Water Avenue Coffee and Smith Tea Collaboration

March 19, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Starting Monday March 20 Water Avenue Coffee and Smith Teamaker have collaborated to bring you some incredible spring seasonal drinks! I love the concept of bringing these two local businesses coming together to bring their quality products into my mug. Here’s a look at the five Water Avenue Coffee and Smith Tea Collaboration drinks available. The beverage are available hot or cold but they are shown all as hot drinks here.
Water Avenue Coffee and Smith Tea Collaboration Water Avenue Coffee and Smith Tea Collaboration

Water Avenue Coffee and Smith Tea share a history in both being based in Portland and were founded in 2009, both founded by veterans of their Coffee or Tea industry. Both companies are dedicated to producing high-quality, artisanal beverages using traditional methods and premium ingredients and have won numerous awards. Both are also committed to using sustainable and ethical practices in their sourcing, production, and packaging and work with small-scale farmers and producers who use organic and eco-friendly methods.

These espresso and tea combinations are made similar to making a latte. The barista will brew a shot of espresso and prepare tea separately that are combined in a cup and topped with frothed milk (optional alternative milk of course or no milk). The caffeine content of can vary depending on the ratio of tea to espresso used. Usually the beverage will have a higher caffeine content than a traditional cup of tea, but slightly less caffeine than a regular cup of coffee. If that’s too much no worries – some of the seasonal drinks are creamy milk and tea combos, aka tea lattes.

Strawberry Chamomile Latte with Steven Smith Meadow Tea, freeze dried strawberry syrup, espresso and milk is a creative combination worth trying.
Water Avenue Coffee and Smith Tea Collaboration, Strawberry Chamomile Latte with Steven Smith Tea Meadow, freeze dried strawberry syrup, espresso and milk

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Ice Cream at Kozy Bar

July 22, 2019 by 3 Comments

At the end of last year, a cute little coffee, smoothie, and dessert cafe opened in downtown Portland called Kozy Bar. It specializes in sugar free treats using a sweetener made from rice. Everything they offer uses natural ingredients with no additives or preservatives. If you are looking for a healthy and nutritious option, look to Kozy Bar. In particular, you should definitely be checking out the Ice Cream at Kozy Bar.
Everything at this cute little coffee, smoothie, and dessert cafe of Kozy Bar uses natural ingredients with no additives or preservatives. If you are looking for a healthy and nutritious option, look to Kozy Bar. In particular, you should definitely be checking out the Ice Cream at Kozy Bar. Everything at this cute little coffee, smoothie, and dessert cafe of Kozy Bar uses natural ingredients with no additives or preservatives. If you are looking for a healthy and nutritious option, look to Kozy Bar. In particular, you should definitely be checking out the Ice Cream at Kozy Bar.

There are many flavors of the ice cream bars available at Kozy Bar. Note that all their ice cream comes in ice cream bars – no scoops are available, though I hear the owners are exploring what they might be able to do with soft serve. Even vegan flavors are available.
Everything at this cute little coffee, smoothie, and dessert cafe of Kozy Bar uses natural ingredients with no additives or preservatives. If you are looking for a healthy and nutritious option, look to Kozy Bar. In particular, you should definitely be checking out the Ice Cream at Kozy Bar. Everything at this cute little coffee, smoothie, and dessert cafe of Kozy Bar uses natural ingredients with no additives or preservatives. If you are looking for a healthy and nutritious option, look to Kozy Bar. In particular, you should definitely be checking out the Ice Cream at Kozy Bar. Everything at this cute little coffee, smoothie, and dessert cafe of Kozy Bar uses natural ingredients with no additives or preservatives. If you are looking for a healthy and nutritious option, look to Kozy Bar. In particular, you should definitely be checking out the Ice Cream at Kozy Bar. Everything at this cute little coffee, smoothie, and dessert cafe of Kozy Bar uses natural ingredients with no additives or preservatives. If you are looking for a healthy and nutritious option, look to Kozy Bar. In particular, you should definitely be checking out the Ice Cream at Kozy Bar.

