Follow the classic recipe from the Buena Vista in San Fran. You Ritual peeps better be down there right now! Happy St. Patties everyone!
- Matt
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Posted by Bel Townsend on March 16, 2008 at 11:52pm
Even the words terrify me now. "Upgrade Proposal". I have to write exactly what I want to do with this project, 4000 words, and then a panel interview to defend The Plan. I've still got a couple of months, but it is now becoming obvious that before I can convince other people that this is a good, plausible idea, I need to figure out once and for all what that idea actually is.I've been faffing. Farting around with vaguely academic concepts and seeing how they could possibly be applied to my main obsession of the moment: coffee. I am employed to work on the Waste of the World project, which incorporates a lot of different themes, but focuses on reexamining what we think of as 'waste' in social terms. Our "team" - that is, Joby, Anna and I, are charged with research the concept of Food Waste. To me, this meant Coffee Waste.There are a lot of different forms of 'waste' in the coffee industry. Physical waste on the plantations - what happens to coffee that doesn't sell? What happens if the crops are diseased? What happens if the roaster screws up somehow? And then at the retailers - what about all the crap espressos trainee baristas make that cannot be served? Then there is all the branded packaging - most of it can be recycled, but generally isn't.And even if you throw away your branded cup, is it somehow worth it if you have become slightly more aware of that brand? Storage packaging: if you don't store it right, the coffee goes stale and you have to throw it. If you do store it well, you can't recycle the foil bags...And then there is the idea of waste of knowledge. An infinite and complex array of skills go in to this industry, everything from grading green beans, roasting to perfection, to baristas drawing rosettas as latte art on the top of our drink.. Does all the effort that's gone in to making the coffee get wasted if the bored barista screws it up in the shop? And even if she gets it perfect, is all that expertise wasted on customers who come in for their venti, 1-shot decaf syruped-to-hell soy crappyfrappemockacino and then go home and drink instant?Most significantly though, is trying to find whether or not all this waste, physical and conceptual, is actually necessary. If there is a demonstrable demand for high quality, speciality coffees in the UK, and if these specialty coffees inevitably create more waste to produce, then the waste is justified. However, if in the UK we are still clinging to our teapots and drinking Nescafe instant, or perhaps, going to Caffe Nero or Starbucks for the 'lifestyle' - buying in to the brand, for instance rather than the coffee itself, then the waste involved in this industry becomes meaningless.How do I go about answering all these questions? The anthropologist in me is bouncing up and down going "Participant Observation!" "Multi-site ethnography!" I don't know if human-geographers have other methods, but good ol' PO sounds appealing to me. With emphasis on the PARTICPANT bit. I WANT to see what it's like to pick coffee: I am going to a tiny co-op farm in Nicaragua, and a big commercial farm in Costa Rica. I would love to learn how to roast coffee professionally, so I am going to try and find an independent roaster and the one that supplies a big chain like Caffe Nero. Finally, I want to see if my own barista experience is 'typical' of the industry, and so I intend to compare the goings on in an independent cafe (hopefully, Gusto Italiano in Sheffield) and at a branch of Caffe Nero. Constantly comparing big and small, independent and commercial will, I hope, give a better all-round view of the industry...So, I've got a lot of Ideas, and when I get really into this, I buzz... it's exciting, I want to get on with it!! But, first, I've just got to translate all of the above into formal academic speak, then add in references and inteliigent sounding theory, and then timescales and costings and ... aaaaaaaargh. Bureaucracy and academic prostitution!! aaaargh indeed! Sometimes, the fact that I have a certain responsibility to the uni to produce intensive, innovative, accessible and practical research is enough to crush any creativity and enthusiasm. I am Lost in Caffienation, again.
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sooo... i know that tapping the milk when you are done steaming seperates the milk and microfoam, but with a good swirl doesn't it adequately mix it in again to make it velvety smooth?Someone told me that I should be able to make foam so perfectly that you don't have to tap it or swirl it before you pour. Is that true? I don't recall if I've ever seen anyone NOT tap the pitcher. Is that a goal I should aspire to? anyway...I'm just learning to do latte art and stuff, so any help with that would be cool too :)
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Posted by Troy Reynard on March 16, 2008 at 12:50pm
'Twas the night before St. Pat's Day and all the through the house,Just one creature was stirring, the wee Guinness mouse.All the pint glasses were on the bar top with care,In the hopes that St. Patrick soon would be there!Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!
