Kohana Coffee Company – Cold Brew Concentrates Available Now!

Kohana Coffee’s mission with cold brew coffee is to let the consumer be the barista – whether working at a coffee shop or using the coffee at home. The instructions are simple: Open bottle. Be creative.

Taking its name from kohana flowers – the small white flowers that bloom just before the arrival of the coffee fruit on the plant. The flowers herald the coming of the coffee beans, just as Kohana’s beverages usher in a new day when incorporated into your morning routine. The name itself has a shared origination with both the Japanese and Native Hawaiians.

Here, at Houston’s, we carry Kohana’s 32oz Cold Brew Concentrates in three varieties: House Blend, French Vanilla, & French Roast. The 1:2 concentrate is elegantly composed, impeccably smooth, and naturally sweet. You can enjoy it hot or pour it over ice. Ultimately, this is a very versatile staple for any coffee shop as it can be used in a wide variety of applications. It’s even a great option for intrepid chefs who want to include the richness of coffee in their dishes.

Some advantages to cold brewed coffee are:

• Low acidity
• Extended shelf life
• Smooth & bold flavor
• Ready for drinks or cooking
• Easy to take on-the-road
• Highly Customizable

As a recent addition to the Houston’s product line-up, Kohana Cold Brews are ideal for quick, easy, and delicious chilled coffee drinks. And peak-season for promoting cold brew is rapidly approaching with the warmer weather of Spring and Summer. The House Blend is easily customizable with any flavored syrup, or blend with ice for a thicker consistency frappe. The options are endless!

The post Kohana: The Perfect Pick-Me-Up… appeared first on Houston's Blog.

DR. SMOOTHIE – Frappes & ADDins

Leafy Greens ADDins

As summer quickly approaches and temperatures begin to rise, frappes and smoothies are becoming more popular with customers. Dr. Smoothie has introduced four new frappe flavors to the Cafe Essentials line: Chocolate Mint Chip, Horchata, Java Chip, and Kona Mocha. Touting less sugar and truer flavors, these four new “gourmet specialty frappe” flavors offer added dimension to any menu, and are sure to please your customers with their authentic taste.

With healthy veggie trends continuing to grow, Dr. Smoothie has also introduced an easy way to get your “5 [servings] a day” with their new beverage blend-ins; Dr. Smoothie ADDins are available in Leafy Green and Veggie blends, as well as the per-existing customer-favorite, Yogurt Lover’s Plus concentrate blend. Add a single scoop of these nutrient-packed supplements to any smoothie concentrate for that daily dose of fruits and veggies that your customers are looking for.

TORANI® – Chai Concentrates

Torani Tradition Chai (left) vs. current category leader (right). Credit: C. Graiff

Keeping up with current trends, Torani® has introduced Chai concentrates to their product line-up, available now in both Traditional and Spicy flavor profiles. Made with all-natural spices including cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, black pepper, cloves and allspice, these concentrates provide an ideal upgrade from traditional mainstream chai concentrates and offer a “well-rounded and balanced combination of sweetness, tea, and spice.” Chai has year-round appeal as it can be served hot, over ice, blended, and even “dirty” with an espresso shot. Compare Torani® Chai to your current brand and you’ll be sure to taste and see the difference!

MONIN®- Hawaiian Island & Cookie Butter Syrups

Monin® released two new innovative flavors this spring made with pure cane sugar and natural flavors: Hawaiian Island and Cookie Butter. Blending the fresh tropical fruit flavors of passion fruit, guava, and orange, Monin® Hawaiian Island syrup is an on-trend flavor that provides an “authentic, multidimensional flavor for crafting memorable specialty beverages.” Perfect for specialty coffees, milkshakes, and cocktails Monin® Cookie Butter syrup provides an indulgent coupling of spices and speculoos cookie flavoring. This versatile syrup is ideal for hot or frozen coffee beverages or specialty cocoas, milkshakes and cocktails. Both syrups are Kosher, Halal, Vegan, GMO free, dairy free, and gluten free and are now available through Houston’s!

