I don't know about the rest of you, but sometimes there's nothing better with a hot cup of coffee than a cookie. A really great cookie, where every bite offers a surprise. A crispy outer texture and a chewy middle are also must-haves. This is what I wanted when I started thinking about today's recipe featuring Green Mountain Coffee^®Fair Trade Island Coconut® Coffee. Island Coconut is one of my favorite Green Mountain Coffee seasonal flavors, second only to Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice (which, from me, love springs eternal). I dare say Island Coconut is my husband's favorite Green Mountain flavor, period. I was inspired to create a cookie that you would love, but also that he would adore, given it's his favorite flavor.

 

I gathered as many coconutty mix-ins as I could, and even went so far as to separate the Almond Joy Pieces - think M&Ms with toasted coconut and almond inside - by color, only adding the brown and cream colored candies. (There may have been discussion of my OCD behaviors as I separated out the blue candies from the brown and cream.) You coconut lovers are going to really enjoy that Fair Trade Island Coconut Coffee makes an appearance in both the cookies and a yummy glaze for the top. Don't skip the glaze! It's so easy to make, and really adds something special to your afternoon coffee break.

As you read the recipe, you'll notice that I say to refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 20 minutes. This is a recommendation I would make to you for any cookie dough, not just my recipe. Cookie dough bakes and tastes better if it is allowed to get cold again before baking. That's why those store-bought ready-made doughs taste so darn good and look so uniform when baking. Refrigerating your homemade cookie dough will get you the same delicious results. Let's just say if you place a plate of these next to the office Keurig^®brewer, you're going to be everyone's favorite co-worker. I hope you love them as much as we did!

 

Island Coconut Cookies

makes approximately 32 large cookies

Ingredients

For the Cookies

4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 1/2 cups of butter, melted (3 sticks)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup Fair Trade Island Coconut coffee
2 large eggs
1 cup Almond Joy Pieces
1 cup toasted angel flake coconut
1 cup cocoa dusted almonds, chopped

For the Glaze
1/4 cup Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Island Coconut coffee
3 tablespoons cream cheese
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

For the Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Brew a cup of Green Mountain Fair Trade Island Coconut Coffee. Use the smallest setting your Keurig allows. I used my 4 oz setting. Allow the coffee to come to room temperature, placing in the refrigerator if necessary to speed up the process.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, kosher salt, baking soda and quick cooking oats. Use a whisk to combine the ingredients evenly and aerate the flour. Set aside.

When the oven is heated, place the angel flake coconut on a parchment lined baking sheet in an even layer and place in the oven. Bake for 7-12 minutes, checking often in the last 5 minutes of cooking. The coconut should toast to a spotty golden brown. Don't expect all of the coconut to change color.

Remove from the oven immediately if you see any pieces start to get dark brown. Turn the oven off again once toasted.

In the bowl of a food processor, place the cup of cocoa dusted almonds. Pulse repeatedly until the almonds are fairly small chunks.

In a medium bowl, combine the cooled coconut, cocoa dusted almond pieces and Almond Joy pieces. Mix by hand until evenly distributed, then set aside.

Melt the sticks of butter in a microwave safe bowl, then allow them to cool slightly. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine melted butter, both sugars, vanilla, and coffee. Mix on low until combined, then add the two eggs. Mix on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Add flour mixture in increments, mixing on low after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl before you add more flour each time. When flour mix is completely incorporated, add the toasted coconut mixture and mix on low or by hand until the mix-ins are well distributed.

Place the entire bowl of dough in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes, though half an hour is better.

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Using a large cookie scoop, scoop 9 cookies at a time onto a parchment lined baking tray. Place the dough back in the refrigerator after you dish out each set of 9.

Bake for roughly 17 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown. Allow them to cool for a moment on the tray, then remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before glazing.

