Category: coffee

January 30th: Morning Cup

I was up pretty early this morning. Due to the pending snow on Monday, I had to travel to my allergist’s office to pick up the serum for my weekly allergy shots. The office is about an hour and a half away from my house, and they are only open until 12 pm.

On mornings like this, I tend to stop at Starbucks, but I weirdly wasn’t in the mood for a creamy and sugar coffee drink. I wanted something yummy, light, and not too sweet.

One of my favorite coffee shops in the Lehigh Valley is called The Joint. There are two locations, but I love the hole in the wall shop off of Broad Street in Bethlehem. They have pour-over coffee options, which I love. They roast their coffee and have so many options for their pour-overs.

My go-to pour over there is their Bourbon Barrel coffee. They store these unroasted beans in bourbon barrels for 30 days before roasting. This coffee is robust, full of flavor, and naturally a tad sweet.

This was such a wonderful treat for an early and long car ride on a Saturday morning.

Happy Saturday! ☕️

January 29th: Morning Cup

The commute from Milford to Scranton typically takes about an hour. On mornings like this morning, this means I’m more in a treat to self kind of mood. I usually do the hour commute every other Friday. This allows me to treat myself without feeling like I’m overindulging.

Henry’s on Clay is a cute coffee shop in Dunmore, PA. It is also only about 5 minutes from my work. They have good coffee and delicious gluten-free breakfast, lunch, and brunch options!

You can place an order ahead of time and schedule a pickup time. I love this feature because I place my order in bed, get ready, drive an hour, and pick up my breakfast on my way to work. Easy Peasy.

This morning for breakfast is got an omelet with spinach, tomatoes, and Munster cheese. ( I know, weird, but it’s my fav cheese). And I got their home fries; Henry’s home fries are out of this world!!

For coffee, even though it’s in the single digits in the Pennsylvania mountains today, I got cold brew. Henry’s had unique flavors, so I got a large cold brew with cookie butter flavoring and oat milk. It’s decadent yet not too sweet.

Happy Friday! 🎉

January 28th: Morning Cup

This morning was so cold, and I just knew I needed something warm. I am in Milford today, so my local coffee options are Milford’s Daily Grind and Sparkomatic Cafe and Talkhouse.

I tend to favor the Sparkomatic due to their menu, coffee selection, and overall vibe. They have an extensive allergy/ diet menu. They offer many Gluten Free, Vegetarian, and Vegan options. I love getting their tagalong cookies that are gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan. They are out of this world.

Today though, the Sparkomatic was closed due to some renovations, so my next option was Milford’s Daily Grind.

Milford’s Daily Grind is a great grab and goes, quick coffee option in town. I tend to get a latte from them since they have solid espresso and a wide variety of flavoring options.

This morning I got a large hot latte with whole milk with one flavor pump of vanilla and one flavor pump of brown sugar cinnamon. It is just the warming and cozy drink I needed.

Cheers to Thursday ☕️

January 27th: Morning Cup

Today I wanted something that wasn’t coffee. Shocking right??

I also wanted something hot in temperature and warm in feeling. This made me turn to a chai latte.

I grabbed a large chai latte with oat milk and 2 pumps of vanilla from Kats Daily Grind. I love pairing oat milk with chai because it sweetens the drink without it being over-sweetened. I also love adding vanilla to my drinks for an extra flavor dimension.

Cheers to Wednesday! ✨

Maria Does Coffee: Why is Grind Size So Important?

So does the infamous question “does size really matter” apply to coffee grounds? Oh yeah, it does!

Brewing next level coffee at home requires patience and dedication. But many don’t have the time nor the patience for coffee brewing. One way to help increase the taste and flavor of coffee without adding too much extra work is considering your grind size.

Each coffee brewing method requires a specific grind size for optimal flavor. This allows the coffee and water and brewing method to work in unison to create the best cup of coffee possible.

Luckily, most ground coffee you get in the store is more likely to be a medium ground, which is perfect for your automatic coffee maker at home! If you’re looking to up your automatic brewing game, try grinding your coffee at home!

