Event offers glimpse of international coffee industry

Offering a tantalizing taste of Brazilian life, Sisters Coffee Company and Jesse Durham will host a celebration of everyone's favorite brewed bean on Saturday, December 15, at 6:30 p.m. 

The free event, "Café Do Brazil," will be an introduction to coffee importing and a spicy salute to South American food, music and culture. Durham's evening will feature samba music, Brazilian cocktails, coffee cupping and a multi-media presentation to intrigue anyone interested in the colorful country and its major export.

Durham will share detailed stories and photos of her recent source excursion to Brazil, all themed to its abundant resources, residents and the roasted riches the massive country is so famous for. A short video presentation will accompany the coffee chat, with appetizers and musical accompaniment via some engaging Latin beats.

"It's going to be a great night," said Durham, daughter of Sisters Coffee Co. owners Joy and Winfield Durham. "Shireen Amini is going to be playing some cool music with her conga player, and Kelly Morton is preparing all the regional foods with homemade empanadas, veggies, chips and lots of fun finger food."

The caffeinated happening is meant to draw attention to raw coffees processed at their origin, focusing on everything that happens from the farm to the cup.

"I took a two-week trip down to Sao Paolo, Brazil, at the end of October and met up with the governing body of specialty coffees in the United States, the SCAA or Specialty Coffee Association of America. They organized a coffee science and agronomy origin trip where 12 people from six different nationalities and countries toured universities, farms, and organizations dedicated solely to the science behind agricultural soils."

Durham believes many people have no idea of the expansiveness of the global coffee industry and hopes guests will leave better informed regarding its international complexity.

"The more we know what happens at the orientation point, the better methods of roasting we can achieve here in Sisters," she explained.

"We made a lot of great contacts and relationships that we hope to solidify and cultivate. The video we shot shows six farms we visited and the university labs that studied everything from coffee genes of differing species to labs that explore soil phosphorous levels and co-operatives doing amazing things for the independent farmers."

Durham and friends will also be pouring a traditional Brazilian cocktail called a caipirinha, a sugar cane beverage concocted with rum, turbinado sugar and muddled lime.

"It's just a fun, free night for people to come hang out and taste some different foods and learn something about the coffee they drink very day," she said.