 

For the Glaze

In the bowl of a mixer or small mixing bowl, combine coffee, powdered sugar, and cream cheese. Mix on medium high until the cream cheese has completely mixed in and the glaze becomes fairly thick. Add more powdered sugar if you would like the glaze to be thicker.

When the cookies are completely cool, spread them out on paper towel. Place the glaze in a frosting bag or ziptop bag. Seal the bag by twisting to remove all the air, pushing all the glaze into one sealed corner of the bag for piping. Cut a very small tip off the corner of the bag, then pipe glaze onto the cookies in any pattern you like (I did a criss-cross zig-zag). Allow the glaze to set for at least an hour, then place the cookies in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for freshness. Serve alongside strong cups of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Island Coconut coffee!

You may have heard, but today it was announced that the line of Keurig^® Single Cup Brewers is expanding with the addition of the Keurig^® Vue^™ brewer, a premium new platform designed with the ability to brew stronger, brew bigger, and brew hotter.

 

The new Vue^™ brewer, paired with new Vue^™ packs*, comes with all the ease and convenience of the existing Keurig^® K-Cup^® system with added customizable features so you have control over the strength, size, and temperature of your coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and iced beverages, as well as new frothy café beverages.

 

Pretty nice, right?

 

To say the least, I can't wait for the Keurig® Vue™ Brewer to be available for purchase in the coming weeks.  It has a lot of options that I’ve been dreaming about in a single cup coffee maker:

 

• Stronger Coffee: The Vue^™ brewer adjusts water pressure, timing, and airflow so I can have the stronger brew I love in the mornings – at any size.
• Bigger Coffee:  I can now brew into my large, stainless steel travel mug with new Vue^™ packs specially formulated to brew a bigger cup up to 18-oz.  I’m ready to fill my travel mug with a strong cup of my favorite Green Mountain Coffee® variety, Breakfast Blend.
• Hotter Beverages: Now, we can choose a temperature range between 187 and 197 degrees Fahrenheit to really customize our cups.  My wife Natasha enjoys drinking Celestial Seasonings Green Tea and always likes the water to be extra hot to let the tea seep. It’s like the designers had her in mind when they created the new Keurig® Vue™ Brewer!
• And much more:  A few Sundays back, I was enjoying some Dark Magic Extra Bold with Natasha with a plate full of crêpes (I like to think I am an expert at making crêpes).  We decided to add some homemade whipped cream to the coffee and crêpes – just to mix things up. Suddenly, Natasha looked at me and said, “Wouldn’t it be great if our Keurig® brewer could make a cappuccino?” Good news: The Vue™ brewer can!  With exclusive two-step Barista Prima^® Café beverages, I can now enjoy a cappuccino on the weekend when I am eating my crêpes with the family.

 

The Keurig® K-Cup® Brewer and the Keurig® Vue™ Brewer complement each other so well!  Deliciously simple and brewing what I like, the way I like it – what a pair!

 

*Just a reminder: The Keurig® Vue™ Brewer is not compatible with K-Cup® packs; they use Vue™ packs.

Love ballads on the radio, heart shaped cookies at the bakery, and pink and red decorations everywhere. Yes, it’s that time of year again! Single or attached- it’s hard not to like the holiday of love. (Probably because of all the chocolate!) If you’re struggling to find the perfect gift for your Valentine, or you just want to take advantage of all the delicious seasonal goodies, than look no further! Here are our top picks for chocolate day - whoops, we mean Valentine’s Day!

Green Mountain Coffee® Chocolate Raspberry Truffle There's something deeply satisfying about the pairing of deep, dark chocolate and raspberries. It’s even more satisfying when you pair it with a bunch of your close girlfriends and a romantic comedy!

 

Heritage Chocolate Dipped Shortbread This sweet, flaky and over-the-top delight proves that you can never have enough of a good thing. Seriously. The 18-ct box may not be enough! But, if you find yourself searching for a richer chocolate experience, sip on Café Escapes® Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa while you’re snacking.

