EIGHT TIPS TO BREWING UP THE PERFECT COFFEE for a party

1. Be your own barista. Create a coffee house vibe and offer guests tasty toppings like cinnamon, cocoa, nutmeg, ginger and flavored creamers. Take advantage of the different varieties of Eight O’Clock Coffee ranging from its most popular varieties of Original, 100% Colombian and French Roast to more festive choices like Hazelnut, French Vanilla, Mocha and Dark Italian Roast.

2. Coffee can be enjoyed any time. Break tradition – hosts don’t have to wait until the end of the meal to begin brewing. Welcome guests to a warm, cozy home filled with the fragrant aroma of coffee. Visitors won’t be able to resist a cup the minute they remove their coats.

3. Open before the holidays. Don’t wait until the night of your soiree to unveil that brand new French press. Play it safe and test out new coffee makers and brewing gadgets long before company comes.

4. Chilled and on the rocks. Skip the soda and cool down your coffee with coffee flavored ice cubes prepared prior to your party. Or, break out the blender and make frozen beverages if feeling adventurous.

5. Eight O’Clock to go. Stock up on holiday-themed to go cups with lids and send guests home with a fresh cup of Coffee for the road – a must for visitors with a long ride ahead.

6. Don’t forget the decaffeinated. Prepare for caffeine-conscious guests and stock up on Eight O’Clock’s Decaffeinated Original, Decaffeinated 100% Colombian or 50% Decaf.

7. Coffee for large parties. If brewing coffee in a high-capacity urn, consider storing and serving coffee in carafes after brewing. Carafes keep coffee hot and fresh, while urns may “burn” your brew over time.

8. BYOC – be unique and bring coffee. While most partygoers bring wine, you’ll be as distinct and tasteful as your gift.

These tips came from Eight O’Clock Coffee www.eightoclock.com
edited by Madelyn Miller the travelLady

Male Habits during the Holidays

In these trying economic times, it’s no surprise that one of the top New Year’s Resolutions for men in America is to save money. But a shocking new study shows that while men want to reign in their expenses, they'll still splurge when it comes to their sweethearts, even if it's at the expense of dear old mom. According to a nationwide poll conducted by Maxim Magazine and Hornitos™ Premium Tequila, a whopping 46% of men are planning on spending upwards of $350 on the women in their lives this holiday season, but at a breakdown of $250 for significant other and a mere $100 for mom.



The data, culled from more than 3,000 men offers a rare glimpse into the male psyche and the holiday habits of the typical, male instigator. Aside from gauging holiday spending habits, questions were asked about men's favorite holiday movies, how many parties they will attend this holiday season, the one gift they want to receive most and many more.



Among the results:



- The top New Year’s Resolution for this year is to save cash (44%), with only 36% of respondents resolving “hit the gym more.” Fortunately for Snooki and the gang, a mere 9% vow "to quit watching 'Jersey Shore'," so we can assume the series is safe for Season 3.



- 46% of guys claim they’ll spend $250 on gifts for their significant other and only $100 on gifts for their mom. Maybe it's time for a reminder of how she took care of you when you were sick in the 4th grade!



- While holiday instigators are planning on spending big bucks on gifts (and expect the same in return), booze far outweigh their interest in electronics and gadgets, with a substantial 63% of men picking a bottle of premium tequila as their most wanted gift this season over an iPad (21%) or xBox (9%). And don’t you dare get him clothing, as only a mere 7% want to receive duds this holiday season!



-Angelina Jolie is the number one fantasy date to the typical guy’s office party (48%) besting Natalie Portman (19%) and Megan Fox (20%) by more than double.



- The holiday cult classic and oft-marathoned “A Christmas Story” (46%) handily beat out “Big” (21%) and “It’s a Wonderful Life” (20%) as the instigator's favorite holiday film, proving every man, no matter the age, still covets a BB gun.

Something sweet to Share

COOKIE SWAP by Lauren Chattman (Workman). She has a modern take on this age-old tradition with inventive recipes, clever packaging, and the many different occasions that are perfect for swapping cookies.

With the holidays approaching she has ideas for a pre-Thanksgiving cookie swap that will let you have a little fun and get your Thanksgiving baking out of the way. And her Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich Cookies are just the thing for Christmas. She even can show you how to transform a store-bought cookie into a home-made masterpiece with her no-bake cookies.

She is in Dallas on Wednesday, November 16 and will be doing a Cookie Swap event at Milestone Culinary Arts Center at 6 pm that evening.