Fair Trade Organic Mexican Chiapas
Last week my two kids were out of school for Fall Break, and we took the opportunity to visit their older brother, who is at Naval Submarine School in Connecticut. It was a great trip of seeing the fall colors (I learned the term “leaf peepers”), touring Boston, spending time on the Atlantic ocean, eating local lobster and oysters (yum!), and trying to find places to watch the SF Giants playoff games.
A fine looking Navy man.
In short, we had entirely too much fun. The kids reinforced their grasp of American history as we toured the Boston Freedom Trail and visited Plymouth rock and the Mayflower II. Their favorite part, however, was playing on the beach each morning. We actually stayed in Rhode Island, right on the water, and by the end of the week our hotel room table was covered with their “treasures.”
This week’s coffee is a treasure in itself: it is certified both organic and fair trade. The Chiapas region of Mexico is the furthest south bit, not far from Guatemala. The coffee is grown in the Sierra Madre* mountains, by farmers who work together in a co-op to process their coffee. It is a fully washed, clean coffee, with beautifully even green beans.
My first thought upon tasting this Chiapas was the strong nutty flavor. I think that I could drink way too much of this, especially on a rainy day, like we have forecast for this weekend. It has bittersweet chocolate notes and finishes with a light acidity that lingers.
Enjoy your October weekend, rain or not. Next Friday will be Halloween, so I’m sure that we’ll have some great pictures of the downtown Preschool Trick-or-Treat. I think that the theme here is leaning towards pirates, so arrrgh matey! More details next week. Cheers!
–Holly Fike
*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Fair Trade Organic Mexican Chiapas. Code expires on 10.30.14. Limit one free cup per customer please. Valid only at Carolines Coffee Roasters, 128 S. Auburn Street, Grass Valley, CA. Code/Offer has no cash value.