The Flavors of Winter

Within the coffee industry, it’s well known that winter is a popular time for special limited time offerings with seasonal ingredients. Throughout the season, nostalgic and well-loved flavors take center stage, creating decadent, comforting, and eye-catching café drinks.

For many customers, the winter season is closely connected with holiday fare and comforting treats. Flavors such as peppermint, holiday cookie, and white chocolate are trending this winter season.

Peppermint

Candy canes and peppermint hard candies are ubiquitous during the winter holidays. With iconic red and white striping, and fresh mint flavor, peppermint is well-suited to making a comforting winter beverage with an appetizing visual element.

Peppermint pairs well with hot & cold espresso drinks, as well as tea & hot chocolate. Crushed peppermint is often used as a garnish for a pop of color.

This winter, many national coffee chains prominently feature peppermint on their seasonal menus. Starbucks and Dunkin both offer a Peppermint Mocha, and Black Rock Coffee Bar has brought back their Peppermint Bark White Mocha. Dutch Bros offers a Peppermint Mocha, which can also be ordered in cold brew form.

Cookies

Cookies are another holiday staple wrapped in tradition. For many people, baking and decorating holiday cookies evokes nostalgic memories of spending time with family.

This winter season, many café menus feature flavors such as cookie butter, gingerbread, and sugar cookie. Some creative drinks even feature whimsical garnishes such as sprinkles or cookie pieces.

The popularity of cold drinks has soared over the past few years. This past quarter, Starbucks reported that a whopping 75% of beverage sales have been cold drinks. In alignment with that trend, many featured drinks are designed to be prepared and consumed cold this season.

While the nostalgic draw of holiday cookies may be focused on a warm, fresh baked aspect, cafés and national coffee chains are leaning into the cold trend for their cookie beverage offerings.

Two national chains feature cookie-flavored cold brew – Dunkin with Cookie Butter Cold Brew, and Black Rock with Christmas Cookie Cold Brew – while Starbucks offers an Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte topped with red and green sprinkles.

White Chocolate

White chocolate is made from cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids. In contrast to dark chocolate and milk chocolate, white chocolate does not contain cocoa solids.

Both Starbucks and Dunkin offer Toasted White Chocolate mochas and lattes, with caramelized notes adding depth of flavor. The Black Rock Peppermint Bark White Mocha, mentioned earlier, features white chocolate for a double layer of holiday connection.

Alt Milks

When it comes to preparing a hot or iced latte, cafés today feature more variety than ever. Real dairy milk and dairy alternatives such as oat, almond, coconut, macadamia, and soy cater to the dietary needs and preferences of any customer.

Some menus even feature alternative “oat nog” this season, providing a plant-based option for an indulgent holiday favorite.

Houston’s Has It

Houston’s carries a full portfolio of syrups, sauces, and shelf stable milks to provide the wide palette of ingredients for winter beverage creation. Our trusted vendors like Torani, Monin, 1883, DaVinci, and Barista 22 offer the essential holiday flavors of Peppermint, Cookie Butter, and White Chocolate, among others.

Houston’s also carries hot tea, hot chocolate, espresso supplies, cleaners, drinkware, and even Pirouline chocolate hazelnut cookies for garnish.

For a suite of offerings to bring winter delight to your customers, Houston’s is your source.

Read about other industry trends on the Houston’s Blog.

The post Sweets & Treats: Winter Trends 2022 appeared first on Houston's Blog.

The frappé is one of the most popular café offerings among customers due to the wide variety of flavor options, rich texture, indulgent toppings like whipped cream or caramel, and the opportunity for a kick of caffeine at the right time of day.

Frappé aficionados know that the beverage typically consists of coffee mixed with milk and sugar to taste, blended or shaken over ice until a rich, foamy texture is achieved. Alternative milks, such as almond milk or oat milk may be subbed in for non-dairy friendliness, and sugar may be swapped out for flavored syrups of choice (i.e. vanilla, hazelnut, mocha – the possibilities are virtually limitless).

A frappé is often topped with whipped cream for an additional decadent boost of sweetness and picture-perfect presentation.

