With Halloween virtually around the corner I must admit that I’ve got pumpkins on the brain. In fact, I recently decided to get some friends together and put our creativity and love for Pumpkin Spice coffee together. Out of this gathering came some pretty cool pumpkin carving and a seasonal spin on our K-Cup® Carousel. Check them out and let us know what you think!
Psst...Grab some Pumpkin Spice Coffee before it goes away 11/5!
It's the most wonderful time of the year! And yes, I am singing that line - because right now is Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice time. My favorite of all Green Mountain Coffee® blends, made even better because it is Fair Trade Certified™. I big puffy heart developing recipes around all the Green Mountain Coffees that I do, but anyone who's known me for a while knows that Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice is the end-all, be-all in my coffee world. Developing a recipe with this scrumptious coffee is a highlight for me every Fall.
Let's talk about classic combinations for a second. Peanut butter and jelly. Cookies and milk. Doughnuts and coffee. Just a few simple ingredients: pumpkin doughnuts from your favorite bakery, vanilla pudding with a Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice kick, and fresh, decadent whipped cream. Put them together and what have you got? Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice Coffee & Doughnuts Trifle! Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice coffee provides the perfect flavor profile for a decadent Autumnal dessert fancy enough for Thanksgiving, but also at home on a Tuesday. These trifles are make-ahead, and look adorable in mini trifle cups or Mason jars, which also means they'd be easy to transport to the next football tailgate too. Just a couple of Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice K-Cup® packs and you'll be on your way. Just make sure you get your K-Cup® packs ordered soon. They're known to sell out quickly!
serves 8
Ingredients
4 Pumpkin doughnuts from your favorite bakery (Cake doughnuts with a sugar glaze work best.)
1 3 oz package Vanilla Cook & Serve Pudding
3 8 fl oz cups Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice coffee, divided
2 pints heavy whipping cream, divided
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons granulated sugar Pumpkin Pie Spice for garnish
Directions
Prepare the vanilla pudding mix. The cook and serve style calls for 2 cups of milk on the package. Instead, use 1 cup of heavy whipping cream (You will have 3 cups of heavy whipping cream left over) and brew one cup of Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice coffee. Add both to a small saucepan, and then add the pudding mix.
Stir constantly over medium heat until just reaching a bubbling boil. Remove from heat, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place the pudding in the refrigerator - it will thicken as it cools.
After about an hour, the pudding should be the perfect consistency, and nicely chilled.
Slice each of the doughnuts in half, and then chop each halve into smaller pieces. Fit 1/2 a donut into each vessel, whether it be a mini trifle cup or an 8 oz mason jar.
Brew two 8 oz cups of Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice Coffee. Pour 2 oz (the size of a shot glass) over the pumpkin doughnut pieces in each vessel and set aside.
Spoon about 3-4 tablespoonfuls of pudding over the donuts in each serving glass. Distribute evenly among the glasses until all the pudding is used.
Add the remaining cream to a large bowl, along with the pure vanilla extract and granulated sugar. Whip on high speed in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until the cream has stiff peaks.
Spoon whipped cream over the pudding layer in each trifle, making sure each cup gets an equal amount until the cream is all gone.
Cover each trifle with plastic wrap (or screw on lids if you're using mason jars) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle each trifle lightly with pumpkin pie spice for garnish.
Trifles can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
[Psst - if you go over to Bluebonnets & Brownies, there's a Pumpkin Spice giveaway going on, too! Go on over and check-it out!]
We are excited to introduce 6 new ways to enjoy your Vue® Brewer. Green Mountain Coffee® Hazelnut, Pumpkin Spice, French Vanilla & Fair Trade Organic Sumatran Reserve bring flavor and character to the Vue® line, while Barista Prima Coffeehouse® Decaf Italian Roast and Celestial Seasonings® Lemon Zinger® bring great variety. Shop these wonderful new additions to the Vue® line of beverages today!
