C o f f e e
tips, tricks, links & adventures...
What some Jaltemba Bay
Folk have to say about
the coffee of Nayarit.
I often buy our greenies from the wholesale/retail outlet on Highway 200 in La Peńita. (See item 11 on Jared's map.) This is "El Tostador y Molino de Cafe de Occidente" and if you are afoot or on your bike, take the very cool pathway that is shown in green on Jared's map; you will feel like a real insider. If you travel to Jaltemba Bay with a couple of suitcases full of clothes to donate locally, consider returning home with a year's supply of beans. There are no Canadian or US taxes for your personal use. Green beans keep for a very long time and the price is very "right".
A few years ago Bob Howell got me interested in roasting. That interest turned into a small roasting business, Juanita’s Coffee, in Alaska. My Mexican coffee (Malinal) comes from Nayarit, and is packaged under my ‘Nayarit Sweet’ label. It is a very smooth, low acid coffee with a sweet, chocolaty taste. It is my personal favorite, and has become one of my best sellers. I have made trips to “Coffee Country”, talked with the workers, and become aware of their difficult way of life. I am happy that, through Bob and Vicky, I am able to donate a portion of my coffee sales to aid in their relief.
We roast green beans in our Procter-Silex "Popcorn Pumper". It's a good roaster because it blows hot air in from the sides; poppers which blow from the bottom allow coffee oils to drip down to where the heating coil is and, eventually, your village will be on fire. After a few minutes the beans start to pop and, when they're done popping, you have a light roast coffee. Wait another minute or two and they pop again and you have a dark roast coffee. A little longer and you've got expresso; a little longer still and you have burnt, bitter beans. We usually stop after the second "crack" has just started.
I have lived here on Jaltemba Bay for over eight years. I have traveled a bit throughout the world and have lived elsewhere in Mexico. This is my favorite spot and my home forever. (I have decided that if I can't take it with me, I am not going to go). My two favorite subjects in life are coffee, Tequila and women. We will forego the later two at the moment. To me there is nothing like (well, almost nothing) a good cup of strong fresh coffee. For this I have come to the right place. We are in a wonderful coffee growing area. It is almost unknown in the coffee world.
My name is Vicky Flores (Virginia Flowers in English). I am a nurse in a local clinic. Even though I have been trained in modern ways, I like to do things in the old ways. My heritage is Totanaco. When coffee was introduced in Mexico several hundred years ago my people did not have any modern appliances or utensils. Here is how they made it and how I like to do it. It is better than Bob`s coffee (but he won`t admit it).
