I have to confess to a certain Trader Joe’s Winter addiction. No, it’s not the peppermint Joe-Joes, although they are so good that I had to ban their purchase this year. Nor is it the countless varieties of salted caramel sweeties.
It is, in fact, their Gingerbread coffee.
P and I love the stuff! It has just enough of a hint of spice to make it festive, and amuse la bouche. The coffee itself is probably not their best, and the fact that it’s pre-ground means that the clock is ticking as soon as we crack open the foil top.
But it is tasty! Just a spot of milk makes it the perfect start to even dull mornings1 The only problem with the Gingerbread coffee is that it’s only available around the Christmas season. I’m sure that’s a good thing, marketing-wise. After all, if we had it all year round, then there wouldn’t be a rush to grab as many cans off the shelf come the season.
But sometimes, on crappy days, you just want some spiced coffee to make the morning go by faster. And sprinkling on a variety of spices into the coffee doesn’t seem to do the trick, or at least we haven’t found the right mix yet.
Not to worry! I serendipitously found the solution to my Gingerbread coffee craving when I cooled my morning coffee with last night’s leftover ruby chai tea. Ratio: 2/3 coffee to 1/3 chai. Splash of milk, and good to go!
1 Yes, even sunny LA gets the occasional dull gray day in winter. And every single day in May, June and July.
akatsuki ra-ra-ra 