What better way to celebrate National Coffee Day than with National Coffee Night?!
Yes, our favorite drink is taking us from day to night with a java twist!
Sure there’s your regular cup of Joe but it’s a holiday so let’s spike it up a notch!
The kind folks over at Sobieski Vodka, sent over a sample of their espresso flavored vodka and a great cocktail recipe!
The recipe includes…
2 oz. Sobieski Espresso Vodka
1 oz. Kerrygold Irish Cream
1 oz. Chocolate liqueur
Add all liquid ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass.
With me being under the weather, I couldn’t fully enjoy this cocktail like I wanted to. Meaning, I couldn’t down the martini glass in two seconds then smash a beer can on my forehead. BUT. What I could do, twist open the Sobieskibottle and enjoy the aroma of sweet coffee.
Sweet.
Rich.
Espresso.
Once the irresistible scent of espresso came over me, there was no way I could resist taking a sip (or three) don’t tell my doctor!
Now, with me being the coffee lover that I am, this delicious vodka espresso flavored vodka will get a new twist….caramel! Can’t wait to try that mix!
After being approached to taste the flavorful blends, a new opportunity came’a’brewing. Yours truly had the pleasure of interviewing Frank Matz, current CEO of MAISON CAMUS Coffee just for you guys!
The MAISON CAMUS company wasn’t always into specialty coffees, in fact, they were solely into making cognac…yes, the sweet brown goodness, cognac or brandy…whatever floats your fancy!
A company known for its’ luxury brandy, I quickly became intrigued and wondered if CEO Frank Matz would enlighten me and us to the process of running a specialty coffee brand.
Thankfully, he obliged and I was able to get the details about MAISON CAMUS, CAMUS Coffee, and does a CEO have a favorite flavor from his own brand. Via an afternoon telephone call, Frank Matz (and his great Parisian accent) opened up while we both shared laughs and a quick Q+A. I didn’t want to be known as the American blogger who kept the CEO on the phone ya know!
Here’s what transpired…..
Me (Rena): CAMUS was originally a cognac company, how did the switch to coffee come about?
Frank Matz: Yes, CAMUS is the oldest privately owned cognac house in Paris and is now 150 years old. [We, CAMUS] was always considered to be more than just a cognac house, more of a lifestyle brand. As the fifth generation took over, we looked into extending the product line under CAMUS in order to become the lifestyle brand. After looking into many things, coffee seemed to be the best option.
Me: How long has CAMUS Coffee been around?
FM: We started two years ago with the coffee which was totally independent and wanted to demonstrate that we’re more than cognac. We wanted to give it [coffee] time to grow on its’ own and now its’ becoming very successful in Japan, China, Russia where CAMUS is really known.
Me:I received a recipe for “CAMUCCINO” that includes both of your specialty drinks. As a cognac house and coffee brand, is this an example of the two becoming one?
FM: After we began to get the name out there and started being taken seriously, we started experimenting with this cocktail “CAMUCCINO” and it has become quite popular with customers.
Me: Will there be more blended drinks in the future?
FM: We’re still a boutique brand in the coffee area and coffee is such strong market so we want to wait until CAMUS is of significant size to really branch out and will take more time to break into [mixed drinks] but yes, let’s see how the CAMUCCINO goes but there will be more to come with adding more cocktails.
Me: What has been your favorite blend/brew of CAMUS?
FM: The signature blend is my favorite but it’s purely personal preference. It’s a medium roast and it’s perfect, I even have it at home and bring it with me when I travel! It’s a best seller here in New York. I love my coffee black without creams or sugars and I think I’m alone when it comes to that choice. Our French Roast is very good too, it’s a darker roast but again, it’s total personal taste choice.
Me: How do you pick which coffee beans to include in CAMUS Coffee?
FM: We apply the same philosophy to our coffee bean as we do with our crates for our cognac. We are really really selective. They [coffee beans] have to come out of sustainable areas that grow coffee without pesticides or any other harmful chemicals. We make sure the farmers are getting paid fair wages and that they are able to do this for years to come. Guatemala, Colombia, and Costa Rica are the three countries we source our coffee from. {}
After talking with the CEO of a 150 year old specialty brand that produces luxury cognacs and now coffee, I’ve gotta say…Frank Matz is definitely one very down to earth CEO! Even though I was able to try CAMUS Coffee through my blog, I’m officially hooked and inspired.
Huge thank you to CAMUS Coffee and Frank Matz also thanks to Madeline at Deussen Global Communications for reaching out and giving me this opportunity.
