The Complete Coffee Guide: Everything you Need to Know
Happy Fair Trade Month & Belated International Coffee Day!
October 1st was International Coffee Day, and October is Fairtrade Month. While we might be a little late in honouring it, it is never too late to celebrate such a beloved beverage across the globe. Not to mention all the people involved in coffee production, from farmers and roasters to baristas and coffee shop owners!
Where did coffee come from? What is the history of coffee?
No one knows exactly when coffee was initially founded and how it came to be. Still, there are many legends and stories told about this.
We know when and where it started to be cultivated and traded in the 1400s on the Arabian Peninsula. Coffee was enjoyed back then in your own home and coffeehouses (much like today). They were known as “qahveh khaneh,” where many social activities took place in addition to the consumption of coffee.
By the 17th century, coffee had made its way to Europe due to European explorers finding it on their travels. It was brought home with them. Over the next centuries, coffee eventually made its way to the Americas. It is now most commonly grown, specifically in Brazil.
It is one of the most consumed beverages across all continents, nearly 3 billion cups a day.
How is coffee grown, harvested, and processed? How long does it take to produce coffee?
Coffee beans come from the berries that belong to Coffea plants and are actually the coffee berries’ seeds. These berries are grown on bushes and are grown for upwards to 6 years before they can be harvested. Next time you’re sipping on a cup of java, take the time to appreciate how long it took for that cup of coffee to make it to your hands.
Where does the world’s coffee originate from? Who produces coffee?
Coffee beans are green until they are roasted. The majority of coffee comes from what is known as the Coffee Belt. The Coffee Belt near the equator includes parts of North and South America, the Caribbean, West & East Africa, parts of Asia and the Arabian Peninsula. This region has the best growing conditions of rich soil, mild temperatures, frequent rain and shaded sun.
The Benefits of Coffee
- Could help you live longer
- The body may process glucose better
- Less likely to develop heart failure
- Less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease
- Protective effect on your liver
- Decrease breakages in DNA strands
- Reduce the odds of getting colon cancer
- May decrease risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease
- Lowers stroke risk in women
The Social Considerations of Drinking Coffee: Is drinking coffee considered ethical?
While there may be many benefits to drinking coffee, there are definitely some issues that arise when talking about coffee – specifically its production.
Oddly enough, International Coffee Day also falls in the same month as Fair Trade Month, which is an essential factor when talking about coffee production. Fair Trade policies ensure that a farmer is paid fairly by contributing an additional fee for the goods (known as a Fairtrade Premium) to support their family and invest back in their farm to develop better farming practices and support their community.
Due to the fluctuating global coffee pricing, there is also something known as the Fair Trade Minimum for coffee, which guarantees stability in pay for the farmers. This isn’t just the case for coffee. There are many other crops, including bananas, chocolate, herbs & spices, teas, wine and many others.
In addition to the additional fees, fair trade also requires specific environmental and social standards to be met. These help better the lives of the farmers and the communities in which they live. Workers are treated better through safe work environments and the right to unionize. Child labour is forbidden, and protection of the environment is of high importance.
For these and many other reasons, it is crucial to look for the following symbol when purchasing coffee (among the other above mentioned products) that certifies a product is Fair Trade.
Coffee Recipes
Most people indulge in this bitter beverage by enjoying a simple cup. Still, there are so many ways to include coffee into your day! We have a few recipes to get you started and creativity in the kitchen flowing.
We started off with a Mushroom Latte!
Mushroom Latte
Equipment
- High-speed blender
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Foursigmatic Coffee THINK with Lions Maine brewed and hot
- ¾ cup Silk Coconut Milk warmed
- 1 tsp Nature's Emporium Maple Syrup
- 1 tbsp Nature's Emporium Cacao Butter
- 1 pinch Nature's Emporium Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Harmonic Arts 5 Mushroom Blend Cocoa Powder
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- In a high-speed blender, blend together all the ingredients until frothy.
- Pour beverage into your favourite mug, sit back and enjoy!
Nutrition
Cinna Cocoa Coffee-Roasted Nuts
Ingredients
- 3 cups Royal Nuts Mixed Nuts or a combination of your favourite nut
- 2 tsp Ethical Bean Sweet Espresso Coffee or espresso of your choice, ground
- 1 ½ tsp Nature's Emporium Cinnamon
- 1 Nature's Emporium Egg White
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275° F and prepare a lined baking sheet with parchment.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg white and vanilla extract until frothy.
- In a small bowl, combine coconut sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, cinnamon, and salt until smooth.
- Add the nuts to the egg white mixture, then add the cocoa and sugar mixture until evenly coated.
- Pour the nuts onto the prepared baking and cook for approximately 45 minutes, turning every 10-15 minutes.
- Cool on the baking sheet while continuing to stir until completely cooled.
- Enjoy this delicious snack any time of the day!
Nutrition
BBQ Coffee Pulled Jackfruit Sliders
Ingredients
BBQ Pulled Jackfruit
- ½ cup Miyokos Butter
- ½ cup onions chopped
- ½ cup Nature's Emporium Ketchup
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 ½ tsp chili powder
- 3 tsp The Wizard's Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 tbsp Ethical Bean Sweet Espresso Coffee or espresso of your choice, brewed
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 cans Cha's Organic Young Jackfruit brained, rinsed, thoroughly dried and cored
Bun & Toppings
- 8 Little Northern Bakehouse Dinner Rolls
- Nature's Emporium Coleslaw
Instructions
- In a saucepan, melt the butter and add onions until tender and light brown.
- Stir in the ketchup, coconut sugar, chilli powder, Worcestershire sauce and the brewed espresso. Simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes.
- In a separate skillet over medium heat, add the avocado oil and jackfruit.
- Evenly coat the jackfruit in oil and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add BBQ sauce and reduce heat to low-medium and cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce is too thick, add water or coffee to reach the desired consistency.
- Once cooked, assemble into sliders by cutting the dinner roll in half, place the jackfruit mix onto the bottom, top with coleslaw (or toppings of your choice, see notes) and the top of the dinner roll and serve. Enjoy!