We had a delicious evening....Beansmith's Nightingale, a rich, dark roast, was paired perfectly with our dark chocolate marzipan, white chocolate cappuccino truffles, and our traditional French truffles. Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti compliments of Black Bottom Biscotti was perfect dunking partner for the featured coffee and Ale-infused Marshmallows by Carried Away Confections topped the evening with light and airy puffs of heaven. The entire event was sweetened with beautiful friends...new and old.
Sophia Jordan {Black Bottom Biscotti} Carrie {Carried Away Confections} Chris Smith (Beansmith Coffee} Melissa Stephens {The Cordial Cherry} Amber Christ {Stories Coffeehouse}
Suzanne Allen {Omaha Culinary Tours} and Melissa Stephens {The Cordial Cherry}
Just a few of our lovely guests enjoying great coffee, delectable chocolates, and beautiful friends...
Our French truffles made with fresh cream and dark chocolate tossed in sweetened cocoa powder...
White Chocolate Cappuccino Truffles...
Chocolate Almond Biscotti, Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti, White Chocolate Biscotti...
Ale-infused Marshmallows, dunked in chocolate and topped with caramel and crispy bacon...
Last week The Cordial Cherry partnered with Beansmith Coffee, a local artisan coffee bean roaster located in LaVista, Ne to combine the exquisite elements of single origin coffees with the decadence of handcrafted chocolates. Some of Creighton University's finest spent their morning with us learning how to pair chocolate with artisan coffees. Kait Berreckman and Jason Burkum of Beansmith Coffee, educated us on each coffee's origin, their roasting process, the proper way to slurp coffee, and the best methods for brewing coffee. We followed with a light discussion on how to select chocolates to best enhance your coffee experience.
Guatemala Huehuetenango ~ Almond, orange, fresh-cut cedar; hints of chocolate, honey and night-blooming flowers in aroma and cup. Big, sweet-toned acidity; lively, syrupy mouthfeel. Resonantly flavor saturated, gently drying finish. The sweet and syrupy elements of this coffee begged for our sweet and syrupy dark chocolate cordial cherry.
Peru Cajamarca ~ The Peru Cajamarca is delicately floral, with the sweetness and tanginess of a golden delicious apple, and a hint of nuttiness in the finish. We decided to pick up on the nuttiness in this coffee with our Pecan Truffle, made of rich dark chocolate and cream and then rolled in crushed pecan.
Papua New Guinea Koban ~ Aromas of spicy clove and sweet honeydew melon are
followed by quiet flavors of pineapple, lime, and coconut, and finish with a
lingering, creamy body. The sweet and complex flavors of this coffee paired beautifully with our 64% dark chocolate pieces.
Columbia Arnulfo Leguizamo ~ This coffee hails from the Huila region and was ranked in the top 10 of the America Roaster's Choice competition! It's an exceptionally well balanced coffee with notes of orange, pear, and caramel. We decided to compliment this coffee with our Orange Chocolate Truffle coupled with our Chocolate Covered Orange peel.
Raspberry Truffle - Kenya Igutha ~ This coffee is everything a great Kenyan should be – boldly bright with clean, crisp flavors of lemon, but tempered with a smooth body, and rich cherry sweetness. The berry flavors in this coffee were the perfect backdrop for our Raspberry Truffle, rolled with whole dried raspberries and coated in a sweetened cocoa powder.
This Monday, I enjoyed a lovely tour of Omaha's own artisan coffee bean roaster, the Beansmith...the owner of such is Chris Smith. Upon entering their quaint little manufacturing plant, tucked away in the industrial district of LaVista, Ne, I was captivated by the smell...I remember that smell...as a child I'd visit my grandparents a few times a year in Joplin, MO and one of my fondest memories involves coffee. Grandpa Sheldon would make his coffee at 5:00 am every morning, always black. I would stumble down their 100 year-old stairs and join Grandpa Sheldon at the kitchen table...just me and him, an English muffin, and of course his beloved coffee. My grandparents would've loved the Beansmith...the aroma of roasting coffee beans, the beautiful artwork, and the intellectual and conversational disposition of Chris Smith himself...such a great combination of attributes.