Dark Roasted Coffee

Below is a Guest Post by Jonathan Bloom from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). On April 29th, MCC awarded GMCR with its 2013 Corporate Award. 

"At the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), we work with partners across the world. By the time I arrive at the office, there are often emails from Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America that need a quick response.

That’s why the coffee pot is my first stop each morning. And that’s why a coffee addict like me was thrilled to hear that we are honoring Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (GMCR) with our Corporate Award for its sustainability work to improve the lives of the world’s vulnerable populations.

The award got me thinking on a recipe for a great new drink using the products of both Green Mountain Coffee and MCC’s beneficiaries from across the world. So prepare to treat your taste buds with the Millennium Challenge Macchiato.

Millennium Challenge Macchiato

1)      Start with Green Mountain's Sumatran Lake Tawar whole-bean coffee from Indonesia and grind as fine as possible. As you brew the perfect shot of espresso, take delight in knowing that one of the suppliers of this dark roast, the Gayo Organic Farmers Association, has started a project to bring safe drinking water to more than 1,500 people. The cooperative has also saved funds to help farmers with the reconstruction of their homes, many of which were destroyed in recent fighting, and to aid in the construction of two new schools.

2)      Steam milk sold by dairy farmers in El Salvador’s Northern Zone. As the steam rises, take a moment to read how many dairy farmers are now enjoying a higher income because MCC helped about 17,500 people by providing training, seeds, equipment, and technical assistance. The agency also built or rehabilitated more than 220 kilometers of road and 23 bridges as part of a five-year, $461 million compact.

3)      Pour the milk into the espresso and top with foam.

4)      Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon from the legendary spice island of Zanzibar on top to give it a pleasing kick. As you enjoy that first sip, read a bit about how MCC is strengthening the island’s electrical grid with the aim of increasing investment and reducing poverty.  Or if you have a sweet tooth, add a bit of cocoa from Ghanaian farmers who are more effectively receiving payment on their harvest, thanks to the computerization of rural banks as part of MCC’s five-year, $547 million compact."

Jonathan Bloom is the acting vice president for compact operations at the Millennium Challenge Corporation. On April 29, GMCR CEO Brian Kelley accepted the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s Corporate Award—recognition for the work that GMCR does to create a sustainable future for its farmer partners.

Pi Day is celebrated on March 14^th to celebrate Pi (π); the symbol used in math to represent the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, which is approximately 3.14 (or March 14^th!). What better way to celebrate Pi Day than with pie paired with a mug full of Green Mountain Coffee®? We asked a few members of our Coffee Department what their favorite pie/coffee combinations were – and we have 3.14 responses for you!

Patrick, Coffee Generalist - “My favorite pie would have to be chocolate cream pie with a big mug of  Dark Magic® to wash it down.  The robust chocolaty roast notes from Dark Magic compliment the sweet, creamy, chocolate pudding in the chocolate cream pie perfectly to me. “

Brent, Coffee Generalist - “I’m all about the pumpkin pie with a nice large mug of the Kenya AA.  They balance each other perfectly.”

Patty, Coffee Product Manager - “I love banana cream pie with a nice crisp, flaky, butter pie crust to it, and some Organic Sumatran Reserve  or Fair Trade Organic French Roast. I love to drink my coffee from a China cup and saucer or a porcelain mug.”

Oh, Valentine’s Day. You can smell the love in the air! Or is it just Green Mountain Coffee® brewing? While a mug of one of our coffees is delicious alone, when put together with the right foods, they are irresistible – much like your special someone, we’re sure. Here is a list of some of the food and coffee pairings we love, and we're sure you’ll love, too.

Green Mountain Coffee® Breakfast Blend and blueberry pancakes are a morning delight.  Breakfast is in the title of this light roasted coffee for a reason! This duo is perfect for starting your morning off right.

Green Mountain Coffee® French Roast  and almond biscotti are a perfect snack to get you through the day. The almonds in this treat play very well with the full-bodied and smoky taste of this coffee.

Green Mountain Coffee® Fair Trade Organic Sumatran Reserve  is at its best when paired with dark chocolate and cherry cupcakes. Is your mouth watering yet?  The rich taste of the Sumatran coffee’s chocolate and dark fruit undertones will only magnify with the help of these cupcakes.

