DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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ESTATE WHOLE BEAN COFFEE FROM CHIAPAS
If there is enough interest, the folks at the Miramar market in Asuncion are willing to try out an experiment. I versed to woes of expats about the
lousy whole bean coffee the proveedores are offering. Eduardo, who operates the Almacen said he is willing to go the extra kilometer and get his hands
on a very limited supply of Finca Cabeza de Vaca estate coffee from Chiapas and sell it -at cost- as a favor to premium coffee starved Americans and
Canadians.
But there's a catch. In order for the coffee to be worth a damn it has to be ultra fresh whole bean. So the amount he gets FROM THE UNITED STATES has
to be extremely limited per purchase, and has to be ordered per person individually.
I am familiar with this ultra-premium coffee having purchased a lot of it from CAFE LA SELVA in San Cristobal de Las Casas in Chiapas. It is FAIR
TRADE COFFEE meaning the indians who pick the berries and process them at the Finca's spring at the plantation are paid a FAIR WAGE. Personally I rate
this coffee every bit as heavenly as the finest estate grown Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. Better than Madagascar, Better than Sumatran coffee and
better than KONA.
It ain't cheap. 130 pesos per POUND. But it's going to be sold AT COST. Actually cheaper than cost as the price above is FOB Houston Texas. This
coffee is NOT AVAILABLE outside Chiapas.
But if no interest is shown, this is a no-starter. I am chipping in on this and other projects like getting turkey and REAL ham for Thanksgiving,
Christmas, Boxing Day, and Easter. Chunk style peanut butter, Stuffing mix, spices, real butter, premium Darjeeling tea, Heinz catsup, and extra sharp
cheddar cheese.
And for the gossips, I am helping for no money, re-numeration or other benefit. This beats sitting back and watching novelas or the thermometer
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9009
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
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Mood: Inquisitive
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You're buying Mexican coffee in the US to drink it in Mexico ?????
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6343
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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I agree with Hook!
However, prior to my losing the entire house to a fire two years ago, I used to roast my own green beans and grind them myself.
The Chiapas coffee was one of my two favorite.
My number one is from a region in Costa Rica.
Brazil was #3, and #4 was Kona from the Greenwell farms.
$10.00 U.S. per pound is what I used to pay for the Chiapas coffee three years ago from a wholesaler in San Francisco. They in turn told me that I can
buy it Mexico from a wholesaler in Cabo, when I moved down south.
I think it would be less trouble to find the distributor in either Cabo or pehaps La Paz.
I have seen the coffee sold in Ensenada at a coffee house opposite Costco and a Km south.
The name of the coffee house escapes me at the moment.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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Isn't it the pits? It's freakin' like VANILLA. Can't find good authentic vanailla down here so have to get it from the states. Funny? Try finding
Cholula hot sauce or even mineral water from Tehuacan.
There is so much fraud that so-called Chiapas or Veracruz coffee is diluted with or even pure dregs sawdust from the slopes of Michoacan or Guerrero.
I tried different coffees multiple times from a very "famous" roadside coffee house in Baja Sur. GAG! Jamaica had to set up an elaborate system of
authentication in order to lessen the chances of garbage being passed off as the genuine article.
The difference in flavor between estate grown chiapas coffee and ordinary coffee is like throwing Italian Swiss Colony Rose against Chateau Mouton
Rothschild. Or Aunt Jemima against Grade AA Vermont Maple Syrup. Groton's Fish Sticks versus fresh Wahoo.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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Bajaboy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4375
Registered: 10-9-2003
Location: Bahia Asuncion, BCS, Mexico
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Back in the days, I had a small gourmet coffee store. I've tasted and sold my share of coffee. In my opinion, it's the roaster, not necessarily the
coffee, that makes for a good cup. When I refer to roaster, I am referencing both the machine and the person.
But carry on...
[Edited on 1-7-2013 by Bajaboy]
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DavidE
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3814
Registered: 12-1-2003
Location: Baja California México
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Mood: 'At home we demand facts and get them. In Mexico one subsists on rumor and never demands anything.' Charles Flandrau,
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It's got to come out of the roaster the instant the second crack takes place IMHO.
A Lot To See And A Lot To Do
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Loretana
Senior Nomad
Posts: 825
Registered: 5-19-2006
Location: Oregon/Loreto
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Quote: | Originally posted by Bajaboy
Back in the days, I had a small gourmet coffee store. I've tasted and sold my share of coffee. In my opinion, it's the roaster, not necessarily the
coffee, that makes for a good cup. When I refer to roaster, I am referencing both the machine and the person.
But carry on...
[Edited on 1-7-2013 by Bajaboy] |
BB
Bien puede Ud. decirlo!
"If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration."
-Nikola Tesla
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bajagrouper
Senior Nomad
Posts: 964
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: Rincon de Guayabitos, Nayarit, Mexico
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Mood: happy and retired
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In Palenque the other day and picked up a kilo of fresh roasted beans at the roaster for 120 pesos....every time I get into my car on this road trip I
get my caffeine fix........
I hear the whales song
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J.P.
Super Nomad
Posts: 1673
Registered: 7-8-2010
Location: Punta Banda
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Quote: | Originally posted by bajagrouper
In Palenque the other day and picked up a kilo of fresh roasted beans at the roaster for 120 pesos....every time I get into my car on this road trip I
get my caffeine fix........ |
I totally agree about the Aroma, maybe we should carry a bag under the seat.
[Edited on 1-8-2013 by J.P.]
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6343
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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You statement shows good knowledge of the roasting process, David!
Kona and Costa Rican have to come out at the beginning of the second crack.
Other coffees come out just before the second crack, particularly the pea body bean.
Quote: | Originally posted by DavidE
It's got to come out of the roaster the instant the second crack takes place IMHO. |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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bajagrouper
Senior Nomad
Posts: 964
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: Rincon de Guayabitos, Nayarit, Mexico
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Mood: happy and retired
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I walked into a hardware/feed store in VALLADOLID the other day and found the Estralla corn/coffee grinder for $250 Pesos new in the case...
I hear the whales song
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mood: Optimistic
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Ah Coffee!.....and What some people drink...
This van just passed me the other day...and reminded me of my dear friend, Randy, who lost his sense of smell and taste when we were in Iran during
the days of the Shah. These days Randy drinks gallons of the stuff. I use it to float wrenches.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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