To tell you the truth, I have not had a regular hot coffee from MacDonalds in probably 20 years. I guess that one, was that bad! A summer or two ago, they promoted their iced coffee during the summer. I was out somewhere that summer, waiting for someone in the sweltering heat, right near a MacDonalds store. The temptation was too strong and I tried one. Somehow, I was surprised at how bad it could be. It seemed like they took the cup from the smoking area (you know the one full of cigarette butts), dropped a couple of ice cubes in and poured water into it.

If you have tried their free hot coffee lately, please comment. I would love to hear from you.
Enjoy
Ian

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This coffee is listed as a medium body and the beans are not over roasted or oily. They are a light brown nut color with a pleasant aroma.

The coffee was quite a surprise. The aroma was the first thing that got my attention. It was sort of flowery, but still, had a full coffee aroma. The flavor was quite amazing for a medium bodied coffee. Sweet, nutty, and sort of flowery. I do all my tastings black, but admit that after tasting I do usually put a drop of cream and sugar in my coffees. This one however, I drank the pot black.

I like this equally compared to Reunion Island’s French Roast fair trade coffee. The French Roast is good if you are looking for something darker, whereas Reunion Island’s Ethiopia Oromia fair trade organic coffee is for those medium coffee lovers.

This would be a great everyday coffee!
 

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars

You can buy Reunion Island coffees online from Amazon.com or in Canada from CulturedCoffeeBean.com.

Enjoy
Ian

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When I opened the package, I first noticed a nice dark aroma, but also that some of the beans seemed overroasted.

It is a full dark roast, so I put that thought aside for now.

The coffee seems less full bodied and thinner than I was expecting. It had a full roasted flavor, however it was somewhat bitter, a little burnt, and slightly acidic. All things considered, it still is a reasonable cup of coffee if you are looking for a full roasted flavor with a thinner base.

Privateer definitely finishes behind Reunion Island’s French Roast fair trade coffee when compared side by side.

This might be a good coffee to brew for friends, after dinner and just sitting down for some cards.
Rating: 3.7 out of 5 stars

You can buy this coffee online from Amazon.com or in Canada from CulturedCoffeeBean.com.

Enjoy
Ian

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 The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming roast coffee, under the Mystic Monk name, to support their life of prayer. Brother Paul Marie was kind enough to send me a sample of one of their fair trade organic coffees, the Midnight Vigils Blend.

The beans are a dark french roast, a little oily, very rich smell. The flavor is pleasant and smooth. Its dark, but not too rich. There’s maybe a slight chocolate flavor and call me crazy, but a wonderful almost sponge toffee like aftertaste. I took many quick sips just to get to the aftertaste!

There are also many gift and sample packs, flavored coffee, monk hoodies, mugs and other gift ideas available.

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars

Midnight Vigils Blend fair trade organic coffee by Mystic Monk , a heavenly idea!

Enjoy
Ian

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If you are dragging your butt out of bed and need a real kick start, try some Shock fair trade organic blend! This blend contains almost double the caffeine as a regular cup of coffee. They also carry an Energy blend contains even more caffeine (however, this is not made from fair trade coffee beans).

As Shock says: Whether you want to cram more stuff in your brain or add more hours to your day, you need some Shock therapy.

Admit it. Sleep is overrated. So brew up some Shock and crank it up a notch.

The taste is not overpowering and is certainly not bitter. I was half expecting something quite shocking, but it is quite smooth and enjoyable. If you need a rich creamy coffee, this is probably not for you, but it would be a great option for people that are looking for a more middle of the road, great tasting cup of coffee.

There are also gift sets for Christmas, canned iced latte drinks and for those that like to snack on their caffeine during the day (and who doesn’t), they have Shock-a-lots which are chocolate covered, candy-coated, hyper-caffeinated, Shock coffee beans.

All of their coffee is Kosher too.

Rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars

Hyper-Caffeinated Coffee? Yes! Best tasting cup of coffee? You better believe it! http://www.shockcoffee.com

Enjoy

Ian

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You know those weekend mornings when you’d like to sleep in, but the birds chirping outside your window wake you up and you just can’t get back to sleep. You go downstairs and suddenly it hits you, that quiet no one else is up yet feeling. You go to the door and grab your crisp clean newspaper (funnies section not yet touched!) and that wonderful feeling knowing your next hour is comprised of only the newspaper and a mug of fresh coffee.

This is the perfect coffee for those mornings. Its dark, rich, aromatic and creamy. There’s even a bit of a sweet citrus taste too.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

You can buy this coffee online from Amazon.com or in Canada from CulturedCoffeeBean.com.

