coyle. Click here
to visit my Facebook page.
  
 
Thank you so much for
your support and stopping by to
celebrate Roast Mortem's
release with me!

~ Cleo

COFFEE PICK FALL 2009 - Gimme! Coffee's Amaro Gayo

 Cleo's  Coffee Pick
from fall 2009 
 

 Gimme! Coffee's
Amaro Gayo

  

  To see my interview with Gimme Coffee's
CEO and founder, Kevin Cuddeback,
scroll down to the post after this one...

 

Hi there. Cleo Coyle here. I tasted a lot of coffee before selecting my latest Coffee Pick. I wanted to bring you something very different and exotic this fall, and I found it in the Ethiopian coffee Amaro Gayo. 

     I'd like to thank the person who highly recommended the roaster for this coffee, former college instructor (and Coffeehouse Mystery reader) Mary T. of  Appleton, Wisconsin.
     When I first went live with this site a few years ago, Mary contacted me with a helpful e-mail, pointing out some typos on the site. (She has since pointed out some typos in my books, as well, and I was most grateful.)
     None of us are perfect, but we can keep swinging with the help of constructive advice. I replied to Mary with a heartfelt thank you. From then on, Mary and I have had some fun, informative exchanges. Mary has sent me links, comments, and info on some of her favorite coffeehouses (see below!), and I've appreciated her valuable input. 

 

Mary T. (right) enjoying a delish cappuccino with
her sister Helen (left) at Mocha Moment in Janesville,
a gorgeous coffeehouse with an amazing location
in the Wisconsin woods. Click this link to read the inspiring
story of this beautiful coffee shop...

    Photos of the shop are by Cindy Dalton (c) and courtesty of
Mocha Moment's Web site. Click on photos to visit them online!

 

"I went to the woods."
~Henry David Thoreau
       

   Photos of the shop are by Cindy Dalton (c) and courtesty of
Mocha Moment's Web site. Click on photos to visit them online!

 

 

Well, Mother's Day of last year, Mary told me that she received a pound of coffee and a fun coffee cup from her daughter, Shelley, who discovered an excellent roaster that sells coffee online. The coffee Mary received was roasted by Gimme! Coffee. (See photo of Shelley's Mother's Day gift to Mary. Isn't that the greatest cup?!)

 

   

MARY'S E-MAIL
TO ME...

  

"I received a package of Gimme! Coffee (Las Mingas) and the great Gimme! cup from my daughter Shelley for Mother's Day this year. She found the Gimme! Coffee site online. Great coffee! (And I do love the cup!)...

  

Mary (left) and her daughter Shelley
are big fans of the Green Bay Packers!
"Go Pack!"

 

 "I am a retired college instructor, and I LOVE coffee and reading, especially the Coffeehouse Mysteries and the Haunted Bookshop series. I have two daughters, and two great sons in law, and a very special granddaughter, who just started her first year in high school, and also made the high school swim team!"

 
~Mary T.
Appleton, Wisconsin

 

 

 

So thank you to Mary T. for helping me find an outstanding roaster for this outstanding coffee!

 

~ Cleo Coyle

 

 

 To learn more about the Amaro Gayo coffee, roasted by Gimme Coffee,
or to purchase it for yourself,

CLICK HERE.

 

 




See my interview with Gimme Coffee's
CEO and founder below...






 

 

---

 
  

   



Cleo's
Coffee Break
with...



 

Gimme! Coffee's
KEVIN CUDDEBACK

 

Photo of Kevin courtesy of Gimme Coffee

 Kevin is the CEO of Gimme! Coffee, named by Food and Wine magazine as one of the top coffee bars in the country.

 

 To read Cleo's
exclusive interview,
CLICK HERE

 

   

 Scroll down to read more
about my fall 2009
Coffee PIck: Amaro Gayo...

  

 

---

 





Melissa of Austin, Texas, was
one of my many winners of my
2009 Coffee Pick: Amaro Gayo.

Below is her e-mail to me
and my reply...

 

Hi Cleo,

I am ecstatic to have won a free pound of coffee! Thank you! My three teenagers looked at me like I had two heads as I jumped around yelling "I won!  I won!  I won!" After about 10 seconds they did the traditional teen eye roll that means "Mom has lost it again" and then went back to doing their homework. My hubby, however, was excited as well. (He didn't jump and yell though, he is the mellow one.)

