by Maggie Radzwiller 
It made perfect sense to me when I heard that Dean & DeLuca had partnered their coffee program to feature the seasonal varietals offered by Counter Culture Coffee. Both companies are known for uncompromising standards of quality and perfection – as well as having a lot of fun doing their job!
Most importantly for me is that Counter Culture Coffee happens to be “my home team”. It was here in Durham, North Carolina that the sustainable and community-based coffee company started in 1995. As far as I could tell, Counter Culture Coffee could have just as easily been called “Coffee with a Conscience”. How many companies actually care abut the impact that growing, cultivating and developing fields have upon wildlife in the region? How many companies want their farmers to be treated like rock stars instead of taking the praise and merely shielding the growers’ identities?
I was opening a restaurant with two other chefs in Durham and was asked to meet with Fred Houk, who, along with Brett Smith, had decided to begin their venture. After meeting with Fred, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that we both had missions of being the best. Fred wanted to give each and every customer exactly what they wanted instead of what he thought you should have. Each and every account was given as much poetic license to develop their own blends to match their personalities.
Fast forward to the present. Fifteen years later, when most companies can rest on their reputations, the bar is raised for both Counter Culture Coffee and Dean & DeLuca. Mark Daley, CEO of Dean & DeLuca succinctly put it, “Once you stop trying to be the best, you’ll fail.”
In addition to being able to stop in to one of their locations for the best cup of coffee that you’ve ever had, you’ll be able to buy both fresh and pre-bagged beans. For those of you who don’t live near a Dean & DeLuca, no worries – the seasonal varietals are available on the website.
Since seasonal coffees, like any other produce, have peaks of freshness, don’t get too attached to a specific varietal. But as one goes out of season, know that Dean & DeLuca will choose another to fill the shoes of the one you loved with one that just might be better than the last!
If you’re truly a coffee junkie add a shot of Counter Culture Coffee to your favorite ketchup or BBQ sauce (like the Dean & DeLuca Black Truffle Barbeque Sauce). You can also add finely ground coffee to your favorite steak seasoning or blends such as the Dean & DeLuca Moroccan Rub.
My favorite? When I tasted the Ndaroini-Nyeri, a single lot from the foothills of Mt. Kenya, it was like being wrapped in a thick, plush robe at an aromatherapy spa. The aromas of cassis and rich chocolate smelled like I was baking a lava cake. Incredibly, it was just as terrific iced. So refreshing during the dog days of summer.
Enjoy this original recipe.
Ndaroini-Nyeri Single Lot Lava Cakes
This recipe works best if you have a coffee press pot or an espresso machine.
-Six 4-oz. soufflé cups
– 2 shots of Counter Culture Coffee Ndaroini Nyeri Single Lot Coffee made in an espresso machine or 3 oz. press pot coffee
– 13 oz. of Dean & Deluca’s best bittersweet chocolate
– 4 extra large eggs
– 1⁄2 c. sugar
– 1⁄4 c. of room temperature unsalted butter
– 1⁄3 + 1 T. all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray the six 4-oz. soufflé cups with pan release and place them on a rimmed baking pan.
Prepare the coffee. Place the chocolate in a bowl and melt in the microwave or in the top of a double boiler. Stir until smooth and set aside.
Stir the coffee in to the chocolate to combine. In a separate bowl whisk the sugar and butter until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time until well combined. Add the flour. Stir only enough to moisten the flour. Stir in the coffee chocolate mixture until smooth.
Divide the batter in to the soufflé cups. Bake in the center of your oven for 12 minutes, until the edges just begin to form a crust but with the center slightly loose in the center.
Turn them upside down and serve immediately with slightly sweetened whipped cream.
Maggie Radzwiller is a nationally-recognized chef and restaurant veteran known for thinking outside the box. For nearly 25 years, she has worked in everything culinary managing and operating restaurants from coast to coast. She currently owns Comfort Cuisine, a personal chef and catering company in Durham, North Carolina and acts as the in-house chef for Lowcountry Produce. Maggie has been recognized in The New York Times, Southern Living, Esquire Magazine, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine and USA Today. John Mariani of Esquire Magazine says, “What Maggie Radzwiller doesn’t know about the restaurant business isn’t worth knowing.”
Filed under: cake, coffee, counter culture, dessert, espresso, iced, kenya, lava, maggie radzwiller, recipe
reat. What caught my eye was how beautiful the packaging is; each item comes in a cellophane sleeve tied with a satin ribbon. The outside of the box has a vintage photo of a family member, a print overlay and another ribbon. Each order is handmade instead of large batches like other bakeries. I would recommend serving the cookies with Jeni’s Ice Cream to make a cool snack on a hot day. The baker originally started making these from her New York apartment, until she had to seek the help of friends, as the orders became too large for one person! Since no girl is the same, the name comes from h
er great grandmother, who inspired her to create cookies as unique as each girl in the world. Not only does she make cookies, you can also find the Whoopie Pies on our website. My favorite is the pumpkin, which will be perfect once the weather cools down!
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