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Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe in Astoria

March 31, 2015 by 19 Comments

Are you traveling to the Oregon Coast? Going to or passing through Astoria?

Let me share one of my favorite places in Astoria: the Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe. If the parking lot for Pig ‘N Pancake is full and there is a line out the door, consider going down just 5 minutes further to this gem. You can gaze at all the goodness of the menu on the chalkboards and the baked goodies lined up like treasures in the L shaped case as you approach the register, where you will order, pay, and get a number to get your food and drinks delivered and then bus your own table. Here’s what we had on our Saturday morning visit (same morning as the Fort George Festival of the Dark Arts, but that’s a future post).

exterior of Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe in Astoria Some of the baked goods you can ogle as you approach the register of Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe to order

Yes, the banners do say Pastries to Die For and Bread to Live For. We had 3 different pastries while we were there in Astoria for Valentine’s Day weekend/FODA and they were all moist, flavorful, and could easily use the adjective “to live for”. Let’s take a look at what’s behind the case. Is that a Savory Croissant that includes pesto, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, asiago cheese, and egg? Did that not even last 24 hours in my possession? Yes.
Some of the baked goods you can ogle as you approach the register of Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe to order Some of the baked goods you can ogle as you approach the register of Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe to order. Including a Savory Croissant that includes pesto, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, asiago cheese, and egg

What, Cubes of Deliciousness (gluten-free, it uses tapioca starch and potato starch, but contains hazelnuts)? F and I agreed after devouring one that the name is completely correct. And holy moly look at the size of the scones and rolls (ranging from mini  to regular size Cinnamon Walnut to Cardamon Almond) and Almond Bear Claws…
Some of the baked goods you can ogle as you approach the register of Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe to order. Including these gluten free Cubes of Deliciousness

Don’t worry, they have plenty of beverages for you to enjoy with your food, including various caffeines from $2-6 or smoothies, various lemonades and ice tea, kombucha, even beer or wine by the glass. Seating includes tables as well as a children’s play area with little couches and toys, and also some seats at a counter by the window to gaze out at the sea just a couple blocks downhill.
All the beverages at the cheery and homey Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe are written on the chalkboard above the register Interior of Blue Scorcher Cafe

Our breakfast included Almond Milk Mocha, fresh rosemary lemonade, and OMG this super moist merely $3 Chocolate Chip Applesauce Cake, SO good. So DELICIOUS.
Almond Milk Mocha in all it's beauty at Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe in Astoria, Oregon This super moist chocolate cake made with apple sauce at Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe in Astoria, OR. SO good. So DELICIOUS. This super moist chocolate cake made with apple sauce at Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe in Astoria, OR. SO good. So DELICIOUS.

And oh, just this lil plate of French toast with brioche, homemade whipped cream, and local boysenberry and a dusting of powdered sugar served with maple syrup.
Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe, French toast with brioche, homemade whipped cream, and local boysenberry and a dusting of powdered sugar served with maple syrup Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe, French toast with brioche, homemade whipped cream, and local boysenberry and a dusting of powdered sugar served with maple syrup Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe, French toast with brioche, homemade whipped cream, and local boysenberry and a dusting of powdered sugar served with maple syrup

We’ve only been to Astoria twice, but both times we stopped at Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe, and I’m pretty sure every future trip, we will also be stopping in. Blue Scorcher is open every day, 7 AM – 3 PM. To give you fair warning, this is a worker owned co-op so the people who serve you may vary on the knowledge of what’s in any of the food item if they were not involved in making it.

Everything here is sourced to be organic and mostly local. Everything is also vegetarian, so even on their pizza of the day or reuben, there will be no meat (the reuben is made of tempeh). If you are looking for big portions at a good value, you should go back to wait in line at Pig ‘N Pancake. It is a cafe so it might be hard to accommodate big groups, and there are times, just like any cafe, that you may be sitting at a 4-top and share the space communally (it’s seat yourself).

If you are in Astoria, definitely consider stopping in!

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