buying coffee online Archives - Buy Coffee Beans & Ingredients Online UK Wholesale

Why buy coffee online?

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Sara Walker

These days, it’s possible to buy more or less anything online from jewellery to houses. When it comes to coffee, though, why should you buy online rather than from a local retailer?

Often, as online retailers don’t have the same overheads, they’re able to offer better prices and higher grades of coffee than conventional wholesalers. One of the most significant advantages, though, apart from the convenience factor, is that online wholesalers tend to have a high turnover of stock. This means that the coffee you buy is likely to be as fresh as it can be, which is important from a taste point of view.

Once roasted, coffee quickly degenerates and should be drunk no more than two to five after roasting, so any time in storage will impact on flavour. Coffee beans last longer than ground coffee, which should be used immediately after grinding. Unroasted coffee has a longer shelf life, but is still better enjoyed fresh.

Online retailers often have less well known brands for sale. This is no reflection on the quality of the coffee, as it’s often the produce of small exporters without a huge output. This coffee is usually well-priced, and you’ll be able to try different types and blends of coffee that aren’t available elsewhere.

Lastly, buying from a specialist online coffee wholesaler rather than a general wholesaler means you’re also buying expertise and knowledge. A specialist retailer will normally offer a range of peripheral accessories including flavourings, cups, lids and milks for all your coffee needs, making them a one stop shop – and you can be sure you’re dealing with people who know their business, and are happy to advise.

At the Wholesale Coffee Company, we’ve got a great range of blends for you to try, both roasted and green. For more information, please visit our website at www.wholesalecoffeecompany.co.uk.

Last Minute Cake for Your Coffee

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Sara Walker

You’re having friends over for coffee when suddenly you realize you have nothing to serve with the coffee (or tea, or chocolate…). You may want to serve something home made, but that doesn’t mean you have an hour to spare. So what do you do? You make these apple pies.

We found this recipe at Yammie’s Noshery and there are plenty of other recipes there that could put you in a food coma, of the nicer kind.

Two Minute Apple Pie Parfaits

1 firm apple
1 tablespoon brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (more or less, depending on what you like)
Granola and/or ice cream for topping (This is my favorite granola recipe. Here’s a healthier version)

Peal and chop the apple. Toss it with the brown sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and cinnamon. Microwave for about 1 minute or until the apples are tender. Top with granola and ice cream if desired.

You can multiply this recipe for as many parfaits as you want. You can either mix it all up and divide it into the glasses and cook them each separately, or you can mix it all up, cook it and then divide it into the glasses. If you cook all the apples in one bowl for multiple servings, just stir after each minute until the apples are done.

Of course you still have to serve proper coffee with the pies. If you don’t have one already make sure that for next time you get some fresh coffee beans, a coffee grinder and a French press if you don’t have an espresso machine. If you want to go the extra mile, roast your own green beans. If you are reading this because you want to save time finding an easy recipe we are guessing you aren’t the type though. You can, however, buy coffee online from us, saving you trips to the shops.

Whipped Cream and Other Coffee Toppings

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Sara Walker

Maybe the cake isn’t all about the icing, but it does help if the icing tastes nice. Otherwise, why have icing?

When it comes to coffee some like it plain, some like it with milk, and some like it with topping. Whipped cream is popular for some coffees like mocha and sometimes the whip comes with chocolate, or other things in it, or on it. If you run a coffee business the topping can make or break you. At least if you have a client like the author of this blog. You see I love whipped cream and if they give me the fake stuff I tend to avoid it. Hence, in London you will usually find me at Nero’s as they use real cream. My only complaint is that they don’t sweeten it.

Now you might not run a coffee shop, but if you like indulgent treats and experimenting with your coffee then there are some toppings worth trying. Below you find some ideas.

* Add a shot of Baileys to your coffee and then top it with whipped cream with a shot Baileys in it (add whilst whipping) and a few flakes of chocolate (you can grate some chocolate with a cheese grater, or chop it with a knife)

* Like orange? Add some orange essence into your coffee, a bit of honey or brown sugar, then add a tiny bit of orange essence to your whipped cream as well and top it off with a piece of candid orange. You can also add orange zest to the whip if you like it a tad more bitter.

* You can also have even MORE coffee in your coffee: add 2 teaspoons espresso powder or 2 1/2 teaspoons freeze-dried coffee crystals and a generous tablespoon of sugar (or honey, or maple syrup) into 1 cup heavy cream. Whip as usual, tasting and adjusting the sweetness toward the end.

* If you love chocolate, you can use that for your cream. In a double boiler or the microwave, melt 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips. Let chocolate cool until still liquid but not hot, about 5 minutes. Whip 1 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add 1/2 chocolate mixture and beat until combined. Add remaining chocolate and 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Other ideas is to add almond essence, crushed candy cones (for that Christmas flavour), crushed Daim chocolate pieces (a Swedish favourite), vanilla powder, or vanilla essence, cinnamon, chai tea powder (or chai spices: nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom)

As always: use fresh roasted coffee beans and if you want to buy coffee online, we suggest you use us as your retailer (naturally). We also sell green coffee beans if you want to roast them yourself. That way they are guaranteed fresh! If you are buying coffee online from someone else, do your research first as you want to use a reliable shop, especially if you have a coffee shop where good coffee can make or break you.

