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Tasting Starbucks Small Batch Clover Coffee

YumSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:25:14 -0700

Starbucks has been keeping itself busy. Not only has it developed a whole new line of food items, but the company has been working on a bigger product launch: its Clover Small Batch Coffee, a new offering that highlights high-end coffees. The new coffee program has two important elements: high-quality beans from varying origins, and specific coffee equipment known as Clover machines to brew the beans. The idea is to encourage customers to taste coffee like they would wine. Because like wine, coffee's origins, soil, and climate are reflected in its taste. At $11,000 each, Clover coffee makers aren't cheap, but they employ a vacuum-press process, turning out individually brewed, made-to-order cups that highlight coffee's true flavors.

This morning, Starbucks launched its Clover Small Batch Coffee Program in San Francisco (it has already been released in Boston, Seattle, and Portland). From a choice of five coffees, I selected the Ethiopia Nardos brew. The coffee was floral, and its notes of sweet brown sugar were enhanced when I took a bite of my croissant. At $2.75 for a tall, it was a treat well worth it.

Have you tasted Clover coffee yet? What did you think? To see if there is a Clover program location near you, read more.

San Francisco Bay Area
1364 Park Street, Alameda, CA
1160 Burlingame Avenue, Burlingame, CA
1230 Broadway Avenue, Burlingame, CA
3595 California Street, San Francisco, CA
350 Rhode Island Street, San Francisco, CA
295 California Street, San Francisco, CA
7 Third Street, San Francisco, CA
2292 Bridgepoint Parkway, San Mateo, CA

Seattle
701 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA
10214 NE 8th, Bellevue, WA
601 S. Grady Way, Renton, WA
7100 E. Greenlake Drive N, Seattle, WA
1524 7th Ave. Seattle, WA
505 5th Ave. South, Seattle, WA
21920 Highway 99, Edmonds, WA
1420 5th Ave., Seattle, WA
400 East Madison Ave., Seattle, Wa
2135 Queen Anne Ave. N, Seattle, WA

Portland
8400 SW Nimbus Ave. 120, Beaverton, OR

Boston
1016 Paradise Road, Swampscot, MA
1154 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA
159 Sudbury Road, Concord, MA
473 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA
1662 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA
68A Central Street, Wellesley, MA
165 Newbury Street, Boston, MA
350 Newbury Street, Boston, MA
183 Grove Street, South Brookline, MA
14 Main Street, Andover, MA
211 Congress Street, Boston, MA
910 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA
147-151 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA
31 Church Street, Cambridge, MA
521 Main Street, Melrose, MA
723 Broadway, Saugus, MA
84 Burlington Mall Road Suite D, Burlington, MA
1655 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA
112 Trapelo Road, Belmont, MA
60 Bedford Street, Lexington, MA
552 Adams Street, Milton, MA
101 Drum Hill Road, Chelmsford, MA
1660 Soldiers Field Road, Brighton, MA
847 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA
1810 Centre Street, West Roxbury, MA
6 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA
5 Rever Beach Pkwy, Medford, MA
750 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA
1 Charles Street, Boston, MA
The Garage 36 JFK Street, Cambridge, MA
75-101 Federal Street, Boston, MA
513 Boston Post Road, Sudbury, MA

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Starbucks Buys Fancy-Pants Machines, Also Promises to Treat You Better

YumSugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 05:00:00 -0700

Yesterday, many wild announcements were made during Starbucks' annual shareholder meeting. It's no secret, they've been making a lot of interesting changes, but some of the announcements were quite surprising. While the launch of their own social networking website is shocking, it was actually their purchase of Coffee Equipment Company, the makers of the fancy-pants Clover coffee machines.

Clover coffee machines cost $11,000 each and are thought by many coffee snobs to be "amazing, absolutely amazing" - those are quotes from actual coffee snob friends of mine. The Clover machines will be put into select markets, and rumor has it that non-Starbucks cafés will no longer be able to purchase them.

