18 Days Robusta Coffee

I saw a Bote Central booth at a recent visit to the weekend food fest  Mercato Centrale. Highly recommended by the market's organizers, Bote Central is the group behind the much-hyped and highly-priced Coffee Alamid. Although I curiously browsed their display of the beans, as "discarded" by the Civet,and politely listened to them talk about the process, I was still unconvinced Alamid coffee would enhance my life. 

But... I was delighted to discover their 18 Days Coffee.  The beans are roasted and ground on a certain date, then you have to consume it within -- you guessed it, 18 DAYS. This ensures you have the beverage at its best. They come in small packs once ground, perhaps to discourage overstocking. I tried a cup of the Robusta variant on the spot, and loved it.

I brought home a pack to use on my drip-style coffee maker, wondering why they instructed to use a teaspoon per cup. True enough, my brew was too light and watery.  I took it up on my next weekend visit at Mercato and was told that the ratio was not meant for drip type coffee makers, which I use more often at home. Ok. Got it... and got another pack while I was there. 

I'm now on my second pack, which is actually going fast. I'm not sorry I bought it, especially since it doesn't cost that much. Can't wait for Mercato Centrale to go back to business in January 2011.

note:  Bote Central no longer takes part in the weekend market. Their coffee can be savored and/or purchased at the Alamid Cafe Xpress inside R.O.X. at the Bonifacio Hi Street.

Mountain-grown Arabica, Boyd Coffee Co, Philippines

I haven't been drinking a lot of coffee out lately -- save for the Starbucks fix I get when I have to wake up while shopping or in a meeting -- because I have the best brewed coffee right here at home. Mountain-grown Arabica, as fresh as I can get it, the way I want it. A 1/2kg bag for under P250!

I got it from Boyds Coffee Philippines, where I saw for myself just how fresh a bag of ground coffee beans go into a bag ordered. It's a thrill for a coffee lover like myself to make a trip to their Coffee Factory-Store on Sheridan St., Mandaluyong, because I get to sample their coffees before I decide on which blend to purchase. I have been fortunate enough to have owner/coffee expert Robert Francisco join me a couple of times to demo, give a short lecture, some tips, and take a whiff, s sip (actually, more of a slurp), swish it around my mouth, and ingest the different variants on hand. Never knew coffee can be fruity, woodsy, etc. More of this coffee tasting bit can be experienced in their coffee workshops at the end of each month.

More reasons to get my coffee from them, from http://www.boydphil.com/about.htm:

• Boyds coffee beans are specially selected, picked, and graded by hand. They are meticulously chosen from only the best supplies the country has to offer.
• Coffee is always freshly roasted and made especially for YOU. Our beans are roasted locally and packed only upon order of our clients to assure fresh quality beans.
• Our coffee is roasted by batch. This procedure allows the beans to roast evenly to guarantee that each bean is as flavorful as the next.
• As part of our quality control, we clean and calibrate our roasters, scales, grinders, and machines daily and randomly cup our batches of coffee to ensure our customers of the best quality coffee.
• As part of our daily ritual, all staff drink coffee from what has been recently roasted.

Then there is the other treat I get when I want more coffee from Boyd's. They deliver! Fabness!!! (632) 746.3253; 746BOYD.