From Blossom to Brew: The Fruity Origins of Your Morning Coffee
Coffee's Fruity Foundation: Coffee begins as a cherry-like fruit, known as the coffee cherry. Inside, there’s a seed—the coffee bean—that’s harvested and processed to become the coffee we brew.
Growing Coffee: Coffee trees flourish in tropical regions, growing in areas called the "coffee belt." These areas, such as Central and South America.
Coffee Cherry Harvesting: Once the coffee cherries ripen, they are harvested. This is usually done by hand, with workers selecting only the cherries that are perfectly ripe.
Processing the Cherries: After harvesting, the cherries go through various processes to extract the beans. Common methods include the wet process.
The Bean’s Transformation: After the cherries are processed, the beans are dried and then roasted. The roasting process transforms the green beans into the dark, aromatic beans we recognize.
Roasting and Flavor: The roasting stage is crucial for the flavor of your coffee. The longer beans roast, the darker the flavor profile, from light and fruity to rich and robust.
Tasting Notes: The flavor of your coffee often carries hints of the fruit it came from. Some beans retain fruity flavors like berry or citrus, influenced by the region and processing method.
A Worldwide Crop: Coffee is one of the most traded commodities globally, linking farmers, roasters, and consumers in a vast, worldwide network.