Hot Chocolate & Mini Marshmallows – The Ultimate Pairing

If you can believe it, there’s more to life than coffee. At CoffeeCow, we’re always “talking coffee” (and drinking it too!). Today, we thought we’d show some love to another delicious, hot beverage we appreciate – hot chocolate. Whether you’re making some to help the kids warm up after a full day of snow forts and snowball fights or curling up next to a roaring fire with a cup for yourself, hot cocoa hits the spot and is a treat for the whole family to enjoy.

And who can resist miniature anything, let alone miniature marshmallows? Go ahead and top off any of your favorite hot beverages - shake a few mini marshmallows on your hot cocoa, cappuccino or even coffee!

Now that we’ve got you craving a cup of hot cocoa with mini marshmallows, here’s some great news. Use promo code 44TG48 until December 31st and receive discounts on Nestle Rich Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix and a 4 oz. canister of Flavor Gourmet Mini Marshmallows.

Looking for other mouthwatering hot chocolate options for your single serve brewer? Try these:

• Cafe Escapes Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa K-cups
• Cafe Escapes Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa K-Cups

Visit CoffeeCow.com for our full selection of coffee, coffee products, & more! As always, don’t forget to visit our Coupons page for the latest deals and thank you for choosing CoffeeCow.

Receive a Coffee Brewer as a Gift?

Someone handed you a big box wrapped in fancy and sophisticated wrapping paper and you were giddy to find out what was inside. As you peel back the paper you can see that it’s a…single cup coffee maker! No longer do you have to wait for your coffee to drip into a waiting pot. No longer do you pour your cup of coffee only to pour the remaining waste down the drain. Finally, you can explore all the brands and flavors you’d like. Your new single-cup coffee brewer is great, but there’s just one problem: you have no coffee to make! Fear not as CoffeeCow has the selection of brands and flavors you’ll want to try in your new single-cup beverage machine:

• Keurig K-Cups: We offer several brands of coffee in the popular K-Cup cartridge:
• Green Mountain
• Newman's Own
• Emeril's Coffee
• Coffee People
• Celestial Seasoning
• Wolfgang Puck
• Gloria Jeans
• Tully's
• Twining
• Caribou Coffee
• Diedrich

         You can also shop by roast on our K-Cup page!

• Tassimo T-Discs: Tassimo’s single-serve beverage system:
• Starbucks
• Chocolate
• Coffees
• Teas
• Flavored Coffees

• Pod Coffee: Get a consistent cup of coffee and tea time and time again:
• Mr. Coffee
• Café Classics
• Marley Coffee
• Bunn My Café
• Wolfgang Puck
• Melitta
• Organa
• Donut Shop

         You can also shop by roast on our Pod coffee page!

• Lavazza: A variety of coffee from this Italian company can be found in their Espresso Point capsules and BLUE capsules!

• NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto®: Bring coffee house quality and variety to your kitchen in seconds:
•  All Coffee Types
• Espresso

CoffeeCow hopes the very best to you and all our loyal fans. Nobody knows what the future holds, but we know one thing – there will be coffee, lots of coffee.

CoffeeCow Reviews Tassimo’s King of Joe Dark Roast T-Discs

If you’re given the title of “King,” it’s a clear indication that you rule at something, right? We’re taste testing Tassimo’s King of Joe Dark Roast T-Discs today to see if this king rules over other dark roasts. The question is - will this King of Joe live up to his title?

General Information:

Tassimo’s King of Joe Dark Roast contains 16 T-Discs per box. Each T-Disc brews a single 8-ounce cup for your Tassimo coffee maker.

The Test:

Your sense of smell will be the first to experience this King of Joe! Once brewed, the aroma reveals a slight smokiness and hint of charred wood that mingles with a very mild, syrup-like bouquet and blends with a delicate scent of walnuts and toast. Overall, the aroma is inviting and will leave you looking forward to your first sip.

With your sense of sight, hold your freshly brewed cup of King of Joe Dark Roast coffee up to the window and allow the morning sunlight to shine through! Dark amber and brown tones will further entice you to taste this dark roast coffee.

Finally taking that first sip, you’ll notice the coffee has a medium to medium-thin mouth feel. This means that it isn’t thick and creamy like some coffees but isn’t too thin or watery, either. In a word, well-balanced describes this T-Disc to a tee.

These dark roast T-Discs are slightly sweet with light acidity and saltiness that finishes with a very mild charred flavor.

The Result:

On a scale of 1 to 5, we rate this coffee a 4. It’s not as robust and dark as the Tassimo Gevalia Dark House Blend or the Tassimo Gevalia Dark Italian Roast, but it is a good daily morning wake-me-up. This package also provides twice as many T-Disc’s as the Gevalia Dark House Blend or the Gevalia Dark Italian Roast.

Tassimo King of Joe Dark Roast T-Discs may not be the best choice for the diehard dark roast coffee drinker, but it’s a great choice for a coffee lover on an average morning. It’s proven to stimulate the senses while providing a lot of body, flavor, and finish - making this coffee a great-tasting daily starter!

The answer to the question will this King of Joe live up to his title is YES! Tassimo’s King of Joe Dark Roast T-Discs will continue to reign for another day. Check out CoffeeCow.com for more single serve coffee choices.