Green Mountain Coffee® Guatemalan Finca Dos Marias™ goes nicely when matched with apples with a caramel dipping sauce. The sweetness of the caramel and the spicy notes of the Guatemalan roast will knock your socks off.

Green Mountain Coffee® Tanzanian Gombe Reserve is a great with a slice of cheesecake. Only a deep and rich cup like this could match the thick and creamy goodness of this dessert.

Take our advice and surprise your Valentine this year with one of our perfect pairings. What’s not to love?

Do you have a food that you love to drink with your Green Mountain Coffee®?

It’s National Coffee Day!  While you know we’d use any excuse – finished breakfast, found a lost sock, waiting for a haircut, you get the idea – to enjoy a good cup of coffee, today is the day that no excuses are necessary!  To celebrate, we’re all brewing up our favorite coffees, just the way we like them.  But how does our blogger team like to take their coffee?  We weren’t so, so we asked!

Roger - "I like very strong, dark roasted coffee and I drink it black as night."

Missy -  "I like iced coffee year-round and take it as follows… strict guidelines, you know."

• - Full cup of ice
• - One shot of Dark Magic® Espresso Blend
• - Smidgen of Wild Mountain Blueberry™, double brewed
• - Fill to the brim with Nantucket Blend® coffee
• - Top with a little cream and simple syrup

 

Winston - "My wife says I am an old man and stuck in my ways. I'm only 47 and I disagree, I just like what I like. At night before bed, I put out my French press, my whipped honey, the blue mug that my aunt made, and I fill the kettle with enough water for the pot. When I get up (and I get up pretty early) it's all ready for me. I like Ethiopian Yirgacheffe in a French press, served with honey and half and half. I know, it's heresy to use condiments in such a nice clean coffee like that. But I'm 47 and I can have my coffee any way I like it."

 

Amanda - “I love the unaltered taste and aroma of black coffee. No sugar, no cream masking the flavors of a great Sumatran or Kenyan. Every now and then though, I enjoy a splash of almond milk (lactose and I don’t mix), whose nutty flavor brings out the earthy notes in my coffee.”

Kristen - "I don’t drink coffee, but I’ll happily say that I take ice cream with my coffee – who doesn’t love an affogato?  Coffee and ice cream? The perfect combination."

We are very happy to announce yet another addition to our Family of Brands. 8 O’Clock® Coffee is now available in K-Cup® packs. With coffees such as Dark Italian Roast, Colombian and Hazelnut, you are sure to find the brew that is right for you!

If only looking sleeker was as easy as sitting and drinking your beloved morning cup of coffee, right?

Well…it is! Maybe. Kind of. Intrigued? Our friends at Van Houtte® pointed out this exciting benefit of caffeine’s ability to decrease the appearance of cellulite through a DIY coffee scrub. Since we can definitely get behind incorporating caffeine into our beauty regimen, here are some more of our favorite ways you can use your beloved blend to beautify. At-home spa treatments are an easy, inexpensive way to feel luxurious without dropping crazy cash on overpriced treatments or products; plus, you can even put your old K-Cup® packs to good use. So, get to it!

 

Caffeine Facial Mask

Caffeine is a bonafide blessing for your face: according to studies, it contains antioxidant, dehydrating, and other properties, which basically equal up to the fact that it makes you look better all around. Between tightening and de-puffing, reducing dark circles, let your favorite morning cup go to work on more than just your energy level.

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. fresh coffee grounds
1 Tbs. honey
1 tsp. brown sugar
3 Tbs. whole milk, heavy cream, or plain yogurt

Directions:
Wisk ingredients together until you achieve the desired, creamy consistency. Apply evenly over your face and let dry for 10-20 minutes. Once hardened, rinse off with warm water and enjoy your freshly-awakened face.
 

Homemade Coffee Hair Treatment

On the quest to aesthetic self-betterment, don’t overlook your hair!  Hair follicles can directly absorb caffeine through the use of a simple coffee rinse, which will promote a glossy shine. While it’s true that this treatment requires fresh coffee rather than used grounds, fret not: suppose you’re not in the mood for more coffee on any given day…why not let your luscious locks reap its benefits instead?

