To know me is to know I LOVE coffee. I loved coffee so much that when I moved to California, I finally left banking to lead a market portfolio for an industry leading Coffee chain. In the past 3 years I have learned so much about the bean but more importantly I've grown to appreciate the whole ecosystem of it including respecting the journey it took to get into the cups that we enjoy drinking so much every day. Coffee brings moments of connection. Many would agree that it is a ritual and if your not sold on that, ask someone who drinks it every day. Chances are it's the one thing that they count on to either start or get them through the day. And if your family is anything like mine, it's not unheard of to have one before they go to sleep!
Growing up in a Puerto Rican household.
My Grandparents grew up in P.R and my Mom was born and raised there. The whole family grew up on coffee. I can even remember my mom being proud of being raised on the farm, and growing her own coffee beans- and of course that came along with the story of walking barefoot to school for 3 miles up a mountain. Those stories came along with the lessons that I had to learn of humility, patience and pride as a child. Growing up and sitting at the table eating pan or crackers with cafe con leche was a treat. If you were lucky you made it to two cups a day. Spending a couple of summers in Puerto Rico, although not knowing at the time,but realizing now just how special the connection over story telling was. It didn't stop there, my dad is from Brooklyn and those set of grandparents lived in the big city making life happen with a corner store bodega and of course selling packaged coffee. It was a staple and it was used it as a tool to bring along the young with the old and offered a moment to slow down and be present . In fact, these were some of my first experiences with inclusivity where every voice, opinion and perspective mattered. The values I learned over the years were in those moments, and ones I will forever cherish and will always remember. It is In those memories that my grandparents will forever live in me and I thank God every chance I get for having them. Now I can take the art of story telling and continue the legacy of connection through my own set of stories and values.
Now let's get into it:
Let's talk about the Ecosystem: I want to tell you in the most concise way I know how about the journey of the "bean".
For one- Respect all the farmers, pickers, cuppers, and shippers of the ecosystem. Without them, the coffee farm and the beautiful mountains the cherries are grown on, wouldn't even make it to the cute little cafes we frequent. Yes your visualizing correctly, coffee comes from a plant that takes almost 3-4 years to mature. These plants grow in mountains where the soil is fertile enough to make them thrive. Coffee farms are spread all across the world . You'll find that from west to east, major coffee producing regions fall into a band around the equator, an imaginary line named The Coffee Belt. Between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn wrapping from Africa to Asia, you will be able to explore a wide selection of coffees and depending where they are harvested will determine their tasting notes . As you can imagine, the selections will leave you favoring a specific region and your tasting palate will lead those cravings . Personally I favor Latin- American coffees but you probably already knew that, and don't get it confused because Jamaican Blue Mountain had me at first sip.
One Bean. One Dream.
The coffee starts off as one cherry that is typically hand picked because the "lay of the land" makes it too difficult for machines . Within each red cherry lives a green coffee bean where the cherry flesh must be removed. This removal process is done through various methods including drying and rotating them in the Sun. After several days they are ready to be sorted and shipped for sample roasting and cupping which is a process of tasting for balance and quality prior to selling. Wow, someone's whole job is to taste coffee and prepare for a buyer to purchase and sell to you! Can you see how the whole process is just magical?
Now for your first sip:
So by now , I told you why Coffee is important to me and the journey of the farm to the cup. I hope that you find a newfound respect for the power of the "Bean".
Next time you drink coffee, I want you to imagine the farmer and the process. Take a moment to reflect, and a moment to honor.
Want a little inspo before you go?
I'll leave you with this:
4 steps to a coffee tasting :
Smell; using your hands -Cup your cup of coffee ; what notes do you smell? ( Do you smell nutty ,fruity ,cocoa?)
Slurp- the louder the better- a big slurp to not burn your tongue.
Locate - Where do you feel the coffee on your tongue? (middle , front , back)
Describe: What do you taste ? Do you taste the notes? do you feel any acidity?( the best way to describe acidity for me - is the lingering feeling after you taste something citrusy like a lemon or orange.)
Try pairing your coffee with deserts that bring out the tasting notes.
More to come on tastings and specific region coffees. What would you like to know or see on my blog? Leave a comment below.
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