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So, I had my first fund raiser at my little coffee bar, I challenged my customers to raise money for the Race for a Cure, to cure breast cancer. I matched the first $100 dollars of tips raised we raised a total of $233.00. It was an easy way to give back as well as a great way to connect with my customers. Many of them came up and told me their stories and thanked me for doing a little bit to build awareness and to give back to the community.On a side note the event also increased my bottom line; I had new customers coming by because they wanted to be a part of the action.I would love to hear what others are doing to give back to their communities.Thanks and HugsCosmo
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Posted by Jason Dominy on March 14, 2008 at 2:30pm
First, let me say James Hoffmann is every bit a champion as his title establishes him. What a great guy to educate people about coffee, I mean, really. A nice guy, very personable, with the ability to guide you in the ways of espresso without you even knowing it. Bloody brilliant, I say. I went along with most of our small coffee company, and we were all impressed with the whole thing. It was great to hear him talk of his ride to the top, and to be able to see him work his espresso magic right before us. Thankfully, our president was chosen to try one of his signature drinks, and even more thankful was he was also willing to share. The drink was more chocolatey than I thought would be, and I didn't really taste the tobacco, I more felt it. I liked the hint of rosemary, too. It's clear it was a great drink that could win any competition. And the guy knows his stuff about all the food science parts, too. It was a blast. Here's me hoping to glean just an ounce of his wisdom. (Thanks to George Holt for taking the picture!)
Here's the link to the pics I took: http://gallery.mac.com/jasonandapril#100137&view=carouseljs&bgcolor=black&sel=3We had our monthly cupping today, and despite a few cancellations, it was a great cupping. Today we did our Dilworth Guat, Yirgacheffe, Sumatra, and Green Mountain's Newmans Own Organic Colombia Especiale. As you would expect, the Yirg was the favorite, and it's just so stinking fruity right now, I love it! It's that combo of lemons and blueberries that blows me away every time. Our Roastmaster Chad has really done an awesome job with this coffee, as he does with all our coffees. It's a great feeling to be able to cup with coffees you're proud of. Anyway, this cupping had a few people that own their own shops, one that I'm helping open a shop, and a realtor. A great group. Leaves me looking forward to next month's cupping and barista jam.Here's the link to the pics from today's cupping: http://gallery.mac.com/jasonandapril#100152&view=carouseljs&bgcolor=black&sel=4(On a side note, I spent this afternoon training a staff of 10 servers, a GM, and a chef on espresso and drink-making. It was on the way home, that it really hit me. They were very excited about learning about espresso and drinks, and there's alot of time we are only thinking about educating the people who come in our shops, like they're the only ones interested, but it's just not true. Like the realtor that came to the cupping today in his tie, there's a world of people out there who just need someone to ignite that passion within them to learn more, and I am thankful to have a job where I can ignite that flame. It's a real privilege, that's true. But a great responsibility, and it innately makes you want to be better at what you do. It's a never-ending cycle, and that's what I love about coffee. The "quest" never ends. The "Holy Grail", if you will, remains that vision in the sky we seek. Life in coffee is good.)
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Greetings Coffee Crusaders! Just found this site called ratemyrosetta.com thought you'd all like to check it out! If you have already I'm sorry, just new to this entire network that I never knew existed!
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In China, there are three places where coffee can be planted. One is Yunnan, where they plant arabica beans; The second one is Hainan, where they plant only robusta beans. The third one is Taiwan, no idea what they have. Suppose that they have only robusta beans, due to the low atitude.The arabica beans of Yunnan is tasted great, in drip coffee. It is not good for espresso. The beans from Hainan is not good for drip coffee, but maybe good for some blends of espresso or drip coffee. Not sure, because we never tried it as in any blends.