Ingredients:
Fresh cup of extra strong coffee—try using a French or Italian roast

Directions:
Once cooled, simply pour the coffee over clean, dry hair. Let it soak in for 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with cool water. Recommended usage: once a week for shiny tresses.

 

Abby's Super Simple Scrub

This is my favorite of the bunch - so easy and great for exfoliating (or battling cellulite).  The aroma wakes up your senses, and the scrub wakes up your body!

Ingredients
3 parts warm, used coffee grounds
1 part sugar or salt
Essential oil

Directions
1. Experiment with your favorite coffees to find a particularly decadent aroma to feature in your at-home spa concoction. Considering the season, I personally think Island Coconut® coffee would be a great base for a scrub.

2. Continuing with the tropical theme, try adding coconut oil to the mix. If that’s not your cup of tea (sorry, coffee), other options include jojoba oil (about one tablespoon), rosemary essential oil (12 drops or so), or even virgin olive oil (try three tablespoons).

3. The granular crystals in sugar help to exfoliate and smooth out skin by sloughing off the dead stuff. Try sugar in the raw for texture; sea salt is another great option, as it also exfoliates but replaces minerals in the process.

4. Mix all of your chosen ingredients together into a paste and store in your fridge (it should last about a month). Scrub onto problem areas in circular motions for 3 minutes before rinsing off. Do it twice a week, and if you see results…thank us later. 

Okay, we're spilling the beans, coffee fans!

We’ve recently found out that there will be new Vue^® packs released sometime within the coming week.  We'll be able to provide exact details soon, but in the meantime...

We can tell you that this new release contains at least a few popular varieties of dark roasts, a favorite flavored coffee, and decaf coffee, from The Orignal Donut Shop, Barista Prima^®, and Green Mountain Coffee^® brands.  We'll be sure to keep you posted with more details as they become available. Stay tuned!

 

Trivia question:

If the total number of Vue^® packs available will reach 50 with these new additions, how many are being added?

I’m often overwhelmed with the plethora of shiny, and normally quite costly, tools and other manly pieces of machinery that are advertised as being the perfect gift for your dad on father’s day, so I lean towards a few more unconventional ideas. Showing dad you care is a lot easier than you may think and it doesn’t have to involve spending a lot of money, just some time out of your day. For instance preparing your father’s coffee just the way he likes it and then helping him take care of those little projects he never has time to get to around the house would say a lot.

This requires knowing just what he likes, the subtleties of his favorite style -- could be a dark or light roast, creamy or black, sweet or bitter, frothy or iced. It can be a difficult thing to get right, but if you can pull that off, delivered to him in his favorite mug without him saying so much as a word, he’ll be quite pleasantly surprised. And even more so when you suggest tackling the unfinished stone wall together that your mother requested around the garden ages ago. Though that only starts after you’ve all enjoyed the breakfast of blueberry pancakes and bacon you knew he’d love, of course.

It’s hard to show just how much you care and the effort you’re willing to put forth on their behalf by simply buying them something, even if it is something that you know they’ll love. As the people that have raised and cared for us all our lives our parents deserve to understand just how much we appreciate everything they’ve done. Treat your father better this year than ever before, it can never be too much. And it all starts by waking up to the smell of coffee and bacon wafting into their room.

 

If you need help making that special cup of coffee we’ve enlisted some help for you in our Deal of the Week.

And here’s a sampling of some of the good recipes from our blog that you could treat them to:

• Wild Mountain Blueberry Pound Cake
• Fair Trade Island Coconut Cookies
• Fair Trade Coffee Marinated Steak

 

Despite the fact that I am a 23-year-old college graduate, I can't deny the fact I still possess a boyish love of games. Throughout my undergraduate career, my friends and I tore through just about every board and card game in the book during our weekly family game night (which we lovingly abbreviated to FGN) - Monopoly, Sorry, Uno, Risk, The Game of Life, Scrabble, Blockus and Taboo among many more. We even developed our own official/unofficial FGN rulebook in order to settle the inevitable disputes that would arise among our extremely competitive group of friends.

