NYC FOOD DETECTIVE: Smell the Coffee
Posted by Ed Yowell, Slow Food NYC
Coffee, like chocolate, is produced in the developing world to be enjoyed primarily in the developed world. 
We, in the United States, consume about 20 percent of the world’s coffee. Much of the dark ambrosia that commences a good day in New York starts on farms in Africa, Asia, or Latin America and the Caribbean operated by family farmers in debt because they are paid less for their crops than it costs to produce them, owing to the rise of large scale, unsustainable growing. But, increasingly, drinking good coffee, sustainably produced and fairly traded, is a doable and rewarding challenge.
Coffee origins, nomenclature and processes are bewildering to say the least. To begin sorting out this stuff, I turned to the New York Coffee Society, founded by coffee aficionado Daniel Humphries in 2007, and its able ambassadors, coffee consultants Anne Nylander and Neil Oney of TampTamp Inc. (Coffee Planners).
The coffee plant is native to Ethiopia, where, it is said, the benefits of caffeine were discovered by a goatherd who noticed his goats’ increased friskiness after nibbling the red coffee cherry fruit from which coffee beans come. Commercial coffee cultivation began in Yemen around 1100. The first coffee house appeared in Constantinople in 1475, and European coffee consumption began in the 17th century, with coffee arriving in America with Captain John Smith at Jamestown. Coffee plants, descended from those in Yemen, were spread, often smuggled, to Indonesia by the Dutch, the Caribbean by the French, and Latin America by the Spanish. Of the hundreds of species in the genus of Rubiales Rubiaceae Coffea, the species Arabica, grown in equatorial regions, and the variety Robusto of the species Coffea canephora, grown in sub-equatorial regions, account for virtually all the coffee that is consumed. The many varieties of Arabica, derived from hundreds of years of natural selection and selective hybridization, produce the best tasting coffees in the world, which, in the cup, can reflect varietal characteristics and the effects of terroir and growing practices.
Daniel Humphries wrote in his blog, “Specialty coffee is in the infant stages of what will be a huge explosion…like the US wine industry in the seventies.” Having drunk my way through the wine explosion of the seventies, I recall the challenges of comprehending nomenclature, American varietals vs. European places of origin, and associated controls, along with all sorts of variations in between. In coffee nomenclature, Sumatra Mandheling, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, and Mexican Finca Estate refer to origins, places or regions. Arabica variety names are occasionally, and increasingly, used in combination with origin names. (A local wine parallel would be Cabernet Sauvignon estate bottled at a particular vineyard using the New York State appellation North Fork, Long Island). Then, there are uniquely named coffee blends (e.g. House Blend), and roasts (e.g. Espresso Roast), where origins and varieties are lost. Wine parallels would be Bordeaux, consisting of blends of specific grape varieties, or an American vintner’s uniquely named blend of different grapes. But, to experience coffee tastes that truly represent place and skill, trying coffee varietals from specific places is a rewarding pursuit.
Finding real coffee, sustainably produced and fairly traded so that growers are fairly compensated, is increasingly easy. The Fair Trade label may be used by American roasters purchasing coffee under the auspices and principles of Trans Fair USA, a member of Fairtrade Labeling Organizations (FLO) International. Essentially, cooperatives of small coffee growers sign-up and receive a fixed price per pound, presently about $1.26, $1.41 for organic, vs. the typical market price of about $.85 per pound. In return they agree to observe fair labor and sustainable growing practices and get access to much needed credit. Should market prices rise above the Fair Trade guarantee, Trans Fair raises its price slightly. Only a small portion of the coffee consumed by Americans is Fair Trade. For example, Starbucks buys about 40 million pounds of Fair Trade coffee each year, which represents about ten percent of its total annual volume of coffee purchases. (Note: Starbucks does not brew its Fair Trade coffee for in-store consumption, using less expensive coffees instead.)
Critics of Fair Trade cite what they believe are shortcomings. For example, that only farmer cooperatives are eligible for the Fair Trade program and the minimum price guarantee, largely insulated from market forces, does not encourage uniqueness and excellence. They feel it instead rewards acceptable sameness, while the position of Trans Fair in the market transaction discourages the development of mutually productive relationships between growers and roasters. From the coffee producer’s perspective, Fair Trade certification comes with a significant annual fee, ranging from $2,500 to $10,000.
A new alternative, direct trade, begun by roaster Intelligentsia with its trademarked Intelligentsia Direct Trade label, is gaining notice. It has spawned a similar program by roaster Counter Culture, with their trademarked Counter Culture Direct Trade Certification. Both these roasters cultivate relationships with producers, usually individuals, not cooperatives. They generally pay their producer partners more than Fair Trade prices, Intelligentsia 25% more, and Counter Culture $1.60 per pound. The difference is that Intelligentsia, Counter Culture, and other direct trade roasters, while supporting fair compensation and sustainable growing practices, pay premiums to farmers for achieving desired quality as the result of meticulous growing, harvesting and drying processes.
Direct trade relationships are more difficult for small roasters to sustain, owing to the higher costs of extensive global searches for the “right” growers. However, International competitions, such as “The Cup of Excellence”, occurring annually in growing regions, offer economical opportunity for small roasters to find their ideal coffees, particularly those of specific varietals and provenances.
While the best coffees result from the best growing practices, it should be noted here that neither Fair Trade nor direct trade guarantee organic and environmentally friendly growing practices. For assurance of these qualities, look for organic certification and Rain Forest Alliance certification.
Anne and Neil tell me that good coffee is evaluated by a number of qualities: aroma, flavor, body, acidity and finish, and, of course, freshness is paramount. They believe that coffee must be roasted within nine months of harvest, prepared as close to roasting as possible and consumed immediately after preparation.
So, how can you enjoy the best coffee guiltlessly? Look for coffee that is Fair Trade or direct trade and that is roasted locally or regionally (minding your carbon foot print, avoid coffee that travels from three corners of the globe to be roasted in Europe and shipped here). And, most importantly, use coffee that is fresh and prepared well. Clean, cold water and a French press coffee maker are good starts.
Local roasters include: 100 year old Dallis Coffee (www.dalliscoffee.com); pioneer small roaster Oren’s Daily Roast (www.orensdailyroast.com); Brooklyn’s own Gorilla Coffee (www.gorillacoffee.com), Plowshares Coffee (www.plowsharescoffee.com), and now Stumptown Roasters (www.stumptowncoffee.com), lately arrived from Portland, Oregon. All offer Fair Trade and direct trade coffees.
