We hosted our annual holiday party last Saturday at our roastery, featuring the same theme as the cafes: Cozy Cabin Christmas. Everyone came dressed in their best flannels to eat some barbecue and play bingo. We try to get all of the staff together as much as possible, but it was especially nice to have everyone here to celebrate the holidays!

As the holidays came and went, the common denominator in the household was likely the kitchen. Whether you were assigned a dish to make, took on the daunting task of baking the holiday cookies, or just sauntered in just when the timers beeped and the food was ready, the kitchen likely saw an increase in the amount of foot traffic during the holiday season. 

Every year, as the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, one familiar thing returns to our shelves and our cups: Tala-la-la-la, our much-loved holiday blend. Despite its core coffees rotating each year, the release of this blend has become a true Tala tradition. It’s part celebration, part reflection, and entirely delicious.

These cookies mix the texture of classic cornbread with the chewiness of a bakery-style cookie. Finishing them with a swirl of honey buttercream feels like spreading honey on warm cornbread, except sweeter and better.

Do you know the muffin women? Located in Mundelein, Illinois, in a nondescript wholesale kitchen is Holcomb Hollow. A business that began from “the plan is jam mentality,” if you get the friend's reference, you know, at the local farmers market, eventually developed into an original gluten-free flour recipe and all the baked goods behind it. Mia sits down with Melissa Norton, head baker and co-owner, and Elena Morris, chief operating officer, to learn more about what makes these muffins so special.

As the holiday season rolls in, so do cold nights, the inevitable cold season, and a calendar full of gatherings, dinners, and events. And with all of that comes the moment someone says, “Just bring anything!” — which is great, unless you have debilitating decision paralysis, cooking isn’t really your love language, or you simply don’t have the time.

Enter: my go-to Hot Toddy recipe.

This Thanksgiving marked our 5th annual Tala Turkey Trot, and a never-before-seen change of location! This year, we got to open up Highwood for the morning to have our coffee and doughnuts. A huge shoutout to Gurnee Donuts for providing us with an amazing and delicious assortment year after year. It was extremely cozy and a truly wonderful way to celebrate Thanksgiving morning together!

We’re celebrating TWO YEARS at our Winnetka Cafe this week! To mark this occasion, we’re inviting you to comment below with your favorite memory at the Winnetka Cafe for your chance to win a $100 cafe gift card.

When you walk into Tala Coffee Roasters, there are three notorious features, just like the North Shore Roaster’s three café locations. Whether you’re in the renovated firehouse of Highwood, Libertyville Headquarters, or the revamped Winnetka gas station, Tala boasts a wide variety of drink offerings ranging from traditional coffee house wares to seasonal and specialty drinks.