Exceptional service from Cafe Blue (Ig: @cafeblueja) Irish Town as usual
Coffee: Blueccino Gabby’s way > Cafe Blue’s signature Blueccino Coffee mix with spices – nutmeg and cinnamon, almond milk, splenda, no whipped cream
Eggs : Veggie Omelette
Bagel : Whole Wheat Bagel (Thanks Cafe Blue for being one of the few places I know to offer it!)
You know it’s hot when you feel the heat in the Blue! Best to head there for Opening time or late afternoon.
Have a Great Weekend! XoXo, Suga
By: Gabrielle Burgess (CEO, Suga Lifestyle)
***Awarded by the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce for Entrepreneur of the Year and Nominated for Best in Chamber (Micro Enterprise)***
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter & TikTok (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Jamaica Coffee Festival (Ig: @jamaicacoffeefest) last Saturday at Devon House almost got me caffeinated for the entire week! The sun drained it a bit though.
So back to daily morning cups of Healthy Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee to start my day and give me a great kickstart to the week.
Enjoy a cup of Moy Hall Estate Coffee (Ig:@moyhallcoffee), JABLUM Coffee (Ig: @jablumcoffee), Coffee Roasters Jamaica (Ig: @coffeeroastersjamaica), Stoneleigh Coffee (Ig: @stoneleighcoffeeja), you name it!
Celebrate Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Everyday!â˜•ï¸ ðŸ’–ðŸ’™ #SiptheGreatness
By: Gabrielle Burgess (Founder/Owner, Suga Lifestyle)
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter & TikTok (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
See you Tomorrow as we Celebrate Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffeeâ˜•ï¸ ðŸ’–ðŸ’™
Follow @sugalifestyle and @jamaicacoffeefest on Instagram or visit the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival (https://bluemountaincoffeefest.com/) to keep up!
By: Gabrielle Burgess (Founder/Owner, Suga Lifestyle)
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter & TikTok (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Drink Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee! #Sip #Savour #LegendaryIndulgence
By: Gabrielle Burgess (Founder/Owner, Suga Lifestyle)
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter & TikTok (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Copped my local Likkle More Chocolate (Ig: @likklemore.chocolate) Chocolate Easter Egg stash from Cafe Blue in Sovereign Centre on Saturday 💃ðŸ°
When you Buy our Local Chocolate, you support our Local Cocoa Farmers too!
By: Gabrielle Burgess (Founder/Owner, Suga Lifestyle)
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Founded by Nadine Burie, originally from the Ivory Coast, West Africa, I present to you, Likkle More Chocolate!
Here is a Likkle More Information!
Nadine is a fine pastry Chef and Artisan Chocolatier who did courses at Canada’s most prestigious, Chocolate Academy and more.
It took 4 years to bring the brand, Likkle More Chocolate to life. They went all around Jamaica, contacting various farmers, building relationships and testing all regions.
They learnt to ferment and dry the cocoa beans themselves for a better control of quality. All of this, to give Jamaica a very high quality product as good as any other Chocolate in the world.
Flavours!
• 55% dark milk with Plantain Chips (1 day in NYC, Nadine tried Potato Chips & Chocolate, loved it. Plantain Chips are one of her favourite snacks, healthy too, so thought it would be amazing to try it and she LOVED IT. We loved it too!) • 55% dark milk with Sea Salt • 55% Coconut milk • 68% dark with Blue Mountain Coffee • 70% dark with Ginger (Ground into their own Ginger Powder) • 70% dark with Scotch Bonnet (Scotch Bonnets are dehydrated & ground into powder) • 72% dark Single Estate (A pure dark chocolate from one of Jamaica’s best regions, St. Thomas. Well known for its fruity notes.) • White chocolate Green Matcha (A high quality green matcha tea food grade is used that is then infused with White chocolate)
Where can you get them and what’s the cost?!
They cost 950$+ tax each and you can get them at Coffee Traders/Cafe Blue’s Main Office located at 69 Constant Spring Road. Unit 10.
FUN FACTS:
How do they get Colours on the Chocolates?
Each Chocolate mold is painted using a natural and organic coloured cocoa butter to get the colours on the chocolates.
Tell you Likkle More?
You get an exclusive experience with a mix of everyday, local flavours.
You will feel the Jamaican vibes with splashes of Tropical colours. For Likkle More, Jamaica is vibrant, it’s happiness, it’s music, it’s beauty, it’s rich.
Their Chocolates have a high % of Cocoa Nibs because they want it to be healthier.
For Sweetening, they use brown cane sugar for the milk and dark chocolates and white cane sugar for the the white chocolates.