How to Present Drinks Beautifully

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Sara Walker

In Sweden there is something called “kaffe kalas” which directly translated means “coffee party.” Usually you do this for a birthday, or when gathering friends. It’s an old term and not used so much by the younger generation, but the tradition stays the same today: when there is a celebration you invite friends and family over for coffee and cake. In Sweden, according to tradition, it should be seven different kinds of cake. To say a lot of cake is eaten in Sweden is an understatement, yet in comparison to the copious amounts of coffee that are drunk, it’s nothing.

If you are hosting a coffee party in Sweden you use your finest china. It’s rare you see elaborate coffee drinks and intriguing presentations. If you want to host a coffee party yourself, have friends around for tea, or if you own a coffee or tea shop you might consider looking into cute presentations though. There is nothing quite as impressive as getting a nice tasting drink served looking like it was a piece of art. And let’s face it: if your significant other shows up with breakfast in bed and have made incredulous cups of coffee, hot chocolate, and tea, it only makes it that much better.

Of course, to truly impress someone you need the best ingredients as well. Here at the Wholesale Coffee Co. we’ve made a living out of selling coffee online. If you are buying bulk it’s perfect buying coffee online and we have many different varieties (we even have green coffee beans if you want to roast them yourself), as well as tea and coffee.

Yummy Coffee Drink. :)

An old fashioned glass jar can be perfect for serving coffee drinks and hot chocolates – rustic and pretty. You can tie a ribbon on top and match the straw with the ribbon.

Fancy Coffee Drinks by gee.deasis

Fancy drinks with coffee from Indulgy.com (made by geedeasis.com)

Coffee drink that tastes like frappucinos! Just mix coffee and sweet condensed milk!

Coffee mixed with sweet condensed milk and ice cubes. Perfect for summer or if it’s really hot by the fireplace!

cokiee cup :D drink n eat..!

Why buy a cup when you can bake one? We’re guessing it’s lined by some fatty frosting (like coconut butter/oil mixed with sugar and potentially some flavouring like fresh vanilla, coffee, etc.) to prevent the coffee from being soaked up by the cake. We also presume the coffee is cold or needs to be drunk fast as frosting melts…

yum - fall brunch - wrapped coffee drinks

Once again straws, but this time matched with bottles. Perfect if you have some old fashioned milk bottles.

coffee & chocolate a beautiful partnership

Even something as simple as an espresso can be beautifully presented.

Maiko, Geiko... Most Things Geisha

Sometimes it doesn’t matter what you put in the cup – it’s just all about the presentation. (Although of course it would be better if what’s in the cup is palatable.) Who wouldn’t be awed by this?

Coffee and Work Morale – Does Coffee Make Employees Happier?

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Sara Walker

It’s well known that most people who can afford it love to sneak out to get a cup of their favourite coffee during a long day at the office – to many coffee is the life saviour that makes work bearable during long, and/or stressful days.

As an employer you might not think twice about coffee – either your employees get their own whenever they can, maybe you have a filter coffee machine at the office. However, you may want to start bringing coffee to the office in a more elaborate way. Why? Because incentives and perks make people work better. If your staff is under the impression they are well looked after – if they receive good bonuses, great gifts, lots of encouragement and praise, chances are their performance will drastically increase together with their loyalty.

Studies have shown that what most people are looking for at work is not money alone – in fact just money as an incentive increases productivity a lot less than verbal praise, feeling valued by the employer and generally being well looked after. Whilst a high pay check is definitively something people will want, never underestimate the effect of good incentives.

So how does coffee come into this? Well, creating a great work environment might include upgrading that old coffee machine with a Nespresso, or espresso machine. It might also be a good idea to once a week get your staff some fancy take away coffee that is a proper treat. Even if you have an espresso machine in the office, chances are your employees won’t have time to make pumpkin spice lattes, or white mocha lattes.

Another bonus of using coffee as part of a great work environment is that studies have shown that productivity increases when people smell of coffee. To say that the aroma of coffee is welcome to most is therefore an understatement.

If you run an office and want to buy coffee online, we have plenty of options for you. You can even buy our green coffee beans and start roasting them in the office. That might be taking things to the extreme though. You can save time and money by buying coffee online though, whether from us or someone else. The important thing? Spoil your employees with a cup of Joe ever so often. Don’t believe it works? Ask anyone who shops at Trader Joe’s in America why they shop there. Free coffee.

Going of Coffee Vacation? Why Not?!

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Sara Walker

Buying coffee online might be one of the latest fads in the coffee industry (after all you have the whole world within reach – just Google whatever coffee you want to buy), but there is something about exploring coffee in person as well. Recently we caught a show on Discovery Channel, or similar, where a man went to Ethiopia in search of a new coffee bean he could export. There’s a reason this made for adventure TV – he was driving through the wilderness trying good and bad coffee in far off villages and plantations you probably couldn’t find with a map. That’s an extreme coffee adventure. Some would probably prefer to order their fresh roasted coffee beans from all over the world with a click of a button. However, if you want to go explore there are alternatives.

