In the lands of the coffee, from the book, Searching for treasures
Barichara, Santander, Colombia
“Now, this is a beautiful terrace. Just the spot where I would enjoy relaxing and quietly sit while I sip a good cup of coffee. I could spend a while drawing the outstanding view that you have here. May I ask you for a coffee, please?”
“With pleasure. Would you like it strong, mild, or intermediate? Let me add that the coffee is grown on our own farm. Ours is a local coffee and totally organically grown. All the process, until it reaches the cup that you will experience, is done in-house. Of course, that includes roasting and blending the beans to create its distinctive flavor.”
After a pause, she continued explaining. “The coffee beans are hand-picked by our farmworkers and in the traditional style. After, they are dried in the sun, as it should be done. The coffee beans are visually selected by hand to ensure the quality of our coffee. Coffee beans that fail the test are thrown out, and we only use the best of the crop. We prepare it Americano, Espresso, or any other of the different forms described in our menu. My name is Paola Romero, and I am at your service!”
“An Espresso? Unbelievable. Can I ask for a double espresso, strong and with a touch of milk? That’s how I take it in France!” He added, smiling brightly.
At last, he was going to drink a cup of coffee, exactly like he enjoyed it back home and, smack, right in the heart of the Colombian Coffee zone!