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In Milwaukee with Patty. Ready to represent the Sota and Kopplin's here as the only out of region competitor. Will post blogs as the event proceeds. For now it's time for me to prepare. Patty and I are going to rock out the "4th Machine" here in the next little bit. Fair thee well.
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Here is my paper... because apparently there were some who wanted to read it. I want to say that because of the class requirements, the draft is pretty superficial, but all the sources that I used were sooooo good and in-depth. Anyway, hope you learn something :)Fair Trade 1Running Head: FAIR TRADEFair Trade: The RevolutionNoelle ConnollyEastern Washington UniversityMarch 2008Fair Trade 2As a revolution, the fairtrade movement is not typical. Although spurred by inequality, this movement was not initialized by the poor, frustrated laborer, but by the wealthier, socially-conscious activists in northern countries. The fairtrade movement is a revolution in a very different sense of the word. As a non-violent movement, it does not seek to ‘overthrow’ the powerful and exploitative Multi-national Corporations (MNC’s), or destroy the capitalist global economy. Instead, it strives to change the behavior of buyers and sellers in order to bring social equality to the marginalized small-scale laborers of the Southern hemisphere.The first phases of fairtrade developed in charity organizations and church groups as a movement which sought to challenge the traditional concepts of production and consumption (Low, Davenport, 2005). They promoted all forms of products, from furniture to handicrafts. Agricultural products were only a small part of the bigger picture. The fair trade movement as we know it began in the mid-20th century, when non-profit importers partnered with southern hemisphere farmers, forming non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) called Alternative Trade Organizations (ATO’s). Focusing initially on coffee and agricultural production, these organizations sought to create a better profit opportunity for small-scale farmers by avoiding the middle-man in across-border trade, who usually received most of the profit as the product transitioned between producer and buyer (Fairtrade Labelling Organisations, 2006). Over the years, ATO’s grew, and the small movement finally began to gather speed. Eventually, A Dutch ATO introduced a fair trade label, which they named Max Havelaar, after a character in a book about Dutch colonialist exploitation. This label provided a “way to increase sales without compromising consumer trust in Fairtrade products and in their origins” (FLO, 2006). The idea spread to other organizations, and umbrella groups began to form, such as IFAT, NEWS!, EFTA,Fair Trade 3Transfair USA, the Fair Trade Federation, and the Fairtrade Labelling Organisation (FLO), which set standards and regulate certifications and which are recognized and respected globally.The movement could not have been set in motion at a better time. Many factors contributed to a situation ripe for change and the development of fair trade organizations. As economic institutions such as the IMF and World Bank began to focus on developing free, capitalist economies in developing countries, complicated social problems began to arise. Subsistence farmers found themselves unable to compete on the oversupplied global market (Low, Davenport, 2005). Awareness of the inequality proliferated by liberalization policies had mobilized large numbers of social organizations. However, this injustice gave way to “important new movements striving to create a more socially…sustainable society” (Raynolds, 2000: 298). Through the World Wide Web and other media outlets, organizations appealed to the moral sensitivity of the Northern hemisphere. These organization began “to create new networks of exchange that escape the bonds of simple price competition” by condensing the space between the human producer and the priced commodity, forcing the consumer to take into account the ethical question of why their products are so cheap (as cited in Moore, 2004: 81). An increasing awareness of the wealth disparity between the global North and global South thus played a role in creating an obliging consumer market for fairtrade products. By using all aspects of the market, including retailers, producers, and consumers, the fairtrade movement has been classified as working “in and against the market” (Raynolds, 2000). Fairtrade does not attempt to destroy the capitalist system that may have created the social inequality in the first place. Instead, it endeavors to challenge and change the system, to force it to consider social and ecological consequences of low labor costs. This peaceful revolution is characterized by the emphasis onFair Trade 4social justice and an effort not to overthrow the capitalist system, but instead work in it, and manipulating norms of the market in order to achieve social parity, especially for those currently exploited by the system.The goal of the movement is to challenge the traditional, price-driven market, and “re-embed commodity circuits with ecological and social relations” (Raynolds, 2000). But the drivers of this movement are not the poor, exploited farmers who are at the center of the cause; the FLO website describes the movement as a “partnership between non-profit