Split Bean Coffee Introduces Their April 2007 Flavor of The Month for Their Collection of Artisan Alfajores and Hand-Crafted Marshmallows

Split Bean Coffee, a Southern California Micro-Roaster and Artisan Sweets Company introduces it's flavor of the month for April 2007

Just in time for Easter/Passover, we are offering our varity packs. In addition, all orders placed prior to April 5th will receive a free sample of one of our micro-roasted coffees.

This Month, we are also addressing the difference between Gourmet and Artisan.

Some of our customers have asked us to address the difference is between an Artisan and Gourmet. The answer is quite simple. Gourmet is typically used to label products that are manufacture with high-quality raw materials to obtain a high quality end-product. For example gourmet chocolates normally have a high content of cacao liqueur, and gourmet cheeses are made with selected milks from selected farms. However, you don’t always obtain a gourmet product by just using high quality raw materials. You also have to employ a control and tested method to produce a constant high quality finished product. Although gourmet products can be produced in medium or large batches, the implementation of a control method and high quality ingredients results in a less than ordinary product.

Artisan products are normally made with the same meticulous attention to detailed as gourmet products. Although Artisan Products can be Gourmet, not all gourmet products are artisan in nature.

Artisan products are strictly made in small batches typically by one of a kind stores using family guarded recipes and methods. They are normally hand crafted and sold in the artisan’s store or in local farmers market across the nation. These artisan masters and apprentices follow a time honored tradition that can be traced to pre-industrial times when most products were made in small shops across colonial America and the globe.

The interest in artisan gourmet products was re-awaken by the slow food movement. In Europe the Artisan label is more strictly guarded by local and national agencies, and though many wines, cheeses and chocolates can call themselves gourmet, not all of these gourmet products can be labeled of artisan origin.

Split Bean Coffee’s Dulces del Rocío are considered artisan products because we make them using only high-quality ingredients, in small control batches using our family’s treasured and tested recipes. Our products are preservative free, and we pride ourselves in using minimal packaging. Our products are only available through our online store and at a very selected few retail outlets.

ABOUT SPLIT BEAN COFFEE: Split Bean Coffee® is a Southern California based Micro-Roaster of single origin Nicaraguan Coffees, and confectioner of Artisan Quality Gourmet Sweets, featuring their world famous Alfajores La Misión® and their Dulces del Rocío® Award Winning Marshmallows.

Split Bean Coffee is a family owned business dedicated to the promotion and appreciation of Old Fashioned Coffees and Treats. Using family treasured recipes from their families in South America and The American South, they have combined the time honored traditions of people’s love for good quality coffee and the old-fashioned sweets traditions their grand-parents learned to love.

Split Bean offers a fine selection of Micro-roasted coffees, of which Nicaraguan Coffees is their flag-ship coffee. Grown in the highlands of the Matagalpa region, and minimally processed in a family member’s fair trade co-op farm. Split Bean Coffee’s commitment to its customers is to provide freshest roasted coffee every time. Each bag of coffee is roast-to-order to assure the customer always receives the freshest roast possible.

Split Bean Coffee also features a selection of hand-made Artisan Sweets, of which Alfajores La Misión® are their best seller. They are quickly becoming America’s favorite cookie.

Split Bean Coffee's products have been featured in several national publications including The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Magazine, The San Jose Mercury News, Tu Ciudad Magazine, Specialty Food Magazine, The Dallas Post-Telegram, The Miami Herald, The Portland Oregonian, The San Fernando Valley Social, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Travel Savvy Magazine, The Oklahoman, The Candy Addict and Indulge Magazine.

In addition to Alfajores, Split Bean Coffee also makes Artisan Marshmallows, Toffee, Southern Peanut Brittle, & Chocolate Truffles. These products are available under the Dulces del Rocío® label. Split Bean Coffee was recently voted one of the Top Five Gourmet Marshmallow Makers by Travel Savvy Magazine.