these are a few of my favourite things - part 1

A little over a year ago, I was introduced to Level Ground Trading at the Epic! show in Vancouver. I was drawn to the booth because (let's be honest) they were giving away free cups of coffee. What I found there was a friendly, Victoria-based company who trades fairly and directly with small-scale coffee producers in Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Tanzania and Ethiopia...and their coffee was good, to boot! I think I bought about 3 bags of coffee, which lasted until we packed up and moved east. I figured that once we moved, that was the last I'd see of my new-favourite coffee...unless I wanted to buy it online, of course.

Shortly after we moved to Winnipeg, the mascot came back from a trip to the Organza Market with exciting news. "Mom...they have your coffee! They have La Paz! I was going to get you some, but I didn't have $14." a) I thought it was so cute/funny that an 10 year old boy would know his mother's brand/roast/grind and b) after a summer without it, I ran right over to the store to get some.

Now, I don't know if it's the smiling dude on the label that has me hooked, or the fact that I feel good every time I buy some, but I do know that as soon as I open a fresh bag I am in my happy place. (And, seeing as I open a fesh bag about every 7-10 days, I'm in my happy place A LOT.) The bottom line, though, is that it's really, really good coffee. I have yet to make a bad cup and some mornings it's a miracle that I get the grounds measured and into the filter at all. I suppose you could say that it's a very forgiving coffee...too much or too little doesn't seem to matter. The finished product is always rich, smooth, never bitter, and makes me smile. Just like the dude on the front of the bag. http://www.levelground.com/cafe_la_paz

...and while we're on the subject of Level Ground Trading, they have the BEST dried fruit. This year, instead of candy or flowers, the mascot gave me little bags of pineapple and mango that he picked up at his school's sustainability fair. Nice! (And does that kid know his mom, or what?)