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CLEO COYLE
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jazzy egg * donut egg * haunted egg * secret egg
Merry Christmas, Cleo!
Here's hoping you Java Merry Christmas! From your #1 fan in the Carolinas :-D
Cleo here. Thank you, D in the Carolinas!
Merry Christmas to you, too!! And may 2008 bring you Java Joy!
Warmest wishes,
—Cleo
Decaffeinated Corpse
Cleo:
My girlfriend and I LOVE your coffeehouse series and have read them all. Just finished Decaffeintated Corpse and can't say enough about it. Love the recipes too. Was pleasantly surprised to see Nutella in this one. I have that almost every day for lunch. Instead of a PB & J I have a PB and Nutella. A great sandwich on toast. I love Clare and all the Village staff. Can't wait to read about Madame. Just found out about your haunted mysteries and am "dying" to start reading those. I love ghost stories!
PS. My favorite coffee is a chocolate orange flavor. Panera used to have a Cafe Borja, but discontinued it. Now I get my fix from Starbucks, Valencia Mocha. Mmmmm.
Sandy from Schaumburg, IL
Cleo here. Hi Sandy from Schaumburg! Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading my Coffeehouse Mystery series. A shout-out of thanks to your girlfriend, also, for keeping those royalties coming (which, consequently, keeps my electricity on--a good thing since it powers the battery that runs the laptop on which I write my books)!
Your Nutella comments made me smile. That stuff's delish, isn't it? I like spreading it on graham crackers, too. Add a little marshmallow Fluff and you've got an instant S'more (can you tell I was a Girl Scout?).
Superb idea on the Valencia Mocha. I've never tried this, but I'm definitely going to try it now. And Panera's a chain I love to stop by, too. I like their cafe blend coffee and usually get the pumpkin muffie (muffin top).
I don't have a virtual Valencia Mocha for you today, but I did bake you a virtual batch of old fashioned sugar cookies from a great, easy recipe on the food network's website.
Click here for the recipe. And Happy Holiday to you and yours!
Thanks for stopping by my virtual coffeehouse, Sandy, and telling me about your favorite coffee-drinking hang-outs and habits. Come on back again and post anytime. The board's seen posts from some very nice folks from all over the U.S. and other countries too.
I love to know what's up with my readers--what's new, what's on your mind, and thoughts and ideas about the series are always welcome, too.
Java joy to you,
Cleo Coyle
Coffee and words
Hi Cleo, last year a friend and I happened to be shopping at a book store and I mentioned that I was in need of a new series to read. We were wandering around and she saw your first book and the coffee picture on it. She handed it to me and said, "Don't know if it's any good, but you like coffee so mabye you'll like it." She's a genius, I did enjoy it and I justify to my husband buying all your books because I can make recipes from them. I really get my moneys worth and he gets some sweet treats. All is well in coffee and words.
Cleo here. Thank you for YOUR very kind words about my books. Your story made me laugh! Please thank your friend from me for giving the series a chance and pointing it out to you. Believe me, I cherish ever new reader I get!
Here's a cuppa sunshine for you for posting and stopping by my virtual coffeehouse. Come on back again anytime (where are you from?! Let me know if you get a chance to read this)...
Java joy to you,
Cleo Coyle
Coffee Anesthetic
I bought a full sized Mocha 2 days ago. I now remember why I don't drink coffee. I swear I could use that stuff as anesthetic. It knocked me out to such an effect that I slept all the way through 3 shifts at work and woke up just in time to go to work tonight, if that's not crazy I don't know what is. Chelle
Cleo here. Funny story. Must be the milk in the mocha that knocked you out. Of course, the winter cold and the stress of the holidays always makes me more tired than ever this time of year. The combo must have done you in! Maybe you shoud try a cuppa tea!
LOL! Cleo
Calories
Hi Cleo
I've been lucky enough to be blessed with a high metabolism. I have all my hot chocolates and iced/hot coffees with big dollups of whipped cream on them and still weigh anywhere between 110 and 115 no more. Wonder how much longer that blessing will hold out now that I'm closing in on my 30's lol Chelle
Cleo here. Wish I had your problem!! I'm forever watching the calories!
Cleo
Your Books
Hey Cleo,
I love your books. I am a big fan of Java (the nectar of the God's). I am about to start reading your bookshop books as well. I would love to actually have a coffee house of my own like the Blend. Thanks for your great books and I can't wait for the next one.
Cleo here, responding. What a great post. Thank you SO much for kind words. I hope you enjoy the Haunted Bookshop mysteries as much as you like the Coffeehouse books. I hear you on the dream of opening a coffeehouse. I'm way too busy writing to open a coffee shop, but I have that dream, too. I'd love to open a real Village Blend in New York someday. Who knows? If the series is successful enough, anything's possible, right? That's what's great about the future--dreams are as real as anything. In the meantime, I have the virtual version of a coffeehouse right here and it's really gratifying when people like you stop by to say hello. Here's a cappuccino and some fresh-baked vanilla-almond biscottis for you as a thank you for dropping by. Come on back now, y'hear?