I bring up this particular aspect of my life because I recently got together with my remaining group of college friends to breathe some new life into the old FGN. We dusted off the Monopoly board and instantly it was like a junior year Wednesday night all over again. We started snatching up properties like it was going out of style.

I have to say, even though it wasn't the exact same crew that we had back in the day, it was great to reconnect in the name of  family game night. Before long, the same semi-good natured arguments had broken out, the old jokes were being relived (like when my friend Carlo famously threw Taboo across the room and stormed out of the apartment) and the refreshments were flowing free.

In fact, one of the most memorable aspects that reappeared during our update on FGN was brewing lots and lots of coffee. Back in college, family game night often crossed the midnight mark into the wee hours of the morning, so we made sure to keep our Keurig® brewer handy at all times. This time was no different - I was prepared with several Green Mountain Coffee® K-Cup® packs of Dark Magic® Extra Bold, French Roast and Colombian Fair Trade Select so that we could all get our favorite caffeine fixes.

And wouldn't you know, the rebirth of FGN once again crossed into familiar late night territory. After all, as anyone who has ever played Monopoly knows, it's not a game that goes quickly or easily - everyone was making deals and trades that prolonged the outcome well into the evening. Pretty soon, we had completely abandoned our other drinks in favor of cup after cup of coffee. Tired, yet still wired, we kept FGN going until my girlfriend Lena had emerged victorious - at 3:30 a.m. It was just like old times.

 

I came to a strange realization over this past weekend while speaking to some of my younger friends who are currently graduating from college - I can no longer really call myself a "recent college grad." It's been just shy of a year since I received my diploma in May 2011, and the knowledge that a whole 12 months have passed since then has me thinking about those immediate post-graduation weeks.

It's oddly nostalgic to hear my buddies talking about taking that plunge into the real world. All the plans they're making, the apprehension of finding a job and place to live - it's certifiably weird to think that I was right there only a year ago. And it's perhaps even stranger to think that I've already moved on to the next step.

In truth, the summer after college graduation was simultaneously one of the best and most terrifying periods in my life. Sure it was nerve-wracking not knowing what my next step would be, but for the first time ever, I had no academic deadlines or concrete responsibilities on the horizon. Instead of enjoying my morning cup of Green Mountain Coffee® at 7 a.m. before class, I could roll out of bed at noon and have it then.

In between bouts of sending out job applications and earning some money as an intern, I spent my days exploring parks near my home, reading the entire A Song of Fire and Ice series (recommended!), finishing marathon viewings of HBO shows, traveling back and forth to the beach, and generally lounging around with my friends who hadn't moved home after graduation.

I'd be lying if I said that I felt like a full-fledged adult now, but there are a few minor signs of maturity that I've recognized. I no longer favor those sweet and delicious coffee blends like Hazelnut or French Vanilla. These days, I take my coffee straight black - the darker the coffee, such as my new favorite, French Roast, the better. I've also bid goodbye to frequent all-nighter sessions due to my early job schedule, which dark coffee also makes much easier.

So my advice to anyone crossing that college graduation finish line this May - cherish the free time you have, because it won't last forever. By no means should you forgo the inevitable job search (especially in this economy), but you should make an equal effort to enjoy every moment of this final summer vacation.

You know we love to get creative with our coffee. In fact, you know that we know that you love to get creative with your coffee, too. Some days you just feel inspired to mix it up – maybe add a little cinnamon to your Nantucket Blend®, throw a dash of whipped cream in your French Vanilla, or maybe even scoop a little pistachio ice cream into your French Roast. And then there are days that you take a look at your Keurig® brewer and think, “Caramel Vanilla Cream would make a great mocha…” Fast as a flash you’ve brewed a Caramel Vanilla Cream and then a Café Escapes® Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa into your favorite mug – and with that you’ve just become a K-Cup® mixologist.

Here are a few favorite combinations from our team to get your mind perking on the mixing possibilities:

• Dark Magic® + Mocha Nut Fudge = Dark Nutty Mocha
• Double Black Diamond® + Hazelnut = Aerial Hazelnut
• Fair Trade Wild Mountain Blueberry™ + Café Escapes® Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa = Blueberry Mocha Delight

What coffees do you mix for your perfect cup?

