This newsletter is best enjoyed while sipping your favorite coffee or tea.

We all have so much going on right now and we are forever grateful that our farmers markets continue to be a place of safe community. It truly lifts our spirits to see you each weekend and have a chance to visit. Summer fruits are just starting to appear and our friends Paul and Kim Tao owners of P & K Strawberries are back at the Willow Glen market located at Willow Glen Elementary School. You can find P&K on Instagram @pandkfarms

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We’ve been keeping this one under wraps for a while and it wasn’t easy! This one had us dancing the Futterwacken* in celebration. Our coffee bags have received a makeover! These are Biotrē bags just like ones we’ve been using for years made from renewable plant based sources. These ones are stand up pouches with a re-sealable zipper. You’ll start seeing these at the farmers markets and online as we transition from the kraft bags. Hope you like them as much as we do!

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Hey that’s my coffee! We are happy to have a new coffee from Ethiopia to share with you. This one comes from the Asikana Cooperative. It is a natural process USDA certified organic and Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center shade grown bird friendly coffee. The Asikana (it means “we start from here” in the local Oromia language) co-op was established in 2008. All their coffees are processed as naturals because Asikana has no wet mill facility. Once the coffee is dried the women of the co-op hand sort the coffee to ensure only the best quality beans are bagged for export.

In the cup we got aromas of creamy lush vanilla and cherry pipe tobacco in a wood paneled library with flavors of pomegranate, orange, coconut and creamy vanilla. We loved it as a pour over. After letting it rest for about a week it we tried it as an espresso and were rewarded with a smooth bright grapefruit citrus with an undercurrent of pomegranate, coconut and vanilla, a lot like a Beaujolais wine.

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We also have a Café Femenino from the Sierra Azul El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve in Siltepec, Chiapas Mexico. This 100% Arabica, certified organic, Fairtrade, single origin, washed process coffee has aromas of cocoa puffs, blueberries and cereal milk with a side of buttered toast and flavors of Scottish shortbread, allspice and blackberry pie. This coffee shines as a pour over, drip or press. It’s great unadulterated but can handle cream and sugar too. The 81 women of this co-op joined Café Femenino in 2018 and we have been buying their coffee every year because it continues to be an exceptional coffee. With the increased financial stability, in just two years, these women are working toward owning their own land, they’ve started a health care program and diversified into beekeeping, hen-raising and a community garden. If you haven’t tried this one yet, seriously, what are you waiting for?

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My cup of tea: Have you heard of yerba mate? Yerba Maté is made from the leaves of a small tree in the holly family (Ilex paraguariensis) native to Argentina. Yerba Maté is full of B vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and mild caffeine. Our Mad Hatter herbal tisane is a blend of organic Yerba Maté, organic rosemary and organic ginger. Rosemary is widely used in herbal medicine as a memory aid. Ginger lends a hint of spicy sweetness and supports healthy digestion. Possibly my favorite pick me up blend especially if I need to stay sharp and remember a bunch of things without writing them down. I like to drink it unadulterated but honey or sugar is a nice addition if you like a sweeter tea.  It’s also pretty great chilled. Depending on how strong you like it add 1½ teaspoons to 1 tablespoon tea per 8 ounces freshly boiled water and steep up to 8 minutes.

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On the radio: If you grew up in San Jose in the early 80’s you are probably familiar with the Aloha Roller Palace. If not, allow me to introduce you (especially since roller skating is having a moment right now)! It’s called the Aloha Roller Rink now since they moved to Eastridge a few years ago. (It used to be on Blossom Hill Road.) It went through many a name change over the years before finally closing in 2014. You can find them on Instagram @aloharollerrink. Anyway when I was in junior high this was the place to be on Friday night. Here’s what we were listening to:

• Burn Rubber The Gap Band
• Ladies Night Kool and the Gang
• When the Lights go Down Journey
• Rock Skate Roll Bounce Vaughan Mason & Crew
• Double Dutch Bus Frankie Smith
• More Bounce Zapp & Roger

In the Art Room: Brian and Adriana Sharp are the super duo Santa Cruz CA based artists behind the Fairytale Nightmares Etsy shop. We met them more than 25 years ago when we all used to work in the film business together. They produced the short film The Pedestrian that Carlos shot and edited. If you’ve been to our warehouse you may have noticed the skull tap pull for our cold brew; that’s one of Brian’s creations. Adriana gave me a great gift many years ago when we had some down time on a film set and she taught me to knit. If you have a Blythe doll Adriana knits some pretty amazing clothes for her. She makes beautiful people sized accessories too. Take a moment and check them out.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this newsletter,

Jolynn

*Futterwacken: To be performed in moments of great joy and celebration the Futterwack or Futterwacken is a dance in the Alice in Wonderland movie. The Mad Hatter performed this dance on the Frabjous day after Alice slew the Jabberwocky, banishing The Red Queen along with Iiosovic Stayne to the Outlands.

