Recently, while visiting family in Seattle, Washington, we sampled more than half a dozen coffee shops.  Although I really like coffee,  I am by no means a coffee snob.  I can drink almost any coffee — Maxwell House,  McDonald’s, Keurig Donut Shop, even Taster’s Choice,  if that’s all that is available.  But coffee from a good coffee house with a skilled barista is a luxury for me — a delightful, yet affordable treat.  However, from my off-the-beaten-track home, the nearest decent latte requires a half hour’s drive.  So, while in Seattle, arguably the gourmet coffee capital of the US, we indulged in some of the nation’s best coffee– premier beans from around the world, roasted to perfection on location,  and hand-crafted into a work of art– served up on virtually every street corner in this over-caffeinated city.

Most of the coffee that  you find in these espresso shops is also “fair trade”.  A fair trade company is one that meets certain standards concerning healthy employee working conditions, livable wages, environmental impacts and more.  (See Fair Trade USA for more information.)  Not only have I traveled in countries such as Haiti, Honduras, and Guatemala where delicacies such as coffee and cacao are produced, but my daughter also has lived in Honduras and Mexico for a time.  Each of these countries produces some prized crops valued very highly here in the US– coffee, cacao for chocolate, tea, spices, tropical fruit, etc.  Most of these countries also have large populations living in extreme poverty.   If we, as a wealthy nation, are willing to pay a premium for these luxury items that do not grow here, then the farmers and nations that grow those items should receive a fair compensation.  That is Fair Trade.  That is also Biblical.

Proverbs 31:8-9  Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.  Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Proverbs 13:23  The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food, but it is swept away through injustice.

Leviticus 25:14  And if you make a sale to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor,you shall not wrong one another.

Or, this very convicting passage from Amos 5:11-15.

When I think of our nation, or other wealthy nations, not practicing fair trade, it reminds me of the story that the prophet Nathan used to confront king David with his sin in 2 Samuel 12:1-15.

“There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds,  but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him.  Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”   

Just as it is dreadful for the rich man to not spend his abundant wealth to entertain his visitors, but rather to take the only wealth from the poor man, it is equally appalling for wealthy nations with abundant resources to take the only resources from a poor nation without adequate compensation.  So, while $4 to $5 dollars seems a lot for a cup of coffee…. it is worth it if my luxury affords a decent living to another household.  I call that “win-win”!

I hope you enjoy my pictorial overview of our Seattle Coffee Sampling:

 

Irwin’s Coffee House was a cute shop on a corner in Wallingford near our lodging. The warm, neighborhood atmosphere was inviting and the very authentic scone was perfect for St. Patrick’s Day.

 

 

 

 

This coffee shop was in Port Townsend, a ferry ride from Seattle.  The Nicaraguan pour-over was  a nice break on a busy day.  Don’t you love the name?

 

 

 

 

 

I have visited Victrola on all of my recent trips to Seattle for their great pour-overs.  However, I was disappointed on this trip that they did not have my favorite, often-craved lemon lavender cake.  Still great cup of coffee, though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not to be outdone in the market that they helped originate, Starbucks even has a very “non-Starbucks-y” store in Seattle called Starbucks Reserve.  Here, they roast in-house and small batches of a variety of beans that you can experience at the coffee bar with the help of a coffee master.  This huge, shining, aromatic store/coffee bar/restaurant offers classes, a library, and every coffee or tea gadget imaginable for purchase.  If you see the star-bar-R on a bag in your local Starbucks, it was roasted here.

 

 

 

Slate Coffee Roasters was a great experience.  The knowledgeable barista’s recommendations for coffee origin were spot on.  He asked questions to determine which of the daily beans on hand would suit your preferences without making you feel too foolish for not knowing if you wanted something classic and earthy with chocolate overtones, or perhaps a bit more floral, fruity, with rootbeer candy flavors.  Ha!

While I thoroughly enjoyed my 6 oz espresso and steamed milk, I wish I had tried the deconstructed version– tasting each element both separately and then combined.

 

 

 

Milstead, serving Intelligentsia beans, turned out to be our favorite.  Everything they served was great, like the smooth cortado.  But the mocha, made with Seattle-based, fair trade, Theo chocolate flakes (dark or milk ) melted into the milk during the steaming process set a new standard for a chocolaty, creamy mocha!  It was like a drinking chocolate fused with a smooth espresso.  Added to that,  on Intelligentsia’s website, they note that they try to ensure that all growers and farm workers are paid at least 25% more than the current fair trade value.   A great treat.

 

 

With Joy,

Kathleen 

 

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