My favorite way to brew coffee- using a French Press!

If you have not heard of Harold Import Company, you are missing out! They offer so many awesome and unique kitchen wares, there is guaranteed to be something you just cannot not live without on their website! HIC was kind enough to send me the new French Press from Aerolatte for my family to enjoy. (If you are unfamiliar with Aerolatte, I recommend you go check them out as well!!) 

When I was younger, I used to work at a well known coffee chain. I actually really enjoyed my job, and consequently became addicted to coffee. I learned fast that brewing fresh ground beans in a French Press was the way to go, as it creates the most epic cup of coffee! The flavor is out of this world, and unlike any other coffee machine or pot could reproduce. French pressed coffee is definitely my favorite way to enjoy a big, steaming mug of brewed beans.

I am in love with the Aerolatte French Press! It is so easy to use, and easy to clean. Since it had been so long since I last used one, I was unsure of how to use it. Luckily, the instructions were ridiculously easy, and the side of the beaker even has several indicators to remind you of the correct ground coffee scoopage, water level, etc. I cannot believe I haven't been using a French Press sooner!

It is available in 4 sizes! So there is something for everybody.

They offer a 3, 5, 7, and 8 cup press.

 I got to try the 5 and 8 cup.

(I usually use both at the same time to make a ton of coffee!!)

I love how easy the Aerolatte French Press is to clean. The glass beaker is easy to remove and safe to put in the dishwasher (which I do not own!). In which case, the mouth of the beaker is wide enough for even larger hands to fit in and give it a good clean. It seems to be stain resistant, and the actual plunger and metal screen seem to be free from rust! I'm thrilled to not have to worry about breaking or ruining these presses. I am not the most poised, and seem to constantly break things or forget about something soaking in the sink.

I was so excited, I couldn't help but take millions of photos.

I just adore how the sky is reflected on the lid of the Aerolatte!

Do you spot the tiny bee?!

Now you get to see the most delicious cup of coffee being made!

One scoop per squiggly line!

I just use my coffee pot to get the perfect temperature of water!

 Stir it all up, and put the plunger back on!

Let it brew for three minutes!

After 2 minutes, it is getting darker!

 Plunged, and looking bold!!

Ready to go! 

Today, Harold Import Company carries over 3,500 culinary supply products from their own Family of Brands, as well as their extended family brands from 25 countries around the world. HIC, Harold Import Co. products are available in over 10,000 retail outlets worldwide, so their products are always only a short drive or a click away!

Disclosure: I received the above item/s in return for an honest, sincere review. I was not expected to leave a positive review, and would never post something I didn't feel fully confident in. No monetary compensation was provided. The above opinion is the sole opinion of me and my family, and may differ from your own. I am disclosing in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255. 

Joia All Natural Soda Review

JOIA started over a dinner with great friends. After years of creating his own sparkling drink concoctions, Bob, their founder, observed all of the interesting cocktail combinations of fruits, herbs and spices that were being offered and the question arose:  

why isn’t anyone doing something this interesting with sodas? 

Friends were consulted. A mixologist joined the team and before long, a company was launched – Boundary Water Brands. Long hours were spent tasting and refining. All in all, over one hundred recipes, each made from scratch, and all made with natural ingredients, were tested with friends and family before narrowing down to four varieties. Without exception everyone loved them, and the joy of our creations is succinctly expressed in their name – JOIA. 

Woah! I am totally digging this soda. If you can even call it that. This soda is SO good, it is ridiculous. I have definitely never had anything like it. The flavors are so unique. I admit that at first I was even a bit put off by them. Spices in soda? Now that sounded a bit odd to me.

WOW! I am so glad that I gave them a go because they are delicious. Unlike any other taste I have ever experienced. Each soda was so unique. I loved how each one had 3 different levels of flavor. It really seemed as if the flavors presented them self in order from top to bottom as listed on the bottle. I could drink these sodas all day, and imagine they have many more uses than just soda. 

On the website, there are several recipes for cocktails as well as smoothies and other yummy drinks. I envision using these sodas for marinating meat or veggies, turning them into a sauce or syrup, having an ice cream float, or even freezing for popsicles! My personal favorite was the Lime, Hibiscus and Clove. It was so refreshing and delightful. I would love it with a fresh lemon slice over ice on a hot summer day.

 Orange, Jasmine & Nutmeg

Pineapple, Coconut & Nutmeg

 Grapefruit, Chamomile & Cardamom 

Blackberry, Pomegranate & Ginger

Ginger, Apricot & Allspice

Lime, Hibiscus & Clove

 

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 Disclosure: I received the above item in return for an honest, sincere review. I was not expected to leave a positive review, and would never post something I didn't feel fully confident in. No monetary compensation was provided. The above opinion is the sole opinion of me and my family, and may differ from your own. I am disclosing in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255. 

Kicking Horse Coffee Company Review and Giveaway

 About Kicking Horse 

"What are you two schmucks going to do with your lives? Sell coffee from your garage?" once said Elana Rosenfeld's mother.

And so in 1996 Leo Johnson and Elana Rosenfeld did precisely that! In the Rocky Mountain town of Invermere, B.C., Canada, they began roasting coffee in their skivvies when it was hot out, balancing babies and experimenting with different products.

In 2003 Kicking Horse Coffee made the conscious decision to discontinue all conventional coffee and focuses efforts only purchasing and roasting 100% Certified Organic coffee beans.

By 2007, despite increasing pressure to source more green beans, Kicking Horse Coffee commits to discontinue the purchase of all non-Fair Trade coffee and develops our current 100% Certified Organic, Certified Fair Trade only, 21 blend product offering.

