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Weekly Newsletter: 13th April, 2018

Posted on April 20 2018 by Holly Fike

Brazil Mantiqueira de Minas Natural Yellow Bourbon

Some of my favorite people

For the last two Tuesdays I got to experience something new, and drive my son to sailing lessons with his class. They went to the Sacramento State Aquatic Center, on Lake Natoma, just below Folsom Lake, and before the Nimbus Fish Hatchery on the American River. It is open to the public, and has all kids of water sports available, including kayak and sailing rentals. There is also access to the Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail, which runs along the American River from Folsom to Old Sacramento.

I was working late today, and my kids went with Trace and had the delight of choosing chicks at our local feed store. My phone started pinging with pictures of chicks, of all sorts, being held by happy children. I think these may end up more pets than anything else, although I am looking forward to fresh eggs. They also came home with two goslings, which are as cute as could be. The goslings seem to love being held: they were crawling over all of us, and one even fell asleep in my lap.

Goslings!

I also had a delightful visit with Dave, Becky, Archie and Lucy. It’s no wonder I’m finishing this newsletter late: I’ve had a day full of my favorite people. It is so fun to have two little ones at the store. Lucy sleeps, like a newborn, and Archie seems to enjoy being at the store again after a two week break.

This week we have a new coffee for you, a special bean from Brazil. This comes from Mantequeira de Minas, a protected designation of origin (PDO) within the state of Minas Gerais in the southeastern part of Brazil. The designation was given because of its reputation for exceptional coffee, and the excellent growing conditions.

This particular bean comes from family owned farms, organized through a co-op, and it is a yellow bourbon, meaning that the cherry ripens to yellow instead of the usual red. Brazil is a large country, and know for large scale production that uses mechanized processing. In Mantiqueira de Minas, (source: Royal Coffee) almost 90% of the producers are considered small producers. This is unique in Brazil.

In the cup this is a sweet with a bit of fruit flavor–probably because of the natural processing, meaning that it is dried with the fruit still intact. It’s easy to drink, and kept me going all day. You can try a cup on us this week with the code goslings*. If you’re looking for me this week, I’ll be the lady holding a gosling or a chick. It might be the most stress releasing thing that you can do. Have a good week, and drink good coffee. Cheers!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Brazil Mantiqueira de Minas Natural. Code expires on 04.19.18. 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.

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Weekly Newsletter: 6th April, 2018

Posted on April 6 2018 by Holly Fike

Colombia Mejor de Nariño Leonardo Loaiza

Last week there was no newsletter, because it was Spring Break around here, and we were out of town. We went on a last minute trip to Lake Tahoe, so that we weren’t too far away on the off chance that Becky had her baby. Well guess who decided to grace us with her presence two weeks early? Yep, we are so excited to announce that Lucy Rae Skolak was born last Tuesday, March 27th. I feel like the luckiest aunt ever, because I got to drive home from Tahoe and be present for her birth.

Introducing Lucy Rae Skolak and her proud family!

Dave and Becky are doing great with the addition of another little one, and Archie loves his sister. He runs to give her hugs and kisses, and talks about her constantly. It’s so sweet to watch. The rest of her family and extended family are pretty enamored with Lucy too: so far she’s been an angel. Little Caroline especially loves that she was born in March, just like her.

We have a new coffee for you this week, a special micro-lot Colombian. This is one of the top lots of coffee from the department of Nariño, which is to the far west of Colombia and borders both the Pacific Ocean and Ecuador. Seventy percent of the coffee in Nariño is grown on farms that average 3 acres in size. This particular lot is from Finca San Joaquin, at over 6800′ elevation near the municipality of Buesaco. According to our broker,

“In Buesaco, warm air rises from the deep canyons at night and acts like a protective blanket for the coffee plants perched on the mountain tops. These combined attributes cause coffee plants to passively absorb the sun’s energy during the day and then come alive at night when the conditions are less harsh. This translates into concentrated flowering and long cherry maturation periods, which have produced many award-winning coffees.”

