I’m very excited for this week’s coffee shop spotlight, so let’s get right into it:
This week’s coffee shop spotlight!
From their website:
Coffee is everything in Ethiopia. Not only does it drive the economy, but it drives everyday life.
Ethiopians drink coffee multiple times a day, be it as an espresso, cortado, or through the traditional coffee ceremony—the intricate, intimate process of making coffee from raw bean to brew while bringing people together in conversation and celebration as the process develops.
Welcome to…
Bunna Café
Bunna Café is a 100% plant-based Ethiopian café in Bushwick. The café is centered around coffee (bunna means “coffee”) and the Habesha tradition to share—meals, coffee, homes. It is to share a giant plate of food, starting first with ripping off some injera to cradle some food into your friends’ mouths.
The coffee is central to that, being given freely with food on the weekends and at times throughout the week; enticing conversation, community, and reverence. It starts with green [unroasted] coffee beans, roasted in front of you ‘til slick black, and cleaned, brewed, and served in a half-hour period. As the coffee finishes roasting it’s passed around to smell.
A notable part of the process is the pour from the jabena [above], which must be skillfully done; it can take years of training to do it just right. The pour should consist of a thin stream, consistent in its pour [so as to avoid grounds] and exhibiting a level of care given to all of the guests.
It’s also traditionally served with a small snack, such as popcorn, bread, or roasted barley. There’s sometimes a scent burning, here it is frankincense and myrrh. You can read more on their website here, and a longer article here.
Not on the Instagram? We posted a sneak peak earlier this week! Follow us here and help us out with a like and comment.
They do the coffee ceremony every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 5p.m.
What’s new, Jude?
Salswee, primarily a bakery, has a ridiculous three-siphon setup for their coffee. Remember, if you don’t have at least two siphons you can’t call yourself a serious fifth-wave coffee shop. Near Madison Square Park.
Sahola Coffee, in Kips Bay, is arguably not new—I have been trying to get coffee from there for the last three years. In reality is was closed; masquerading as a pandemic-shuttered coffee mirage on google maps with a very real flower shop in the same spot. Now you can try the coffee!
Three Legged Cat in East Williamsburg is finally opening June 1st; a rotating espresso setup with a few local and one Arkansian roaster. [CK]
Pop-ups
Rachel Keen [Typica] and Henry Sloth [Lattente]’s “Coffee Summer Camp” is every Thursday until June 27th. It is completely free and you can attend one or all events. It’s mostly focused towards casual coffee drinkers, but they’ll answer any question you have. I had the pleasure of meeting Rachel at a cupping yesterday and I can say for sure that this class is going to be awesome. Sign up here.
Break time!
And now…
Coffee news!
After recent news of Indonesia’s coffee volume estimate dropping by over 2 million 60kg bags (from 8.4M to 6.3M), and weather forecasts for this summer being devastating, keep an eye on the coffee market. Cocoa is currently spiking because of a perceived scarcity in the market, driving up price, and coffee is beginning to follow suit as a “similar” commodity. Given the weather forecasts and investor trends, you may be able to strike it big by investing in coffee as a commodity, but this may be very bad for your wallet at your favorite coffee shop (and awful for their bottom line, too!). Please don’t use this as financial advice without doing your own research, of course.
Also, Mexico and Colombia are predicted to have a higher production this year into 2025, so maybe it can create a balance.
Costa Rica is at record lows.
Coffee Concrete is live, in the wild [Australia]! Concrete that includes coffee grounds as a sand substitute has just been used to make a real footpath in Australia. That’s amazing.
Things that China is doing to invent interesting and unique drinks/selling points. A hilarious name for the overall trend, named “dark cuisine”.
Thanks for tuning in!
Enjoy your coffee!