Coffee Lover’s Date Night Three Course Menu

Love is in the air! Valentine's Day is in February, and we have the perfect date night menu to surprise and delight the coffee lover in your life. With this menu, a few simple ingredients, and your favorite Kauai Coffee, you can brew up a little magic and a taste of paradise right at home.

Drinks and Appetizers

No date night meal is complete without a first course. Wow your loved one with a smooth and rich espresso martini and savory coffee crackers paired with a selection of aged cheeses.

Espresso Martini - Makes two servings

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces vodka
• 1 ounce Koloa Kauai Coffee Rum
• 2 ounces Kauai Coffee Poipu Estate Espresso Roast, brewed and chilled
• Ice for shaker
• Optional: one ounce simple syrup or macadamia nut syrup for additional sweetness and flavor

Instructions:

1. Add the vodka, Koloa Kauai Coffee Rum, Poipu Estate Espresso Roast Coffee, and optional syrup into a martini shaker with ice.
2. Shake the ingredients vigorously until well chilled
3. Strain into two chilled cocktail or martini glasses. Serve over ice if desired.

Savory Coffee Crackers

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup quick cooking flaked oats or oat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• 4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup plus two tablespoons Kauai Coffee, brewed and chilled
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/8th teaspoon each of flaky sea salt, black pepper, and finely ground coffee to garnish crackers before baking

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Combine flour, oats, and seasoning in a large mixing bowl
3. Cut in the cold, cubed butter with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture is the texture of coarse sand
4. Add brewed Kauai Coffee and honey and gently knead until dough forms
5. Sprinkle flour onto a work surface and roll out dough to 1/8th of an inch. The thinner the cracker, the crisper it will be
6. Cut out desired shapes with a cookie cutter or knife; we like a scallop-edge cookie cutter, sprinkle a pinch of the salt, pepper, and ground coffee garnish over the crackers, and bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 15 minutes. Less time may be required for thinner crackers, so watch them carefully while baking
7. Cool crackers completely and enjoy with a selection of aged cheeses and charcuterie. Parmesan, asiago, and aged cheddar are delicious with these savory coffee crackers

Main Course

Let the coffee courses continue! Delight your love with a salad of fresh vegetables dressed in Kauai Coffee vinaigrette and slow cooked coffee-braised short ribs.

Kauai Coffee Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. strong Kauai Coffee (brewed)
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp. pomegranate juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• Hawaiian sea salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

1. Brew one cup of strong Kauai Coffee. Reserve two tablespoons and enjoy the rest! We recommend using any Kauai Cold Brew you have on hand or a robust dark roast like the Estate Reserve Mundo Novo Dark Roast
2. Add garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, pomegranate juice, coffee, mustard, salt, and pepper to the bowl and whisk vigorously until dressing comes together.
3. Serve over a fresh green salad or grilled vegetables. Extra dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.

Kauai Coffee Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients

• 4 pounds, bone-in, English cut (2-3 inches thick) short ribs
• 1 cup Kauai Coffee, brewed
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1 red pepper, seeded, roughly chopped
• 2 fresh red chiles, seeded to taste (Fresno, Hawaiian or Thai chilies work well)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons dried chili powder
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Turn on the slow cooker and set it to the high setting
2. Add chopped onion, red pepper, garlic, Hawaiian chili, ancho chili powder, honey, and apple cider vinegar to a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth and combined.
3. Pat ribs dry and season with salt and pepper to taste
4. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet until shimmery and brown ribs in batches (about 4 minutes per batch).
5. Once seared, place short ribs into the slow cooker and pour the sauce from the blender into the hot pan used to sear the ribs. Be careful as some splattering can occur.
6. Cook the pureed sauce over medium heat, occasionally stirring for about 5 minutes.
7. Add the brewed coffee and beef stock to the sauce and bring it to a gentle boil and reduce slightly
8. Pour sauce over the seared ribs in the slow cooker, cover, and cook on high for 3.5 to 4 hours or until fork-tender

Need an additional side for your date night dinner? Try these Kauai Coffee Candied Sweet Potatoes.

Dessert

Date night dinners are all about dessert, and nothing makes it more delicious than fresh, island-grown coffee. This elegant and easy affogato requires no baking and can be made with your favorite ice cream or gelato for a custom treat your loved one will adore.

Kauai Coffee Affogato - makes two servings

Ingredients:

• 4 scoops vanilla bean gelato (or your personal favorite!)
• 2 ounces Kauai Coffee, brewed as an espresso

 

Instructions

1. Fill two chilled glasses with two scoops of gelato each
2. Pour one ounce of freshly brewed Kauai Coffee over the gelato in each glass and enjoy!

Use your preferred brewing method if you do not have an espresso maker or AeroPress.

Kauai Coffee Date Night Menu Recommendations

Not sure which coffees to try with each recipe? Here are a few suggestions, Espresso martini: Poipu Estate Espresso Roast or Chocolate Macadamia Nut - subtly sweet and nutty pairs well with the coffee rum!

Savory coffee crackers: Rooster Alarm - the rich, bold, sweet molasses and malty finish complements the savory and slightly oat-y biscuit texture of the crackers

Coffee vinaigrette and braised short ribs: Kauai Coffee Mundo Novo and Estate Roast - Mundo Novo is crisp and bold with woody, nutty undertones. Estate Roast is bright and floral

Affogato: Polihale Sunset - Sweet and bright with subtle hints of baker’s cocoa and vanilla bean