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During the competition, expert SCAA cuppers evaluated and ranked the world's finest specialty coffees. More than 30 experienced judges selected the winning coffee by cupping, or thoroughly evaluating the scent and taste of each coffee sample. The judges specifically assessed six distinct attributes of the coffee samples, including: fragrance, aroma, taste, flavor, aftertaste and body. Cupping is a systematic method of evaluating the aroma and taste of coffee and is used by growers, buyers and roasters to evaluate the quality and flavor profile of coffee. To properly gauge the taste of the hot beverage, the judges slurped and swirled a soupspoon-sized portion evenly over their palate, then spit out the sample without swallowing. By saturating as many sensory nerves as possible, cupping participants are better able to evaluate a coffee sample. 2008
Coffee of the Year Results ( Top 10): For more information about the winning coffee, visit www.racafe.com |
Republic of Tea Sip for the Cure Collection includes Red Cherry White Tea, Pink Grapefruit Green Tea, Pink Lemonade Green Tea, Pink Lady Apple Green Tea, and Pomegranate Vanilla Red Tea. For every tin of Sip for the Cure, the Republic of Tea will contribute $1 to Komen for the Cure. Package sizes vary from the 50-bag tin to a lovely 6-bag travel tin. Visit www.RepublicOfTea.com for pricing and information.
Celestial Seasonings dedicates this new selection of delicious, antioxidant–rich green teas to women everywhere who exhibit strength, dedication and courage in their fight against breast cancer, and to everyone who is making a difference working toward the goals of helping women presently diagnosed with breast cancer and finding a cure as soon as possible. Available at grocery and natural foods stores nationwide for $2.99 for a 20-count box. www.celestialseasonings.com |
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Kathi Zollman knows about the power of pink first hand. When diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, she received many pink gifts and cards from friends and family to let her know that she was in their thoughts. “I'm not a pink person” she admits, but has since come to realize just how powerful the color can be and what it symbolizes to those in the fight of their life. Today, Kathi is a survivor on a mission. She is committed to give hope to those who feel defeated and to do her part to help find a cure.
Caffe Rosa is a full-bodied certified organic coffee created to provide funding for breast cancer survivorship programs like yoga, massage therapy, exercise classes, and lifestyle seminars. “As a Roast Master, I created Caffe Rosa specifically for these important initiatives. As a survivor, I gave it a name that would embody the strength and inspiration I find in each pink rose,” said Zollman. For each bag of Caffe Rosa coffee that is sold, Paramount Coffee will donate $1 to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure—the world's largest and most progressive grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists. http://cms.komen.org/komen/index.htm With
its rich aroma and bold flavor, this “pink coffee” will
connect you to this important cause and the amazing individuals
on their journey toward survival. |
- Thanksgiving Coffee Company -
“Joan and I were not looking to save the world when we founded the company. We just wanted to supply California’s north coast with the best coffee possible,” said owner Paul Katzeff. “At the time that meant bringing a spirit of craftsmanship to a stale-coffee-in-a-can industry.”
It was back in 1972 that Joan and Paul set up a twenty-five pound roaster at the Mendocino Hotel and began their journey. A journey that they never expected nor dreamed would take them to where they are today. The Thanksgiving Coffee Company became a public company in 1996. It now roasts over 600,000 lbs of coffee a year and employs 30 well-cared-for local residents, half of whom have worked at the Thanksgiving Coffee Company for more than 15 years.
The Thanksgiving Coffee Company offers a variety of coffees that are certified organic, fair trade and shade grown. Visitors to their online store (www.thanksgivingcoffee.com) will find more than 50 coffees from which to choose, including coffee from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Hawaii, Panama, Ethiopia, Uganda, Laos, and others. Prices vary, most falling in the $10-$12 range for a 12 oz. bag. A final thought from The Thanksgiving Coffee Company owner, Paul Katzeff, “when thinking about a family-run business and how to define one, what comes to mind as a guiding light for all decisions is a line from Carlos Castaneda’s cult classic book written in the early 70’s, 'take the path that has a heart.' This is what we have done to the best of our awareness. Our hope is that the values imagined in that thought will permeate all the work we do, including the creation of coffee products that imply the kind of excellence that any family would be proud of.” To learn more about, or make a purchase from the Thanksgiving Coffee Company visit www.ThankgivingCoffee.com. |
Looking for a lovely gift to bring the holiday hostess or something you can serve after with your famous pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving? Here are a few recommendations that are sure to satisfy.