Enjoy
Ian

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Before I get started, I have to preface this review by stating that I did not obtain and test with these grinders (I only looked at the 30 most popular models and there are many more in the under $200 category). I researched 8 common retailers and product review sites for the 30 most popular grinders and analyzed the ratings information along with pros and cons provided in comments. Based on that analysis, here are the results:

Please keep in mind that prices can change.
Best buys are marked with an *

Under $100 Category:

I found three coffee grinders rated almost identical. All three are just under the $100 limit and they all weigh approximately 4 lbs. The Baratza’s Maestro has more grind settings and was rated higher for grinding espresso than the others, but comes in black. The other two come in a more attractive stainless steel finish:

• *Baratza’s Maestro

($99.95 at either Amazon.com or Cooking.com)

• Jura-Capresso’s Infinity 560 (black)/565 (stainless steel)

(560 is $89.99 at Amazon.com and 565 is $99.99 at either Amazon.com or Cooking.com)

• Breville’s BarAroma BCG450XL

($99.95 at either Amazon.com or Cooking.com)

There were a couple of popular blade grinders in the $20-30 range, however, the Cuisinart DBM-8 (and a similar Cuisinart Supreme Grinder) are fairly rated burr grinders at $49.99 (At either Amazon.com or Cooking.com). The better uniformity of grind and the ability to store beans in the hopper, makes the blade grinders obsolete.

$100 to $200 Category:

I found two coffee grinders in this range that stood out from the crowd. The Virtuoso has 40 grind settings and weighs in at 9 lbs. The ProLine has a variable grind setting and weighs 12 lbs. The Virtuoso is probably a slightly better grinder in a more compact frame, compared to the ProLine which is more stylish and slightly cheaper. The Maestro Plus is a very popular model, but seems to be similar to the Maestro. There are many reviews suggesting to just buy the Maestro or move up to the Virtuoso.

• *Baratza’s Virtuoso

($199.00 at Amazon.com)

• *KitchenAid’s ProLine

(There are different finishes but most are around the $159 range, at either Amazon.com or Cooking.com)

• Baratza’s Maestro Plus

($149.95 at either Amazon.com or Cooking.com)

Please support my work on providing this review by viewing Cooking.comor the category that I have set up on Amazon.com with the reviewed coffee grinders.

I certainly hope that you have found this helpful.

Enjoy
Ian

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Rich and creamy! There are mornings when you need a thick, rich, creamy coffee, well this coffee can certainly fill that bill. Full bodied, wonderful aroma, a very good deal for around $19 for a 1.75 lb bag.

Rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars

For those of you that would like to try some, updated William Spartivento roadshow dates are at the following Costco locations:

• Until October 25th: Chicoutimi PQ, Pointe-Claire PQ, St Catherines ON, and Etobicoke ON.
• October 27th to November 8th: Sainte-Foy PQ, Laval PQ, Ancaster ON, and Brampton ON.
• November 10th to 22nd: Brossard PQ, Boisbriand PQ, Burlington On, and Vaughan ON.

They still have the free shipping promotion in Canada with a $35 purchase. Click here for more info on their roadshow or to purchase online.

Enjoy
Ian

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From tenthousandvillages.com:

Discover a World Of Difference.

At Ten Thousand Villages, we work with over 130 artisan groups in more than 38 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America to bring you fair trade jewelry, home decor, gifts and more. As one of the world’s oldest and largest fair trade organizations, we build long-term relationships with artisans that are based on mutual understanding and respect. Fair trade enables artisans to earn a fair wage and provides the opportunity for a better quality of life.

They currently have 155 stores in the U.S. and Canada or you can shop online. For more information, check out their website.

Enjoy!
Ian

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From Peet’s Coffee about their Fair Trade Coffee Blend :

“Six hundred families, none farming more than a few acres, operate a mill we know well in Tarrazú, one of the best places in Costa Rica to grow coffee, and certainly the steepest. When this cooperative, which was producing to our standards more than a decade ago, became a Fair Trade affiliate, we made this clear-toned, lemony coffee the heart of the blend whose soul is assistance for small growers. We also purchase Fair Trade certified coffee from co-ops in Nicaragua and Guatemala.”

This coffee is a blend of primarily Central American beans with some fuller bodied Indonesia beans. It has a slight nutty and sweet taste with a smooth, light flavor that doesn’t overwhelm. It is definitely a medium body with a nice aroma.

This would be ideal for someone looking for a light, mellow coffee that has a wonderful taste.

There are also several customer reviews online mentioning that they have stomach issues with some coffee and they like this coffee due to the fact that it is easy on their stomach.

At $13.95/lb it is also priced reasonably. Their customer service and shipping are also both very courteous and efficient.

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars

Enjoy!
Ian

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