Disclosure: I (Rena/Curves And Coffee) was contacted and provided samples to taste and was not in any way paid or obligated to do a review and/or blog post on Curves And Coffee for Camus Coffee. It was purely my choice to comment. I am not affiliated with Camus, Maison Camus, or Deussen Global.
Hopefully you guys are going out today, even if it’s only to grab yourfree cupof java!! That’s my plan at least. Free coffee might be the best beverage giveaway in this entire world next to water! National Coffee Day takes place at the end of September and continues to boost brands and businesses each year.
This year, I had the lovely opportunity to taste TWO coffee flavors from Camus Coffee. A brand that’s fairly new to the coffee world, Camus Coffee provided me with their most popular roasts…French Roast and Signature Blend. Trying a new ANYTHING can be scary but trying a new coffee can sometimes be delightfully delicious!
Pronounced KAH-MOO (use your French tongue!)
As a producer of luxury cognacs Maison Camus has now ventured into the coffee making business….pretty sweet if you ask me! “Already found in Harrods (London), Takashimaya (Singapore), and the Ritz-Carlton (Shanghai), CAMUS Coffee focuses on the highest end of the quality scale, similarly to CAMUS Cognacs which are driven by qualities XO and above.” ~ Maison Camus
Camus also has a signature “adult beverage” aptly called the “CAMUCCINO”. Fortunately and unfortunately…I was only able to try the coffees which are superb…seriously, superb! The CAMUCCINO is a blended coffee cocktail that mixes Camus Cognac AND Maison Camus Coffee (French Roast) for what I can guess is a mouth full of joy!
Pretty sure I won’t be staying up after having that tasty drink! More like curling up next to my honey and watching a movie for the night. So, um, hey, how can I get my hands on some Camus Cognac?! 😉
If you would like to get your hands and tastebuds onto CAMUS Coffee…it can be found on Amazon.com for an affordable $18 (for two boxes).
Disclosure: I (Rena/Curves And Coffee) was contacted and provided samples to taste and was not in any way paid or obligated to do a review and/or blog post on Curves And Coffee for Camus Coffee. It was purely my choice to comment and share my opinion. I am not affiliated with Camus, Maison Camus, or Deussen Global.
Most certainly not me! National Coffee Day is right around the corner…literally! Sunday, September 29th is the day you might wanna go out into the wild and grab a free cup of Joe. Several retailers will be participating in this holiday by offering free java or a BOGO (buy one get one) type of deal during the weekend.
Here’s the rundown on stores that have a free jolt:
If you remember last year, Starbucks didn’t do anything for National Coffee Day and received TONS of backlash! This year, they’re offering a sample of the new Ethiopian Blend
There’s a problem we’re not discussing. That problem is my lack of self-control around sugary sweet treats! It’s like a never ending sweet tooth! Lately, I’ve been trying wholeheartedly to cut back my sugar intake and reach for healthier choices. With that said, I’m trying to get my hands to reach for more FRUIT!
Summer months tend to lend themselves to the tastiest fruits and it’s always during the summer, we’re looking for quick and easy snacks. Before going into the kitchen or even before going to the fruit market, be sure to check out thisFruits By The Season. This list will help you understand which fruits are currently in season and when to buy them. Now, let’s jump into a few quick, easy, sweet, and of course tasty treats!
Personal Quick Tips: I substitute sugar on the berries & cream with honey. Just because it makes it easier to dissolve when you’re not using a heavy duty mixer. Also, any Brandy will do for tossing the strawberries, you only need two tablespoons so unless you plan on getting tipsy later…buying a bottle bigger than a shot isn’t necessary.
Fruit Parfait ~ Another easy sweet treat that’s perfect for the hot summer months. You can use any fruits you like…fresh or pureed (I prefer pureed.) Simply, make sweet cream yourself by using heavy cream and sugar with a mixer or go the even easier route and use Cool Whip! The crunch in this dessert comes from granola.
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Personal Tip: Use vanilla ice cream for your “creamy” layers if you’re really looking for a cool down. Also, toss the granola in honey if you want to skip the cream all together for a sweet treat.
Fruit Kabobs ~ What’s easier than fruit on a stick? I’m thinking, nothing! There’s no cooking or real prep work! Purchase wooden kabob sticks from a craft store like Michaels or even grab them from the market. Get your favorite fruits and place them on the skewers in any way you like.
Bonus Tip: If you’re outside or doing some grilling…throw the fruit kabobs on the grill! Just make sure you’re using “heat” friendly skewers not plastic ones. The warm fruit seriously melts in your mouth!
