I'm wearing a hairnet. And I'm posting the photo on the internet for the world to see. And I'm pretty okay with it.
WHO AM I??
I have a wonderful giveaway for you today. But let me just tell you how it came about.
The Cuban Heritage Day Committee (of which I am a proud member) had a meeting at the Gaviña Coffee Roasters plant. You know how much I love coffee and I love the Gaviñas, so of course I said YES!
I've taken this tour a couple of times and I swear to you it never gets old. Plus the amazing fragrance of fresh coffee is everywhere and quite intoxicating.
The freshest beans, the highest standards, the most delicious coffee - it's not accidental that Café La Llave® is one of the best espressos out there. And for us Cubans, good espresso is...everything!
So we toured the beautiful plant. I'm not going to post photos of the rest of the committee in hairnets because I'd really, really like to keep my friends, thankyouverymuch.
But here we are afterwards, in all our Cubanity, after having toured and having been fed. And having had our über-fresh cortaditos.
I'm so grateful to our lovely host, Leonor Gaviña for her gracious hospitality. And to the Gaviña Coffee Roasters for their generosity in providing today's awesome coffee giveaway.
Full disclosure: I was given a bag of Gaviña Coffee Goodies to enjoy and another to give away. I was not otherwise compensated to write this post. The opinions and text remain my own.
The Gaviña Coffee Bag Giveaway contains the following:
- 1 Cafe La Llave® Espresso Green Tote Bag
- 1 Don Francisco's Coffee Mug (that's my fave)
- 1 lb. of Don Francisco's Coffee Family Reserve Breakfast Blend (ground)
- 4 - 2.5 oz samples of assorted Don Francisco's Coffees
- A box of 12 cups of Single Serve Don Francisco's Coffee Breakfast Blend - compatible with Keurig®, K-Cup® Brewers (not affiliated with Keurig, Inc.)
- 1 10 oz. Can Café Gaviña Espresso Coffee and Cappuccino Base
- 1 demitasse Café Gaviña Cup (that's Eric's fave)
To enter this drawing for the Gaviña Coffee Bag of Awesome,
Please leave a comment on this post and answer one or both of the following questions:
- Tell me your favorite coffee drink. (espresso, cortadito, macchiato...)
- Do you make it at home or do you go out in the world to find it?
Please leave your comment on this post and I'll choose one winner on Monday, June 8th, 2015 at 11am PST.
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy coffee, and that's pretty close."
Café con leche evaporado! At home and out. Luckily in Miami, no problems! A favorite is Versailles. Thanks Café La Llave for all the free café at theatre & other events!!!!
Posted by: Zelde | June 05, 2015 at 02:44 PM
Cafe con leche!!! Of course!! :) The best way, I make my own!!
Posted by: Cindy Casillas | June 05, 2015 at 02:47 PM
Café con leche, Cuban style (a pinch of salt included). I can't find it anywhere else around here, so I have to make it myself.
Posted by: Ernesto Ariel Suarez | June 05, 2015 at 02:47 PM
Cafe con leche, from the cafeteria.
Posted by: Grace O'Donnell | June 05, 2015 at 02:54 PM
Favorite coffee drink? Straight coffee - no additives. Summertime, brewed iced coffee & Americano's get put in the rotation.
Posted by: Pastor Gene | June 05, 2015 at 03:07 PM
Café con Leche, cortadito with evaporated milk (La Carreta)and Espresso. I take my coffee as the mood hits me. I JUST LOVE COFFEE.
Posted by: Ileana Dominguez | June 05, 2015 at 03:12 PM
I love cafe cubano any which way.... Con o sin espumita y con unas galleticas de arina cubanas para
acompañar eso es un habito que me enseño mi abuelita.
Posted by: Isa | June 05, 2015 at 03:21 PM
Cafe con leche, morning, and noon and Cortadito in the evening are my favorites! same for my 92 year old mami. Papi always had "un buchito" acabao de colar. And sooo, I'd like to WIN Gaviña Coffee Giveaway!
