Coffee, Lollies, Chocolate, and Eco-Friendly Firestarter

We celebrated World Chocolate Day on July 7th with coffee and chocolate! It is known that the bold and strong flavour of coffee enhances the rich flavours of chocolate, which is why many delicious chocolate cakes have coffee in it. When I bake chocolate cake, I sometimes add a cup of brewed coffee or a few spoons of strong coffee to add flavour to the chocolate cake.

Here are some ideas from Dan Pabst, a coffee connoisseur and coffee expert at Melitta on the best coffee to pair with different chocolates. 

Milk chocolate pairs well with Melitta’s European Roast coffee. The rich and bold notes of the European Roast compliment the creamier flavour of milk chocolate. It is also the perfect coffee to compliment chocolate covered strawberries.  

Dark chocolate pairs with Melitta’s Traditional Roast. A mild, medium coffee will allow the bold dark chocolate to shine! 

White chocolate pairs with Melitta’s Hazelnut Crème coffee and will enhance your regular cup. 

Chocolate covered pretzel goes well with Melitta’s 100% Colombian coffee. The saltiness of the pretzel enhances the pronounced sweetness of the quintessential Colombian coffee.

Another type of coffee we have been enjoying is Stockyards coffee Signature Series - Last Light a dark roast blend and Single Origins - New Beginnings Light Roast. The whole bean coffee in these packages are crafted in the Waterloo region. The products can be purchased online with Ontario wide shipping. They ethically source their coffee beans from farmers and growers around the globe, and roast them to ensure their best qualities make it to the cup. These coffees can be used as a filter drip, french press, or pour over.

The Last Light Signature Series coffee from Colombia and Honduras as a combination of currants and rich chocolate that tastes smooth and toasty. Light Roast Single Origin from Antigua has a bright and blanched flavour.

Summer equals barbecue season! I make as many meals outdoors to avoid heating up the house. These past few weeks, we have been adding heat and flavour with Aubrey D. Rebel sauces and Rebel D. hot sauces to our barbecue dishes, hotdogs, and burgers. These sauces are unlike the sauces that are in the market. Each sauce is designed around the unique flavours and heat of each individual pepper.

Aubrey D. Carolina Mustard Sauce with Ghost and Wiri Wiri peppers is tasty, sweet and tart yet spicy. 

Aubrey D. Habanero Louisiana BBQ Sauce with Cayenne peppers, a tasty sauce with a mild spice, it is delicious even with fries. This is our family favourite. 

Aubrey D. Rebel Mental hot sauce with Jolokia Ghost pepper is a hot sauce made with the hottest natural pepper in the world. This sauces also has the added heat from Habanero. A little bit of this sauce goes a long way, the apple sauce base gives this sauce its sweet and tangy burst of heat. 

Aubrey D. Rebel Crazy hot sauce with Red Savina pepper is a hot sauce made a with a hottest strain of Habanero pepper. It is extremely hot and full of flavour that comes from its tomato sauce base combined with other spices and flavourful ingredients.

Whether it is the milder Chipotle’s smokey richness, the wildness of the Jalapeno classic, the fiery heat of the Habanero, the insanity of the savoury Scotch Bonnet, or the crazy burn of the Red Savina, there is an Aubrey D. Rebel™ Hot Sauce that is sure to please every chili head’s palate. I like that all the ingredients are natural and there are no additives, no preservatives, no gluten, and no artificial ingredients. Gourmet Chips and Sauces is a company in Quebec that makes all of its products in the USA in order to be closest to the farms the ingredients are grown at. The products can be easily purchased online at gourmetchip.com, Amazon, specialty stores, and at stores such as Homedepot, Lowes, and Walmart.

We have found these FireSTARTERZ made with cotton fabric infused with beeswax a convenient tool to start campfires and grills. This innovative, eco-friendly product made by BeeBAGZ, a small Ontario-based company uses the remnants of their food storage bags made with beeswax to make these fire starter strips.

These lightweight, water resistant beeswax fire starter strips burn chemical free and work on wet wood as well. It is a clean and effective way to start a fire! We found it to be an easy, convenient way to start our charcoal grill. All we had to do to start a fire... place a strip or two depending on the size of the fire into either the prepared charcoal surface or wood, strike a match, light the end of the strips and watch the flames. These strips are convenient to take along when going camping or to have at home. Each pack priced at $5.99 and can be purchased online at BeeBagz.com

Summer heat calls for refreshing cold treats. Everyone loves a treat - especially a frozen one! But popsicles almost always come with a big dose of sugar and artificial ingredients. Fressy Bessie Foods, the maker of Frozen Ice Lollies is an Ontario-based, family-run, women-owned business. Their ice lollies are 100% vegan made with organic fruits and veggies and nothing else. It is free of preservatives, additives, salt, sweeteners or artificial anything. There is no water or juice in it.

It is a great sugar free treat for children and adults that can be enjoyed anytime of the year, especially during warm summer days when we want something cool and refreshing without the added sugar! These treats are perfect for people with diabetes, as it is low carb and there is no added sugar. After we spend long hours tending the garden and doing summer activities, we usually look for a cooling treat that isn't loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients - and have been loving these treats! 

We like the natural flavour from the fruits. Available flavours include organic apple, organic mango, and tropical (made with organic spinach, organic banana and organic mango). There is also a wild blueberry mango flavour made with blueberries from Quebec. The popular multipack includes two of each flavour.  Fressy Bessie is available at major grocery retailers and specialty stores in Ontario, Alberta and BC, including Metro, Nature’s Emporium, Longo’s, Organic Garage, IGA, and Whole Foods. For a retailer near you, check https://www.fressybessie.com/where-to-buy

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