I always hear about pairing coffees with certain things.  Do some coffees taste better with certain foods?

-

I was at a lecture years ago with the great Ken Davids, coffee genius, and he said he thought that people sort of over-did the  whole idea of pairing coffee with food and they end up feeling locked in and not being creative and spontaneous. That said, he thought that heavy foods went better with heavier coffees (like Dark Magic® or any of the extra bold coffees) and lighter food should go with lighter coffees. That should give you some broad ranges to work in, right? According to Ken, coffee works best with desserts.

That same conference, I attended another lecture by Timothy James Castle, a foodie and writer. He thought that were two best ways to pair: Contrast and resonance. Here are some examples right from my notes:

• Dark chocolate goes with acid-y coffees like Guatemalans


• Milk chocolate goes with  Sumatrans or Konas


• Chicken Curry goes with a light roast coffee


• Ribeye steak goes with dark roast Sumatran


• Fruit compote goes high acid coffees

My favorite coffee and food pairing is taking a fresh cider donut and dipped into a cappuccino. It’s not exactly fine dining, but try it.  What do you like to pair?  So go forth and be creative and tell us what you find!

Is there a type/brand of coffee that is easy on the digestion? I miss my cup of coffee!

- From @Bluesky107

--

I always feel like this is a complicated question to answer because there are so many variables to how any one person’s system works - and then there’s always some subjectivity involved, too.

Let’s start with the basics: The pH scale measures the acidic or basic properties a substance. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral. A pH less than 7 is acidic. A pH greater than 7 is basic.

On the pH scale, most coffee is just below neural at 5. Remarkably, orange juice and beer are considered more acidic than coffee.

So, coffee is acidic, but not that acidic. Acidity can get mixed up in people's heads with other factors  - between the sweetness and brightness of fine, high-grown coffee properly roasted and brewed and acid/alkaline balance and how their stomachs feel about and react to coffee, it can be hard to determine what exact is the culprit for that digestion issue.

For people who want that lower acid coffee - and there really is no such thing naturally (save for those gimmicky, chemically-altered coffees targeting a certain niche market), we usually recommend Indonesian coffees, like Fair Trade Organic Sumatran Reserve, and darker roasted coffees.  The former tends to be gentler on the stomach due to the drying process, according to fans like you, and the latter are less acidic due to the longer roasting process.

Here are some of my own personal observations about acidity:

1. Cheaper, lower-quality coffee will be more acidic and bitter


2. Dry process coffees, or "naturals", tend to be less acidic (like some African and Indonesian coffees)


3. High grown, washed Arabica beans from Central and South America tend to be brighter and more acidic (in a tangy way, not in the pH sense)


4. The lighter the roast, the more acidic it will appear to be (though on the pH scale its not significant)


5. Darker roasts are naturally less acidic (but not by much). This runs counter to what people think about dark roasts.


6. The longer the coffee sits after brewing, the more acidic it gets (literally). This is a good reason to use a Keurig® brewer or brew with a French Press.

Everyone's sensitivities and preferences are different. Our other recommendation would be to try decaffeinated coffee. Some customers report that they were sensitive to the caffeine content, not the acidity as they had originally suspected. Of course, as always, your doctor knows best.

What’s in a name?  Often times the names of our coffees refer to the origin of the beans – Sumatran Lake Tawar, Mocha Java, Fair Trade Mexican Select.  But sometimes, its name has a little more to it – a story behind the label.  Here are some quick notes about three brews with stories that may surprise you:

Harvard Blend

A classic blend and an enduring favorite, this coffee screams of ivy, crimson, and intelligence, right?  While its complex flavors certainly invite studied contemplation, this blend was originally developed for the Harvard Club in New York City!

Nantucket Blend®

There aren't any beans from Nantucket in this blend. More than 20 years ago Nantucket Blend^® was created at the request of a loyal customer who lived on Nantucket Island. The blend proved a winner, and the name stuck.