This coffee is grown by Leonardo Loaiza, who has to work extra hard to bring his coffee to market due to the remote location and high elevation. He has his own micro mill on the farm to allow for meticulous care in processing. This is a Caturra bean, an arabica cultivar that is descended from the Bourbon variety and is small in stature and resistant to most diseases and pests. Sr. Loaiza fully washes his cherries, and his attention to detail shines in the cup.

The Mejor de Nariño was put together by InConexus and Royal Coffee to select the best coffee from the region. You can watch a video of the experience here. We have roasted these beans light, and in the cup you taste a pleasing acidity with notes of pear and citrus. It’s delicious.

Tomorrow is the rescheduled Foothills Celebration: the food and wine tasting around downtown. You can find the details on the Sierra Vintners site here. It’s always a good time. This week you can try this special Colombian with the code baby joy*. In the spirit of joy, we are also celebrating some April birthdays around here, so if you see Salima, Emily, Tyler, or Hannah, wish them a happy birthday month. Cheers!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Colombia Mejor de Nariño Leonardo Loaiza. Code expires on 04.12.18. 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.

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Weekly Newsletter: 23rd March, 2018

Posted on April 6 2018 by Holly Fike

Fair Trade Organic Peru Micro-Lot: Augusto Vasquez Llamo

Can I just say how much I love having my nephew come to work? It is so much fun being an auntie. Today I was holding Archie and Jack climbed on top of the old red roaster–which is apparently the funniest thing you can do, at least according to a twenty month old. Archie giggled so much at Jack that a kind customer offered to take our picture. Both boys posed for the camera, so a bit of the joy is missing in the shot, but you can imagine them making faces and laughing at each other. It was enchanting.

Two cousins posing

We have had quite the weather this week: it rained as hard as I’ve ever seen it rain, and then today we had a beautiful blue sky. The sunshine definitely lifted my spirits. I get tired of grey skies, so although I’m grateful for the rain, I was ready for that golden orb to light my day. But I have to admit that I did enjoy reading in front of the fireplace while the rain pounded down this week: it was awfully cozy.

Rain or shine, it was a good week for coffee. Wednesday was World Poetry Day, and we joined with other coffee shops around town to offer a free cup of coffee in exchange for a poem. It was fun to read all the submissions, but I think my favorite is the one that got laminated and posted on the wall of the office: “Roses are red, violets are blue. . . Becky and Holly lead this crew.” Thanks Tyler 🙂

I would like to say that I planned to have El Poeta as the featured coffee last week, because I knew we were hosting #paywithapoem day–but truly I did not. Sometimes the universe just lines things up for you (or maybe Trace knew it was Poetry Day?). This week our featured coffee is a micro-lot from Peru: our Fair Trade Organic Peru: Augusto Vasquez Llamo. I know the name is a mouthful, but when you know who grew your coffee, it ought to be on the label.

This is high grown coffee, from the far north of Peru. The Santa Maria farm of Sr. Llamo is above 6000′ elevation. The coffee is processed as a micro-lot by the Sol y Cafe Cooperative (Cooperativa de Servicios Multiples Sol y Café Ltda). The co-op is an association of small producers, whose purpose is to contribute to “the integral development of the partner, his family and community, while prioritizing the execution of agricultural activities, acting with social responsibility, preserving the environment and promoting sustainable development” (from their website, here). The co-op helps these farmers to increase the quality of their coffee and to receive certifications that improve their farms and help their families.

This is a great Peruvian, with more complexity than we usually get from this country. In the cup it is sweet and has tones of chocolate and dried cherries. It finishes with a full creamy vanilla tone that makes you want more. Whatever the weather this week, I hope you drink good coffee. Oh, and you can try this one on us with the code Paddington* (in my childhood story he came from “darkest Peru”). Enjoy!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Fair Trade Organic Peru: Augusto Vasquez Llamo. Code expires on 03.29.18. 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.

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Weekly Newsletter: 16th March, 2018

Posted on March 16 2018 by Holly Fike

Costa Rica El Poeta SHB

I went to the ocean yesterday–for all of thirty minutes. I was picking up my son in Shelter Cove, after a week of backpacking. The drive could have been an advertisement for northern California. I started the day dropping into the Central Valley, through the foothills painted with baby grass, with the Sutter Buttes rising into mist and clouds to my north and a rainbow marking the sky over the Sacramento River. Then I climbed into the Coast Range, skirted Clear Lake, and turned north on Highway 101 to find snow covering the road.