Green Mountain Coffee® Golden French Toast® Okay, so this isn’t exactly chocolate but it’s seriously delicious so it made it on the list. And because we left nothing out- cinnamon (check), maple aroma (check), buttery goodness (check) - it’s going to smell as incredible as it tastes! If you’re feeling creative, check out Bluebonnets & Brownies’ post for a mouth-watering Blondies recipe using Golden French Toast® K-Cup® packs!

By: Hannah P., PR intern

When it comes to holiday gifts, there are two schools of thought. Some people love surprises while others take a “wish list” approach. Either way, you want to make sure your presents are perfect. And we’re here to help.

Our team’s pulled together a great online holiday shopping guides that we hope will help you find the right gift for everyone on your list – holiday gift baskets for far away friends, artisan chocolates for the teacher with a sweet tooth, and Keurig® Single Cup Coffee Makers for just about anyone! With our carefully curated collection of gift ideas and stocking stuffers, you’ll find everything you need in record time.  Here are some of our favorites:

For Him:

We’ll admit it: Shopping for men can be tricky. Sometimes you find the perfect gift, only to learn he has already bought it for himself! That is less likely to happen with our unique selection of coffee mugs, rugged gear and high-tech single-cup coffee makers. If he’s particularly adventurous, our Coffee Tours are a great way to discover a new favorite coffee, and make a wonderful gift for coffee lovers who like to try new things. If your young man is still in college, the popular Keurig® Mini Plus has free shipping and is a must for all-night study sessions and early-morning classes.

For Her:

Whether she’s your mom or daughter, sweetheart or friend, treat her to something special from our collection of Gift ideas for Her. Chocolate is always a hit, and several of our offerings will fit easily into her holiday stocking. Encourage her to take a moment for herself with a handcrafted mug, or give her a few extra minutes with the convenience of a Cuisinart® Keurig® Single Cup Coffee Maker. If she likes to entertain, make it easy with our Keurig® K-Cup Carousel or Hot Cocoa K-Cup® Pack Gift.

For the Office:

A gift from our office collection is a perfect way to say “thank you” to everyone who has shared in your business success throughout the year. Chocolate dipped shortbread and biscotti make coffee breaks even sweeter! Thermal mugs keep desk-top coffee warm all morning long. Of course, the best gifts are large enough to share with everyone in the office, so choose from our wide assortment of gift baskets with plenty to go around.

For Everyone:

If time is what you want to give, consider a membership to our Café EXPRESS Coffee Club. Create an account and we’ll send bagged coffee or K-Cup® packs automatically to the address of your choice. They’ll never run out again! Treat your loved one to a coffee and beverage service with the gift of club membership. Send four or more boxes of K-Cup® packs and the shipping will be FREE.

With these ideas by your side, we hope your holiday shopping will be easy as pie!

Your smart phone is about to start brewing!  Introducing K-Cup® Finder, your free mobile reference for K-Cup® portion packs.

What exactly does it feature?  Since you asked:

• Over 100 varieties represented including Green Mountain Coffee® and other brands


• New varieties added as they are released


• See reviews and ratings from other K-Cup® fans, and share your reviews with other K-Cup Finder app users and on Twitter


• Sort and filter by brand, roast, and attributes (Fair Trade, Kosher, Organic, and more)


• It's not just for coffee– find teas, hot cocoa, Brew Over Ice beverages, and other specialty and seasonal varieties


• Create a favorites list of blends for future reference, with your rating and notes


• Receive promotional offers and discounts


• Links to buy varieties online direct from us


• Work on your iPhone, iTouch, and iPad

We’d love for you to tell us what you like... and what you don't.  Let us know in the comments below or at our Feedback Form.

Cocoa Beach? Check!  Miami? Check! Atlanta? Check!  Where to next?