Posted by: Coral Infante Ortega | June 05, 2015 at 03:28 PM
Cafe con leche o un cortadito. Missouri is sadly lacking in cubanity So I have to make it myself.
Posted by: Adrianna Cuevas | June 05, 2015 at 03:39 PM
Espresso...DOUBLE! My husband makes it for me!
Posted by: Ericka Sanchez | June 05, 2015 at 04:35 PM
Cafe con leche made with leche evaporada is the best! I usually make it at home, but have an emergency stash of instant Cuban coffee in the office. The one person who makes the BEST cafe con leche anywhere is my Tia Daisy!
Posted by: Gloria Palacio | June 05, 2015 at 04:39 PM
Café con leche is my favorite and I make it at home ...
Posted by: Marie Morgan | June 05, 2015 at 04:48 PM
Yo quiero cafe con leche,
Que sea mitad y mitad
Y da me una panatela
Y yo quiero nada mas.
I make it myself. There are no cafes that make it in NE PA!
Posted by: Mike Manzano | June 05, 2015 at 04:51 PM
Cafe con leche usually made at home. Recently I discovered the Strbx Flat White and that is my alternative when I have a CCL emergency on the streets of Atlanta!
Posted by: Maurice | June 05, 2015 at 05:13 PM
I love Cortaditos! Mami has been making them forever! Then she taught me how to do it and I can't get enough. But I'd rather have the Cortaditos from Versailles in Maimi!!!! I love those!!!
Posted by: Angelica weber | June 05, 2015 at 05:14 PM
I love in Cortadito but a Cafe con Leche con galletas de Maria is a guilty pleasure. We are about to have a huge big fat Cuban family reunion and that coffee would bring so much joy to the whole family!
Posted by: Eva | June 05, 2015 at 05:14 PM
Cafe con Leche made with Cafe La LLave...add some can milk like my grandmother taught me and I'm in Heaven! - at least until I get to the bottom of the cup!
Posted by: Jackie | June 05, 2015 at 05:25 PM
Cafe de Olla and Vietnamese iced coffee. I try to make them.
Posted by: Julia B. | June 05, 2015 at 05:27 PM
I grab a Chinet Comfort Cup, put a Buselo (sorry Llave) k-cup in my machine, sprinkle some cinnamon in with my fat free half and half and enjoy!! #takemyowncoffeetowork !!!
Posted by: Angela Garcia | June 05, 2015 at 05:31 PM
Hello Marta! You look fabulous with that hairnet. It reminds me of the I love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel worked in the candy factory.
Let me start off by saying, that my kids better not wake me up in the morning, unless they are bringing me a cup of coffee...Seriously! I love my coffee! American, Double Shot Cappucino, and in the summer, Iced with Coffeemate Dulce de Leche Creamer. On my trip to Miami last month...I discovered the Cortadito!My new favorite. Did I mention, I love Coffee!!
Posted by: Irma | June 05, 2015 at 05:50 PM
I love cafecito! I only get to have it when I visit my aunt. I don't have a Cuban coffee maker. But, I love it. I remember waking up in the mornings to my mom "tapping" the filter part against the sink to remove the grinds from the night before (of course, she had her cafecito after dinner). Ahhh, the memories. She's deceased now so I embrace the smell and the memories.
Posted by: Lynn Runge | June 05, 2015 at 06:21 PM
Some days I love just a good old cup of coffee from home, other days nothing beats a hot mocha with cinnamon from our local bakery!
Posted by: Melissa Bechtold | June 05, 2015 at 07:09 PM
Cafe con leche
I make it at home in my cafetera.
Posted by: Laura | June 05, 2015 at 07:18 PM
Cafe con leche evaporada!! I usually make it at home but El Rinconcito Latino recently started making it with Evap so I occasionally get it there! La Carreta also makes Evap!
