Got a Kapecon Mystery Box

I was brewdol'd by Ros when I watched her video the other night. She was raffling off 5 mystery boxes from the Coffee Home Brewers Kapecon. I rarely wind raffles, so I just ordered one when she mentioned that there were 5 more boxes available for sale.

Sweetie said we could pick it up after our trip to an "undisclosed location". It was a rare time for us to venture out to Poblacion since traffic was minimal (we avoided EDSA since they are fixing the road).

Got the box and bag and excitedly opened it when we got home. It includes beans, a tasting cup, candle, syrup, milk and stickers! It's great value for us since we like trying out new beans and we like to learn more about making our daily cup taste better. 

We first tried the Indonesian coffee yesterday. It was really good and probably something we'll buy again when we finish all the beans we bought. Yasss! Will try the others in the coming days.

You can still buy a mystery box at www.coffeehomebrewers.com :)

#BeKind #StaySafe

Tried Uniqlo Coffee

We've been meaning to try Uniqlo Coffee for a long time now. We just never had the time and we waited for the bridgeway from Ayala One to Glorietta 5 to open. We finally made it today.

The big push was the need to get jogging pants that could easily roll up for my PT sessions. We got VIP treatment because I was on a wheelchair. That made looking for what we needed faster and we soon made it to the cafe.

The cafe is pretty spacious and ordering was straightforward. I had a latte, mocha for Sweetie and strawberry mint tea for Miggy. I also got a cookie to try since last night's Mountain Dew infused cookie trial failed. 

Sweetie liked his coffee, but I found it a week bit bitter. I was probably expecting the coffee to be like what I used to have in our Japan office, haha. Sorry na. I forgot they always provide extraordinary things.

Anyway, next time I'll try the other beverages. I'm interested in the matcha drink and maybe next time I'll notice what other pastries they have. I zeroed in on the cookie because of last night's disappointment, hehe.

Have you tried dining at Uniqlo Coffee? What did you like?

#BeKind #StaySafe

Tried Niseko Coffee

For today's caffeine fix, we decided to try Niseko Coffee at Alabang Town Center. It was a long walk from where we ate lunch. It's nestled in a nook near the cinema, beside the entrance at the side of the church.

Anyway, we finally tried it today. I know Japanese coffee is good because whenever I'm in Tokyo I couldn't resist drinking more than my usual one cup. I wanted to see whether it would be the same.

It did not disappoint. We loved it. I had a latte, Miggy had flat white, and Sweetie got the signature coffee. Maybe next time I'll try the flat white and hopefully they'll have beans available.

#BeKind #StaySafe

Eugenia Berries and Free Starbucks Coffee Grinds

While watering the plants I noticed that our Eugenia tree has a lot of berries growing. I was so surprised since the last time it produced berries was in 2022.

I have been feeding it with sundried coffee grinds, rice water, and fish water. I just use one of the three once a week. I was doing this to make the Eugenia plants produce red leaves. They look really nice when they're red. (Make sure to water down fish water if you're using it from an aquarium).

I also noticed yesterday that Starbucks used coffee grinds is available again. I saw two packs yesterday and got one. I have also laid it out under the sun to prepare it for use. 

If your nearby SB doesn't display used coffee grinds, you can always ask if they have any available. Sometimes they'll ask you to bring your own bag.

Happy gardening!

#BeKind #StaySafe

New Coffee and Cake Place in Our Neighborhood

Went out for errands today and passed by the gas station to visit 7-Eleven. Discovered that El Roi Cakes & Bread is already open. It's been a month since we were in the area so we didn't know it was already open. We dropped by to check it out since they had a sign out front saying they have coffee. 

The spot used to be Potato Corner, but it has transformed into a very cozy cafe. Aside from coffee, cakes and pastries, they also sell coffee beans, tablea and other local products. After preparing our takeaway, the owner, Kevin, went out to chat with us. He explained that they get their beans from Sultan Kudarat from a cooperative. This helps the farmers since it eliminates the middleman. 

Sweetie and I got a cold and hot beverage to try. We had to take it out since we got some ice cream from McDonald's (haha). We plan to go back to try their pastries. Just couldn't at the moment since we still had some from Chef RV's cafe. They had interesting strawberry pastry options. Yummm!

If you're from my neighborhood, the cafe is located at Caltex. Another cafe option in the same area is B1T1. (Map here).

*No gardening update for now. I've been busy making sure the pothos I re-potted last week will survive!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Attended a Coffee Class!

One of the bilins* of my doctors is to keep sharp. They are worried my mind might deteriorate while waiting to recover. So I thought it might be a good idea to join a short online class. I saw my friend, Ros, post about their Coffee University classes. 

I signed up for the Online Home Brewing Class with Ros Juan. I only started brewing at home last year. I did not have a need to brew at home before. I normally picked up freshly brewed coffee from the office barista. At home I had a stash of 3-in-1 coffee but it ran out by June last year. It was a good thing because it pushed me to explore.  

I looked forward to the class because I wanted to learn different ways to brew at home, what equipment you need and brewing tips. I started with drip bags and eventually got a V6 coffee drip set. Joined the class, fumbled a bit with Zoom. SOS'd Sweetie to help change my name and then settled to listen to the lesson. 

It was a great class especially for coffee noobs like me. I learned a lot and tried the tricks Ros taught this morning. My coffee was perfect! I was so happy! Haha. I learned a bit more about equipment and I think the V6 pour over is enough for me now. 

Thanks Ros for the great class!

*advice

CB///355  #StuckAtHomeDay/Yr2/18 #StayHome #BeKind   

Help! I Think I'm Becoming a Coffee Snob

I only learned how to drink coffee in my late 20s! My best friend Anne would make me coffee every morning. Mind you it was just the usual pantry coffee, but there was something magical about how she mixed coffee, sugar and cream. She tried to teach me how to make it, but I just couldn't get it haha. Eventually I turned to 3-in-1 coffee. 

I drank 3-in-1 coffee for many years. I would try other types of coffee, but I'd palpitate and so I just drank the usual every day. I would always buy my stash from Manila. I was always covered for a me months. However, the pandemic happened and my supply slowly dwindled to zero (I still have two left). 

I always knew it would be better if I stopped drinking 3-in-1 coffee since it has so much sugar in it. It was a habit that was so hard to break. Honestly, I tried other brands but they were either too sweet, too strong for me or I'd go on a sneezefest (I'm allergic to some stuff). 

So I finally started exploring real coffee. I ordered a set of coffee that had a hint of nuts and fruit. I had no idea how it would taste, but I just wanted to try. It took me a few cups before I finally understood the nutty and fruity flavor that comes with coffee. I started appreciating real coffee. 

In the beginning I would alternate with instant coffee, but one day I just suddenly didn't like instant coffee anymore. I tried it a few more times, but I just don't like it anymore. I have been sharing this journey with my physiotherapist. I told her about it because I discovered that British milk goes so well with coffee (my PT is Brit). I told her the other day that I've finally come to appreciate drinking real coffee. She said, "Ahhh you're becoming a coffee snob!" Hahaha. 

I'm still taking baby steps. My foray into coffee started with disposable coffee drips. Last week I got myself a proper coffee drip contraption. I thought it was the next natural step and maybe later on I can explore the coffee press thingy, then go into grinding. It's been an interesting experiment for me since it was hard to break the habit of drinking 3-in-1 coffee (don't judge me!). 

What about you? Are you a coffee or tea drinker? 

CB//199 #StuckAtHomeDay/229 #WFH136 #StayHome #BeKind