Just in time for autumn, the ever popular Pumpkin Spice from Green Mountain Coffee® is now available for your Vue® Brewer! Shop Pumpkin Spice Vue® packs and bring the flavors of autumn to your Keurig® brewer.
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The summer season has come to an end at the Visitor Center & Café in Waterbury, Vermont. We had a wonderful season with spectacular weather and lots of visitors.
As I think about putting my deck furniture away and taking my sweaters out from storage, I remember our amazing summer season, yet look forward to fall and winter in Vermont. We celebrated our Music on the Porch series every Sunday, including a performance by Grammy Award winner and native Vermonter, Dave Keller; commemorated the one year anniversary of Tropical Storm Irene and the tremendous progress the town of Waterbury has made; and began supporting the Vermont based non-profit Food 4 Farmers whose mission is to facilitate the implementation of sustainable food security programs in coffee-growing communities.
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Wow, what a feel-good summer for Waterbury and the Visitor’s Center! We are so happy to be part of such a great community. We hope you come and visit us soon. To entice you, our Limited edition Pumpkin Spice Maple Supreme is now on the menu. What is it, you ask? We start with Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice coffee, add a little steamed light cream, and a shot of Vermont maple syrup. If you really want to make it special we add a dollop of whipped cream to top it off! It's a crowd favorite!
They're here: the dog days of summer. If you're like me, you're craving fall (and Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice K-Cup® packs) like crazy. But we're not quite there. These last few weeks of summer's warmth and late sunsets are just the time to savor Green Mountain Coffee's Brew Over Ice flavors.
Around our house, we adore all the Brew Over Ice choices, from Nantucket Blend Iced Coffee to Strawberry Pomegranate Vitamin Burst™, but we decided to harness the inherent dessert qualities of Brew Over Ice Hazelnut coffee to make one last summery treat - Brew Over Ice Hazelnut and Cream Ice Pops! Just a few simple ingredients and one press of your Keurig® brewer's button will have you on the way to an indulgent sweet treat that's easy too. We love this novel approach to "iced" coffee. I can see making many more ice pops this way with all the Brew Over Ice flavors! I used my Zoku Pop Maker to create these ice pops, but you can use any ice pop mold you like. It'll just take longer to freeze each layer.
makes 4 ice pops
6 oz Green Mountain Coffee® Brew Over Ice Hazelnut coffee
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 oz Coffee-Mate Natural Bliss Vanilla Creamer
Brew one 6 oz cup of Green Mountain Coffee® Brew Over Ice Hazelnut coffee in your Keurig® brewer. Pour the cup into a small saucepan and add sugar.
Stir the coffee-sugar mixture frequently over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved completely. Pour the coffee back into a ceramic mug and place it in the refrigerator. Allow the coffee to cool completely before you make the ice pops. When the coffee is cool, use a measuring cup or funnel to pour coffee into each pop mold about 1/3 of the way up.
Place in the freezer and allow to freeze completely before starting the next layer.
When the first layer is frozen, repeat this step with Coffee-Mate Natural Bliss creamer, pouring it on top of the first layer, another 1/3 of the way up the pop mold. Place back in the freezer and allow to freeze completely.
Once the second layer is frozen, finish with another coffee layer.
If you'd rather have ice pops in a hurry, and don't care about the striped look, simply mix the coffee and creamer together and freeze all at once.
Pumpkin Spice fans, rejoice! That’s right, you can stop hoarding your beloved Green Mountain Coffee® Pumpkin Spice coffee and make room in the pantry for even more because it is now available for the season in K-Cup® packs! You know just as well as we do how great it is to have this autumnal favorite back in our line-up.
What is your favorite thing about Pumpkin Spice? For us, it's the experience of drinking a fresh-baked pumpkin pie with every sip!
Today, I’m thrilled to report that Green Mountain Coffee® has been named Coffee Brand of the Year in the 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend study*. The study is conducted to measure which American beverage brands reign supreme among consumers. This year, Green Mountain Coffee led the poll among thirteen well-known coffee brands!
