Since my husband subscribed to the coffee roaster Tonx, no more mornings when we've run out of coffee and haven't had time to get to Intelligentsia or LAMILL Coffee or Handsome Coffee Roasters. Every two weeks, regular as clockwork, a small package of 12 ounces of freshly roasted coffee beans arrives in the mailbox.
Each time, it's a surprise, maybe coffee from the Barichu Farmers Cooperative Society in central Kenya ("unusual sweetness, and resonant flavors that linger") or from Alice Estate in Carmo de Minas, Brasil ("focused on heirloom varieties like yellow Bourbon, and protective planting ... flavors of honeyed toast, browned butter and a hint of cashew". Each shipment comes with a small sheet of information about the coffee and its growers.
Instead of drinking the same espresso blend every morning, I'm drinking coffees from plantations and small farmers wherever coffee is grown. And brewing it in different ways, too. Tonx's Tony Konecny (a former Intelligentsia Coffee guy) and his small team of coffee fanatics tend to roast on the lighter side, so if you're used to Peet's darker roasts, say, it can be something of a shock at first. Hang in there. Keep drinking and you'll soon appreciate the more nuanced lighter roast. I know I do.