This summer, our Green Mountain Coffee and Brew Over Ice tour is rolling into a city near you.  We’ve hit the road with our 9-foot tall Revelation Booth, giving out hot and iced coffee at fairs, festivals, malls, grocery stores, and on the street.  This year, we’re visiting more cities in more states than ever before: Georgia, Texas, Florida, New York, Maryland, and more.  Are we coming to your town?

May

- 20-22: Wildflower Art and Music Festival, Richardson, TX

- 27-29: Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Jacksonville, FL

June

- 3-5: Three Rivers Arts Festival, Pittsburgh, PA

- 11-12: Great Grapes Wine and Music Festival, Baltimore, MD

- 18-19: South Street Seaport Mall, New York City, NY

- 25-26: Safeway BBQ Battle, Washington, DC (Psst - we’re entering the battle!  More details to come!)

July

- 1-4: Boston Harborfest, Boston, MA

- 9-10: Taste of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY

- 15-17: Greater Jazz Festival, Hartford, CT

- 20-21: Burlington Mall, Boston, MA

- 23: Washington Square Summer Fair, New York City, NY

- 24: 52^nd Street Jazz Festival, New York City, NY

TOP TEN OFFICE GIFTS

#10 Small Revelation Travel Mug $2.95

We here at Business Coffee Express are often asked, "What is the best way to take my Green Mountain Coffee wakeboarding?" The answer is this cute little 12-oz. Revelation Travel Mug with a spill-proof, screw-on lid. It features a beautiful scene of the Vermont Green Mountains, and is the perfect size to grab and go whether you are free soloing, sky surfing, or even wakeboarding.  At this price you should buy one for everyone in the office!

#9 Logo Backpacker Thermos $19.95

The sleek, slender shape looks like you after the holidays, thanks to all the wakeboarding you've been doing! This compact, no-leak Thermos®, made by Nissan™ is so stylish it might just put mugs and tumblers out of style. Features an easy-to-open, spring loaded lid. Completely leak proof perfect for backpacks and travel. Double Insulation means your coffee stays hot for hours.

#8 Stoneware Logo Mug $14.95

Perfect for the boss who needs to be reminded on a daily basis that every office deserves great coffee! Each is individually hand-thrown by American master potters. Slight color and size variations showcase the unique properties of each one-of-a-kind mug. Solid and sizable, each of these mugs can stand on its own, but two make a nice pair.

#7 Bodum Milk Frother $19.95

The next time someone in your office tells you not to get worked up into such a lather, say "Why Not?" and show them this! This easy-to-use, battery-powered frother is perfect for foamy milk for your coffee without the hassle of an espresso machine. You will probably decide to keep it for yourself so buy two.

#6 Lake Champlain Chocolates Organic Truffles $22.95

Lake Champlain truffles— on the list because it's made in VT of course, and because they are the best Truffles I've ever had. Sorry Belgium, but cheer up, GMCR will probably never make a $25 raspberry beer aged in oak. Lake Champlain Chocolates has reached new heights with this collection of 15 all-natural, preservative-free truffles. Includes Ethiopian Coffee, Honey Fig, Ginger Lemon, Aztec, Mango, and Vanilla.

#5 Better World Gift Bag $59.95

Isn't dreaming of a better world what the Holidays are all about? Our exquisite chocolates, cocoa, coffees and tea help actually make it happen— plus they taste amazing. Includes 7 fabulous products contributing to a better world and a reusable shopping tote.

#4 Organic Breakfast Crate $37.95

Why a Crate? Because "Crate" just sounds cool, and who wouldn’t rather have a "crate" of something they love rather than just a box? Besides, it doubles as an "In" box. Filled with Fair Trade Organic coffee and Cocoa and Organic pancake mix and maple syrup, all from Vermont.

#3 K-Cup Ultimate Gift Basket $44.95

C'mon, "Ultimate" is right there in the name, of course it has to be in the top 10! The perfect gift if their office already enjoys a Keurig® Brewer. If not, get them one of those too! Our K-Cup Gift Basket gives you great coffee right away, and wonderful sustenance for the rest of the day. Includes 24 Green Mountain Coffee Sampler K-Cups.

