Catpoochino

Brown getting Green. UPS sends grant to Nature Conservancy

The commitment of great companies like UPS, by which The Buckhead Coffee Company does 99% of our shipping business with, shows what giving back is all about. Coffee farmers, coffee trees, Migratory Birds, Soil Conservation and Sustainability all benefit from the efforts of such terrific companies like UPS. We are most proud to be able to call ourselves a customer of UPS and not only does Brown do a tremendous amount for the world community, they aren't half bad at getting our shipments to our customers either! Visit them todayat http://www.ups.com/.

Friday, December 19, 2008, 1:33pm EST
Atlanta Business Chronicle

The UPS Foundation has sent a $300,000 grant to The Nature Conservancy for programs to protect forests in Brazil, China and Africa.
The UPS (NYSE: UPS) gift supports The Nature Conservancy’s goal of protecting at least 10 percent of the world's major habitat types by 2015. From tree-planting efforts in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil to conservation initiatives for rural residents in the Yunnan Forest in China to reforestation efforts in Africa’s Highland Forest, UPS’ gift will help protect forests for future generations, UPS said.
The UPS Foundation has supported The Nature Conservancy since 1977, when it began matching its employees’ gifts to the organization.
"From Brazil to China and around the world, The Nature Conservancy has developed programs that provide the kind of sustainable and measurable impact we seek to fund," said Lisa Hamilton, president of The UPS Foundation, in a press statement. "The UPS Foundation is proud to support this important work."

Cup Of Coffee Soothing Economic Struggles

by: Robert Costa, The Saginaw News:

Despite the economic tumble affecting the country, sales are rising like steam coming off a fresh cup of coffee.
''We are very affordable, and that's what people are looking for right now,'' said Kenneth R. Boomer, owner and operator of Hortons stores in Saginaw, Saginaw Township and Frankenmuth. Boomer said the store at 4870 State set a record during the week of Nov. 9-15, with sales climbing 11.5 percent from the same week in 2007.
''Who would think, with the economic climate we are in, that you are going to set records?'' Boomer said. ''We are in tough times, and we have a lot of affordable items. You can come in and get a coffee and baked good for two bucks.'' The store at 2039 N. Michigan is the busiest of around 30 stores in the mid-Michigan area that includes Flint and Bay City, Boomer said. The stores average 7,000 transactions a week, with 65 percent of customers using the drive-through. The average amount customers spend is $3.52 per visit.

''They (customers) recognize we are not getting greedy,'' he said. ''We've kept our prices on the low side. It builds customer loyalty.'' The chain, started in 1964 by 22-year-veteran NHL defenseman Miles Gilbert ''Tim'' Horton and former policeman Ron Joyce, now totals more than 3,000 stores in Canada, U.S., Ireland and the United Kingdom. Roberto Acosta is a staff writer for The Saginaw News. You may reach him at 776-9682 or racosta@thesaginawnews.com.

Coffee & Espresso For the Troops In Iraq

My son Jay is in Iraq serving at Al Assad Air Base and has told me the guys there are truely suffering for some espresso.

The coffee is terrible so I am beginning a drive to raise $3,000 for the purchase and delivery of a Rancilio Epoca E1 Automatic Espresso Machine with grinder and accessories for the squadron there at Al Assad.
Maybe you and the people you know can help:

Thanks a million,
David

Dad,

It was good to talk to you today. I love you tons! Don't worry, I'm ok here in Iraq, I promise! Below is my address if you want to send anything care package wise and if you get your hands on an espresso machine. If you want to enclose some of your great coffee as well that would be great! Don't you have to have a grinder to grind the coffee for the machine? Keep in mind that we have NOTHING coffee wise here except for a Mr. Coffee drip pot. Look forward to talking with you again. Love you man!

Jay

Address:
1LT Jay T. Stellwagen
732 ECES Det 14
Unit #: 73330
APO AE 09333-3330

Happy Giving

Champion Barista Donates Winnings to Coffee Kids

Coffee Kids was honored in September when Hiroshi Sawada, winner of the Millrock Latte Art Championship, donated his $5,000 prize to Coffee Kids. Sawada, owner of Caffe Milk Art in Japan, read about Coffee Kids in an issue of Barista Magazine and has become a strong supporter of Coffee Kids.