Happy holidays!
Cleo Coyle
Haunted bookstore
Chelle,
Thanks for the info on the books. Sorry it has taken so long for me to respond, but I have a 13 yr. old daughter in band and we have been SOOOOO busy with football games and state marching competitions, I have barely had time to read, much less be on the computer. But again thanks so much.
Cleo here, replying to say that I was in marching band when I was in high school! It was the bomb! You brought back some fond memories with your post.
Sending a shout-out to you and your daughter for the holidays! Here's a couple of virutal gingerbread men for stopping by my virtual coffeehouse!
Cleo
Mocha yumma!!!
Hi Cleo
hmm I think I'm going through withdrawl from your books as I've read all of them now, I almost called you Clare just now. I was at Safeway the other day and there's a Starbucks in there so you can grab a coffee to drink while you do your shopping. Someimes they give out samples for you to try out. The other day it was Mocha's. I'm not a big coffee drinker but mmmmm Mocha's are so good the chocolatey touch takes away the strong coffee taste and gives you the effect of drinking hot chocolate with a touch of coffee flavouring. I'm definatly going to be drinking that more often, would be easy to get hooked!!!
Chelle from Canada
Hi Chelle!! Good to hear from you again. Cleo here (duh, right?!). Loved your mocha sample-drinking story. Starbucks has some really yummo flavors, don't they? I was typing away on my laptop last month in a nearby Starbucks and was given a sample of the pumpkin spice latte. That thing is amazing. A girlfriend of mine is hooked on the white chocolate lattes. The high calorie count on those drinks prevents me from ordering them all the time (I'm forever struggling against the pudge factor), but every so often, I say, hey I've been good, time to splurge!
Keep in touch, Chelle! Things have been a little crazy for me and I haven't been able to update the site as often as I'd like, but I check it every day!! I saw your recent comment about adding to the "Meet the Village Blend Staff" page (also via the Espresso link). Next on my list is Madame. I hope to have her added soon. In the meantime, thanks a million for checking in and stopping by my virtual coffeehouse. Here's a virtual mocha latte just for you!
Java Joy to the World to you and yours for the Holidays,
Cleo
Clare's Cappuccino Muffins
Enjoy your books. Just finished reading Decaffeinated Corpse. Decided to bake Clare's Cappuccino Muffins and I have a question regarding the recipe. Does the 2TB of coffee beans get mixed in with the dry ingredients, and do I grind them first or just toss them in whole? Keep writing!
Hi there! Cleo here. I'm so happy you're enjoying my books. Thank you! I also hope you enjoy the Cappuccino Muffins. I love them! Quick answer for you on the recipe. Re-read the full line on the ingredients list and you'll see that it does indeed say: "2 tablespoons darkly roasted GROUND coffee beans" - so, yes, you definitely want to grind those beans! And since ground coffee beans are a dry ingredient, then you'll want to mix them in with your other dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, chocolate chips, nuts, orange zest, etc...). I'm glad you wrote with that question! Happy Holidays and here's a virtual cappuccino and biscotti to you for stopping by my virtual coffeehouse!
—Cleo Coyle
Hey Cleo
I am reading your Haunted Bookstore Series. I find that I have a hard time putting it down! I really enjoy reading your works. I can't wait for for April when your new book comes out!!
Kathy
Cleo here. Hi Kathy! Thank you so much for your kind words about my books (you made my day!). Here's a virtual big cookie for stopping by my virtual coffeehouse.
In the near future, I'll be writing more on this web site about my upcoming April Coffeehouse Mystery: French Pressed.
In the meantime, if any other site visitors are wondering what the heck the "Haunted Bookshop" mystery series is, I'll briefly explain...
I write the Coffeehouse Mystery series as "Cleo Coyle" and I also write another mystery series under the name "Alice Kimberly"--that series is about a young widow named Penelope "Pen" who lives in a small town and runs a mystery bookstore.
Pen strikes up a strange but humorous friendship wiith "Jack Shepard," the spirit of a hardboiled private investigator who was gunned down in her bookstore's building fifty years before.
Pen is the only one haunted by Jack, no one else can hear his voice, so she keeps it to herself for fear of being pronounced crazy. And although she's initially freaked out by the visitations of the hardboiled ghost, she soon realizes his value when she needs some experienced advice in solving a local homicide.
There are three books in this series with the fourth coming out in May 2008. Reviewers have called it part-cozy, part-hardboiled detective, part ghost story...some have desribed it as a young Miss Marple meets Philip Marlowe others have said it's like a young Jessica Fletcher solving crimes with the hard-bitten Mike Hammer. Whatever you think it is, Kathy, I'm glad you are enjoying the series, and I hope others will, too!
