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Stefanie Van Aken

~ RSMLVTravel- Luxury Travel Design

Stefanie Van Aken

Tag Archives: Coffee

International Delight Iced Coffees

14 Tuesday Feb 2012

Posted by Stefanie Van Aken (RSMLVTravel) in Archive It

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Coffee, Coffee Walmart, Iced Coffee, International Delight, Walmart, WhiteWave

Iced coffee is the perfect summer time drink, especially here in the desert where temperatures can get way out of control.  An iced cold coffee always sounds so tempting to me on those days.  Normally, I would run out to my closest coffee shop or make my own, but the thought of being able to grab-and-go is quite inviting.  When International Delights asked me to participate in their campaign for their new Iced Coffee product, I was happy to try it out.

International delight iced coffee

On my first shopping mission to Wal-Mart, I looked for the International Delights Iced Coffee drinks in the places that seemed obvious to me where I would find a ready made iced coffee beverage.  I went straight to the specialty drinks in the refrigerator section, you know, the place where you would first check for things like coconut water, pomegranate juice, trendy iced teas…why not iced coffee?  Strike 1.  I then ventured over to the soda aisle in search of the canned Starbucks and Seattle’s Best coffee drinks.  Perhaps it’s not a refrigerated item?  Strike 2.  You know I had to grab my milk for the babies, so thought, where else could this product possibly be?  It’s got to be near the creamers at least!  I found the International Delight creamers, but no Iced Coffee product.  In fact, when I asked for help locating it, the employees were not familiar with the product.  Strike 3.  Needless To Say, when I made it home and reviewed my photos, I happened upon the beverage in the section next to the soy and almond milks.  Not where, as a consumer who enjoys specialty beverages, would think to look for an Iced Coffee product, especially since it was near other products that are considered healthier beverages.  None the less, made a second trip and grabbed the much sought after International Delights Iced Coffee drinks.

international delight iced coffee at walmart

Naturally, I couldn’t just taste test on my own!  Coffee is way more fun when done in the presence of others…good conversation makes for good coffee, so I invited a few of my friends over to give it a try.  In that mix was my sister, sister-in-law, some girlfriends and my grandmother.  She is the first person to introduce me to iced coffee, so it only seemed natural to learn her opinion.  I was a bit disappointed that there was not a hazelnut flavor, but offered up the Original, Vanilla and Mocha ones to sip and see.

We also had some tasty treats from a local bakery, and I grabbed a package of chocolate chip scones (ready to bake) and Pilsbury Disney themed Valentine’s cookies for the kids.  It was a Sunday afternoon, and the husband’s were out playing golf, so the moms brought their kiddos over.  While they played outside, enjoying the awesome Vegas weather in January, we sat inside chatting and enjoying our mid-afternoon snacks.

 

The majority ruled that the Original flavor provided the best taste.  It was the right balance of sweet and coffee flavors.  Runner up was the Vanilla, then Mocha.  I had bought a few extra, so was able to send some of my guests home with their favorite flavor.  Some of my girlfriends are “label readers”, so they would most likely not purchase the product due to some of the ingredients listed.  However, the other ladies liked the idea that it was ready-to-go and could easily throw it in a travel cup for their daily routine.  Some of the ladies even put it in their regular coffee for some added flavor.  My grandmother isn’t too big on sweet, so she preferred the Original flavor to the Mocha or Hazelnut.

It was a fun Sunday afternoon, thanks to International Delights Iced Coffee and some great friends and family to spend it with.

Want to learn more about my shopping trip?  Check out my Inside the Mind of a RockStarMom google+ album.

For more information on International Delights Iced Coffees, you can visit them on-line or follow them on Twitter and FaceBook.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All thoughts and opinions are my own.  #CBias #IcedCoffee

Smart and Final My Barista Moment Ambiance Coffees

25 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by Stefanie Van Aken (RSMLVTravel) in Archive It

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Coffee, Collective Bias, Donuts, First Street, Food, Las Vegas, My Barista Moment, Smart and Final, Social Fabric

I have found myself obsessed with coffee.  I never used to drink it.  Then I had two kids and was working full time.  I found myself needing it to get through the day.  You know the routine…coffee in the morning, wine at night.  Yup, admittedly, that’s me.  Same routine.  I was able to curve my coffee appetite a bit while pregnant with the twins, but after the babies were born, I picked up right where I left off.  The funny thing was that I never actually brewed my coffee.  I either ran to Starbucks, or made instant at home.  Nuts, I know, but it was just as easy since my husband isn’t much of a coffee drinker, so it just didn’t make sense for me to spend all that money on great coffee and make a whole pot that wouldn’t get drunk.  After almost two years of drinking instant coffee, I finally decided it was time to break down and get a coffee pot.  My parents had been using a Keurig for a couple of years, and I figured that would be the best option as it makes one cup at a time. Perfect!  I asked for one for Christmas, and it has since become my new favorite toy!  I’ve been having a great time testing out all the different coffee and hot chocolate options, and the cool thing is that it came with a “K” cup.  The “K” cup allows you to brew any coffee you want through the Keurig.  Awesome, right?  So, when I was asked to do a review of Smart and Final’s new Ambiance line of premium and gourmet coffees, I was stoked to try it out!

