Random Jibber Jabber Thread
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Hookabelly
Well-Known Member
I hope you see this @curious2garden :
When we went to Belize a couple years ago I just assumed that there would be coffee everywhere for my morning fix, but NOT THE CASE! (I know, go figure, Central America….)
A neighbor was nice enough to give me this weird packed of ground coffee. She said it was best black. I explained I didn't like black coffee and she told me to just trust her and brew it, drink it black and let her know.
Best coffee EVER. In fact, milk or cream ruined it. I found I could get it off ebay here at home. it's this: The Extra Fuerte (dark roast) cafe Indio. Pretty inexpensive too.
fair trade though? cheap coffee scares me......because it means its cheap because the workers are paid cheapI hope you see this @curious2garden :
When we went to Belize a couple years ago I just assumed that there would be coffee everywhere for my morning fix, but NOT THE CASE! (I know, go figure, Central America….)
A neighbor was nice enough to give me this weird packed of ground coffee. She said it was best black. I explained I didn't like black coffee and she told me to just trust her and brew it, drink it black and let her know.
Best coffee EVER. In fact, milk or cream ruined it. I found I could get it off ebay here at home. it's this: The Extra Fuerte (dark roast) cafe Indio. Pretty inexpensive too.
One of the girls from the heart team I stole slush from was from Belize. Such a gorgeous country, paradise. I'll have to see if they have this locally, thank you! That memorable cup dark coffee I had that was so good, simply, black.I hope you see this @curious2garden :
When we went to Belize a couple years ago I just assumed that there would be coffee everywhere for my morning fix, but NOT THE CASE! (I know, go figure, Central America….)
A neighbor was nice enough to give me this weird packed of ground coffee. She said it was best black. I explained I didn't like black coffee and she told me to just trust her and brew it, drink it black and let her know.
Best coffee EVER. In fact, milk or cream ruined it. I found I could get it off ebay here at home. it's this: The Extra Fuerte (dark roast) cafe Indio. Pretty inexpensive too.
You know I've always hoped that paying more for Fair Trade really meant the workers in the country were paid more but I would not put it past many folks to pocket the money well above the farmer's level. I think we are moving in the right direction but I hope it's just not a new cover for an old type of fraud that lined many a dictator's pocket when I was young.
fair trade , kinda works like a small union, the workers have a little office, and they do it all themselves, than they sell it DIRECTLY to the buyer and than the buyer can find their own roaster or do it themselves
at this point and time most coffee is picked by workers,
processed by a different company/different workers
than shipped,
handed to someone at an auction who represents the coffee
, than shipped to a roaster who does their job ,
than shipped to the buyer who grounds it and sells it
That's my problem who verifies this? I know this happens in some circumstances but how many? It seems the only way to know for sure is to buy direct from the farmer himself. I also wonder about using our cash to alter indigenous economies. So if you aren't employed by the coffee plantation how and where do you buy your food?
Anyway I drink coffee and eat chocolate but I try to regard it as a luxury that costs more than merely money and try to be conservative with my consumption. But I usually 'like' a side of guilt with my treats, keeps my hips smaller LOL.
if you can find it theres a documentary on it.
i will never eat chocolate or purchase chocolate ever unless its fair trade...i just cant fathom buying herseys or whatever ..just cannot do it
Hookabelly
Well-Known Member
exactly this. Like recycling, here in the U.S. a step in the right direction yes, but the consumer footprint all Americans (and most first world countries) put on the earth is so obnoxious that sorting a few plastic jugs doesn't make a dent….LOL
Yeah I'm old and cynical that's my real issue. I've seen to many iterations of the same form of fraud merely dressed differently. I'm tired of carrying the burden for HUGE monopolistic countries/companies.
I've seen some documentaries about Fair Trade, it's why I worry. Another concern is about indigenous populations converting local soil to specialty crops for export vs food for themselves. I am not sure the local populace, who does not work at the coffee plantation, can purchase food. Larger issues are how the entire socioeconomic structure is impacted, and even more so the environmental impact. So I'm on the fence about coffee and chocolate.
As for me and Hershey's my guilt is far to overwhelming to waste on Hershey's. Once a year, I usually invest in a spectrum of these.
