Coffee for the Community

What are you drinking this morning? I've got a hot mug of North Country Blend that is filling my senses and has me ready to make things happen. Now that we are about to ring in the New Year, I want to tell you about some of my favorite local organizations and how Brown and Jenkins is finding ways to give back to our community up here in northern Vermont.

One of my favorite groups is the Jeffersonville Food Shelf. They do a wonderful job helping families in the community with food staples and clothing.

Another organization we work with is the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. Their project supports the refurbishing of 93 miles of the cross state recreation trail that runs from Swanton to St. Johnsbury. Over 250,000 folks are estimated to use this every year, and it is a great way to enjoy the natural beauty of Vermont.

There is also a great organization for seniors that can use help from all of us. The Champlain Valley Agency on Aging recently hosted an Iron Chef fundraiser. We were able to donate the coffee for this great event.

How does all this relate to great gourmet coffee and roasting coffee beans? I'm a true believer that coffee fosters connections between individuals and among members of a community. What better forum to make changes that truly make a difference? A single origin coffee bean can be very good. But, often, when it is blended with another, very different, bean the synergy is magical. It's the same when different types of people get together to make changes in the community where the live. The effects can be dramatic!

Thanks for sharing my passion for coffee, and my community!

Until our next cup,
Sandy Riggen

Spreading Christmas Spirit with Gourment Coffee for Soldiers

I hope you are full of the holiday spirit, and a quality cup of your favorite gourmet coffee. In that spirit, we here at the Brown & Jenkins coffee roastery in Cambridge, Vermont teamed up with the folks at Vermont Furniture Design in Winooski to send coffee, chocolates and other goodies to some of the troops serving in Afghanistan. This isn't a political statement on my part, but it is a way to let these young folks know that they are loved and remembered from afar.

Here is a letter we received from one of those soldiers.

Dear Sandy, Glen , Rich,
I apologize for taking so long to send my thanks out to you wonderfulpeople at Brown & Jenkins. I have received the coffee and it has been atremendous hit with all my fellow soldiers. Being the only soldier herefrom Vermont I have to show my Georgia friends that Vermont has so muchto offer and the businesses support their soldiers regardless. Thecoffee is truly outstanding and everyone has been truly spoiled as weall refrain from chow coffee and come to our office for the good stuff.Please thank all involved in your generous gift of Vermont goodness. Iam proud to be serving for 30 yrs and even more proud to be serving as asoldier from Vermont. Thank you from all of us here at Camp Phoenix.
SGM Kevin White

What a great lead in Christmas and the New Year! We here at Brown & Jenkins wish you all the best the season has to offer. Thanks for being a part of our online coffee community.

Until our next cup,

Sandy Riggen

Order Jingle Bell Java Online to Relieve Holiday Stress

Got coffee? Then pull a chair, and let's talk about that last minute holiday shopping that has you so stressed. Relax, breath in the aroma of your freshly brewed cup of gourmet coffee.

See- doesn't that make you feel better?

A drive through the snow covered hills of the Green Mountains (when the weather complies!) can be a relaxing experience. On the nice days, you can drive past Christmas Tree farms and llama farms offering sleigh rides as families cut down their trees. If there's a blizzard, just stop at the shop and you can enjoy the view here in the warmth.

Now- why not do the rest of your shopping online? (Yes, I do offer a wi-fi connection!) Brown and Jenkins isn't the only place offering free shipping for the holidays. Our deal is if you buy ten bags of coffee beans- there is no shipping at all! How about that for taking care of all your holiday party and Yankee Swap commitments at once? Bring a bag of Glenn's just roasted Jingle Bell Java (vanilla, cinnamon, caramel, pecan and rum), and even your in-laws will be happy.

I'm big on actually enjoying the holidays, and trying not to let the stress of the season over ride the spirit. Whether it means a quiet moment with your coffee, a drive around town to see the Christmas lights, or breezing down a ski slope at Smugg's I hope you really take time to enjoy it.

