Happy Thanksgiving!

Greetings everyone,

When typing the subject line, I couldn't believe Thanksgiving is upon us. Seems like August was last week.

But alas, back to reality.

The Travel Presses and Espro Presses arrived this week and are beautiful! Both are elegantly designed, utilizing a micro-filter system to yield a sediment-free cup and double-wall stainless steel construction assuring hours of hot coffee. 

To be quite honest, I've never been a huge fan of the French Press. I loved the taste of the first cup but subsequent cups were always cold and lackluster

(I prefer my coffee hot). 

The Travel Presses and Espro Presses solve this issue with their double-wall, vacuum insulated stainless steel, and will keep one's coffee hot for hours. And the double micro-filter assures a grit-free cup of coffee. These were voted Best New Coffee Product for 2015 by the Specialty Coffee Association of America.

Check them out when you're in the shop next time. They'd make the perfect gift, either for yourself or someone special. Travel Presses are available in black, red, and brushed stainless steel. Espro Presses are available in 18 oz. and 32 oz. sizes in brushed stainless  steel.

 Another variety of travel mug was ordered yesterday  featuring our logo. They're also constructed of  stainless steel and are sleek enough to fit anyone's  hand and vehicle's cup holder. They should arrive in  about 2 weeks.

And, we've added a few new art pieces to our offerings. Local photographer/artist Athena Salvador creates art pieces with her photographs that are both beautiful and functional. We have two of her pieces incorporating her photographs mounted on glass which can be used as cutting surfaces and displayed when not in use. We also have some of her market bags incorporating her images of the St. Johns Bridge.

New coffees arrived this week. It was our largest shipment ever and several of the coffees were "staples" to replenish our supplies but there are also some notable standouts. 

We received more of the incredibly delicious Ethiopian Yirgacheffe as well as the Ethiopian Sidamo, neither of which we ever seem to have enough.

The Yirgacheffe is a washed coffee, light roasted and full of complexity. Offering a softly fragrant aroma, these coffee beans have a subtle floral scent and a satisfyingly intensified finish that would leave any coffee drinker's palate wanting more. I prefer this coffee brewed as a pour-over.

Processed through the wet-processing method, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe's beans are fermented for over 72 hours after having their fruit and pulp removed by the use of natural enzymes. This process allows the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe to absorb the sugars in the coffee fruit.

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee beans are known for having a warm zing, which makes this coffee bean distinctive enough to rank as one of the finest. However, what makes this African coffee bean stand out is its resonant finish – a highly-flavored mix that does not overpower with an earthy taste.

By contrast, the Sidamo is a dry-processed, medium roasted coffee which yields a fuller body and depths of blueberry notes, chocolate and spice with a wine like essence and a clean finish.

Grown in the Sidamo province of Ethiopia, our Ethiopia Sidamo is an Arabica bean varietal that has been certified Organic and Fair-Trade. Hand harvested and dry processed, this coffee has a very unique flavor profile that you will thoroughly enjoy. This is one coffee that I believe lends itself to the French Press brewing method. 

And last but certainly not least is the new coffee from Java. Java Taman Dadar is sourced from family-owned farms located near the villages of Curah Tatal and Kayumas on the island of Java, Indonesia. In the 17th Century Java coffee was first cultivated in low lying areas, but by the late 19th Century coffee leaf rust had destroyed production, forcing new coffee cultivation into the highlands where high altitudes and volcanic soil provide perfect growing conditions.  Smallholder organic coffee production is atypical of the region which is dominated by large government run coffee estates established by the Dutch in the 18th century.  Taman Dadar, meaning flower garden, aptly describes the way smallholder coffee is cultivated, colorfully inter-cropped with parkia beans, avocados, erythrina, albizia, and leucaena trees, which produce food for local consumption and shade.  Java Taman Dadar is wet-hulled, a uniquely Indonesian processing method in which the coffee parchment is removed before the final drying is completed, producing a hallmark Indonesian flavor.

The Java Taman Dadar is roasted a bit darker to bring out the chocolate and smokey notes and works well brewed either as a pour-over, drip or French Press. I purchased the Java to replace the Timor and, I hesitate to say this but I think it's even better! I just made a cup for myself and wow! The Java is more complex, still with a prominent chocolate note but with accompanied by some spiciness and subtle fruit notes.

As noted in the description of the Java Taman Dadar, is the mention of the leaf rust blight, going all the way back to the 19th Century. For coffee growers in Central America, it has risen it's ugly head within the past couple years and has wreaked havoc on coffee crops and the farmers' lives.

Please consider making a contribution to The Coffee Trust's program to help train coffee farmers in Guatemala in organic methods to combat this problem. There is a jar adjacent to the cash register in the shop where donations may be left. This program runs through the end of November so please contribute whatever you're comfortable donating.

From Bestow... whether you're hosting Thanksgiving or looking for a gift for a host, flowers are a wonderful part of Thanksgiving and will enhance any table setting.

Bestow is accepting pre-orders now for custom floral orders. Call 503.208.4395 to pre-order. Hand-tied and jar bouquets will be available for last-minute pickup Wednesday before 5 pm. Contact Nyki at Bestow, 503.208.4395 or www.bestowpdx.com.

Several weeks ago I mentioned we would be reverting to our original Saturday hours for the winter, opening at 8 am instead of 7 am. However, as a trial, we arrived and prepared to be open at 7 am, just in case there seemed to be a need/demand. 

As it turns out, there are a lot of people needing coffee at 7 am on Saturdays so we will continue opening at 7 am on Saturdays. The only schedule change for this week is that we will be closed on Thursday for Thanksgiving. I'm sure everyone reading this probably made that assumption but, just to be clear.

One final note. I'm excited to be meeting with some folks today at a distillery to discuss a collaboration and the possibility of aging some coffee(s) in bourbon barrels. Who'd a thunk?

Meanwhile, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy the time with family and friends.

Keep the coffee flowing.

Mount & Crew