African Woodsmoke

As most people are aware, the 2010 FIFA World Cup is being held in South Africa and kick-off is imminent. In an effort to help Woodsmoke readers find the best cup wherever they might be in the Beloved Country, Glenn will be profiling coffee shops in as many of the host cities as he can.

A GUIDE

As a Durbanite, I’m not supposed to like Cape Town or, for that matter, her people. I’m supposed to find the place and its denizens pretentious, conceited and “earthier-than-thou”. I’m supposed to resent the way they refer to their home as the Mother City and the fact that their opposition-controlled province seems semi-detached from the general South African reality.  But, as a honeymooning coffee-lover with an affection for natural beauty and a taste for the good life, I can’t help but grudgingly admit that the place has a lot to offer, particularly to the discerning coffee drinker.

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This is the home-style Italian way of making espresso. The inverted commas are there because stovetop espresso is not technically espresso-it relies on steam power to push the water through the ground coffee, unlike espresso machines, which use powerful electric pumps. Nevertheless, a good cup of moka is a thing of beauty and it’s greatly satisfying making something so tasty using so simple a device. Moka pots are great for travelling and I rely on mine when I go on holiday down the coast and need to leave Eva at home.

What follows is a very basic guide to using one.

1. Grind your beans until the grounds are a bit coarser than those you would use for machine-pulled espresso (but a fair bit finer than those you would use for a French Press).
2. Fill the bottom chamber, up to the pressure-release valve, with cool water.
3. Fill the filter basket with grounds. It is important to fill the basket, levelling, but not pressing (tamping) the grounds. Not filling the basket will result in a weak cup.
4. Screw the top part securely onto the bottom part and place the pot on your stove on a medium-high heat.
5. Wait for all the water to pass through the grounds, or, if you prefer a “ristretto” (a shorter, more intense cup) version, take the pot off the heat before it has finished sputtering.

Stove Top "Espresso"

Cheers,

Glenn

A terrible thing happened recently-Eva got sick. Raging temperature. I was distraught. Work was about to start for the year and I would have to begin each day alone. All, all alone.

Eva is my Innova Dream espresso machine. Another power-spike in the municipal electricity supply sautéed her thermostat, rendering her unusable. I’m a little ashamed to admit that the quality of the first half of my work-day very often depends on the quality of the shot I pull or the cappuccino I pour at breakfast.

Success at the coffee counter sends me bouncing off to work, full of beans (literally), and buoyed by the knowledge that I have mastered the dark art of espresso- that I possess a power wielded by few. I swagger through the first three lessons of the day (I’m a teacher), taking cheeky chirps, inane questions and challenging observations in my stride. Failure at the counter, however, sees me mumbling my way into the car, trying to figure out where I went wrong-why the same beans, on the same grind gave me a  different result to yesterday’s (humidity, a big factor in Durban, is a killer for espresso.) I spend the three lessons until tea-break (recess) thinking about getting back to my machine in order to re-prove myself…to myself.

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Glenn Harpur is a coffee aficionado and resides in the vibrant town of Durban, South Africa.  Glenn and I grew up together and share many passions such as coffee, surfing, South African slang, debating SA politics, and overemphasizing words (yoooh).  Okay so here is the beginning of a series of posts by Glenn Harpur – the legendary Durbanite who comes from the ultimate Durban family:

Glenn at Westbrook after a good breakfast

“Good morning and welcome to a new space on the Woodsmoke website. This blog will focus on coffee in all its splendour (or “splendor”, as those Stateside would say).

Why is it important to drink good coffee and to roast, grind and prepare it in the right way (and yes, there is a “right” way)? Well, think of it this way: a typical Arabica coffee tree takes three to five years to bare fruit. Once this period has passed, only the best berries from each tree are picked. The beans from inside each of these berries are then sold off in groups or “lots” and shipped from their place of origin (perhaps Guatemala, Brazil, Kenya or Ethiopia) to the countries in which they will be roasted. Now, already we have a journey that has involved a number of years, hundreds of people and thousands of miles. It is at this point that many a decent coffee bean is nuked, having the life blitzed out of it by an over-zealous roaster who seeks simply to attain a dark roast without due regard to the complex natural flavours (anything from the delightfully citrussy zing of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe to the sweet floral notes of Kenya AA or the deep chocolatey comfort favoured by many espresso drinkers) latent in the raw, or “green”, beans! Should the little guys survive this step, they are packed and then, hopefully, sold within a few days. They then take up residency in your kitchen, hoping to be ground correctly (once again, within a few days of having been roasted) for the type of caffeinated drink you’re making.

