On November 8 and 9, the Greater Philadelphia expo played host to the 2nd annual Philly Coffee and Tea Festival. As the warm weather declines and winter rears its ugly head, the event offered a myriad of new and exciting products to stay warm this upcoming winter. Although I enjoyed all of the products, I thought these five in particular stood out and suggest you seek them out—stat:
Joseph Wesley Black Tea No. 4
Joseph Wesley offers single-origin, direct-trade teas that come in sleek packaging and taste equally smooth. The No. 4 blend comes from Dian Hong Congfu, near the foot of the Himalayas in China. It is a transparent red, and is robust and malty.
Hernan Mexican Hot Chocolate
In contrast to most hot chocolate, Mexican hot chocolate trades in candy sweet flavors for cinnamon, spices and dark chocolate with a bittersweet ending. Hernan’s offering was a beautiful light brown, and smooth-bodied with a full finish.
Andrews & Dunham Double Knit Blend
This custom-blended black tea is bright and mellow. The blend of Chinese and Ceylon tea makes for an interesting mix full of distinct notes of cherry and other berries.
Pour Richards Ethiopia
This local Devon roaster and coffee shop has continued to impress me since they first opened their doors. Their Ethiopia single origin is exactly what an Ethiopia should be—light with a desirably acidic body comprised of blueberry and cherry notes. This coffee is great for those who already drink specialty coffee, but also is a great gateway to get people into drinking specialty coffee, or just coffee in general.
Speakeasy Colombia Valle De Cauca
Speakeasy is a relatively new company that still hasn’t opened a coffee shop, but they will very soon if they continue to roast coffee this good. The Valle De Caucau is a robust, full-bodied single origin that wears its notes of smoky caramel and nuts proudly. This coffee is a perfect way to start your day in the dead of winter.
- Pour Richards Photo: Greg Taffer
