Main Menu
Articles Home
Most Popular Articles
Top Authors
Submit Articles
Submission Guidelines
Link to Us
Bookmark
Contact Us



Partners
 
Home / Food and Drink

La Minita Coffee – It’s in the Green Beans

By:Jim Cameron


La Minita; Spanish for “The Little Gold Mine” says it all. La Minita is arguably the best coffee in the world and is sipped by the who’s who in the specialty coffee industry as well as by those of us who have access to it in our businesses. Similar to the wine industry, the best coffees are not always the most expensive. There are many factors involved in determining the final price of a coffee, unfortunately the quality of the bean is only one of them.
La Minita comes from the Tarrazu region of Costa Rica in Central America. This region has long been known for it’s quality coffee and remains one of the finest growing regions in the world. The La Minita Estate is located at the pinnacle of this region on a spur between two rivers 5700 feet above sea level. The farm actually has several “Micro Climates” within the farm which effect the crop in different ways. The meticulous way in which coffee is grown, pruned, fertilized, shaded, and weeded all add to the final product. Long before “Organic” was popular, this farm was using machetes to cut back weeds rather than chemicals. Long before “fair trade” was popular this farm was treating it’s employees with respect, providing dental and medical resources right on the farm, paying above local scale, providing household items at below cost prices, and encouraged a coffee workers association to promote fair, safe and equitable conditions.
When the “new crop” is in, samples are taken from each of the micro growing regions on the farm and cupped to determine the years mix. The pickers start at daybreak and finish picking about noon. The days harvest is measured from each picker then at a central pick up point and again at the mill. Every La Minita coffee bean arrives at the mill the same day it is picked which is essential in producing the world’s best coffee. The milling process is more meticulous than other mills and the beans are watched at each stage of the preparation. When they have reached the point where most beans would be bagged up and exported, LaMinita enters its final stage. Every bean is looked at by trained coffee sorters who go over and over the beans removing any bean that may taint the final cup.
Unlike the other “exotic” coffees of the world, La Minita is in this category for one reason: QUALITY! I once spent a few days with a farmer from Jamaica who wanted to increase his crop. When he was told how to make his coffee better, he replied: “I can sell every bean I can grow for $17.00 a pound; all I want to do is get more production”. Unfortunately this is often the case in the exotics. Jamaican Blue Mountain, Hawaiian Kona and other exotics demand high prices but way too often do not deliver the cup. LaMinita sells for far less than Jamaican and Kona and is always a superb coffee at a reasonable price. Visit the La Minita web site at: www.laminita.com .

This article is written by Jim Cameron without the permission of La Minita and expresses only the opinions of the Author on what he believes to be the best value coffee in the world. To purchase this coffee green to roast at home, contact: www.u-roast-em.com . To purchase this coffee roasted, contact your local coffee roaster or coffee shop.

About the Author

Jim Cameron is a semi retired Specialty Coffee Roaster who now shares his love of coffee and his love of Costa Rica. His company in the USAsells these beans in raw "green coffee" form to the home roasting trade. He has a home and a small real estate business in the Southern Pacific side of Costa Rica on the OSA Peninsula.

Digg del.icio.us Blink Stumble Spurl Reddit Netscape Furl

Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com





Top Food and Drink Articles
  • 1). Convection vs. Conventional Ovens... What's The Difference?  By : Debbie Dragon
    If you are in the market for a new oven and you’ve already begun shopping for one, you’ve probably noticed that there are a few different types. Two of the most popular oven types are conventional and convection, and many newer ovens have the option of cooking food in either fashion depending on the set mode. The difference in these two types of ovens is the way in which the heat in the oven is dispersed during the cooking process.

  • 2). Fish Oil - It’s Health Benefits & Risks  By : John H. Rogers
    As the name implies, fish oil is oil that is removed from the tissues of oily fish and is often recommended as part of a healthy diet program. Many nutritionists recommend that individuals each fish at least once a week, but emphasis must be placed on the importance of avoiding fish that contain certain harmful contaminants. In avoiding predatory fish, such as sharks and others, individuals will prevent the consumption of unhealthy substances which can accumulate due to the fish’s predatory lifestyle.

  • 4). Let's NOT Talk Turkey  By : Kristin Johnson
    The carving. The leftovers. The endless stuffing. Actually, you love the stuffing, cranberries and turkey trimmings. However, it's been se

  • 5). Diners - An American Icon  By : Barbara Wangelid
    The definition of a diner is typically a narrow structure resembling a railroad dining car with the interior containing a service counter with stools

  • 6). Honey – Important Health Facts!  By : Anita Morris
    Honey is the most known apicultural product, it is a substance that the bees produce through a complicated process of elaboration, where they absorb the nectar and deposit it in their stomach, then go back to the beehive to deliver it, throwing up repeated times; this way ferments, acid and albumen are added to the nectar. It contains most of the essential mineral elements that our system needs.

  • 7). Homemade Ice Cream - Easier Than You think!  By : Scott Byers
    If you are looking for some great fun and a delicious treat any time of year, you will want to know about making homemade ice cream. This is a fun thing to do alone or with someone else. No matter what you are doing or what the temperature is outside, you will want to have some homemade ice cream for a great snack or treat. You will love making it along with eating it as well.


New Food and Drink Articles
  • 1). Do Aphrodisiac Foods Exist  By : Kadence Buchanan
    Many of us have heard that sea-food excite the human senses or that walnuts and honey are the best aphrodisiac. But do certain types of food affect the human erotic impulse?

  • 4). How To Eat Good Quality Food While Traveling  By : Gregg Hall
    When you are traveling whether on the road or airport hopping finding good food to eat at a reasonable price is an important consideration. When you are traveling eating out at fancy restaurants can take you over your budget in a hurry.

  • 9). Cooking Tips For Outdoor Chefs  By : Bob Alexander
    Tips on how to light charcoal for barbeque cookouts and live to tell about it! Safety tips for the novice and experienced griller both. Delicious cooking ideas for smoking meats.

  • 10). Fish Oil - It’s Health Benefits & Risks  By : John H. Rogers
    As the name implies, fish oil is oil that is removed from the tissues of oily fish and is often recommended as part of a healthy diet program. Many nutritionists recommend that individuals each fish at least once a week, but emphasis must be placed on the importance of avoiding fish that contain certain harmful contaminants. In avoiding predatory fish, such as sharks and others, individuals will prevent the consumption of unhealthy substances which can accumulate due to the fish’s predatory lifestyle.



 


© 2006 articles2k.com - Privacy Policy