Below is the list of books for any readers interested. Just click on the title of each book to go to the Amazon page to read more about each book...
Haunted Bookshop mystery #1: The Ghost and Mrs. McClure
by Alice Kimberly (Cleo Coyle)
Haunted Bookshop mystery #2: The Ghost and the Dead Deb
by Alice Kimbery (Cleo Coyle)
Haunted Bookshop mystery #3: The Ghost and the Dead Man's Library
by Alice Kimberly (Cleo Coyle)
And coming in May 2008...
Haunted Bookshop mystery #4: The Ghost and the Femme Fatale
by Alice Kimberly (Cleo Coyle)
Java Joy to the World to You!
—Cleo Coyle
(who also writes as Alice Kimberly)
Moka Pot
Dear Cleo:
After reading all the posts about the Moka pot i went to my local store and bought one. I followed you directions and brewed my first pot. The smell was wonderful and I couldn't wait for my brew to finsh. This was about 5:30 PM. That first pot was truly delicious I drank the whole thing with just a touch of sugar. At 5 AM I was still raving about how good it was and was ready for my next pot, oh I forgot to mention I didn't sleep all night after drinking that first pot I needed the secon pot to keep me awake all the next day. Boy did I learn a lesson, Moke pot coffee not good for dessert. Can't wait for your next book and loved the Bookshop mysteries too.
Rusty in Plainfield, IN
Cleo here. Thanks, Rusty!! You definitely made me laugh with this post. Beware the jolt in the java. Everyone's got their limit.
Java joy to you! And I'm glad that you're enjoying the Moka pot. For anyone who is wondering what a Moka pot is, here's a picture. It's a way to make espressos right on your stovetop. Click here or on the pic and it will take you to a link with more info on how the pot works.
--Cleo Coyle
Beatitudes
Just finished your last book that I bought at my favorite bookstore/coffeeshop--Beatitudes in Mosinee, Wisconsin. I bought all the books there and they have been having book discussions about them! So that's my favorite place in the world right now! Greetings to you and I can't wait for the new book!
Cleo here! Thank you SO much for reading my books! You made my day, telling me about your favorite coffeehouse AND the fact that they're having a book discussion about them, too. How cool is that?! Please tell the folks there that I said hello and send my sincerest thanks for their support and interest in the Coffeehouse Mystery series. If ever I'm up that way, I'll be sure to stop in myself!
Beatitudes Coffee
421 4th Street, Mosinee, Wisconsin
Store motto: "Leave the grind behind..."
"Beatitudes is a gourmet coffee shop featuring fresh roasted coffee, espresso, loose leaf teas, smoothies, chai, and elegant pastries with a great atmosphere." —Mosinee Chamber of Commerce
—Cleo Coyle
Gombe Reserve
Trudy from Calif.
I just wanted to say that I loved this coffee! It was so good that I sent some to my mother in law in Washington for her to try it. She fell in love with it as much as I did. I would have written soon about this but I went into the hospital shortly after receiving it. But the good news is I had something to look forward to when I was well enough to enjoy it.
Thanks again for letting me try it.
Trudy
Cleo here. Thank YOU, Trudy, for posting. I'm sorry to hear about the hospital! I hope you are okay and recovering well. Please accept my very best thoughts and wishes for the holidays and the coming new year! And I'm so glad you liked Dr. Goodall's favorite African coffee!
Anyone who wants to learn more about Gombe Reserve coffee, click here.
Cleo Coyle
Green Mountain Coffee
I am glad to see your mention of Green Mountain Coffee. My favorite is the 'Autumn Harvest' blend. We used to have a local coffee place in the owner's home and she served and sold it as well as the other blends. She also made wonderful scones. We miss the taste of that great coffee.
Marge
Claire and Gang
Hi Cleo Any idea when we get to meet some more of Claire's friends and family under the Espressos link? Chelle from Canadathanks for the brownies !
yum....the brownies will be great...with a cup or two of coffee ! glad you liked the links. I have had the Door Cty coffee..and enjoy it. The NE coffee is only available at Jewel foods in WI..and there is no Jewel here.coffee link
There is a coupon in our paper today..here in Appleton WI..for New England coffee. New to me..so....I found the website.. and it is very interesting...thought I would share the info: www.newenglandcoffee.com
Here in WI we have Door County coffee. Their Door Cty Christmas blend is awesome:
—Mary T
Cleo here. Hi Mary from Appleton, WI! As always, I'm thrilled when a CM reader suggests coffees or coffeehouses. I've activated your links above (to New England Coffee and Door County Coffee) for others to try and I'll be trying coffee from both of these places in the near future. If all goes well, I'll be posting about them, too, so stay tuned.
Thanks, Mary! Post again anytime. Here's a virtual plate of delish brownies to you for stopping by my virtual coffeehouse.
Java joy to you,
Cleo Coyle
I LOVE COFFEE!!