If you are interested in brewing with other brewing methods, grinding your coffee is easier than locating specific grind sizes of coffee beans to brew with. Like I stated before, most bag coffee in grocery stores is a medium grind, which isn’t optimal for other brewing methods. This makes finding the specific grind size you need harder. If you were to buy whole beans and grind the coffee yourself, you could use your favorite beans in any brewing method you choose!

Here are the steps you need to take to level up your coffee brewing by choosing the right grind size.

Step One: choose your coffee brewing method. Grab yourself a $10 French press or dust off the percolator your grandmother passed down to you!

Step Two: research what grind size is needed for optimal brewing. For cold brew and French press, you’ll need a coarser grind size. For espresso and aero press, you’ll need a finer grind size.

Step Three: look into buying a coffee grinder. You don’t need an expensive grinder to get started. I began brewing coffee with a $15 coffee/spice grinder. Even though I recommend grinding your coffee, if your grind size is supposed to be a medium grind, you’re in luck that you can grab some grounds from the grocery store no problem!

Step Four: choose your favorite coffee beans – make sure to grab them whole if you’re grinding them yourself.

Step Five: figure out the grind setting on your grinder and grind that coffee! I always recommend grinding it right before you brew it to have the freshest coffee, but you definitely can grind ahead of time if you need to!

Step Six: brew your coffee with your newly ground coffee and enjoy!

& it’s that easy to have a better cup of coffee! Brewing extra delicious coffee doesn’t need to happen overnight, nor does it require fancy equipment. Do what you can, where you can, however you can. Small steps collected over time lead to stellar coffee!

If you have any questions about grind size, drop them in the comments! & if you like this guide, keep an eye out for more in the future!

Happy Brewing!

7 Cozy Fall Coffee Shop Drinks

I have been trying a bunch of different fall drinks this fall season! I have rounded up my top 7 fall drinks for you to try at your local or favorite chain coffee shop!
These drinks range from more classic pumpkin spice flavored drinks to apple flavors to spice flavors!

#1 Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

I typically grab this drink at Starbucks but I know some other coffee shops have tried to create a similar drink. I highly recommend trying this drink at Starbucks!
It tastes like pumpkin pie in a cup! It is cold, creamy, and sweet. If you are looking for a new spin on pumpkin drinks, definitely try this one!

#2 Harvest Spice Latte

This was such a fun and unique fall drink! I got this drink from Scout’s Café in High Bridge, NJ. This drink was light, creamy, sweet, and a hint of spice. They use an excellent espresso for their espresso-based drinks, which made this drink even more stunning—a perfect option for those looking for a fall drink that doesn’t contain pumpkin, haha.

#3 Candy Apple Chai

I got this drink at a cute little coffee shop in Dunmore, PA called Henry’s on Clay. Dang, this was a delicious drink. This drink was sweet and spicy at the same time. It tasted almost exactly like a candy apple. If you’re an apple fan over pumpkin, you need to try this drink asap!

The drink below isn’t the Candy Apple Chai!
(I couldn’t find a picture of it. But here is another one of their gorgeous drinks!)

#4 Apple Cider Steamer

Holy Moly, this drink was stunning. It tasted like a caramel apple. I got this drink at Electric City Roasting Co. in Peckville, PA.
If you are looking for a caffeine-free fall drink, THIS IS IT! This drink wowed me, and it was perfect before a full day of fall activities!

#5 Pumpkin Matcha

We can’t forget about matcha in the fall! I recommend adding a few pumps of pumpkin spice flavoring to your matcha drink. I tried this at Starbucks and was pleasantly surprised. I gravitate towards this drink on chilly mornings when I don’t want a ton of caffeine and when I want a more subtle drink.

#6 Pumpkin Spice Chai

This has been a go-to at my local coffee shop, Kay’s Daily Grind in Daleville, PA. I love the spicy flavors of chai during the fall. Adding pumpkin to chai brings it to another level. I like this drink as a cozy, everyday drink. If you are looking for a fall-themed drink with less caffeine, try this!

#7 Pumpkin Spice Latte

Classic. I’ve gotten a few PSL from my local coffee shop, Kay’s Daily Grind, in Daleville, PA. For a new spin on this classic, try a PSL at a local coffee shop instead of a chain coffee shop. Each local coffee shop has their own spin on PSL, and it will give you some variety.

