Coffee demo and tasting!

I really don't like coffee.  drinking coffee is something I have never picked up on in college.  Everyone asks "what do you do for caffeine?" My answer: "Pepsi!" Even though I don't drink coffee, learning and working with the coffee is one of the aspects of this trip that I was looking forward to.  

Yesterday afternoon we watched Carlos present the process of roasting, grinding and brewing the coffee. When the beans come off the plant, they are a very light color. Each bean needs to be de-shelled.  Then the are put into the roaster.  The roaster has to reach 300 degrees and then the beans roast for about 15 minutes.  At this point we were able to smell coffee.  

After they have been roasted, they are placed in the grinder.  This is what the coffee looks like when we purchase it in the store.  He then brewed it in the coffee pot.  Carlos used a coffee pot just like we use, however he recommended to use a french press because it keeps more of the flavor of the coffee. 

Everyone was poured a cup of coffee.  Even though I had a strange feeling that I wouldn't care for it, I tried a few sips.  What can I say? I am a college student who does not drink coffee! However, members other members of the group said it was excellent.  Carlos was asked by one of us about how we can start becoming acquired to the taste of coffee.  Carlos said he started by adding creme and sugar, which makes sense to me.  Maybe at some point in my life I will like up to that "advice" but for right now, I will stay with pepsi.  

We look forward to the second half of this trip, while the other members of this group enjoy the coffee!!

Much love,

Madeline Boucher