Coffee has evolved far past the original delicacy that it once was (in the varied ancient cultures) on the African continent. In our modern era, we consume this luxury beverage in a multitude of ways; some ancient or traditional methods of brew or in the varied ways that our imperial industrial era has taken us to. I will provide a basic understanding of historical processing, roasting profiles + an introduction to brewing methods and the consumerist value of this curious fruit; so that it can be less confusing when it comes to making a cup with a new bean, roast, or processing cultivars that change the methodology.
Coffee was first discovered before the middle ages via a goat and his shepherd. Since then it has not only been flown to various parts of the world to be grown, been genetically modified to grow in regions with less water supply (while yielding the highest of quality of the product), has been processed in various ways to enhance the consumer experience, to keep longer and to be used as a tool for productivity and alertness. In this modern day, we have come full circle to a collectivist global understanding of consumption of coffee. Starting with a cultural delicacy to a means of trade and solidifying relationships through the ceremonial rights to consumption, coffee is a tool that keeps us going as a society when economic struggles and physical exhaustion step in to play. The finale of World War 2 gave us the birth of capitalism and the birth of refined manufacturing to our Industrial Age. Welcome to the birth of Folgers, Nestle, Maxwellhouse and the assembly line of manufacturing. The baby boomers saviour of a caffeine headache. It’s not that these companies were doing a disservice to their customers, they were providing the best product they could consistently produce for circumstances of the time.
We live in the technological era now, where math is welcome as language and coding is the hobby of our youth. When talking coffee in 2018 we’re talking not only caffeine content, and flavour, we’re talking mouthfeel, aromas from the roast, whole bean to brew and consumption, texture, body, centralized notes of flavour v.s. a blast of complex flavours, to understanding that each person has a different pH in their body that has to mesh well with the pH of this deliciously acidic beverage.
I would like to help people see the differences between regional, processable and cultivars that will affect how each of our personal differences perceive the flavours from this magical bean. Introducing, “What’s my flavour?” a talk on coffee and how you find what you’re looking for in a drink with the proper language and methodology for experimentation of different varietals of coffee.
Reserve your ticket here.
Simone Naomi
Simone Naomi is a 27 year old Canadian born artist. Starting in coffee at the ripe age of 17 at her local vegetarian grassroots cafe in Parksville, British Colombia, to working alongside roasters in indie cafes of Vancouver, to teach the basics in the fast-paced city of Toronto, to the modern mecca of coffee in Australia and New Zealand, and to here in Hamilton to bring inclusion to what this bean is all about. This delicacy can be a moment in time where people come together, share stories, experience and wild philosophies that open our minds and hearts to different ways of relating, taking pause and growing in love. Coffee began as another medium of art in which I could draw on, via latte art. Simone is primarily a freelance artist that has found that her passion for this bean can open new opportunities for bringing people together with a lack of judgement but rather an appreciation for our individualism that keeps the diversity growing in our communities. It’s all about, what you make of it.
Emerald Coffee Co is an inclusive neighbourhood coffee shop located in Barton village.