I was born and grew up in Brazil, so coffee is definitely part of my life. I love the smell of it in the house. It's fun to be reading these novels and know that Matt travels also to Brazil to get coffee. I can't wait till French Pressed comes out.
Cleo here. Hello Brazillian native! It's so wonderful to hear from you. Thanks for your lovely words about my books. You made my day! Stay tuned for more info on French Pressed, and thanks again for stopping by my virtual coffeehouse. Here's a virtual latte art pour, just for you!
Feel free to post anytime. I'd love to hear more about your memories of Brazil. Did you ever visit the rain forest or the beaches of Brazil? Or do you have any special Brazillian foods or dishes you especially miss or enjoy having to remind you of your native country?
Java joy to you,
Cleo Coyle
Coffee Concerns
It's so weird that you posted that article on decaff coffee. I am actually wondering if drinking coffee is really as bad for your health as the research shows. I like to have a couple of cups a day...but now I'm not so sure. The long term affects of coffee are pretty unnerving. Do you have any thoughts? Are these worries just old wives tales?
Kathy
Cleo here. Hi, Kathy! Research shows there are actually health benefits to drinking my favorite beverage! HOOO-AH!
While not everyone can tolerate coffee or caffeine, many people love it, and they should feel good about loving it, too.
Listen, folks, too much WATER can harm a person! And a single peanut can kill someone with an allergy to nuts, so I'm putting this all in perspective. Some people have issues with caffeine (sure!) just like some people have an intolerance of wheat or milk, but that doesn't mean we shoud be afraid of a beverage that's been enjoyed for 1400 years by cultures all over the world!
For me, coffee has enhanced my life. I enjoy it and it's been a benefit to me (I exercise and make a habit of eating right, so factor that in, too). I guess I'm trying to say that there are many studies that show coffee can be part of a healthy lifestyle and even protect you against disease.
I put up some "Coffee and Health" links in the right column so you can see what I mean. To quote Thomas DePaulis, Ph.D., research scientist at Vanderbilt University..."Overall, the research shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful."
Click here to read a WebMD article, which also discusses coffee's health benfifts. Thanks for the post, Kathy! I'm sure a lot of people are having those same questions.
—Cleo Coyle
Gombe Reserve
Hi there Cleo,
I bought some of the Gombe Reserve to bring in to work, and all of us night RNs just love it. I have everyone I work with hooked on great coffee, and they all ask me which one you have posted on the website, and when I am going to order it for them to try. I just love your books - the Alice Kimberly ones too. Keep up the great writing!!!!
Kristin, RN
Cleo here. Hi, Kristin! Great to hear you liked the Gombe Reserve. Stay tuned for some great coffees coming up in the next few months and in spring '08. I can hardly wait for next year. The research I did for French Pressed included scouting out some amazing coffees and I'll be featuring them in early '08 before and after the book's published April 1. In the meantime, here's a virtual pot of Joe for you in thanks for stopping by and posting at my virtual coffeehouse!
Java joy to you,
Cleo
I can see it now. . .
Clare, Matt and Joy take a road trip, meet Penelope & Aunt Sadie & Jack . . .while setting up their first kiosk coffee bar in Buy The Book. The readers all live happily ever after while sipping their vanilla lattes. ellie from Nebraska, now retired with her TBR pile in Florida
Cleo here. HI, Ellie from Nebraska (and now in sunny Florida)! LOL! Your scenario has style. I know you were just kidding, but I actually COULD see Penelope going on a road trip with Seymour and Brainert to visit New York City (Jack's old stomping ground) and they could all stop in for a latte at the Village Blend! I wouldn't rule that one out in the future if both series continue to do well (i.e. if y'all keep reading!). Thanks, Ellie for the road trip addendum!
Warmest wishes to you and here's a virtual plate of delish cannoli in thanks for stopping by my virtual coffeehouse!
--Cleo Coyle
Haunted bookshop sereis for Dawn in Texas
Hi Dawn she writes those books under the name of Alice Kimberly The Ghost and Mrs McClure The Ghost and the Dead Deb The Ghost in the Dead Man's Library and The Ghost and the Fem Fatal. That one isn't released yet. hope that helps they're pretty funny books. Chell from Canada
Haunted bookshop series?
I was just reading the post from Chelle in Canada and was interested in the haunted bookshop series. Can you give me the names? Thanks Dawn in TexasRecipe Requested
Hi Cleo, In one of your early books, you had a recipe for Caramel Sauce to put into a fresh cup of coffee. Can you send that to me? vweseloh@pobox.com We live in Moorhead MN; both of us love coffee; we now make it in our French Press, newly discovered. Our favorite coffeehouse is Ristreto in Fargo ND (right across the Red River from Moorhead). Jerry is a wonderful host and beverage barista . . .If we don't like something he creates, he will do it over for us.Can't wait for French Press
Hi Cleo, Joanna here. I finished the last book Decaffeinated Corpse a while back, so, I thought I let you know I just loved it and now I cannot wait for French Press to be published.. Keep up with the coffee books they're just great. I also when on-line and bought the Ghost books.. I will soon be reading them. I'll write about them later on.. Thanks, Joanna HarrisonSign up for Cleo's Free Coffeehouse Mystery Newsletter for bonus recipes, fun info, and drawings for signed books, premium coffee, and more.