All smiles after the trip

It was a winter wonderland of white for about fifteen miles, and then I dropped down in elevation and started winding through the redwoods, where the trees towered as I twisted around them. The last part of my journey was from Garberville down to the coast, full of slow turns, more redwoods, creeping fog, and rain showers. I finally arrived at Black Sands Beach to the sun peeking out from the clouds and a group of wet kids ready to climb in the car.

Those kids were wet, but according to the talk in my car on the way back, they had a good week. In the retelling it sounded like an adventure, and being wet was just one aspect of the fun. They were, however, all ready for a hot shower and dry clothes–and non-dehydrated food.

With all that driving yesterday, I was concerned that I might get sleepy. I listened to radio, music, and podcasts, and I drank this week’s coffee special: Costa Rica El Poeta SHB. El Poeta means “the poet,” and sipping it while driving towards a rainbow did feel like poetry. It did keep me alert, but more than that, it was delicious.

For the more ordinary days, this is still a poetic coffee. It’s grown in the highlands of the Costa Rican province of Alajuela, in the central part of the country. The farmers come together with an export company, Café de Altura de San Ramón Especial S.A (their website in Spanish is here). Café de Altura works with these family farms to produce quality coffee with sustainable farm management practices. Their goal is to “turn the producer into an entrepreneur and marketer of his own coffee.” This partnership benefits the farmers who get a better price for their quality beans.

In the cup this is a delicious brew, worthy of the El Poeta name. As we tried it as a staff today, Hannah declared that it is her favorite Costa Rican coffee that we have carried. It has a sweet acidity, and a medium body, with notes of melon and stone fruit. The nose is more nutty, but the taste is reminiscent of dried fruit, with a bit of a tang. You can try a cup of this Costa Rican on us this week with the code Hannah’s favorite*. Enjoy your weekend, and drink good coffee!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Costa Rica El Poeta SHB. Code expires on 03.22.18. 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.

 

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Weekly Newsletter: 9th March, 2018

Posted on March 9 2018 by Holly Fike

Brazil Fazenda Sertaozinho Yellow Bourbon

You see that pile of snow in the header picture? That was the beginning of a quinzee hut, that would later be slept in by a group of fifth graders. A quinzee hut (assuming you don’t know–I didn’t) is a snow shelter, rather like a manmade snow cave. You pile up snow, let it settle, and then dig into it while leaving the outside at least two feet deep. It takes a lot of time and work, but the result is pretty spectacular.

Peeking out of the finished quinzee

It was fun to see the perseverance, and excitement, that these kids showed while spending a day shoveling. Well, maybe the excitement came more from the snowmen and other designs and decor they made–one group even built themselves chairs and a “swimming pool.” Over the course of two days, all the kids who chose to got to sleep outside, in their own creation. Pretty cool.

We were gone a total of three days, and the second day we all got a cross country skiing lesson over at Royal Gorge. Some of the kids got quite proficient in the course of the day. By the afternoon over half the group went out for a couple mile ski. It was beautiful out among the trees, and a lovely way to spend a day–although I did hear a few kids ask if there were any lifts.

Needless to say, I wasn’t at work much this week. We got our coffee shipment yesterday and we’ll have a selection of new coffees for you to try in the next month. For today, however, we are featuring our Brazil Fazenda Sertaozinho Yellow Bourbon. I wrote about this on January 19th, and you can find that newsletter here.

The most amazing thing about this estate, in my opinion, is their old growth trees that are as much as 1500 years old. Can you imagine how the world has changed during the life of those trees? It’s a good perspective into how short our own lives are, and how the earth continues without us. At Fazenda Sertaozinho they not only protect the trees, but they provide full time employment, housing, healthcare and a school for their workers.

Yellow bourbon is an arabica cultivar that ripens to yellow instead of the usual red. The yellow variety was first found in Brazil. The “bourbon” refers to the island of Bourbon (now Reunion) in the Indian Ocean, and has nothing to do with the Kentucky whiskey. In the cup, however, you might taste sweet fruit and a light acidity–it could almost be tasting notes from a distillery. It finishes with a nutty chocolate taste. Delicious.