Likkle More is Eco-friendly, using all-natural ingredients and plant- based, recycled and biodegradable packaging
Suga’s Experience with Suga Tasters, Randy Burgess, Kimberly Nesbeth and Damany Calder on Sunday, August 16, 2020
All the flavours were fantastic! My favourite was the 55% dark milk with Plantain Chips (where you actually crunch through the chip!) as well as the 72% dark Single Estate with the fruity flavours. It reminded me of my old favourite back in the day, Cadbury Fruit and Nut, but of course richer with the dark chocolate even though we all enjoyed everything.
The flavours were so rich and pronounced, especially with the Matcha, Ginger and Scotch Bonnet. Their flavours were not overwhelming with pepper, ginger etc. Each Chocolate depending on the flavour, took us on a journey through 2 or more flavour profiles, for instance, sweet to spicy to rich, where everything did not hit us at once and that was remarkable!
‘Likkle More Chocolate will get better and better because everyday we are learning new things and continuing constantly to test because we want each time to be better’ says Founder, Nadine Burie.
Find a Likkle More Chocolate near you! Enjoy the Weekend!
By: Gabrielle Burgess (Founder/Owner, Suga Lifestyle)
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Suga Taster, Taraja Jackson’s Blue Mountain Lemonade from Cafe Blue, Irish Town last Sunday.
TGIF to the Blue Mountain Lemonade from Cafe Blue!
It’s Summer Time and we have been so locked in. Take a drive this weekend up to Cafe Blue in Irish town and enjoy their Blue Mountain Lemonade along with adjoining Restaurant, Crystal Edge’s Jamaican eats.
Take note of the last day for this deal too, ONLY at Fontana Fairview, Super Valu Constant Spring and Sovereign Center locations.
By: Gabrielle Burgess (Founder/Owner, Suga Lifestyle)
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
If you don’t remember Suga’s post on our local Chocolatiers last year or haven’t tasted Likkle More Chocolate yet, here is your update!
To refresh your minds, Founder, Fine Pastry Chef and Artisan Chocolatier, Nadine Burie has been awarded, Table Talk Jamaica Observer Food Awards Dessert Chef of the Year for the past 4 years.
Fine Pastry Chef and Artisan Chocolatier, Nadine Burie. (Photo: www.likklemorechocolate.com)
The Production of Likkle More Chocolate Bars are still in the creative process. ‘We’ve been working on this project for more than 3 years now and we really want to give an excellent product that would be accessible to everyone in Jamaica with this line. We ferment, dry, roast, process the bean from the beginning until the end products and we work with different farmers from different regions. We press our own cocoa butter that we use in our chocolate. We control everything’ says Burie.
Nadine Burie and staff cracking the Cocoa pods for Chocolate production.
Likkle More Chocolate Produces Decorated Chocolate Bars with a unique variety of flavours!
Photo: www.likklemorechocolate.com
Likkle More Chocolate’s Decorated Chocolates ***The brand is under continuous expansion or changes, so the percentages and flavours stated are what Suga Lifestyle has observed over the past few years and in speaking with Nadine Burie this March, 2020. They are also currently on Likkle More Chocolate’s Website***
– 72% Single Cocoa Estate (Their darkest Chocolate is made of rich fruity cocoa, featuring delicious cherry & woody rum notes!) – 72% Dark Chocolate with Nibs – 70% Dark Chocolate with Fresh Ginger – 70% Cocoa Sea Salt – 70% Cocoa Scotch Bonnet – 67/68% Cocoa Blue Mountain Coffee – 55% Cocoa Coconut Milk – 55% Cocoa and Milk Plantain – Hazelnut Milk Chocolate – White Cocoa MatchaOther Decadent Chocolate based treats from Likkle More include Seashells, Coffee Pearls and Truffles.
Did you know?
Chocolate varies in taste depending on where the cocoa bean it was made is from.
Nadine Burie also produces a line of Chocolate for Cafe Blue, which I had the pleasure of tasting! Well, eating, because it is true that once you take a bite, you say to yourself, just get a ‘likkle more’.
All the cocoa used to make Cafe Blue Chocolate is from the central and eastern parishes of Jamaica, from over 3000 small farmers!
There is also less sugar, more Cocoa. Natural Cane juice is used to sweeten and there are no preservatives and no artificial flavours.
My favourite was the 57% Bean to Bar Blue Mountain Coffee Dark Chocolate. Imagine it only had 3.2g of Saturated fat, no Cholesterol and only 2.6g of sugar! I ate that bar guilt-free.
Put Likkle More Chocolate on your #PostCovid19BucketList, BUT you can have the Chocolate line for Cafe Blue right now! You can either go to Cafe Blue, Sovereign Centre or purchase them for $600JMD+tx in Loshusan Supermarket, Barbican. By purchasing these chocolates, you help to impact the lives of over 3000 small farmers and their families. #SugaEndorsed
Stay tuned for when I get to try the Likkle More Chocolate line!
