Burlesque babe Dita von Teese is now the face of Cointreau, and she has her own signature drink:

"Cointreau Teese

1 ½ oz. Cointreau
¾ oz. apple juice
½ oz. Monin violet syrup
½ oz. fresh lemon juice

Shake and strain into a martini glass with a ginger-frosted rim; garnish with a violet. Bottoms up. "

For those unfamiliar with it, yes, there apparently IS violet syrup, such as this one from Monin:

Literally. TrendHunter reports the luxury carmaker is cranking out a limited edition of 1,000 of these bad boys:

Rendered in stainless steel and selling for about $1750 US, and Lamborghini-brand coffee available but apparently not included, you could definitely crank out some red-line espresso with this unit. Buy it at Lamborghini's website.

A nice indulgence or over-the-top advertising? If you find a sticker on your newspaper, you decide. New York Times reports:

Guests at Omni luxury hotels will find small scented stickers on the front pages of their free copies of USA Today. A blackberry aroma will suggest that the guests start the day at their hotels with a cup of Starbucks coffee “paired with a fresh muffin.” The promotion, to be tested for at least six months, is being sponsored by Omni Hotels and Starbucks Coffee.

“We’re looking for a way to carry the scents, the whole sensory experience, further,” said Caryn Kboudi, vice president for corporate communications at Omni Hotels in Irving, Tex.

And DJ wants to add scents to the Wall Street Journal. Most ads I see in the WSJ don't lend themselves to scentage, but it would be interesting to get a whiff of Balvenie from page A3.

Going into the office late, or maybe taking a break after that boring early meeting? Starbucks is giving out free regular coffee this Thursday (March 15th).

OK, maybe it's not your usual. For what it's worth, my favorite drink is a venti cappuccino with hazelnut and whipped cream, but I do like their regular drip, especially the new Casi Cielo. I've been to their free days before and they were giving useful demonstrations on how to work a french press, espresso machine, etc.

Perhaps not to be outdone, Dunkin' Donuts has free iced coffee all day on March 21. Mark your calendars!

If you've had a dry aged steak lately, you know it's delicious. The taste and texture are far superior to run-of-the-mill steaks. Recently I was curious as to what "dry aged" means and why it makes beef so good. The results of my research:

Top grades of beef, USDA Prime and Choice, are the only real candidates for dry aging. The beef is hung for 10 to 28 days - sometimes longer - in a cooler and allowed to, well, dry. Drier beef contains less moisture and has more concentrated flavor. Additionally, enzymes in the muscle begin to break down the steak as it ages, serving as a natural tenderizer.

Many dry aged selections are also grass-fed and organic. Mmmm....

The process is time-consuming, expensive and requires extensive storage, so very few steakhouses and butcher shops offer dry aged beef. It can be hard to find, but it's worth it. (The only thing better is a buffalo steak!) Order a bottle of your favorite Cabernet or Meritage as an accompaniment and you can't go wrong.

Nothing beats a hot steaming cup of coffee to awaken the nerves and stimulate tired senses. While a cup of Joe may tempt relentlessly, many environmentally conscious people would reject the purchase of over-the-counter, mass produced coffee from your traditional store. For good reason: many of the manufacturing methods used to make non-organic coffee have been proven to damage the environment through toxins, pesticides, and fertilizers used throughout production.

In order for organic coffee to claim its title and have seals of approval throughout the States, it has to follow a set of guidelines established by the US Department of Agriculture that regulates organic production. Organic coffee must stray clear of synthetic pesticides and its farmers must have crop rotation systems in place to prevent soil nutrients from depleting along with sufficient pest control. Given the nature of the organic coffee production process, its market is steadily climbing in the States with total sales reaching close to 90 million in 2005, a nearly 50 percent jump from 2004. In addition, organic coffee is being sold by more specialty coffee firms than ever, a testament to its growing popularity.

Organic coffee continues to remain a premium product at extravagant prices. Currently, a 12 oz. bag of dark roasted shade grown fair trade organic coffee can climb upwards of $12. Light roasted organic coffee goes for about $3 less, depending on the store you’re buying it from. Adding to organic coffee’s exclusivity is the size of the world organic coffee market which remains mired at less than 1 percent in all of the major coffee consuming countries. Despite its status, this item continues to be diverse, offering organic coffee products that include coffee sodas, decaffeinated, caffeinated, and flavored coffees. All in all, remember that organic coffee is a safe alternative to the mass produced, environmentally unconscious coffees made today.

For more information on organic coffee or for organic coffee recipes, check out uniqueroasts, which offers many international options.

- Scott Wilson