Today I am thankful for good coffee that helps me get through my days–especially cold mornings in the snow. You can try a cup of this Brazilian on us with the code quinzee hut*. Enjoy your weekend, and drink good coffee!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Brazil Fazenda Sertaozinho Yellow Bourbon. Code expires on 03.15.18. 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.

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Weekly Newsletter: 2nd March, 2018

Posted on March 2 2018 by Holly Fike

Organic Blue Krishna Balinese

Wednesday was an exciting day. I got to go with my daughter’s class skiing at Squaw Valley again. This time they got to ride the gondola up to High Camp, which was an experience in itself for a class of kids. They all had a great day skiing and snowboarding, and it was fun to see the joy and pride on their faces at the end of the afternoon. Then that evening we had the excitement of installing a new espresso machine at the store. Our previous machine has been a warrior–but it was time for a new lady in the house.

Happily making a snowman

We finally seem to have winter around here. Our first snow day of the year was Monday, and the kids were hoping for another one today, but that seemed to fizzle out. There’s not much more fun than an unexpected day off of school–my kids got to go sledding with friends, and they didn’t have to drive very far to find plenty of powder. Since Caroline loves nothing more than snow, it has been a good week for her.

With the arrival of a new espresso machine, we’ve been joking about all other “new” things this week. New haircut? Must be in honor of the new machine. New glasses? Ditto. So this week we have a new coffee for you . . . except that it’s actually an old favorite. This is our Organic Blue Krishna Balinese, and it’s delicious.

I’ve written about this coffee many times over the years, because we buy it whenever it is available. This was part of our popular Christmas Coffee this year, and you can find newsletters where it is featured here and here (and there’s more–search “Bali”). It comes from the Indonesian island of Bali, and it’s grown on the slopes of Mount Agung.

You may have read about Mount Agung in the last few months, since it has been erupting with ash plumes with some regularity since November 2017. Bali is on high alert, but it appears that the seismic activity is subsiding (see here), so hopefully those who would be affected by an eruption will be okay. So far these farms appear to be doing fine, still growing coffee in the shade of citrus trees on their beautiful island.

Tomorrow’s Foothills Celebration has been postponed due to weather, and will now be occurring on April 7th. This is a food and wine tasting throughout downtown Grass Valley, and a fun way to spend the afternoon. We still have a chance of snow this weekend, so bundle up and enjoy if you’re local. I know that I am well supplied with all the fundamentals: good coffee and a good book!

Oh, I almost forgot. You can try this Organic Balinese on us this week with the code snow fizzle*. That’s been the talk around here anyway: this snowstorm mostly fizzled out, at least at this elevation. Enjoy!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Organic Blue Krishna Balinese. Code expires on 3.8.18. 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.

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Weekly Newsletter: 23rd February, 2018

Posted on March 2 2018 by Holly Fike

Fair Trade Organic Honduras Capucas

We have had such a warm and dry winter that instead of talking about the threat of snow, we are talking about the promise of snow. Yesterday there was a chance of snow in the forecast, and I kept hopping up from my desk to see if it had started. It never did accumulate, but the flurries sure were pretty all day. At our house we had “corn snow” or graupel that covered the ground, and this morning the sunlight twinkled over the frozen white earth.

We love snow around here.

In Nevada County, it’s a common saying that it’s not spring until it snows on the daffodils. Well that certainly happened this week. However, since we haven’t had much rainfall yet, I’m hopeful that the storms will continue, and that this is not winter’s last hurrah.

Last week we featured our Kenya Nyeri Aguthi Thageini, but this week we are crossing the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean to the Central American country of Honduras. I suppose that you could also cross the Pacific and Indian Oceans, since Kenya is on the eastern coast of Africa–either way these two countries are a long way apart.

This Fair Trade Organic Honduras Capucas comes from the mountains in the far west of Honduras, almost to the border with El Salvador. If you look up Las Capucas, Honduras on Google Maps, you can find the Cooperative Cafetalera Capucas Limitada (COCAFCAL). This is the co-op of around 70 farming families that produced this coffee: you can find their website here. They are committed to meticulously processing their beans, and also to improving the quality of life in their community.