While many frappés do include coffee as a basic ingredient, coffee-free varieties are also available on menus across the country. Offerings made with spiced chai and other types of tea are gaining popularity, and it is common to see caffeine-free fruit-based frappés which contain no coffee or tea, as well.

Frappés vs. Smoothies vs. Shakes

Is a fruit-based frappé the same thing as a smoothie?

While the differences between frappés, smoothies, and even milkshakes may be nebulous, there are some key factors that distinguish these types of beverages.

While the most common indicator of a frappé is the inclusion of coffee, even coffee-free frappés can be identified by their prominent foam. Frappés are often blended for a longer duration than smoothies or shakes, and the result is the rich froth so many customers enjoy.

Smoothies are typically made by blending fresh or frozen fruits & vegetables and a liquid component (i.e. fruit juice or smoothie concentrate) with ice, or often yogurt, for a thick and – smooth – consistency. It’s not as common to find smoothies that incorporate coffee or whipped toppings.

A milkshake’s most identifiable characteristic is the use of ice cream. A shake is usually made by mixing milk, ice cream, and flavoring ingredients of choice (chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, etc.) into a very thick texture – so thick that a spoon typically accompanies the straw. As with frappés, a whipped cream topping is a common finishing touch for milkshakes.

Ever Heard of a Cabinet?

The definitions of frappé and milkshake get even muddier in the New England region.

Ask a person from Massachusetts for a milkshake, and you’ll get just that. Milk literally shaken over ice, vigorously, with your chosen flavor. No ice cream. If ice cream is added to the mix, that concoction is called a frappe. Note there’s no accent mark over the “e,” in this case, and the pronunciation is definitively “frap,” not “frap-pay.”

Furthermore, in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, if coffee or coffee-flavored syrup is blended in, the resulting beverage is known as a “cabinet.” As the story goes, when this creation was first developed, the blender was kept in the cabinet, thus the name.

Trademark Branding 

The wide variety of frappé recipes lends itself to opportunities for cafés and franchises to brand their own signature beverages. For example, “Frappuccino” is a registered trademark of Starbucks for a sweetened, blended coffee drink. Dunkin’ Donuts has their line of “Frozen Coffees” and Black Rock markets their frappé offerings as “Chillers,” including a chai tea option. The Human Bean refers to their blended espresso drinks as “Granitas” and Oregon-based Dutch Bros markets a line of coffee frappés called “Dutch Freeze,” as well as a selection of milkshakes called “Dutch Frost.”

Something for Every Customer

Though there are regional recipe differences and murky nuances between frappés and other beverages, it seems the popularity of the beverage won’t be dying down any time soon. With limitless flavor options, and flexibility for any type of specialized diet and tastes, the world of frappés is sure to contain something for every customer.

The post The Fantastic Frappé appeared first on Houston's Blog.

With its range of available flavors and brands, alternative milks are no longer a fringe dietary preference. What began in 2008 as a mere soy milk option has soared into a $16 billion global industry that milks just about any oat or nut it can find. Although still popular amongst vegans and lactic-challenged consumers, these plant-based beverages are increasingly appearing on cafe menus to appeal to the mainstream crowd.

At Houston’s, we’ve noticed a similar rise in alternative milk’s popularity. What could account for this steady climb in the market? One potential answer to this growth: people like the way it tastes.

Still Making a Stir

In 2019, sales of alternative milks made up 14% of the entire milk market, while dairy milk sales remained unchanged. When asked about why they’d made that choice, people often cite environmental sustainability and healthier diets. And by offering new flavors in places where traditional milk has typically been king, alternative milks have found a new and interesting foothold for those who don’t necessarily identify with having dietary restrictions.

Retailers don’t just benefit from new flavors, though. Alternative milks also offer an inherent benefit to the bottom line: shelf life. Newly purchased dairy milk typically spoils within a couple of weeks, making it costly if a carton goes to waste in the refrigerator. Alternative milks have a shelf life of 6 – 12 months, a much more flexible and forgiving timeline.

Taking a snapshot of Houston’s barista-centric alternative milks, you can begin to understand just how dynamic and valuable these flavors can be to a barista.

A creamy and refreshing coconut taste.

