Oh My Coffee, Look at those Biscuits

In December, Jesse and I took a mini vacay down to Savannah, Georgia. Y’all, it was so beautiful! I can’t believe it took me until now to venture down into the deep, rich, historic veins of Georgia. We took a tour through AirBNB as well as used the app for our accommodations. We also had some AMAZING breakfast, went to the beach, and sight-seeing at Fort Pulaski. All in all, our retreat was relaxing and full of adventure at the same time.

Any time we take a trip, we always do some research. We research enough so we know what is in the area and have an idea of what we are going to do but don’t set times for many things. One thing we did have to really plan for was our breakfast one morning at Back In The Day Bakery. They had limited hours for the days we were going to be in town so we made sure to plan that. I had researched local coffee shops. If you have read my first post you can guess why. We LOVE coffee! We also love trying new things. This bakery was on top of the list of places to eat in Savannah.

Savannah is home of the prominent art college, SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). Knowing this, we were curious to see if any great art-cicles would melt onto the streets we were exploring. YES! To our surprise, a man was in the process of a beautiful, vibrant mural on the corner of the street we were to find the bakery. These little details and tidbits of fun when you are exploring always make for a great photo op but also a chance to consume the ideas, visions, and dreams of others. So stop, step back, and take in the view. Moving on to the bakery.

Oh my! What a bustling little bakery it was. We stepped in a line that was drifting right out of the front door. Peeking over shoulders, our eyes glazed over. The treats sitting behind the see-through cabinets were speaking to us both. “Pick me! No, pick me!” Have I mentioned the inside yet? Ha! Vintage chic everything! Everything! The ladies behind the counter even wore the most precious vintage-inspired aprons. Y’all, I just wanted everything in that place packaged and shipped home to Jefferson. It was just what I had hoped to find.

We stepped up to the counter. You know we had to order coffee! This was not just any regular coffee though. I ordered coffee with lavender honey. LA-VEN-DER HON-EY (please clap your hands when you read each syllable… Yes, read it again that way). I also ordered a ham and gruyere signature biscuit. Jesse ordered a coffee and a sunny day biscuit. Still hankering to try other items on their menu, we ordered an apple fritter-like pastry to share as a snack for later. (Click HERE for the menu)

The seating area was filled with vintage arrangements. We picked a church pew that was up against a window with a vintage chair across a circular table. Our order was called out from the counter. Jesse brought our goods to the table. No words. We didn’t have a conversation. We just sunk our teeth into the cathead biscuits and didn’t stop. Crumbly, buttery, and filled with flavor. Y’all, those were some of the best biscuits, maybe second to my Bee Paw’s homemade buttermilk biscuits he prepares in a bread bowl that his parents used when he was a kid.

We shared the pastry a little later in the day as a snack. It was just as tasty as our breakfast! I don’t think there is anything on their menu that I wouldn’t like.

Let's not leave here without talking about the coffee. You know that warm feeling you get when you come inside on a cold, rainy, miserable day and you fall completely into your couch and scrunch up like a ball under your oldest and most favorite blanket? Yes, that is the feeling you get when you drink the most relaxing, warm cup of lavender honey coffee. It’s a surprise and pleasant taste. I loved it! I loved it so much I went on Amazon, the day we left Savannah, and purchased lavender syrup to add to my coffee at home. I do not regret it one bit. When I make it at home I usually add a little bit of vanilla creamer to my coffee and then two pumps of lavender syrup. Here is a link and picture of the syrup I purchased. It came with a convenient pump, no need to buy it separately if you don’t have to. Love this syrup because you can add it to other things like ice cream, Sprite, sweet tea or a glass of lemonade.

This bakery was a wonderful stop for breakfast on our first morning in Savannah. I would recommend checking the hours before you plan your trip over there. You won’t regret stepping into this adorable and scrumptious find.

Address:

Back In The Day Bakery

2401-2403 Bull St

Savannah, GA 31401

Phone #: (912) 495-9292

Website: https://backinthedaybakery.com

Losers live, Winners Die

If you find yourself in Cozumel with 3-4 hours to spare I highly recommend visiting Kun Che Park. No worries, you will not find dinosaurs here but what you will find is a world of Mayan culture re-imagined. As you walk around the village, you will cross stations that teach you about the lives of the Mayan people. You will sample food recipes passed down from generation to generation. After 2 hours in you will be questioning yourself like Robin Williams in Jumanji.