Now, knowing all this, do you really want to be the weak link in the chain?

There are myriad ways to enjoy the blessed bean, and the next post will deal with the basics of a few of these.

Until then,

Cheers,

Glenn Harpur

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Last week I put a challenge up to see what people’s feelings were towards coffee. The responses amazed me and reinforced what an emotive product coffee is. Coffee has been proven by brand experts to be the most emotive product on the planet. This is where I show you why. I have taken some of the great posts that people put on the Woodsmoke Facebook Fan Page and added them here:

* “Any morning isn’t complete until I’ve wrapped my hands around a hot mug of freshly brewed coffee. Coffee dates are awesome – regardless if its with a friend or two, or my sketchbook. Instant atmosphere – that smell just makes your surroundings instantly better.”

* “I love coffee because it has a wonderful smell; reminds me of special times shared with friends and family; and most importantly, the caffeine boost to my system.”

* “Wakes me up. Keeps me warm. Brings me joy.”

* “Coffee makes everything better – even the most boring task becomes enjoyable with a good cup of coffee. Coffee has to be drunk slow which means it slows down my pace. Coffee makes me think more deeply.”

* Coffee is what kick starts my day. It tastes amazing…as long as it’s Woodsmoke coffee. It’s a healthier alternative to energy drinks and other stimulants.

* “The industry supports countless economic community structures worldwide, and anyway I can help makes me happy!!”

Keep the love of coffee alive and make sure that you are only drinking the best, socially conscious coffee around.  The best way to enjoy great tasting coffee is to make sure that it has been freshly roasted.  Grocery store coffee is typically 6 – 12 months old – Woodsmoke Coffee is roasted the day that you order it.  To purchase Woodsmoke Coffee click here.

Cheers,

Sean Coetzee, Founder Woodsmoke

Jambo (Hello),

Woodsmoke is doing a coffee promotion today. We will send you a free bag of Woodsmoke Coffee to your doorstep if you can do 3 simple things on the Woodsmoke Facebook Page. It has to be done by midnight tonight though.

• Post 3 reasons on the Woodsmoke Facebook Page on why you love coffee
• Include your full name, email address, and home address
• Join the Woodsmoke Facebook Page

Once this is a done a bag of coffee will be in the mail and soon at your doorstep!

FREE COFFEE TODAY!

Hamba Kahle (Go Well)

Woodsmoke Team

If you have been to a Woodsmoke Evening in the last few months I am sure that you have tried the greatest coffee coming out of Africa – Woodsmoke Coffee. This Christmas I ask you to make it a Coffee Christmas and give Woodsmoke Coffee to your friends and family. Coffee is a small gift that is easy on the wallet but lends to much emotion and joy. When you give, we also give:

“These Beans have Means. It costs only $450 to put an African child through school for a year, 5 percent of every Woodsmoke coffee purchase goes to educating African coffee farmers’ children. Buy some great coffee today and help us give our farmers’ children a chance to a brighter future.“

What set’s Woodsmoke Coffee apart is that our beans are roasted the day you order the coffee. Freshly roasted coffee is the key to enjoying amazing coffee. Coffee that is found in grocery stores is typically 6 months old – that is why it has a flat taste and which is masked by being bitter. Great coffee should not be bitter!

Woodsmoke has two types of coffee to purchase this year:

Ethiopian Dry Processed Sidamo

Sturdy and robust, the Ethiopian dry processed Sidamo has a smooth, clean aroma with noticeable depths of berries and a hint of Jasmine. The coffee is roasted in Nebraska the same day it is ordered for maximum freshness and flavor. Click here to purchase a give a child in Africa the chance to a brighter future. You give & we give.