DAVID RIO – Cub Chai Super Concentrate

Jodet, of David Rio, discussing product with a show attendee at SCAA 2016. Credit: C. Graiff

Described as the “audacious extensions of the original Cub Chai line”, David Rio recently released their Cub Chai Super Concentrate. The new 5:1 concentrate utilizes the same high-quality organic spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, and ginger) combined with organic Indian black tea for a super tasty, all natural, and vegan chai beverage. Already being served at the organization’s Chai Bar in San Francisco, Cub Chai Super Concentrate can be served hot or cold and “offers your customers a creamy, less sweet, and distinctively spicy chai latte that will have them raving.” Continuing their commitment to supporting animal welfare, David Rio has designed the packaging so that both the bottle and full shrink label are 100% recyclable. Contact us today to request a sample of this “chai perfection.”

SCAA 2016: You may have seen it…

As a redistributor in the foodservice industry, we at Houston’s like to utilize our time at industry shows not only catching up with vendors and customers alike, but also perusing the show as attendees – to see what’s new, what’s trending, and what the “next best thing” might be. At SCAA in Atlanta this past month we had the opportunity to taste new products launched by various vendors.

Add A Scoop (C. Graiff)

Crafted for those with an active lifestyle, Add a Scoop by Smoothie Essentials provides an alternative source of dailynutrients. Eighteen tasteless blends including Antioxidant, Probiotics, Energy, Protein and even a Matcha premix provide a wide variety of options that won’t affect the flavor of your smoothies, frappes, and oatmeals. All Add a Scoop supplements are tasteless as well non-GMO, gluten-free, and certified Kosher, Halal and Vegan.

Powdered frappe, gelato and specialty beverage manufacturer Frozen Bean debuted their latest project, Cocktail Lab, at SCAA. “At Cocktail Lab, we source the finest, all-natural ingredients from around the world to create rimmers that pair beautifully with your favorite beverages.” From coffees to teas, beers to cocktails, and even frappes – Cocktail Lab now allows your customers to experience their favorite beverages in new and exciting ways.

Not to miss out on the dairy-free trend, Frozen Bean also debuted a dairy-free version of their Belgian Hot Chocolate mix that substitutes coconut milk as the dairy alternative. The light coconut notes accent the sweet chocolate flavor without detracting from the creamy quality.

Industry leader in the non-dairy beverages segment, Pacific Foods, continues to promote their new Barista Series line of dairy-alternatives. Created to withstand the high heat involved with foaming, the Barista Series delivers a consistent and smooth micro-foam while complimenting the flavor of your coffee or espresso making the line “perfect for latte art.”

Making their U.S. debut, France-based Chocolaterie Monbana® (Monbana®) created a stir with their indulgent beverages in the gourmet powdered frappe and powdered chocolate segments. Started in 1934, Mobana® is now on its third generation of family owners, all of whom have had a deep passion for premium-quality chocolate. Their continued success has been attributed to respect for European traditions, the use of high-quality ingredients, and continuous innovation.

International Barista, Geoffroy Maubon, discussing Monbana with an SCAA Show attendee (C. Graiff)

Mobana® offers a wide range of extremely versatile products and flavors, providing for the needs of all establishment types in every season. From lucious frappe, to indulgent drinking chocolates and delightful dark chocolate accompaniments, Monbana® has a product to please any demographic. “This isn’t you mother’s Swiss Miss,” one attendee stated after tasting the decadent Trésor Hot Chocolate served up by famed International Barista Geoffroy Maubon. Maubon has been crucial in the development of Monbana®’s product line, developing unique recipes (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) that highlight the versatility of these premium products, showing that frappe mixes and hot chocolates are not just for coffee shops anymore.

If you didn’t attend SCAA, or didn’t get a chance to stop by the Monbana® booth, we heavily suggest you stop by their booth (#819) at Coffee Fest in Dallas, Texas. With the help of Brandenburger-FBG, Monbana® products will be available for U.S. distributors to purchase in late-May or early-June. For more information, contact Brandenburger-FBG.

SCAA 2016 provided attendees the opportunity to experience a wide variety of new products and flavors like those discussed above. Did you attend SCAA 2016 in Atlanta? Which vendors or products were of interest to you?

The post Kicking off the Foodservice Show Season appeared first on Houston's Blog.

French style parfait

Today is National Parfait Day and there is no better way to celebrate the day than with a few bites of the creamy treat.  Parfait is a French term that translates to “perfect”, a fitting name for a dessert that is delicious, easy to make, and visually appealing to so many.  Parfaits have been around since at least 1894 as part of French cuisine (source).  Traditionally they are a frozen custard-like dessert made from a base of sugar syrup, eggs and cream.  However, there are now many variations around the world.  In America, a parfait is a layered dessert served in a tall glass often consisting of ice cream or yogurt, fruits, nuts, granola, whipped cream, or even gelatin.  In any case, it’s definitely a dessert worth celebrating.  Try out this tasty yogurt parfait by Monin.  You’ll be sure to enjoy it! Bon appétit!

