The old fashioned cocktail recipe hasn’t changed much since the 1860s (or earlier) for a reason. When made well, it’s perfect. Coffee and whiskey are great partners however, and we like this caffeinated twist perfect for iced coffee season.

Ingredients 

1 sugar cube

2-3 dashes Angostura bitters

2 oz bourbon or rye

1 oz cold strong coffee (or chilled espresso)

Ice

Twist of lemon

Instructions

Place sugar cube and bitters in a rocks glass. Add a splash of the coffee and muddle well. Add the bourbon or rye, followed by the remaining coffee and ice. Stir until chilled. Garnish with a twist of lemon.

We love this spring-y cocktail for its secret ingredient: green tea flavored syrup. Don’t have any on hand? Substitute a cup of brewed Jasmine 1st Grade green tea for water when making simple syrup (instructions below). Try the leftover syrup as a sweetener in iced tea or homemade lemonade.

Ingredients

For the syrup:

1 cup brewed Jasmine 1st Grade green tea

2 cups sugar

For the cocktail (per serving):

2 oz vodka

1/2 oz lemon juice

1 1/2 oz jasmine simple syrup

Instructions

To make the syrup, combine the sugar and tea in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is clear. Let cool.

Add the syrup, vodka, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a glass. Garnish with lemon zest if you like, or a jasmine flower if you can find one. Cheers!

If you don’t already know this, a smoothie is basically a milkshake, but you can drink it first thing in the morning and you don’t have to feel bad about yourself for that. You can even tell other people about it. So long as you use the word “smoothie” and not “milkshake,” you will be regarded a person who cares about health and has their stuff together, rather than someone who succumbs to vices before noon. This delicious and healthy caffeinated smoothie recipe was invented in honor of Valentine’s Day. Share it with someone special, or celebrate your true love for coffee and drink both servings yourself.

Ingredients (serves 2)

1 1/2 cups almond milk. We used sweetened dark chocolate almond milk, but substitute unsweetened if you prefer.

2 frozen bananas, cut into chunks

1 cup cold strong coffee (freeze it in an ice cube tray first for a thicker texture)

2 tablespoons peanut butter

Instructions

Blend & enjoy!!

This delicious cheesecake was made by Lori, our multitalented shipping manager, using our Matcha green tea powder. Matcha is known and loved for its robust, slightly sweet flavor and gorgeous green color. Just a few teaspoons transform this traditional cheesecake recipe into something truly impressive. The chocolate crushed cookie crust is optional, but adds texture and a great color contrast.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb cream cheese softened at room temperature

14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

4 large egg yolks 1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon lime zest (optional)

5 teaspoons matcha powder (plus more for dusting)

For the crust:

24 chocolate cookies-finely crushed

1/4 cup unsalted butter-melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch springform pan and set aside. Finely crush the cookies in a food processor. Add melted butter and blend until it’s all moistened. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees and begin making the filling. Beat together the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. While beating, add the egg yolks one at a time and beat until very smooth. Add the sour cream, Confectioners sugar, vanilla, lime zest, and matcha. In a separate bowl, beat 4 egg whites with 1/2 t salt until stiff. Fold into the cheese mixture. Pour batter into a 10-inch springform pan lined with the crust. Bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour. Turn off the heat and let sit (door closed) for 45 minutes or more. The cake should cool completely in the oven. Run a knife around the inside of the pan and store in the refrigerator uncovered for the first few hours to prevent condensation. Remove from the pan when cold.

To serve, make sure the cake is dry and dust the top with matcha powder using a fine mesh sieve. Slice the cake while still cold using a thin, non-serrated knife and rinse the blade under hot water between slices. Another great slicing method: use a piece of dental floss, fishing line, or thin wire to cut through the cake. Drop one end at the bottom after each cut and pull it through!