Who was in the April 2022 box?
Spotting Unicorns in Brasschaat (BE) Visiting a new town/village in Kisvárda (HU) Enjoying the Rwanda season in Nitra (SK) And our first light roasted coffee in Lyon (FR).
Brasschaat - Belgium
Fleur & Roselien
Both were born in a small village behind the rainbow.Always handcrafting, drawing and creating.From these hands was formed the face of Jerry.And now they are going even more magical!Especially to celebrate International Unicorn Day, they made a print full of,yes unicorns!
Hello Fleur & Roselien.Would you like to introduce yourselves briefly?
F: My name is Fleur. I am 9 years old and I like to be creative. R: I am Roselien and I am 6 years old. Every day I draw or do crafts because I love to do that.
Apart from handcrafting, drawing and creating, what else do you like to do?
F: I play the piano, do gymnastics and go to the chiro. I like playing outside a lot and watching a good film once in a while. R: I go to the music school, gymnastics and the chiro.I like to jump on the trampoline outside, play in the mud kitchen and watch a film.
When you are grown up, what do you want to be?
F: Later I want to become an artist/cartoonist. R: I don't know yet. Maybe a vet because I like animals and taking care of them.
Where do you think the unicorns come from?
R+F: Wonderland! A magical colourful happy place. Festive and where the sun always shines. Full of flowers and clear blue water. In a castle on the rainbow where they eat cupcakes.
If you were a unicorn for one day, what would you do?
F+R: Sliding down the rainbow, going to Paris to fly around the Eiffel Tower. Going on adventures, taking naps on pink sheep clouds, and eating rainbow cupcakes.
Are you going to be big coffee drinkers like Jerry when you grow up?or are you already secretly drinking coffee?
F: I don't think so, I haven't tasted it yet. I'd rather drink plain water now. R: I don't like the smell of coffee so I don't think so. I certainly haven't tasted it yet, I'd rather drink a cup of tea.
“Happy unicorn day! Bring a little color into your life every day!"
Unicorns
4-color Riso printA3 (297x420mm), unframedLimited edition of 35 (signed & numbered)250g white paper
Kisvárda - Hungary
Warda
Turned from a village into a city.A nice quiet town but to be honest, Jerry doesn't know much about Kisvárda in Hungary.What he does know is that Warda rules the coffee scene here!.
When did you discover that roasting coffee was your calling?
My wife and I lived in Dublin for a few years and I fell in love with specialty coffee there. After we moved back home it was clear that I would continue my life in the coffee business. And then Warda was born in 2017.
What does the name Warda mean?
Warda was the name of Kisvárda in the Middle Ages.
Kisvárda is close to the Ukrainian border.Has it changed much in the last few months?
The town didn’t change.The people did.We never saw so many people come together to help.It was/is a very hard time and we are trying to support the charity work as much as we could.
Jerry is curious about your city, tell us about it.
Kisvárda is a small town but we have lots of things going on here and nearby.The area is developing.We have a beautiful castle that is under renovation.It will be amazing when it reopens.There is a Museum about local history and folklore.We have a great soccer team and a big stadium, women's and men handball team, super thermal water, water park and a Theater Festival in the Summer.Oh and a cool coffee roastery.
We have already welcomed some roasters from Hungary.But it is difficult to find them and to make contact with them.How can Jerry do this best?
I think you can find them on social networks.
Are there any that you can recommend?
Cracker Jack, Awaken, Impresso.
“It is so amazing to be part of your monthly subscription.It means a lot to us.Many thanks for giving us the opportunity.”
Ethiopia Duromina
Region: AgaroAltitude: 1900-2100maslVariety: HeirloomProcess: WashedTasting notes: Red berries, stone fruits, tea and chocolate
Nitra - Slovakia
Bean Up
Located at the foot of Zobor mountain in the valley of the river Nitra.Did you say mountains? Weehoo!And great coffee and street art too.Jerry must go there!Be up with Bean Up coffee.
Nitra sounds like a great place to live and work?How did you end up here with your roastery?
I have lived there for more than 20 years now. I have worked in IT for 17 years and need a big change. I enjoyed the coffee and want to try to roast it too.
To be honest, Jerry ended up at Bean Up by accident.In which places can we find you?