 

Smart and Final sent me a $50 gift card to try out their line of Ambiance coffee brands.  Naturally, I filled up my cart!  I just happened to be there at the right time because the prices were marked down to around $3.99 per pound, allowing my dollars to go a bit further.  I grabbed every brew flavor that was available to me: Hazelnut, French Vanilla, Kona, Rain Forest, House, French Roast, Italian Roast, Gourmet Supreme, and Costa Rican.  You know how I love to grab grocery items when available to me, so I also ran through the dairy section and snagged a few quarts of Horizon Whole Organic Milk with DHA for the babes and my kids’ favorite,  Simply Lemonade (also marked down).

smart and final groceries

Every time I walk into a Smart and Final, I ask myself why I don’t shop here more often.  The store near me is super clean and organized. Parking is easy and the location is convenient.  The employees are always friendly and helpful.  And, I always find what I need at great prices, available in both family friendly and individual sizes.  I also love that  they offer restaurant quality products because I feel like it adds variety to my shopping needs.  The coffees were very easy to find, and right next to the baking products, which was perfect because I was also going to try out my new mini-doughnut maker while sampling some of these fine coffees.  I chose their private label, First Street, for flour, butter made from cows not treated with rbST, and baking powder I needed for a separate recipe.  Next to the coffees were also some fun toppings to add to my cup of joe.  Vanilla and caramel flavored sugar and some mini-marshmallows for hot chocolate.  Grabbed those for the kids, then headed home.

 

It was time  to start playing with my new toys.  First things first, I opened up the Hazelnut, my favorite flavor for coffee, and made a cup using the Keurig “K” cup.  It had a great taste, but I would have preferred more of the hazelnut flavor.  I was just using the basic donut recipe included with the machine, and as I glanced through the recipes for glaze, I thought I would get creative and add some flavors of my own.  I love how the powder sugar and milk icing tastes alone, but I thought, why not try adding some of the hazelnut coffee to it?  And, while I’m at it, why not really make it great by adding some Nutella and chocolate powder to the mix.  Heaven.  Next up, French Vanilla.  Made myself a cup, then made an extra cup to experiment with more icing flavors.  Added the vanilla coffee to the powder sugar and milk icing for a nice glaze.  Then decided to add some maple syrup into mix…maple icing!   I enlisted my daughter to help me out.  She was my taste tester and sprinkle guru.  She was throwing out ideas for us to try…we added brown sugar and vanilla coffee, hazelnut and vanilla flavored maple syrup.

We made a huge mess.  Huge.  But it was so much fun, and the donuts turned out great.  We had fun sampling them.  As a neat surprise, my sister, mother and sister-in-law came over and my daughter carried the tray of doughnuts around and offered up our creations.  Of course, along with a cup of Smart and Final’s Ambiance coffees.  They all tasted a different flavor, agreeing how pleasantly surprised they were by the taste and consistency of the coffees.   I have tried them all!  I have to say the Kona and French Vanilla are my two favorites.  Just the right balance of bold for me in the Kona, and the French Vanilla has a real vanilla flavor that is neither sweet nor overpowering.

 

Ingredients for Basic Donut Batter (from Sunbeam Donut Maker recipe book):  (If you do not have the donut maker, it’s ok, just make the batter as directed, pour into an icing bag or large ziploc.  Cut the tip and squeeze out onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until golden brown.)

Makes: 10 | Prep: 5 mins. | Cooking: 6 mins each batch

It’s suggested to make the batter right before making the donuts.  You can keep un-iced donuts in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
9 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cups of milk
1 egg, lightly beaten

1.  Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.  Whisk in the butter, milk, and egg until mixture forms a smooth batter.  Transfer to pitcher or fabric piping bag.

2. Spray machine with cooking oil.  Fill bases of pre-heated donut rings with half the batter.  Close lid and cook for 6 minutes or until donuts are golden brown.  Transfer to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter to make 10 donuts in total.

Glaze:

Here’s the fun part!  Start with 2 cups of confectioners sugar and 2-2 1/2 tablespoons of milk.  Add the following ingredients to taste.  As you increase amounts, you may need to add more or less sugar, milk, coffee, etc. to get the glaze to the right consistency.  Use a wire whisk to get the best results in mixing.

Vanilla Glaze:

  • Confectioners Sugar
  • Milk
  • Brewed Ambiance French Vanilla coffee
Maple Glaze:
  • Confectioners Sugar (use about 1/2 cup less)
  • 1/2 cup of brown sugar
  • Milk
  • Maple syrup
  • Brewed Ambiance French Vanilla coffee
Chocolate Hazelnut Glaze:
  • Confectioners Sugar (use about 1/2 cup less)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Milk
  • Nutella (or chocolate hazelnut spread) to taste
  • Brewed Ambiance Hazelnut coffee
And 1,000,000 sprinkles in all sizes, shapes and colors to add even more fun!
To see more of my photos from this assignment, visit my RockStarMomLV Google+ album!

Super cool news! If you switch to Ambiance coffee from Smart & Final, you can go to www.smartandfinal.com/Ambiance2012  enter the code on the receipt from your purchase of Ambiance and be  entered to win some of these amazing prizes:

First Prize (one grand prize per week-3 total prizes): DeLonghi BCO264B Cafe Nero Combo Coffee/Espresso Maker, a $200 value!

Or one of six $50 SmartCash cards (Two winners per week, 6 winners total)

Plus visitors to the www.smartandfinal.com/Ambiance2012 will be able to vote for their favorite Ambiance Coffee recipe and everyone who votes will be entered for a chance to win $50 worth of Ambiance products! (6 winners – Two winners per week over the campaign)
Follow Smart and Final on FaceBook and Twitter #MyBaristaMoment.

This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for #collectivebias #CBias.  All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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