Atlanta Arts Festival

2nd Annual Atlanta Arts Festival Piedmont Park

The 2008 Atlanta Arts Festival, September 12-14 was a shining success in no small part to Julie and Tracy Tepp. They worked like Trojans to get all of the vendors and art exhibitors situated and supplied with needed utilities, tents , tables and whatever else we needed to have a great event in Piedmont Park. The first event in Piedmont Park since the new grass and the City of Atlanta was very particular and watching closely. Tracy and Julie made us all feel welcomed and

helped with keeping us all in-line so that maybe next year we can do it again.

Thanks Tepps!

We at the Buckhead Coffee Company were happy to sponsor the patrons with great coffee and teas. Over 35,000 people attended the event and a good time was had by all. We look forward to next year.

TBCC Supports Coffee Kids

As much as anything, fluctuations in the commodity price of coffee beans can wreak havoc on small farming communities who rely solely on coffee as a source of income.
Most coffee-farming families live in poverty because they are dependent on coffee as a sole source of income. Dependence on a cash crop with a price that fluctuates daily makes it difficult for families to meet their most basic needs. Coffee Kids promotes economic diversification, education, and community development so that families can obtain more stable incomes.

We at The Buckhead Coffee Company are proud to support this terrific organization.

to learn more please vist http://www.coffeekids.org/

The Abysmal Big Four

Coffee Companies Doing Little to Help Struggling Farmers

The world's biggest coffee companies have not done enough in the past year to help the 25 million struggling families that are dependent on coffee for their livelihoods.
"These companies continue to make massive profits while coffee farmers get poorer and poorer," says Phil Bloomer, Make Trade Fair campaign director of international agency Oxfam. "The coffee-based economies of entire countries are now near collapse. More and more growers, with few alternatives, are turning to drug crops or are facing personal ruin. Millions of women are unable to support themselves or their families."
Oxfam has analyzed what the "Big Four" coffee roasters have done in 12 months to help solve the global coffee crisis. Taking four key issues, and rating the companies out of 100, Oxfam scores none of them above "failure". Two companies in particular appear not to be taking seriously the human crisis in their supply chain.
Sara Lee—at 27%—performed abysmally. The company has done little to pay coffee farmers better prices, or establish guidelines for buying coffee that ensure farmers are paid a decent price, or help farmers diversify into other crops.
Kraft (38%) performed poorly too, having failed in the past year to buy either Fair Trade coffee or ensure all their coffee meets internationally agreed quality standards. The company did however contribute to social development programs around the world.
Nestle fared marginally better, at 43%, having led the industry in various international meetings and supported the efforts of the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) to solve the crisis, including buying more coffee directly from farmers. But Nestle still refuses to buy Fair Trade coffee.
Procter and Gamble (49%) has led the industry in paying more farmers a decent price and has also helped lobby the US to rejoin the ICO. However, it has too few guidelines on buying coffee that would ensure at least basic standards for farmers.
Despite the crisis in coffee, all the companies continue to make huge profits. Kraft net profit was $810m in the nine months to September; Nestle $2b in the six months to June and Sara Lee $1.4b in the 12 months to June. Procter & Gamble's snacks and beverage division - which includes its flagship coffee brand Folgers—sold $896m worth of product (up 9% on last year) in the three months to September.

From Oxfam International

Abandoned

Photo by Troy Paiva
Troy Paiva, a local Bay Area photographer who is one of the best night photographers around and has now published his second bookof abandoned night photography images, is celebrating the release of his new book, Night Vision: The Art of Urban Exploration.

Ethical coffee helps save Peruvian rainforest

QUILLABAMBA, Peru (AFP) — Once bleak and lifeless places degraded by years of high-impact farming, Peruvian coffee farms are being transformed by a growing trend for certification schemes offering ethical and environmental guarantees to western consumers

The Rainforest Alliance, which is on good terms with manufacturers, started certifying coffee in Peru, Brasil, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador in 2004.
Read More
Source AFP

Coffee Keepers

While Coca Cola is always most refreshing chilled straight from the fridge
the Sub Zero is not a good place to keep your coffee. ~That is unless it is already brewed and you would like it chilled for iced coffees or espresso for chilled or frozen concoctions!