Lake & Lodge®

We developed this coffee many, many years ago for a cute shop in New York City called, “The Coffee Station.” Back then we originally called it “Tapestry Blend Dark.” But over time we decided this name didn’t properly reflect the rough and tumble aspects of this burly, dark roast. So we renamed it to its current moniker, Lake & Lodge. Enjoy it at a lodge (or office, or car, or porch) near you!

What is happening to all of the Fair Trade K-cups, I heard they are being discontinued? -Karen

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Good news: Our Fair Trade K-Cups are not being discontinued.  Right now, Fair Trade and Organic certified and Colombian green bean supply is low due to weather conditions in Latin America and other unexpected circumstances, so we’re temporarily cutting back on a few blends until supply is up again.

Since we learned of this shortage, our coffee team has been working hard to identify and purchase as much of a supply of Fair Trade and Organic certified green coffee as possible.  This situation only galvanizes our commitment to the development of more certified farms to ensure that farmers live a better life and that you can get the double certified coffees you love.

The great news is that since our team has been working on this night and day, we expect that these coffees should be back in stock come late spring of this year.  In the meantime, we do have some suggestions to get you through until your favorite Fair Trade Espresso Blend or Fair Trade Organic Vanilla Cream returns:

Newman’s Own Organic Special Blend (K-Cup)	Green Mountain Coffee Sumatran Reserve Green Mountain Coffee Nantucket Blend (not extra bold)
Newman’s Own Organic Nell’s Breakfast Blend (K-Cup)	Green Mountain Coffee Breakfast Blend (not extra bold)
Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Organic Espresso Blend	Green Mountain Coffee Dark Magic Green Mountain Coffee Double Black Diamond
Green Mountain Coffee Colombian Fair Trade Select	Green Mountain Coffee Our Blend Green Mountain Coffee Kenyan AA
Green Mountain Coffee FTO French Roast	Newman’s Own Orangics French Roast Green Mountain Coffee French Roast Green Mountain Coffee Dark Magic Green Mountain Coffee Double Black Diamond
Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Organic House Blend	Green Mountain Coffee Vermont Country Blend Green Mountain Coffee Nantucket Blend Green Mountain Coffee Harvard Blend
Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Organic Rain Forest Blend	Green Mountain Coffee Dark Magic Green Mountain Coffee Double Black Diamond
Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Organic Vanilla Cream	Green Mountain Coffee Caramel Vanilla Cream Green Mountain Coffee French Vanilla

Thank you all for your patience!  We’ll be brewing these coffees again shortly!

Are you a part of the perfect pair on Valentine’s Day?  Like peanut butter and jelly? Like ham and eggs? Like chocolate and coffee?

Oh, yes: you’re just like chocolate and coffee.   I can see it in your eyes – that’s an extra bold, deeply roasted love with hints of sweet cherries and mocha!  A love like that deserves a little chocolate paired with the right coffee.  Maybe something like:

Lake Champlain Chocolate Organic Truffles and Dark Magic Espresso Blend (regular or decaf)

Velvety smooth, dense ganache centers, rich and whipped Vermont cream and butter, hand decorated ... and now organic!  Take a sip of Dark Magic with a bite of a truffle – and you have a dark mocha mélange in your mouth!

King Arthur Flour Lava Cake Mix and French Vanilla (regular or decaf)

When we tried this chocolate lava cake mix, it took three ingredients and five minutes to make. After 14 minutes in the oven, we had an oozing chocolate treat worthy of a full-page photo in a fancy cooking magazine. The buttery and sweet qualities of our French Vanilla pair perfectly with this rich dessert.

Colts Chocolate Covered Marshmallows and French Roast (regular or decaf)

Colts wrap petite, fluffy pillow puffs in demi-dark chocolate and snuggle them inside a lovely gift canister. They’re perfect as an après-dinner treat, or for tossing into a hot mug of  French Roast.

Sound good enough for the other half of your heart?  Let’s make it sound a little more perfect: Free Shipping for Valentine’s Day! Use keycode LOVE-DAY at http://www.GreenMountainCoffee.com for FREE STANDARD SHIPPING within the contiguous U.S. until 2/7/11.  Remember: Offer valid from 2/1/11 – 2/7/11. This offer cannot be combined with any other offer. Café EXPRESS members are eligible and the offer applies to one-time orders only.  Cannot be applied to recurring Café EXPRESS orders.