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Clare Goes to
Washington!
Dead to the
Last Drop
National Bestseller
3 Best of Year Lists!
TO LEARN
MORE or BUY
With an appendix of
amazing recipes...
Penguin
FREE
READING
GUIDES
Discussion
Questions
hardcover is now a
- RT Book Reviews
- Fresh Fiction
~ KRL
Mystery Guild
Selection
delicious recipes!
Penguin
It's Official!
Now a
BESTSELLER
in paperback!
#3 bestselling
paperback mystery
at B&N Stores
Nationwide!
rich mystery."
"Must-Read"
Mystery of
the Month
Barnes & Noble
More than 20
delicious recipes!
Cleo's 10th
Coffeehouse
Mystery
Murder
by Mocha
4 Year-End
Best Mystery
Lists!
This bestselling
hardcover is
now reprinted
in paperback,
and a...
TOP-10*
Mystery
Bestseller,
Nationwide!
*Barnes & Noble
*
Includes
Chocolate
Recipes!
This is a
PDF document
and will take a
minute to load.
"...a tasty tale
of crime and
punishment
lightened by
the Blend's
frothy cast of
lovable
eccentrics."
~ Publishers
Weekly
NYPD DET.
MIKE QUINN'S
BEAT
Click » NYPD: Official Website for New York's Finest
Click » NY Crime File (Daily News)
Click » Police Blotter (NY Post)
Read
with joy!
~ Cleo
Arson leads
to murder
in...
ROAST
MORTEM
Named as a
"Favorite Book
of the Year!"
Reviewer's Pick
~ Bookreporter.com
Now a
National
Mystery
Bestseller!*
A deliciously
thrilling
culinary mystery
that's also a
tribute to
firefighters...
See some of
Roast Mortem's
featured recipes by
CLICKING HERE.
and National
Bestseller!
“Fun and gripping…”
~ Huffington Post
"Some of the most
vibrant characters
I've ever read."
~ Mystery Scene
"This one will
keep your cup
piping hot."
~ Kirkus
#1
Bestselling
Paperback
French
Pressed
#1 Bestseller
Independent
Mystery
Booksellers
Association
April 2008
Caffeinated
Cheers
to
COUNTER
CULTURE
COFFEE
"Top Innovator"
DETAILS magazine named Counter Culture Coffee as #1 (of North Carolina) among five industry "innovators creating coffees that have the complexity of fine wines."
I'm a big fan of Counter Culture and have written about them on this site and in my books. Read my Coffeehouse Mystery: French Pressed or scroll down this column to my "Coffee Pick" list.
Says Counter Culture: "We hope that such media coverage helps spread awareness that coffee can not only be an authentic, delicious food experience, but also a conduit for community, sustainable agriculture, and cultural exchange."
~ Cleo
A
#1 Bestselling
Paperback
Decaffeinated
Corpse
#1 Bestseller
Independent
Mystery
Booksellers
Association
July 2007
BULLETS
ON THE
BEACH
Murder
Most Frothy
Murder Most Frothy
Cleo's 4th Coffeehouse Mystery gave her amateur sleuth, Clare Cosi, a summer job as a "coffee steward" at a posh new eatery in the Hamptons, the fabled seaside escape for New York's rich and famous.
When a co-worker is gunned down, she's on a case that leads her to strange clues on the beach, a rogue Navy SEAL, and a suspicious manager at the restaurant where she's pouring gourmet cups of joe...
NEW YORK
HAMPTON'S
COFFEE CO.
CLICK HERE to visit some real coffee peeps who work hard to give the Hamptons folks a great cuppa joe.
* * * * * *
And
just for fun...
Peter Pans
"Overstaying the
Hamptons Party"
New York
Times
Click below to read a past Times feature about "house shares" in the Hamptons and men who try to keep the postcollege "boys of summer" party going decades after their undergrad days. Shades of my character Matt Allegro? Hmm...
2010 WORLD
BARISTA
CHAMP
Mike Phillips, our U.S. Barista Champ, finished among the top 3 baristas in his first World competition, held in Atlanta, Georgia. The following year, in Olympia, London, he won FIRST PLACE and is now THE WORLD CHAMPION FOR 2010! Way to go, Mike!
How did he get there? "I really care about coffee and the entire chain of things, from where the coffee is grown and processed, all the way to the shop where it's prepared and the customers who enjoy it."
Mike worked at Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea when he won the barista competitions. To virtually visit the store, click here.
*
VIDEO OF
WINNING
PERFOMANCE!
