Friday, July 30, 2010

Barnie's Coffee

If you've ever been to Orlando, or more specifically Winter Park, chances are you've heard of Barnie's Coffee. It has been around for over 30 years, and was the go-to coffee shop around town, pre-Starbucks.

Confession time, I started drinking coffee at a very early age. When I was about 7, I was pestering my mom for a soda from a vendor at train station, we lived in Maryland at the time. She decided the lesser of the two evils would be a cup of coffee from her thermos. I didn't immediately fall in love with the flavor, but I didn't hate it either. I surprised her by drinking the whole cup, and from then onwards, every so often, I would request a cup of coffee. We drank it with milk, making it just light enough to turn the color a light brown, and never adding sugar.

It wasn't until much later that I discovered the flavors of sweetened coffee drinks, and to this day, that's what they are to me. Coffee with sugar is a coffee 'drink', not real coffee. Though I now prefer mine black, when I have a cup with my mom, I do add milk.

Back to Barnie's! Barnie's Coffee I think is best known for it's flavored coffee. They add the flavoring to the bean itself. Their best seller is Santa's White Christmas, available all year. The beans are dusted with white powdered sugar which gives the coffee a very slight sweetness, but the flavor is rich with coconut, caramel and vanilla. It is divine! Not to mention a great way to get a sweet treat without a hefty calorie price tag! If you're looking for decaf, the have that too, though I generally stick with the full strength.

On the non-flavored side, and my absolute favorite coffee ever, is Mocha Java. It is a medium roast made with Indonesian coffee beans. The flavor is rich, the aroma is intoxicating. It has been my favorite since I was 16 years old. I never leave a shop without at least a half pound in hand.

Speaking of shops, if you aren't local, you can purchase their coffee and teas online. Though if you get the chance, I highly recommend stopping in a shop. Take a break from the Bux, and give Barnie's a shot!

Barnie's Coffee & Tea on Urbanspoon

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