Fruit Munchies

Something random that I enjoy that enjoy that I buy from Sherwyn’s are these packages of dehydrated fruit/veggies that are collectively branded as ‘Just ‘ They have a web site, Just Tomatoes, etc! I particularly enjoy the Just Fruit Munchies. I’ve been a big fan of craisins for a while now because I love cranberries. They are great in oatmeal and cereal. With that in mind, I thought maybe I would try mixing in Just Cranberries in with granola for a breakfast treat… Erm, not so good. I guess I don’t like cranberries as much as I thought I did. The flavor of these dehydrated cranberies definitely is an acquired thing. Pucker up!

Of Coffee and Caribou

Almost every work day I head out to my local Caribou Coffee to get my treat for the day, a medium mocha. (As far as I can tell, it's not so much a fix, thankfully.) There are a few things that I have learned go together… Peanut butter and honey. (On pancakes, especially!) Chocolate and peanut butter. And especially coffee and chocolate. It was sometime back in high school that I first recall discovering that. I would have hot cocoa and mix in a spoonful of instant coffee. A poor man's (literaly) mocha. Fast forward to 1998-99, when I moved here to Chicago. Out my back door and down the alley-way and across the street was the nearest coffee shop. A Caribou Coffee. The decor was warm, with wood and a little fire place. Most importantly, during the summer, it was air conditioned, while my apartment was not. Woo! Summer in Chicago in a tiny, run down studio apartment with no AC was brutal. Windows open.. Fans on.. But there was no way to cool that apartment down, even at night when the low temp was 80°. I 'know' other places are hotter for longer, but this was the worst I'd ever experienced at 'home.' I recall nights laying on my bed, sleepless, and suffering. -Hopping in the shower just to cool down. Caribou was my escape. I'd go there and read and journal for hours at a time

Anyway, after our office moved to the new location, I found two Caribou Coffee's nearby and started going regularly. I even bought a mug that scores me a 10¢ discount on my drinks, which surely paid for itself long ago. There's nothing like walking in, saying 'Hi' to everyone that you know and who know you by name and getting your mug back moments later with your drink, all because the barista saw you crossing the street.

Here's a shout out to my coffee friends at Caribou Coffee at Franklin and Monroe! Thank you all!