Saturday Afternoon at Pine Street Market

Photo from Dina Avila

Four score and several Saturdays ago, a group of friends ventured into the city and set forth to a magical land filled food options as far as the eye can see. Some refer to this as a food court,  Portlanders know is as Pine Street Market.

Coffees of the Pacific Northwest

It's no secret that I fell head over heels in love with the Pacific Northwest - the evergreen trees, the smell of the damp forest air, the awesome local restaurants, and the COFFEE. It's pretty crazy to think that this is the birthplace of the coffee culture we know today, almost everyone knows that Starbucks got it's start in the humble store front near Pike Place Market but there are so many other worthy places to check out!

Here are just some of the shops we checked out on our trip, some we scouted on on Yelp and others we just happened upon, we probably consumed at least three cups of coffee a day and we still didn't even begin to explore all of the shops in town - this is but a sampling of all there is to offer. My all time favorite was Espresso Vivace in Seattle the employees were awesome and could "speak coffee" with you for hours and their espresso drinks offer some truly unique experiences for your tastebuds. The Cafe Nico was my personal fav with hints of orange peel and cinnamon.

Our Java Journey:

PORTLAND

-Stumptown Coffee
This little Portland coffee shop has really blown up over the past year, you can now find their cold brew in major grocery stores across the country.

-Compass Coffee Roasting
This new location in Vancouver (near Ester Short Park) has an on site roaster that provides the freshest kind of brew. They also have homemade syrups and their vanilla latte (pictured bottom top left) was super delicious.

-Thatchers Coffee
Also in Vancouver, the cafe offers locally sourced coffee along with artisan pastries. They also have a huge feature chalkboard wall that displays local art which is a little bonus.

SEATTLE

-Espresso Vivace
My absolute favorite place, this is my heaven on earth. I went to the location downtown across from the REI, you can grab a window seat and look at the glorious evergreens across the street.

-Caffe Umbria
Located in Pioneer Square, this semi-swanky shop is known for the square of chocolate they serve with each beverage.

-Seattle Coffee Works
We just stumbled upon this place walking around downtown, the baristas were super friendly and the atmosphere is perfect for people watching.

Like I said this doesn't even begin to cover the coffee culture in PNW but if you're ever visiting in the area I highly suggest you check these places out - you won't be disappointed.

What are some of your favorite coffee spots?!

Festive Layered Affogato Cake

I love the holidays because it gives me an excuse to bake things and I don't have to feel guilty about baking an entire cake for just two people. Question; have you ever had an Affogato? It's delicious. Let me tell you a tale of how this cake came to be...

I had my first taste of this concoction at an ice cream store, I know, not what you were expecting amiright? An Affogato is a thing of beauty, and I am such a fan of coffee I am astounded that it took me this long to discover such a creation. It combines the magical powers of a strongly brewed espresso shot with the smooth and creamy goodness of vanilla ice cream - hot and cold - ying to my yang. For lack of a better phrase, it was freaking delicious.

Of course, the first thing I think of when tasking such a magical thing is how can I transform this into a dessert? So I had the idea to enhance the classic flavors of a Tres Leches cake with delicious smooth espresso. The results? A cake that tastes as good as that first cup of coffee in the morning!

This cake is also ideal for a work party because it can chill out in the fridge all day and you don't have to worry about it coming to room temperature before serving it - keep in mind though when you transport said cake in your car, remember not to tilt it in your front seat thus spilling all of the remaining liquid...on your tan upholstery...right in the uncleanable crack. *facepalm*


For the cake...
1 and 1/2 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
5 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

*Cake recipe from Allrecipes


For the liquid...
1 cup 2% milk
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 cup strongly brewed coffee (cooled)

For the whipped topping...
1 and 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
coco powder (for topping)

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time and beat on medium speed until well blended. Slowly add flour (about 1 TBS at a time) until mixed. Makes either 13 x 9 inch pan OR two 9inch cake layers. Bake for 15-25 min. or until slightly brown around the edges and cooked in the middle.

