The house fills with flies as people run in and out and gallons of lemonade, tea, cokes, and other beverages are consumed. The only requirement is that guests bring food to share and control their children.

Seems fair to me.  I am not a fan of uncontrolled children. People assume because I have 8 kids I LOVE children. Not true. I like kids all right but I have no tolerance level for undisciplined, uncontrollable, disrespectful kids. They all seem to end up working at the local grocery stores but that is a whole ‘nother story.

Anyway, if you are looking for something a bit different to serve this Fourth of July take a look at this. Coffee coke float,with just a quick glug of Kahlua for some pizzaz. You can leave the Kahlua out if you want but it is just awesome with it.  Serve it in old fashioned ice cream parlor style shake glasses and top with a mound of whipped cream.

Coffee Coke Float

• 2/3 cup half and half (light) cream
• 2 1/2 cups espresso, or strong coffee, cold
• 4 scoops coffee ice cream
• 1 -2 liter bottle of Coke
• 1/2 cup Kahlua if desired
• 4 frosted glasses

Mix the cream and the cold coffee

Add 2 tbs Kahlua to each glass

Place a scoop of the ice cream in each of four glasses

Half fill each glass with the coffee then fill up the rest of the way with Coke.

Serves 4

Image;Wikipedia

Post from: Kettle and Cup

First of all, I think that Boca Java coffees are good, but not over the top. As for the flavorings, I think they are very imaginative but for my money Kaffe Magnum Opus takes first place in flavored coffees, other than a local roaster that I use. Boca Java flavors just don’t have the intensity that I am looking for. And…you can’t smell them when they are brewing.

Now, Marc says that is because we have a 600 square foot kitchen. Given. It has 11 foot ceilings and that may have something to do with it. But other flavored coffees have filled the kitchen with scent and wafted up the stairs. This one just doesn’t.

Saying that, the Surfin’ Safari is good. First flavor is sort of a nutty buttery caramel followed by the Kalhua and finishing with delicate vanilla notes. The coffee is somewhat rich in the mouth and without bitterness in the aftertaste.

This is a nice afternoon coffee. It would pair well with shortbread cookies or plain biscotti.

image:Boca Java

Post from: Kettle and Cup

At some point in the late 1980s Cinco de Mayo began to take off a bit and now I think they celebrate it everywhere.  In fact, Marc and I were looking at a farm in Houlton, Maine for awhile (couldn’t sell our house, sigh) and saw that it was celebrated clear up there.  Over the next few days on Baing Delights I will be posting some menu ideas and recipes for the food part of the celebration, but if you need an after dinner coffee this is a fantastic choice.  It is based on a Food Network recipe by Rachel Ray and tweaked mercilessly by me.

Try an organic Mexico Chiapas bean for authenticity.

Mexican Coffee

• 1/2 cup ground coffee beans
• 2 tablespoons dark cocoa
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 oz Kahlua per cup
• Whipped cream flavored with kahlua

Make the coffee as usual, using the coffee, the cinnamon, cocoa, chili, and cardamom in the filter to make 8 cups of coffee.  Pour one ounce of the Kahlua in each cup then fill with the hot coffee.  Top with a dollop of whipped cream dusted with cinnamon.

8 servings

Image:SXC

Post from: Kettle and Cup