#2 The Ultimate Office Gift Basket $49.95

Is it possible for two Green Mountain Coffee gifts to be called "Ultimate" at the same time? Yes, it's a holiday miracle! Packed full of delicious treats, and there’s more than enough to share. Brew up a pot of Breakfast Blend or French Roast while everyone in the office digs in to sweet granola, delicate shortbread, maple candy, or chocolate indulgences. It’ll be the most memorable Holiday coffee break ever!

#1 Keurig Office Pro Coffee Brewer $129.95

Not only the greatest invention in the history of humankind, but perhaps the greatest gift since frankincense and myrrh. (Gold is still hard to beat.) Even small offices deserve great coffee and the B145 Office Pro delivers. Designed for offices with 15 or fewer people, its small footprint makes it a perfect fit for conference rooms, board rooms and reception areas. Guaranteed to ward off office revolts, palace coups, passive-aggressive behavior and Monday sick days. They should rename it "Ultimate."

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.

Coffee lovers and tech-junkies, convenience hounds and kitchen wizards - look what's showed up at GreenMountainCoffee.com today: the new Cuisinart® single-cup brewer.

We heard about it this time last year and now it's finally here: Cuisinart® and Keurig® have teamed up to bring us the Cuisinart single-cup brewer!  Pretty, no?

Ah, but this isn't just about looks. The Cuisinart has many of the features you’ve come to love about Keurig brewing technology, with a few more bells and whistles:

• It has an extra large, removable 80 oz. water reservoir that offers impressive capacity, eliminating the need for frequent refills.


• The hot water button is great for instant coffee, soup, tea, or hot cereal.


• There is a rinse button that instantly cleans the inside of the brew chamber to keep every cup as delicious as the first.

And, of course, there's a few more extras: Included with the brewer are a 12 K-Cup starter variety pack, the reusable My K-Cup filter (which has its own storage area in the brewer), and one charcoal water filter. Click here to read up on all of the brewer's features and specs.

With over 80 varieties of coffee, tea, and hot cocoa to choose from at www.ShopAllKCups.com, its easier than ever for you to enjoy a wide array of hot and cold beverages from your Cuisinart brewer!

3/4/2010 Update:  GMC Hot Cocoa and all the Cafe Escapes cocoa items are now available!  Please use the links below.  Thanks.

3/2/2010 Update:  Well, we've got some good news and some bad news.  The good news is that Green Mountain Coffee Hot Cocoa will be available very soon.  We expect to have this available Thursday evening, March 4th.  And we will have a steady supply so that you can feel good about adding this product to your recurring Cafe EXPRESS orders.

As for Cafe Escapes, we will have a limited quantity of all four items available for sale this Thursday evening, March 4th.  Due to the limited quantities, we can NOT let folks add these products to recurring Cafe EXPRESS club orders.  We believe we have only 3 weeks worth of product for all four Cafe Escapes products.  We are VERY sorry about this.  If you enjoy our Cafe Escapes products, please get them now!

2/4/2010 Update:  I am told by our Production folks that we can expect Hot Cocoa products to be available by March 1st.  Wahoo!  A big THANK YOU to all our Hot Cocoa k-cup loyalists who have waited so patiently for these products.

1/20/2010:  It pains me to type this, but I'm afraid all of our Hot Cocoa K-Cup products are out of stock.  Due to incredible demand, we're told we will not have any Hot Cocoa K-Cups to sell from our web site until mid-February (at best).

Let me assure everyone that we are NOT discontinuing these products.  We love these products - and clearly you do, too!

On a personal level, my two kids ask me everyday when I'll be able to bring home some new Hot Cocoa.  Hopefully, in a few weeks, I'll have good news for them and you!

These are the Hot Cocoa K-Cups that are out of stock:

• Café Escapes® Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa


• Café Escapes® Cafe Mocha


• Café Escapes® Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa


• Green Mountain Coffee Hot Cocoa

-Ken

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 22: What is Max Havelaar?