I look forward to curling up with a cup of Amaro Gayo java and one of your books! 

 
Thanks again,
Melissa

Austin, Texas

P.S. I think my teens will take back their eye rolls when they smell my exotic coffee!

 

 

 

    §  

Cleo's reply
to Melissa below... 

Part of Cleo's reply...  

Hi Melissa

  Congrats! I am so happy that you're happy. (LOL on the teen eyeroll.) The coffee you have won is an exotic Ethiopian drop called Amaro Gayo. It is exported by the only female miller and exporter in the whole of Ethiopia (Asnakech Thomas, pictured left), and her coffee has a very unique flavor profile...

 In my 4th Coffeehouse Mystery Murder Most Frothy, I had Clare Cosi drinking a Ugandan coffee with notes of strawberry. It's taken me a long time to find one like it that I can share with my readers, but I finally found it: Amaro Gayo has the oddest hint of strawberry and the roasting makes it taste almost baked. To me it tastes like a strawberry donut! But of course it's also coffee so it's one very unique drinking experience.

(UPDATE - Note from Cleo: My original 2009 pick was a "dry processed" Amaro Gayo with notes of strawberry. At this time, it is sold out, but I have linked to the wet processed Amaro Gayo, which is available for purchase. The wet processed is still an amazing coffee, but it has different flavor notes than the dry processed Amaro Gayo. Keep watching the Gimme Coffee website for news of the dry processed being available again. To learn more about the difference between wet and dry processed coffee, read the Recipes and Tips section of my latest Coffeehouse Mystery, Roast Mortem.)  

This is one coffee that   proves premium coffee can have the complexity of fine wine...
 
As you can see I'm personally coffee crazy -- just like Clare Cosi?and filmmaker David Lynch. I know I'm in good company because Mr. Lynch actually sells his own brand of coffee on his Web site! LOL!

 

Coffee Maker Question and Cleo's Answer

I recently answered a Nebraskareader's question about drip coffeemakers. Her question and my answer are below. (You can visit my message board by clicking here.)   ~Cleo

 Dear Cleo,

I belong to a mystery book club and chose the first book,THE GHOST AND MRS MCCLURE, in the haunted bookshop series when it was my turn to introduce a new book and author. We all loved it! Everyone wants to now read the series along with the Village Blend books. We meet monthly on the first Monday, mid- morning for coffee and treats which brings me to my question.
 

I am in the market for a new coffee maker. I just want an everyday drip version. I have plenty of the 'fancy' types--french press, espresso, etc. and don't want to break the bank! Do you or any of your readers have any suggestions? Thanks for 2 great series and the help! 

~Pam in Nebraska

 MY REPLY...

HELLOOO,
NEBRASKA!   

Hi, Pam,

Thank you for posting. I am very happy to hear that your book club is enjoying my books. Please wish them a Happy New Year from me!

    OK - Here is an answer to your question about drip coffeemakers...

     With the understanding that I am not officially endorsing any products and the understanding that no drip maker is perfect, here is what I can tell you..

    We buy economical drip coffeemakers in our house--because my husband and I are writers and not investment bankers, LOL :). FYI - this is why Clare's "democratization of luxury" philosophy is a lot like ours. Murder Most Frothy and French Pressed are the books in which she speaks about this the most: When folks can't afford a $5,000 trip to the South of France, they take a $5.00 trip to a cozy coffeehouse to enjoy an excellent coffee drink. And that's what the coffeehouse experience is really all about: an oasis in the middle of a hectic day; a place to relax and rejuvenate for people who cannot afford the time and money for a full body massage at a day spa!

     Okay, so the brands we use (at the moment) to make our drip coffee are Cuisinart and DeLonghi. Both coffeemakers sit side by side on our counter. The Cuisinart (12-cup, model DCC-1200 series) is for larger pots. This pot has an automatic turn off, a good and safe feature. It also beeps you when the coffee is ready and when the burner is about to turn itself off. We also use a DeLonghi (Twenty Four Seven model). This is a 4-cup maker for very small pots. This model does NOT have an automatic turn off so you have to remember to turn it off yourself. But it's great for a small pot of joe.