Well, here it is: Our first official news letter. We’re going to try to write one every couple months to keep you updated on new coffees, teas and what’s going on at Cosmic Coffee. This newsletter is best enjoyed while sipping your favorite coffee or tea.

Sumatra: Kokowagayo, Café Femenino Foundation This single origin coffee is certified organic, Fair Trade, Small Producer Symbol (SPP)**,  Grade 1, double picked, semi-washed and/or fully washed. Wow right? It has aromas of a well aged sherry oak cask, sun baked grasses and wildflowers on a summer hiking trail with flavors of  coconut flan with a dusting of cocoa powder, a drizzle of vanilla bourbon sauce and a garnish of fresh rose petals. Want to learn more about this producer? Click here to buy or visit Sumatra — Café Femenino (cafefemenino.com)

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Nayarit Mexico: This single origin, washed processed certified organic coffee comes from the municipality of Presidio de los Reyes where the population is about 96% indigenous Cora. The coffee farms are far back in the mountains accessible only by a four hour mule ride. We feel very fortunate to be able to offer this coffee to you. It’s a medium roast that really shines as a pour over. (If you’re wondering; we use a Hario V60.) We got aromas of an orange tree in full bloom and dried plums that have been soaking in maple syrup with flavors that start with toffee, dried figs and black currants and end with a sweet tart apple as it cools. It has a medium body with medium low acidity. We have about a hundred pounds of this coffee that Carlos will be roasting over the next couple of months. Click here to buy

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Did you know we also have tea? We put the same care into sourcing our teas as you have come to expect from the coffees we offer. The offerings are limited right now but no less sublime. This month we’re featuring the Japanese Sencha. It comes from a family owned and operated tea farm in the Shizuoka prefecture in Japan. This Chumushi style loose leaf medium steamed green tea is beautifully balanced with aromas of steamed rice, butter lettuce and freshly mown hay on a warm summer morning. In the cup the mouthfeel is soft, smooth and velvety with a touch of sweetness and slight astringency. It tastes of sugar snap peas and steamed brown rice. Click here to buy This serene beautiful label was created by the super talented Santa Cruz California based artist Krista Pollock. Check her out at kp_tapestries.com.

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On the Radio: We hitched a ride with Jake and Elwood in the Bluesmobile. Here’s some of what we’re listening to:

• Don’t Worry ‘bout Me Mighty Sam McClain
• Midnight Train Buddy Guy
• Bad Woman Blues Beth Hart
• I Drink Alone George Thorogood
• Evil Koko Taylor
• I’ll Play The Blues For You Joe Bonamassa
• Hound Dog Big Mama Thornton
• Sweet Home Chicago The Blues Brothers

In the Art Room: We’d like to share with you some artists whose work we like. George Gama is a fine art photographer in Los Angeles CA. (Full disclosure he’s also my brother in law.) He specializes in photographing Low Riders and Chicano culture but will pretty much take a picture of anything that catches his eye in and around LA town. You can check out his work on Instagram @newer_89 I grew up in an area that was largely Hispanic and I remember seeing the Low Riders cruzin’ every Sunday up and down Santa Clara Street even though there were signs posted everywhere saying “NO CRUISING”. Kinda makes me miss my Mary Janes and Ben Davis.

Where ever you are thanks for being here.

Until next time,

Jolynn

*The Café Femenino coffee program is one-of-a-kind ethical sourcing model committed to ending the cycle of poverty affecting women coffee farmers across the world. Café Femenino provides direct compensation to women farmers, along with the opportunity and resources to enact positive change in their communities and on their own terms.

**The SPP (the acronym of the Spanish name, Simbolo de Pequeños Productores )The Small Producers’ Symbol, SPP, is a label that represents an alliance among organized small producers to build a local and global market that values the identity and the economic, social, cultural and ecological contributions of products from Small Producers’ Organizations