Mexican Chiapas & Bolivian Colonial Caranavi Blend

I like to think we’ve all had a Frankenstein (it's pronounced "Fronkensteen") moment. It makes me feel more socially acceptable with my mad scientist thoughts. 

Chilean volcano erupting, photographer unknown

On the front porch, I held the roaster cord in my right hand and the extension cord in my left. The scorching sun was extinguished by billowing dark clouds. Lightning crick crackled across the sky. Wind blew my hair into a violent frenzy. As the pieces were joined a barbaric yelp was expelled from my lungs. 

 “It’s alive!”

Reality is less interesting. A neighbor was across the street watering his dormant lawn in a valiant effort to raise it back to life as though it was Lazarus. My husband and son were watching Dinosaur Train in the living room. I could see them through the floor to ceiling windows from the porch. 

When I flicked the switch and the roaster fan commanded the beans to dance, I swallowed my tongue and promptly sat on my hands. Making a fool of myself, while irresistible at times, is an act I save for the privacy of my house. Curtains closed. Doors and window locked. Cameras confiscated. 

The summer of 2012 has been hotter than and almost as dry as the Dust Bowl. Thankfully, we have something they didn’t have, air conditioning. The temperatures finally dropped to upper 80s this week. I never thought I would think of that as “cooling off”. With the heat index out of the hundreds, I seized the opportunity to roast coffee. This time I roasted with the intent to make a blend. I wanted to use a light roast and a dark roast in harmony.

Mexican Chiapas

Four ounces were roasted with a high fan on low heat for 2 minutes. Then the heat was set to medium for another six minutes. Until the first crack, which started three minutes into medium heat roasting, had stopped. A light roast was created.

Bolivian Colonial Caranavi

Four ounces were roasted with a high fan over low heat for two minutes. Then the heat was turned up to high and the fan down to medium for ten minutes. The first crack occurred with eight and a half minutes remaining. The second began with four minutes remaining. A dark French roast was achieved.

Both roasts were mixed into the same bag and brewed this morning from the drip machine. The first description of the blend came from my husband, “it’s a complex cup”. He went to work, my son got up and after an hour, I was finally able to make my assessment. It was the same. After texting about the flavors as he sipped from his travel mug and I from my cup we determined the best representation of flavors, dark chocolate covered roasted spiced nuts. 

Then we both craved a thick slice of pumpkin bread. Try a slice and a cup. Let me know what you think.

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