The pictures on the website show the town of Capucas and there are also some great shots of the coffee farms, in the surrounding mountains. This is high grown coffee, which leads to a denser bean, and usually lower yields–all of which lead to better quality. We have taken this coffee and roasted it light, so you can enjoy all the nuances of this special cup. We all loved it when we tasted it: it has a great aroma of chocolate, and tastes of toasted pecans, with a nice acidity.

You can try this on us today with the code Tutu* (the name of our cat–chosen by my daughter, in case you couldn’t guess). Enjoy your weekend and drink good coffee. Cheers!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Fair Trade Organic Honduras Capucas. Code expires on 03.01.18. 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.

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Weekly Newsletter: 16th February, 2018

Posted on February 16 2018 by Holly Fike

Kenya Nyeri Aguthi Thageini

On Valentine’s Day I had the unique opportunity of going skiing with my daughter’s class, through a program hosted by Squaw Valley, called Skiducks. The kids had the choice to learn skiing or snowboarding (it was pretty equally divided), and their equipment was provided along with a lesson. Many of the kids had never been on the slopes before, and their progress throughout the day was impressive. I watched kids who didn’t know how to put on their skis finish the day getting on and off a lift and successfully skiing down the hill.

Two girls ready to ski

As you can imagine, the progress was all over the spectrum–some kids learned a lot, some struggled to get upright on skis/snowboards. Some enjoyed the feeling of speed, some were terrified by it. I have never been much of a skier, but I completely enjoyed helping the kids improve in their own way. And my own daughter, who loves snow, enjoyed the day, despite finishing with a slope that was beyond her ability.

This week we are featuring a coffee from a country that doesn’t get snow, except at the top of Mount Kenya. This is our Kenya Nyeri Aguthi Thageini. Nyeri is a county in central Kenya, that is known for great coffee. These beans come from small family farms on the slopes of the Aberdares Mountains, to the west of Mount Kenya.

These farms produce coffee intercropped with shade trees, bananas, and macadamias. The farmers are part of the Aguthi Cooperative, and process their coffee at the Thageini Factory. The factory is a wet mill, and the coffee is fully washed and dried on raised beds. Much care is taken with the processing, and it shows in the final product.

In the cup this is a sweet drink, with citrus flavors and notes of dried cherries and plums. It’s delicious, and you can try some on us this week with the code snow day*. I can only hope that we have more snow days this winter: we certainly need it. In other news, check out this article about coffee being grown in southern California. We talk regularly about what a special area we live in: maybe I should mention more often what a unique state this is? From ski slopes to coffee farms, California has it all.

Enjoy your holiday weekend, if you have President’s Day off. We will be open regular hours (6 am to 5:30 pm) for all of your coffee needs. Cheers!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Kenya Nyeri Aguthi Thageini. Code expires on 02.22.18. 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.

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Weekly Newsletter: 9th February, 2018

Posted on February 9 2018 by Holly Fike

Organic Sulawesi Rantekarua Estate

Do you know what I love about living in a small town? I love that when I go to the bank, they know my name, and I know half the people in line. I love that our wholesale customers drive to drop off a check in person. I love that I can call with an office supply order and twenty minutes later the business owner will drop it off in my office, because he was in the area anyway. I love that I get to walk to pick up my kids, and that when my son goes to a dance, it’s right down the street. I love that people in the cafe know my name, and I know theirs. I love that this is my community.

That is one cool kid with his mama

These were the things I loved today. Sure, there are disadvantages to a small town too–we can’t have everything–but mostly it’s a pretty wonderful place to be. If I don’t say it enough, thank you all for being a part of our neighborhood, our community. I feel pretty lucky to be a part of such a vibrant place. It seems like everyday there’s something new going on: check out the Outside Inn blog for a list of local happenings–and leave a comment on their Valentine’s Day giveaway while you are there.

