Yesterday I received an email from a larger Kona coffee company here on the island asking to buy some of our green coffee, especially peaberry or extra fancy. We have green coffee available but we are saving it for our many fine customers. As you know the coffee you receive from Kona Lisa has peaberry in it along with every bean we have picked on our farm last season. Some farms will shake out the peaberry and extra fancy and sell it.
Our goal to to service our customers with the best Estate grown coffee possible. Our supply of beans has been short this season but we tried to prepare for this. We only sold to our current customers this season not trying to add new as we knew something had to give. We are also roasting in smaller batches and only when orders are received. Plus we are making sure we save coffee for our coffee club members. This all takes a bit more care and time but is truly worth it because we value our business and especially our customers.
So far this production year looks to be a plentiful season. We will be busy harvesting in the fall and preparing those rich ripe cherries to be the special coffee we always serve because we want to remain the small boutique coffee plantation you've always expected. Thanks, or more appropriately mahalo, to everyone for helping make Kona Lisa Coffee what she is.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Updates and inventory status
SPRING UPDATES or what’s going on lately at your favorite gourmet coffee farm.
Plus ADVANCE NOTICE of delayed shipping dates and low inventory
The rains have been falling and our coffee trees are healthy and full of maturing green coffee cherry. We are happy to herald in this good news as we predict this years crop will be our best yet both in amount and flavors. Ron has finished selectively pruning all of our trees and is now on a round of what we call ‘suckering’. I always wondered why it’s called suckering and the best explanation I can give is that Ron will now persuade the trees to only produce the best and strongest branches to bear coffee beans by pulling off weak sprouts and steering the best ones to grow vertically and strong. (He’s good at this you know).
That is the good news. Sorely, last years crop was not as abundant due mostly to the drought. Yes, you may have heard of new pests recently introduced to this island but we are getting them well under control by using green gardening methods. Quick attention and sanitary gardening procedures helped us manage them.
Consequently, we are out of stock of a few of our coffee items. Our goal is to continue to provide the coffees to you our customers but we could run out of Kona Lisa’s beans before next years crop is ready.
To give the best service we know please be advised of these dates and inventory schedules.
1. No shipping from May 16 thru July 4th. Shipping will resume on July 5th. This means you will definitely receive your coffee if you order it by May 16, 2011. (Except coffee club members. See #3)
2. We foresee this years coffee crop lasting well into August and maybe September but blossoming was late this year and we predict that our first pick will not be until October. We may need to take back orders at this time. We will notify you if and when this happens.
3. Rest assured all coffee club members will continue to receive their coffees monthly. We plan for this and that’s why you joined.
Feel free to contact us at anytime with your questions.
Konalisacoffee@yahoo.com
Store@konalisacoffee.com
808-328-9941
Mahalo nui loa &
A hui hou,
Mary & Ron Lake
Kona Lisa Coffee
Plus ADVANCE NOTICE of delayed shipping dates and low inventory
The rains have been falling and our coffee trees are healthy and full of maturing green coffee cherry. We are happy to herald in this good news as we predict this years crop will be our best yet both in amount and flavors. Ron has finished selectively pruning all of our trees and is now on a round of what we call ‘suckering’. I always wondered why it’s called suckering and the best explanation I can give is that Ron will now persuade the trees to only produce the best and strongest branches to bear coffee beans by pulling off weak sprouts and steering the best ones to grow vertically and strong. (He’s good at this you know).
That is the good news. Sorely, last years crop was not as abundant due mostly to the drought. Yes, you may have heard of new pests recently introduced to this island but we are getting them well under control by using green gardening methods. Quick attention and sanitary gardening procedures helped us manage them.
Consequently, we are out of stock of a few of our coffee items. Our goal is to continue to provide the coffees to you our customers but we could run out of Kona Lisa’s beans before next years crop is ready.
To give the best service we know please be advised of these dates and inventory schedules.
1. No shipping from May 16 thru July 4th. Shipping will resume on July 5th. This means you will definitely receive your coffee if you order it by May 16, 2011. (Except coffee club members. See #3)
2. We foresee this years coffee crop lasting well into August and maybe September but blossoming was late this year and we predict that our first pick will not be until October. We may need to take back orders at this time. We will notify you if and when this happens.