importers, retailers, and small-scale producers” (FLO, 2006). Unlike most revolutions and civil movements, fairtrade was not spurred by mistreated people, but by socially-minded buyers. In this case, it would be implausible for the marginalized to unite and revolt against the market. The likelihood of all exploited persons to have the ability or motivation to do this is miniscule. If only the people of one country was able to achieve such unity, the ‘race to the bottom’ has assured that there are other regions ready and willing to facilitate the displaced MNC’s. Instead, because the wealthier companies of the North hold more power in setting prices and determining wages, they were the only ones who would have been successful in instigating change. In Geoff Moore’s analysis of the industry structure of the fairtrade movement, the emphasis placed on the role of ATO’s (all of northern origin) and “conventional organizations, typically supermarkets” (2004: 76) shows how reliant the movement is on such bodies. Undoubtedly, it would be impossible to progress the movement without the powerful voice of these importers, retailers, and thus making them the stimulators of the movement.The efforts of the NGO’s have been reciprocated with an increase in fairtrade sales. Total gross sales of all North American fairtrade organizations increased by 48% from 2002 to 2003Fair Trade 5(as cited in Wilkinson, 2006), and continue to increase at an exponential rate. Coffee has become one of the most prominent fairtrade industries. Fairtrade specialty coffee shares in the industry from 2000 to 2006 grew from .6% to 4.3% (Wilkinson, 2006: 227). However, although the change is dramatic, it is still only a fraction of the global sales, and the numbers are even lower in non-coffee markets. Another challenge the movement faces is educating the consumer. Creating a socially aware customer is imperative to the success of fairtrade, as the foundation of the movement is a social justice issue. By using “campaigns (fair trade coffee on campus, fair trade towns, fair trade weeks, etc) [the movement] promotes political campaigns and advocacy to ‘make trade fair’ in international forums” (Wilkinson, 2006). These campaigns target the already existing politically and ethically minded consumer, and also create more consumers like them. The sub-movement of ethical consumerism can be quite appealing, especially to Northerners who believe in the power of individuality (as cited in Low, Davenport, 2005, p. 495). While contributing to the growth of an economy, the individual consumer can feel that they are making a difference and “promoting positive social change” (Low, Davenport, 2005) in the world by choosing fairtrade goods. Fairtrade was born from people naturally inclined towards the ideas of social justice, such as religious groups, leftist political groups, and others attracted to 3rd world equality. (Low, Davenport, 2005).The goal here is to mainstream these ideals to be naturally a part of the international market. One prominent concern of any consumer has always been the quality of the product. As Moore notes, “Fair Trade products are often in direct competition with branded products and so need to be of sufficient quality to compete” (2004: 78). Achieving a high quality product is very important to lending credibility to the movement. Marketers use this knowledge in theirFair Trade 6strategies. Sometimes, they champion the “quality of their product, and use the fair-trade label as an additional marketing tool” (Low, Davenport, 2005). This suggests a second challenge of the movement, mainstreaming the fairtrade product. The above method creates division in the movement because it focuses simply on selling the product and many fear they may lose the message in the process (Low, Davenport, 2005). They believe the “collective focus” of the movement will be lost as the individual attempts to “solve global problems” (Low, Davenport, 2005: 496). However, most fairtrade organizations are pushing to mainstream fairtrade market practices and products with consumers and retailers. Mainstreaming of the fairtrade movement and products is imperative to its success, as it must work within a market driven by competition. As discussed above, the fairtrade movement works in the market, not against it. Not reaching out to a broad clientele would detract from the movement’s effectiveness.The responses of governments around the world have been positive and supportive. One main issue of government agendas has recently been poverty alleviation. As noted in Wilkinson,The fair trade movement, therefore, despite its still marginal relevance for globaltrade flows, finds itself at the heart of the central political issue of the day for nationalgovernments, global institutions and corporate players alike – if trade is the road togrowth and poverty reduction what are the rules which should govern trading practicesand the trading system? (p. 18)These rules are being set by the ATO’s, and global institutions are paying attention to their rallying cries. Since fairtrade is the perfect avenue to address social concerns without idealistically denying the power of the market, governments who promote free trade and MNC’s who are motivated by profit are able to participate in the movement, relatively ncompromisingly.Fair Trade 7Multinational corporations are also an important actor in the movement toward socially equitable market