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Homemade Fruit Popsicles ~ I’ve been making these since I was kid, definitely nowhere near the level in which these are but very yummy nonetheless! As a kid, I’d take my mother’s ice trays and fill them with juice and freeze them! Genius! Now we have these exotic fruit popsicles and I’m not in the least bit mad about it! Real Simple has a great article featuring the 6 Recipes for Homemade Popsicles to try.
Now, I’ve gotta run to grab everything you see here! I’ll be sure to post pics of everything I make!
I have to mention that this is a sponsored post, courtesy of the Lucky Mag Community and Dasani Drops!
Now head over and VOTE VOTE VOTE!
The challenge: Show Your Summer Color!
Challenge: Accepted!
I’m a tad late to the party but here to have fun nonetheless! During a day trip to Ann Arbor’s Gallup Park, I managed to squeeze in a little relief by dreaming of the tasty Dasani Drops! Trying to stay cool under the summer sun was a task but that dream kept me going! I chose two of my favorite flavors for inspiration…see for yourself!
These just happen to be two of my favorite colors too!
Thank you pure Michigan for these gorgeous views of the Huron River!
It’s not even 5 pm on this Thursday and I’m already thinking of sleep. Either I’m getting old or I need to adjust my sleep dial to the “snooze more” area. Let’s go with the latter pretty please. As I wander around the streets of the wonderful world of…hmm…well…I was just tweeting on Twitter. Tweets about how I’d like a nap. Suddenly, I realized, since I worked from home today, there was no time to stop by Starbucks, Tim Hortons, Dunkin’ Donuts or anything morning coffee seller! That’s what my body was missing!!
Holy #*$)#!! How is it after 4 pm and my veins aren’t pumped with dark roast? At this point, you guys should be truly appalled by this lack of commitment. You should be mad I didn’t wake up early on a day my body didn’t need to move just for coffee! Caffeine, yeah, had that…Mountain Dew has been my drug of choice this Thursday but no coffee.
Know what I need….yep, you guessed it! An at-home, out of this world coffee making machine-ma-thingy-jiggit! Guess who makes one now…yep Starbucks!!
ORSomething you could do without…you make the call.
Yes, I’d like a Keurig (which I still do believe me) but I wouldn’t mind this either! It’s $199 which is about the same price as the Keurig model I want sitting on my kitchen counter. This model may be a lot sleeker and stylish. The reviews are fairly decent from coffee lovers i.e. the only opinion I trust when it comes to heavy brewing machinery. Most say the brew is delicious and that’s all that really matters after-all.
Sure would be nice to have something with a nice spicy and sweet kick. Perhaps something that has, oh, I don’t know, a special ingredient. Could that special ingredient be coffee? Yes! I did a little bit of digging and found some tasty things for you to try on National Coffee Day!
I instantly thought to myself… “self, you should have a taste-testing night full of cocktails again.” I didn’t answer myself because that would just be silly but I did agree with that thought LOL! The thought process was simple: exhaustion, sweet tooth & a little stress equaled me searching for delicious yet coffee centered cocktails!
This is a delicious list of coffee cocktails I’ll be trying this weekend and next week and probably the week after that (not all at once of course…make, mix, sip and pass around LOL)
Captains Log: Today is Saturday, the 29th day of September in year 2012. It is also known as National Coffee Day.
A sci-fi reference on a beauty/fashion/lifestyle blog about curvy things…that’s gotta NOT be a first! Maybe a first for Curves and Coffee but it also might be the last. If I didn’t lose you and you’re still here reading after only four sentences or so…thank you LOL!
Back to the topic of warm roasted coffee beans…
National Coffee Day? What? I’m obligated to fill my belly with medium and dark roast all the live long day! This also means I’m tempted to drive around to every coffee place and get whatever free cup they’re offering! Well, not really seeing as though the price of gasoline is still very close to $4.00 around these northern parts and well, mama likes to shop!
This should also be constituted as Morning Linkage since I’m going to fill you in on a lil Saturday java goodness!
Can you believe Starbucks isn’t having anything?! Craziness!
You might wanna head on over to Twitter and follow Dunkin…
In celebration of Nat’l Coffee Day, tweet how u take ur DD Coffee & #DunkinNCD for a chance 2 win a pound of DD Coffee dun.kn/SETr4c
— Dunkin’ Donuts (@DunkinDonuts) September 28, 2012
In case you’re wondering, yes, yes I did get hungry and thirsty while typing up this post! I also want more caffeine so I fought with my better judgement and drank a soda (pop as we say) Believe me, coffee will be had by all in just a few hours!
Give these recipes a try and let me know how they turned out. I’m definitely hitting up the alcohol section of the grocery store/market this weekend! Can’t wait to try these…well at least one of them! It’s rare that I drink so one sip and I’ll be crawling to bed. Nice nightcap!