With so much of the holidays already dedicated to the stresses of the season, we’re here to provide you with trouble-free gift giving to even the pickiest person on your list.  Yes, even the pickiest person on your list.  You know the kind: The friends you love dearly but have expensive tastes (that’s Luxury Larry), your restaurateur neighbor (Foodie Fran), you socially-conscious coworker (Advocating Anne), or your sibling who has absolutely everything (Been-there-Done-That Ben).  Have no fear this year – Green Mountain Coffee’s got you covered.

• For Luxury Larry, a bag of our rarest, most exquisite coffee: Special Reserve Papua New Guinea.

Give something truly exceptional this holiday season with Green Mountain Coffee’s Special Reserve coffee.  Four times a year, we seek out some of the rarest coffees from around the world and batch roast them to display the coffee’s fullest flavor and aroma.  Each Special Reserve comes from a single origin – like our latest Papua New Guinea Wahgi Valley – and produces a very limited batch, only around 1,000 bags.  Our Special Reserve selections pair the farmers’ best work with the art and craft of our Master Roasters – all so true coffee connoisseurs can experience the unique qualities of these origins in their morning cup. This website exclusive is available for $17.95 for 10-12 ounce bag or you can join the Tour to get the latest Reserves shipped right to your door before anyone else.

• For Foodie Fran, a meal fitting of her naturalist palate: our Organic Breakfast Crate.

Be the toast of the breakfast table by giving a delicious breakfast that will fill those on your list with good feelings and food. Start with our own Organic House Blend coffee or Lake Champlain Hot Cocoa— both are Fair Trade and organic. Follow up with organic treats from Highland Sugarworks: multi-grain pancakes topped with exquisite maple syrup.  Share this gift with your holiday hosts and they’ll be asking you to come back as soon as possible! Available for $37.95.

• For Advocating Anne, coffees with a social mission: our Fair Trade Organic Coffee Sampler.

If variety is the spice of your loved ones life, Green Mountain Coffee has a coffee selection for you.  This sampler includes three 10-oz. bags of coffee to fit every mood – bold and dark with French Roast, sweet and swanky with Sumatran Reserve, and bright and vibrant with our Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. Each certified Fair Trade and Organic, our sampler is perfect for the socially-minded with a coffee habit that’s never routine. Available for $24.95.

• Finally, for Been-There-Done-That Ben, the toughest person on the list, a Keurig® Single-Cup Brewer:

Keurig® single-cup brewing is the latest trend in coffee – bringing fast, affordable, and café quality hot beverages to the home. Each of the over 200 varieties of K-Cup® portion packs make the perfect cup of coffee, tea, hot cocoa, hot cider, and iced coffee and teas at the touch of a button. There's no measuring, grinding, or mess.  With five Keurig brewers available, from the red hot Mini Plus Personal Brewer ($99.95) to the luxury Cuisinart® Keurig Single-Cup Brewer ($199.99), there’s a style and price point for everyone. Even the gadget guru with everything will want to thank you every time they push the button.  Available at GreenMountainCoffee.com (and there’s free shipping on all brewers when shipping within the continuous US).

No matter the stresses this season may bring, we’re here to make your holidays a happy one.

It's the most wonderful time of the year
With coffee a-brewing
And all are woo-hoo-ing
'Cause Holiday Seasonal Coffees are here!
It's the most wonderful time of the year

It's the hap-happiest season of all
Eggnog and Gingerbread K-Cups® and bags
Share when friends come to call
It's the hap-happiest season of all

There's Holiday Blend if you're not into flavored
Light and dark roasts made to be savored
Comes only in bags just so you know
But whichever you choose, you've got nothing to lose
They'll fill you with Holiday glow

It's the most wonderful time of the year
With these coffees you're sharing
In Fair Trade's fine caring
Coffee farmers will cheer

It's the most wonderful time
It's the most wonderful time
It's the most wonderful time of the year!

(Parody based on Andy Williams' smash hit "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," written by Pola and Wyle, 1963.)