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Khaya
Cookie Company
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T
stands for Training—job skills training for the men and
women in this impoverished region.
The Khaya Cookie Company promises to use only the freshest, finest, all natural ingredients and no preservatives. Each cookie is carefully crafted by hand. They hire previously unemployed women from the townships of Khayelitsha, South Africa and through education and training, turn them into highly skilled bakers. “All Khaya employees also are provided with a Skills Training Program where they are cross trained in each aspect of our business; from baking to packaging to customer service,” says Alicia Polak, founder of Khaya Cookie Company. The company also strives to improve the life of their bakers. The bakers of the Khaya Cookie Company come from the townships surrounding Cape Town, primarily from the township of Khayelitsha, South Africa where people live in poverty, children suffer from malnutrition, and unemployment is high. The Khaya Cookie Company is committed to help their local residents and employees rise above the hardship and heartache. Khaya cookies are made the time-honored way—from scratch and in small batches. They come in three delicious varieties. Two are shortbread cookies, orange rooibos and cranberry rooibos, the other is a Krunchi, a granola-type snack treat.
Granola Fruit Krunchi: Perfect for a 3pm snack attack, the Krunchis satisfy a craving for something sweet. You’ll savor the morsels of moist dates and organic apricots mixed with the satisfyingly chewy grains. The dates add 14 essential vitamins and minerals give you 4 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber per serving.
It is not often that one comes across a company that so gently and so deliberately inspires others while at the same time delivers a superior product. The cookies themselves are petit in size and big on taste. They are delicious, satisfying, and good for you too. All received high marks in the Coffee And Tea Newsletter “test kitchen”. The shortbreads and krunchis would be a great afternoon snack or just perfect with a cup of tea after a crazy day. It is no wonder that Alicia Polak, owner of the Khaya Cookie Company, was the winner of the Food Network Edible Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2007. For more information about the Khaya Cookie Company or to place and order, visit www.KhayaCookies.com |
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Artist
Spotlight: Keith Lauer
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Keith Lauer started the Madhouse Design Co. back in 1994 when a friend of his asked him to fabricate a chandelier design for her cafe. From there he started doing design work for eclectic California cafes and restaurants. When he could not find ready-made products that were unique or funky enough for the clientele he started creating his own designs. Some of the products became so popular that the cafes and restaurants started selling his creations to people who inquired about them. He took some of the most popular items and made them available to retailers and individuals who loved his quirky designs. Keith’s designs been featured in many publications, including Gourmet magazine, Better Home & Garden, the San Francisco Chronicle, New York Daily News, and on HGTV. For more information about this item or to see other upcycled creations by Keith Lauer, visit http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6154655 |
The coffee calendar is a yearlong wall calendar celebrating the history, culture and politics of coffee. The calendar pages feature dates highlighting coffee's long history of trade, rebellion, fashion, scandal, innovation, land use, flavor, and economy designed and illustrated by Ricardo Levins Morales. The calendar is 12” x 9” and retails for $12.95. Visit www.thecoffeecalendar.com for more information.
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Save The Date for 2009! -
For exhibitor information & booth reservations, contact lyndac@starfishjunction.com
2009
Exhibitor Info Now Available
Coming
Next Month.... |
Colombia’s
C.I. Racafe & CIA S.C.A received the greatest honor as it reached
the highest level of coffee supremacy, taking the Gold Award for
having the world’s best specialty coffee. C.I. Racafe &
CIA S.C.A. beat out more than 120 other coffee producers taking
top honor in the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s
(SCAA) 2008 Roasters Guild Coffee of the Year Competition. The event
took place at the SCAA annual conference in Minneapolis, MN, earlier
this year.
The
Republic of Tea: Sip for the Cure Collection
Celestial
Seasonings: Teas For A Cause
Pink.
Many people associate this color with happy occasions like the birth
of a baby girl, sprinkles on a birthday cake, or a beautiful sunset
sky. For others, the color pink symbolizes something different—strength,
friendship, and hope. Hope for a cure for breast cancer.
