Un Mundo Cafe

Whenever I visit my hometown, a trip to Un Mundo Cafe is an absolute must. I’ve been to a LOT of coffee shops in my life, but this one is my absolute favorite. They offer great coffee and an even better mission. Not only do they support the growers of the coffee around the world (read more in their blog), but profit from the coffee shop goes to support a Christian after-school program for local children.

I started frequenting this particular shop when it opened just a few blocks from my office. It was in a nondescript old building in a fairly seedy part of town. I probably never would have known it existed if not for the volunteers who dropped brochures off in our office just prior to their grand opening. The first time I tasted their coffee, I was hooked. Obviously it tasted great, but reading their literature and talking to the staff inspired me to learn more about where my coffee was coming from. I actually credit Un Mundo Cafe with sparking my passion for fair trade. The shop recently relocated to a much more prominent downtown location and business has picked up. I get so excited every time I walk in and see that business is booming. The new location is actually right across the street from my old office. It’s probably a good thing I don’t work there anymore. I likely would have spent every dime I made on coffee, pastries and absolutely gorgeous handmade coffee mugs.

When I visit, it’s always a toss-up for me between a toasted marshmallow skim latte or a plain, black coffee. On this visit, I opted for black coffee because the name intrigued me and I was fairly sure it was one I’d never tried.

I couldn’t pass up a pastry. This fruit tart was as delicious as it looks. Trust me.

All of the baked goods are locally made and the ingredients are posted right in the displays. No mysteries and I can defintely pronounce everything on these lists.

I’ve heard the tea is amazing. I can just never make it past the coffee.

What’s the best place to eat or drink in your hometown?

Read Full Post »

Super Husband Sunday

Congratulations to the Green Bay Packers! I’m not a die-hard fan of either team, but I am a huge fan of football in general. Besides, it’s the Super Bowl! It was a great game. The National Anthem, however, was not. That part made me sad. And, I think I was the only person in the entire universe who DIDN’T hate the halftime show. I did have to ask my husband who Slash is which brought much ridicule and jeering from my Facebook friends. I did rock out to Usher and Black Eyed Peas, even busting out some of my Zumba moves.

I was a little disappointed in the commercials. They were chuckle-worthy, but nothing made me really laugh. A kid who went to my high school starred in the Safe Auto commercial where he gets kicked repeatedly. I wouldn’t tell him this, but I didn’t find it all that funny or original. Still, it was cool to see someone I know during the Super Bowl.

My husband earned the title of MVP in our house yesterday. After church, he served up some mazing veggie omelettes for brunch. One egg, two egg whites. The innards were mushrooms with a blend of feta and cheddar cheeses. To top it off, he added fresh tomatoes, green onions and a dollop of Greek yogurt seasoned with ranch dressing mix.

As if that weren’t enough, he made dinner too! This man makes an amazing burger. He never adds the same seasonings twice, but they always turn out super juicy and delicious. I wasn’t feeling a bun so I cut mine up and had a cheeseburger salad.

That would be mixed greens, chopped tomatoes, cheddar cheese, my diced-up burger and plenty of dill pickles! Nom nom nom. For dressing, I mixed up a honey mustard vinaigrette. My aunt recently sent the honey mustard as a gift and it’s heavenly. Whisked with a little red wine vinegar, it was the perfect condiment to go along with my cheeseburger theme.

My only contribution to the festive food was twice-baked redskin potatoes. I stuck them in the oven about an hour before we’d planned to eat dinner. When I went to retrieve them, I realized I hadn’t turned the oven knob all the way to “Bake” so the oven never heated up. I tossed them in the microwave for a few minutes, mixed up the filling and popped them in an oven I made sure was hot that time. We ended up eating them as finger food at halftime so all was not lost. I just felt pretty stupid.

What’s your favorite Super Bowl food?

Read Full Post »