     Just like you, we have other methods of making coffee: French press, Moka express pot, but you were asking about drip.

    We have also used Braun and Krups brands in the past and were happy with both of them. We don't think the expense of a thermal pot or grind-and-brew combo is worth it for us. We like to grind our coffee separately with a burr grinder. A burr grinder, by the way, (and not a blade grinder) is the very best way to grind whole bean coffee. Whole bean is the only kind we make because after coffee is ground in rapidly loses its flavor and aroma.

     Anyway, what concerns us most when we shop for a drip coffeemaker is the SHAPE of the filter. A CONE filter is a more economical way to make premium coffees and that's what we use. Flat-bottomed filters do not concentrate the flavor as well and you end up using more coffee to get the same strength as you'd get with a cone filter. Pot after pot, using more coffee adds up, so a cone filter is more economical. Both our Cuisinart and DeLonghi brand drip makers have cone-shaped filters. 

     You can also look into "pour-over" methods for economical drip coffee making. This is when you heat the water yourself, then pour it over a cone-shaped filter and the coffee drips down into the carafe. Two popular pour-over brands are Mellita and ChemEx.

    You can always check out the Consumer Reports run down of drip coffeemakers. Here is a link for you if you're interested...

 Consumer Reports often gives ratings on coffeemakers.
CLICK HERE to read their general buying guide,
which will give you an overview on the brands and types
of features on today's coffeemakers.

NOTE: Consumer Report ratings are for subscribers only,
but their very informative general buying guide is
freely posted on the Web. CLICK HERE

Thank you so much for posting, Pam, and especially for reading my books. Java joy to you and your Mystery Book Club in beautiful Nebraska!

~Cleo

Cleo's Coffee Break with Coffeehouse Mystery Readers...

Coffee Break with
Coffeehouse Mystery Readers....
  
 

I am attaching a photo that my daughter took of me this morning while I posed by one of my recent quilts, Mexican Star. This is my interpretation of a design by Annette Ornelas. As you can see, I have just had another cuppa joe and am rarin' to go! 

 Joanna Ellis (above) posing before one of her many quilts. Joanna, a lover of coffee and an enthusiastic reader of Cleo's Coffeehouse Mysteries, is the founder of Moosehead Quilters of Maine. To see their Blocks and Patterns page, click here!   

 P.S. I am a breast cancer survivor (over 2-1/2 years now, but who is counting?!!) and escape into your coffeehouse, put my feet up and read the mysteries. I'll even admit to re-reading them after a few months! My thrill of the summer, aside from visits from children and grandkids, has been the transformation of my long held Apple stock into a new John Cooper Works Mini. What a blast to drive! This former SCCA racer sure enjoys the 6-speed manual, turbo-charged, 208 HP, little car. Of course, I obey speed limits and drive defensively ... most of the time!

 Life is full of fun
if you only follow your dreams and persist!

~Joanna Ellis

To read my full "COFFEE BREAK WITH JOANNA ELLIS" post and learn more about the Moosehead Quilters of Maine, including info on how to attend their workshops and classes, click here and read the post in my article archives. To visit the Moosehead Quilters virtual home, click here.

Till next time,
~Cleo Coyle







 

Coffee Break with
Coffeehouse Mystery Readers....
 

MEET THE
QUEEN!

Shirley Jackson, 78 years young and
Queen Mother of the Totally Eccentric,
Adventurous Red Hatters of Vienna, Virginia!

A short time ago, I received an intriguing e-mail in my VillageBlend@aol.com box, which said: "I can not put these books down and am sharing with all my Red Hat ladies and we just love them . . .  After reading your Coffeehouse books, the ladies comment on how much they've learned about coffee and are out there tasting all kinds . . . please keep writing. Faster and Faster.  ?Shirley Jackson, Queen Mother."

      I'm thrilled to have Shirley and her Red Hatters reading my books. Although I'm not old enough to be a "Red" Hatter (I'm under 50, so I'd be a "Pink" hatter! LOL!), Shirley's amazing energy, creative spirit, and zest for living have already made her my role model!

To read my full profile on
"Queen" Shirley and learn more about her
Red Hatt Socity, visit my article archives by
clicking here.