Roast
Master and breast cancer survivor Kathi Zollman worked with Paramount
Coffee to create Caffe Rosa, which premieres this month. "Being
a survivor takes a certain level of responsibility,” said
Zollman. “"I developed Caffe Rosa understanding this
responsibility and with a simple mission,” she added, “"to
help breast cancer survivors find strength in themselves as they
continue to heal spiritually, emotionally, and physically."
When
two hippies running from the urban fast lanes of the East Coast
met in the early 1970s they came to the conclusion that “making
roasting coffee was a better way to support ourselves than stringing
beads, making leather items or candles.” And so begins the
story of the Thanksgiving Coffee Company.
Living
in New York’s bohemian Greenwich Village in the 1960s, Paul
Katzeff spent a good deal of time hanging out in coffeehouses.
It was during this time that he was able to sample delicious and
unique coffees that hailed from different regions of the world,
not from a can on the supermarket shelf. This cultivated appreciation
for superior coffee flavor led him to seek out local merchants
who would offer flavorful coffee from various origins, yet found
just a few. He affectionately refers to the coffee bean stores
in Manhattan as “ethnic roasters” because they independently
promoted their wares as better than the canned coffees of the
day. “These pioneers were into flavor. They helped define
the concept of Artisan Roaster and set the stage for my work to
come as a coffee roaster” said Katzeff.
The
Thanksgiving Coffee is committed to leaving a light ecological
footprint. “We continuously strive to find ways to lessen
our impact on the environment, from farm to cup, said Mr. Katzeff.
“We buy many organic and shade grown coffees, and also work
directly with farmers to help increase access to knowledge and
resources that will allow them to transition into more sustainable
farming practices.” For the past 10 years, they have looked
inward at their operations and worked to reduce waste through
recycling, on-site worm composting, running delivery trucks on
a percentage of biodiesel, and using recycled paper for printed
materials. Each week they are visited by local farmers who use
the company’s coffee chaff and burlap and in 2002 became
the first carbon-neutral coffee company. Their commitment continues
today, when earlier this year they donated a plot of land, adjacent
to their company and their heirloom apple orchard, to a local
community garden. To address the larger impact of shipping coffee
around the world and all the energy that goes into brewing and
serving their coffee, the Thanksgiving Coffee Company planted
over 70,000 trees in Ethiopia to offset carbon emissions.
Tavalon:
Kashmiri Chai
SBS
Teas: Spiced Apple Cider Tea
Gevalia®:
Pumpkin Spice Coffee
Tay
Tea: Duchess’ First Love
SerendipiTea:
City Harvest Green
means “home” in Xhosa, the Bantu language of southeast
South Africa. It is in this region, deep in the winelands of South
Africa, that the Khaya Cookie Company makes their home. The Khaya
Cookie Company produces a variety of delicious cookies and delivers
some much-needed “TLC” to a region where poverty is
rampant.
Orange
rooibos shortbreads: The allure of aromatic citrus peel
transforms this dense, buttery shortbread, taking it out of the
ordinary and into the realm of extraordinary. 
Watch
for great new cookies from Khaya later this Fall
This
amazing 5-arm coffee cup chandelier (16"H x 27"W) is
handmade from reclaimed colorful melamine coffee cups and saucers.
Twenty teaspoons hang in harmony to accent this colorful work
of art. The chandelier comes with a 3-foot chrome chain and ceiling
canopy. This chandelier would look amazing in an Alice in Wonderland
themed child’s bedroom, in any kitchen, or would definitely
add interest and whimsy in a coffee lounge or teashop.
About
the Artist: Mr. Morales was born and raised in the coffee
growing region of western Puerto Rico, in the mountain township
of Maricao. His home was on the remains of on old Spanish coffee
plantation and the rhythm community life was set by the coffee
growing cycle. He moved to Chicago with his family when entering
his teen years. He held a variety of jobs in manufacturing, service
and agriculture, eventually ending up in the screen-printing industry.
All the time he developed his artistic skills in connection with
community groups and social causes. He has maintained his connections
with his community of origin in Maricao. He was a founding member
of the Northland Poster Collective, a major center for socially
committed art based in Minneapolis, Minnesota where he lives with
his family. His art can by viewed at 
Mark
your calendars and join us next year, 
