INTERNATIONAL COFFEE DAY

Today (September, 29th) is International Coffee Day! Did you know that coffee is an Arabic word? It’s “qahwa” and means “stimulating drink.” It was discovered in the 9th century in Ethiopia in the region of Kaffa and arrived to Arabia because of the slave trade in the 16th century. The process of roasting the beans was developed in the 15th century. The commercial center with the main port to export coffee was Mocha, also known as Mokka.

Coffee is one of the world’s most popular beverages. There are millions of people who consume and enjoy the taste every day. It is a wake-up drink in the morning, it gives you motivation and energy in the afternoon and the taste and the aroma knock up the senses in the evening.

We like to take the opportunity of International Coffee Day, to promote fair trade coffee and to honor manufacturers who promote ecological and economic sustainability.

There are many contributing factors to get and to drink a great coffee. Have a look at the label, read where it comes from and who produces it. If you don´t know a lot about coffee but you want to learn more, you have the opportunity to look for a good barista close to your home. A good barista takes their time to tell you and explain to you all you want to know about good coffee. Barista is a profession which includes lots of knowledge of the origin of coffee and the different processes of brewing. And they also have the skills to create and make beautiful things with your coffee. This incredible work is called “latte art”. They froth the milk up, they get a perfect shot of coffee out of a portafilter machine and with a calm hand you will get a latte decorated with a heart, a leaf or a swan.

Drinking and especially making great coffee is a passion. There are beans from all over the world and to find the best taste and the best quality is quite difficult. There is an annual competition which is called “Cup of Excellence”, the most prestigious award given to the best and highest quality of coffee, determined by an international jury. You won´t regret drinking one of these “Cup of Excellences”.

For Ecuador, coffee is an important product for exportation. Many regions in this country offer great conditions for it to grow. Loja, a beautiful region in the south of Ecuador, is one of the most important regions for coffee which supposedly produces the best coffee in Ecuador. It is the combination of the altitude (800-2,000 meters) and the subtropical climate which make it possible for the environment to have a varied vegetation. The damp forest, the big trees which give shade to the coffee plantations and the ecological cultivation are reasons for the great taste of the coffee bean. There are lots of possibilities to visit coffee plantations, learn about coffee production, and of course have a great cup of coffee in Ecuador.