practices. Coffee has been the most available fairtrade product, as proved in its ubiquity in large retail chains such as Starbucks, Safeway, some convenience stores and even Wal-Mart, the notoriously unfair retail store (Raynolds, 2002). As proved above, fairtrade products still only account for a fraction of sales in North America and Europe, the fact is that the demand is increasing at an impressive rate, and MNC’s are seizing a growing opportunity to reach a socially conscious consumer base. Some consumers who may have previously avoided such MNC’s because of their participation in exploiting a poor, foreign labor force are now able to relieve their conscience and shop at such stores. It is arguable whether the movement benefits from the participation of MNC’s. Although these agencies may have their own agendas, the mainstreaming of fairtrade ideals in general has undeniable benefits. As the increase in fairtrade sales has shown, the positive results may outweigh the negative consequences of marketing a diluted message that the everyday consumer might not fully understand.The end result of this fight for social justice has still to be seen. Hopefully, there will not be an end, but the movement will continue to progress until all aspects of trade are fair and the market operates as much on the principle of fairtrade as it does on supply and demand. Until then, proponents of the movement will have to be satisfied with rapidly increasing fairtrade product sales, growing awareness of the issues fairtrade addresses, and a widespread acceptance and approval of fairtrade as a positive social revolution.Fair Trade 8ReferencesLow, William, Eileen Davenport. (December 2005). Has the Medium (Roast) Become theMessage? The Ethics of Marketing Fair Trade in the Mainstream. InternationalMarketing Review. Retrieved March 6, 2008 from www.emeraldinsight.com/0265- 1335.htm.Fairtrade Labelling Organisations. (2006). About Fair Trade. Retrieved March 6, 2008 fromhttp://www.fairtrade.net/about_fairtrade.html.Raynolds, Laura. (February 6, 2000). Re-embedding Global Agriculture: The InternationalOrganic and Fair Trade Movements. Agriculture and Human Values. Retrieved March 6, 2008 from http://0-proquest.umi.com.libsys.ewu.edu/pqdweb?index=0&did=501065081&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName= PQD&TS=1205444214&clientId=5545.Moore, Geoff. (2004). The Fair Trade Movement: Parameters, Issues, and Research.Journal of Business Ethics. Retrieved March 6, 2008 from http://0-proquest.umi.com.libsys.ewu.edu/pqdweb?index=17&did=707261381&SrchMode=1&sid=6&Fmt=6&Vin st=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1205444618&clientId=5545Wilkinson, John. (2007). Fair Trade: Dynamics and Dilemmas of a Market Oriented Global Social Movement. Journal of Consumer Policy. Retrieved March 6, 2008 from http://0- proquest.umi.com.libsys.ewu.edu/pqdweb?index=0&did=1311050941&SrchMode=1&si d=8&Fmt=6&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=120544478 1&clientId=5545Raynolds, Laura. (2002). Poverty Alleviation Through Participation in Fair Trade CoffeeNetworks: Existing Research and Critical Issues. Prepared for Project Funded by theCommunity and Resource Development Program, The Ford Foundation, New York
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I would like to discuss how many of you have ever ask about this issue. It is easy to become confused with the variety of coffees available based on size grades. Usually, the grade depends on the percentage of coffee that remains in a specific sieve. For example, Supremo coffee must be 95% above 17 screen and 5 % between 16 and 14 screens.The preparation of many lots of coffees based on the size of the beans have two main reasons; the first one is to ease the process of roasting by making the lot more smooth and consistent. The second one is related to consumer presentation for coffees sold as whole bean (Not ground). Is any body else has another additional comment.I believe there are different ways to assess the size of the beans but I am familiar with one that is very technical and methodical. In order to use this procedure it is necessary to acquire a minimum set of elements such as a set of sieves, a scale, a probe grain, plastic bags and labels. ….Andres CastroPortland Roasting
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Well, not really on Wall Street, but The Wall Street Journal featured an article on point-of-origin tours on March 11*. "Tours to Fair-Trade Farms Help Coffee Sellers Spread Word" tells about tours to coffee producing regions being conducted by various coffee companies. The article really hits on the transformative nature of these trips. When you have a chance to visit the origin of the products you consume - especially in the case of coffee - you realize how difficult life is in many of the communities that produce coffee.Coffee Kids member Java Republic from Ireland recently joined us on a point-of-origin trip to visit our partner CECOCAFEN in Nicaragua. The group saw parallels between conditions and life in Nicaragua and Ireland from 50 years ago and returned from the trip even more dedicated to helping improve the lives of coffee-farming families. Carolyn Fairman, executive director at Coffee Kids, chronicles the adventure in the blog "Irish Eyes on Nicaragua." You can also see photos from the trip on our Flickr site*Thanks to Derek for pointing this article out.
