So, if you want to get Christmas Tea and send it along with a teapot then you can order it now, save the shipping and schedule the delivery in December.  What a great idea?

I love Adagio. I have been buying their tea for several years, and used to send it to my daughter when she lived out of state. The favors are clean and clear and the variety of tea available is almost endless. I have never had one problem with them at all and often they have sent me coupons for discounts and free tea with my purchases.

If you want a holiday theme but the Christmas flavored tea doesn’t interest you consider:

• Sweet Potato Pie
• Chai Sampler
• Peppermint
• White Tangerine

image: SXC

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Post from: Kettle and Cup

In reality it was too awesome! If you like gingerbread you need to try this tea. Spicy, gingery, definitely chai, Zhena Tea Gingerbread Chai is a great way to get some down time on one of those shop ’til you drop afternoons. Sip it and you can just about hear Christmas carols and sleigh bells in the background.

Gingerbead Chai is organic, fair trade, and I may be thoroughly addicted. Add some steamed half and half and sugar for a gingerbread chai latte and I suspect you will be addicted too.  This is a great tea to tuck into a stocking for you favorite tea freak or keep it just for yourself  on that high shelf that noone else knows about. Yeah…that one.

image:amazon

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Just like the sock monkeys from the 1950s, this little guy is ready to listen to you complain or share a secret, and most of all…he is a perfect coffee date. It would be great tucked into a gift basket with a loaf of banana bread!

image:Amazon

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The White Rhino is situated in an older home in Cedar Hill. I am guessing the house was built in the 1930s – 40s… a bit of a transitional Arts and Crafts/ Atomic Age. The hardwood floors are warm welcoming and I could definitely see myself sitting here for hours, staring out the windows, drinking coffee and listening to the music…which is just the right blend of jazz/piano bar style.

The space is well laid out. They didn’t try to jam too many tables in but left lots of room for privacy and traffic flow.  There is a large t.v.  over the fireplace (sadly the fireplace doesn’t work) that is currently silently playing scenes from Mr. Bean’s Holiday.  You can also choose to sit out on the large, covered front patio and watch the world go by…or at least the traffic.

Mike is gonna laugh at me but…The espresso is nutty and rich…and even chocolatey. Nice shiny surface, touch of acidity. I like it. I like to get espressos because you just can’t hide behind them – the flavor is either there or it isn’t. Kudos to White Rhino. Flavor was definitely in the house.

The Sebastian is what  I am extremely impressed with. Oh my gosh. I am trying to describe the amazing party going on in this drink. Raspberry, white chocolate, whipped cream…do I detect a bit of fleur de sel? Something a little salty.  Just a hint..and served breve with whipped cream and caramel. Oh my. Oddly this is not an extremely sweet drink. It is sweet but the salt is a perfect compliment…(later : Amazingly when I asked they said no salt was added. Very odd..still very good)

The plain coffee, White Rhino Blend, is a full city roast. I realize this is a necessity because more people like it, while I prefer the dark, mysterious, emo nuances of a really dark Italian Roast. However, for a full city roast it was good. Smooth, sparkly, and slightly citrus.

White Rhino has cakes, coffee cakes, and pie available. I asked where they came from and was told that Costco was the supplier. They have tried local suppliers and not had good results but the Costco items  were good, sold well, and consistent.  I give them kudos for honesty – although I would have loved to hear that they were using someone local.

Their roaster is, however, local and I was glad to hear it.  White Rhino offers a variety of coffee beans for sale as well. Oh, and they DO have real cups. You know I am freaky about using cardboard/styrofoam/other ickiness.

It was not crowded but there did seem to be a steady stream of customers. The baristas handled my many interruptions and questions very well, and never rolled their eyes at me once. Bravo!  I think that by 12:15 they had decided I had moved in, however.

I would have liked better lighting because of images but the lighting is just right for a calm, peaceful atmosphere.  If you live in the South Dallas area: Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Midlothian, Lancaster, De Soto, Grand Prairie then White Rhino is a nice INDY change from the corporate chaos of you know who. Worth the drive.  I would have liked to have gotten an interview but they never returned my emails.

Score? On a Marye scale of 1 to 5 this coffee shop gets a 4.5 . The coffee is wonderful, I was was comfortable there, and anyone who likes Mr. Bean is my kind of people. Nice job, guys.

Address:
230 W. Beltline Road, Cedar Hill Texas

Web: White Rhino Coffee

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Stash White Peach Oolong Wu-Yi tea is delicate and refreshing. The clean Oolong is followed by definite peach flavor but there is nothing overpowering or in your face about it. This is a tea to relax with, to sit by the fire and remember summer with all of it’s  long, lazy days and black velvet nights.

I don’t really see this as a breakfast tea…more of a tea to drink when you want time to slow down and get dreamy for a moment. I think it would make a great iced tea in summer but it seems to be just as good as a hot tea in winter. I liked mine with a little sugar and a few drops of vanilla.

The Stash White Peach Oolong Wu-Yi is very reasonably priced and easily found at most grocers.

image: via amazon

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Post from: Kettle and Cup

Buena Beans brings the coffee from La Violeta, Costa Rica to the American market and uses the profits to improve the local school. It is run by Kate Schneider, a former volunteer teacher in the town.

Kate spent a year living and working in La Violeta. She was impressed by the quality of the coffee and amazed by the history of the town. Coffee had pulled the community out of dire poverty over three generations. Thing is, there are no opportunities outside of small-scale farming for the generation of children growing up now and future generations.

With a few thousand dollars, the community could afford to build a secure space to house computers that it received as a donation. With the infrastructure already in place for an internet connection, the entire community could access the Internet through a free connection provided by the government. All they need is four walls and a roof.

Every purchase you make from Buena Beans is a direct action in support of global educational initiatives, sustainable development, and great coffee. They need to sell a total of 4500 lbs of coffee to meet this need. They have all ready sold a lot of that.  If everyone who reads this bought just one pound that goal would be met.

I am not getting paid for this. I just wanted to let you know that this is going on and you can be a part of it. I reviewed Buena Beans Cafe  la Violeta earlier in the year.

image: sxc

image: Buena Beans

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Find it here on Amazon.

image: Amazon

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