KarenM

Ok, all you travelers out there...what hotel/resort in the Caribbean Islands had the best cup of coffee? You know the kind of coffee you get in really expensive gourmet restaurants, even better than Starbucks. I'm talking the kind of coffee that was lip smacken good.

Canuck_at_Canada_eh

Hi Karen:
Well first off, if Starbucks is your guide to good coffee, then you really must get out and about more. Starbucks is nothing more than "boutique" coffee, all hype and no substance.

Now to answer your question. Best coffee I've had while travelling in the caribbean has to be.....

In Habana Vieja (Old Havana) on the edge of Plaza de Armas at the corner of Calle Obispo and Oficios. Cafe La Mina is a small cafe that serves wonderful coffee. You can get a cafe Cubano made from Cubita coffee. It's a very nice smooth expresso best taken with just a touch of sugar and no cream. Simply wonderful.

tivertonhouse

A cup of dark roasted aged-in-barrel
reserve Old Tavern Estate/Jamaican served by Dorothy right at the coffee plantation or sent by her to States....or a cup of South Coast mountain beans which you've parched/roasted yourself in an old sugar
mill cast iron pan over a 3 hour fire.Wallingford Estate beans are also good.

Diana

tiv,
I wonder if I can get packed and to the airport in time to get the next flight out.
Your description pretty much made my Maxwell House Italian Espresso Roast seem bland in comparison.
As I was brewing it, I had decided to get on Ebay and get some of the JaBlum that I have seen someone from MoBay selling.
Is that decent coffee, or can I get better through another avenue? (Preferably mail order or online as opposed to hopping the next flight - which I would LOVE to do.)

benj

Go to www.negril.com & post on there. Selina's in Negril has WONDERFUL coffee. Everyone raves about JaBlum & I have seen posts that say it goes for about $15-20 lb over there. I seem to remember someone posting about ordering coffee online.

SamH

Man, a great cuppa joe sounds really good right now. I'm certainly not the Caribbean traveler that most of you are, nor am I a coffee connesour (sp) but I do know that I really enjoyed the Blue Mountain coffee served all over Jamaica. I remember I was working the night shift and then return to the Hotel Versalles in MayPen. Drink about 4 cups of great coffee and not be able to go to sleep.

KarenM

Canuk, Starbucks isn't my guide but I put that in because there are lots of people that don't eat in gourmet restaurants and as far as they are concerned Starbucks is good coffee. Am I digging a bigger hole here, lol? Cuba is more of a challenge for Americans to get to since we have to enter Cuba from another country.

I'm just always amazed when you go to these expensive resorts and serve tasteless colored water and call it coffee. It also seems that the worst cup of coffee you get is with breakfast too. Even places like 4 Seasons and Ritz Carlton don't seem to get it.

It sounds so far like Jamaica tries to serve good coffee. Old Taven is rated pretty high: https://www.greatcoffee.com/drilldown.cfm/dd.Estates

I do know from talking to someone on the coffee biz that 100% Arabica is the key to good coffee and from there blends of beans is what makes the best coffee. I found this website that's quite educational on beans, roasting, etc.:

http://www.peets.com/shop/shop.asp

I also saw on the FoodTV channel a show called Good Eats, Alton Brown, that coffee should be kept in an airtight container to maintain freshness.

IslandGrl

Best cup of coffee for me was in St. Martin at the Le Flamboyant. Do it yourself latte and capuccino machine. Bliss!

Canuck_at_Canada_eh

Hey there KarenM.

Don't worry, I was basically teasing you about Starbucks. As to being in the bottom of the hole, hell, that's where I often put myself so don't worry.

As to coffee. The funny thing is that there are a great many places in the world that like their coffee real strong and not dilluted down like American/Canadian coffee.

I spent a few weeks wandering around in Columbia South America a few years ago and despite a popular illegal product, a few demi-cups of the local coffee had me "wired" for the whole day....legally!! LOL
Simply wonderful stuff if you like strong coffee.
Cuba does the same thing. There is coffee Cubano which is very tasty, but very strong, and also coffee Americano, the typical weak North American style of coffee. Different flavors for different tastes.
Have to admit that the Jamaican Blue Mountain is very good stuff, as is the Hawaiian Kona Gold... when I can afford it.
That's the joy... and the terror of travelling. Good coffee, bad coffee, and stuff that can only be described as Mud!! Oh well, keep on sipping.
Steve

tivertonhouse

J.Martinez/mail orders out of New Orleans is one specialty house that handles Old Tavern Estate in States.
You can also go direct to Dorothy
Twyman at Old Tavern Estate in Jamaica for monthly shipments to you. See 'GOURMET' JULY 2003 for good article on the beans here. Carolyn Barrett of Barrett Adventures on island can also take you there...It puts JABLUM to shame. On the South Coast in Treasure Beach, Dawn Moxam also parches Malvern/Santa Cruz Mt. beans. About US$10 a qt /see EAT and PLAY section of www.treasurebeach.net

Diana

Thanks tiv! I knew you'd have "the scoop."

Diana

btw,
Thanks to everyone else who made suggestions also! When it comes to coffee, I am a newbie.
I'm 42 and just started drinking it last year.
I'm trying to make sure I get started on the right foot and know Jamaica has some of the best coffee in the world.

cartera45

Just as important as the coffee is how you make it. Buy whole beans and get a burr - not blade - grinder. Then get a French press, grind the coffee courser than usual and you have a pure cup of coffee.

RobertoB

Tivertonhouse:

That's a great and sad article on Old Tavern Estate coffee in Gourmet magazine. Thanks for the mention of it from a coffee lover.

indie

tivertonhouse

Had to second your choice - Old Tavern estate coffee, served by Dorothy and sitting in that living room looking at that view of the mountains!!!!

I brought a little back and have been stingily making some once every couple of weeks.