Monsooned Malabar Coffee

Monsooned Malabar Coffee

Monsooned Malabar is a new coffee on the Trader Joe’s shelves (Spring 2017).  It is a medium roast 100% Arabica whole bean coffee, and the label bills it as “full body, woodsy aromatics”.  AROMATICS?  Hmmm, they are using what I think of as an adjective as a noun here, aren’t they?  Let’s look up “aromatics”, shall we??

I checked out http://www.cooksmarts.com/articles/add-flavor-aromatics/  and learned this:  “Aromatics are combinations of vegetables and herbs (and sometimes even meats) that are heated in some fat – like butter, oil, or coconut milk – at the beginning of a dish. The heated fat helps these ingredients release addictive aromas and impart deep flavors into the dish that’s being cooked.”

Well, this is COFFEE so I know they do not mean that definition.  “Aromatics” as a plural adjective sounds awkward to me, but maybe that is just because I haven’t used it that way before.  Let’s assume they have a grammar expert on payroll at Trader Joe’s corporate and roll with it, ok?

NOW LET’S STOP BEING GRAMMAR NAZI-WANNA-BEs and SKIP TO THE REVIEW!!

This can (10 oz) is smaller than most other Trader Joe’s coffee cans.  It is a short, squat can with pretty monsoon-like artwork. 

Coffee - the civilized way to start a day

Let’s see what David thinks of it, “I like it very much.  It is very smooth and very richly full-bodied.  “Wood-sy flavor” be any better if I knew what to call it??  (Bwahahaha – a little breakfast humor there from David, riffing on the “woodsy flavor” line on the label.)  I am gonna give this a 4.5.”

David tasting the product (and reading the paper).  He is using my currently 2nd favorite coffee mug - HRC.  Isn't it pretty?

As for me, I don’t get the “woodsy flavor” reference.  It doesn’t taste like sitting round a campfire (burning wood) or Deep Woods Off insect repellent to me.  When I mentioned this to David, he thought it meant “wood like autumn”, but that doesn’t make sense either, since they are selling it in the spring… 

$6.99 a can

I agree with David that this is a nice, smooth coffee.  It is not quite as strong as I prefer my coffee, but I liked it.  I think it is perfect for David (who prefers his coffee a bit lighter than I do).  I have no complaints about this coffee.  I can’t say it is the BEST cup of coffee I have ever had in my whole life, but it is better than some of the weak, boring varieties we have tried from TJs.  This is a fine cup of joe.  I give it a 4.

And since ol’ Neil Gorsuch endured day 2 of grilling today, I will include a photo of my current favorite coffee cup here.  It features none other than Notorious RBG, the most bad ass Supreme Court Justice ever.  May she be healthy and strong for at least 4 more years!!!  GO RUTH!!

RBG - fearlessly defined

Price:  $6.99

Rating:  4.25

Day 217 - Columbia Supremo Coffee

Well, another can of Trader Joe’s coffee.  Some time I need to add up just how much we spent on different COFFEES for this blog.  We typically drink one cup of coffee each for breakfast and then call it a day.  Which, considering our recent influx of coffee making materials, is pretty hilarious.

We went to see a taping of “The Price is Right” in Los Angeles in January of this year.  Surprisingly, my sweetie David got CALLED ON DOWN!  Sadly, he almmmmmmmmmmmmmmmost won us a new teeny tiny adorable car.  But don’t be too sad, because he DID win something!  Yes siree – he won a whole list of things!

·         A coffee bean grinder

·         A coffee maker

·         An espresso maker

·         And AN ELECTRIC SKATEBOARD (complete with remote control and helmet!!)

David in his awesome Price is Right nametag

My sisters, David, and I showing a little Price is Right enthusiasm

Here is a photo taken the last week of July – David with his winnings.

Wow - that's a lot of Cuisinart...

What’s that you say?  Where is the electric skateboard (with remote control and helmet)???  Oh, that hasn’t come yet.  Hahaha.  But he HAS gotten the 2 coffee makers and coffee bean grinder!  (We have not taken them out of their boxes yet, but he has ‘em!)

So the reason it is funny is because we have no counter space to set up not one, but two, coffee makers.  Eventually we will move stuff around to accommodate something, probably the espresso maker.  But for now we have our old one on the counter.  :)  And around 80% of the time I use an Italian metal coffee maker that you put on the stove top to make coffee – that’s what I used to make today’s java. 

If you would like to see a video we made of David’s hilarious appearance on Price is Right (you can see the car he ALMOST won and also watch him hit $1.00 on the big wheel!!!) click here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZMXDAzUOU8

Back to the review - Columbia Supremo Coffee in our Trader Joe's cart

Now, back to the review of this particular coffee, NOT made in our new Espresso maker or ground in our new coffee bean grinder.

David – smooth, mild, and mellow.

Susan – fine.  Nothing super special.  No “wow” factor.  Not a coffee that makes me go, “What IS this coffee???  I MUST have it again”.  Rather, it might make me think, “Hmmm, ok, let me finish this cup of coffee then get about  my day”. 

2 mugs of steaming hot Columbia Supremo coffee

It bills itself as “Supremo” but I think that is over promising.  It should be called “Columbia Regularo”.  On the can it talks about the beans being roasted to a “medium level, offering a medium body…”.  It doesn’t mention MEDIUM TASTE, but it should. 

Medium roast, medium taste.

I am still on the hunt for the perfect Trader Joe’s coffee to use in the new coffee makers. 

Price – $6.99

Rating - 3