The Outdoorsman
Well-Known Member
Dogwood Coffee Co has some damn good coffee from all different parts of the world. Think it's fair trade or close enough. 1% for humanity. They have back stories on the farmers and how they operate.
Intense flavor, higher caffeine it seems. The coffee descriptions include cupping notes that I found to be fairly accurate. "Holy shit I can faintly taste currant and jasmine, etc." Had some from colombia with a cantaloupe back note.
http://www.dogwoodcoffee.com/
Intense flavor, higher caffeine it seems. The coffee descriptions include cupping notes that I found to be fairly accurate. "Holy shit I can faintly taste currant and jasmine, etc." Had some from colombia with a cantaloupe back note.
http://www.dogwoodcoffee.com/
roseypeach
Well-Known Member
abe supercro
Well-Known Member
^ Is that levar burton 
sweet supplier for green beans and lots of info:
http://www.sweetmarias.com/store/coffee-list/africa-and-arabia/ethiopia.html
number one limiting factor regarding coffee quality is if product is freshly roasted, or not. anything beyond a few wks is stale and reflected in flavor. real freshroast coffee will 'bloom' w CO2. that's the ticket
green unroasted coffee beans are about half retail prices.
sweet supplier for green beans and lots of info:
http://www.sweetmarias.com/store/coffee-list/africa-and-arabia/ethiopia.html
number one limiting factor regarding coffee quality is if product is freshly roasted, or not. anything beyond a few wks is stale and reflected in flavor. real freshroast coffee will 'bloom' w CO2. that's the ticket
green unroasted coffee beans are about half retail prices.
Oh dear this is precisely the type of geek out path I can bobsled down. Let's not do this..... LOL and it sure looks like Levar doesn't it?^ Is that levar burton
sweet supplier for green beans and lots of info:
http://www.sweetmarias.com/store/coffee-list/africa-and-arabia/ethiopia.html
number one limiting factor regarding coffee quality is if product is freshly roasted, or not. anything beyond a few wks is stale and reflected in flavor. real freshroast coffee will 'bloom' w CO2. that's the ticket
green unroasted coffee beans are about half retail prices.
gR33nDav3l0l
Well-Known Member
like I said, down here in Guatemala, there aren't companies, only 1 monopoly that sells many brands. there are coffee fincas were coffee is produced, but people barely make a living. It'll take decades before the farmers take the control from the economic and commercial local elite. But this is my experience from living in this producing country, can't tell what happens in Brazil, Vietnam or Costa Rica tho', but I doubt is any better. I guess my point is there's not real fair trade in the 3rd world, you'd have to come here and actually give the money directly to the farmer for that to happen.
bu$hleaguer
Well-Known Member
@sunni @curious2garden
Shit I just wrote this all out and it deleted itself wtf...
Anyway I saw this thing last night talking about the cacao crop in South America and how it is damaged and getting a disease now which will greatly reduce quantities and drive the price sky high. They're planting new ones, but like grapes they will take a while before they mature and grow beans like those used in cocoa butter production and chocolate making.
Interestingly enough, it went as far as to say that in a generation they assumed that chocolate will be so expensive and rare it will be eaten primarily by royalty and the wealthy... Kinda like caviar they said.
Just thought it was interesting.
Shit I just wrote this all out and it deleted itself wtf...
Anyway I saw this thing last night talking about the cacao crop in South America and how it is damaged and getting a disease now which will greatly reduce quantities and drive the price sky high. They're planting new ones, but like grapes they will take a while before they mature and grow beans like those used in cocoa butter production and chocolate making.
Interestingly enough, it went as far as to say that in a generation they assumed that chocolate will be so expensive and rare it will be eaten primarily by royalty and the wealthy... Kinda like caviar they said.
Just thought it was interesting.
You know my likes aren't sticking either! But I am not 100% sure it isn't operator error since I'm as high as well yeah I'm high.
That sounds interesting and sad huh! Sort of like back to chocolates beginnings, royalty and the rich. I'd love to see that or maybe I don't want to know. Overall I am not happy with the world I'm leaving my children.
gR33nDav3l0l
Well-Known Member
Cacao beans require a very specific climate and conditions. It grows naturally here, but with global climate changing is getting harder to grow in the traditional ways.