By ANDREA MCCANN
Indiana Correspondent

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jim Stengel, co-owner of Leisure Time Coffee, has an idea for men attending the National Farm Machinery Show: “Fellows coming to the farm show can buy a bag of coffee to take home to the wife.”

The Louisville-based business also sells soup, dip and dessert mixes, and will have samples of the coffee and dips available at its corner booth in the Family Living Center during the show. The products are sold at shows and by mail order only.

“We have eight different flavors in both decaf and regular,” Stengel said. “We sample decaf at shows, and people don’t realize it’s decaf. Usually decaf means you give up something in taste, but with this, not at all.

“The uniqueness of our product is that it took about 15 years to fine-tune and refine. There’s no bitterness, like most coffee. Even non-coffee drinkers like it.”

He said the drink is similar to a cross between hot chocolate and coffee. It comes in Amaretto, Cherry Supreme, Cinnamon Chocolate, Coconut Crème, French Vanilla, Hazelnut, Irish Crème and Raspberry Royale. Some coffee drinkers sprinkle Leisure Time Coffee mix into a cup of black coffee for flavor, according to Stengel.

“That way, they can have the best of both worlds if they’re big coffee drinkers,” he explained, adding that almost all who try the coffee become customers. “If they don’t like either coffee or hot chocolate, they probably won’t like it.”

The coffee is made by the cup, not by the pot. Stengel pointed out this prevents waste, and it also allows each family member to fix a different flavor if they can’t agree on one.

“You don’t need a coffeepot,” he said. “You just add it to water. You can make half a cup … you can make it to your own taste.”
Leisure Time Coffee is $6.50 per bag, but there’s a show special of three bags for $18. Regular customers often opt to buy five and get one free, Stengel said.

Flavors can be mixed and matched in whatever assortment the purchaser would like.

“We figure most people will get about 12 to 15 servings if they use a six-ounce cup,” Stengel said. “If they do that, it’ll cost them under 50 cents a cup – it depends on how strong they drink it. That’s very reasonable.”

In addition to coffee, Stengel said, it also has a line of homemade soups that comes packaged as a dry mix. Simply boil water, stir in the mix and simmer. It’s ready in 40-45 minutes, he said, and makes two quarts. It’s the same price as the coffee, and the buy-five-get-one-free offer also applies to the soup.

“The biggest seller by far is creamy potato,” Stengel said. “We also have minestrone and cheddar broccoli.

“We’re also the exclusive supplier of dips and dessert mixes called Cabin in the Woods. They’re delicious and have a line of followers, like the coffee.”

In addition, Stengel and co-owner Leisa Hipsher carry Amish noodles, apple and pumpkin butter, and jams. He said the jams include a sugar-free line that’s as good as the regular. To learn more or to order, call 502-472-0882 or visit www.leisuretimecoffee.com online.