This may be the data geek in me, but the cool thing about the Harris Poll EquiTrend study is that it measures brand value rather than just brand recognition. So while we might not be as widely known as other coffee brands (yet), your loyalty showed that those who do know us really dig us…we’re looking at you, Pumpkin Spice fans!
Here at Green Mountain, we’re honored to have been named the Highest Ranked Brand in our category. We’re so appreciative of everyone involved in the study and anyone who has made our coffee a part of their lives. Thank you!
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!
makes approximately 32 large cookies
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
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!
Amber of Bluebonnets & Brownies is back for her Fall coffee-inspired recipe! And I only need four words to introduce her latest recipe: Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice!
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This is the recipe I've been waiting all year to write. Recently, a promotional email from Green Mountain Coffee® went out. The subject line? "Pumpkin Spice is Here!". The text of the message? "Some people wait all year for this."
Yeah. I fully admit it. I'm pretty sure I inspired that marketing genius. Because I do. I wait all year. Or, actually, I try not to wait all year. I try to buy as many Pumpkin Spice K-Cup® portion packs as I can get my grubby little hands on, and then I hoard them, rationing myself to 2 (okay, 3) cups a day, praying that they'll last through to August.
It never works out. I just can't get enough of the Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice coffee.
Two years ago, my husband added fuel to the fire, buying me a Keurig Milk Frother for our anniversary. In November.
Autumn + Pumpkin Spice + Milk Frother = one jittery recipe writer full of Pumpkin Spice Lattes, my friends. I don't regret a single cup.
The first recipe I ever had featured on Green Mountain Café was a chocolate mayonnaise cake. A recipe near and dear to my heart because it was my grandfather's. It relies heavily on strong coffee for its signature flavor, and so I wondered, how would a Spice Cake with a coffee and mayonnaise base be?
If the email I received from my husband's coworker this morning is anything to go by, not only does this cake work, the combination of the coffee-base and Pumpkin Spice coffee infused buttercream are, and I quote, "like manna from the Gods". (He often foists the extras of my creations off on his co-workers - it's actually made him quite popular!)
I hope that you enjoy Pumpkin Spice coffee, and Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes, as much as I have. They both embody everything I have come to love about the Fall: cozy comfort, inviting warmth, and enticing aromas.
Happy Autumn, everyone!
Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cupcakes
makes 16-18Ingredients
2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 cup packed Brown Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon All Spice1 cup Mayonnaise - no substitutes!
1 cup (8 oz) Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice Coffee, cooled
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla ExtractDirections
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and all spice. Stir completely with a wire whisk - this will allow the ingredients to distribute evenly and also aerate.
In a smaller bowl, combine mayonnaise, coffee, and vanilla extract. Whisk as well, until ingredients are well mixed.
Stir wet ingredients into dry, mixing completely to make batter.
Line 12 count muffin tins with paper liners, or spray with cooking spray. Using a 1/4 cup measure, scoop batter into each muffin well. You should end up with exactly 18 cupcakes if you use the 1/4 cup measure.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake removes cleanly. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Pumpkin Spice Coffee Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened to room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cold Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice Coffee
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie SpiceDirections
In a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, cream butter until it is light and fluffy - 4-10 minutes at least. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add coffee one tablespoon at a time, mixing again after each addition, and then vanilla and pumpkin pie spice.My kitchen was very warm, so my icing seemed a bit too soft at this point. I refrigerated it to stiffen it up, and then re-mixed it when I was ready to frost my cupcakes. If after refrigeration the frosting seems too stiff, add 1 tablespoon of half and half and mix well again with your mixer. Alternate between tablespoons of half and half and Pumpkin Spice Coffee until frosting reaches your desired consistency.