Other changes that they announced included improved automated espresso machines that grind beans fresh for each drink, as well as a new coffee blend and a rewards program. That's right, they're finally going to give you that soy milk or vanilla splash for free. It's about time, no?

So what do you think, will these changes alter the way you think about Starbucks?

Source

Four Leaf Clover Cookies

YumSugar — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 09:58:19 -0700

In case you need more dessert options for St. Patrick's Day, be sure to check out these four-leaf clover shaped cookie cutters. Now all you need to do is whip up a batch of green icing to go with the cookies you make. And at only $1, you can't really go wrong.

Source: Cooking Gadgets

Starbucks Clover Coffee Has Arrived!

YumSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:13:36 -0700

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Happy Hour: Mai Tai

YumSugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:00:47 -0700

One of the best seminars I attended at last weekend's Aspen Food & Wine Classic was a cocktail class that focused on tropical cocktails. The lesson was led by Julie Reiner, the owner and bar genius behind such Manhattan hotspots as the Flatiron Lounge, Pegu Club, and the Clover Club.

Julie started off by giving us a primer on one of America's favorite drinking pastimes, the tiki bar. America's unique tiki culture owes much of its history to a San Francisco pioneer by the name of Victor Jules Bergeron, Jr. - perhaps better known to the rest of the country as Trader Vic.
Trader Vic created many of tiki's classic concoctions - among them, the Scorpion and the Fog Cutter - but is most famous for the Mai Tai, a world-famous liquid vacation that combines the tartness of lime with the sweetness of orgeat and the caramelized molasses flavor of dark rum. See Trader Vic's tried-and-true recipe when you read more.

Trader Vic's Classic Mai Tai
From Julie Reiner

Ingredients

2 ounces aged rum
3/4 ounce orange curaçao, preferably Marie Brizard
1/4 ounce Monin Almond Syrup, or other orgeat
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce dark rum
Parasol, lime wheel, and mint sprig, for garnish

Directions

Shake aged rum, orange curaçao, orgeat, and lime juice in a shaker with ice.
Strain contents into a lowball glass filled with fresh ice.
Top with 1/4 to 1/2 ounces dark rum.
Garnish with a lime wheel, sprig of mint, and a parasol.

Serves 1.

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Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - Invites

partysugar — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 07:58:19 -0700

St. Patrick's Day is this Saturday night and I am excited. I love St. Patrick's Day for three simple reasons: (1) I am of Irish descent so I celebrate my heritage. (2) My dad's name is Patrick so I celebrate his Saint's Day. (3) My half birthday is March 16 (the day before St. Patrick's) so I celebrate being a half year older.

I also love St. Patrick's Day because its one of those rare occasions where everyone likes to go out and par-tee! This year it falls on a Saturday night which makes it an opportune moment to host a dinner. I'm going to invite over a group of friends for some food before we all head out to the bars together. I've get less than a week to throw this shenanigan together, so I can't waste another minute - I need to make the invitations. To see how I make my shamrock shaped green invites, read more

St. Patrick's Day is all about the color green so I am going to use shades of green on the invite and in my decorating scheme. Use my idea as inspiration to create your own invitations. To assemble this invite you will need:

green cardstock
green printer paper (preferably in a different tone of green than the cardstock)
St. Patrick's Day green shimmery garland (I got mine at Michaels)
scissors
pencil
gluestick
shamrock stickers (optional for the envelopes you send them in)
a print out of this shamrock image
computer and printer

To make this invite:

Start by cutting out the shamrock to create a shamrock stencil.

Fold the green cardstock in half from top to bottom. Trace the shamrock shape onto the cardstock using the pencil putting on edge of the stencil along the folded edge of the cardstock.

Cut out the shape of the shamrock being careful to leave part of the fold. You are creating a four leafed clover shaped card.

Erase any pencil marks that remain from tracing the stencil.

Gently pull the green clovers off of the garland.

Glue the shamrocks onto the front and back of the card in a scattered chaotic pattern.