Not overly sweet with a light oat flavor.

Rich and creamy with a mild hint of almond.

The Barista’s Choice

While almond and oat have certainly been the most successful of the bunch, there is a crowd for every form of alternative milk. More and more recipes are emerging that call for soy milk, hemp milk, coconut milk, or rice milk. Every day, your customers are expanding their menus with a greater variety of flavor and texture.

Pacific Foods

Oatly

Almond Breeze

The alternative milks in these recipes aren’t just about substituting dairy milk. They play a role in enhancing other flavors, providing a more complex experience rather than a simple liquid base. Suddenly, that turmeric latte has a complimentary hint of coconut that would have been completely absent with the use of traditional milk.

The Houston’s Assortment

Houston’s offers three brands of alternative milks because we understand the importance of variety and preference. You may find multiple almond milks or oat milks across these vendors, but each presents its own formula and a different experience. Oatly’s Barista Edition Oatmilk and Pacific Foods’ Barista Series Oat both provide an exceptional foaming beverage for lattes and other cafe staples, but they aren’t identical. Each brand has its own loyal customers; it’s just about finding what’s right for the ones you do business with.

The post Alternative Milks: Variety in a Cup appeared first on Houston's Blog.

1883 was a significant year for the world menu. When French herbalist Philibert Routin selected his collection of 35 plant species from the Alps, he did more than create Chambéry Vermouth; he sparked a revolution in the world’s perception of aroma and flavor.

Today is not that different from so many years ago. Modern consumers and operators wants to know what the next big step in flavor will be, and that means searching for new and unique ingredients that challenge the traditional palate. It’s about experimenting and adjusting not only to keep up with demand but to create it. 1883 Maison Routin has a long history of doing just this. Their passionate understanding of the science behind flavor has driven them to continue innovating and inventing for generations. It didn’t take Houston’s long to see how they might enhance our syrup selection.

You need only look at a bottle of 1883 syrup to understand that this vendor is determined to provide an exceptional product. From the design of the label, the style of the bottle, to even the color of the syrup, each element is meticulously designed to entice you into giving it a taste. It’s no wonder why operators are proud to display their bottles of 1883 to customers. But the shape and weight of the glass is no comparison for what’s inside.

1883, without question, offers a premium syrup with every blend. The best ingredients are masterfully combined to elicit the perfect result for both the nose and the palate. Besides crafting a syrup that tastes phenomenal, 1883 also endeavors to make their products authentic. That’s to say that an 1883 cardamom syrup tastes like cardamom; a cayenne pepper syrup tastes like cayenne pepper! It takes a lot of effort to attain that level of fidelity, but 1883 is up to the challenge.

In addition to offering traditional flavors such as Vanilla, Caramel, and Almond, 1883 is known for its more unique options. Besides the previously mentioned spicy cayenne pepper, you’ll find cardamom, madeleine, orchid, blueberry muffin, brownie, caramelized peanut, cherry plum, and even cherry blossom syrup flavors! Whether crafting a coffee, cocktail, or any other recipe, 1883 is dedicated to providing the flavor-enhancing ingredient, no matter how specialized the flavor.

The introduction of this new brand to Houston’s catalog of syrups is meant to enhance the selection of our already existing array of flavors. We believe that 1883 is not just a new option for our customers, but a field of possibility that will compliment any existing syrup order. We look forward to helping you find how that expanded possibility can benefit your business.

The post Vendor Spotlight: 1883 Maison Routin appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Steven Smith Teamaker (sometimes referred to as Smith Tea) was founded by tea visionary, Steven Smith, to introduce Americans to a new, superior product that would heighten their palates and capture the imagination Smith had refined with his many years in the industry. After co-founding Stash Tea, and then the becoming the mastermind behind Tazo Tea Company, Smith was ready for retirement. However, it wasn’t long before he felt the itch to use his height of experience to develop one more brand, one that would draw even more from his well of creativity and would add a new facet to the industry he had spent a lifetime cultivating.