How To Choose a Single Serve Coffee Maker

Ready to trade in your traditional drip coffee brewer for a single serve coffee maker? Confused by all the options? CoffeeCow.com is here to make the process easier by helping you find your perfect single serve coffee maker!

Tassimo

Tassimo single serve coffee makers utilize T-Discs and have a wide range of brewing capabilities, from brewing a real espresso to milk-based lattes and cappuccinos. If you find that Starbucks is like your second home, a Tassimo brewer may be the right fit for you. With its boutique coffee drinks and a price range from $100 to $200, you’re getting quite a brewer for your buck.

LavAzza Espresso Point

LavAzza Espresso Point, aka the brewer that brings the taste of Italy to your morning cup of coffee. This single serve brewer takes beverage capsules and is also in the $100 to $ 200 price range, which is way cheaper than a plane ticket to Italy. The LavAzza Espresso Point brewer has a unique capability in that it can even make vegetable broth! What will they think of next?

LavAzza Blue

Welcome to the world of luxury and efficiency! LavAzza Blue coffee makers utilize pre-programmed one-touch buttons, so making coffee in this single serve coffee maker is even easier. This machine also uses capsules and is equipped with a one-gallon tank and a steam wand. LavAzza Blue has been described as the new frontier of the single serve coffee maker.

Single Cup Coffee Brewer Comparison - Click to enlarge!

Dolce Gusto

Dolce Gusto single serve coffee makers have the most variation for the lowest price – you’re able to snag one for between $70 and $200. Like LavAzza brewers, Dolce Gusto also utilizes capsules. This coffee maker’s uniqueness lies in the Custom Control Lever, giving you even more control over your coffee without added effort.

Keurig

One of the most popular & well-known brands, Keurig single serve coffee makers have quite a following. Keurig’s K-cups provide convenient, gourmet coffee at your fingertips. Keurig also offers the widest variety in coffee beverages – if you can’t seem to make up your mind, try one of each! The cost for these single serve brewers can range anywhere from $70 - $300.

Pod Brewers

If you’re looking for a simple, no frills single serve coffee maker, we’ve got you covered there, too! Pod brewers can make both hot tea and coffee. Price ranges anywhere from $70 - $200 and great for the environment, as these Pods are also recyclable! 

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With such benefits as ease of use, convenience and the taste of a freshly brewed cup of coffee every time, single serve coffee makers are on the rise and still rising. The chart above will aide in making your search a bit easier. Good luck finding your perfect single serve coffee maker & please contact us for more information. We’d be happy to help you with your quest to find your one true brewer!

Dark Roast vs. Bold

Did you know that dark roast coffee and bold coffee are actually two different animals? If you didn’t, you’re not alone. Many people mistake one for the other or think they’re the same, not realizing they are very different - right down to the process in which they’re made.

Dark Roast Coffee

What does the term “dark” mean when referring to coffee? Dark coffee generally deals with the roasting technique. When the roaster roasts the coffee beans, they go through what is referred to as the 1st crack and the 2nd crack. The term “crack” is actually the sound the beans make as they become hot in the roasting process. It sounds like popcorn popping, but the beans are actually cracking. The 1st crack creates light, mild, and the early part of the medium roasts, while the 2nd crack creates medium dark and dark roasts.

This means that the same beans roasted differently will have different flavor profiles. Darker roasts will have more of a smoky overtone with a little more bitterness on the finish while the lighter roasts will have more fruit and earthy qualities.

Roasters know that catastrophe strikes when roasting past the 2nd crack! Roasting past the 2nd crack leaves the beans overcooked, bitter, burnt, and less desirable, as most of their flavor will be lost.

At CoffeeCow.com, we believe that coffee tasting is similar to wine tasting, and just as fun. Coffee has many flavor wheels, charts, and an entire process to roast and triple taste a coffee to determine the best roasting method for the bean. Try brands such as Dolce Gusto: Dark Roast/Grande Intenso, Tassimo Gevalia: Dark Italian Roast T-Discs and Wolfgang Puck: South Pacific Organic Pods, just to name a few.

If You Gotta Be Bold, Try Bold Flavored Coffee

Could singer/songwriter Des’ree really be talking about coffee in the 1994 hit song entitled “You Gotta Be”? Sure, love will save the day, too. We’re just saying that coffee - especially bold coffee - is just as capable of saving the day.

Let’s start with the basics and explain what “bold” means when you’re referring to coffee. In general, bold coffee simply means there’s more coffee flavor.

Think of it like this: Say you use a teaspoon of coffee to make a 6 oz. cup of regular coffee. The bold coffee would be like using two teaspoons of coffee to make the same 6 oz. cup, leaving you with more coffee flavor instead of just more coffee.

Oh, and we’re bold alright. Bold enough to carry coffee with those day-saving, bold flavors you love! Savor the boldness with brands such as Cafe Classics: Classic Bold Pods, Green Mountain: Double Black Diamond X-Bold K-Cups and Emeril's: Big Easy Bold Coffee K-Cups.

As Des’ree might say, all I know, all I know is coffee will save the day. For a full list of our coffee products, visit CoffeeCow.com today!