It’s been yet another beautiful week here in northern California. The crocus in our front yard are adding to their numbers daily: yesterday Trace counted 49. Frozen drinks have picked up at the store, and every day someone tells me about a hike or an outdoor activity they’ve participated in. My winter loving daughter is sad, but she is also enjoying all the outdoor time.

This week our featured coffee is our Organic Sulawesi Rantekarua Estate. Sulawesi is the same Indonesian island that was formerly known as Celebes, and you’ll recognize the characteristic full-bodied and sweet flavors in the cup.

This coffee is named for the mountain on which it is grown: Rante (or Mount) Karua. It’s higher grown than most Sulawesi coffees, at over 8000 feet, and fully washed, which is also unusual for this region. Not only is it high grown, but it is remote, and this coffee goes through a four hour drive over unpaved roads to the processing plant. Before it appears in your cup, it has been on a remarkable journey.

This is a delicious drink, and I’m looking forward to starting my day with some this week.
You can try a cup on us this week with the code crocus*. Enjoy the good weather if you’re local. Cheers!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Organic Sulawesi Rantekarua Estate. Code expires on 02.15.18. 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.

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Weekly Newsletter: 2nd February, 2018

Posted on February 2 2018 by Holly Fike

Burundi Buzira-Muruta Washed

I would have loved to be outside all afternoon, but alas my desk was calling me. Although I know that we need more winter weather, it is a gorgeous day today. It’s hard to believe that just a week ago the header picture on this email was of snow: it’s a balmy 60+ here, and I certainly didn’t need my jacket when I walked to pick up my kids from school. Trees are blossoming, the flowering quince is bringing its happy bright coral color to our yard, and the daffodils are poking their heads up.


From the archives: speaking of weather, I recently found this shot from last year. South Yuba River.

Beyond that, in our home there’s talk of baseball and summer ballet recitals, and that makes it feel like spring to me. This week we have a new coffee for you, that will be good no matter the season. It would be delicious hot, or refreshing as an iced coffee.

This is our Burundi Buzira-Muruta Washed. Burundi is a small landlocked African coffee, just south of Rwanda, and to the east of Tanzania. They have had many of the same ethnic issues as Rwanda, with much violence over the years. Civil unrest has led to an unstable economy, so building coffee commerce is essential for the farmers there.

This coffee comes from the northern part of the country, from smallholders organized around the Buzira washing station, in Kayanza province. The washing station is owned by Salum Ramadhan, a local, self made entrepreneur who is “invested . . . in his community and . . .his coffee washing stations and export business [run] like well oiled machines” (source here).

The author goes on to describe the washing station as: “The fermentation tanks and washing channels are immaculate, parchment dries in thin layers on well-organized beds, and Salum pays well above average for both daily labor and cherry deliveries from local farmers. Each station is also surrounded by a multi-purpose farm, serving as test plots for new varieties and as examples of a well-run garden for local smallholders.”

In the cup, all this care really shines. This is a sweet bean, that tastes of both the tartness of green apples and the sweetness of melon. It has a great acidity, and a flavor of sugar cane as you sip. You can try a cup on us this week with the code groundhog* (and in case you didn’t hear, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, and we’ll have six more weeks of winter). No matter the accuracy of his prediction, we’ll be enjoying good coffee. Cheers!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Burundi Buzira-Muruta Washed. Code expires on 02.08.18. 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.

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Weekly Newsletter: 26th January, 2018

Posted on January 26 2018 by Holly Fike

Peru Satipo Finca Tasta Micro-Lot

Snow! We finally got our first snow of this season here in town. It’s already gone at this elevation, but it sure was pretty to watch it accumulate. Big puffy flakes were falling and swirling, and slowly coating the wet ground with their blanket of white. My kids were so excited: even as they get older they still think snow is magical. Truthfully, I do too. It’s beautiful and quiet and each flake is unique: enchanting.

Cousins climbing a rock

It’s hard to believe that only last weekend we spent a lot of time outside, even going on a walk with Archie to the Tribute Trail suspension bridge. If you haven’t been there, you can park in downtown Nevada City and walk, or park along Champion Mine Road. My kids love the bridge, and feeling it sway as they run across. Archie’s favorite moment was going down to Deer Creek and throwing pebbles in the water.