Houston’s now carries Smith Tea to further enhance our tea selection. This product is made with “only the best tea on the market,” as the Smith Tea website states. Every blend is crafted with meticulous care, not only to provide an exceptional flavor, but also to generate an aroma and appearance that is as unique as it is beautiful. We now offer this premium tea because it meets the demands of a segment of the industry that we believe remains largely untapped: consumers with a deep appreciation and desire for handcrafted tea.

Much of Smith Tea’s product line-up is inspired by its uncommon roots. For starters, the company was born in a 100-year-old blacksmith shop in Portland, Oregon, a city that regularly prides itself on being “weird.” While the location is now used as Smith Tea’s tasting room, the company still draws on the peculiarities of its heritage by developing flavors that are somewhat out of the norm, yet familiar. Here are just a few examples of these distinct takes on classic flavors that have been made available through Houston’s.

Lord Bergamot – reminiscent of Earl Grey, but with a bit more complexity, this black tea is a blend of Ceylon Dimbula and Uva leaves combined with Assam tea and Bergamot oil. The bright richness of the Assam meets citrusy-spicy Bergamot within mineral and floral notes of the companion teas for a malty sweetness.

Meadow – this chamomile tea brings together golden Egyptian flowers, fragrant hyssop, rooibos, rose petals, and linden flowers for a traditional chamomile flavor with a bit of apple and honey on the tail-end. With all of those petals in the bag, this is one chamomile that will have you wowed before it even begins to steep.

Jasmine Silver Tip – if you’re a fan of green tea, then this is definitely the Smith tea for you. Peak green tea leaves are harvested from China’s Fujian Province and steam-fired to seal their flavor. When fresh jasmine buds are added to the mix, the two ingredients form a concoction that is nothing short of magic. Look for hints of brown sugar in this delightful blend.

Exceptional Iced Tea – anyone who enjoys iced tea will tell you that black iced tea is without compare. Smith’s Exceptional Iced Tea combines Assam and Ceylon black teas with classic Nilgiri black tea and a full-flavored Darjeeling. The most prominent flavors you’ll notice are apricot, orange, and a bit of malt: a wonderfully crisp and natural-tasting iced tea.

The initial set of teas that Houston’s has selected from Smith pull from their Black Tea, Green Tea, Herbal Tea, and Iced Tea categories, ensuring that no matter the time of year, the occasion, or the consumer’s preference, we have a tea to match. We are very excited to provide this premium brand of teas, and to help offer a new perspective on your favorite classic.

The post Vendor Spotlight: Steven Smith Teamaker appeared first on Houston's Blog.

It was in March 2018 when Sudan, the last male northern white rhinoceros, passed away. The creature that had been guarded 24 hours a day via watchtower, drone, and armed guard likely would have otherwise been a victim of poaching like the other members of its species. Instead, Sudan eventually succumbed to old age, and so sealed the fate of the wild northern white rhino, leaving behind his daughter and granddaughter as the last remaining of their kind.

The conservation and repopulation of animals such as these is a key part of David Rio’s mission. By incorporating endangered animals such as tigers and elephants into the labeling of its products, David Rio sees its role as one that reminds customers of our responsibilities to the environment. In addition to simply spreading the word, this company has partnered with the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA, and Cat Tales Zoological Park to do its part in ensuring the well-being of the world’s most at-risk creatures is properly funded. But David Rio isn’t stopping with those partnerships…

It’s no secret that the world’s rhino populations are under threat due to poachers, regional conflicts, and loss of habitat. Fortunately, as a result of conservation efforts, the northern white rhino’s nearest relative, the southern white rhino, has successfully recovered its numbers (nearly 20,000) from the brink of endangerment. Still, there are other species of rhino that remain desperately in danger and require intervention before they disappear entirely.

In 2011, one of the four sub-species of black rhino was declared extinct. Today, only 5,000 black rhinos remain, placing them in a category known by the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) as “Critically Endangered.” In an effort to spare the black rhino from the fate of the northern white rhino, a few have decided to join the cause to restore this species’ population.

For a limited time, David Rio will be offering a new product focused on the preservation of this species: Black Rhino Cocoa Chai. This blend offers chai spices, black tea, cocoa, and cayenne pepper for a hint of heat. Together, the flavors form a beverage that meets David Rio’s high quality standards, but its goal extends beyond simply making a premium chai.

