30th January 2012
Valentines Day menu
2012 Valentine's Menu now available
.jpg)
JOSEPH BENJAMIN COFFEE BEANS
AVAILABLE AS WHOLE BEANS OR GROUND TO YOUR SPECIFICATION
HOUSE BLEND - ANTICA TOSTATURA TRIESTINA
The beans used in our restaurant are the product of a tradition stretching back to the late 19th century when the first non-profit organisation of coffee roasters and importers was set up in the north-east Italian town of Trieste - today dubbed the 'espresso coffee capital' of the world. A full-bodied blend of four beans, it has been described as producing 'New York's best espresso'...continuous 'testing' of this product keeps the JB team alive!!
BOLIVIAN PRIMERA
Bolivian coffee is almost 100 percent Arabica, mostly of the typica and criolla varietals. More than 90 percent of the coffee grown in Bolivia is produced in the Yungas area, a tropical region in La Paz with altitudes between 500 and 1,600 meters. Overall, these are delicate, bright coffees, the classic clean cup, and aromatically sweet.
GUATEMALA ELEPHANT
Coffee trees were introduced to Guatemala in 1750 by Jesuit priests and the industry was developed by German settlers in the late 19th century. Today, most of the production is carried out in the south of the country, where the slopes of the volcanic mountains in the Sierra Madre provide ideal conditions for the fine-quality Arabica beans.
NICARAGUAN MARAGOGYPE
Good Nicaraguan coffees are considered a "classic" cup: great body, clean flavor, and balance. "Maragogype" is a rare Central American growth - notable for the extra bold appearance of the roasted beans. Excellent flavour and bouquet - full bodied but with a pleasant hint of sharpness.
AUSTRALIAN SKYBURY PLANT FANCY
A very rare coffee. Full, intense, well balanced, delivering a rich aroma of cocoa and spice. Superb coffee. A must! Earthy toasted caramel flavours and medium body, with a wonderful fruity finish. Best experienced when prepared in a plunger, allowing its delicate flavour characteristics to shine.
PANAMA BOQUETE
Panama Boquete coffee is one of the world's best kept secrets, but the word is quickly spreading that the cool humid mountain air of western Panama produces some of the world's best coffee cherries. This coffee boasts a medium-to-light-body, and is delicate, yet intense on the palate.
INDIAN MONSOONED MALABAR
In the past days of sailing ships, shipments from India to Europe often took six months or more during which the extra humidity affected the coffee enough to alter it's colour from green to golden yellow. This enabled the coffee to acquire a special flavour which many countries associated with India. Sometime later, when sailing ships made way to steam, journey times were shortened and consumers began to miss this unique flavour. In order to reproduce these characteristics the process of "Monsooning" was introduced. The monsoon period is between May & June and during these months coffee beans are spread out in special open-sided warehouses. The beans are therefore exposed to the air which has a very high humidity at this time. The beans are then loosely packed and stacked - a procedure which is repeated for a period of several weeks until the coffee appearance and flavour has altered accordingly. Cup quality is very smooth, full bodied with very low - almost nil - acidity.
KENYA PEABERRY
Coffee was introduced to Kenya from Ethiopia at the end of the 19th century. Grown to the north of Nairobi on the high plateaus surrounding Mount Kenya, the rich volcanic soil and high altitudes make this coffee one of the regions finest. This particular grade gets its name from the way its beans mutate inside the cherry. Cup quality can be described as fine, malty flavour with excellent acidity.
DECAFFEINATED
Medium roast decaf, carefully processed to remove the caffeine but none of the full bodied flavour.