Kun Che Park is considered a Mayan sanctuary. Located in the oldest town on the Island, El Cedral, is where Mayan descendants still walk and communicate in the Yucatec Maya language. Before we were able to walk through the village we needed to be blessed in the Mayan Language. This was our first dose of the Yucatec Language. This older lady came up in front of us, waved her arms around and all I could think was how I just met the real Coco from the Disney movie. She spent the next 3 mins blessing us, shaking vines dipped in water, and sprinkling it on us.

After she finished the blessing and purifying us we walked to where the main event was about to unfold. The reason we decided to visit the park was so we could witness POK TA POK in person and no, its not a newly discovered Pokemon in the wild but rather an ancient Mayan ball game.

We were moved to a court where we were greeted by a ceremony that resembled the Intro to 90's wrestlers coming into the ring. On one side we had the Jaguars (no not some kids from the Hidden Legends of the Temple) and on the other side we had the Skeletons.

POK TA POK is no joke. The Object of the game is to get a rubber ball through a hoop attached to the wall. Simple right? Well, no. The use of hands and feet are not allowed. Only the thighs, knees and hips can be used to bounce the ball around in hopes to score by making the ball go through the hoop on the side of the court wall. But Jesse, this seems impossible you say. Well let me remind you, the Mayans were the original stair masters. Going up and down those temples are a work out.

After an awkward, yet very interesting game filled with drums beating, Mayans chanting, and bodies flying through the air, the rubber ball finally made it through a hoop and just like that a winner was declared. These games were known to last hours and even days until a team won. In the Mayan times, the winners were the ones that were sacrificed to the Gods cause, lets face it, nobody likes losers and apparently neither do the Gods.

Hot. Thick. Brown.

Oh, of course I am talking about expresso from the sweet spot of Miami known as Little Havana. What did you think I was talking about? 

Recently, my husband and I traveled to Miami, Florida on our much awaited honeymoon. Yes girl, we are newlyweds and married life is a blast so far. We are always up for trying new things in different places, especially food and drinks. 

Picture this, you’re driving down Calle Ocho with one thing on your mind. That talked about Cuban coffee that everyone mentions. Yes, that cup of wake up juice adults long for in the morning as they get ready for their day. What better way to start off the day than grabbing that cup of… Wait. Milk? 

Let me explain something to you. When they ask you if you want coffee and you say yes in Little Havana, they are going to bring you a mug of hot, frothy milk with a side of coffee to add. This is the total reverse of how I have ever had coffee. Hot milk? With a side of coffee? Is that sinking in? 

Jesse and I found this restaurant in Little Havana called La Carreta. This place is a golden cafe. Not only do they have Cuban cuisine but also an outside coffee bar where locals can walk up, order, and then be on their way with their tiny expressos or to-go cafe con leches. 

Attention, local cafes in my surrounding area, DO THIS, PRETTY PLEASE! 

This restaurant was alive with the breakfast dishes clinking and the coffee bubbling. We walked in and realized that this was definitely a local place. The sensual, romantic Spanish language echoed through the narrow dining area. Hola. Bienvenidos. All the kind greetings in Spanish that can be said. Thankfully, Jesse translated as we ordered. 

Soon, our Cuban breakfast was set down in front of us and we embarked on a glorious cultural feast. And the coffee. Oh, the coffee. I think I drank mine and about half of Jesse’s. If you have never had anything like it before, it is hard to stop. I swear it soothes the soul, even in the hot and humid days of Miami riddled with afternoon thunderstorms. 

This experience prompted my curiosity to look in on how Cuban coffee is made, specifically expresso.

Jesse and I stayed in an AirBnB on this trip. It was cute, quaint, had a roaming cat and a few banana leaves that stuck out far from it’s trunk just to whack you has you walked by.

 Inside we discovered what I already knew was going to be a learning project for me. A percolator. A shiny, silver kettle-like pot to brew espresso on the stove top. This was thrilling because of the coffee experience I had at La Carreta but also because it was something I had never made before. 

Yes, I asked Google for help on how to use the perculator. Google followed through. After a few videos I was ready to try it myself. Not as difficult as you might think. The product that poured out of the percolator? AHH-mazing! Our AirBnB host had a set of cute little espresso cups so naturally we drank from them (Picture included). 

Now I want my own percolator so I can experience the hot, thick, and brown essence of Little Havana in my own home. 

Cuban espresso made by yours truly.