Today we have a beautiful single origin coffee for you, perfect for a snowy day. This coffee is grown by Edith & Ivan Meza Sagarvinaga, who have taken over the operation of their late mother. They are committed to continuing the work that made their mother so happy. In addition, they are trying to run a sustainable and diversified farm.

Edith is an active member of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance, and was awarded the opportunity to attend the Seattle Specialty Coffee Expo a few years ago. In her own words she says:

“Our goal is to be a model farm, to be environmentalists. Finca Tasta has 9 hectares of virgin forest that we protect for the fauna and wildlife. We would like Finca Tasta to be a place for ecotourism for coffee and nature lovers, and a place where we can host workshops about the coffee supply chain.” (see here)

My favorite part of the producer interview from our broker is Edith’s description of a typical day on their farm:

“We start with breakfast at 6 am, and work starts on the farm at 7 am, which depends on what needs to be done, planting, fertilizing, pruning, etc. We rest and have lunch from 12 to 2 pm and then return to work. In the afternoons we cut firewood for cooking and eat dinner at 6:30. We like to watch a new movie each evening and then we sleep.”

You really get a glimpse of their daily life, and it sounds like hard work. This is the effort that goes into your morning cup of coffee. Thank you Edith and Ivan. Your care shows in the final product. In the cup this tastes of milk chocolate with a nutty flavor. It’s creamy and smooth and delicious. You can try a cup on us this week with the code Finca Tasta*. Drink it thinking of all those that work to produce our food. Cheers!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Peru Satipo Finca Tasta Micro-Lot. Code expires on 02.01.18. 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.

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Weekly Newsletter: 19th January, 2018

Posted on January 19 2018 by Holly Fike

Brazil Fazenda Sertaozinho Yellow Bourbon

The January days seem to keep going by–I can’t believe that tomorrow is the 20th day of 2018. I feel like I’m still getting used to this new year, remembering to circle my pen for the date, instead of straight lines. I think that the days are rather blurring together as the employees around here seem to be taking turns staying home sick. Even Archie got the flu this time, and I missed him running around the office, calling me “Ah-Lee” loudly.

How do you entertain an 18 month old in the office? With a box!

Hopefully everyone is feeling better now. I know that in our family, the flu went around in December, but it took awhile for everyone to get over it. All sympathy to those of you still dealing with it. I think that a third of my daughter’s class was absent this week, so it’s certainly going around.

For those of you not drinking Throat Coat tea and pounding echinacea and vitamin C–those of you still functioning without the dreaded flu, that is–we have a delicious coffee for you this week. This is our Brazil Fazenda Sertaozinho Yellow Bourbon. Fazenda means farm in Portugese, and this is a unique farm in Minas Gerais that has 300 hectacres of protected old growth forest. Some of the trees are as much as 1500 years old. This coffee was a Cup of Excellence winner in 2012, and a finalist multiple times since. You can read about that here.

This is a pulped natural bean, similar to a honey process. Pulped natural means that the beans are dried with some of the pulp still attached, which tends to give it a fruitier flavor in the cup. This coffee is a yellow bourbon, which is a cultivar of arabica that “developed naturally on Île Bourbon (an island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, now known as Réunion) from coffee brought to the island from Yemen by the French (from the SCA page, here).” Bourbon can be yellow or red, meaning that the coffee cherries ripen to that color. Since most varieties of coffee ripen to red, this is more unique.

In the cup this has stone fruit flavors of apricot and pluot, with a lingering creamy finish. It is enjoyable to drink and you definitely taste the pulped natural process. You can sample a cup on us this week with the code dolphin*. I’m sure it’s no surprise that code was chosen by my daughter: dolphins are her favorite mammal. Enjoy your weekend, and drink good coffee. Cheers!
–Holly Fike

*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Brazil Fazenda Sertaozinho Yellow Bourbon. Code expires on 01.25.18. 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.

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530 273-6424 | 800 600-6424
 map-marker Carolines Coffee Roasters
128 S. Auburn St.
Grass Valley, CA 95945
clock Monday-Friday: 6am-5:30pm,
Saturday-Sunday: 7am-5:30pm 

Fridays for
Cornish Christmas: 6am-9pm