 Till next time
 ~ Cleo Coyle

Coffee Break with
Coffeehouse Mystery Readers....
 

 Behold...
 Bruce Porter's
Java Art

 "I love drawing what I call
Java Art," Bruce told me.
"I call this one French Roast'."

  Artwork courtesy of Bruce Porter.
Click here to visit his blog/website
and see more of his work.

 To read my archived
article on Bruce, CLICK HERE.

 Archived articles take a minute to load.
Please be patient.



 

SOME FAVORITE POSTS FROM CLEO'S COFFEE TALK MESSAGE BOARD

COFFEE
TALK
 

Below are some fun posts
and e-mails that I've received
from readers...

~ Cleo Coyle

 ----------------------------------------------------

POST FROM MESSAGE BOARD
Subject: "BOOKS MADE FOR COFFEE"
Posted by: Cierra Derrico, Georgia

Hi Cleo, I love your books they are wonderful. I couldn't find that right mystery book until I first read Latte Trouble, then I started reading the other novles of the coffehouse books and I was hooked! You are a very talented writer and you really have a 9th grader (me) reading much more than I used to. Thanks for the very very interesting mystery books because I can just sip on some coffee, relax and read your books Thanks Cleo!!!

 ~ Cierra Derrico,
Clayton County, GA

Cleo's reply: Hi, Cierra! Thank you for stopping by my "virtual" coffeehouse. And thank you especially for reading my books. I am thrilled to hear that you enjoy them, and I'm absolutely delighted to hear that you're in 9th grade.

When I was your age, I discovered some of my favorite authors, many of whom I continue to read today. I can only hope you will continue reading me for years to come, too!

I see that you're from the beautiful state of Georgia! I had the greatest time in your state when I visited Atlanta to attend "DragonCon" - that's a wonderful convention for fans of science fiction, fantasy, comics, and pop culture, among other things (all of which I love). So, in that spirit, I've "virtually baked" you a Georgia peach pie!

This is actually a Maple Cappuccino Peach Pie, if you can believe it. There's a site on the Internet that sells a Maple Cappuccino SAUCE and this recipe uses it to create a peach pie with some very interesting flavors. Click here for the recipe or to find out how to get the sauce.

Thanks again, Cierra, for taking the time and trouble to stop by and post. Keep reading and I'll keep writing!

 Java joy to you,
~ Cleo

 REPOST: FROM E-MAIL TO VillageBlend@aol.com...

SUBJECT: Java.net Coffee and Gifts in Houston, MO

SENT BY: Jane

Staff of...

Java.net Books and Gifts
418 N. Franklin
Cuba, Missouri

Cleo, I read about the coffeehouse in Houston, MO, and wanted to let you know there is another new coffeehouse in rural Missouri. Jave.net uses Kaldi's coffee, which is roasted in St. Louis. Java.net baristas prepare a full line of specialty coffee drinks.

     The coffeehouse has computers and WiFi for customers, and sells new and used books. The operation is housed in a rehabbed 1930s Coca-Cola Warehouse. It has already become a social gathering spot. You will be glad to know that the shop's first book club meeting is discussing your book On What Grounds.

     If you are in the neighborhood, drop by Java.net at 418 N. Franklin in Cuba, MO. Cuba is also known as Rt. 66 Mural City because of its 12 outdoor murals along the Rt. 6 Corridor. I have pre-ordered French Pressed, and I am eagerly awaiting its arrival at Java.net.

~ Jane Reed

Cleo's reply: Thanks, Jane! I'm sending my shout-out to you and Java.net owners Mary and Joe Miller! I enjoy hearing about coffeehouses around the country?and letting my virtual "Village Blend" visitors know about them, too. I also enjoyed your wonderful article for the Cuba Free Press and linked to it below for anyone who'd like to read more. The rehabbed 1930's Coca-Cola Warehouse sounds absolutely awesome. If I'm ever in the area, you can be sure I'll stop by Java.net.

~ Cleo

 P.S. I'm reposting your photo of
Java.net's delish iced mochas.

Cheers!

 
Photo by Jane Reed. Click here to read Jane's article!

Photo of Iced Mochas served by Java.net
coffeehouse owner Mary Miller

 "This drink is a shot of espresso, steamed milk with Ghirardelli chocolate, whipped cream, topped with more chocolate syrup and chocolate sprinkles. Definitely the chocolate lovers delight."

