Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Grab some coffee

If you are a coffee drinker and ever wondered how that steaming coffee you grab every morning gets to your table, here's how it is processed. After the coffee beans are harvested, they are typically sun-dried on large patios made of asphalt or cement, where they are shifted at regular periods of time for several days to prevent mildew and fermentation while they dry. Then they are transferred to mechanical dryers. This method is widely used in Brazil. Additional processes include: sorting and grading; polishing, storaging and aging. Roasting is the last step, and it can be done either at the roasting companies or at home. I used to roast coffee for our family when I was a teenager, it was one of those chores my brother and I did not enjoy much, but I can tell you, I can distinguish a good coffee from a distance today.

The coffee farm: Chic Coffee (English) and Café Pessegueiro (Portuguese)


More pictures related to coffee on my previous posts:
1) Guesses anyone?
2) How would you like your coffee?

And that's my dad waving on the first picture...

27 comments:

Ash said...

Interesting images and info Cris.

I am a tea-lover though :)

Connie Peterson said...

Wow! That's sure a lot of coffee!!

Chica, Cienna, and Cali said...

wow.......thanks for showing it to us, Cris....and a hi to your dad!!! :)

Anonymous said...

I wish I did know more about selecting and grinding my own beans. I do go to the Honduras Coffee shop in town...wonderful coffee and they will grind some for me but normally I drink Starbucks Columbian blend. I love a good cup of coffee and this was a treat to see. I like things I've never seen before. How sweet that your dad was waving!

Anonymous said...

Thanks Cris for posting the picture - quite interesting.
I purchase Fair trade coffee beans
from Brazil and other countries.
Grind my own coffee beans every morning and enjoy a strong cup of coffee. Love Espresso as well.
I am very critical about coffee served in coffee shops, the taste is not the same what I brew at home. Am I a coffee connoisseur ? Why not?
cheers Gisela

Anonymous said...

We learn to take things so much for granted. I had no idea how coffee came about to my cup. Very interesting post.

Hope you are doing well.
Take care,
Connie

Anonymous said...

Cris,
thank you for your comment..
have a wonderful holiday,
Gisela

Susie said...

That's lots of coffee Cris! I love the smell of freshly ground roasted coffee.
:)

sonia a. mascaro said...

Nice photos, Cris. When I was young I loved to shifted coffee on
patios, "terreiro" as we said in Portuguese. For us as a kid it was very fun!

Have a good weekend!

Paula said...

Really interesting information, especially since I'm sitting here with my first cup of coffee of the day. I'm really enjoying your coffee farm posts. (and learning something, too!)

Cláudia said...

Cris, do you know if there is the Chic Coffee to buy here in São Paulo, or Campinas? It would be great to have our best coffee here. Because the best coffee is always exported.

See ya!

Cris said...

Thank you all for your comments...

Yes Claudia, you can find this coffee here as Café Pessegueiro, there's a coffee shop near Taquaral that sells it. I can give you a pack. :-)

Chica, Cienna, and Cali said...

hey Cris.....I am studying to be an Industrial Engineer and my thesis is on Quality in Health Care ..Florida being a retiree's paradise has most of its research efforts are concentrated in Health sector. :)

Anonymous said...

Neat pictures and story Cris. I would love to get down there someday and see some of this!

Memories Catcher said...

Boas fotos de vida diária.Gosto da composição e das cores.

Juhi said...

Interesting info...cant live without coffe.
Pl do visit my blog sometime http://travelnlife.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

What an interesting post.
I visited a coffee farm in Haiti back in 1998, one which was supported by Max Havelaar.

Elaine said...

Thank you for visiting my blog! You have some nice shots, and I love that I get to see and learn about Brazil. I did a quick visit today, but I'll be back!

Chica, Cienna, and Cali said...

not yet, Cris...not yet..they were taken the same day as hibiscus ....Oct 30th is my thesis defense..and then I'm a free bird..yay!!! that sole thought drives me to burn the midnight oil these days :)

Hope you are doing well.....:)

Ash said...

Meanwhile, You've been tagged. And you�re supposed to pass the tag on...

Here are the rules:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself.
3. Tag eight people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they�ve been tagged by leaving them a comment on their blogs.

Have a great time!

Yolanda said...

This is a interesting shot.

Luna und Luzie said...

Wow, another coffee post. Today I have a post with tea :-) but I like coffee. Now it is here really cold and we love it to drink tea to warm us.
But your post is really interesting.
I will remember when I drink my next cup of coffee tomorrow morning.

shnaggy said...

oh cris, that is very interesting and informative. i am a coffee drinker and i love brewed coffee. but i have a three-in-one coffee with me in my bag.
say howdy to your dad for me...

Tammy said...

I was just taking the last sip from my morning coffee as I clicked on your post! This was fascinating...I had no idea the beans were pushed around on concrete like that!

Jo's-D-Eyes said...

Hi Cris,
This I never saw befor and its really intersting me, how do they make coffe the farms etc, thanks for sharing!


:) Missing you & your blog,
I am back from my short trip to South of Italy, thanks for 'not forgetting me' I posted an overview of pictures from my holiday , soon more... Have a great sunday!!!

Greetings JoAnn:)

Kerri said...

Fascinating information and pictures Cris. You're a good teacher :)
I'll think about all that goes into the process as I have a second cup of coffee this morning :)
Yes, I'm sure you know a good cup of coffee when you taste one!
Hope things are slowing down for you.
xo

Thistlemoon said...

mmmm...coffeeeeeee...you know how much I love it! Great pictures, Cris! Really enjoyed the post!