The beginning of the journey
A competition was the reason behind our latest trip to Sao Paulo in Brazil. This was a special trip because we co-travelled with the two winners of our competition, Vicky and George. Together, we “rediscovered” the capital of coffee and felt the thrill of exploration and the thirst for knowledge. Which is why we’ll experience this journey through George and Vicky’s eyes!
Day 1 – Getting to know Sao Paulo
The tour begins so our co-travelers can “feel” the city. First stop: Pátio do Colégio. As they tell us “At the museum’s coffeeshop, we tried our first coffee in Brazil and saw up-close the Pau-Brasil trees, known for the red color they give out”.
Next stop: Mercado Municipal. “It’s the biggest and full-of-life market in the heart of the city. We couldn’t help but try as many of the area’s rare and exotic fruits, fish and vegetables”.
But a tour is never complete without an art space. So, we headed towards the Municipal Theater of Sao Paulo, landmark for the Brazilian art revolution in 1922. The day ended with a visit to the Havainas store, the mecca of flip-flops in the Jardim area.
Day 2 – Our stroll in the Agronomic Institute
To really “taste” coffee, we must first learn about it which is why we visited the Instituto agronomico do paraná – IAPAR – a space for the development of agronomic technology and know-how, where the producers themselves are the center of attention.
“We heard from researcher Gustavo Sera from the research program and coffee quality center, who spoke about creating the flavor profile of the high-quality IAPAR varieties. Next, we moved from theory to practice and the farm! For the first time, we saw the trees with the famous coffee cherries and had all our questions answered”.
Next up was the research lab. How was the experience there? “For the first time we realized the differences between Arabica and Robusta, with cupping. The best part was trying superior-quality coffee varieties”. And the day was far from over. “We found the best way to end the day by relaxing at Gustavo’s café in the town of Londrina. We tried the IPR 107 espresso variety, feeling everything we had learned earlier during our lesson about the recipe’s flavors emerging from the red fruits like strawberry and raspberry. Finally, we discovered how Greek coffee gets its taste and aroma as we roasted together with Gustavo”.
Days 3 and 4 – Learning about coffee at the Fazenda California farm
Fazenda California is over a century old and has an ace in its sleeve: its location. It’s at the outskirts of South Brazil, where harvesting takes place even during winter. “Our day began when we reached the Fazenda Californiafarm in the Zacarezinho area. There, we were welcomed by a lovely person, the farm’s owner, Luiz Roberto and his associates. They showed us around the facilities and told the story of the farm and area”.
School time! “Back to class for a brilliant lesson from Luiz who spoke about the importance of quality coffee in relation to the area’s physical characteristics and about the need for deep knowledge around harvesting. We learned about different coffee processing techniques and how fermentation affects taste and quality. After a great speech, the moment was ripe to start cupping! After Luiz explained all the techniques of professional cupping at the farm’s labs, we tried some of the best coffees in Brazil”. End of day with the “dowry of Coffee Island. We saw up close the fields where coffee trees grow, with the flag of the flower that transports us back to Greece even for a while”.
The 2ndday at the farm began in the fields! “We learned about pruning, the fertility of the tree, its ideal height and how the leaning of the land affects the water collection during rainfall. Finally, we met the pickers who collect the beans, picked up coffee cherries and gave them a hand with shaking the beans. When we got back to the facilities, the enthusiasm of Vicky and George, filled us with joy. “A big surprise was waiting for us there. Not only did we see how coffee’s processed, we did it ourselves. We took measurements of various fermentation methods, exploring the change of temperature, sugars and ph”.
Day 5 – Second farm, Fazenda Bananal
Before leaving from the California farm, we “visited the new head offices of Capricornio and met the people who work there and organize this entire project”. Our final stop: the Fazenda Bananal farm.
“Leaving behind Luiz’s exceptional hospitality, know-how and passion for coffee, we arrived at our new destination, the Bananal farm, where another lovely farm owner, Carolina Attala was waiting for us. Together with her partners and mom, they showed us around the facilities, coffee plantations and processing stations. The combination of technology and tradition are the basic ingredients that make the farm so special, able to transport you many years back, before it even began operating.
The journey concludes at Coffee Island’s shops
The extraordinary experience we had together with Vicky and George, concludes in Greece. Through Direct Trade, the unique specialty coffee gets from the farms to Coffee Island. And this is how your favorite Microfarm coffee gets to you. Each sip carrying with it a piece of life in Brazil, a piece of this trip!