From Java.net's website.

E-MAIL SENT TO
CLEO'S VillageBlend@aol.com BOX

 FROM: Karen
SUBJECT: "Good Idea"

 Cleo, I think that you should eventually publish a Village Blend Cookbook.  One of my many resolutions is to attempt trying a recipe from the Village Blend.  Please note the word "attempt", that's why my son is a graduated chef from Johnson & Wales University.

 ~ Karen

 Cleo's Reply:  Hi Karen. AWESOME that your son is a graduate of Johnson & Wales. What a great school!

      I recently took a class with a chef graduate of J&W (at a place in SC called Charleston Cooks!). He was great and told some wonderful tales about his training. In the coming weeks, I'm going to share a delish rice pudding recipe that I learned from him (and to which I added my own twist). You know, French Pressed might actually entertain your son! It focuses on a cutthroat New York restaurant kitchen. If he happens to read it, let me know what he thinks!

 Thanks for the idea on a cookbook, Karen! Who knows what the future will bring!

 ~ Cleo Coyle 

RE-POSTED FROM E-MAIL to VillageBlend@aol.com

 Subject: "COFFEE MEMORIES" 
Posted by: Davida of San Francisco

  Cleo: I worked a small coffee kiosk my senior year of high school. Waking at 5 AM to open the booth and lay out the pastries. By first period psych class I had already had two eye openers (speed balls) and was sipping on a monkey mocha (banana flavored mocha). Our kiosk was in a hospital, and sometimes I would comment to the ER nurses pulling a double and sometimes triple shift (after making their quad shot, or worse six shot drink) that I totally didn't want them trying to find a vein in my arm. And then there was the doctor who always ordered her "why bother" Non Fat, Decaffe Latte...without the fat and caffeine, why did she bother? Anyway, I love your books, and would love to visit a real Village Blend someday.

 ~ Davida of San Francisco, CA

 Cleo's reply: GREAT memories, Davida. You had me laughing again. Thanks for sharing!

 COFFEE-DRINKING
COCKER SPANIELS

 Meet Maisy Jo, a 14 year-old coffee-drinking cocker spaniel, owned and loved by Victoria, a Coffeehouse Mystery reader from California, USA.

  Cleo received the following
e-mail from Victoria...

 Hello Cleo, We are the owners of two "coffee" (cocker) spaniels! If I or my hubby walk away from our coffee cup for a second, it's gone! Thought it was because of the half-and-half, but they like it black too?weird! I have a picture on my cell phone of the 14-yr-old Cocker drinking out of my cup. Wish you could see it! Look forward to your next Clare Cosi novel!..I have all of your books and have enjoyed all of them! Pass them on to friends, but I always make sure they are returned to me! Be well.

 ~ Victoria

 Cleo's reply: Thanks for the adorable story, Victoria! And thanks for the picture, too. It made me smile today, and I thought it would make plenty of other people smile, too. So I'm very happy that you sent along the pic. Java joy to you and your hilarious coffee-drinking pups! You be well, too. 

 ~ Cleo

 If you have a comment or question for Cleo Coyle, send and email titled: "Note to Cleo" to VillageBlend@aol.com

Visitors from across the USA, as well as
Canada and the UK, have posted on
Cleo Coyle's Coffee Talk Message Board.

   To read even more postsand replies,
click on the green Coffee Talk chalkboard
at the top of the right colulmn of this website.

Killer Coffee Club discusses Cleo's Holiday Grind

Article Archived from January 2010

THE KILLER
COFFEE CLUB

discussed Cleo Coyle's
Holiday Grind with Cleo appearing
LIVE via Facebook IM.

Photo courtesy of Nikki Bonanni

 If you would like to invite Cleo to your own book club discussion via Instant Messaging on Facebook or AOL, you can arrange Cleo's LIVE "IM" appearance by sending a NOTE TO CLEO to VillageBlend@aol.com

 & FYI...

