This evening my husband and I went to a coffee tasting at Starbucks along with about fifteen other coffee lovers. There was plenty of information about the different types of coffee plants, the ideal coffee growing regions, single origin coffee, roasting methods, and fair trade. I found it interesting at the moment but I am not able to recount any of the technical jargon. We were given Kona coffee to taste by itself and to taste again with chocolate. We then tried the Kona coffee with mango. There was a distinct difference in the flavor of each sip. I liked it best alone or with chocolate, but others liked it with mango. We tasted Guatemalan Antigua by itself and then with caramel and apples. I loved the apples and found the coffee pleasant. We tasted a third coffee, a special blend made by the barista, with no accompaniment, which was also enjoyable. All the tasting and all the talk was fun, but I kept going back to the Kona – it is rich without being harsh and, even without the chocolate, has a hint of cocoa that stays long after the cup is empty.