Kenyan Roast

Clean, fresh taste that brightens the darkest of mornings with rich overtones, a hint of red wine, slight citrus, and ends off with long notes of caramelized sugars. Click here to purchase and give a child in Africa the chance to a brighter future. You give & we give.

Siyabonga (We Thank You!)

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www.africanwoodsmoke.com
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Education is a privilege in Africa.  Here in the West we take it for granted that we are able to go to school and be educated.  This is not the reality in many countries throughout the world and is definitely not the case in Africa.  For an African child it is a major opportunity to be educated and go to school.  Without an education you have little chance to getting out of the starting gates in this game called life.  Education provides hope and opportunity to a brighter future for that child.  Over the last year Woodsmoke has noticed that there is a huge need for education in Africa.  Here at Woodsmoke we have decided to go a step further than support our artists, we have decided to help put their children through school.  Many of the artists struggle to afford schooling for their children and we want to step in and give them hand.

It costs only $450 to put an African child through school for a year, 5 percent of every Woodsmoke coffee purchase goes to educating our farmers’ children.  Buy some great coffee today and help us give our artists children a chance to a brighter future.  To purchase Woodsmoke Coffee click here.

Sean and Sean (Artist's Child)

Woodsmoke is bringing high quality, freshly roasted, and socially conscious coffee to the United States. Our coffee goes beyond fair trade – it is about relationships. We are working directly with our farmers to improve their farming practices and their lives. Woodsmoke is offering Kenyan and Ethiopian coffee, both only of the highest standards. When you buy Woodsmoke coffee you are assured that the beans are fresh, as all coffee roasted more than 14 days old is discarded. Woodsmoke coffee makes for a great gift.

There are 3 golden laws to enjoying great coffee:

Only buy coffee that has been roasted within 14 days.
Only buy beans. Coffee loses its flavor 5 minutes after it’s ground.
Buy African Coffee.

For more information about Woodsmoke Coffee click here.

Coffee’s character has a rich social tradition that goes back to at least the 9th century.  Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and you can still find the coffee plant; coffee Arabica growing wild in the forest of the Ethiopian highlands.  Ethiopians were the first people to start drinking coffee socially and have thus invented the famous coffee shop or cafe.  To this day native Ethiopians roast their locally grown coffee beans on an open fire, and then brew the coffee in a Jebena or clay pot.  The rich, hot, and sensuous coffee is then poured into handless cups and served.  The first round of coffee is called Abol Bunna and is enjoyed rather strong.  After this first round, the Jebena is topped with more hot water before the next serving of coffee is served, called the Tona Bunna.  Ethiopians will drink 3-4 cups at one sitting and will tell stories, dance, and reflect while drinking the coffee.  This method of drinking coffee is  social, spiritual, and a huge part of the local Ethiopian society.

Woodsmoke Ethiopian Coffee Beans

Woodsmoke is bringing high quality, freshly roasted, and socially conscious coffee to the States.  We are offering Kenyan and Ethiopian coffee.  Our coffee is only of the highest standards.  When you buy Woodsmoke Coffee you are assured that the beans are fresh (all coffee roasted more than 14 days old is thrown out).  Woodsmoke coffee makes for a great gift and we promise to support our African Artists and their families with the proceeds of every bag of coffee that is sold.

Woodsmoke’s Kenyan coffee is from the Chania Estate, French Mission Varietal.  It has a hint of rich red wine, dark berries, and slightly citrusy.  This is an outstanding coffee that has a clean taste with rich overtones to it.  Woodsmoke Kenyan Coffee c is available for purchase here.  It is possible to obtain whole beans or ground coffee.

Kenyan Stamp from 1963

Woodsmoke’s Ethiopian Sidamo coffee has been grown in the Sidamo region of Ethiopia at 1850-2100 meters.  This coffee has a smooth, clean aroma with noticable depths of berries and a hint of Jasmin.  The acidity is perfect not to sour or burnt with a full body to the coffee.  This coffee is available for purchase here.  It is possible to obtain whole beans or ground coffee.

You can purchase Woodsmoke Coffee online HERE.