Bringing Fika to the Thanksgiving Table

My cousin used to sing a song that went like this “Thanksgiving is coming again. Thanksgiving is coming I know. Before Thanksgiving Day, the turkey ran away. If I should stay, said he, they’ll make a roast of me.” Poor turkey. Let’s all take a moment of silence in honor of the turkey.

And now, let us turn our thoughts and conversations to merrier things and discuss the merits of another kind of roast equally important to the Thanksgiving feast: coffee.

Here at Fika, finding a niche for coffee in any and all situations is not difficult. We think coffee is almost always appropriate, always timely and always beneficial. When speaking of holidays that involve travel, family and copious amounts of fabulous food, our job gets even easier. Coffee was made for holidays. It thrives in all holiday settings, be it Irish Coffee on St. Patty’s Day, carafes placed strategically on the buffet table’s of an Easter brunch or, as we will soon experience, the perfect partner to a slice of Thanksgiving pecan pie.

And while simply serving coffee during the Thanksgiving weekend is better than nothing, we at Fika would like to share some simple tips to make your Thanksgiving coffee experience worthy of a new tradition, right along side the seven-layer salad and the post-feast football nap.

Tip #1: Don’t forget the decaf. While some may appreciate caffeine’s ability to counteract turkey-day’s sleep inducing tendencies, not everyone wants or can tolerate caffeine, especially if it’s offered later in the day with dessert. My dad, for one, dreams all year of his post-turkey nap and would be noticeably irritated if his cup of brew kept him from it. If you have decaf coffee alongside regular, everyone in the house can savor a cup.

Tip #2: Don’t be a bean counter. Thanksgiving is a day to be generous, right? We ought to show our thanks to those we love by withholding no good thing, including coffee. So don’t be stingy. Have enough coffee for the whole weekend plus a little more. It’d be an awful shame to have your grandma rave about the coffee only to tell her there’s not a drop left in the house. And, because coffee is at its best when shared, if you’re staying at a friend or relative’s house, make sure you’ve brought enough so you can leave some with them as a parting gift.

Tip #3: If you’re ordering coffee from Fika, make sure you get your order in soon, preferably by the 17^th and by the 23^rd at the absolute latest. You don’t want to sweat the coffee details and we really don’t want to be responsible for a Fika-less feast. Ideally, you’ll have the coffee in time to sample it before the big day. And if you’re family is anything like mine, the coffee’s presence at a gathering is nearly as important as the family member who’s bringing it. So if you’re the traveling family member who’s in charge of providing the coffee, consider asking us to ship it to your destination so that when you call your mom from the side of the road to say you’ve got a flat tire and won’t be in until late your mom won’t have to say, “But we need the coffee!”

Tip #4: Review our brewing tips from this post and this post so you’re sure to brew the perfect cup.

Tip #5: While enjoying your coffee, remember to enjoy your family and friends, too. Thanksgiving, like all holidays, can easily become clichéd and meaningless, falling tragically into a day of mindless traditions and stress. Remember what’s important. Let the coffee be a catalyst for good conversation and a reason to linger at the table, savoring those who are gathered around it. May the room fill not only with the aroma of superb coffee but also with gratitude, intentionality and love. There is truly much to be thankful for.

And because we want to celebrate Thanksgiving by withholding no good thing from our Fika customers, we have two exciting deals to offer.

All orders placed between November 9^th and November 17^th will receive FREE SHIPPING. Coffee purchased  between November 9th and 23rd get 10% off with coupon code thankful. And, best deal of all: every order receives a hand-written recipe for Amy’s favorite pecan pie. Made famous by her Aunt Jane, a true southern bell hailing from the great state of Oklahoma, this pecan pie is sure to pair perfectly with a cup of Fika.

Pie Prize: Make a pie (this one or any) and take a pretty picture of it alongside the recipe card. Post it to our Instagram or Facebook Page (tagged with #fikapieprize) before midnight on November 30 to be entered into our drawing for fabulously free Fika merchandise and coffee.