Monin Flavored Yogurt Parfait. Photo courtesy of Monin.

Monin Flavored Yogurt Parfait

1 cup yogurt

2 to 3 tablespoons Monin Premium Syrup

Fruits, nuts and/or granola

Mix your favorite flavor of Monin Syrup with yogurt and stir until combined.  Add more or less syrup for a bolder or milder flavor.  Choose fruit to complement syrup and yogurt flavor.  Spoon yogurt into parfait glass, alternating layers with your choice of fruit, nuts, and granola.  Top with more fruit, nuts, and granola.

The post Parfaits: The “Perfect” Dessert appeared first on Houston's Blog.

The French press method has been around forever, and its process is tried and true:  use a coarser-grind coffee so that it won’t pass through the mesh filter, pour about 5 ounces of 200-205 degree Fahrenheit water, let sit for about 30 seconds, pour another 10 or so ounces of water over the grounds (which should be floating by now) and steep for another 3 ½ minutes.  Press the plunger down to push the grounds to the bottom of the beaker.  French coffee is dense and heavy coffee, drinkable and full of flavor.  But it is susceptible to over-extraction so should be served very soon after steeping to avoid bitterness.  There are a couple of drawbacks to the French press method.  First, there is no way to avoid sediment in the bottom of your cup.  And secondly, the coffee needs to be consumed immediately for best results (although I’m not convinced this is a drawback.)  The advantages outweigh those negative aspects:  there are no paper filters to purchase or dispose of, the unit is easy to clean using just warm, soapy water, and brewing is simple and quick.  Best of all, the French press can also be used in place of a diffuser to brew loose leaf tea (same rules apply—don’t let your tea sit too long or it will become bitter.)  With many options available in size, construction, and quality, a French press coffee maker will cost anywhere from about $15 to upwards of $50.

Use the Aeropress to make espresso-like coffee in about 30 seconds. Photo Credit: Courtney Stroup

Designed in 2005 by Alan Adler, president of Aerobie, the Aeropress makes a cup of coffee with about the same strength as espresso, yet less acidic than drip coffee.  The contraption uses pressure to brew coffee, resulting in a strong and yet rounded beverage.  The grind should be slightly finer than that used with a paper filter, and the optimal water temperature is between 176-198 Fahrenheit.  First, steep coffee for 10-60 seconds depending on the grind you use and the strength you prefer, then force the coffee through the filter by pressing the plunger through the tube (the process is similar to using a syringe.)  The unit can also be used “inverted,” a process similar to that of the French press.  If you prefer the inverted method, feel free to use a coarser grind.  The drawbacks to this brewing method are that it only makes one small cup of coffee at a time, and it takes some time to become adept at using the unit to make the perfect cup of coffee.  The advantage is that the portable unit can travel with you, it is easy to clean, and an espresso-like coffee can be made without all the espresso equipment.  Depending on the amount of filters and the accessories you opt to purchase, an Aeropress Coffee and Espresso Maker will price out under $35.

The design of the Chemex has hardly changed since its 1941 inception. Photo Credit: Simon Wright

In 1941 Peter Shlumbohm created a manual, pour-over style glass container coffee maker that, in 1958, was included in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.  Wikipedia states that it has been lauded for being “one of the best-designed products of modern times” by designers at the Illinois Institute of Technology.  The Chemex design has barely changed since its inception in 1941, and is still making a cup of coffee with a nice aroma and a taste that isn’t overwhelmingly strong or bitter.  This coffee contraption has you brew your cup by placing the paper filter and the ground coffee into the flask.  Moisten the grinds, the pour the desired amount of water over the top.  This brewing method leaves you with a cup of coffee that tastes like no other because the proprietary paper filter removes nearly all the coffee oils; the result is a smooth, sediment-free cup of coffee.  The drawback to the Chemex is that you need to heat your water separately and if you brew a whole pot you will need to figure out how to keep the coffee warm.  It also takes a while for the hot water to pass through the filter, making it take a little longer to brew a cup.  Other than that, the portable unit can be taken anywhere hot water is available, even camping if you are so inclined.  And best of all, the Chemex retails for under $40!