You can find me in the center of the town in a small passage, it’s better to tell the people it’s in the passage next to Hami Papi or Spajza :)
Do you ever listen to music while roasting?If so, what is your favorite tune?
While roasting the only music is the sound of rolling coffee beans in the roaster drum :) But after the roasting, I listen to trance music and I have a lot of favorite tunes, so I am not able to pick just one.
Where do you like to drink your coffee?In the mountains or somewhere else?
In my work :) But also at home with breakfast and in cafes where somebody else does it instead of me.
What brewing technique do you prefer?And why?
Hario V60 because it’s easiest and Aeropress because I can play a lot with it.
"Enjoy your life and love a lot, really a lot."
Rwanda - Muzo
Region: Northern ProvinceAltitude: 1570 - 2200maslVariety: Red BourbonProcess: Fully WashedTasting notes: Tangerine, orange jam, honey, cane sugar and vanilla
Lyon - France
Placid
A lively and energetic city, one with textures for its many faces, and is regularly considered one of the most beautiful cities in France.They say that the 'Holy Grail' has been here.Jerry thinks he tasted it in his bag while cupping.He has never had such good coffee roasted in France…
Can you introduce us to the team that roasts this 'holy grail’ coffee?
Placid Roasters is Julien, a French-Brazilian coffee enthusiast, a former architect who arrived in the coffee business in 2012, finding it fascinating to work with his senses. He discovered specialty coffee in Strasbourg during his studies, at Café Bretelles, and then at Mokxa in Lyon.He created Placid Roasters in 2016 to express his vision of specialty coffee through his company. Later, Julien joined forces with Margot, a former pastry chef, who shared his desire to work with her senses. Placid Roasters reflects a desire to enlighten people about specialty coffee, its production and roasting methods. Moreover, Placid Roasters is concerned with the quality of its products: it adapts to the seasonality of the harvests and thus proposes a restricted but quality range of coffee.
Based in Lyon, Jerry really likes this city. It has so many things to tell.Can you share with us the craziest story you know about Lyon?
There are soooo many legends and stories about this city.It’s really hard to pick one. We could talk about the Holy Grail, the meaning of the Y of Lyon, the power of the Virgin Mary stopping the plague at the city’s doors, the buried and hidden golden Chist’s head that inspired the name of the famous park “Tête d’Or”, the aliens landing on the Place Bellecour, …
Someone once told me that there was a crocodile in the Rhone?Is it still there?
The legend says that in 1745, a crocodile escaped from a ship in the port of Marseille and managed to travel up the Rhône to Lyon. Installed under an arch of the Guillotière bridge, it regularly capsized boats to eat the passengers.Two people sentenced to death offered to kill the beast in exchange for their acquittal. They succeeded by blinding it with sand and beating it with a spear. The stuffed crocodile in the Hospices Civil de Lyon Museum is said to refer to this historical anecdote.So there may have been a crocodile in the Rhône but it's definitely not there anymore. Anyway, nobody has been eaten by a mysterious animal lately.
Jerry had to skip the coffee festival in Amsterdam and London this year.Were you there?Did you see many new interesting things?
Unfortunately, we couldn't be there either. But Julien was a judge at the French roasting championships at the Paris coffee festival in September, and we’ll have a small stand for the 2022 edition. It’s always a pleasure to meet with all the actors of the specialty coffee scene.
Lyon really has a lot to offer, but what about the coffee scene here?
Well, it’s getting more and more interesting, but it’s still not Berlin, Copenhagen, London or even Paris. People here are still discovering what specialty coffee is.Restaurants and coffee shops are getting there, choosing their coffees just like they would choose a wine.Customers are curious, but not everybody is ready to give up their old habits. There’s still a long way to go.
Which of the French roasters should we taste?
We really like KB and Stephane Cataldi (also roasting for Hexagone).
"We are very happy that you can discover our coffee.
We are even more thrilled that you’re gonna try the Costa Rican Don Eli Valverde.
We have worked directly with Carlos Montero and his family since 2018.
Julien had the chance to visit their farm and see how they work.
He takes care of the soil like nobody, he is always experimenting to reach better coffees, better work conditions, and better harvests.
We hope you’ll enjoy it. "