Posted by: Kiki Bacaro | June 05, 2015 at 07:29 PM
I've never heard of this Gaviña coffee here in Michigan. Is it as good as my old stand by, Bustelo? If so, maybe they need some mid-west representation, huh? I might just have the guy for the job! LOL Oh, what were the questions again? Oh yeah, well every morning I take a big American style mug (mine has Bulldogs on it if you must know) and fill it about a little over a third of the way with Bustelo (perdonenme Gaviña people). If I'm being honest, it comes out to about almost a whole cafetera's worth. I know that's a hella caffeine but, as the song goes, I like it like that. Then I add about two and a half spoonfuls of brown sugar and straight up canned evaporated milk til it's a nice light brown. I sip on that for quite some time as I go through my morning email/internet catch-up. So good and, even better, one heck of a waker-upper. No idea what it's called as I kinda just made it up one morning some time ago. Care to venture any name ideas, Martica?
Posted by: Mario L. | June 05, 2015 at 08:15 PM
Cafe con leche with evaporated milk. Make it at home
Posted by: Cathy | June 05, 2015 at 08:50 PM
I love it just plain so I can taste the rich flavor. My second favorite is cafe con leche made with evaporated milk. We only use La Llave at work and we make it twice a day for the staff. We love it so this gift would be enjoyed by the entire office so please pick me! It would win me points at work.
Posted by: Maria Prieto | June 05, 2015 at 10:43 PM
Every morning when I wake up, the first thing as I open my eyes is to make my expresso, then I go about my other daily routine.and again is coffee time this time café con leçhe.
Years algo I picked up a bag OF Café La Llave, and its been my favorite since, in fact I was living in Puerto Rico then, and started taking ir for my friends, every time I came to Miami, now I moved back to Miami. and I think they misa Café La Llave more than me
Now I take it to my friends in Cuba when I go, it's a must, Café La Llave isla the first thing I pack, and they love ir...
Posted by: Roberto Rodriguez | June 06, 2015 at 04:33 AM
Evaporadito ( cortadito made with evaporada) make it at home or travel 100 miles to the Nearest Carreta
Posted by: Ana marrero | June 06, 2015 at 04:54 AM
Cortadito rules! When not in Miami, I make my own with my Gaggia espresso maker! Love your spumita recipe
Posted by: Amy Gutierrez | June 06, 2015 at 07:03 AM
I would la la LOVE to win this! My favorite drink is a white chocolate americano with coconut milk :)
Posted by: Heather S | June 06, 2015 at 07:05 AM
1.Un cortadito made at home. Here in the seacoast of NH we're lucky to find cafe to make at home.
2. NH Coffee Roasters' Cafe Nica....cafe americano brewed at home.
Posted by: Celia Coy | June 06, 2015 at 07:14 AM
Cafe con leche.
Living in Grants Pass, Oregon the only way to get one is to make it at home in my cafetera.
Posted by: Sue | June 06, 2015 at 07:58 AM
My absolute favorite is espresso. My husband, the CCM,(Cuban Coffee Maker)of the family makes espresso and American coffee every morning. Since I wake up on the Cuban side of the bed, I need the espresso first followed by the American coffee because I'm that too. He runs on less octane; so he just needs espresso and cafe con leche. By the way, I have been buying Cafe La Llave for years, and I can tell you it's an excellent product.
Posted by: Dania Zuniga | June 06, 2015 at 09:30 AM
My favorite, corttadito....I have to make it at home...if we want to get it elsewhere, we have to drive 45 minutes to Union City, NJ to go to Cuban places on Bergenline Avenue...
Recently came across your blog, I love it and feel at home reading it. Your life mirrors mine...it feels like a I know you and your family for a long time. By the way made your pastelitos de guayaba recipe.....hubby loved them...
Thanks...
Posted by: Maite Rios | June 06, 2015 at 11:10 AM
Cafe con leche at my house ( the only Cuban place in Columbia SC)
Posted by: Neli | June 06, 2015 at 12:18 PM
I like a vanilla latte when I am not having plain coffee and yes I have to buy it since I wouldn't try making it.
