Condit Cares: Fellowship and Fair Trade
by Jennie Kavage
Nutty, citrusy, floral, chocolate with overtones of molasses and blackberries—sounds luscious and may convey a taste impression but NONE OF THESE THINGS IS IN THE FAIR TRADE COFFEE WE SELL except for the flavored Toffee Caramel coffee we have in our Fair Trade stock right now and that is clearly marked artificially flavored…
 
Cupping is the industry term used for the process of analyzing a coffee based on its sensory qualities – for example, its aromas and flavors. Each coffee is graded based on the quality of aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, acidity, balance, cleanliness and aftertaste.
Acidity, for example, is expressed in terms such as lemon, citrusy or apple. Mouthfeel may be smooth and satiny or like molasses. One bad coffee bean can upset the flavor of an entire pot of coffee, so every day the quality control team joins with the roasting team to cup all the production roasts from the day before. From the time Equal Exchange roasters start roasting a lot of coffee (one lot equals 37,500 pounds) to the time the last batch is roasted, that coffee will have been cupped upwards of 100 times.
BethAnn
I know some of you noticed the RED CHERRY stickers on the bags of coffee we sell. That says nothing about the flavor. It is a reminder that we are trying to increase the amount of coffee we sell this year because 10 cents of every pound sold goes to a fund to help small farmer coffee growers combat the coffee leaf rust destroying coffee trees in Central America. Healthy RED COFFEE CHERRIES are the goal.
Condit Tasters
Of course, the coffee flavor is influenced by how much goes in the pot. The coffee for Fellowship Hour on the second Sundays of the month is made one level-tablespoon per cup. If you want yours at home stronger or weaker just add more or less.
You can try cupping our coffee at the next Fair Trade sale at Fellowship Hour after worship service on January 11.
 
Or try cupping our hot chocolate which will be provided in both January and February. The February 8 Fellowship Hour and Fair Trade sale comes right before Valentine’s Day. Would a bag of coffee and a gourmet chocolate bar have a tasty appeal to your sweetheart?
Fair Trade products are always available in the Honor Basket outside the pastor’s office. Please put payment in the envelope provided.