Invented by Milanese design pioneer George Snowden, the Softbrew™ offers a simple infusion brewing system in which a stainless steel filter is placed in the center of a porcelain cup.  The filter is its masterpiece, with up to 160,000 holes, fine enough to block most grounds (except those “fines” that are supposed to pass through), leaving you with a thick, full-bodied cup of coffee that allows the drinker to taste subtle differences in different kinds of coffee.  The beauty of the Softbrew™ is that there are no directions for use.  Everything is decided by the user, including which variety to brew, how much coffee to use, how coarse or fine the grind, and the desired water temperature.  Experiment.  Learn what you like.  No squeezing is necessary.  No forcing, no pressing.  No over-filtering.  There is no wrong way to brew using this method.  Cleanup is easy, simply run the filter under the tap in your kitchen sink, or toss it in your dishwasher.  At approximately $60, the price is quite reasonable too.

The Technivorm coffeemaker is a graceful addition to your counter top. Photo Credit: Yara Tucek

The Technivorm, handmade in The Netherlands, outputs 10 cups of excellent coffee at a time.  Yes, this is an electric appliance, different from the others on the list.  But this is an exceptional unit, boasting an energy-efficient yet powerful copper heating element which allows for a consistent brewing temperature of approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit, unlike most home brewers which brew at about 185 degrees.  The filter is cone-shaped, improving the extracted flavor, and a pulse-action water feature allows for “the perfect coffee bloom, [and] precise coffee-water saturation time (4-6 minutes),” according to Technivorm.   The number one advantage to the this brewer is the outstanding coffee it consistently produces.  The consumer also has the option to purchase the unit with a glass or thermal carafe, whichever is their preference.  And the overall design of the Technivorm is a graceful addition to your countertop.  The drawback is the cost—the appliance will set you back about $300 for the 10-cup version, slightly less for the 8-cup.

There are many other brewing methods available to consumers, and if you are a coffee nut I would expect you either already know about them, already have a favorite, or these and others are on your list to research and investigate.  As the third wave of coffee continues to grow, though, I think it is worth finding the method that works best for you.  Do you already have a favorite?  Or will you check out some of these or others?  Let us know in the comments.

The post How Do You Brew? appeared first on Houston's Blog.

You can party Mardi Gras-style without traveling to New Orleans, though.  Get yourself a few strands of colorful beads and a mask, and make yourself a cocktail or two to celebrate the season.  Have you ever attended the festivities in New Orleans?  Or have you made your own party somewhere else?  Try out one of these French Quarter-inspired libations, and let us know how you like to celebrate…

Hurricane

2 ounces light rum

2 ounces dark rum

2 ounces passion fruit syrup

1 ounce orange juice

1 ounce lime juice

1 ounce dark rum

½ ounce simple syrup

½ ounce grenadine

Combine all ingredients in a shaker, strain into a large Hurricane glass filled with ice.  Garnish with an orange wheel and a cherry.

French 75

1 ½ ounces gin

¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ ounce simple syrup

¼ cup chilled dry sparkling wine or Champagne

Combine gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for 20 seconds.  Strain into a Champagne flute, then top with chilled sparkling wine.  Garnish with a lemon twist.

Blue Bayou Cocktail

1 ½ ounces vodka

½ ounce blue curacao

½ cup fresh pineapple

2 ounces grapefruit juice

For a frozen treat, blend ingredients in a blender with 1 cup crushed ice until smooth.  Pour into a cocktail glass.  Or combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake for 20 seconds, then pour into a cocktail glass.  Garnish with a pineapple wedge.

The post Feeling Festive? The Season of Mardi Gras is Upon Us! appeared first on Houston's Blog.

• 1/2 cup butter (unsalted if you have it)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups sliced onion
• 4 cans beef broth (10.5 ounce size)
• 2 Tablespoons dry sherry or red wine
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 slices French bread, toasted firm
• 4 slices provolone
• 2 slices Swiss cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Melt butter with olive oil on medium heat.  Add onions and stir until tender and translucent but not browned
2. Add beef broth, sherry or wine, and thyme.  Season with salt and pepper.  Simmer 45 minutes.
3. Ladle soup into French onion soup crocks and place one slice of bread on top of each bowl.  Add one slice Provolone cheese per bowl, 1/2 slice Swiss cheese, and 1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese.
4. Place bowls on a cookie sheet and broil on high until cheese bubbles and lightly browns.

The post French Onion Soup appeared first on Houston's Blog.