To see Mike competing
in last year's World
Championships,
click here.
*
"What does it take
to make a
World Champion?"
Mike replies in
an interview.
See it by
clicking here.
Java Master Gives
Tips on Making
the Perfect Cup
Italian-born Gennaro Pelliccia is responsible for the taste of the 108 million cups of Costa coffee sold in Britain each year. His policy with Lloyd's of London insures his tongue for 10 million pounds!
Click here to read Mr. P's tips on making a great cuppa joe...
FREE
EXCERPT!
for Cleo Coyle's
2nd series...
Haunted
Bookshop
Mysteries
THE GHOST
AND THE
HAUNTED
MANSION
* National Mystery
Bestseller!
Independent Mystery
Booksellers Association
Meet the ghost at...
* A Fresh Fiction
Fresh Pick!
"The plot is marvelous,
the writing is top-notch..."
~ Cozy Library
Click here
to read a
Free Excerpt
Want to Grow
Your Own
Coffee Plant?
Thanks to CM reader Linda for posting info about where to buy coffee plants and seeds. Click here to go to the coffee seed catalog page and scroll down. Look for the "coffea" plants listed in ITALIC alphabetically.
Coffea arabica
Coffea catura
Coffea kona
Linda also says: "Gurney's Plant and Seed catalog has small coffee plants for $8.95 each. Click here and look for item # 11295 for coffee plants."
WAKE UP AND SMELL...
THE CANVAS!
"I started painting with coffee because I wanted a cheaper medium that was accessible to me," says Filipino artist Sunshine Plata. A tube of oil paint costs at least 500 pesos ($11), while a jar of instant coffee is only around 150 pesos ($3). Click here to read more about Sunshine and her coffee art.
Caffeine
Myths
A New York Times story by the amazing Jane Brody examines coffee and health, click here to read more. (I learned a lot about the myths of caffeine!)
*
Click here to read about a Harvard study that shows coffee's link to preventing heart disease.
*
Click here to read how a cup of coffee a day may offset Alzheimer's disease.
In Memoriam
Sheena
2.21.2009
Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony!
Yes, like the Japanese with their tea traditions, the Ethiopians have a very special way of enjoying coffee. Click here to learn more!
Coffee Health News!
Coffee May Boost Memory
in Older Women
Women older than 65 who drank more than three cups of coffee a day — or the caffeine equivalent in tea — showed better memory retention than men, a French researcher reports. To read more in a Scientific American article, click here.
COFFEE NEWS!
Ethiopia announces commercial culitvation of low-caffeine coffee plants! Ric Gostwick's "dream" coffee from Decaffeinated Corpse is no longer fiction! To read about this amazing breakthrough, click here.
AND NOW
FOR SOME
OF CLEO'S
PAST
COFFEE PICKS...
---------------------------
SEPTEMBER '07
Cleo's Coffee Pick:
MAGNOLIA GRILL BLEND
With the tip of a chef's hat to the married couple who run Magnolia Grill, Cleo's coffee pick for SEPTEMBER 2007 was Magnolia Grill Blend sold by Counter Culture Coffee roasters. Visit the Counter Culture website by clicking here.
OCTOBER '07
Cleo's Coffee Pick:
GOMBE RESERVE
Cleo's pick for OCTOBER 2007 was Gombe Reserve sold by Green Mountain Coffee Co. and endorsed by Dr. Jane Goodall.
NOVEMBER '07
Cleo's Coffee Pick:
MAJOR DICKASON'S BLEND
In tribute to the late, great Alfred Peet, Cleo's pick for NOVEMBER 2007 was Major Dickason's Blend sold by Peet's Coffee and Tea. Learn the story of this delicious and popular Peet's blend as well as the story of its odd name by clicking here.
JANUARY '08
Cleo's Coffee Pick:
"YIRG" - ETHIOPIAN YIRGACHEFFE
Cleo's pick for JANUARY 08 was Ethiopian Yirgacheffe sold by Counter Culture Coffee Company. This coffee was also featured in Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mystery: FRENCH PRESSED. Visit Counter Culture Coffee and order their coffee online by clicking here.
FEBRUARY '08
Cleo's Coffee Pick:
RWANDAN VILLAGE BLEND
Cleo's FEBRUARY '08 pick was Rwandan Village Blend, and outstanding coffee, sold by Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Co. Visit their website to order online by clicking here.
MARCH '08
Cleo's Coffee Pick:
KENYA
Cleo's MARCH '08 pick was Kenya, sold by Counter Culture Coffee, Co. and Peet's Coffee. This coffee was also featured in Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mystery: FRENCH PRESSED.
APRIL '08
Cleo's Coffee Pick:
PURPLE PRINCESS
Cleo's April '08 pick was the amazing "Finca El Puente" from a coffee in Honduras nicknamed "Purple Princess" by the coffee director of Counter Culture Coffee of Durham, NC. This coffee was also featured in Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mystery: FRENCH PRESSED.
