I am currently enjoying two coffees bought for my by my daughter. They come from a boutique coffee roaster, La Dolce Grind, that seems to only roast when an order is in and paid for. I went on line and could not get past the search for a “local coffee broker”. Even the click on the “product” link took me to that search. My daughter knew someone who liked their coffee and somehow found such a person. I know it is classy coffee because it comes with a roast date hand written on the label.
As I said, I am enjoying what she had roasted just for me. What got me thinking was the label I was reading when I was waiting for my current cup to brew. I got to thinking about all the hoopla around coffee and how much of it escapes notice. For instance one bag was labeled “Brazilian”. That is not much of a recommendation because my reading had already told me that Brazil is the largest producer of the cheap coffee that goes into generic brands. There are only a few beans that are considered top notch. One is Brazilian Santos, which I was able to buy and brew in Maryland but have not seen on the west coast. Santos is good coffee. This is good coffee so I assume it is Santos or a blend.
The other was labeled “African Rwanda”. Now I wonder, “Where else would Rwandan coffee come from? Brooklyn? Beverly Hills?” The only Rwanda I know of is a country in Africa famous for genocide. I have had Rwandan coffee before, again in Maryland, and that coffee had a specific estate listed. It isn’t so much the country of origin but where in the country it is grown that makes for the better coffees.
Of course you could be one of those people who don’t like coffee. Been there, done that. But I enjoy it now without worrying too much about all the snob stuff except in a hobby sense. I am to coffee like I am to working with my hands: I can explain the theory but I am not sure I can really tell the difference. I can explain how a car engine works but I can’t fix one.
So remember that Rwanda is in Africa, Brazil is in South America and coffee should be in your cup.
homo unius libri
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