I know I wrote a list of the stuff coffee can’t do….but something coffee and tea both seem to do well is to soothe the pained soul with warmth and comfort. I mean…if you are having a meltdown emotionally you usually don’t reach for a coke, right?  In those heavy emotional scenes in the movies people are always drinking coffee or tea (or booze but we aren’t goin’ there, folks).

The truth is that you can’t discuss raw emotions over a milkshake. You can’t grieve something properly if you are sipping on a glass of chocolate milk. And nobody confides their deepest secrets over Kool-Aid unless there is something else in it.

Coffee (and tea) allow you to contemplate your angst while you stare off into space. You can sip unconsciously while your mind is a thousand miles away. No need to worry about burping, bubbles in the nose or anything happy- coffee is like a favorite pair of sweats, a dog, and a worn blanket when you need it to be.

I guess that is why I like it. I even like bad coffee at times like this. It gives me something to do while I am processing.

image:sxc

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Are those not the cutest ever? Youc an find the Grinch Mugs on Amazon

image via Amazon

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Bittersweet micro-roasts their coffee beans to maintain more control over the finished product. The coffee beans are small and plump and very fragrant with a classic cocoa mocha aroma. Once brewed the aroma takes on a floral perfume, light and delicate with  citrus top notes. This is one tricky coffee!

The flavor is a little acidic for me…Keep in mind that my heart belongs to intense, dark roasts. But beyond that it has a sparkle that is very light and fresh.  This coffee would be especially good with citrus flavors: orange and chocolate cake for example.

I think this is a good San Francisco Hippie Chick kind of coffee. Think white gauze peasant tops, flowers in the hair,  and bare feet.If you like a light city roast you may like this. I would not buy it but I did enjoy trying it.  The Bittersweet Cafés are located in San Francisco on Fillmore Street, College Avenue in Oakland and the Rose Garden Shopping Center in Danville.

Discaimer: This review is unbiased. The coffee was sent to me for review and no money changed hands. They don’t want the coffee back.  No animals were harmed in the writing of this review. thank you.

image:marye audet

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A New York woman hates it enough to sue Burger King for 5 million dollars. Yep.  5 million.  Why? Apparently the company sent text messages to her phone encouraging her to try the newest coffee drink offerings at her local BK. Although the five million seems sorta hefty the woman, Elizabeth Espinal, says that they continued to send her text messages even though she repeatedly asked them to stop. She says that BK actually caused her harm with the texts, that they were aggravating AND that she had to pay for them. An example of the harrassing texts is:

Stop by BK for a refreshing Mocha BK Joe Iced Coffee. A perfect mix of rich coffee and chocolate syrup.

Wow. That’s harsh.

I don’t think companies ought to be able to send spam texts but I think that clogging up the courts with even more stupid lawsuits is…well….stupid.

And besides, it could have been worse. It could have been one of the topless coffee shops.

image: sxc

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Starbucks Caramel Brulee Latte

I was expecting a strong, creamy vanilla flavor with a caramel finish. What I got was somewhat tasteless, watery, and not as sweet or rich as I would have expected. If you are expecting something with the flavor of the Gingerbread Latte or the Pumpkin Spice Latte you will be disappointed. It just isn’t here. However, if you are looking for something less sweet this may be the type of latte you are looking for.

Starbucks describes the drink this way on their site:
We’ve combined Starbucks espresso and steamed milk with a rich caramel sauce and topped it with whipped cream and shimmery pieces of caramel topping.

I would suggest starting with a tall to make sure that you like it. The flavor sounds great but doesn’t quite live up to its potential.

image: Starbucks

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You can buy this Grumpy Mug  on Amazon.

images: via Amazon

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Maybe it is the fact that my husband left me a month ago..but I currently heart this mug…  I ran into my ex….

Image: Retro Planet

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The White Rhino is situated in an older home in Cedar Hill. I am guessing the house was built in the 1930s – 40s… a bit of a transitional Arts and Crafts/ Atomic Age. The hardwood floors are warm welcoming and I could definitely see myself sitting here for hours, staring out the windows, drinking coffee and listening to the music…which is just the right blend of jazz/piano bar style.

The space is well laid out. They didn’t try to jam too many tables in but left lots of room for privacy and traffic flow.  There is a large t.v.  over the fireplace (sadly the fireplace doesn’t work) that is currently silently playing scenes from Mr. Bean’s Holiday.  You can also choose to sit out on the large, covered front patio and watch the world go by…or at least the traffic.