2.Mix all the milks and coffee and set aside. Whip the cream, and vanilla on high speed until it begins to thicken - turn speed down to the lowest setting and carefully add the sugar.

3.Place both layers of cooked cake on two separate plate, prick with fork to ensure optimal soakedge. Slowly pour the milk/coffee mix over the cake layers until fully absorbed. Let the layers soak in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Spread an even layer of whipped topping on top of one layer - sprinkle with coco powder. Carefully flip second cake layer on top, then proceed to top with additional whipped cream. Sprinkle with coco powder once again to finish it off and if you're feeling extra fancy you can make chocolate decorations as well!

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Bread Pudding with Caramel Pecan Sauce

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DelightfulMoments #CollectiveBia

Most people look forward to the traditional holiday beverages such as eggnog, hot chocolate, etc. but for me it's always the holiday coffee creamers!

I am one of those people who require a hefty dose of caffeine in order to begin my day. It's getting to the point where I've moved beyond drinking coffee to be cool, it's actually a necessity now (waking up at 5am on a regular basis will do that to a human). So to make getting up a little easier, it's always nice to switch it up with my coffee flavors.

I had never really considered using coffee creamer in any other fashion other than to accompany my daily cup o' joe but with so many unique flavors available, I was inspired to incorporate them into my holiday baking. My personal favorite is International Delight's Pumpkin Pie spice flavor, it's a little sweet with a creamy swirl of cinnamon and spices. I headed over to my local Walmart and picked up some festive holiday flavors including some single creamers which I always love keeping on hand at work.

I wanted to create something warm, comforting, and indulgent while also keeping in mind making it easy to throw together and serve a big group (because if your family is like mine, you can never have too many desserts on hand). Bread pudding is the ideal fix it and forget it dessert, you can easily make it a day in advance and stick it in the fridge until you are ready to bake and serve.

I wanted to add additional flavors to the pudding - so International Delight's Pumpkin Pie Spice was the perfect addition. Since the creamer provided some sweetness, I cut back the sugar and added additional spices to create the flavor profile I wanted. The result? A custard-like texture with hints of cinnamon and pumpkin (which of course makes your house smell ammmazing).

Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding

serves 6

1 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup half and half
3/4 cup International Delight Pumpkin Pie spice creamer
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
10 cups 1/2-inch cubed French Bread (I used a wheat bread)

Caramel Pecan Sauce

1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup International Delight Pumpkin Pie spice creamer
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans

For bread pudding:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk half and half, milk, creamer, pumpkin, sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and vanilla extract in large bowl to blend. Fold in bread cubes. Transfer mixture to 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Let stand 15 minutes. Bake pumpkin bread pudding until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare caramel sauce:
In small pan, melt butter with brown sugar, stirring. Stir in heavy cream, creamer, and vanilla. Bring to boil, then simmer until thickened, 5 minutes. Let cool; stir in chopped pecans. Spoon over warm bead pudding

This has become my new favorite fall/winter recipe - not only is it easy to make but it captures everything I love about the holidays. What do you do to get into the holiday spirit? Check out International Delight’s page for their Spirit of the Season UGC contest. You can share what makes your holidays delightful for a chance to win their contest!

Iced Coffee with Flavored Simple Syrups

There comes a time during summer when even the most devotee hot coffee drinker has to switch over to the cold brew, my time came around two weeks ago...

It doesn't come easily, usually I go through about three phases:
1) Denial. This step is a very frustrating (and sweaty) process.
2) Experimental phase. I start to try some iced coffee, maybe order a glass here and there.
3) Acceptance. I have come to the sad realization that my beloved fall/winter is over and even the most air conditioned facility cannot save me, thus coming face-to-face with my icy cold fate.

