You know the enticing aroma of your favorite latte being brewed while you take a seat at your local cafe? It’s a familiar scent that comforts most of us coffee drinkers. We love the smell, taste, and feeling a latte onsets after we take our first sip! From the fair trade coffee farms where the coffee beans are harvested to the local coffee house where you drink it, there is a lot of love that goes into the making of a handcrafted latte. Every time you order this espresso and milk-based beverage, you are enjoying a product that has a unique story. One with a lot of heart. Let’s take a look at all the elements that make up the heart of a latte. 

Quality Relationships With Fair Trade Coffee Coops

As you probably know, at Amavida we love serving you the best organic coffee and espresso. Since our beginning in 2004, it has been our mission for you to love life with every cup we brew. We believe our lattes have a lot of heart because the coffee beans we use start their journey with some very special people. 

Although it seems easy for a coffee roaster to purchase coffee beans, it means so much more to mindfully navigate coffee sourcing and buy fairly-traded coffee beans. We believe in the value of supporting farmers who are devoted to producing organic and high quality coffees. We do this by building long-lasting, authentic relationships with small producer cooperatives, and paying what they rightfully deserve. In turn, consistent income for coffee farmers means more stability within their local economy. With the help of fair-trade co-ops, they have the resources to farm organically, join workshops, and have access to better equipment. Creating a sustainable cycle of high-quality product yield plus consistent income. 

Coffee Roasted Responsibly

It excites us that we can directly support fair trade coffee farms and producers by sharing the fruits (literally) of their labor with you. It’s also important that we uphold our duty to be environmental stewards when it comes to roasting the beans we source.

As discussed in our blog about taking the necessary steps to become carbon neutral, we have a lot to consider when trying to foster a healthy community and planet. We are working to achieve this by investing in electric energy offsets with Arcadia Power, roasting on a 35K Loring machine, and purchasing carbon emission offsets through Taking Root.  

Brewing With The Best Coffee Beans For Espresso

We use Espresso Mandarina in all of our espresso-based drinks as we truly believe it to be made of the best coffee beans for espresso. It is a distinct blend of two different organic coffee beans which change based on harvest cycles. This is so we select coffees that are fresh and retain consistent character no matter the season. The first is our year-round natural-processed coffee from our partners in Ethiopia. The second seasonal component rotates between a washed Honduras, coffee from the D.R. Congo, or Peru.  

When looking for the best organic coffee for our espresso, we needed a product that could hold up well in a latte. To bring out the unique and memorable flavors of our Espresso Mandarina, we roast the components separately then blend them. This results in a balanced espresso shot that pairs well with milk but is also strong enough to stand on its own.

Local Ingredients Made For A Heart-Warming Latte

All of our lattes start with roasting the best coffee beans for espresso, but it doesn’t stop there! A latte is not complete without steamed milk. All of our dairy products come from the Working Cows Dairy farm. A USDA certified organic farm where the cows are happy and healthy.

Another key component we are really excited to incorporate into our lattes is flavoring syrups by pink House Alchemy. These consciously crafted syrups add a little sweetness and a whole lot of flavor to our lattes. 

Baristas Who Love Coffee Make Lattes With Love

You can’t enjoy a specialty latte without a barista who uses their skills and love of the craft to make you one. It’s true that our fun-loving baristas pour their heart and soul into making each latte. This is where the heart of our lattes begins to shine!

Our baristas are talented, trained, dedicated, and community-focused individuals. While they carefully brew the espresso, steam the milk, and artfully whip up rosettes and latte art hearts one thing remains the same, their love of serving our community quality coffee. 

Coffee Houses Create Community Spaces To Share A Latte 

The true heart of a latte comes from sharing it with passionate people who love coffee and love their community. The love and respect for coffee and people come around full circle right inside a busy cafe. It’s a place to see and experience life. You can feel the beating heart of a cafe just by stepping foot inside. It’s a special space where everyone is welcome. Where working, catching up with an old friend, reading the newspaper, or just enjoying the breeze with a latte in hand all results in a positive feeling. 

The best feeling? Knowing that you directly impact the livelihood of coffee producers around the globe by purchasing a heart-filled latte.

Well, there you have it. From fair-trade coffee beans to local ingredients, green operations, talented baristas, and community-driven cafes, you now know exactly ​how to make a latte full of “heart”. 

 

Article contributed by Brianna Fox-Priest. Get to know more of her work at the Socialista Podcast or on Instagram @bysocialista