Cupcakes and frosting will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
We have some very good news to share: Fair Trade USA, the leading third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States, has confirmed that our parent company, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. is the largest purchaser of Fair Trade Certified™ coffee in the world for 2010. In its fiscal 2010, GMCR purchased over 23 million pounds of Fair Trade Certified™ coffee.
Our thanks to you for enthusiastically supporting Fair Trade!
Pssst. Want to know a secret? Let’s see if you can guess it! Here are some hints:
- It’s full of warm, spicy notes.
- It’s the essence of autumn.
- You’ve been asking for it since it went away for the season last year.
Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice is back for fall a week early – right now, just for you online! You can start looking for this fall favorite at your local grocery or retail shops after August 15, 2011, but (for those who can't wait a moment longer), you can find it right now exclusively on the web.
Brew up a cup of this Limited Edition Fall Seasonal coffee and prepare to indulge yourself in the fragrance and flavors of the season. For anyone who’s learned to love this flavor, Pumpkin Spice offers the experience of fresh-baked pumpkin pie —warm spice notes and creamy body — and fills the room with a mouthwatering aroma. Not to mention it's Fair Trade Certified™. No wonder it’s our most popular Seasonal flavor!
Pumpkin Spice will be around for the season in bags and K-Cup® portion packs for your Keurig® brewer until November 11, 2011, or until supplies last.
So: Are you excited about this spicy coffee's return to your coffee mug?
Today is about sharing love. It's about saying, "I love you," to those you do. It's about paying love forward by holding a door open for someone you don't even know. It's about passing on your love of a family member in a cherished memory - or recipe, in this case.
Other than being one of our most devoted Pumpkin Spice fans, foodie Amber of Bluebonnets & Brownies fame has an arsenal of fantastic, easy, and heartwarming recipes on her blog - and she's graciously shared a personal - and delicious - one with us today. So, in the spirit of Valentine's Day and sharing love with the masses, we're pleased to give the stage to Amber and her grandfather's Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake:
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Gaga's Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake from Bluebonnets and Brownies
It's pretty safe to say that my grandfather, affectionately known as Gaga, was a huge coffee fan. When I was little, he would make us both some toast and cut it into strips. And then we'd both dip our toast into his milky coffee. The man never met a cinnamon roll he didn't love (with coffee, of course), and his favorite cake in the entire world is this chocolate mayonnaise cake.
I know what you're thinking - mayo and coffee in cake? It's actually one of the easiest recipes in the world because you don't have to worry if you've got eggs or oil on hand, and the end result is some of the most moist, flavorful chocolate cake you'll ever taste.
I never could understand why I had an aversion to chocolate cake from bakeries. I mean, we live not far from New York City, where some of the greatest diners and bakeries in the world are. But every chocolate cake I tried just fell flat with me. Then I asked my grandmother for Gaga's famous cake recipe.
As the plump little cupcakes came out of the oven, and that warm, rich, velvety flavor floated my way, I understood. This is chocolate cake. You see, without the mayonnaise and coffee to enrich and enhance the chocolate, cake just isn't as good.
Which coffee you use can affect your end result, too. I've made this cake with several Green Mountain Coffee varieties, from Fair Trade Rainforest Nut® to Fair Trade Espresso Blend, and even Nantucket Blend. Each lends its unique notes to the finished product. Rainforest Nut actually adds its own chocolatey notes, while the Espresso Blend is strong enough to give the cake a mocha flair. Blueberry or even French Toast would be excellent, too.
Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake2 cups all purpose flour (for cupcakes, add 2 extra tablespoons of flour)
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa powder – use a good quality like Scharffen Berger (for cupcakes, add 1 more scant tablespoon of cocoa powder)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup mayonnaise – no substitutes
1 cup cold coffee – I used Green Mountain Coffee’s Nantucket Blend1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Sift together dry ingredients – set aside.
