Espuma No. 24

on February 26, 2021February 26, 2021 By time cupsoul

ESPUMA (noun: froth)

a weekly curated collection of coffee & chocolate themed articles, items & thoughts.

JUST THE CAPPUCCINO FROTH. FOR YOUR WEEKEND.

Coffee & Reading the morning paper

We enjoyed the “Chocolate” episode from Netflix’s Nadiya Bakes. Have you seen it? Her kitchen is beautifully colorful.
Trending: Chocolate Stout Cold Brew? Interesting!
It’s time to buy your Easter chocolate eggs. These look absolutely stunning.
How to “cheat” make some pain au chocolat 🙂 We liked this article.

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Espuma No. 23

on February 19, 2021February 19, 2021 By time cupsoul

ESPUMA (noun: froth)

a weekly curated collection of coffee & chocolate themed articles, items & thoughts.

JUST THE CAPPUCCINO FROTH. FOR YOUR WEEKEND.

Coffee & Reading the morning paper

We enjoyed reading/listening to: How to taste chocolate like an expert.
Let’s all take a trip to Lyon, France’s capital of chocolate.
This month, Hershey’s going Organic! And if you live near Hershey, USA, we hear there’s a new chocolate cafe in town.
Hu Chocolate reflects on their Mondelez acquisition. “We had a very firm vision that we needed to do it our way, where trust and integrity could never be compromised.” We wrote about Hu in this article: “Back to Human Dark Chocolate – Total Eclipse of the Taste Buds.”
Did you see our post on the Ancient Egyptian chocolate box collection? Incredibly decadent.

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A Very Vosges Valentine: Unboxing the Alchemy of Egypt Chocolate Collection

on February 14, 2021February 19, 2021 By time cupsoul 1 Comment

Cleopatra Vosges Haut Chocolate Chocolate Alchemy of Egypt heart box — Vosges Chocolate “Alchemy of Egypt” Heart Box

Happy Valentine’s Day from Washington, DC ❤️ This is the Vosges Chocolate Alchemy of Egypt heart box, inspired by the deities, goddesses and queens of Egypt, and it is *stunning*. Vosges is truly the most luxurious chocolate on the market — the Rolex, Dior, Mercedes-Benz of cacao. This morning, we chose the Cleopatra bonbon, “Macedonian honey, figs and dark chocolate of 62% cacao are rolled in crispy white poppy seeds imbued with turquoise algae.” It’s incredible. This chocolate, dare we say, does Cleopatra justice. (If you’re interested in learning more about Cleopatra, the book pictured here is a fantastic primer to “the alchemist” herself.) You can buy this chocolate box or another collection, here. Happy Valentine’s Day.

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Espuma No. 22 – Lunar New Year & Valentine’s Day DIY

on February 12, 2021February 12, 2021 By time cupsoul

Espuma: a weekly curated collection of coffee & chocolate themed articles, items & thoughts.

JUST THE CAPPUCCINO FROTH. FOR YOUR WEEKEND.

Quote for the weekend

Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.
Thich Nhat Hanh

Coffee & Reading the morning paper

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DIY Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Bark Recipe for a Festive Valentine’s Day Gift

on February 11, 2021February 11, 2021 By time cupsoul

Are you in need of an easy and delicious Valentine’s Day gift? Look no further.

In three easy steps: Melt, Design and Chill, you can craft a delicious dark chocolate pomegranate bark gift in less than an hour.

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Where to Buy the Best Valentine’s Day Chocolate Gifts in Washington, DC

on February 9, 2021February 10, 2021 By time cupsoul

Valentine’s Day is this weekend! Do you have your gifts yet? Here are our 3 picks Across the city (+Online for shipping or pickup) where you can buy a great chocolate bar or box for your Valentine — just in time for the holiday of love.

pink heart cookies for saint valentine day — Photo by Gabby K on Pexels.com

1

Bar & Cocoa
ONLINE. Bar & Cocoa is our go-to online vendor for craft dark and milk chocolate bars. They have a robust collection of chocolate makers and a delectable assortment of Valentine’s Day treats. Happy shopping. If you’re quarantining, this is our #1 pick for Valentine’s chocolate gifts. 🙂

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Espuma No. 21

on February 5, 2021February 5, 2021 By time cupsoul

Espuma: a weekly curated collection of coffee & chocolate themed articles, items & thoughts.

JUST THE CAPPUCCINO FROTH. FOR YOUR WEEKEND.

Quote for the weekend

What she (the octopus) taught me was to feel… that you’re part of this place, not a visitor. That’s a huge difference.
My Octopus Teacher, Netflix

Coffee & Reading the morning paper

[New Coffee Shop Alert] Washington, DC: “An industrial-style all-day cafe that roasts coffee from countries such as Ethiopia, Colombia, and Guatemala opened in Arlington late last month and just started serving food this week. Origin Coffee Lab & Kitchen takes up a 2,000-square-foot space on Pentagon Row, which recently rebranded as Westpost.”
[New Coffee Shop Alert] Washington, DC: “Lost Sock Roasters Open Their First Shop for Fruity Coffees and South American Snacks: The wholesaler for D.C. favorites like Baked & Wired opens a cafe in Takoma that sells pour-overs and Argentine empanadas” Read more!
Trending: Chocolate and Candy to Play Central Role in Valentine’s Day 2020. We knew that 🙂
Reading: Chocolate Brand Looks To Carbon Insetting To Transition Farmers To Regenerative Agriculture
Reading: How One NYC Café Plans to Turn Customers Into Owners
Reading: Biggest Food Photography Lessons in 2020
Reading: Coffee Filters May Protect You Against Coronavirus

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Espuma No. 20

on January 29, 2021January 29, 2021 By time cupsoul

ESPUMA (noun: froth)

a weekly curated collection of coffee & chocolate themed articles, items & thoughts.

JUST THE CAPPUCCINO FROTH. FOR YOUR WEEKEND.

Coffee & Reading the morning paper

News: Govida is sadly closing all 128 of its stores in North America at the end of March 🙁 Read why, here.
Local: Have you heard about DC’s Ratzilla? Seen it? Did you hear that DC may get mopeds? Ciao!
Trending: Ben & Jerry’s has new flavors (7) topped with chocolate ganache: Whiskey Biz, Chocolate Caramel Cookie Dough, PB Over the Top, Salted Caramel Brownie, Strawberry Topped Tart, Thick Mint and Tiramisu! Yum. Which one will you try?
Valentine’s Gifts: Discover Bar & Cocoa’s top picks for Valentine’s Day gifts, here.
How-To: Tips from a florist. Increase your sales for Valentine’s Day in 2021!
Listening: This podcast episode with Carla Martin on fine cacao and chocolate, what ‘soil’ means, ethical research, and more.
Reading: Why you’re more creative in coffee shops. One of the reasons is a moderate level of ambient noise.
Reading: Speaking of moderate ambient noise, how does noise affect how people taste bitterness, acidity, sweetness and coffee aroma + how much we’re willing to pay for coffee? A new study explains how. You can read the full paper, here.

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