Brazil (South America)

This month I am long over do to write about one of my earliest travels and coffee influences, Brazil! I was fortunate to visit this country in 2013 when Pope Francis was there. I was fascinated by their coffee which was stored in an air pot to keep it warm, and it was like a Brazilian espresso, strong, but made differently. As I continued to spend time with this culture and community in Long Branch, N.J., I became inspired to make their coffee for them. Often when I am learning a tradition, I like to test it with those who would know best. I’ll never forget the day I finally felt I had it right. I was driving all over Long Branch looking for my Brazilian friends and visiting their church in hopes of them trying my coffee. It was really fun for all of us and I would occasionally bring it to their smaller events.

To begin just like all South American countries, despite the living conditions and challenges of many, they are always loving and welcoming people. They are people who have come to our country to find opportunity and build communities. This is how I came to know them, my uncle was the priest who served them from time to time, because he served in Brazil for 12 years. I was invited to many of their gatherings, and eventually in thanksgiving for assisting my uncle in his kidney transplant, he sent me to Brazil for World Youth Day with Pope Francis. It was one of my most awe inspired moments when we had 3.7 million people gathered on Copacabana Beach for worship together. The entire week felt like we were living in the City of God. I have a separate blog in my travel section dedicated to this trip and I’d like to come back to the coffee.

Brazil is the #1 producer of coffee, to it’s detriment. I say it like this because the economy surrounding it is a bit tricky from low prices due to mass harvesting and low demand. In addition it comes from a society that currently has a fragile economy, and wages for these crops aren’t the greatest. This is above my pay scale, but none the less it’s an issue worth researching and noting.

Brazil is one of the traditions I offer as part of my cultural menu. Most weeks you will find me serving my freshly roasted dark Brazil Mogiana, which is brewed 3x stronger than normal coffee. I then take the finely ground coffee and as one video I watched said “I mesh the coffee with the water.” After steeping and stirring it around in boiling water I then filter it for a nice smooth strong cup of coffee that is typically served with only sugar (açúcar), although some Americans insist on half and half. If you want a cup of coffee that’ll wake you up, this is the one, and it’ll make you feel like a real coffee drinker, similar to those times you take a shot of espresso. For me personally I enjoy using Brazil for my dark roasts. Always very popular.