The Killer Coffee Club holds its meetings,
at the Ithaca Barnes & Noble:
Tops Plaza, 614 South Meadow,
Ithaca, NY 14850
For more information,
visit the reading group's
web site: www.killercoffeeclub.com    

 Or contact the Killer Coffee Club at
 mysterybuff@hotmail.com

A Coffeehouse Mystery Reader Visits Intelligentsia in Chicago and Meets US Barista Champ Kyle Glanville

COFFEEHOUSE MYSTERY
READER REPORTS

FROM CHICAGO!

Hi there. Cleo Coyle here. One of my CM readers recently posted on my Message Board, asking where she could find a "Village Blend" coffeehouse in her own hometown of Chicago, Illinois.

       I haven't been to Chicago in years, but I knew that one of the best coffee bars in that city (and the country) was a place called Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea.

      For two years in a row, Intelligentsia has produced the #1 ranked barista in the country. Mike Phillips won this year's U.S. Barista Championship and last year Kyle Glanville earned the title.

      Frankly, I had only one worry about recommending the place: I didn't know whether Intelligentsia would treat her right—be friendly and welcoming. You see the hallmark of a truly great traditional Italian barista is his or her friendliness to customers. One thing I could be sure of: The Intelligentsia coffee bar would certainly make her a great cuppa joe! So I gave my reader the addresses of the three Intelligentsia stores in Chicago (not really believing she'd actually go there).

     To my happy surprise (and shock actually), she visited their flagship store AND met Kyle Glanville, the U.S. Barista Champion of 2008!

  To meet U.S. Barista Champ Kyle Glanville yourself and watch him create some
classic latte art, click here.

(The above video of Kyle was recorded earlier this year at Intelligentsia's Los Angeles store.)

     To visit the Intelligentsia web site,
where they also sell coffee
online, click here.

   To read my reader's report from Chicago on my message board, 
Click here

If you have a coffeehouse
that you'd like to tell us about, you are
welcome to post on my message board, too!
Message Board? Where's That?!
Just click on the coffee cup in the upper left
column that says "Go to Cleo's Message Board"... 

 Till next time,
—Cleo Coyle

Battle of the Instant Coffee Sticks!

BATTLE OF THE INSTANT COFFEE STICKS!

VS

                   Nescafe Taster's
             Choice Instant Sticks

    Starbucks Via
Ready Brew Stick Packets

 
Who will emerge as
the coffee stick champ?

No. I am not going to be drinking instant coffee. Ever. Okay, I can think of a few situations . . .

      Say, a hurricane hits Flushing and all I can get my hands on are Saltines and a jar of Folgers crystals . . . or I'm stranded by the side of the road in the NJ Pine Barrens and a family of campers rescues me, and all they have is . . . well, you get the idea . . .

      If civilization remains intact, however, I will only be using coffee sticks as a flavor enhancer to my recipes....

Click here to get
my recipe for
Cuppa Joe
Mocha Drops

(PDF format).

Adding coffee flavoring to recipes usually involves dissolving instant coffee or espresso powder into brewed coffee or espresso before adding it to the recipe.

     Here's the good news: Starbucks VIA is a great instant coffee for recipes. If you're only buying it as a flavoring, then the higher price shouldn't be an issue because you're really getting value for money. (I mean, have you seen the cost of cloves lately?)

     If you're really drinking instant every day, however, and money is an issue, I can see where you'd rather choke down the Nescafe. (Sorry, but you know my feelings about instant!)

To read about a recent taste testing
between Starbucks Via Ready Brew Stick packets and Nescafe Tasters Choice
Instant Sticks: click here.

Till next time,

~Cleo Coyle

An Angel in Queens

ANGELS

 Don't believe
in them?

Well, I do. They're right
here among us...

Click here to meet one.

He's a Queens
School bus driver...
 

 Click the picture to meet this angel
via Toan Lam's YouTube video...

This story also
appeared on CNN

I donated to help him with his work.
I hope you will consider helping too...

Click here to visit
"Helping an Angel" on Facebook.

Click here to donate direclty
to "An Angel in Queens"

SUMMER '09 COFFEE PICK - Dallmayr Prodomo

Cleo's Summer 2009
Coffee Pick:

Dallmayr
Prodomo

For over 70 years, Dallmayr coffee has been a beloved brand to the people of Munich, Germany.  Read Cleo's post below to learn more about this world-renowned coffee, including tips on where you can purchase it for yourself...