Set aside and move to your computer.

Create a new word document and drag and drop the four leaf clover image into the document. Align the image to rest behind the text. Rotate the image perpendicularly so it is the same shape as your card.
Insert a text box with no line or fill on top of the clover image. Write the details of your party in a fun friendly manner in the text box. Here's what I wrote in Bradley Hand ITC TT-Bold text, size 12:

PartySugar cordially invites you to a
St. Patrick’s Day Shenanigan!

7 o’clock dinner
10 o’clock pub crawl

PartySugar’s House, San Francisco
RSVP 415.555.555
Please Wear Something Green

Be sure to ask guests to please wear green.

Delete the clover from the text. (You only had the clover there to ensure that the text would fit inside the clover).

Print out the information on the green printer paper.

Trace the shape of the clover on the text page. Cut out.

Glue inside the card.

Add any special extras to jazz it up, I put 2 more shimmer shamrocks inside the invite.

Send in an envelope addressed in your best fancy handwriting in a gold gel pen garnished with a clover sticker.

Planning a St. Patty's Day party? Please tell me about your invites below! Keep reading all this week because I'm hosting one spectacular party and I'm taking you along for the ride.

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Tasting JAQK Cellars

partysugar — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:00:23 -0700

Let me introduce you to my favorite new wine label: JAQK (which cleverly stands for Jack, Ace, Queen, King) cellars. Passionate about play and wine, the brains behind the yet-to-be-released label believe that a great bottle of wine can enhance the playful atmosphere between friends and family.

Last week I had the chance to sit down with Joel Templin (the founder) and Bernard la Borie (the president) to taste a couple of the label's wines. For a sneak peek of the fun company's wines, made by acclaimed winemaker Craig Maclean, and to see a bunch of images from the tasting, read more.

Each wine has a catchy name, interesting story, and beautifully designed label. The eight affordable bottles range in price from $23-64.

While I didn't taste all eight, the wines that I sipped were lush, smooth, and intensely drinkable. My favorite was High Roller, a classic Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon with an elegant, rich texture and dark cherry aroma.

With its deep-purple color and full body, Black Clover, JAQK's merlot, will make the grape made unpopular by the movie Sideways trendy again. The clover-etched bottle is ideal for collecting. After the wine is consumed it would make a gorgeously Gothic vase.

The convention-breaking chardonnay, Pearl Handle, is refined through egg whites. The wine is buttery, fruity, and balanced. My favorite bottle was the sparklingly designed Charmed, the sauvignon blanc. Crisp and mouth-watering, it has an appley aroma.

If you love wine or know a wine-lover, I highly recommend seeking out a bottle come October. Both the liquid and bottle are expertly crafted, resulting in wine that is delicious yet playful, making it an ideal gift for any wine aficionado.

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'Wich of the Week: Avocado and Mango With Cilantro-Lime Mayonnaise

YumSugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:33:31 -0800

When a recipe calls for cilantro, I'm always forced to buy way more than I'll ever need, which leads me on a search for even more cilantro-centric recipes. That was the catalyst for today's 'Wich of the Week, which features an unorthodox combination of mango and avocado on healthy multigrain bread.

This vegetarian sandwich has a refreshing tropical flavor that's alternately tangy and mild. The creamy avocado balances out the zip of the lime and the sweetness of the mango. I decided to make two versions: one vegetarian and one with ham for the hardcore meat eaters. But we all agreed that the sandwich was better without the ham, since the cold cuts overpowered the more delicate fruits. I do recommend you add some clover sprouts for added texture; just steer clear of the recalled ones!

To get the recipe and step-by-step photos, read more.

Avocado and Mango Sandwiches With Cilantro-Lime Mayonnaise
Everyday Food

Ingredients

1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
coarse salt and ground pepper
8 slices multigrain bread, toasted
1 head Bibb lettuce, leaves separated
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
1 Haas avocado, pitted and thinly sliced

Directions

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, cilantro, and lime juice; season with salt and pepper.

