Hawaiian Molokai
What a week it has been! Wednesday was the first day of school for my crew, and they were up early in their excitement about a new year. It’s quite a change to be back in a routine. The second morning they were still cheerful, but they both admitted to being extremely sleepy. We finished Wednesday with our tradition of Lazy Dog ice cream, and Aunt Becky joined us, as you can see from the pictures above. It’s certainly nice for me to have more time in the office without interruptions. I fully expect that payroll will be done quite fast today.
This week’s coffee of the week is our Hawaiian Molokai. One of Trace’s favorite coffee experiences comes from Molokai, and he gave me permission to share it with you. In 2000 he went to the Philippines for six weeks on behalf of a local Rotary club. At the end of the trip he had scheduled down time in Hawaii, and he chose to go visit a coffee plantation supplier of ours on Molokai.
Trace with the Molokai bag
His hosts were more than gracious, allowing him free run of their farm, allowing him to stay in their guest house, and showing him all aspects of their coffee business. Molokai has since reopened a resort on the island, but at the time it was as sleepy and non-tourist-y as you could get. Trace said he went to beautiful beaches where he was the only human occupant. He left his wallet on the sand one day, didn’t realize it until later, and it was still there when he came back for it.
On one of his days there, his host said that he had something remarkable to show him. They hopped in a jeep and took off for the interior of the island. There, in the middle of nowhere, was a coffee tree*. Now you and I probably have seen coffee bushes. The word bush is a pretty apt description of the shiny leafed plant with white blossoms and red berries. I’ve seen a number of coffee plants over the years, and so has Trace, but none that could be described as a tree.
This “bush,” according to Trace, was the size of a valley oak, old and gnarled, but with coffee berries in the canopy above, way out of reach. The locals had originally told the farmer about a coffee tree on the island that had been there forever, and shown it to him. No one knew how it had come to be there–perhaps the seed was dropped by a bird passing overhead? It was an amazing sight, and that story is the inspiration for our chalkboard picture above our bulk beans (see below).
We have roasted this Hawaiian Molokai light, so that you can taste all the island flavors–okay, okay, that’s a bit of a stretch. You’re not going to find any pineapple or coconut notes, but this is a nice light brew with a gentle acidity and a strong nutty finish. Enjoy it, and imagine yourself on an uninhabited Hawaiian island while you drink: I know that I will this week! I need something to help get through the first full school week coming up. Cheers!
–Holly Fike
*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Hawaiian Molokai. Code expires on 8.22.13. 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.