Until our next cup,
Sandy Riggen

Vermont Coffee Gifts for the Holidays

Coffee related gifts are the theme of my life right now. College kids are starting to arrive home, and they come into Brown and Jenkins looking for flavored holiday coffees to bring home to their folks. Glenn, our master roaster, has created some great holiday flavors that anyone will love to try: Bourbon pecan torte, Cinnamon nut butter rum, Jingle Bell Java and spiced egg nog flavored coffees. Mmmmm-- is your mouth watering yet?

Anyway, this blog is in direct response to the question- What should I get for my mom/dad/wife…who loves your coffee? This one is a piece of cake. Whether you get an idea from our local coffee shop, or some other coffee related implement, the choices are almost endless. Here are some of my simplest suggestions for coffee gift giving.

Gift baskets- Either our Very Vermont Gift Basket or the Vermont Holiday Breakfast Box are both under $50 and chock full from everything from Vermont maple syrup to Vermont jelly and our special blends of gourmet coffee.

Teacher gifts- Some of our most popular items for thanking teachers include a bag of chocolate flavored coffee beans, locally grown honey, jams, jellies, homemade biscotti, cocoa, and of course 83 of our fresh roasted gourmet coffees.

Coffee Break Club memberships- This is a gift that keeps on giving all year round, and really wows your recipients. Sign your mom or loved one up for our coffee break club, and they will receive freshly ground coffee beans, on their desired schedule. Plus, we'll even send a sample 20 ounce bag of a new coffee with every shipment for them to try. (You're thinking of signing up yourself aren't you?) Trust me when I say, that people simply rave about this one.

College students- Bags of beans, a small grinder and other essentials like filters, sweeteners and mugs are easy to throw into your own basket at a minimal cost, and they will appreciate it all year round.

If you're still stuck, stop by and I'll help you brain storm. I'm full of ideas you can get either here at the shop, or at some of the local merchants within a 20 minute drive. I'll have coffee brewing!

Until our next cup,
Sandy Riggen

Coffee Travels in Vermont and Beyond

Where does a cup of coffee take you?

Yes, I'm physically here in the Green Mountains of Cambridge, Vermont, but this morning I was swept away to sunny Brazil as I sipped my mug of Brazilian Bourbon Santos coffee. Yet, sometimes I'm sipping that mug in the car while I run errands for the shop, at a table with a friend, or here in the Brown and Jenkins roastery.

Where do you drink your coffee?

Maybe you spend your days playing chauffeur to your children or driving for your business. Maybe you drink your coffee with your husband or wife while reading Seven Days or the Burlington Free Press. Or maybe you live your life online and drink a cup of Blog Grog sitting in a coffee shop like our, or right in your own home office, or cozy chair.

Let me know where you coffee takes you. Whether its to an exotic state of mind or just traveling to Montpelier, your experience is unique! Do you have a favorite coffee mug or travel mug? Or is your car littered with disposable cups? Every coffee drinker has a story to tell. What's yours? Take a look at the weird coffee fact below to read about one Pope's coffee experience!

Weird Coffee Fact- Coffee was once considered a wicked and sinful beverage by many Christians who labeled it the Devil's Drink. Pope Vincent III was charged with ruling on this decision and so tasted the purportedly wicked liquid. Ironically, he fell in love with the rich taste of coffee and, instead of banishing it, he baptized it! It's said that he decided it would be a shame to let only infidels enjoy coffee.

Until our next cup,
Sandy Riggen

View from the Brown & Jenkins Coffee Shop (Visitor Blog Entry)

As a visitor to Brown & Jenkins Coffee Roasters on Scenic Route 15 in Cambridge, Vermont, I initially walk in the door to take advantage of the Internet connection and a good cup of gourmet coffee.

The interior is a combination of a functioning coffee roaster with shelves of whole beans in bins running along the center, and packaged bags of whole beans in another section. To my left, four tables are arranged near the coffee-for-a-dollar table with views of the Boyden Valley Winery and Boyden Farm.

It's a casual atmosphere and visitors toss a dollar into the jar, or make their own change for a cup of coffee. There is a dark roasted Black Ice, a medium North Country blend (love it!) and a light roasted Guatamalan Antigua, in addition to a flavored coffee, decaf and water for tea.

