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Volume 1 Issue 2

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


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!

New bag, new size, same stellar coffee!

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.


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?


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.


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:

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.

Jolynn, Kristin Rudrüd and Adriana knitting on movie set
skull tap pull design by Brian Sharp

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.