Dividing evenly, spread toasts with mayonnaise mixture. Top 4 toasts with lettuce, mango, and avocado; cover with remaining toasts.* Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

*I also added clover sprouts.

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Happy Earth Day! Get Yourself an Edible Miniature Garden

YumSugar — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 05:58:31 -0700

This Sunday, April 22, marks the 38th annual Earth Day and one of the tips that FitSugar recommends to be healthy and green at the same time is to "eat local fruits and vegetables." I'm all for eating locally, but I don't think it gets much more local than your own backyard. I personally don't have much of a green thumb and need all the help I can get (although I actually brought an almost dead tree back to life last summer!). However, I think I've found something that even the blackest of thumbs can manage. This miniature edible indoor garden is just the perfect size and needs little maintenance (just some water). I think it will look so cute on my desk (which is a bonus, because if it's on my desk I probably won't forget to water it). It comes with the interesting structure, four reusable felt pads with seed packets (clover, cress, lettuce and mustard) and a packet refill. All you have to do is provide the water and you're in business. Oh and it'll look adorable next to these little egglings. Happy Earth Day!

Source: Outblush

St. Patrick's Day Fun Facts

partysugar — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 00:01:19 -0700

Oh how I do love the holidays. I was sitting here at my desk the other day and suddenly got incredibly excited. "YumSugar!" I said in my high pitched super excited cocker spaniel voice, "St. Patrick's Day is on Saturday and you know what that means?! I get to compile a whole bunch of fun facts!"

While you may not feel an exhilarated high by reading these facts, you will totally be the life of the party when you drunkenly impress your friends with these little tid bits. Did you know that St. Patrick's Day was first celebrated in Boston in 1737? Or that both Germans and Belgians consume more beer than the Irish? Want to know the name of the Irish brewed drink made from white potatoes? For the name and more fun facts, read more

The moon shining liquor that was outlawed in the late 1700s for its extreme potency is called Poteen and has recently been reintroduced to the market.
St. Patrick was actually of Scottish descent, not Irish, and contrary to popular folklore he never chased any snakes out of Ireland.

Green is associated with St. Patrick's Day because it is the color of Spring.
The shamrock is the traditional symbol because St. Patrick used it to explain the connection between the father, the son, and the holy spirit in the Christian religion.
The city with the largest population of Americans of Irish descent is Boston (23%).
On average, every American consumes 22 gallons of beer per year.
It is considered lucky to find a four leaf clover on St. Patrick's Day.
The children and grandchildren of people born in Ireland can obtain dual citizenship with the US and Ireland.

At one time, there were more Irish living in New York City, than in Dublin, Ireland.
Corned beef is strictly an American invention, the Irish don't actually eat it to celebrate the day.
St. Patrick’s isn’t a big drinking holiday in Ireland. In fact, many of the local pubs are closed for the day.
Leprechauns are the official shoe makers of the fairy kingdom.
Shamrocks are the national flower of Ireland and are picked on St. Patrick's Day and worn on the shoulder.
The ancient Irish used to wear green to show their love for the harvest gods.
34.5 million U.S residents claim Irish ancestry, that is 9 times the current population of Ireland.

Over 41.5 billion pounds of beef are produced each year for St. Patrick's Day, with the majority of it coming from Texas and over 2.5 billion pounds of cabbage are produced with the majority grown in California.
Over 8 million St. Patrick's Day cards are exchanged in America making today the ninth-largest card selling occasion in the US.
Over 94 million people plan to wear green on St. Patrick's Day.
The original Guinness Brewery in Dublin has a 9,000 year lease.
The Oscar was handcrafted by an Irishman, Cedric Gibbons, who was born in Dublin in 1823.

Bailey's Irish Cream which was launched in Ireland in the early seventies, is now the most popular liqueur in the world.

Got a St. Patrick's Day fun fact? Please share them below. Happy St. Patrick's Day!