The Magic Bean
I have a particular love for the beautiful beverage that is brewed from the beans of coffea arabica plant. I call it my morning ritual, Johanne calls it an addiction!!
Call it what you will, it is a proven fact my days flow much more smoothly once 14 ounces of this beautiful golden elixir is ingested.
Coffee country, Atenas, Costa Rica
There is so much written about coffee: it’s history, it’s magic and it’s dark side. I feel that I have the authority to add my 2 worth cents as a connoisseur and someone who is enjoying a cup at this very moment.
- Here are a few quick facts to get us started*:
- it isn’t really a bean at all but a pit, sort of like a cherry
- it takes 140 liters of water to produce and process just one cup of coffee
- coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world after oil.
- Finland is by far the worlds largest consumers of coffee at 12 kgs per year. More than twice as much as Canada at #10
- Brazil is the largest producer followed by one of our favourite countries Vietnam (more on this later).
*just google it
The Pits
For me, coffee is as much about the experience than just the simple consumption of a beverage. Where you are and who you are enjoying it with can take an average cup of brew and make it exquisite. Conversely a finely crafted product gulped down from a styro foam cup in rush hour is a total waste. Good coffee deserves to be savored, it takes time and mindfulness.
The Coffee Experience
My two most memorable cups of coffee are:
- In a one-table cafe over looking Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. The owner of the shop told us that the beans were from his finca, the roaster was in the cafe and he had even home-built the expresso machine used to create his craft.
2. Sitting in the main square in Eguisheim which is rated as one of the prettiest towns in France. The setting was just so perfect and the moment was divine.
The Ritual
For Johanne and I, we always look for a special place where we take time in the morning and share a quiet moment and a cup of the best local coffee available. We are fortunate to have fond memories of coffees enjoyed in magic places around the globe. Life is good!
The Vietnamese Way
We were surprised to find that the coffee culture in Vietnam is completely off the charts! I think it comes from the French occupation year. They have more ways of preparing and serving coffee than I could ever describe. Most it is thick, black and exotic. A rich syrupy blend mixed with sweet milk. Sort of like Crack in a Cup!
Flavour
Much can be said about the quality of the product, where is it grown, how it is roasted, how it is brewed and who your barista is. However the one factor that has the largest impact on flavour is freshness. Coffee beans will hold their flavour for months maybe years, but once they are ground they begin to deteriorate quickly. Buying artisan, shade grown coffee should ensure a better quality of bean. So find a roast you like, buy the whole beans (pits) and grind them as needed.
Pairing
At the moment I am pairing my morning coffee with a wonderful cinnamon bun which is heavenly. The treat was locally made and delicious.
I also highly recommend a little piece of raw cacao to melt in your mouth,
The Dark Side of Coffee
Coffee is a LUXURY ITEM. It provides no nutrients or food value, yet it gulps up huge resources in land and water that could be better used feeding the planet. A poor under privileged work force labours so that the elite can enjoy their indulgence. Multi national corporations get rich on our addiction. Profit margins are huge and it is estimated that the farmer receives about 1 cent on that grande you just ordered. Massed produced coffee comes from huge plantations where natural rain forest has been sacrificed for you and me. Volume is the goal not quality.
Try and buy more artisan brands. Search out coffees that come from small growers. It will be a better product and maybe slightly kinder for the planet.
Now that I have completely depressed you with the dark news, I think I will go have a cup of shade grown medium roast from Costa Rica. I bought it directly from the farmer pictured above.
Just remember:
Send us your coffee stories and we will share them here.