Answer: The name of the first Fair Trade certification initiative and a fictional Dutch character who opposed the exploitation of coffee pickers in Dutch colonies.

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet? Well, why not? The answer’s right there! If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees. Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

---

While there’s no way to really know, we’d like to think that Max Havelaar would approve of our Fair Trade efforts at Green Mountain Coffee. Or, at least that he’d enjoy one of our most popular seasonal Fair Trade coffees, Pumpkin Spice.

Pumpkin Mocha Supreme

People tell us they can’t wait for fall…and then they stock up on Pumpkin Spice like little squirrels. The cinnamon and nutmeg flavors are even better when you add a touch of hot chocolate.  Try this yummy Fair Trade recipe:

Pumpkin Mocha Supreme

• Brew a pot of Fair Trade Certified™ Pumpkin Spice or get a K-Cup of Pumpkin Spice


• Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg in the bottom of the coffee cup


• Fill the cup halfway with hot coffee (either from your pot or your Keurig machine)


• Fill the remainder of the cup with hot chocolate.  (We carry Fair Trade Organic Hot Cocoa from Lake Champlain Chocolates in our catalog and on our web site.)


• Top with whipped cream and garnish with cinnamon and/or shaved chocolate

Enjoy!

-Ken

Fair Trade Month Quiz:

Question 18: Name a Fair Trade Town in the United States.

Answer: Media, PA, Brattleboro, VT, and Milwaukee, WI

Haven’t answered our Fair Trade Quiz question of the day, yet?  Well, why not?  The answer’s right there!  If that isn’t enough for you, the first 100 participants* get a sample of Green Mountain Coffee’s Fair Trade Certified™ Organic House Blend and all answers get entered to the grand prize drawing of 12-months of Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Certified™ Coffees.  Go here to enter: http://www.eatdrinkandbefair.com/quiz.php.

*Sorry, employees and their immediate family members of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. are not eligible. But keep an eye out for our internal Fair Trade quiz.

---

Hi, my name is Kristen and I am a (FTO)².

Never heard of it? That’s not surprising. We’re a reclusive bunch, us Fair Trade Organic First Time Offenders. It only takes one bite, sip, crunch, or slurp to become one of us.

I remember what it was like before: Waltzing through the grocery store, buying things willy-nilly. I knew about organic products and I had a basic understanding of Fair Trade, but that didn’t impact my shopping. I looked at the price, the brand, and nothing else. But since that day when I took a sip of that Fair Trade Organic hot cocoa from Lake Champlain Chocolates – I’m now aware of the existence of two little labels:

That is what makes a FTO² – the purchase and use of a product with both labels. You could become one without knowing it, it’s so simple – after all, I did. But it’s not a tiresome title to hold. It just makes you think, “Given the choice, I’d go for Fair Trade Certified Organic.” I mean, it’s great to be certified organic; it’s great to be Fair Trade Certified. But to be Fair Trade Certified and organic? The thought sends shivers down my spine.

Give a bag of coffee, make it FTO. Give a jar of chocolate sauce, make it FTO. Give a container of tea, make it FTO.

No need to take my advice. But, then again, I am a FTO².

And that gets me back to the point of this little treatise: My name is Kristen and I am a FTO².

Want to be a FTO², too?

-Kristen

If you own a Keurig Brewer, you’re probably familiar with the word “variety”. Here at Green Mountain Coffee, we’re proud to offer over 80 varieties of coffee, tea and hot cocoa in K-Cups. With so many choices, it’s easy to change up your taste from week to week, or even day to day.