If you are looking for a coffee vacation to taste new varieties of coffee, or simply go see where your favourite coffee is grown, Google will once again be your best friend. You see all over the world coffee plantations are opening their doors for overnight guests. Many tours where you stay at a regular hotel but take trips to coffee plantations are also available. We have heard that Costa Rica and Kona Island (Hawaii, where the famous Kona coffee is grown) are particularly good destinations. We think the idea of beaches and palm trees sound fabulous, so why not? Also, why not make a trip to Jamaica to try some of the famous Blue Mountain coffee on location? If you fancy Africa, Ethiopia is the obvious answer, but you can visit coffee farms even in South Africa, if you prefer a more westernized trip. Peru where you can find the Tunki coffee (which we sell!) is another popular destination, not least because the coffee won an award for best tasting coffee in the world!

In short: there are coffee plantations all over the world, the questions you need to ask yourself is: 1) What coffee am I the most interested in? 2) What places would I most like to visit? 3) What am I prepared to pay for my trip?

Coffee – an Aphrodisiac?

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Sara Walker

The stars of the coming Fifty Shades of Grey movie has just been revealed and Charlie Hunnam and Dakota Johnson have the leads. Many swear that the book trilogy, loosely based on Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Saga but with a sexual theme, has worked as an aphrodisiac for their relationship. It seems so as the author herself is the highest earning author in the world!

Now coffee might not be the next Fifty Shades, in fact, coffee has already sold a lot more than any book in history, but if you want to excite your customers, or your date a little, you can start talking about the aphrodisiac properties of coffee. Yep, you heard us – coffee is an aphrodisiac.

A cup of java might not make you jump out of your seat with excitement and run for the bedroom, but it will enhance your mood, your stamina (athletes use coffee for a better performance and if they over use your muscles it can also help them stop contracting after a strenuous workout) and release pleasurable chemicals into your brain (yes guys, it does come down to the chemicals after all).

Of course too much coffee is like any other drug – you will get addicted and feel low without it. If you have two days off coffee and then have a cup one morning, or normally have one cup and get an extra one for your date night then you will notice the feel good factor of coffee. Also, we all know what happens if you drink too much coffee in one go – the jittery shakes and rattles. No good for the bedroom or anywhere else – have your coffee with a meal and don’t overdo it basically. Enjoy it instead!

Buying coffee online and offline is easy (it’s not exactly a commodity that’s difficult to find) and unlike horny goats weed your date probably won’t feel suspicious about drinking it. We here at the Whole Sale Coffee Company of course recommend buying coffee online – after all we sell coffee online! And we think coffee is sexy, that’s just that. Pour it into the dessert together with some chocolate and chili and you will have an instant aphrodisiac that tastes like heaven.

Cappuccino Coffee Cake

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Sara Walker

We do everything online these days don’t we? Like buying coffee online… (no, really?!) Thanks to the internet you can now find out about pretty much anything within seconds. Do you remember back in the day when you had to go to the library to look up information? And had a big dictionary and an encyclopedia on your desk? How did we survive without Wikipedia and Google?

For us the internet is obviously our bread and butter – we are responsible for you buying coffee online. Correction: for you buying very good coffee online. Once you’ve bought the coffee from us you might want to put it to good use – buying coffee online is only half the fun. The other half is going online to find out what you want to use it for. Today we have a suggestion for you: use it for the below cake.

Cappuccino Coffee Cake

Serves 8

225g (8oz) very soft butter, plus more for the tins

225g (8oz) light muscovado sugar or caster sugar

225g (8oz) self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 large eggs

4 level tsp instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tbsp boiling water

For the coffee icing

175g (6oz) soft butter

350g (12oz) icing sugar

4 level tsp instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tbsp boiling water

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/350F/315F fan/Gas 4. Butter and line the base of two deep 20cm (8in) sandwich cake tins.

Measure all the cake ingredients, except the coffee, into a large mixing bowl and beat together until smooth. Stir in the dissolved coffee until thoroughly blended. Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared tins and level the tops.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25–30 minutes until golden brown, shrinking away from the sides of the tin and the sponge springs back when lightly pressed.

To make the icing, mix the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl and beat together until smooth. Beat in the dissolved coffee and divide into four. When they are cold, slice each cake horizontally in half, giving four layers of cake. Sit one base on a cake stand and spread with a quarter of the mixture. Continue layering up with cake and icing so you finish with icing on top and swirl to give an attractive finish.

The cake can be made and iced up to two days ahead, kept covered in the fridge. Iced or un-iced, it freezes well.

AGA COOKING

Two-oven Aga: bake on the grid shelf on the floor of the roasting oven, with the cold sheet on the second set of runners, for about 25 minutes, until golden brown. Three and four-oven Aga: bake on the grid shelf on the floor of the baking oven for about 25 minutes. If getting too brown, slide the cold sheet on to the second set of runners.

From ‘One Step Ahead’ by Mary Berry (Quadrille, £9.99)