Mike is gonna laugh at me but…The espresso is nutty and rich…and even chocolatey. Nice shiny surface, touch of acidity. I like it. I like to get espressos because you just can’t hide behind them – the flavor is either there or it isn’t. Kudos to White Rhino. Flavor was definitely in the house.

The Sebastian is what  I am extremely impressed with. Oh my gosh. I am trying to describe the amazing party going on in this drink. Raspberry, white chocolate, whipped cream…do I detect a bit of fleur de sel? Something a little salty.  Just a hint..and served breve with whipped cream and caramel. Oh my. Oddly this is not an extremely sweet drink. It is sweet but the salt is a perfect compliment…(later : Amazingly when I asked they said no salt was added. Very odd..still very good)

The plain coffee, White Rhino Blend, is a full city roast. I realize this is a necessity because more people like it, while I prefer the dark, mysterious, emo nuances of a really dark Italian Roast. However, for a full city roast it was good. Smooth, sparkly, and slightly citrus.

White Rhino has cakes, coffee cakes, and pie available. I asked where they came from and was told that Costco was the supplier. They have tried local suppliers and not had good results but the Costco items  were good, sold well, and consistent.  I give them kudos for honesty – although I would have loved to hear that they were using someone local.

Their roaster is, however, local and I was glad to hear it.  White Rhino offers a variety of coffee beans for sale as well. Oh, and they DO have real cups. You know I am freaky about using cardboard/styrofoam/other ickiness.

It was not crowded but there did seem to be a steady stream of customers. The baristas handled my many interruptions and questions very well, and never rolled their eyes at me once. Bravo!  I think that by 12:15 they had decided I had moved in, however.

I would have liked better lighting because of images but the lighting is just right for a calm, peaceful atmosphere.  If you live in the South Dallas area: Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Midlothian, Lancaster, De Soto, Grand Prairie then White Rhino is a nice INDY change from the corporate chaos of you know who. Worth the drive.  I would have liked to have gotten an interview but they never returned my emails.

Score? On a Marye scale of 1 to 5 this coffee shop gets a 4.5 . The coffee is wonderful, I was was comfortable there, and anyone who likes Mr. Bean is my kind of people. Nice job, guys.

Address:
230 W. Beltline Road, Cedar Hill Texas

Web: White Rhino Coffee

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Buena Beans brings the coffee from La Violeta, Costa Rica to the American market and uses the profits to improve the local school. It is run by Kate Schneider, a former volunteer teacher in the town.

Kate spent a year living and working in La Violeta. She was impressed by the quality of the coffee and amazed by the history of the town. Coffee had pulled the community out of dire poverty over three generations. Thing is, there are no opportunities outside of small-scale farming for the generation of children growing up now and future generations.

With a few thousand dollars, the community could afford to build a secure space to house computers that it received as a donation. With the infrastructure already in place for an internet connection, the entire community could access the Internet through a free connection provided by the government. All they need is four walls and a roof.

Every purchase you make from Buena Beans is a direct action in support of global educational initiatives, sustainable development, and great coffee. They need to sell a total of 4500 lbs of coffee to meet this need. They have all ready sold a lot of that.  If everyone who reads this bought just one pound that goal would be met.

I am not getting paid for this. I just wanted to let you know that this is going on and you can be a part of it. I reviewed Buena Beans Cafe  la Violeta earlier in the year.

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image: Buena Beans

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Unless you are doing a review, or are a coffee roaster (or similar) you probably should just enjoy the flavor.

What makes coffee perfect, to my mind, is the reason you are drinking it. I loved the coffee dates Marc and I used to have, sipping coffee and just being together. It was the being not the doing that was important. I dislike coffee cuppings because all the slurping makes me cringe. I am, after all, a rather experienced mom and when I hear those kinds of noises whilst someone is drinking I want to tell them to drink it right or leave the table.

In any case, rather than coffee being the focus, good coffee should be the backdrop of what you are doing. Analyze it to death in private if you must, but coffee has always and should always be a social event.  Nearly every town has some old restaurant where everyone goes for coffee and to find out who left who and who is moving out of state.

I guess I am tired of all the hoopla. Just drink the darn stuff and enjoy it. Somethings shouldn’t be analyzed. Some should just be savored in the moment.

Go ahead, grab a cup. Take a break. Don’t try to taste the citrus, tobacco, or chocolatey-nuttiness. Just sip it and be mindless for a few minutes.

Felt good, didn’ t it?

image:sxc

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