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The year 2008 marks two decades of Coffee Kids helping coffee-farming families create vibrant communities. Celebrate with us at our anniversary dinner on May 3rd at the 2008 SCAA Conference in Minneapolis, Minn. Throughout the evening we will reflect on the achievements and challenges of the last 20 years, look ahead to the future, and acknowledge those who have stood by us and our partners in the work. Speakers will include Coffee Kids Founder Bill Fishbein, Executive Director Carolyn Fairman, and Board President Rob Stephen, as well as other special guests. Plus, Luca Mundaca, a Putumayo World Music recording artist, will be making a very special performance.20th Anniversary Celebration DinnerSaturday, May 3, 20087:30 to 9:30 p.m.Minneapolis Convention Center, Ballroom BDinner to include wine, hors d’oevres, entrée and dessert.Individual: $75Company table for eight : $560Reservations are required. Please contact Heather Ferraro at heather@coffeekids.org or (505) 820-1443 for reservations.Revenue in excess of event costs will be directed toward Coffee Kids’ projects in Latin America.
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Posted by Troy Reynard on March 11, 2008 at 2:57pm
Nearly a week since it began, it seems so unreal to me, all these great coffee minds bringing their knowledge to the average workaday barista and shop owner. My highlights include:The organizational help of Gerra Harrigan and the entire New Harvest Crew.The support of Counter Culture, sponsorship-wise and the talents of their staff.The AMAZING keynote by Jon Lewis. Time spent and ideas shared with Jon Lewis.Peter G. showing everyone the face of coffee.Jamie Schoenhut for incredible support, a perspective we rarely see (green importers), and introducing us to Maggie, who, with her shy and heartfelt demeanor gave us another cause to fight for. (Coffelands Landmine Trust)Rob Stephen for giving us clues to decipher the Rubik's cube that is the "C" Market.James Hoffmann in Easton, PA. 'nuff said.The latte art wizardry of Chris DeFerio, plus his patient and effective teaching style.Patrick Gabrish of Pacific Foods for knocking one outta the park by footing the bill (plus) for all entrants in the soy latte art contest.FREE BEER sponsored Magic Hat Brewery.Daryn Berlin, for being Daryn Berlin!Jay Cargay for pitching in wherever he could, and scoring some tasty organic, grass fed, free range milk. (courtesy Spike from Woodberry Kitchen)Brian Ludviksen making all the stuff work.Phil Proteau for being the Swiss Army Knife of coffee professionals.Ellie Matuszak for the most comprehensive barista competition possible!All the people pitching in to do whatever they could to make the event successful! Thank you to all the sponsors, volunteers and participants!!!!!
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Coffee Kids’ 20th Anniversary Dinner, Saturday, May 3rd from 7:30 pm to 9:30, Minneapolis
Coffee Kids’ will commemorate two decades of helping coffee-farming families improve the quality of their lives at a special anniversary celebration. All coffee professionals and fanatics are invited to join the festivities on Saturday, May 3rd from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm at the Minneapolis Convention Center. With live entertainment provided by Putumayo World Music, a cocktail reception, a sit-down dinner and presentations from Coffee Kids’ longtime supporters, it promises to be a very memorable evening.
