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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

"Oooh la la Mokk-a Cafe France is Just Magnifique!" Say the Peachy's Pantry Panelists in their Beret, Pinkies Out, Sipping this Caffeinated Concoction of Delight!

Karen has done it again!  We are incredibly impressed with this fine coffee, and salute her discriminating taste and entrepreneurial ventures in the wide world of caffeine.  There is only one language that Peachy can speak outside of English and that is French thanks to our beloved Mademoiselle Marie-Claire Charton, now retired in Marseille.  We bet she is still using a typewriter...Perhaps the American girls of Miss Porter's including Peachy would not have had brains like a tossed salad when they were learning their french vocabulary if only then they knew of Cafe France by Mokk-a Cafe.  Our Peachy's Pantry Panel raves:
Looking for a way to experience the taste and aroma of one of those storied French cafés without the expense of a transatlantic flight? Well, thanks to Mokk-a Coffees and their Café France, that's entirely possible! Founded by American coffee lover Karen Glavimans, the mission of Mokk-a Coffees is to bring the finest European coffees back home to America. In doing so, Ms. Glavimans has traced the origins of the best European coffees back to their roasters, and obtained the unique recipes for the blends from the roasters, themselves. The particular recipe for Café France, which is a blend of five Arabica beans sourced from Africa, India, and Central America, came from an octogenarian roaster in the Burgundy region of France, whose recipes have been passed down through generations. And what a treat for the senses it is!! With a sweet and floral aroma, rich, chocolatey taste, and unbelievably smooth finish, it is truly an exquisite blend. Highly recommended for any coffee lover!

Having just returned from Paris, I couldn’t wait to try Mokk-a’s Café France Blend. There’s something about a French roast that evokes the feeling of French cafés, lights, sounds and scenes. As one would expect from a French roast, this one is dark and flavorful. The smoothness of this rich roast is an extra treat. It is exceptionally well-balanced, which is not always the case with a dark roast. I like it as café au lait, but I’m sure will be great no matter how you fix it. Mokk-a’s Café France is a delicious treat. Now, I can take a trip to Paris each morning!

If you've raised yourself to love a good French Roast, you'll love Mokk-a's version of the classic. To give the touch of the exotic, 5 different beans hail from an international collection of plantations. Mokk-a knows how to blend, and here has tapped into the coffee bean central nervous system. With growers in Central America, India and Africa, their French Roast can soothe the sleepiest beast in the morning. Flavorful and aromatic, French Roast may not put you on a plane to Paris , but it will put you in a good mood. Spend some time in Europe with Mokk-a and their European Blends, for a lark. Get to know other countries, other habits, without the expense of a plane ticket. 

Mokk-a's Cafe France is a delightful coffee; with a floral aroma and chocolate undertones, you are sure to love it. While perusing recipes on the Mokk-a website, one in particular caught my eye, "Chocolate Iced Coffee"! I decided this was a must try on a hot summer day. Easy to make and containing chocolate liqueur...does it get any better than that? I whipped up my "Chocolate Iced Coffee" using Mokk-a's Cafe France, garnished it with some whipped cream and chocolate shavings, kicked back and relaxed. I highly suggest you do the same! Mokk-a's Cafe France is rich, smooth and delicious. Putting it over ice and adding chocolate liqueur makes it simply heavenly!

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The recipe for our French roast comes from the Bourgogne region in Central France, known for beautiful landscapes, amazing kitchens, and famous artists. The blend of beans in Café France gives it a floral aroma and a flavor that has wonderful chocolaty undertones, rich body, and a satin-smooth finish. A true French experience from a blend of five different beans sourced from plantations in Africa, India, and Central America.

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Owner & CEO Karen Glavimans tells us:

This is the story of an American coffee lover determined to bring Europe’s finest coffees home. 
I followed my dream to the tiniest, most romantic villages in Europe...the passionate south of Italy, the trade area of Sweden and the Bourgogne region in rural France. 

My search began while traveling in Sweden with some friends. We stopped at a café and it was there that I fell in love. The coffee’s flavor was exquisite. I lingered in that café until they told where it came from. It was the divine creation of a very small local roaster. I searched for him, spoke with him and fortunately for me, he loved my ideas & American creativity. He agreed to work with me and Café Svenska was born.

Something inside compelled me to go on, although it may have just been the caffeine…. 

My journey took me to Italy next. After sampling a number of coffees, I arrived in Naples in early February 2008. There I met Angelo, the son of the owner of a small roasting facility. We drove one hour outside of Naples to the small village where his family lived. I told them how truly unique I thought their coffee was and asked if they would sell me the recipe. Angelo, turned in his chair and promptly responded, “You must be crazy!!” This conversation continued until June of that year when he signed the contract. Finally! Café Italia was mine!

My next coffee-quest destination was Puligny-Montrachet, in the beautiful Burgundy region of France. I was going to meet with an elderly roaster I had heard about there. He was 80+ years old and his recipes had been passed down through generations. Entering his very small shop (which looked like something out of a Harry Potter movie) I explained that I had tried his coffee and found this particular one lovely. Would he also consider selling me the recipe?

And so the story goes…….In early 2009 Café Svenska, Café Italia and Café France, introduced as The Most Innovative New Product on the Market, had their official launch in the US market.


We will continue searching for these coffees which many regard as “The Charm of Europe”. Travel with us and enjoy these excellent Old World tastes in the comfort of your own home! 

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