My Thoughts 

Kicking Horse Coffee sent me their Kick Ass variety of whole bean coffee. In fact, most of their coffee comes whole bean, which I love. Nothing better than freshly ground coffee to start off my mornings! If given the choice, I most likely would have chosen the Smart Ass to try, but the Kick Ass is definitely my next choice (they are both dark roasts.) It is sweet, smoky, and audacious. It is made from a great mix of Indonesian and Central American beans that is guaranteed to kick some sense into you. I love the can and the little donkey on the front. I cannot wait to reuse this for something else. The coffee itself was bold and delicious! I loved it by itself, never adding any milk or sweeteners. The Kick Ass coffee is definitely one of my new favorite coffees, and I cannot wait to try the other flavors Kicking Horse Coffee has to offer.I love that their coffees are organic AND fair trade. Those are two really important factors when it comes to choosing the perfect coffee beans.

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Disclosure: I received the above item in return for an honest, sincere review. I was not expected to leave a positive review, and would never post something I didn't feel fully confident in. No monetary compensation was provided. The above opinion is the sole opinion of me and my family, and may differ from your own. I am disclosing in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255.  
 

Did I Ever Mention I Own Hens?!! And that I tend to spoil them silly?

 I have always had a fascination with chickens. Since moving to the country, it has been on my list to get a small flock going. In February I brought home 6 little Black Sex Link chicks. (They are called "sex link" due to the fact that you can determine what gender they are by the way they are colored. The females are all black, while the males will have white on their heads. Making this an easy breed to distinguish right away. I did not want any accidental roosters.) The next day, I went back to the feed store and you guessed it, came home with another armful of chicks. 4 adorable Golden Sex Links this time. 

So I went from dreaming of owning hens despite not really knowing much about them, to trying to cram as much chicken info into my brain (and chicken board, Homestead | Chickens on my Pinterest account) as possible while tending to 10 fussy little chicks. I don't advise doing that at all! I think it would have been best to learn and prepare more before taking some babies under my wing, but I am in love with all of my hens and wouldn't change a thing!

I treat my chickens like I do any of my other pets. They are absolutely spoiled! They are often getting fresh fruit and veggies, and sometimes they even get a cooked meal! It should come as no surprise that I like keeping a good supply of chicken treats on hand as well. When Treats for Chickens offered to send me a variety of their chicken treats, I was thrilled! They make all sorts of awesome organic chicken treats, sure to drive wild even the pickiest of fowl.

Chicken Crack: I love the name! (Actually, I love the names of all their products) They treats are perfectly named! My hens are definitely addicted to Chicken Crack, and have started recognizing the bag. Chicken Crack is a combination of certified organic grains, seeds, dried meal worms and dried river shrimp. My hens go wild for it!

I have one hen who particularly loves the Chicken Crack. She has a condition known as Scissor Beak, or Crossed Beak. It is when the top and bottom beaks do not align properly. It can be caused by injury, genetics, or when the chickens do not have access to rocks or a similar surface to file their beaks on. I think hers is genetic, as I started noticing it when she was tiny. It doesn't seem to hinder her in anyway, especially if I keep it trimmed down and filed for her. She is actually one of my larger hens, and one of the best eaters in the flock! She is affectionately known as Miss Scissors, and is known for her addiction to Chicken Crack! She is so persistent about getting into the bag that she will follow me around, crow at me, fly up at me, and sit on my feet until she gets what she wants! I let her eat of the bag since it is easier for her to use her bottom beak as a scoop.

Pullet Together: Another perfectly named product! A pullet is a young hen, less than one year old. My hens are pullets, as they are all about 8 months old. Pullet Together is made with wheat, barley, oats, cracked corn, oyster shell, sunflower seeds, and dried meal worms. You can see Lola giving me the evil eye wile trying to snap some pics. It is now her favorite! I can't even scatter it onto the ground without her attempting to get into the bag.

Nesting Box Blend: This is a humane, non-toxic, and eco friendly way to ward off all of the creepy crawlies and bugs that bug your chickens! You just add it during regular cleanings to keep your chickens calm and free of mites, lice, etc. It also helps to keep the hens calm while laying eggs. I bet it even helps prevent mice since it contains peppermint and some other herbs know to be avoided by mice. What's even more awesome is that you can add it right in with your diatomaceous earth. Right now my hens have been laying in the yard, but we are building them a larger coop and will be adding some top notch nesting boxes! (aka milk crates with hand sewn curtains) So I am saving this until then. I cannot wait to try it out. The blend itself looks and smells awesome, and contains several things I don't currently grow in my garden. It is an organic blend of lavender, chamomile, peppermint, wormwood, tansy, Eucalyptus leaves, Calendula (marigold!), catnip and spearmint! If you'd like to learn more about nesting box blends, visit The Nesting Box on the Treats for Chickens website.

Treats for Chickens also sent me several little packets of samples! I will definitely be purchasing some of these in full-size, as my gals are really digging some of them! 

I love watching them scratch around in the dirt looking for worms and their new treats! They are so cute!! Now that they are fat and full, they are nestling into some nice cool earth, flapping dirt into their feathers. It is time for me to fill up my coffee, and sit back and relax!

Do you have chickens at home?

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Disclosure: I received the above item/s in return for an honest, sincere review. I was not expected to leave a positive review, and would never post something I didn't feel fully confident in. No monetary compensation was provided. The above opinion is the sole opinion of me and my family, and may differ from your own. I am disclosing in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255.