MAY - JUNE '08
Cleo's Coffee Pick:
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Cleo's June '08 pick was the "Jamaica Blue Mountain" of the South Pacific. An award-winning coffee grown on the exotic island of Papua New Guinea (north of Australia).
JULY - AUGUST '08
Cleo's Coffee Pick:
SOLAR ROAST COFFEE
Cleo's July - August '08 pick was Solar Roast Coffee of Pueblo, Colorado, the only company in the world that roasts its coffee using solar energy! Meet Dave and Mike, the two brothers who invented this one-of-a-kind solar roaster, and learn how you can purchase their delicious coffees for yourself by clicking here or typing SolarRoast.com into your browser.
SEPT. - OCTOBER '08
Cleo's Coffee Pick:
JOE'S VIENNA ROAST
from the NYC coffeehouse:
Joe, The Art of Coffee
(Now "Joe Coffee Company)
The September-October '08 pick was Joe's Vienna Roast, sold by Joe, The Art of Coffee café in Greenwich Village, New York, recently named one of the best coffee bars in the country by Food and Wine magazine (and one of Cleo Coyle's inspirations for her fictional Village Blend!). CLICK HERE to visit Joe online.
NOV. - DECEMBER '08
Cleo's Coffee Pick
BOUCHON BLEND
This smooth, delicious coffee is the House Blend served at Bouchon Bakeries, which are owned and run by award-winning chef Thomas Keller. This coffee was featured in Cleo Coyle's 7th Coffeehouse Mystery: ESPRESSO SHOT. It is blended and roasted by Equator Estate Coffee and Teas, a women-owned company based in northern California. Click here to visit the company and try their coffees for yourself.
JANUARY 2009
Cleo's Coffee Pick
NOT KOPI LUWAK!
One of the rarest coffees on the planet, Kopi Luwak is also one of the most expensive. Kopi Luwak was also a featured coffee in Cleo's 7th and most recently released Coffeehouse Mystery: ESPRESSO SHOT.
SPRING 2009
Cleo's Coffee Pick
ROOSTER BROTHER's
LA MINITA ESTATE
(Costa Rica)
This outstanding single-origin bean is treated with love by the coffee team at Rooster Brother, a store for cooks housed in a historic Victorian building in Ellsworth, Maine. Master Roaster Gene (pictured) does a masterful job of bringing out the very best in this smooth, bright, delightful coffee with the kind of hints of citrus and berry usually found in high-quality African beans. Click here to visit George and Pamela Elias's Rooster Brother store online and order some of this superb coffee for yourself! (Thanks to Coffeehouse Mystery reader Bud Knickerbocker of Bangor, Maine, for suggesting it!)
MAY - JUNE '09
Cleo's Coffee Pick
BISHOPS BLEND
Creating blends is a culinary art, and I'm happy to report that the roasters for Bishops Blend have done a masterful job at creating theirs. The beans are roasted medium dark and the package came to me (via UPS) freshly roasted, beautifully oily, and smelling of chocolate. The coffee is perfectly balanced; and as it cools, the notes include a slight vanilla flavor and a touch of cinnamon. Even better, when you purchase a bag, a percentage of the money goes toward ERD, a charity that provides disaster relief around the world as well as enabling people in the poorest communities on our planet to climb out of poverty.
SUMMER 2009
Cleo's Coffee Pick
DALLMAYR PRODOMO
Imported from Munich, Germany
A beloved German coffee brand.
FALL 2009
Cleo's Coffee Pick
AMARO GAYO
(Ethiopia)
roasted by
Gimme! Coffee
An exotic Ethiopian coffee sold by the outstanding roaster Gimme! Coffee, which takes pride in getting it to you expertly and freshly roasted. Visit the roaster by clicking here.
SPRING 2010
Cleo's Coffee Pick
FRENCH LAUNDRY
ESTATE BLEND
roasted by
Equator Estates Coffee
"Roaster of the Year"
~ Roast Magazine
This "chef's blend" was created especially for award-winning Chef Thomas Keller's world-renowned French Laundry restauant. The roaster is Equator Estates. Visit the roaster by clicking here.
Summer-
Fall 2010
Cleo's Coffee Pick
Kafe Lespwa
"Coffee of Hope"
from Haiti
To purchase this coffee
or learn more about it,
CLICK HERE.
To Read Cleo's
feature post on
this coffee, CLICK HERE
and scroll down
Spring-
Summer 2011
Cleo's Coffee Pick
Cops Coffee
COPS
COFFEE
"Midnight
Shift"
dark roast
"Your safest cup
of brew..."
Fall 2011
Cleo's
Coffee Picks
from
Batdorf &
Bronson
Coffee
Roasters
Mocha Java
Blend
To learn
more or buy,
click here.
and...
Dancing
Goats Blend
To learn
more or buy,
click here.