In mixing bowl combine mayonnaise, cold coffee and vanilla – add sifted dry ingredients, incrementally. Beat until smooth – scraping sides of bowl often. Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 pan or 12 count muffin pan with paper cups. Bake in preheated oven 350 degrees. 25 to 35 minutes. Do not over bake.Chocolate Rum Butter Cream Frosting
3 sticks unsalted butter
pinch of salt
1 tbsp vanilla or almond extract
2 lbs confectioner's (powdered) sugar
4 tbsps half & half
1 c. cocoa powder
2 tbsp dark or white rumIn a large mixing bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add confectioner's sugar, one cup at a time, creaming well each time until completely incorporated. Add extract, salt, half and half and mix well. Add cocoa powder and mix again until light and fluffy. Then add rum and mix again. Frost cake immediately.
When the end of November rolls around, I must admit where my mind goes first: turkey. And stuffing and potatoes and cranberry sauce and green beans. And pumpkin pie - we cannot forget the pumpkin pie. It’s about cooking and baking and sautéing and refrigerating and feeling stuffed to the gills with epicurean delight.
And then I stop and actually think about it.
Thanksgiving is most certainly about food (coffee-crusted turkey, anyone?), but it also about thankfulness. It’s about showing gratitude for your family, your friends, your neighbors, and your coworkers. It’s about expressing the appreciation we feel for people who show they care, may it be by cleaning up a local river, proposing at the Grand Canyon, or simply taking the time to share a smile.
This week, we challenged members of our Green Mountain Coffee team to share what they’re thankful for this year. And, as always, our team met the challenge in a revelation-ary manner:
Amanda: I am thankful for great family and great coffee! I love that I work for a company where I can introduce my family to great coffee as well as all the important work GMCR does to help "Brew a Better World". My brother loves our Fair Trade Seasonals and I'm very partial to our Special Reserves!
Reid: I'm thankful for the peaceful joy I'm experiencing in having my 11 month old little girl asleep in my arms while I try to type this on my iPad! I should also mention I'm thankful for auto-correct.
To be be part of such an amazing company with truly wonderful and passionate (with above-average caffeinated levels) people is an experience for which to be thankful. I'm thankful our company is doing so well which affords us with the ability to give back in ways tat impact so many.
Lesley: I am very thankful to work for a company that embraces and supports my personal and professional growth, creativity, and learning.
Roger: I’m thankful for the fact that I am privileged enough to work with a group of dedicated and passionate individuals who collectively represent the best group of co-workers – and friends – that anyone could hope for. On the home front, I’m extremely thankful that my kids still think I’m (relatively) cool. I know it won’t last much longer, so while I still can, I’m soaking up as much of their indulgence as possible.
Ken: I’m thankful that more and more of our troops are returning from overseas duties. I’m thankful to work for a company that can be both successful and CSR-minded. I’m thankful that my kids still listen to me (for the most part).
Maureen (and Kristen): We're grateful for Hot Apple Cider, which has spiced up our autumn and mustache Fridays (or Wednesdays, or Tuesdays, or whenever we need it).
Sandy: There are many things I’ll be giving thanks for on Thursday, but I wasn’t sure what to share here until I came across this blog post: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/3-simple-ways-to-thank-a-farmer-this-thanksgiving.html
Nearby, I’d like to thank the fine folks at the Dog River Farm in Berlin, VT for opening up their farm through CSA shares, and challenging me to be creative in cooking up my weekly stash of zucchini, kale, and many mysterious varieties of squash.
Further away, I’d like to thank the Fair Trade farmers around the world who work hard to grow and deliver the high quality beans that are incorporated into so many Green Mountain Coffee varieties.
I’ll keep my thanks going year-round by buying local foods whenever possible, and choosing Fair Trade for products like coffee that are not grown locally.
Kristen: I am thankful for the food on my table, family by my side, and just enough caffeine to jump start my soul. And, of course, you - yes, you! For all the Green Mountain Coffee fans who make this possible, thank you!
People tell us they can’t wait for fall…and then they stock up on Fair Trade 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
Happy (Fair) brewing!