But if you’re looking to try something new, our K-Cup Samplers are the way to go! They're a great way to explore new coffees before committing to buy one roast. For example, if you haven’t tried the Tully’s brand, our newest sampler, Tully’s Coffee House Collection is a perfect introduction to their coffees. With a selection of Tully’s medium and dark roast, you can get coffee house quality java in the comforts of your home. The sampler includes 22 K-Cups: French Roast,  House Blend, Italian Roast and Kona Blend.  All of our Tully’s coffees are considered extra bold, with 20% more coffee than regular K-Cups.  Expand your taste  today.

 

UPDATE: We've receive a few questions about what exactly are the Tree Nuts called out on Cafe Escapes K-Cups label.   The tree nut referred to in the ingredient listing is highly refined Coconut Oil. It is so refined that the FDA does not require that it be listed in the nutritional information, but we do, as a precaution.  All of our Café Escapes and Hot Cocoa contain tree nuts in the form of Coconut Oil.  Each of the Hot Cocoa and Café Escapes items we offer have specific nutritional information on our website under “Tasting Notes” on their product page.  The Nutritional label can also be viewed in the product images (under "More Photos"), as well as on the actual box.

UPDATE 3/23/11: The wait is over: Cafe Escapes Chai Latte is back!

We are very proud to announce a new brand to our K-Cup line-up:  Café Escapes.  Café Escapes are an anytime indulgence.  Launching today are Cafe Escapes Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa and Cafe Escapes Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa.  Coming soon will be Café Mocha, Chai Latte.

The new hot cocoa k-cups will be available for a limited time only at GreenMountainCoffee.com and Keurig.com.  Also, for now through April 16th, we're offering them at a special low introductory price.

Please give them a try and let us know how you like them, by either replying to this blog post or "write a review" on our site.  Thanks!

The Keurig brewer is a great invention - no doubt about it.  The engineers that toiled, experimented, failed a hundred times before figuring out how to make something work, showed the kind of grit and determination that is required to bring a new idea, a new machine, a whole new way of doing something like making coffee a marketable possibility.  And what a success it is!

There is an old saying that "necessity is the mother of invention."  And, indeed we often drive our experiments and pursuits for new things based upon perceived needs.  But, its not just the mothers that deserve credit for recognizing necessity - the kids seem to have a good amount of applied creativity, too!

Today was the second of a couple of hot, humid days here in Vermont (believe me, I'm not complaining about the weather, as contractually I cannot), and the kids were alternating between jumping on the trampoline and coming into the house to get cold water, juice and anything else that would cool them down.  Walking through the kitchen at one point, I noticed that the Keurig brewer was on (it isn't usually, as I have a particular penchant for espresso), and upon further examination, I saw that a fresh cup of cocoa had just been brewed.

Emma, age 9, had helped herself to a cocoa, turning on the Keurig brewer, dosing a big glass of ice, and when the cocoa had brewed, poured it over the ice to make a cold cocoa beverage.  I checked on her a few minutes later and she had drank the whole thing!

Well, I had been involved in the development of the Keurig Hot Cocoa, and we had struggled to make it strong enough to suit most people's palates.  Given the small size of the K-Cup, we had to densify everything, the sweetener, the cocoa powder and dairy flavors, and still make it dissolveable.  The project took over 3 years to get it right and bring it to market, and never did I think during that time that we were making something that would be used to make a cold drink.

In fact, we still have this belief that the Keurig brewer is just a hot beverage brewer.  But, necessity proves otherwise.  I did a catering gig one time on Randall's Island for  the Dave Matthew's Band.  We had a whole team of Green Mountain Coffee folks there to service the audience and demonstrate Keurig brewers.  It was boiling out, and we ended up serving more iced tea out of the Keurig brewers than we did hot coffee.

And Emma showed me again today that I have more to learn.  Here is this Keurig brewer on our counter, well used over the cold long winter months (again, I'm not complaining, just being factual) for the kids to make hot cocoa anytime they wanted.  If I had thought about it, I probably would have taken it out of the kitchen and put it down in the basement as Summer approached.  But now I know it has a use for the next few months as well, and I'm sure if I moved it now, Emma would want to teach me a few more lessons!