International Coffee Day

(Margaret Atwood cappuchino)

I had no idea there was an international day of celebration for my all time favourite drink - how exciting! Apparently Coffee Day has been celebrated since 2005. I decided that I needed to do a little bit of research on this and see what coffee facts I can share. There's no doubt to me that coffee is by far the most consumed beverage along with water in the world. It's also the vehicle of choice for caffeine consumption besides cola.

Coffee is the second most traded product in the world after petroleum. World wide coffee production tips the scales at about 6 million metric tonnes.

It takes five years for a coffee tree to reach maturity. The average yield from one tree is the equivalent of one roasted pound of coffee.

Of the various botanical species of coffee trees in the world, only two are extensively cultivated commercially; Arabica and Robusta. (Arabica is the better one!) 

The expression “a cup of Joe” to denote coffee, was first coined during WWII, when American servicemen (G.I. Joe) were identified as big coffee drinkers.

The largest coffee-producing nation, Brazil, is responsible for 30 to 40% of total world output.

The cafe mocha takes it's name from the Mocha coffee bean - Mocha, Yeman is famous for being the major marketplace for coffee from the 15th century until the 17th century. Even after other sources of coffee were found, Mocha beans (also called Sanani or Mocha Sanani beans) continued to be prized for their distinctive flavor—and remain so even today.

In the 19th and early 20th century, Javanese coffee gained global popularity. Thus, the name "Java" today has become a synonym for coffee. Java, Indonesia is still a major coffee producer.

Enjoy your cup today and everyday!

Cafe Crepe (507 Church St)

I always admire a cafe that takes their coffee passion to the next level by roasting their own beans in-house. And that's a big reason why I keep coming back here - to buy fresh roasted beans that I grind at home. Their French Roast is awesome - really a great anytime full-bodied blend.

The crepes here are really nice too - they have everything from sweet to savoury. They also have a large selection of home-made pastries. The chocolate croissants are to die for!

This place is a refreshing hangout and my favourite place to buy fresh roasted coffee beans.

Van Houtte - French Roast

In Quebec Van Houtte is a well-known name and I recall seeing their cafes dotting the downtown core of Montreal.

If you work in an office that has self serve coffee you may have heard of these guys too because they supply many an office with their caffeine fix.
Usually, I found that drinking Van Houtte office coffee black wasn't all that great compared to the real Van Houtte coffee I experienced in Montreal.

However, the grocery store offering of Van Houtte French Dark Roast lives up to the cafe brew. It's 100% Arabica beans and price wise is a deal - 750g (1.65lb) at around $14.

This coffee is hearty and robust. It's well balanced though out and doesn't leave an overwhelming after taste. I detect some slight spicy-ness and the flavour is equally rounded on the pallet. I give this one 4 out of 5 stars.

I paired it up with a tasty bran spice muffin compliments of Mom - a great match!

Van Houtte - Whole Bean Coffee

Here's a great idea - offer whole bean (dark roast) coffee, have it certified as Fair Trade and sell it at a very reasonable price! Oh and while we're at it - let's ensure it's a product of Canada too.

Well, Van Houtte has managed to accomplish all of this with their whole bean coffee selections. I purchased my first bag at Metro here in Toronto for $6.99 (includes dollar off instant coupon on package). To put this in perspective, a similar Starbucks roast would cost roughly double this price and most likely not be Fair Trade certified.

For overall taste, this coffee is pretty decent. I purchased Colombian Dark Roast so this one is certainly full-bodied and I notice it lingers on the tongue and really provides a hardy total pallet mouth feel. Contrary to many coffee drinkers who like a lighter, punchier coffee in the morning (think Starbucks Breakfast Blend or Tim Hortons), I like a full-bodied coffee to wake me up. I bet this coffee would go great on its own after dinner or with a rich (chocolate?) dessert.

Van Houtte is an interesting company with a rich history. Presently, in Quebec they have about 70 retail locations, and are heavily involved with the coffee equipment business - think of that 'brew on demand' single cup coffee you've probably encountered in the office.

To be completely honest, I must say I was hesitant about this Van Houtte coffee. I was never a fan of their office building brew and avoided it at all costs! But this whole bean coffee offering has changed my opinion and I would certainly buy it again. I give this one 3.5 stars out of 5.

Recession Coffee - Pride of Arabia

Pride of Arabia...hmmm this name sounds neat. Like any well versed coffee lover I was pleased to see that it is in fact 'a blend of 100% Arabica beans' (whole beans) - perfect!

I am on my second or third bag of this stuff and honestly it's a bargain and tastes really good made in the French Press. It retails at Loblaws (or affiliated stores) for $3.79 for a pound or around $5.79 for almost 2 pounds of beans - Super value! I like whole bean coffee because you can grind as much as you need (recession tip). I am a fan of dark roast and to me this is as good or better than Starbucks French Roast and the price is ultra low in comparison so this is a huge selling point during this economic...'crisis'.

But how does it TASTE? Overall it's very good - the taste profile a la Starbucks-style is as follows: I find it to have great mouth feel and for sure it's got lots of robust body. I pick up a strong caramel-sweetness accompanied by hints of spiciness that lingered on my tongue for the finish. Mmmmm! Also, I have ground this coffee for espresso and found it paired extremely well with dark chocolate.

Overall, this is a nice tasting flavourful coffee at a great price. And now the secret is out - Loblaws you owe me for spreading the word!