I am not going to lie, it took me years to even try iced coffee, not sure what it was, I just always associate coffee with a warm, comforting beverage and the ones I have tried were lacking in the flavor department. Over the years I have learned to make cold brew exceptionally delicious, here are some things you need to consider: ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS use filtered water, prepare some coffee ice cubes (that way your drink won't become watered down before you finish it), and this should go without saying but start with high quality beans - I usually pick mine up from Coffee Icon.

Now enters the flavoring. Making your own natural coffee syrups is so easy and tastes SO much better without the harsh taste of artificial sweeteners. You might remember my Vanilla bean lattes that I made a while back, that was actually my first time ever making my own syrup and I ended up using it for so many different things other than coffee so this time around I decided to expand my flavors and reduced the amount to 1/3 and 1/2 so you wouldn't have an excessive amount of syrup laying around AND this produces a slightly thicker and more concentrated flavor as opposed to equal parts water and sugar.

The directions for all the syrups are the same, Combine the sugar, water, and flavoring in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbling. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool completely before storing in a jar. With some flavors (like the lavender) you might need to strain the mix through a fine mesh strainer so keep that in mind.

Death By Black Friday Cupcakes (chocolate cupcakes with chocolate espresso cream filling and chocolate whip frosting)

It is time. That time every retail/food service worker has feared, ladies and gents Black Friday is upon us. Only in the great country of America can we justify waking up at the crack of dawn and trampling the young and weak to buy stuff the day after being thankful for what they already have.

Nah, I'm not bitter...

...but you know what IS bitter? And sweet, and rich, and sinfully delicious? These cupcakes (see what I did there?)

In order to boost moral and ease our suffering I decided to make cupcakes, but not just any cupcakes!
when designing such a cake, I knew it had to have three components:
Coffee - for energy and sustainability
Chocolate - for the soul
and a bit of booze - for obvious reasons

These cupcakes were super delicious. The cake itself is moist and rich which is offset by the hint of the cherry kirsch (aka my favorite alcohol to use in desserts, you might remember THESE). Also, I added coffee to the batter (to enhance that chocolate flavor) as well as the frosting, because you can never have too much coffee!!

If you're running low on time, you don't necessarily have to make the filling because the cupcakes are moist on their own, it's just a personal preference.

For the cupcakes...

makes 12 regular sized cupcakes, recipe adapted from Pretty.Simple.Sweet

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup hot, bold coffee

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
2.In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3.In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. On medium speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Beat in the milk until combined. Add the other half of the dry ingredients and beat slowly until combined. Add hot coffee and beat just until combined. Do not over mix – the less you mix, the lighter the cake will be. The batter should be liquid-y.
4.Divide batter evenly between cups, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes (or 8-10 minutes if making mini cupcakes), until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Allow cupcakes to sit for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

For the filling...

1 TBS cherry kirsch (optional)
1 cup heavy cream
About 3 cups icing sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 pinch salt

Directions:

In a bowl start beating the heavy cream, either by hand (you're crazy) or with a whisk attachment. While beating slowly add the sugar, salt and kirsch until light and fluffy.

For the frosting...

1 cup confectionery sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 pint (2 cups) whipping cream
1-2 TBS coffee, cooled
Pinch of salt
chocolate covered espresso beans for garnish

Directions:

1.Place whipping cream in mixing bowl. Shift remaining ingredients together and add to cream.
2.Mix in gently, then beat on high until a thick, frosting-like consistency forms.

To assemble: take cool muffin and cut a small hole out of the center (I would recommend getting one of these), add filling then plug it back up with the cake. Add frosting and devour.

Vanilla Bean Lattes (with Vanilla Syrup)

Over time I have become somewhat of a coffee snob, which is something I am not exactly ashamed to admit. When I first started drinking coffee, I consumed any kind I could get my hands on and even though it pains me to admit this, my idea of a good coffee beverage was a "cappuccino" from the local gas station. After all these years and with the help of some high quality local coffee shops, I have seen the light and have come to appreciate the finer beans in life...

