May 2009

• One Final Cup...

  Fri 29 May, 2009
  One Final Cup...

  Today’s Times carried an intriguing article about a guy (Winter, originally from Houston in Texas) whose personal mission is to visit every Starbuck’s coffee shop in the world. That really is dedication to the cause, especially when the UK leg offers over 400 outlets of mono-fun. The killer quote from this piece was that “my project is not about the coffee, it’s about the experience” coupled with insightful tales such as the time he drunk 29 coffees in one day. Now THAT I can relate to, having over-dosed on a rollercoaster of espresso earlier this week with the enthusiastic help of Jon (from Bean Coffee in Liverpool.) With a heavy hit of caffeine you can be in the depths of physical exhaustion, yet be soul-destroyingly awake. Usually it’s the other way round in a coffee shop chain.
  
  Nonetheless, there’s a certain charm about this epic adventure. It reminds you of the universal appeal of coffee that in turns gives structure to the chaos of travel and culture. I just wonder what it’s like to reach the bottom of that final cup.

• Central American Coffees!

  Wed 27 May, 2009
  Yellow Bourbon Cherries, Guatemala

  Here at the Roastery we’ve already seen new season arrivals from El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua and are eagerly awaiting shipments from Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama. It really is peak time for the export of coffee from these parts of Latin America.
  
  It also means there’s been a hive of activity in both the Speciality Association of Panama’s Best of Panama competition and a series of Cup of Excellence competitions in El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and, as we speak, Guatemala. As ever, these competitions will have unearthed some hidden coffee gems and a host of new characters producing exceptional coffee quality.
  
  The series of online auctions for these coffees begins from tomorrow (28th May) for the Best of Panama award winners and throughout June and early July for the Cup of Excellence auctions. With most of the proceeds from the sale of these coffees going directly to the farmers, it shows how this can be a win-win situation for all those involved from producer to consumer.
  
  We’ll keep you posted on any interesting developments as and when they happen.

• Halfgallathon at the Lathkil Hotel, Over Haddon

  Fri 22 May, 2009
  Halfgallathon in action

  This has nothing whatsoever to do with coffee, but it is charitable and great fun so easily warrants a place in these pages. Saturday 6th June (3pm) sees the annual “Halfgallathon” at the Lathkil Hotel in Over Haddon, a village just outside Bakewell in Derbyshire. Having supported this event each year – mainly by taking part in the race itself – I’m gutted that I can’t make it along this time. So really, the next best thing I can do is encourage others to go along and help to raise some money.
  
  Actual participation in the race should only be done after a great deal of thought and preparation as it’s not for the weak willed or faint hearted. The unsubtle mix of fancy dress, running and a half gallon of beer (that’s 4 pints, getting warmer and less appetising as each lap goes by) brings endless hilarity for the spectators. A BBQ, raffle and spectacular views all add to the appeal.
  
  For those interested, here are two of the events most important rules lifted straight from the historic Halfgallathon Rules.

  8) THERE WILL BE NO SPILLAGE.

  9) Spillage is defined as the wilful or excessive avoidance of swallowing whilst in the act of pouring, or the deliberate or accidental causing of a vessel, either full or partially so, to be unbalanced such that its contents are made external to said vessel and are thus rendered undrinkable.

• Caffe Culture, Olympia, London

  Thu 21 May, 2009
  Clover Brewing Equipment

  Caffé Culture was originally launched as the “UK’s leading event for the café bar industry” and is particularly geared up for the coffee industry. For those selling coffee machines, equipment, training and coffee products it’s a place to exhibit and be seen. For those involved in the operation of cafes or coffee shops it’s the place to go along to visit, buy and be educated. With plentiful seminars (think coffee tasting, the art of brewing and business ideas) from experts in the industry I’d guess you couldn’t go too far wrong.
  
  I say “guess” because I wasn’t there myself. And we weren’t exhibiting. Ian popped along so I asked him how he’d found it. A thoughtful “Ok...” I think was the answer, embellished with “there were 2 really interesting stands”. So not exactly life changing stuff then. Caffé Culture does at least reflect the changing trends in the coffee bar / coffee shop market – better designed espresso machines, more thought going into the coffees people use and how they prepare them. This all points towards an attempt to improve quality at the top end of the sector; it’s just a shame not everyone wants to get in on the act in these cost conscious times.

• The World's Best Coffee? Esmeralda Special Auction 2009

  Wed 20 May, 2009
  Esmeralda Jaramillo

  As it turned out, we didn’t need our sleeping bags for this auction as it finished at a very respectable 5.30pm rather than the 11pm of last year.  After the fireworks style bidding of the first couple of hours, it all ended in a rather subdued manner but hey ho.
  
  Anyhow, we’re delighted to report that we bought one of the Batch Number 4 lots, Esmeralda Special “Mario San Jose”. This Geisha Arabica is grown in the Los Mario area of Hacienda La Esmeralda, near Jaramillo, where the traditional award winning Esmeralda Special comes from. This particular batch was harvested during March and we loved the intensity and complex flavours in the cup. This really is unique, distinctive stuff.
  
  The availability of this coffee will be limited as the lot is about 130kg in its entirety. The coffee will be riding along with our new harvest Diamond Mountain (we ship, no air freight) so we’ll hopefully see it sometime in July. A real summer’s treat.
  
  Last week I tasted the Esmeralda samples with highly respected food and travel journalist Andrew Purvis of the Observer Food Monthly. I’d like to thank him again for letting me loose in his kitchen – others would have been more cautious! Read his article in the Observer's Word of...