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Jamaica has a handful of Chocolatiers that either support local Cocoa farmers or have their own Cocoa farm. They manufacture rich, high quality Chocolate Bars from the Cocoa Bean right here in Jamaica, more familiarly known as ‘Bean to Bar’ or ‘Farm to Bar’.
Our local Chocolatiers and where you can find their Chocolate Bars!
• Mount Pleasant Farm Chocolatiers • Likkle More Chocolate • One One Cacao • Chocollor Chocolate • Pure Chocolate Company
> Mount Pleasant Farm Chocolatiers
Founder: Local cocoa farmer, Averell French
This photo from The Jamaica Observer was taken in 2014, when Mount Pleasant Farm Chocolatiers won Best New Food Item for their Chocolate Spread. Looking on is Food Judge, Matthew Hogarth.
Mount Pleasant Farm Chocolatiers’ Chocolate Bars. They have packs with miniature bars as well.
They produce various products from Cocoa:
• Cocoa Powder
• Cocoa Nibs (Good antioxidants that can be blended with herbal tea, blended with smoothies/shakes and added to cereal with a sprinkle)
• Chocolate Bars
• Chocolate Spread
• Chocolate Wine
• Chocolate Tea
Fun Fact:
Adam & Eve Day Spa uses Chocolate from Mount Pleasant Farm Chocolatiers for Chocolate Face Masks.
Averell French’s wife, Helen with a package of their Cocoa Nibs at Suga Lifestyle’s Christmas Connection trade show last December 15, 2018.
***Where you can find Mount Pleasant Farm Chocolatiers’ Chocolate Bars?***
Loshusan Supermarket, Barbican; Fontana Pharmacy, Barbican; The Jamaica Pegasus Store, New Kingston
Costs: ~$430-$450JMD +tx per bar; ~$900JMD+tx for miniature variety pack;Â $350JMD per bar (Wholesale/Factory price)
Instagram: @mount_pleasant_farm_chocolates
> Likkle More Chocolate
• Founder: Nadine Burie (Table Talk Jamaica Observer Food Awards Dessert Chef of the Year – 2018 & 2019)
Nadine Burie (L) with staff from Cafe Blue.
• Production of Chocolate Bars still in the creative process
***The brand is under continuous expansion or changes, so the percentages and flavours stated are what Suga Lifestyle has observed over the past few years and in speaking with Nadine Burie last December, 2018. There may be more or less variety to date***
• 62% and 70% Dark Chocolate Bars
Nadine Burie and staff cracking the Cocoa pods for Chocolate production.
• Produces Decorated Chocolate Bars with a unique variety of flavours!
– White Chocolate and Green tea matcha
-Â Dark Milk Chocolate with Hazelnut Caramelized
– Ginger
– White
-Â Dark
Likkle More Chocolate’s Decorated Chocolates
***Where can you find Likkle More Chocolate Bars?***
Nick Davis of One One Cacao at his Chocolate Factory in St. Mary. (Photo: www.asksheil.com)
• Founder: Nick Davis
• BBC Caribbean’s correspondent
• Currently working on Production of Coffee in addition to his Chocolate Bars
• Factory in St. Mary overlooks the sea
• Started making Chocolate after he got a mystery illness, where he could no longer eat foods with preservatives
• He never thought he could give up Cadbury Dairy Milk, but when he decided to make his own Chocolate, he told Suga it was the best he has ever had. The need for sweet preservatives or artificial flavours was replaced by an appreciation for rich, strong, Dark Chocolate.
• Persons who make the switch to Dark Chocolate from Milk Chocolate with artificial flavours may find it bitter, but once you keep having it, you will love and appreciate the richness of Dark Chocolate like myself and Nick.
Fun Fact: Without getting access to Likkle More Chocolate, the majority of Suga tasters voted One One Cacao as the richest Dark Chocolate in Jamaica, May 25, 2019.
Photo: www.asksheil.com
• Nick Davis wants Jamaican Chocolate to go global and be recognised as much as Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, because we have some of the world’s finest Cocoa.
• Nick helps local Cocoa farmers by paying them a decent price.
• His Chocolate is 70% Cocoa
• Cane juice is used to sweeten the rest
***Where can you find One One Cacao Chocolate Bars?***
The Butcher Block, Manor Park; Cannonball, Manor Park; Craft Cottage, Village Plaza
Cost: ~$900 – $1000JMD +tx per bar
Instagram: @oneonecacao
> Chocollor Chocolate
Carl Sharpe of Chocollor Chocolate
• Family business owned by Carl and Donna Sharpe from Trelawny
• Donna and Carl moved to Kingston and now have their business in Kingston
• Carl Sharpe is a certified Chocolatier from the Cocoa Research Centre in Trinidad and Ecole Chocolat
• Carl used to be a mechanical engineer and then he had a vision to create something authentically Jamaican
• Chocollor produces Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate Bars
• White Chocolate Bars are to be produced in the near future
• 6 and 12 – packs available with a variety of miniature Milk, White and Dark chocolates
• They use Cane juice to sweeten; no preservatives
Chocollor Chocolate’s 6-pack variety of miniature Dark, Milk and White Chocolates.
