Discovering It

Pictured left: Todd Carmichael in front of 40,000 kilos of Haitian coffee beans.

Make It

French press or Espresso

Haitian
Joe

How far off the grid would you go for good coffee? Todd Carmichael and Jean Philippe Iberti of La Colombe Torrefaction took a few days journey into the remote mountains of Haiti, sleeping under their dismantled trucks and following clues until they found what they were looking for—Haiti Blue Forest coffee beans, an heirloom variety grown semi-wild in the South Eastern range surrounding Gros Cheval. The roasters are now extending grants and loans to the coffee farmers and community to open a new trade route from the Haitian mountains to their home base in Philadelphia. This rare and historical coffee, which comes from an unaltered line traced back to the first plant cultivated outside of Ethiopia, is sweet, fruity and refined. It's destined to be a vital ingredient in La Colombe's upcoming blends. But for now, you can get a taste of the bean straight from their Atelier. - Francine Maroukian