It is perfectly logical to us that the birthplace of civilization is also the birthplace of coffee. This particular coffee comes from the Oromio cooperative in Ethiopia, and for the last two years our Coffee Department, and other coffee fanatics within our circle, have considered this our finest green coffee. We roast it with a delicacy that hides none of its charm.

Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe comes from the Sidamo region in Eastern Ethiopia, southeast from the Gulf of Aden. Approximately 12 million Ethiopians find their livelihood in the coffee industry, and while Ethiopia exports around 60 percent of its coffee, the drink has deep domestic significance for the country. In fact, many Ethiopians practice a traditional ceremony around coffee.

Not surprisingly, the ceremony is quite social. It is used to welcome guests into one’s home. Traditionally, the coffee ceremony involves drinking the brew either salted, or mixed with butter. However you take your coffee, the Ethiopian bean is a quintessential coffee experience from a quintessential land.

We buy Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe from the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (OCFCU). The care this co–op takes with this organic, Fair Trade coffee is reflected in its superb quality. In 2003 the Specialty Coffee Association of America awarded OCFCU’s coffee third place in their cupping trials.

But being a member of this cooperative also means significant advantages for farmers and their families. The money that OCFCU has earned through its Fair Trade coffee sales has allowed this co–op to expand and improve their coffee processing facilities. Farmers and their families are able to improve their quality of life with new homes, nutritious food, and education for their children, and growing coffee organically allows farmers to keep their local environment clean and pure.