Coffee makes fall

Fall is delicious.

The gorgeous blaze of autumn’s intense yellows, oranges, reds, and purples are a particular phenomenon of North America and a phenomenon that feels two weeks long at times. We must make the most of these days of heaven but, as much as one is called to, you can’t hike about and stare at leaves the entire time. For an autumn celebration that doesn’t involve GPS coordinates or windbreakers, we can heighten and extend our fall spirits through food and drink. Coffee, to this end, can help our senses to linger longer during this time of fleeting perfection.

Here are some ideas for savouring fall with coffee.

First of all, alcohol: St. Patrick’s Day may be over but Irish coffee is always a decadently good idea when done well and, especially so, in fall. The best type of coffee to pair with this drink is filter coffee because filter coffee won’t overpower the star attraction: whiskey. For an easy, elegant recipe, try Martha Stewart’s Irish Coffee here. If you want to punch up your Irish coffee to resemble a martini, then by all means opt for espresso or Americano coffee and give this suggestion from the cocktail wizards at Difford’s Guide a whirl.

For something more sober in its appreciation, pumpkin spice is autumn’s go-to flavour and one home baristas can make themselves for in-house lattes. Tablespoon.com recommends adding 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 tsp. ground ginger, 1/2 tsp. allspice, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg and 1 tsp. of vanilla extract to your whole beans of choice. Store this mixture a day or two for optimum results before using. Alternatively, try this handy dandy Vogue.com recipe for Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup, from New York’s Maman bakery (also in Toronto), as a topping for espresso shots, lattes or drizzled in drip coffee.

No coffee celebration of fall is complete without a tasty treat. How about a crowd-pleasing favourite to sweeten breakfast or brunch? Food blogger Mal over at Fork vs. Spoon shares her family recipe for a tender and slightly dense cherry-streusel coffee cake recipe here. For a more ambitious alternative to a traditional coffee dessert, the Unconventional Baker whipped up this incredible twist on tiramisu: Gluten-Free Vegan Tiramisu {Raw & Paleo} … and delicious. For the more impatient sweet tooth, give this microwave-must a go from Heather Likes Food: Coffee Cake in a Mug – TWO minutes!

So that was work. Time to relax with coffee. You may not have thought to do this, but have you tried coffee on your face and body as a scrub or mask? No need to leave your house for this recipe, just follow the instructions here provided by Livestrong.com, using olive oil, coffee grounds (fresh or used) and honey, and allow the ingredients to permeate damp skin (for plump and moist results). Apply and wash off with a luxurious soak in a bath, preferably one with a view of changing leaves on trees.

If you don’t have a bath, take a shower and head over to Green Beanery to sample some of our seasonal tie-ins, including a locally brewed apple cider or our latest soup offering: roasted tomato and coconut. Our tea fall sale is still on: 40 % off on all of our Bodum teapots and accessories while stocks last.

Photograph provided by the author.

From Understanding Why Leaves Change Colour in the Fall, Canadian Forestry Association of New Brunswick: Tree colour change occurs worldwide. However, the intense reds, oranges, purples that can be seen in maples and oak trees throughout Ontario, Quebec, and the northern part of United States are basically a North American phenomenon [continue reading here]. North American maples, in particular, contribute to much of this spectacular display.

Top 10 places to see autumn leaves worldwide