Tickets for the 20th Anniversary Celebration Dinner are available at the price of $75 each. Coffee Kids also offers sponsorship opportunities starting at only $250.00. (Any sponsorship revenue in excess of costs will be directed toward Coffee Kids projects in Latin America.) Seating is limited and the deadline for sponsorship reservations is March 28th. Please contact info@coffeekids.org or call 505-820-1143 for reservations or information. To learn about Coffee Kids’ programs in coffee growing communities please visit www.coffeekids.org. Thank you
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Posted by Jason Duncan on March 11, 2008 at 2:04am
I have been trying to avoid this for a long time but the day has come. We need a blender and we need to get set up with frozen drink mixes. When we were in Bozeman, we pretty much could get away with Italian Soda and iced coffee drinks. Here in Oklahoma, not so much.So, I really like what Caffe D'Amore is doing with the new Bellagio line of frozen drink mixes and I think that is probably what we are going to use. We also need fruit smoothy mix as well. I am pretty green when it comes to blender drinks mainly because I do not drink them myself.What is good?Who is doing something new and fresh?Are there good companies that we can use and not have to use fresh fruit (I know, that would make it much better but we are a catering company and not ready to do that quite yet)?If you have any advise, I would love your help!..be bold
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I just got back from India. What an amazing place. A family of four rides on one single motor bike with the mother side-saddle. I saw some fantastic coffee estates. And tried some great coffees. I had an Indian Civet Cat coffee and a MONKEY COFFEE! The monkeys bite the cherries off the coffee trees and unlike the Civet cats, they spit out the parchment coffee. It makes it much harder to pick up because the beans are lying around on the ground individually whereas the Civet cat coffee stays in lumps. (for obvious reasons.) Check out the photos.My cupping results are as follows:Traditional cupping:Civet Cat coffee 85Extraordinary creamy, buttery body. Very smooth but as it cooled lost a bit of complexityMonkey Coffee 98Smooth, sweet, complex, delicate acidity, tight structure, fruit punch plus vanilla, lots of integrity, stayed consistent whole way through.
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Throughout the evening we will reflect on the achievements and challenges of the last 20 years, look ahead to the future, and acknowledge those who have stood by us and our partners in the work. Speakers will include Coffee Kids Founder Bill Fishbein, Executive Director Carolyn Fairman, and Board President Rob Stephen, as well as other special guests. Plus, Luca Mundaca, a Putumayo World Music recording artist, will be making a very special performance.20th Anniversary Celebration DinnerSaturday, May 3, 20087:30 to 9:30 p.m.Minneapolis Convention Center, Ballroom BDinner to include wine, hors d’oevres, entrée and dessert.Individual: $75Company table for eight : $560Reservations are required. Please contact Heather Ferraro at heather@coffeekids.org or (505) 820-1443 for reservations.Revenue in excess of event costs will be directed toward Coffee Kids’ projects in Latin America.
CRAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Coffee Kids’ will commemorate two decades of helping coffee-farming families improve the quality of their lives at a special anniversary celebration. All coffee professionals and fanatics are invited to join the festivities on Saturday, May 3rd from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm at the Minneapolis Convention Center. With live entertainment provided by Putumayo World Music, a cocktail reception, a sit-down dinner and presentations from Coffee Kids’ longtime supporters, it promises to be a very memorable evening.
Tickets for the 20th Anniversary Celebration Dinner are available at the price of $75 each. Coffee Kids also offers sponsorship opportunities starting at only $250.00. (Any sponsorship revenue in excess of costs will be directed toward Coffee Kids projects in Latin America.) Seating is limited and the deadline for sponsorship reservations is March 28th. Please contact info@coffeekids.org or call 505-820-1143 for reservations or information. To learn about Coffee Kids’ programs in coffee growing communities please visit www.coffeekids.org. Thank you
