Coffee Reviews

Now that I’ve gotten my raving review of Dangerous Grounds out of my system, I’m free to totally concentrate on my review of La Colombe Coffee.  This coffee is so spectacular and uncommonly perfect that it deserves nothing but my complete attention.

Some of us love coffee so much that we’re as associated with it as much as Garfield is with lasagna. A few of us have a passion for coffee that puts Garfield to shame. He only wishes he could reach our level of devotion.

I’ve been a lifelong coffee fanatic. I actually had my first cup of coffee when I was around 5 or 6. My parents weren’t loco – my mom was actually acting on the advice of my pediatrician. I had chronic asthma and my doctor wanted me on as few medications as possible. A few times he had to hospitalize me – placing me in an oxygen tent that (for whatever reasons) scared the living daylights out of me. He told my mom to give me coffee each morning, as well as when I was having difficulty breathing. She added so much milk,  sugar, and dollops of Cool Whip that I’m convinced she came up with the first frap.

I’m hoping that early in my coffee-drinking career I never feigned or exaggerated breathing difficulty, but I’m not making any promises.

So, you see, many people will claim that they’ve been drinking and loving coffee most of their life but a few of us literally can’t remember a time when we didn’t drink coffee.

As with most things in life that we love and rely upon, sometimes we take them for granted. There are even times when they become “commonplace” and “ordinary.”  I guess I never really thought about the possibility of this happening with coffee until I recently tried La Colombe Coffee.

Every now and then, not only do we need a reminder of what truly FINE coffee tastes like, we need a reminder of what the COFFEE EXPERIENCE should be.

Put simply, we need to fall in love with coffee all over again.

Each time we’d watch an episode of Dangerous Grounds, I’d  think about La Colombe. I’d imagine just how amazing coffee would be when someone as passionate and devoted as Todd Carmichael is involved. Each time my thoughts go my taste buds worked up, I’d hose them off by thinking, “Wow. That coffee probably costs a fortune.”

I’d watch the lengths Todd Carmichael would go through to find the perfect beans, the perfect growing conditions, the perfect aroma, and the perfect taste – and with each step, my perceived notion of “a fortune” grew. At one point I was convinced one would need to take out a loan for a single bag.

I’m delighted to say I couldn’t have been more wrong. La Colombe coffee actually costs the same amount I give for my previous favorite beans.  But here’s the thing – after just one cup of the first La Colombe coffee we tried (MEXICO), I realized I would have given just about any price they’d asked! Coffee isn’t just a beverage, coffee is an experience and La Colombe doesn’t just “get” this fact, they “own this fact.”

My husband has said several times that the Mexico coffee is the best coffee he has ever had in his life. While he has loved each of the La Colombe coffees, the Mexico coffee remains his favorite.  I can certainly understand why – it’s simply outstanding.  As for me, it’s one of the three best coffees I’ve ever had. The other two that tie?

• La Colombe Ethiopia
• La Colombe Panama

When it comes to our favorites – La Colombe’s got it on lock.

La Colombe: Mexico – Finca El Retiro

The Mexico – Finca El Retiro coffee is really something special. You taste it in each sip – and, believe me, you’ll finish every drop in your cup. This is a light roast coffee, but seems to have more flavor and personality than a lot of light roast coffees. There’s also a hard-to-describe but near-impossible-to-miss little flavor of cocoa behind this beautiful coffee. Make no mistake, it’s 100 percent coffee and no one will ever mistake it for chocolate – but there’s an amazing little flavor there that’s worth getting out of bed for.

Read more about Mexico – Finca El Retiro by clicking the link. You’ll find ordering information, growing conditions, and a lot of other fascinating facts. A 12 oz bag is just $12.95. I’m not kidding or even exaggerating when I say I’d have paid at least twice that.

La Colombe: Panama – Hacienda La Esmeralda

La Colombe Coffee Panama – Hacienda La Esmeralda is also ridiculously Heavenly.  It costs a bit more than the Mexican coffee but the experience is more than worth it. As I’ve often said when writing my coffee reviews (or any reviews for that matter), I pay close attention to the first words that pop into my mind.  After enjoying a few sips of this coffee, I distinctly remember thinking, “PERFECTLY LOVELY.”  And, yes, my thoughts were in all caps.  Whereas the Mexican coffee had a delicious cocoa flavor in the background, this one has a bit of a “fruity” flavor in the background -it’s out of this world fantastic.

Read more about the Panama – Hacienda La Esmeralda coffee by following the link.

La Colombe: Ehiopia- Gera

The La Colombe Ethiopia – Gera coffee knocks my socks off every time I drink it – whether I’m actually wearing socks or not. There’s something “pure” and deliciously traditional about this beautiful coffee. In fact, if I were told to brew a cup of coffee for someone who’d never had coffee before and to try to convey to them why coffee deserves the classification “Eighth Wonder of the World” with a single cup… I’d reach for my  bag of Ethiopia coffee beans.

You simply will not find a better ambassador for coffee than this!

While the first words that sprang to my mind after enjoying the Panama coffee were adverb-licious and downright flowery, the first words out of my mouth after trying the Ethiopia – Gera didn’t tiptoe threw any flowers or adverbs. After just one sip, I announced to my cat, “Now THAT’S what I’m talking about!”

Coffee how God intended coffee to be.

Read more about the Ethiopia – Gera by clicking the link. To experience the “Now THAT’S what I’m talking about!” moment for yourself, order a bag of this coffee today!

Okay, here I am, at the end of the review. Naturally I’m going to celebrate by brewing a cup of La Colombe coffee (Ethiopia – Gera).   I’ve come to a couple of conclusions after attempting to write this review:

• It’s almost impossible to tell you how delicious these coffees are. You really have to experience them for yourself. Trying to tell someone else how amazing something tastes is kind of like trying to tell someone how beautiful a child’s smile is. Some things simply have to be experienced to be appreciated. Children’s smiles, being in love, rain, coffee….
• The level of perfection La Colombe coffee achieves, ironically comes down to one word: RESPECT.  I say “ironically” because with each episode of “Dangerous Grounds,” I’m always left speechless by the respect Todd Carmichael, the producer, the director, photographer(s), network (Travel Channel), and everyone involved have for the individuals they meet along their journey. They respect these beautiful people and their customs,  beliefs, food, rules, laws, and their way of life. They never lose sight of the fact that they are guests in these people’s world and they always seem genuinely honored  when the welcome mat is extended. This level of respect for the coffee growers carries over to a respect for the coffee, itself. Finally, the respect extends to all of us who buy La Colombe coffee. They respect us enough to give us what we’re looking for – an opportunity to fall in love with coffee all over again.