David Rio has partnered with Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the prior residence of Sudan, as well as the biggest and most respected Black Rhino conservancy in the world. By adopting Baraka, the conservancy’s blind black rhino, David Rio has proven that it is dedicated to this cause. Much like Thor (the Bengal tiger that David Rio adopted in 1999) before him, Baraka is an ambassador for his species and has been inspiration for David Rio’s newest product. All of this is in an effort to raise awareness about black  rhinos, but it also about providing a way to safeguard this species for years to come.

David Rio has now launched its Feel the Charge campaign that allows anyone to donate directly to Ol Pejeta in support of its black rhino initiative. With a goal of $10,000, David Rio has a long way to go, but it’s not expecting to hit that number solely from outside sources. David Rio is planning to match the first $5,000 in donations. Besides helping an animal population in dire need, by donating you can enter to win a canister of Black Rhino Cocoa Chai. Find out how to enter by visiting David Rio’s website.

Houston’s is proud to also be offering David Rio’s Black Rhino Cocoa Chai while its supplies last. Like all of David Rio’s flavors, it is unique and certain to please the palate, but more importantly it is in support of an excellent cause. We always strive to provide the best products for our customers, but we love it when that mission is accompanied with an even broader reward.

The post David Rio Introduces Black Rhino Cocoa Chai appeared first on Houston's Blog.

1. Pacific Espresso Brownies

Brownies have to be one of the best ways to enjoy cocoa, and Pacific Foods’ Organic Oat Beverage adds that extra bit of flair that totally sets this recipe apart. Making them for someone who’s vegan? All you need is dairy-free chocolate chips and this recipe is complete!

2. Mocha Almond Fudge Ice Cream Cake

If you’re a fan of ice cream cake, then this is the one to try! With a cookie crust and some deliciously decadent ice cream, you might think you’ve got all you need. However, this recipe really comes to life with the addition of Monin’s Dark Chocolate and Caramel sauces.

3. Chocolate Chai Fondue

Chocolate fondue is a classic. Most of us have probably skewered a piece of fruit or pound cake and delighted in the chocolatey treat. But we kick it up a notch with this recipe. David Rio’s Tiger Spice Chai livens up the traditional flavor for an experience you won’t soon forget.

4. Chocolate Amaretto Torte

This is not your typical cake. It’s a nutty, moist, death-by-chocolate dessert that will soon have you writing poetry in its name. We suggest “Ode to Torani” as a title for your next one.

5. Charcoal Banana Frappe

This recipe is brilliant in its simplicity. Even if you’e running a little low on supplies, it shouldn’t be hard to scrounge up the few ingredients that this frappe calls for. And if you’re in need of some MOCAFE Charcoal Mocha, be sure to give Houston’s a call.

6. Pirouline Napoleon

There are a number of layers to this light and fluffy tower, but we promise that the end result is SO worth it. A little fruit, a bit of whipped cream, and the crisp goodness of Pirouline Chocolate Hazelnut Wafers unite for a morsel that shows you really worked to impress!

7. Hollander Super Moist Chocolate Cake

What at first seems to be mere chocolate cake is hiding a secret ingredient in plain sight. This recipe doesn’t call for any simple sauce; Hollander’s Dutched sauce is drizzled over this masterpiece. We’re certain that once you’ve tasted it, you’ll know why it makes all the difference to use Hollander.

8. Chocolate Covered Cherries

Valentine’s Day is no fun unless you’ve got enough treats to last long after it’s over. That’s precisely what this recipe offers. With 60 Oregon Cherry Growers Maraschino Cherries drenched in dough and chocolate, that sweet tooth should be covered for a few days at least.

The post 8 Recipes that Make the Most of Your Valentine’s Day Chocolate appeared first on Houston's Blog.

December marks Worldwide Food Service Safety Month. Since there are few products as widely enjoyed across the globe as coffee, Houston’s has chosen to explore the reasons why properly cleaning equipment is so vitally important to a cafe’s investment, to the health of its consumers, and to the integrity of a coffee’s flavor.

