#BeckThinks

  BeckEats: Arden’s Garden Cold Pressed Vegetable Juice, Green Energy Machine.     Welcome back to the #BeckThinks blog! Thank you for your patience on my short hiatus. I was busy helping move my family back to my hometown of Atlanta. We bought a home in the suburbs that we have deemed "The Treehouse" and we could not be happier.      In celebration of my family's eager return to The A, I'd like to highlight an Atlanta business that has been part of my consciousness for the majority of my life, Arden's Garden. But first, let's back up a step. As I may have previously mentioned, I have multiple food allergies and sensitivities that I’ve adjusted to over the last year. The short list includes gluten, dairy, nightshades (dried spices seem mildly reactive), stone fruits, and raw birch fruits (oral allergy syndrome). * sings* AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAAAAAR TREEEEEE! (Ironically, I’m not allergic to either of those things. Merry Christmas, me....

As you can see in the photo, Maud’s Gourmet Coffee prints the phrase, “intelligent blends,” on its products.  I couldn’t agree more in this case.  I’ve had a lot of really crappy coffee named some variation of “donut shop blend.” As a matter of fact, I recently came to the conclusion that “donut shop” was code for “the blend we put all our over roasted crap into and play it off like a choice rather than a play to make money off undrinkable roasts.”  Clearly, the donut shop was the only place I was getting donut shop coffee.  So, when I saw this theme come up in my Maud’s variety pack, I rolled my eyes and gave a little “over the lips and past the gums…” before drinking.  I was shocked. And SO pleasantly surprised.  Fragrance : Ever been to one of those fancy chocolate shops that has an ice cream counter inside? Go order one of their fancy chocolate milkshakes and then take a big whiff. That’s this cup. Flavor : This is where it gets wild. Upon first sip, y...

Death Wish Coffee SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!! Theydies and Gentlethems!  For ONE day only.... ONE. DAY.  ONLY. Witness the power, the reckless application of heat, the untamed caffeination of .... #BECK versus DEATH WISH COFFEEEEEEEEE!! *Michael Bay style drumsplosion*  That’s right! For ONE DAY ONLY, #BeckThinks takes on the coffee that is so metal, it comes in a plastic effin KCup. *electric guitar sound effect* 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻 You should only miss this punishing review if you’re dead or in jail and if you’re in jail, IT’S BECAUSE YOU DON’T DRINK DEATH WISH COFFEEEEEEEE!!  🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 *indistinctive gutteral roaring noises* 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 (Okay. You get it. Professional arena announcer, metal band, yadayada haha. You definitely won’t go to jail because you don’t drink this coffee. Juuuuust to clarify.)  Fragrance:  Just when you think it’s safe to ease into your day, Death W...

I have a lot of dietary restrictions. It’s a huge bummer, especially for celebratory dinners out. So, when my in-laws told us they wanted to us to go out for our shared anniversaries, I got nervous   They were raving about this restaurant in Winder, GA and they clearly were invested in our enjoyment of the experience. My hopes for a smooth, stress free dining experience are few in ANY restaurant, much less one in Winder, GA.  (Sorry, Winder. I’m an Atlanta, Nashville, Miami girl. What you are is wonderful. You are not as diverse and populous as a large city.) So, I did all I could do; I contacted the restaurant the week before and crossed my fingers without getting my hopes up. And I called my therapist.  A few days went by without answer from Bistro Off Broad. I chalked it up to being ignored. I was allllllll the way wrong. Super duper wrong.   I got a personal phone call from the executive chef, Alex Friedman, and I was infected by his creative spirit and joie de v...

I already left my heart in San Francisco with SF Bay Coffee’s Fog Chaser blend and eco conscious business model.   A decaf, however... and a FRENCH ROAST decaf.... well, this I had to taste to believe.      Decaf blends are notoriously bad and rival the reputation for criminal overoasting that curses most French Roasts. And not unfairly. The ability to roast a palatable coffee to the level deemed “French Roast” takes a keen eyed roaster with impeccable timing. Milliseconds stand between a lovely French Roast and absolute disaster. That’s why most French Roasts taste like French Boots.       This blend had two strikes before I even pressed the blinky button. I wished the gentle people in San Francisco luck as the brew hit my mug and braced myself for inevitable disappointment. And then, the disbelief.  I buy decaf now. Decaf French roast. And I drink it. Happily. This is, apparently, a thing. Leave it to the gentle people of SF Bay Coffee. Exp...

   If you are going to San Francisco, you're gonna meet some tasty coffee there.  Y'all. This Atlanta native has gone full Cali. San Francisco Bay Coffee's Fog Chaser is now the coffee I stock in my cabinet for regular consumption. And good luck to any other that tries to oust it! Not only are the flavors and aroma of this expert brew incredible, but the pods are fully commercially compostable and made to reduce waste.  This statement an be found on the company's website, sfbaycoffee.com:     " When you’re finished with these pods, these pods aren’t finished.  Single-serve coffee pods are convenient. However, most are made of plastic that adds to the growing problem of plastic waste buried in our earth and floating in our oceans. As a producer of single-serve pods, we feel an obligation to invest our time, money and resources into finding a better way. So, we created our OneCUP ™   pods made entirely from plant-based commercially compostable mater...

  Tre Venezie Nero Barocco Dark Roast Yep! We've got another blend from Tre Venezie! I’ve reviewed a couple coffees from this company and really enjoyed them. Though, I’m not normally a dark roast girl, so this one had me worried.   It’s a very very dark roast. So much can go wrong. One second too long on the heat and you’ll have a bitter, carbon-filled cup on your hands. Roasting to a perfect dark is a game of finesse and exacting standards that I frankly don’t trust most roasters to maintain.   So, I was worried this roast would ruin my good opinion of Tre Venezie as a great, if not a little timid roaster.   Oh, me of little faith. 😏 Fragrance: This is a complex mix of florals and smoke. All the fruitiness has been roasted away, but what is left is a swirling sweetness and a bold presence that immediately beckoned me to tuck in.   Flavor: As I said, Dark roast can go terribly wrong very quickly. The perfect dark roast appears for milliseconds when exposed t...