I fell in love with a coffee shop in Selfoss, Iceland.

In the South of Iceland, on route 1, is a little town called Selfoss. We stayed at an Airbnb a few miles from Selfoss. Selfoss quickly grasped my heart. This town had everything we could have asked for; grocery stores, nature, gas stations, shops, and a coffee shop.

Bokakaffid is a book store and coffee shop rolled into one. There are little tables tucked in every corner of this quaint book store. They shelves are lined with Icelandic and English books of all sorts.

It was a dream sitting in this coffee shop/ book store relaxing on the days we weren’t driving all over. I ordered my favorite espresso drink, a cappuccino, and paroozed the bookshelves. I also was able to grab Kleinur, which is an Icelandic donut. I quickly fell in love with this coffee shop.

There were many coffee shops in Iceland that had great coffee and that I enjoyed their atmosphere, but Bokakaffid really topped them all.

I cannot wait to return to Selfoss one day and spend an afternoon drinking coffee and relaxing there.

You can learn more about Selfoss here: https://www.south.is/en/inspiration/towns/selfoss

You can learn more about Bokakaffid here: https://bokakaffid.business.site/

You can learn more about Kleinur here: https://www.biteoficeland.com/kleinur-icelandic-doughnuts/

My Favorite Iced Starbucks Drinks

Iced Starbucks Blonde Cocoa Cloud Macchiato 

This drink has quickly become my absolute favorite at Starbucks. This is my Treat Yo Self drink. I get it as big as I can and savor every last drop. The title may be intimidating, so I will break this drink down for you. 

Macchiato: This drink is espresso shots with flavoring and foam. That’s it! 

Blonde: This is the Blonde espresso shots at Starbucks. Whenever I get an espresso drink at Starbucks, I always get the Blonde shots. I like lighter roasted coffee and prefer the Blonde shots over the regular espresso shots. 

Cloud: This is a type of cold foam that Starbucks has for its Macchiatos, and I am obsessed with it. They use egg white powder when they make the cold foam, so it gives the foam a meringue texture. I love meringue, which means I am obsessed with this cloud foam. 

Cocoa: The Cocoa part of this Macchiato drink is a drizzle of caramel sauce and a drizzle of mocha sauce. Additionally, there are 2 pumps of toffee nut syrup. I actually trade that out for only 1 pump of vanilla syrup.

This drink tastes like heaven to me! The flavors of mocha, caramel, and vanilla definitely bring this drink to another level. 

If this drink sounds yummy to you, I would highly recommend trying this ASAP!!!! 

Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte 

I LOVE matcha. If you don’t know what matcha is, it is ground up green tea leaves and is full of antioxidants. It’s good to know that Starbucks used matcha that is sweetened with sugar. Other places that serve matcha may not add sugar to their matcha powder. 

I love the flavor of green tea! I find that this drink is very refreshing, and it has less caffeine then a coffee-based drink you would get (it still has a decent amount of caffeine though). 

For me, this drink is sweet enough, and I typically get it unsweetened. I do love vanilla flavoring with matcha. If you are looking to sweeten this drink, definitely add vanilla flavor pumps. 

Cold Brew with Cold Foam 

I love Cold Brew coffee. I also love cold foam. So any Cold Brew coffees with cold foam are right up my alley.

I tried the Irish Cream Cold Brew in December when it was out, and Woah! was it good. I love the smooth cold brew coffee mixed with the creamy flavor of the cold foam.

I am eager to try to their Cold Brew with Salted Honey Cold Foam!!

Iced Green Tea 

This has been a go-to Starbucks staple for me. I get this completely unsweetened. If you are looking for something refreshing and don’t want something sweet or super caffeinated, definitely try this! 


I would love to know your favorite iced Starbucks drinks! Let me know your favorite iced Starbucks drinks in the comments!

Brewing Coffee At Home

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m obsessed with coffee big time.