The Flavor Impact

Most coffee establishments thrive on delivering a great-tasting brew. In this competitive industry, it’s often important to set an individual flavor signature apart from the multitude of other businesses vying for the consumer’s palate. However, that expertly refined flavor may be in jeopardy if you don’t take the proper precautions.

When coffee beans are roasted, they generate a natural oil. When the bean is ground, those oils are expressed and can coat the inside of grinders, french presses, espresso machines, or any equipment it comes into contact with. The problem is that this oil will continue to build, introducing new and increasingly bitter flavor to any coffee that passes through the equipment. Even if you’re using the best coffee in the world, it won’t be any good if you haven’t been regularly and thoroughly removing this excess oil.

The Health Implications

Almost all coffee equipment has dark, moist compartments that are used to either hold or make coffee. Coincidentally, dark and moist environments are perfect for mold and bacteria to grow and thrive. In as little as a few days, these toxins will begin to multiply and reach numbers that can make people sick. Sneezing, coughing, headaches, and congestion are all common symptoms of mold exposure, and it’s not uncommon for illness to get worse from there.

Many people assume that the heat generated by the coffee creation process is enough to kill any lingering toxins, but that’s simply not the case. As much as 50% of bacteria will withstand the high temperatures of a coffee maker and continue to multiply without proper cleaning. To prevent any chance of food-borne illness, it’s important to clean your equipment daily, and not just by running parts through the dishwasher. A deep clean, using specially designed cleaners, is the only way to ensure the equipment is properly sanitized.

The Bottom Line

From hiring the right staff, to choosing the best beans, a lot of hard work goes into establishing and maintaining a cafe. A good deal of money goes into it as well. Coffee equipment isn’t cheap. It also doesn’t clean itself. An unmaintained piece of machinery is going to have a shorter lifespan, and that degree of negligence could break the budget for any cafe, independent or otherwise. However, by taking the necessary steps to purchase and utilize safe and appropriate cleaning solutions, the liability of malfunctioning equipment can be minimized.

Urnex has been around since 1936, helping roasters and brewers to continue delivering fantastic coffee. The specialty coffee market is now booming, and Urnex is still here to keep the brew at its best. Houston’s is a proud supplier of Urnex products that have been designed to reach and resolve every element of a coffee maker’s sanitization needs. For those who are new to making clean coffee a priority, we even offer the Urnex System Cafe Starter Kit. It doesn’t have to be too late to make the change.

The post Brew Clean Coffee for Worldwide Food Service Safety Month appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Every year, a flavor takes the nation by storm, reinventing recipes with a spicy, fall favorite. Coffee, tea, baked goods, oatmeal – there’s practically no limit to what product its essence will touch next. Of course, we’re talking about Pumpkin Spice. It seems like you can’t step outside without encountering the aroma and the flavor that has become synonymous with the later seasons of the year. But how did this phenomenon begin? You might think that it was started by a large specialty coffee chain, but while certain companies are responsible for the explosion of popularity the flavor has seen in recent years, it’s been around much longer than that.

The official Pumpkin Spice flavor began as a shortcut to baking a pumpkin pie. In 1934, the combination of ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon was first sold to make baking this harvest season dessert an easier endeavor. But then why was it so important to make a pumpkin pie? Although it certainly has earned its place at the dinner table, it’s not as if the dessert is wildly sought after. In order to understand why people were ever making pumpkin pie to begin with (and continue to this day), we need to go back even further to when the Americas were first colonized.

When Europeans first came to the new world, they brought with them crops from their native land. However, those crops found it difficult to take root here, and colonists soon needed to turn to alternate means of sustenance. One of the first, most successful crops that they grew was the pumpkin. It’s no wonder why classic images of Thanksgiving tables prominently display gourds; there was almost little else to eat for many harvests.

Shortly after the pumpkin craze began, colonists began making a very early version of pumpkin pie, which consisted of chopping off the top of a pumpkin, scooping out the innards, and filling the gourd with spices, honey, and milk. That mixture would become the pie’s crust. This sweet harvest classic became a tradition over those hundreds of years, becoming a symbol of the rich fruits of our labors and the promise of another bountiful harvest to come.

