Coffee is one of those wonderful things that expands across culture, tradition, and lifestyle. Whether you take yours with cream and sugar, prefer decaf, or opt for an environmentally sound organic brew, it's easy to see why coffee is something special. Meet Lindsay, a Vermont resident interested in local dining and everything vegan & vegetarian. She shares her cooking and dining adventures on her blog "Cooking for a Vegan Lover", as well as gives reviews (and hosts giveaways) for vegan and vegetarian friendly products, and--on top of all that--provides health and nutrition advice. About a month ago, Lindsay contacted us with interest in our coffees, and offered to review them on her blog amongst her day-to-day postings. We shipped out three bags that caught her eye, Fair Trade Organic Community Blend, Fair Trade Organic Morning Music, and Fair Trade Organic Swiss Water House Blend (Decaf), and here are her thoughts:

"...I enjoyed some of my “weekend coffee” which lately has been from Paramount Coffee who was kind enough to send me a few samples of their coffee (I recently spotted some ground flavors at the local TJMaxx). My favorite of the three I received has been this Fair Trade Organic Community Blend which is a medium roast and is “A combination of Asian and South American coffees in a medium-dark roast. A very rich cup with low acidity and pleasant flavor.” I have also been enjoying the Fair Trade Organic Swiss Water House Blend (Decaf) which I like to sometimes mix with my caffeinated beans to cut back on the caffeine. Both of these have been really tasty and I can’t wait to try the third one I received which is a Fair Trade Organic Music Morning- sounds uplifting eh?" - From "It was a Soygurt Kind of Day" on April 14th, 2010

To read more of Lindsay's blog "Cooking for a Vegan Lover", visit www.cookingforaveganlover.com

Photo Credits: "Welcome to Vermont" © Katherine Welles | Dreamstime.com

2010 marks our 75th year in business, and incase you're wondering just how we got here, we've created a [very summarized] timeline marking significant moments in our history from 1935 to 2010.

1935

• David Radway and Lawrence Weingarten are working for a coffee company in Chicago and decide to start their own company on Turner Street in Lansing. They put together $1000 each, and bring along a colleague, Joe Block, who asked to go with them.
• On August 7, 1935, Paramount Coffee opens its doors, and David Radway brings in the first order of 10 pounds.
• By the end of the year, 14,292 pounds had been sold.
• In addition to coffee, tea, spices, and chocolate are also sold at Paramount.
• First expenses of the fledgling company are: a grinder, bags, tape, stapler and staples, and two trucks. One truck cost $31.11 a month, the other $21.50.
• Paramount’s coffee at this point is imported from Swanson Bros. in Chicago.