This past Monday, (September 30, 2013), I went to a fun coffee seminar for the new Ethiopia core whole bean coffee at Starbucks. Coffee-Masters-In-Training Jenn and Tyler walked us through a tasting of this coffee. Both Jenn and Tyler work at a different Starbucks (the Madison Park Starbucks), and were invited to do a coffee seminar at East Olive Way.
As a reminder, the Starbucks at East Olive Way does coffee events roughly every other Monday evening, at 6:00 p.m. Call in advance to confirm their schedule. The address is 1600 East Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98122. The phone number is (206) 568 – 5185.
The two partners prepared the coffee by French press. The four steps of a coffee tasting are first smell the coffee, next slurp, thirdly you locate where the flavors hit in your mouth, and lastly describe the flavors of the coffee.
Via a French press, I thought spiciness was highlighted in the new Ethiopia coffee. I can genuinely say that I am still loving this new core coffee. I have ordered it many times from the Clover (and it works perfectly from the Clover too). You can see we were just getting started:
Tyler and Jenn paired the Ethiopia coffee with the Starbucks Chocolate Berry Bites. This was definitely an interesting pairing as the sweetness of the chocolate berry bite really brought out some juiciness to the Ethiopia. The coffee is definitely fruitier when paired with these very sweet little treats. I actually thought the berry flavors were almost a bit overpowering to the coffee.
As we were in the middle of the coffee event, I snapped a picture of Tyler smelling the bag. I just signed up for Instagram about a week ago, and so I “Instagramed” this photo. I liked how it came out!
After we finished trying the coffee with the berry bites, Tyler and Jenn mentioned that they thought this coffee paired exceptionally well with the La Boulange Chocolate Meringue cookie but there hadn’t been enough cookies in the store for the large group in attendance. I did buy the last two Chocolate Meringue cookies to try that pairing also. (This photo of the chocolate meringue cookie was taken much later, at a different Starbucks):
I gained a whole new appreciation of the Chocolate Meringue cookie. That is a delicious cookie! And, paired with the Ethiopia, it’s fantastic. The cocoa flavor in the cookie seems to cut the spiciness of the coffee. It makes the coffee incredibly smooth and sweetens it also. The rich, smooth cocoa of the cookie is great with the Ethiopia coffee.
As many know, the new Ethiopia coffee is planned to be a core offering in most every Starbucks market, though some regions won’t be receiving the Ethiopia until 2014.
Have you tried this coffee, and what’s your favorite way to enjoy it? (You can browse more coffee tasting articles on this blog here.)
Lastly, I leave you with a couple more pictures:
Thank you Jenn and Tyler for putting on this coffee seminar!
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I need to try that now. I wish my local Starbucks did tastings. And meringue cookies?! Yes please! Everything looks so good. Welcome to instagram btw! You’ll like it.
Thanks for your latest coffee review, Melody. That chocolate meringue cookies looks very interesting!
@Becky E – Thanks! That chocolate meringue cookie is so good that I thought I could just post the picture of it, and write the caption: “You must try this!” LOL
Blah, I’m still sad that we don’t have La Boulange yet! But as for my favorite pairing so far, I did a heated chocolate brownie with cinnamon dolce topping sprinkled on top. Delicious!
I absolutely love the new Ethiopia coffee! I did a seminar and paired it with a homemade chocolate cinnamon cake with orange glaze. Absolutely delicious! I’m so excited to have another African coffee available in our line-up.
Thank for the post for this event Mel!
I’m curious if you have had any peppery notes stand out to you as this new core cools? I’ve noticed it many times, and quite enjoy it! I have yet to pair this coffee with chocolate(as I try to try unique pairings other than the standard “chocolate pairs with almost every coffee”). But I think I’ll try more fruit varieties now 🙂 we are anticipating La Boulange, and my memory of all the delightful treats I tried in Seattle this summer still linger
Melody! I love your blog, and always enjoy your posts! I have fond memories of us sitting together doing tastings at E. Olive Way. Your blog helps to keep me connected to Seattle now that I no longer live there!! =) Also, yes I LOVE the Chewy Chocolate Meringue Cookie! Glad that Arizona was top on the list for the La Boulange launch!
