Freshly Ground Heaven (MBFCF Giveaway #5)

Last month I was privileged to visit the Gaviña Gourmet Coffee Roasters in Vernon, California. The occasion was the introduction of the new Gaviña Holiday Collection. That's right, people. A COLLECTION. Of COFFEE. *swoon*

The Gaviña Holiday Collection (!) is a selection of seasonal coffees especially curated to “warm the hearts of coffee lovers during the holidays while brewing support for local Children's Hospitals.”

I was pleased to be able to sample the holiday collection (a Collection, people!) of coffees prepared by former U.S. Barista Champion Bronwen Serna. Gaviña has joined forces with her, local restaurants and coffee shops to brew support (get it?) for local Children's Hospitals. Five percent of the Holiday Collection (!) coffee sales will be donated to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals on behalf of each participating customer.

Available September 1st through December 31st exclusively at participating restaurants and coffee shops throughout Southern California, the Gaviña Holiday Coffee Collection (!) features:

Pumpkin Spice - Homemade pumpkin pie with fragrant spices.
Eggnog - Rich and creamy, perfect for the holiday season.
Candy Cane Cream - Smooth and crisp peppermint in a swirl of rich cream.
Caramel Spiced Rum - Caramel and butterscotch with a hint of rum. (They had me at “a hint of rum.”)

We got to sample every one of the new brews in the Holiday Collection (!) and I decided that my personal favorite was the Caramel Spiced Rum. (By the way, that's my trademark red lipstick on each cup in the taste-fest, but that's not important right now.)

If you look closely, you can find me yakking away at around the 0.32 mark. (I know. Shut up.)

Also, I was delighted that we were treated to a tour of the Gaviña Roasting facility which was informative, amazing, and fragrant! Something that only mountains of bags of fresh coffee beans can provide.

That's me. In a hairnet. With mountains of coffee beans behind me. Which means I can actually use the word, “redecilla” - my favorite word in Spanish - in a blog post. And it's applicable! “¡Mira que comica se ve Marta en su redecilla!”

I'm so grateful to the Gaviña family for their most gracious hospitality. Read their history here.

L to R: Pedro Gaviña, me, Leonor Gaviña-Valls

Theirs is a wonderful American success story with rich and deep Cuban roots.

See what I mean?

I'm pleased and proud to announce that Gaviña Gourmet Coffee is sponsoring today's giveaway.

MBFCF Blogiversary Giveaway #5:

A Gaviña Gourmet Coffee Basket, which includes their new Holiday Coffee Collection (!)

This beautiful Gaviña Gourmet Coffee basket includes the following:

2 Gaviña travel mugs
1 - 8 cup French Press
3 - 2.5 oz ground bags of Pumpkin Spice
3 - 2.5 oz ground bags of Candy Cane Cream
3 - 2.5 oz ground bags of Eggnog
5 - 2.5 oz ground bags of 100% Organic Guatemala Dark
4 - 2.5 oz ground bags of 100% Organic Mexico

Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a Gaviña Gourmet Coffee Basket - they have generously provided two (!) for this giveaway, (valued at $75 each) - please answer one or both of the following questions:

What is your first cup in the morning? - Espresso? Cortadito? Americano?
Do you have an afternoon cup?
Which one of the coffees in this Holiday Collection (!) sounds the best to you?

Full disclosure: My first cup of the day is brewed Don Francisco Gourmet Coffee by Gaviña. Freshly. Ground. Heaven.

I'll choose the winners at the end of MBFCF Blogiversary Giveaway Week on Monday, October 8th, 2012 at 11 am.