Posted by: Kelly D | June 06, 2015 at 12:20 PM
Un buen cortadito con bastante espumita, una delicia!
Posted by: Tere Trujillo | June 06, 2015 at 01:35 PM
Café con leche is the favorite at my house.
Posted by: Andreaaa | June 06, 2015 at 03:15 PM
My Cuban coffee recipe: 1 pot of Gavina espresso coffee
Heavy whipping cream, heated and using an
aerolatte to whip it up
Some Swiss Miss Dark Cocoa powder
Sugar
Mmmmmm! Pure Heaven in the morning!
Posted by: Marie | June 06, 2015 at 03:20 PM
1. Cortadito at home, Cafe' con lecheche when I'm out in the world.
2. I'm the only one in my house who drinks Cafe' Cubano. I do love to make it but, it's not as often as I'd like.
When I'm in Miami "visitando familia", I obsess over cafe con leche, mainly because I can go just about anywhere and find one during the mornings. There's nothing better than finding someone who will make it for you, THE RIGHT WAY.
Posted by: Alex C. | June 06, 2015 at 04:07 PM
Love Americanos. We make them at home.
Posted by: Paula Davis | June 06, 2015 at 04:18 PM
My favorite is Expresso straight up , no sugar so I get the full flavor of the cafe , I make it at home ,old school in the sock and I also purchase at the local West Tampa / Ybor City Cuban Bakeries!
Posted by: Leo Alvarez | June 06, 2015 at 06:22 PM
Ah! Espresso drinks & sorry to say, Starbucks. Trying to perfect my coffee making skills- my grandmother was the coffee maker in the family & I miss it so!
Posted by: valerie | June 06, 2015 at 08:35 PM
Cortadito con leche condensada
Posted by: Debi@grapenc.com | June 06, 2015 at 09:15 PM
I am a iced coffee person! but my Cuban husband love his cuban coffee, & will take it anywhere & anyhow he can get t ! this would be so cool to win for him!
Posted by: crazeindn@sbcglobal.net | June 06, 2015 at 10:20 PM
My favorite coffee drink in the world is un cortadito from any Cuban cafeteria in Miami. I'm a daughter of Cuban immigrants living abroad, and while the coffee in Europe is pretty good, it's just not the same as a sweet espresso of La Llave, Bustelo, you name it. Cafe con leche is also a top contender, but without some buttery Cuban tostada it's pretty much pointless. I would LOVE this bag of coffee goodness! <3 Thanks for your recipes and your stories. I follow along with lots of joy and nostalgia for a taste of home.
Posted by: Yvette | June 07, 2015 at 02:16 AM
We love Café la Llave and our favorite coffee drinks are a Café Laté and Caramel Macchiato. We usually make them at home with either our Keruig or our cafetera. My husband loves the Don Fransisco k-cups. As a born and raised Cuban, drinking café or coffee is a norm in our house and with our family. Gracias Marta for sharing this giveaway and for your Awesome blog.
Posted by: Ivon | June 07, 2015 at 06:48 AM
It's just the simple French Roast (I'm drinking some now!), that's my coffee of choice. I've tried many different kinds (and brands) but I just keep coming back to Don Francisco's French Roast.I make it myself, usually in the company of pets who wonder why I am in the kitchen and not feeding them. I am totally envious that you got to tour the plant, I would LOVE to just smell the coffee roasting there, they would probably have to drag me out (and they would be well advised to check inventory before they let me go!).
Posted by: Tim | June 07, 2015 at 07:19 AM
I have a love affair w/ cafe con leche, and once in and while, we 3some w/ a tres leche cake. When I go home (Florida), my favorite restaurant, "La Teresita," makes it for me. Otherwise, I make espresso in my Keurig. Sincerely, Roxene Gonzalez
Posted by: mamaroxi69@yahoo.com | June 07, 2015 at 09:39 AM