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Coffee Or Tea - Which Is Better For You?
Most people cannot function without either their morning cup of
coffee or tea. While, it's mostly the caffeine that gets people
going, a side benefit from drinking these beverages is that you
may be boosting your immune system and helping to...
Nicaragua Coffee History
In Nicaragua coffee cultivation began early but it did not dominate the economy as in Guatemala and El Salvador. Coffee cultivation began in the lands in the southern uplands in earnest in the 1860’s where the transition from other commercial...
Product Review: Perfect Pot Coffee from Gabby Goodies
I had the pleasure of trying two flavors of Gabby Goodies Perfect Pot Coffee from Patty King (http://www.mygabbygoodies.biz/501). They are called perfect pots because the packages contain the perfect amount of coffee for one pot. Of course, you...
The History of Coffee
Who would have thought that a berry that was discovered by a herd of goats would be the single most important ingredient in the world's most popular drink? Legend has it that back in 850AD, a goat herder noticed his herd was full of energy...
Warming Things Up For Your Holiday Gift Giving With Gourmet Coffee
Warming Things Up For Your Holiday Gift Giving With Gourmet
Coffee
The cool temperature has set in and the holidays are upon us.
Now is the time to keep it warm and say it sweet! The best type
of holiday gift is one that will make them...
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Brazilian Coffee
Adultery, deceit and politics, all the makings of a modern-day best-seller, yet this story is over 250 years old and what ultimately led to brazilian coffee. In 1727 a Brazilian official named Francisco de Melho Palheta was invited to mediate a heated border dispute between French and Dutch Guiana. Both governments were actively growing coffee in Guiana and closely guarded their financial interests by not allowing the exportation of viable coffee seeds.
Palheta quickly accepted the invitation with hopes of somehow obtaining some seeds for planting coffee in Brazil. While in Guiana Palheta became romantically involved with the French Governors wife. Upon his departure, after successfully mediating a solution to the border issue, the Governors wife presented him with a bouquet of flowers in which she had disguised several coffee seedlings.
The Brazilians quickly learned the rudiments of growing coffee with emphasis on quantity over quality, which is still the prevalent philosophy when it comes to growing coffee in Brazil. Brazil is by far the largest producer of coffee in the world with over forty percent of all coffee coming from this country. However, the vast majority is of marginal quality and what the major commercial processors such as Folgers, Maxwell House etc… rely on as the base product for their blends. By adding small amounts of higher quality coffee they are able to enhance flavor, body and aroma and provide a product that is acceptable to the masses at a reasonable price.
The production of coffee in Brazil had a dark side. As the cultivation of coffee in Brazil grew, so did slavery. Without enough local labor to handle the ever increasing demand for coffee, the Brazilian Government imported slaves by the tens of thousands. By 1828 well over a million slaves,
nearly a third of the population, labored on the coffee plantations.
In response to pressure from the British Government, who had outlawed slavery and were boycotting Brazilian slave-grown coffee, Brazil half-heartedly outlawed slavery. Though importation of slaves declined, it did not cease and the two-million or so slaves that were already in the country remained in bondage. It would be another fifty years before slavery was truly abolished.
As production of coffee in Brazil modernized, modern being a relative term for a third-world country. A few growers established a reputation for providing high-quality coffee and edged their way into the American specialty market.
The best coffee in Brazil comes from the region around San Paulo and is named for the port through which it is exported, Santos. Santos is known for its smooth flavor, medium body and moderate acidity. While Santos is the best coffee in Brazil, it is still far from extraordinary when compared to other gourmet coffees of the world.
Even with the reputation of providing low-grade coffee to the masses, the impact Brazil has had on the world coffee trade is undeniable. Without Brazilian coffee to stabilize the market, coffee prices could be three to four times what they are. Imagine paying $15-20 for a one pound can of Folgers. I, for one, am grateful to Brazil for providing the world with cheap coffee.
© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.
About the Author
Randy has more articles on coffee such as Colombian Coffee, Coffee and Alzheimers and Coffee Breaks.
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| Starbucks Homepage |
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| Coffee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
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| Trojan Room Coffee Machine |
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| Espresso and Coffee Information from Coffee Universe |
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| CoffeeGeek - News, Reviews, Opinion and Community for Coffee and ... |
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| Online strips, merchandise, and multimedia. [Graphics intensive] |
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| International Coffee Organization - News From The Executive Director |
| London-based intergovernmental body of coffee exporting and importing countries. Offers current industry news and legislative alerts; ... |
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| Caribou Coffee — Gourmet Coffee Shops and Online Specialty Coffee ... |
| Caribou Coffee shops and online store feature gourmet coffee and gifts. |
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| Fair Trade Coffee |
| Fair Trade for coffee farmers means community development, health, education, ... Updated Action Pack for Fair Trade Coffee and Chocolate Campaigns ... |
| www.globalexchange.org |
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| Gevalia.com - Gourmet Coffee & Tea Collections |
| Selections of fine coffees, flavorful teas, gifts and inspirations offered via direct automatic delivery or catalog order. |
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| Dunkin' Donuts Coffee | Buy Coffee Beans Online |
| Coffee sold by the pound, regular delivery programs, gifts and accessories. |
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| Over The Coffee |
| Top Ten Coffee Producing Nations Brazil Colombia Indonesia Vietnam Mexico Ethiopia India Guatemala Cote d'Ivoire Uganda. |
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| INeedCoffee - Monthly Caffeination Information |
| This coffee brewer guide is meant to assist buyer to choose the ideal single cup ... I found coffee paradise. The best coffee city is Auckland, New Zealand. ... |
| www.ineedcoffee.com |
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| Coffee Forums Coffee Discussion about Espresso, Coffee Beans and ... |
| Offers discussion boards for enthusiasts to talk about topics such as beans, espresso, machines, and cafes. |
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| Green Mountain Coffee Roasters: Organic, Fair Trade and Signature ... |
| Gourmet coffees and specialty coffee accessories and gifts. Shop online for Fair Trade and Organic coffee, single-cup coffee, decaf and flavored coffee, ... |
| www.greenmountaincoffee.com |
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| Equal Exchange: Fairly Traded Coffee, Tea & Chocolate |
| Dedicated to fair trade with small-scale coffee farmers in the developing world. |
| www.equalexchange.com |
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