Winter
2011 - 2012
Cleo's
Coffee Picks
from
Rooster
Brother
A boutique
roaster in
Ellsworth,
Maine
Costa Rica's
La Minita Estate
"The Lafite of coffees."
An amazing cup
of joe from
To visit the
Costa Rican farm
where this coffee
is grown,
click here...
To read more
about this coffee
or purchase it
for yourself,
click here.
and...
100% Kona
Coffee
Grade:
Extra Fancy
Grown by
Kona Star Farms
of Kona, Hawaii
To learn
more, click here.
NOW
SOLD OUT
Cleo's
Spring 2012
Coffee Pick
Brazil's
Poco Fundo
"Almond joy
in a cup"
Seattle
Coffee Works Roated by
Cleo's
Summer 2012
Coffee Pick...
From the
"Coffee Goddesses"
of Maine
Bistro Blend
&
Fireside Blend
Roasted by
Carpe Diem
Coffee Roasters
To learn more
or purchase,
click here.
Cleo's
Fall 2012
Coffee Pick...
Kenyan
"Lenana"
This coffee was named after one of the peaks of Mt. Kenya. It was sourced and roasted by Terroir Coffee, a company created by one of the most respected names in the trade: George Howell.
Cleo's
Spring 2013
Coffee Pick...
Fonte
Coffee
Fonte is a micro
roaster in Seattle,
Washington, whose
clients include
The Four Seasons
and Wynn Las Vegas.
Fonte is an
outstanding roaster
and their AA Blend
makes a smooth,
rich cup.
To learn more
or purchase,
click here.
Cleo's 2014
Coffee Picks...
Boneyard
Coffee
"Specialty Blend"
This high-quality blend includes Rwandan Beans, among my favorite on planet earth, as well as beans from Papua New Guinea and Guatemala. It's smooth, rich, and absolutely delicious! Boneyard Coffee is a fantastic find!
To learn more or
purchase Boneyard's
"Specialty Blend,"
click here.
Cleo's 2014
Coffee Picks...
Laughing Man
Coffee
"184 Blend"
Actor Hugh Jackman co-founded the Laughing Man Coffee Company to support developing world coffee farmers. The freshly roasted coffee from Laughing Man is absolutely delicious, and their Manhattan store front in TriBeCa isn’t very far from the fictional Village Blend of my Coffeehouse Mystery series.
CLICK HERE to view a short video where Hugh stands in for Matteo Allegro and takes you to an African coffee farm. You'll also see links to learn more or purchase this delicious coffee.
Cleo's 2014
Coffee Picks...
One Good Woman
Coffee and Tea
"One Good Woman"
Signature Blend
This is the fresh coffee blend that Holly O'Connor used to start her business in a coffee truck. She now has 18 employees in her successful and beloved Pennsylvania shop, celebrating nearly 20 years in business.
The "One Good Woman" blend is a hand-crafted coffee blend of smooth Columbian Supremo, Sumatra Mandheling and Ethiopian Harrar
medium roasted coffee beans.
To learn more
or purchase,
click here.
and...
Vintage
Diner Mug
"One Good Woman"
A great cup of coffee
needs a great cup.
To learn more
or purchase,
click here.
Cleo's Latest
Coffee Pick...
BILLIONAIRE'S
BLEND
A rich, smooth, AMAZING coffee blend hand-crafted for Cleo by a Master Roaster as a tribute to the fabulous coffee created in her bestselling, star reviewed Coffeehouse Mystery BILLIONAIRE BLEND.
CLICK HERE to learn more or buy this excellent coffee, created as a tribute to Cleo's book.
WIN COFFEE
Sign up for Cleo's Free Coffeehouse Mystery Newsletter for bonus recipes, plus news, fun info, and drawings for signed books, premium coffee, and more. To subscribe, click here or fill in the form below...
For the Love
of Our Vets
HONOR FLIGHT was created by a VA doctor when he discovered that his elderly patients (veterans of WW II) could not afford to make the trip to Wash. D.C. to see the WWII war memorial that is dedicated to them. Now a national organization, Honor Flight raises money to help WWII vets make the trip to visit the memorial that would not exist without their bravery and sacrifice. Cleo has proudly donated. To learn more about Honor Flight, click here.
COFFEEHOUSE
BOOKS IN
ORDER
FREE TITLE CHECKLIST
OF COFFEEHOUSE
BOOKS IN ORDER:
For a free checklist of Coffeehouse Mystery Books in Order click here or on the image below (to download the free PDF document).
Coffeehouse Mysteries
title checklist.
click here.
HAUNTED
BOOKS IN
ORDER
HAUNTED
BOOKSHOP
MYSTERIES
BOOKS IN ORDER
For a free checklist of Cleo's Haunted Bookshop Mysteries in Order click here or on the image below to download the free PDF document).
Click here for free
Haunted Bookshop
title checklist.
FREE
READING
GUIDES
Discussion
Questions
*AFFILIATE LINKS
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