Brewing coffee can be as complex as crafting a beer or aging a fine wine, it should be treated as an art form and not tainted with high fructose corn syrup and unidentified powdered mixes. It should be thoughtfully prepared and enjoyed. One of my favorite local shops that share this brew religion is Bold Bean Coffee Roasters in Jacksonville, FL. They were pretty much responsible for saving my life during my first culinary internship at a bakery right down the street. With a shift starting at 6AM, I was running purely on honey lattes from BB. When I made a return visit the other day I decided to buy just a plain old vanilla bean latte. Now, I've been to many a places that refer to their lattes as "vanilla bean" without so much as a speck of a bean in sight, but this one... this one actually contained vanilla beans! Imagine that! When I acquired about this discovery, they said they made their own vanilla bean syrup! As much as a coffee fanatic that I am, for some reason it's never crossed my mind to make a syrup but suddenly I became enthralled with the idea - come to find out it's actually really easy! I just made a simple syrup and added a vanilla bean but you could easily adjust this recipe to make any flavor just by adding your desired extracts.

Vanilla Bean Lattes (with Vanilla Syrup)

serves 6-8

for the syrup...

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split

1.Mix ingredients together in sauce pan. On medium high heat, bring mixture to a boil, stirring consistently. Return heat to low and simmer until all sugar is dissolves. I let mine sit in the fridge for a couple of days and it really intensified with flavor!

for latte...

½ oz. Vanilla Bean Syrup
1 shot espresso
Steamed milk

1.Put 1 oz. syrup in mug and add one shot freshly brewed espresso.
2.Fill mug with foamed milk and enjoy!

If you don't have a fancy-pants coffee machine you could invest in a milk frother, I bought mine from Target for only $10

Size References:
Per ¼ oz. pump:
2 pumps syrup - 12 oz. espresso drink
3 pumps syrup - 16 oz. espresso drink
4 pumps syrup - 20 oz. espresso drink

Tiramisu Blended Iced Coffee with Seattle's Best Coffee.

I was asked by a representative to try Seattle's Best Frozen blends which combine high quality brewed frozen coffee with milk and cream. They come in a variety of flavors including coffee, very vanilla, mocha, and creamy caramel. It is a well known fact that I simply cannot function without coffee, it's pretty much up there with food and shelter as the bare necessities of life. So when a company offers convenient coffee on the go, they have my attention.

This product is unique because all you have to do is add milk, blend, and go - it's basically a smoothie on steroids. I decided to amp up this recipe by turning it into one of my all time favorite desserts - tiramisu! I added the chocolate swirl not only for the impressive appearance but to also replicate that hint of chocolate in this coveted dessert. For those of you who are old enough, you can add a splash of rum and top with dusted cocoa and a lady finger for fun! I was blown away by the flavor of this coffee, it was strong but not overly so and the consistency was creamy and delicious, it truly was tiramisu in drink form!

Tiramisu Blended Iced Coffee

1/2 melted chocolate
1 package of Seattle's Best Frozen Coffee Chiller
10 fluid ounces of milk (I used about 8oz. vanilla soy milk and 2oz. half & half)
1 TSP rum (optional)
whipped cream, lady fingers, and cocoa powder for decoration

Directions:

1.Take the melted chocolate and place it in a piping bag with a small hole cut at the end. Carefully drizzle the chocolate around the glass until the swirl effect is achieved (you could buy Hershey's chocolate syrup if you want). Place in freezer for about 5 min. this will help the chocolate stay in place when you pour the coffee in.

2.Prepare the frozen blend according to package instructions. Add rum (if using) then pour into glasses and top with whipped cream, dusted cocoa powder, and lady finger. Serve and enjoy!

You can find these frozen blends at Walmart, Target, and other retail stores nation wide in the freezer isle.

Disclosure- Seattle's Best asked me to sample their Frozen Blends but all opinions are my own.