Been craving an even richer, deeper, darker K-Cup® portion pack? An intense flavor and complexity that sings of the world’s finest coffee house brews? Good news: Our friends at Barista Prima Coffeehouse™ have a new K-Cup® collection made to satiate just that feeling.

As an exclusive collection of the world’s finest Arabica coffees roasted in the tradition of Europe's most celebrated coffee houses, Barista Prima Coffeehouse brings you rich, deep-roasted brews in convenient, single serve K-Cups®.  Bold and complex, yet perfectly balanced, each cup reflects the consummate artistry and handcrafted care that only the most skilled baristas can deliver.  This select line is comprised of four richly flavored brews:

Colombia

• High altitude treasure from a land of legendary coffee. A prized coffee, born of the mountains in a land steeped in the coffee-growing tradition. Accented by bright, bold fruit notes and a distinctive hint of walnut, this deep-roasted cup possesses a sweet, full-bodied finish that elevates satisfaction into a realm all its own.

French Roast

• A sweet, smoky love song to the cafés of Paris. This intensely bold yet gracefully-bodied cup provides indisputable proof of our roast masters' artistry. The absolute finest Arabica beans are heated to the very edge of noir - then meticulously eased back to reveal their rich, full-flavored complexity. The result? A daringly dark, smoky-sweet brew with a surprisingly light mouthfeel.

House Blend

• The timeless perfection of your best-loved coffee house cup. Classically balanced, with a lively splash of citrus, subtle hints of bittersweet chocolate and a well rounded, toasted-nut finish. Its roasty sweet, supremely satisfying taste evokes all the familiar comforts of your favorite coffee house.

Italian Roast

• A deep, dark-roasted delight, done right. This robust, heavy-bodied cup with its ripe fruit and berry notes epitomizes the time-honored Italian tradition of dark-roasted coffeehouse brews. Bold yet ideally balanced, with a subtle hint of smokiness and a bright clean finish, our Italian Roast is a hearty and flavorful testament to the art of dark roasting.

The small team of Barista Prima™ coffee experts spent years in search of a way to recreate the intense flavor and complexity of the world’s finest coffee house brews.  They worked tirelessly to develop exquisite blends that could meet their own impossibly high expectations so they and you could be proud to serve it to family and friends.  And now, it’s here and ready to satisfy your need for coffee house richness at home.

Now available online for $19.45 for a 24ct box.

Welcome to another revelation-ary edition of Ask the Coffee Lab.  This week, our crack Coffee Lab tackles a question wondering about proper coffee etiquette:

"Be honest with me, is drinking coffee with sugar and cream the wrong way to drink coffee?"

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The National Coffee Association does an annual drinking trends survey of coffee drinkers. The 2010 version says that 63 percent of surveyed coffee drinkers put some kind of milk or milk substitute in their coffee and 48 percent put some kind of sweetener in their coffee. Only 31 percent didn't put anything in their coffee.

If you are doing something wrong, (don't worry - you're not), you have plenty of company.  We used to have a customer brochure that said "the best cup of coffee is the one you like best." We don't have that brochure anymore, but we still believe in the saying. It's your coffee, you paid for it, you enjoy it the way you see fit.

Me, personally? Organic Valley Half and Half and local, raw, whipped honey, every single day at my house before work.

There's a reason sugar and cream are popular. Cream (milk, half and half, non-dairy creamers) all add body to your coffee, cool it off (!), and the fat in higher fat creamers coats your tongue and actually suspends some of the flavors in your mouth longer. Milk also cuts some of the bitter in any coffee.  Sugar? Sugar makes most things taste better.

Lastly, I will add some caveats: Lighter roasted single-origin coffees with very delicate, clean tastes tend to have their subtleties lost a bit with cream and or sugar. Darker roasts and dark roast blends take cream and sugar a little better. And when we say better, we mean the coffee stands up to the additives and still has some "say" in the end result. If you want to experiment, Fair Trade Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is a great coffee to drink straight (no additives). Fair Trade Organic Espresso Blend in a French Press or drip coffee pot goes great with cream and sugar.

Do you have other suggestions, let us know!