Since those years ago, the pumpkin has continued to be a celebrated crop amongst Americans, used as decoration throughout the fall season and as an ingredient that reminds us of the harvest’s comfort. The modern commercial sale of Pumpkin Spice is just an extension of that connection that we inherently understand based on our long history with the gourd.

There’s no doubt that pumpkin’s annual surge in popularity can also be attributed with the scarcity of the flavor throughout the year. Although somewhat manufactured, this limited availability continues to drive sales of Pumpkin Spice and Pumpkin Pie flavors whenever the fall season rolls around. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that pumpkin, in all of its forms, holds a deeply sentimental place in our culture.

With that deep history in mind, take the opportunity to rediscover your love for pumpkin, whether it’s pie or spice, with Houston’s products like Torani, Monin, Big Train, and DaVinci. Enjoy this seasonal flavor with a newfound understanding of its origination, and do it while supplies last!

The post Out of Our Gourds: Pumpkin Spice’s Rise to Popularity appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Matcha may seem like the newest coffeehouse fad, but the truth is that this green tea beverage has been around for quite some time. This tea’s history dates as far back as China’s Tang Dynasty in the 7th Century, though it was really popularized during the Song Dynasty around the 11th Century. It was during that time when a Japanese Buddhist monk returned to his home country from a stay in China, carrying tea seeds and the knowledge of their proper preparation. These seeds eventually began a Japanese tradition that today yields some of the best matcha in the world.

Matcha has become one of the fastest growing segments of the global tea market, so it should come as no surprise that Houston’s has partnered with vendors who provide it at an exceptional level. One vendor who has made it a priority to offer high quality, traditional tea is Two Leaves and a Bud.

Two Leaves and a Bud is a pioneer in bringing teas and traditions from Asia, to the West. As one of the first to provide North Americans with teas in the pyramid-shaped sachet, this is a company that has become known for setting trends and sharing true magic from the lesser-known parts of the world. That spark is no more apparent than in Two Leaves’ matcha products. Their Nice Matcha and Ceremonial Matcha offer two flavor and application options for both newcomers and veterans to the tea.

Two Leaves’ Ceremonial Matcha has been crafted to delight with the full flavor of 100% organic Japanese green tea, while Nice Matcha is a blend with a little more sweetness (but not too much!) that perfectly complements lattes and smoothies. Often described as having a creamy and vegetal taste, matcha is unique from any other tea in its overall flavor profile. But a huge reason why this green tea has grown so popular is because of everything that it offers in addition to its one-of-a-kind flavor.

The word “matcha” literally translates to “powdered tea,” because at its core, it is a powdered version of green tea. When green tea is nearly ready to be harvested, it is covered in shade to give the leaves opportunity to grow more full with flavor, away from the harsh sunlight. Once plucked, these leaves are placed into cold storage to dry out, then pulverized with stone until all that’s left is a verdant green powder.

Once matcha has reached its silky smooth state, it can be mixed into hot or cold beverages, much like its tea counterparts. However, quite unlike other teas, matcha leaves are completely consumed. Whereas you would eventually discard a tea bag once it has finished steeping, the leaves remain in your mug until you’ve sipped them all up. The result is a far more nutritious and energizing experience.

Because of the harvesting process that it undergoes and because of the way that it’s prepared, matcha provides the body with higher levels of antioxidants and a unique amino acid called L-theanine. It’s health benefits have been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease, reducing total cholesterol levels, and can even help you feel more relaxed and concentrated. Its caffeine levels are also about on-par with an ordinary cup of coffee (almost three cups of ordinary green tea), so if you’re looking for a boost in energy, in addition to a nutritious and delicious drink, you’ve made the right choice.

In recent years, matcha has proven to have far wider applications than 7th Century China ever could have imagined. Besides its booming popularity in lattes and frappes, it has found its way into baking, ice cream, and is even sprinkled on popcorn! There seems to be no limit to the number of ways that matcha can be enjoyed, whether it be in the cafe, restaurant, or just by the chef at home. Matcha has been around for 1,400 years, and Houston’s can’t wait to see what the world does with it next.

The post Matcha – Tea with Infinite Possibility appeared first on Houston's Blog.