Welcome to Fair Trade
Fair Trade Organic Chai Tea Article
. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for further reading, click here.
La Minita Coffee – It’s in the Green Beans
from: Jim CameronLa Minita; Spanish for “The Little Gold Mine” says it all. La Minita is arguably the best coffee in the world and is sipped by the who’s who in the specialty coffee industry as well as by those of us who have access to it in our businesses. Similar to the wine industry, the best coffees are not always the most expensive. There are many factors involved in determining the final price of a coffee, unfortunately the quality of the bean is only one of them.
La Minita comes from the Tarrazu region of Costa Rica in Central America. This region has long been known for it’s quality coffee and remains one of the finest growing regions in the world. The La Minita Estate is located at the pinnacle of this region on a spur between two rivers 5700 feet above sea level. The farm actually has several “Micro Climates” within the farm which effect the crop in different ways. The meticulous way in which coffee is grown, pruned, fertilized, shaded, and weeded all add to the final product. Long before “Organic” was popular, this farm was using machetes to cut back weeds rather than chemicals. Long before “fair trade” was popular this farm was treating it’s employees with respect, providing dental and medical resources right on the farm, paying above local scale, providing household items at below cost prices, and encouraged a coffee workers association to promote fair, safe and equitable conditions.
When the “new crop” is in, samples are taken from each of the micro growing regions on the farm and cupped to determine the years mix. The pickers start at daybreak and finish picking about noon. The days harvest is measured from each picker then at a central pick up point and again at the mill. Every La Minita coffee bean arrives at the mill the same day it is picked which is essential in producing the world’s best coffee. The milling process is more meticulous than other mills and the beans are watched at each stage of the preparation. When they have reached the point where most beans would be bagged up and exported, LaMinita enters its final stage. Every bean is looked at by trained coffee sorters who go over and over the beans removing any bean that may taint the final cup.
Unlike the other “exotic” coffees of the world, La Minita is in this category for one reason: QUALITY! I once spent a few days with a farmer from Jamaica who wanted to increase his crop. When he was told how to make his coffee better, he replied: “I can sell every bean I can grow for $17.00 a pound; all I want to do is get more production”. Unfortunately this is often the case in the exotics. Jamaican Blue Mountain, Hawaiian Kona and other exotics demand high prices but way too often do not deliver the cup. LaMinita sells for far less than Jamaican and Kona and is always a superb coffee at a reasonable price. Visit the La Minita web site at: www.laminita.com .
This article is written by Jim Cameron without the permission of La Minita and expresses only the opinions of the Author on what he believes to be the best value coffee in the world. To purchase this coffee green to roast at home, contact: www.u-roast-em.com . To purchase this coffee roasted, contact your local coffee roaster or coffee shop.
About the Author
Jim Cameron is a semi retired Specialty Coffee Roaster who now shares his love of coffee and his love of Costa Rica. His company in the USAsells these beans in raw "green coffee" form to the home roasting trade. He has a home and a small real estate business in the Southern Pacific side of Costa Rica on the OSA Peninsula.
Fair Trade Organic Chai Tea News
The future of coffee takes off in Austin: Briggo the robot barista brews tasty ... - CultureMap Austin
 CultureMap Austin | The future of coffee takes off in Austin: Briggo the robot barista brews tasty ... CultureMap Austin Briggo uses organic, Fair Trade coffee from Peru, roasted in Austin at Third Coast Coffee Roasting Company; organic chai and soy milk; hormone-free, locally sourced dairy milk and French gourmet syrups. All beverages are served in compostable cups. |
Gambit's 2012 Winter Restaurant Guide: Coffee & Dessert - bestofneworleans.com
Gambit's 2012 Winter Restaurant Guide: Coffee & Dessert bestofneworleans.com Z'OTZ COFFEEHOUSE 8210 Oak St., 861-2224; www.zotzcafe.com This bohemian coffeehouse serves chai and organic, fair trade coffees as well as a wide variety of teas. The cafe's light fare includes croissants and vegan pastries. No reservations. |
MudHouse offers more than coffee - Staunton News Leader
MudHouse offers more than coffee Staunton News Leader $12 for a small cup of chai, noodles,and banana bread. (For one person for lunch, I think it's high. I would not get my money's worth if I brought my kids here.) I have been a fan of the MudHouse Coffeehouse and Bakery for a few years. |
Fear factor - Business Standard
Fear factor Business Standard Kolkata was a thriving business hub till the 1970s, when the Naxalite movement and militant trade unions drove businessmen and companies out of the city: Philips, JK Paper, Brooke Bond, Bata, ICI, Shaw Wallace and Ispat. Hari Shankar Singhania had ... |