So you're serious about coffee, huh? by jd

Coffee coffee coffee. It is probably easier to get than water these days. There is a coffee house at every street corner. While the majority are the massively successful Starbucks (or as we put it in the home roast world, Charbucks) there are a few around that still roast on site and make wonderful single origin and blended roasts.

I on the other hand choose to roast right from the comforts of home. Its been something I had wanted to do for yrs. It was sort of out of a failed negotiation while on vacation in Jamaica.

I really loved coffee and had found that some of the best coffee in the world comes from the Blue Mountains in Jamaica. Here in the States, premium Mavis Bank Blue Mountain cost approx 50 dollars a pound. Well, I figured that it had to be cheaper in Jamaica and being that were were going there for our 5th anniversary, I should be able to load up. While we were in Jamaica there were riots going on over a new fuel tax. This was causing villages to be burned and on a daily basis shootings in the bigger cities. So our time was spent primarily on the resort. I noticed that in the gift shop they had the JBM for about 20 a pound. I was not excited about that price.

I heard that if you get outside the resort, you can find it cheap. About 4-5 dollars a pound. So, we decided that we would take a trip to Dunns River Falls and walk up the falls. I figured that I should be able to scope out a roadside vendor that would help me out with the coffee passion. Well, surprise surprise. Once you get to the top of the falls there is a Jamaican market that in short you end up trying everything on, because the locals try to intimidate you into buying once you are wearing the merchandise.

As we made our way through the yelling and pushy sales people we came across a lady that was selling the coffee for 10 dollars a pound. I told her I wanted 5 pounds but was only willing to pay 5 a pound. She said no, 10. I said 5 and she said 10. Marjorie and I turned and walked. We got about 30 feet away and Marjorie says just go get this over with and buy the coffee. I turn and go back and offer her 8 a pound. She says 10. So I reach in my pocket to find that I had not taken my wallet and only had enough money to buy a pound. The lady says where are you staying? I tell her and she says be in your room at 6pm. I will deliver to your hotel. So that night I am sitting in my room and the phone rings,

ring ring-ello mista Jayree

me-yes

the gate- der iss sumone for yea at de gate wit da pakege

me- (in my mind the front gate thinks I am getting 5 pounds of wacky weed which is as easy to get as sand) send them down

So, at this point I go downstairs and see this giant Jamaican guy with 5 little burlap sacks. He tells me Iree and tanks for supportin da cause. I pay him and for a moment I think I should check the bags as I don't need 5 pounds of gravel. But then again what am I going to do. This guy is like 7 ft tall and looks like he should be back at the riots. So anyway he throws out a respect mon, pounds his chest, I wave and he drives off. I go back up to my room and find that I got 2 bags of roasted coffee and 3 bags of green coffee beans. I got 2 pounds for 50 dollars.

So we head home and I figure how hard could this be. I am sure that I just cook them for a while and I will have coffee, right????

to be continued...