Considering all of us are stuck at home for a while, I thought I would talk about some at-home brewing methods I am using daily and some fun ones to try! Here are my top 5 coffee brewing ideas to try at home:

  1. Cold Brew Coffee
    I love love love cold brew coffee; one of my favorite coffees to get at my local coffee shop is a black nitro cold brew. IT IS THE BOMB!
    I love how creamy, smooth, and not acidic cold brew coffees are and wanted to try to make it at home.
    So far, I have tried making cold brew in my large French press. I used a med/coarse ground coffee(I do 2 tbsp for every 6 oz of water) and added that to my French press. I added room temperature water and put the press/ lid on top but did not press it down. I put my French press in my refrigerator and let it sit overnight (approx. 15 hours). I took the French press out of the fridge and pressed my coffee. Then you are ready to pour and enjoy!
    I also decided to order a cold brew coffee maker to make my life easier because French presses become cumbersome to clean regularly. I ordered the Cold Brew Mason Jar Coffee Maker by Country Line Kitchen on Amazon. I am patiently waiting for its arrival. I choose this cold brew maker because while reading reviews for other cold brew makers, people said the glass breaks easily. The brewer I bought is already made with durability in mind because it is made from a mason jar. I ordered the 1-quart option because that is about 2-3 days worth of coffee for me. They also have a 2-quart option if you drink a lot of coffee, want to make coffee once a week, or have multiple people in your house drinking cold brew. I also really liked this cold brew maker because of the easy pour lid and removable stainless steel filter. Once I get the coffee maker, I will make sure to let you know if it’s as excellent as I expect it to be.
  2. French Press Coffee
    I have a 2 cup French Press, and that thing is my best friend. I drink my coffee black, and there is nothing like a delicious, dark, rich cup of coffee from a French press. If you have a French press, awesome! Get that thing out for some quick and delicious coffee. If not, I suggest you grab one because I am learning some cool new tricks with mine, and you’ll need one to try them!
    I use 2 tbsp of coarse grounds for every 6 oz of water for my French press. ( many people recommend weighing your coffee for a more precise ratio, but how many of you at home have kitchen scales? I want this to be easy for you!!) I add my grounds to the bottom of my French press and boil water in my electric kettle. I pour the boiling water over the grounds and make sure all grounds are saturated with water. Once your done pouring set a time for 4 minutes. ( I also sometimes add my lid but make sure it is not touching the grounds floating on top). After the 4 minutes, press and enjoy! It’s that easy.
    I recently learned another method of brewing in a French press from Electric City Roasting Co. They do live brewing tutorials on Instagram during the week, and I am obsessed with them. They went over this second method, and I have been using it ever since.
    I use the same ratio of 2 tbsp of grounds for every 6 oz of water. I use a more medium grind for this method instead of the more traditional coarse ground for a French press. I do the same thing for the French press except for the last steps. Once I pour my boiling water, I do not cover my coffee with the lid. I wait 4 minutes, and then I take a spoon and push the coffee gently down into the water a bit ( called folding). You will start to see grounds float to the bottom. I usually do this folding 2-3 times. Then you’ll see a small foamy, lighter colored top layer (called crème). Scoop that off and get rid of it. Once it’s gone, add your lid, but DO NOT press. The top helps with pouring the hot coffee. The grounds that floated to the bottom should stay there, so pour and enjoy!

    *Here is another trick for your French press. You can add milk to your French press and repeatedly plunge until you create foam. The foam stays colder and is perfect for adding to your cold brew coffee or even iced coffee!!*
  3. Regular Automatic Coffee Maker
    You are probably reading this thinking, Maria, this all sounds great, but I do not have a French press and cannot get once anytime soon. 

    THAT IS OKAY! 

    I recommend grabbing a coffee from a local coffee shop/ micro-roaster to treat yourself while you’re at home. Stick with the 2 tbsp to 6 oz water ratio, and you’ll be enjoying your cup of joe in no time! 

    I may be a bit bias, but Electric City Roasting Co. has incredible coffee. You can order from them through this link: https://electriccityroasting.com/.

