Have you been to the
Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose? Last week I got to tour it with my daughter's sixth grade class, and we saw some amazing artifacts. Some of the highlights were the jewelry, statues, a tomb replica, mummies, jars, and tools for daily life. It's a gem for sure, and only a few hours away. The grounds were also beautiful, even in the winter, and the building itself is a unique piece of architecture. We also had the chance to spend hours at the
Lawrence Hall of Science, where the kids got to explore all kinds of hands-on exhibits.
This week both of my kids got to go skiing with their Uncle Dave (known around here as the roaster extraordinaire), and I got to play with Archie and Lucy. I think that a good time was had by all. I followed Archie all over the property, and he directed my every action: "we go this way, Holly." We built a train track (which MUST use every piece), and even spent some time pretending to sleep/snore and then being awakened by a rooster. Which was hilarious every time, based on the quantity of giggles.
This week we got a coffee shipment, and we were able to obtain
Moonsooned Malabar for you. This coffee is grown in the Chikmagalur region of southwestern India, not far from the Malabar coast. Neel, a longtime customer, has given me two books about this area, true stories written by Jim Corbett about his experiences hunting man-eating tigers and leopards in the early 1900's. The books are a fascinating glimpse into another era and the geography and customs of the hill people of the area--in a time when most of the country could only be traversed on foot. You get a sense of the ecology of these hills, where now coffee grows and tigers are seldom seen. Thank you Neel!
We do not often have the opportunity to try Indian coffees, since so much of it is consumed in country. This one in particular is a unique bean, one that some people swear makes the best espresso crema. If you aren't familiar with it, this Monsooned Malabar is harvested, processed, and then left in an open sided warehouse to be exposed to the monsoon winds. The beans absorb the moisture from the monsoons, and grow in size. This creates a mellow bean, with earthy, deep flavors. Delicious.
Keep reading for a snapshot of Alina, who left us this week to move to San Jose with her husband. We will miss her smile, her friendship, and her cheerful hardworking energy--but we do wish them all the best in their future together. Thanks for being such a valued member of the Carolines crew Alina!
--Holly Fike