Fun Facts:
Suga Taster, Tennyson Arnold still has a preference for Chocolate with artificial flavours. So, Chocollor Chocolate’s Milk Chocolate was his favourite at Suga Lifestyle’s Chocolate Tasting. Also, their White Chocolate was well received and their Dark Chocolate was richest for Suga Taster, Randy Burgess.
***Where can you find Chocollor Chocolate Bars?***
Costs:Â $290JMD per Milk Chocolate bar; $375JMD per Dark Chocolate Bar; $790JMDÂ for miniature variety 6-pack (Milk, Dark, White); $817.18JMD for miniature variety 12-pack (Milk, Dark, White); $667.94 for 12-pack Milk Chocolates; $959.66 for 12-pack Dark Chocolates; $796.90 for 12-pack Milk & Dark Chocolates
> Pure Chocolate Company
Rennae Tjeerte of Pure Chocolate Company.
• Founders: Former Executive and Assistant Pastry Chefs at Half Moon, Wouter and Rennae Tjeerte respectively, who met working at Half Moon and found love. Wouter is from Holland and Rennae is from St. Catherine.
• Some time after Half Moon, Wouter worked at Jade Mountain Luxury Resort in St. Lucia, where they make their own Chocolate from scratch. Wouter had no choice but to learn how to make Chocolate. Rennae was quite enthusiastic about this and learned how to make Chocolate too.
• Eventually Rennae longed to return home to Jamaica. Wouter told her once she could source a good quality Cocoa bean, they would return and they did!
Wouter Tjeerte of Pure Chocolate Company
• They also produce Slow Roasted Cocoa Nibs
• Support local farmers
Pure Chocolate Company’s Local Cocoa farmer, Mr. Bodie in Tom’s Hope Fellowship, Portland.
• The Cocoa is transported from Portland to their factory in Spanish Town, where they ferment and dry the Cocoa bean.
• They produce a variety of Dark Chocolates Farm to Bar: 68% slow roasted nibs, 75% Pure Chocolate, 84% Pure Chocolate and 70% Jerk Seasoning
• They have unique molding too!
• Pure Chocolate Company supports local Artist, Taj Francis, graduate of Edna Manley for their bold packaging
Check out what Suga Taster, Kimberly Nesbeth had to say about the local Chocolate that tasted the best to her on May 25, 2019 at Suga Lifestyle’s Chocolate Tasting!Â
Did you know Jamaican Chocolate made it to Amsterdam, Netherlands?!
Pure Chocolate Company’s Chocolates being sold at Chocoa, Amsterdam’s Chocolate Festival earlier this year from February 23 – February 24, 2019!
***Where can you find Pure Chocolate Company’s Chocolate Bars?***
Costs: ~$950-$1000JMD +tx per bar; $800JMD per bar (Trade show price) $650JMD per bar (Wholesale price with a minimum of 24 bars)
Instagram: @purechocolatecompany
One last Fun Fact:
One of the Chocolate companies in Grenada uses a machine that they got from the Highgate Chocolate Factory in Richmond, St. Mary, Jamaica that closed in 2006.
My Suga Tasters, who you will hear more about soon, had a blast at Suga Lifestyle’s Chocolate Tasting. I hope you enjoyed reading about our Jamaican Chocolatiers and their stories. Please go out and try our local Chocolates soon. You will not regret it!
Buy Local, Buy Jamaican 🇯🇲
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Comments:Â I went specifically for the Oxtail, but the quality has fallen off majorly. It lacked seasoning and did not slide off the bone this time, but still had good texture. Diners at another table were expressing the same sentiment. The taste of Coffee was lost in the Coffee infused Chicken. Both dishes in chipped plates were served with Steamed Vegetables and Rice and Peas, but were swimming in gravy. Mediocre service and food with a breathtaking view.
For such a long commute, disappointing experience thankfully overshadowed by the picturesque view of the Blue Mountains with cool, fresh air and the taste of rich, authentic Blue Mountain Coffee.
Strawberry Hill is now charging $2500JMD at the gate to include a welcome drink if you do not have a booking or reservation.
I was passing by for a drink in between Breakfast and Lunch. So for persons like myself and others who happen to be nearby and spontaneously choose to stop and may end up staying for Lunch etc., I think an entry fee is ridiculous. It would be similar if The Jamaica Pegasus would charge you to enter.
Stay tuned next week to see where is worth the drive on the Blue Mountain Culinary Trail!