Humor aside, it is intuitive for most people to keep coffee in the refrigerator.
And a lot of people do it simply because it seems natural to do so.
After all isn’t that the place where we preserve the freshness of most of our food?

But most people I know do not keep their Cheerios, and neither their salt or flour , nor any other dry goods for that matter inside the moist damp interior of the refrigerator. The milk on the Cheerios is OK to keep in the fridge!

Coffee is a dry good, and rapidly absorbs moisture from the environment
and the inside air of a refrigerator is very moist and may at times
even have the added benefit of smelling like Sushi or Vidalias!

Hmmm…. Cucumber Roll Colombian… that might work?

Coffee is a naturally oily product (The darker the roast the more oily too)
and while it is subject to going rancid over a significant period of time exposed to the environment, it does not spoil rapidly like other fresh foods e.g. milk, meat, etc… People know immediately if they get a cup of really rancid (fermented) coffee. It is an unmistakable sensation and causes one to make immediate turns to rid even that first mouthful from their being. That said, roasted coffee loses it magical flavor and aroma rapidly when exposed to the air.Exposure to the air causes staleness, loss of flavor and that special brightness we all appreciate in a fine cup.
***Your coffee’s primary enemy to freshness is OXYGEN. The best way to protect
your coffee’s flavor to invest in a really good airtight container
and then to store only what you will use in for up to a 10 day supply in a cool dark placeat room temperature. Coffees wonderful magic is the flavor and aroma of a really fresh roasted and properly brewed cup of coffee:One of life’s most affordable luxuries.

Whole bean coffee can be initially fresh frozen but coffee should never be thawed and refrozen because freezing the coffee fundamentally degrades the moisture and the cellular structure of the beans and refreezing creates further havoc and simply isn’t recommended. Additionally, it is never recommended to freeze ground coffee at any time.
For example:

If you buy your coffee supply in advance of need say five or ten pounds at a time,
but use only a pound about every 10 days or so, then ideally, you
should divide the coffee in ten one pound aliquots, then remove just enough coffee
(One Pounder) to thaw for 10 days consumption.



**Grind your coffee right before brewing and serve immediately
for the very best cup.

Remember, oxygen is your biggest enemy followed by moisture, and of course time.

Wishing you a terrific cup of coffee and remember:

“The Best Cup of Coffee In The World, Is the One You Like Most”
~~ Jim Gilson, Partners Coffee

Best,
David

The Tru Cup

The ultimate test of a coffee is not its name, grade, price nor any other random criteria. The ultimate test must always be taste. If you like it, then it's a good cup of coffee.

Coming Soon Buckhead/Reg Barber Espresso Tampers

A new addition to our corporate structure

The Buckhead Coffee Company Joins with Rancilio

Rancilio is a company with a long tradition and our production of high-quality espresso machines dates back to the twenties. After decades of growth and learning, we proudly continue to offer products that are first in their class in design and technology.

The Buckhead Coffee Company adds AriZona hot teas to offerings.

We are certainly pleased and excited to be able to team with such great products and such a powerful brand. AriZona Green Tea is America's No.1 Ready-To-Drink Green Tea. Antioxidant rich, flavorful and healthful, we think we got somethin' here!

The Buckhead Coffee Company to Distribute Novus Tea in Georgia

The Buckhead Coffee Company has joined with Novus Tea, an R.C. Bigelow Company that provides whole and cut leaf teas in single serve sachets for food service and retail. TBCC will be the Georgia Distribtor for Novus. The R.C. Bigelow is a solid company with market muscle and a golden reputation for providing fresh, high quality products at terrific pricing. We are please to announce our alliance and look forward to a mutuallly beneficial relationship.

Happy New Year

Coffee Snobs

cof·fee snob (kô·fe snôb)n. 1. a.A person who refuses to drink ordinary coffee like Folgers. b. A person who appreciates a person or coffee shop that serves high quality coffee. c. A person who knows the difference between a latte and a cappuccino and despises pretend coffee shops that don't. d. A person who purchases expensive coffee beans and stores them in the freezer for freshness.