Every year, around this time, it happens: I get my first whiff of autumn and I savor it. I always remember my first 
brush with autumn whether it’s as subtle as noticing the chill on a foggy morning, or as obvious as the Oktoberfest brews in the beer aisle. For others, the words “Pumpkin Spice Coffee” kick off their autumnal season. There’s no denying the intense aromas of this coffee. When I smell this coffee, I can’t help but think of throwing on my coziest wool sweater and wandering the farmer’s market under an umbrella of changing leaves. The flavors can send me into a daydream of a cool weather hike up Mt. Mansfield followed by a scenic drive through Smuggler’s Notch.
Pumpkin Spice’s seasonal sister, Autumn Harvest is not to be forgotten. This coffee is my morning cup from September through early November. Its medium body with smoky notes reminds me of my usual French Roast, but with a twist. I also find myself indulging in a second afternoon cup when Autumn Harvest is available. It’s a perfect warm me up, wake me up combo and is even more enjoyable while I’m leaf peeping on my commute home.
Fair Trade Month Quiz:
Question 27: By what percentage has demand for Fair Trade coffee grown in the US in 2008?
Answer: Over 30%
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.
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I gave a bag of coffee to a friend of mine as a housewarming gift. She took one look at it and said “Do you have anything that’s Fair Trade?”
I confess, before I started working for Green Mountain Coffee, I didn’t understand what Fair Trade (FT) meant exactly. Even when I settled on Fair Trade Organic Espresso as my coffee of choice, the fact that it’s Fair Trade had no impact on my decision whatsoever. But now that I know what it means and how it impacts the lives of those who grow our coffee beans, I get even more satisfaction out of my morning cup.
One category of coffee that’s exclusively Fair Trade is our Limited Edition Seasonal coffees. Four years ago, Green Mountain Coffee decided to make the seasonal coffees Fair Trade across the board. The idea was to grow awareness of Fair Trade to more coffee lovers like you so that we could expand our Fair Trade market and ultimately make a difference in more farmers’ lives. Why Seasonals? Well, I don’t know about you, but when I see “available for a limited time”, I’ve got to have it right now, and lots of it. What better way to introduce Fair Trade to as many people as possible who will not only anxiously await the next arrival, but will stock up? It’s true, even through our current economic situation, folks are ordering cases (yes, cases) of Fair Trade Pumpkin Spice before it’s gone. Maybe they’re depending on the aroma of mom’s pumpkin pie to get them through the tough times. Either way, it means coffee farmers are getting a better life.
What I love about the Seasonals is that, no matter what your reason, there’s a seasonal coffee that you can call your own. My second favorite coffee would have to be FT Organic Joyful Season Blend (available mid-November) because a) it’s Fair Trade; b) it’s organic; and c) I love the holidays. So much so, in fact, my Christmas tree stayed up until August one year. Apparently I have a problem with letting go. So if you’re wondering if I replaced the housewarming gift with a Fair Trade coffee …you betcha. If it helps coffee farmers survive, and thrive, in light of their long-standing economic troubles, shouldn’t everyone get Fair Trade?
Is your favorite coffee among our Seasonals? If so, I’m curious. Was it because it was the socially responsible choice, or because you associate its aroma or name with a different time or place, or simply because you like the taste?
-Wendy
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.
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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
-Ken
Springtime is nearly here and what better way to kick-off this refreshing season than with your favorite springtime coffees? Our two limited edition spring coffees, Island Coconut® and Spring Revival™ Blend, are delicious when served hot or as an iced beverage.
If you are making these coffees hot try mixing them up with hot cocoa for a twist. If you are making them iced, then try adding some chocolate milk. The perfect splash for the spring season!
The best way to ensure you get every one of your favorite seasonal flavored coffees is to join the
Seasonal Flavors Coffee Tour. We will send you two bags or boxes of each of the following flavors:
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