  4. Whipped Coffee / Dalgona Coffee Trend
    I was very eager to try this internet trend and tried it this weekend! I was shocked that I loved this drink so much. I used Mount Hagen Organic Fair Trade instant coffee. I made enough for me to have a large glass and a little extra for my dad to try. Everyone has been using a 1:1:1 ratio for the whipped coffee. I used 3 tbsp of instant coffee, 3 tbsp of sugar, and 3 tbsp of water. I manually whipped the coffee with a whisk, and it took me about 15 minutes to whisk by hand. I also let the whipped coffee chill in the refrigerator right after whipping for about 5ish minutes. This made it stiffer and lighter. When it came out of the fridge, it was the perfect stiff consistency. I used oat milk for my glass and cows milk for my dad’s. The whipped coffee seemed to begin to blend with the oat milk a little quicker than the cow’s milk. I also followed the suggestion of Electric City Roasting Co., and my dad and I mixed the whipped coffee with the milk. I tasted it beforehand, and it is very, very strong straight up. I was super happy with how it came out, and so was my dad. It stayed frothy throughout the time drinking it! It was way sweeter than I typically like, but delicious none the less. I highly recommend trying this when you have a little extra time to make coffee!
  5. Espresso Coffee
    So you may not have an espresso maker at home. If you are like me and do, this last section is for you! I rarely get to use my manual espresso maker because it takes time to do it right. I have a lot more time on my hands now, so I decided to pull it out and play! I used some fine grind, dark roasted coffee and got to work. I watched some YouTube videos about pulling my shots on my espresso maker and am trying to perfect my craft. I also played with my steamer and tried to learn how to produce the best milk with just the right amount of foam. I ended up making a latte with a dash of vanilla extract added! SO GOOD!
    I highly recommend taking the time out to use your espresso machine and make yourself some specialty drinks. I miss going to coffee shops so badly, so this makes me miss them a little less. Get your machine out and find some espresso drink recipes online and get to work!

Do you have any home brewing methods/ ideas that are delicious? Please share in the comments below!!

Top 3 Favorite Holiday Coffee Drinks

I have spent this holiday season trying new coffees! Here are my top 3 that I recommend trying before the holidays are over.

1. Irish Cream Cold Brew at Starbucks

The Irish Cream Cold Brew is a stunning take on a cold brew drink. It’s everything cozy about winter and the holidays in a cup of cold brew. I love the smoothness of cold brew so the creamy taste of the Irish Cream and the sweet cold foam really makes this drink stand out. If you’re looking for a cold holiday drink or just something not traditional, I really recommend this drink at Starbucks!

If you want to make this drink at home I found a good looking recipe here: https://bakedbree.com/copycat-irish-cream-cold-brew

2. Eggnog Latte at Frisky Goat Coffee House

This drink took me by surprise. I enjoy going to Starbucks now and then but didn’t realize they had this. I tried it at this cool local coffee shop called the Frisky Goat Coffee House in Milford, Pennsylvania. I have never loved eggnog but with the holidays underway and the new year coming up thought that it would be a neat thing to try. I was blown away by this drink! The eggnog flavor was subtle and paired very well with the espresso. I must also compliment the craftsmanship of the barista for this latte too. It was extremely well made with the perfect amount if foam for a latte.

If you are no where near the Frisky Goat Coffee House, Starbucks also has this drink. I have never tried the Starbucks version though. So until I do, it doesn’t have my stamp of approval.

If you want to make this at home, here is a recipe that looks yummy: https://www.asweetpeachef.com/eggnog-latte/

3. Peppermint Mocha Latte at Kay’s Daily Grind

The classic peppermint mocha. This is my go to holiday drink at Kay’s Daily Grind in Daleville, Pennsylvania and Starbucks. I love peppermint, chocolate, and coffee so this really is a solid go to for me. I think is captures fresh, warm, and cozy in a cup. I love the local coffee shop Kay’s Daily Grind and that is typically where I get this drink. My recommendation is to get it with have the flavoring and sweetener wherever you get it. I don’t love super sweet drinks and think it can be too powerful with full flavor. I think this drink when half sweetened is delicious yet subtle.

If you want to be cozy at home and enjoy this drink, here is a recipe: https://lifemadesweeter.com/peppermint-mocha-latte/

Even though these are my favorites this season, there a so many good coffee options out right now. I have yet to try something that tastes like gingerbread this season but I’m hoping I will soon!

Comment your favorite holiday coffee drink below! 🎄☕️