I’ll definitely try the chocolate meringue when we get La Boulange here. I saw a pumpkin shaped cookie in the case yesterday but didn’t get it. Does anyone know anything about the flavor? I’m wondering if it’s pumpkin flavored or just a butter type cookie. It had orange frosting and reminded me of the snowman cookies. The sign for it was knocked over so I couldn’t see a price.
@BeckyE – The pumpkin-shaped cookie is a shortbread cookie as I understand it, and doesn’t actually taste like pumpkin or pumpkin spice. So, yeah more of a butter cookie. I still haven’t bought one. Been meaning to.
@Richard – Thank you for stopping by the blog and your comment! That really makes me smile!
@Becky E: re: the orange frosted pumpkin shaped cookie? I did have it once, feeling a need for something really sweet to finish off my coffee. I tasted no pumpkin, I really think it’s just another frosted cookie. I almost always wish they’d leave the frosting off these ‘butter cookies’. I don’t remember the price. But if you’ve ever had any of those various seasonal-related cookies, this is the same. (or so it seemed to me) The only thing pumpkin about it was the shape and the orange frosting. (they are very sweet)
@Denise – That’s my thinking too – that all of those cookies are the same recipe with a new shape and frosting. The snowman tastes like the pumpkin-shaped cookie – just a different shape.
I haven’t done any kind of giveaway on this blog since like July! I beginning to itch to do one again. Bring out the lurkers,who may be reading about Starbucks but lurking.
Thanks for the input about the pumpkin cookie, Denise & Melody. I thought that’s what it would be. I’m sure kids love them as they are cute.
We’ve had this in the UK for around 6 weeks and I do enjoy it. I prefer the Guatemala Antigua which was offered as a core coffee earlier in the year.
I am SO grateful for you and your blog Mel! Here in CA I miss all of the tastings, pastries, barista fun and chalk art!!!
I asked my local store about the tasting and they offered me a tall Ethiopian brewed coffee! No presentation, no information, and no tasting cup :-(. I was so bummed ~ but I did enjoy the coffee!!!
@Leslee – Oh that’s a bit saddening to read. I’m sorry that your local store didn’t have any sampling events set up. Well, if you got a free tall coffee, then you did get a chance to try it. It’s just super fun to share a moment of smell, slurp, locate, and describe with another coffee fan. If you ever make it to Seattle, I’ll gladly go to an Olive Way event with you!
I hadn’t visited your blog in a few weeks and I was glad to see this up on the front page. I was coming home today and decided to stop into Starbucks (oh hell, I made that sound irregular — let’s face it, I go every day) and they ran out of Pike Place Roast halfway through filling my cup. Anyways, they offered me a fresh Venti cup of Ethiopia, on the house.
I have to say, it’s a nice cup of coffee! The citrus notes are subtle enough to where it doesn’t overpower the spice. However, one thing I don’t particularly care for is the dry feeling it leaves in the back of my throat.
Maybe I’m just a simple guy, but I prefer Pike’s smooth mouthfeel, then again Pike is pretty much a yeoman’s coffee, so I guess that explains why I enjoy it. Haha.
Thanks for the article, Melody! I know I never comment, but I’ve been reading your blog for a very long time, I enjoy every post! 😀
@Grant – I just wanted to say thank you for the comment. I love it when lurking readers drop by and make a comment. 🙂 I had the Ethiopia again from the Clover today, and I can say it’s now my go-to coffee. Try it again, and try it from the Clover, if you can! I haven’t noticed any dry feeling, but will look for that next time I order it. Thanks again, Melody
@Melody – Oh I definitely will try it again, I did enjoy it, but I don’t think one time is enough to determine if it’s not my new favorite. The best thing is that my regular Starbucks has a Clover press, it also has Starbucks Evenings!
Honestly, if you’re ever in Huntington Beach, California, I highly suggest checking out this Starbucks (it’s located in a shopping center called Seacliff Village), it has some of the most friendly baristas I’ve ever met, not to mention it’s one of the most beautiful Starbucks I’ve ever been in (coming from someone who used to live in Washington.) The interior is very industrial and subtlety nautical with large red drapes with huge vista windows, lots of sea glass and an overall black color scheme. I can always take pictures if you’d like.
Grant