What impresses me most as I sit here is the collection of locals and tourists that wander in and out:

• A man on his way to work stops by for his daily cup of coffee.
• A couple from Ontario (who are staying at Smugg's) settle in to use the Wi-fi connection, and to chat with the owner (Sandy Riggen) about their vacation plans.
• The local owner of Suzanne's B&B comes by to discuss business of some nature with Sandy.

Of course, the smell of coffee beans surrounds me constantly as I enjoy the break from my daily work at home environment over in Waterville. Maybe I'll pickup a jar of local honey from Fairfax, or Applesauce from Claire's in Alburgh on my way out. This is the local coffee shop that fosters that long ago feeling of community in this rural piece of Vermont.

Note from Sandy- Thanks to our guest blogger!
Until our next cup,
Sandy Riggen

How to Remove Coffee Stains from Your Clothes

So I'm sipping a freshly brewed cup of Glenn's latest brew for the Harvest blend. I'm enjoying my view of the Green Mountains, scanning the local paper for news, when my motor skills fail me for no apparent reason and I spill my cup of coffee all over my shirt and lap! It's not even Monday, yet these are the only clothes I have here at the roastery for the rest of the day.


You've been there right? I'm guessing any coffee lover has suffered the ravages of leaky travel mugs, loose fitting lids or (like me), your own clumsiness. So I figured a quick lesson on removing coffee stains from your clothes might be welcome.


Let's start with synthetic fabrics. The first thing you need to do is blot up as much of the coffee stain as you can with a clean cloth- don't rub! Then you need to presoak it in a mixture of warm water, dishwashing detergent and white vinegar for about 15 minutes. I find that, with a quart of water, about a ½ teaspoon of the detergent and a full teaspoon of the vinegar works. Rinse well and dab on some rubbing alcohol. Toss in the laundry as soon as you can.


For cotton and linen I follow the same routine, but omit the vinegar. (If the stain is still there use an enzyme presoak product.) I've heard that folks who drink cream in their coffee use different methods, but this is what works for my black cup o' Joe. I've also read that you can attach these natural fabrics to a bowl with a rubber band and just pour boiling water over them, but that sounds like a recipe for disaster for someone who couldn't keep a single cup of coffee upright to begin with!


Now that I'm dry and stain free, I guess it's back to bagging beans of gourmet coffee. (Not a bad way to spend the day.)



Until our next cup,
Sandy Riggen

Coffee Health in the News

From time to time in this blog I post interesting coffee news, medically related tidbits and comments from others. Although I'm a big fan of health related coffee tips (can you blame me? I love my coffee!), I'm also an "older than 30" year old woman and wise enough to know that you can't believe everything you read, especially on the Internet.


As a Vermonter, I'm lucky enough to be a part of a holistic community that thrives on organically grown local food and the sharing of information. I'm also a bit of a skeptic, and take things with a grain of salt.


One source that I trust is Dr. Andrew Weil, whose health program you may have caught on PBS. In response to a question about the health benefits of coffee, Dr. Weil had this to say.

The most clear-cut findings about its benefits come from a 20-year study that followed some 84,000 women and 44,000 men. Published in the May 2, 2006, issue of Circulation, the study concluded that drinking coffee isn't harmful to cardiovascular health and may even be somewhat beneficial.


He also states that not all studies are so straight forward in their applause for the coffee bean. Too much coffee (3-6 cups) can result in hypertension in some people. Yet, other studies show benefits to cancer, cognition and Alzheimer's. I'll send you the link if you are interested in the complete article.


My thoughts in the increasingly busy and often stressful holiday season, is that we all need to be aware of how we react to whatever we put in our bodies. For me, a morning cup of coffee makes me feel alert, comforted and relaxed. Thanksgiving turkey makes me feel warm, sleepy and full. Whether you are considering a cup of java, a recent medication prescribed by your physician, or one more slice of pumpkin pie you need to be aware of the effects on you personally.



Until our next cup,
Sandy Riggen