Page 9 - Holiday Traditions 2018

Cup of holiday cheer

How to pick the perfect gift for the coffee
or tea drinker on your shopping list. Give the
G

f you’re looking for the per- HOLIDAY
fect holiday gift and your Cocktail King-
recipient loves coffee, tea or dom’s line of GIFT
I something a little stronger, jiggers features of
there are plenty of ideas you from measurement
which you can choose. marking on the
inside.
For the Coffee Lover Entertainmenti
When it comes to coffee, forget Cocktail Kingdom
the big companies and support the
SERVICE ELECTRICERVICE ELECTRIC
smaller, local businesses. Pat Curry, S
of Buona Caffe Artisan Roasted For the Tea Drinker
Coffee in August, Georgia, ex- If your recipient prefers a nice GIFT CERTIFICATES TRADITIONS
plains that you should buy from a cup of tea, Jeanette Hurt, author of
smaller company for several rea- "Drink Like a Woman" says you
sons, including customization, should know what kind of tea your
speed and freshness. recipient prefers.
"Coffee is at its peak for flavor "For example, find out if they Purchase Online
within 21 days of roasting; most like herbal tea, loose tea or black
coffee you buy at the grocery store tea," Hurt says. "Buy them some of
was roasted 6-9 months earlier and their favorites and then branch out." Print at Home
has a "best if used by" date of 18 Hurt also suggests supporting
months out," she explains. "We smaller tea companies. "Bingley’s
roast in small batches two to three Tea Ltd., has a great Jane Austen Give to your
times a week and roast date our Tea Series ," Hurt says. "Mighty
coffee so you know when it was Leaf Tea and Rishi Organic Tea Family & Friends
produced." also have great tea flavors."
A smaller company also can Hurt suggests pairing the tea
blend your favorite flavors. "We with scones from a local bakery,
have a customer who has a favorite cookies or crackers. "Add honey
blend of two coffees and we make from a local company, as well as a
it just for her," Curry says. nice sturdy mug that you can find
Not sure what flavor your recipi- on sale or at garage sales.”
ent will like? "When we have a Mary Ann Rollano, a tea special- CAN BE USED TOWARDS
customer come into the shop and ist and founder of Life Is Better
ask what coffee they should get, we With Tea (www.lifeisbetterwith- ANY SERVICE
ask them about their preferences," tea.com), says every tea lover
Curry says. "Do you like some- should have a special teakettle.
thing milder or bolder? If they "The one by Alessi, the Michael Cable Sports Packages SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF THE MORNING CALL
prefer milder coffees, we suggest Graves Kettle with Bird Whistle, is Internet High Definition Package
medium roast coffees from central the cutest kettle I've ever seen," she
or South America. For bolder says. "It has a lot of style and Phone TiVo Whole-Home DVR
coffees, we'll suggest African or makes a very thoughtful gift. Aside Pay-Per-View eero Whole-Home WiFi
Indonesian coffees, which typically from design, you want to look for
are roasted darker." kettles with a wide base design for Video OnDemand
At a small shop, you often can a quick boil."
smell the buckets of roasted beans With both coffee and tea, Hurt Premium Channels
before you order. "Does the person says that you can get even more
you're buying coffee for have a creative.
grinder?" Curry asks. "Coffee is "You can infuse vodka with your
best when it is fresh, so it's best to favorite teas or make your own
buy it whole bean and grind it just coffee liquor and then put it in gift
before brewing. That is because bottles," she says.
oxygen is the enemy of freshness." With so much to choose from, it
If the person you’re buying for is will be hard to narrow it all down SUNDAY,
a caffeine addict, Curry recom- for your favorite beverage hot-
mends a medium roast coffee for beverage aficionado.
the basket. "There’s actually more Lisa Iannucci/CTW Features
caffeine in medium roasts than dark www.themorningcall.com/HolidayTraditions
roasts," she says. NOVEMBER
She also says the best gifts Go to www.sectv.com to order and
connect with memories and emo- print your gift certificate
tions. 25,
"Did the person get married in call 610-865-9100 for assistance
Hawaii? Honeymoon in Costa
Rica? Study abroad in Kenya? Or 2018
maybe the connection is something
like the coffee they drank while
they were a new parent, or they
were pulling all-nighters studying
for the bar," Curry says. "Coffee
that reminds them of those mile- Alessi
stones in their lives will show your The Michael Graves Kettle with Bird
thoughtfulness." Whistle by Alessi. 9