3. Rest assured all coffee club members will continue to receive their coffees monthly. We plan for this and that’s why you joined.
Feel free to contact us at anytime with your questions.
Konalisacoffee@yahoo.com
Store@konalisacoffee.com
808-328-9941
Mahalo nui loa &
A hui hou,
Mary & Ron Lake
Kona Lisa Coffee
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Everyone wants to know "how to make the BEST cup of coffee".
Now since you have discovered the BEST coffee you want to know how to make the best cup of coffee there is. We will then call it Kona Lisa Coffee nirvana. You will, no doubt, believe that we have 7 coffee makers in our little coffee shack. We do use the drip coffee makers on Saturday mornings to brew the coffee into pump pots to take to the market. We sell many cups of coffee there and also give out many taste samples with excellent feedback from our customers. I'll always suggest a drip coffee maker for large jobs, that is, as long as you are using a good 100% Kona coffee. It still will not be bitter and your large gathering will appreciate that you care to serve a good cup of joe.
The next step is to enhance that cup of coffee for your own and your friends taste pleasures. Many of our customers use a French Press and I have two or those. A small one just for myself and a larger one that will serve up to 4 tourists. I'll make that for you when you do a coffee tour of the farm. I also find that I can brew myself a quick cup of coffee with my large cone shaped Randwyck (Melita type), set on top of my large 16 oz ceramic coffee cup. Using melita probably #4 brown filters I measure 16oz of fresh water into my measuring cup and microwave for about 2.5 mins. Whatever way you can get the temp to about 200 degrees. Pour it over a slightly wet filter and wa la a tasty rich morning brew.
My newest favorite is an AeroPress by Aerobie. You can have an espresso, a latte, or as I like it, a Americano cup of coffee in about 20 seconds after I heat the water to only about 175. - http://www.smarthome.com/91320/Aerobie-Inc-80R08-AeroPress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/p.aspx
This link - http://tinyurl.com/2acwdes
demonstrates a neat way to brew with a Chemex brewer. I don't happen to have this one as it's made of glass and in my small kitchen, if I had one it would only be a matter of time.
A neighbor brews his coffee with a Technivor. This machine is pricey. Coffee tastes great but I like the simpler, faster, tastier methods. The Technivor is described as the only drip type brewer to heat the water to the correct brewing temp. To me grinding the coffee just before brewing lets the flavor escape into my cup instead of into the air, ruling out the newer Keuring K-cup method.
I'm sure I have only touched on a limited number of ways to brew that great cup of java. I've shared my favorites now I'd like to hear from you.
The next step is to enhance that cup of coffee for your own and your friends taste pleasures. Many of our customers use a French Press and I have two or those. A small one just for myself and a larger one that will serve up to 4 tourists. I'll make that for you when you do a coffee tour of the farm. I also find that I can brew myself a quick cup of coffee with my large cone shaped Randwyck (Melita type), set on top of my large 16 oz ceramic coffee cup. Using melita probably #4 brown filters I measure 16oz of fresh water into my measuring cup and microwave for about 2.5 mins. Whatever way you can get the temp to about 200 degrees. Pour it over a slightly wet filter and wa la a tasty rich morning brew.
My newest favorite is an AeroPress by Aerobie. You can have an espresso, a latte, or as I like it, a Americano cup of coffee in about 20 seconds after I heat the water to only about 175. - http://www.smarthome.com/91320/Aerobie-Inc-80R08-AeroPress-Coffee-and-Espresso-Maker/p.aspx
This link - http://tinyurl.com/2acwdes
demonstrates a neat way to brew with a Chemex brewer. I don't happen to have this one as it's made of glass and in my small kitchen, if I had one it would only be a matter of time.
A neighbor brews his coffee with a Technivor. This machine is pricey. Coffee tastes great but I like the simpler, faster, tastier methods. The Technivor is described as the only drip type brewer to heat the water to the correct brewing temp. To me grinding the coffee just before brewing lets the flavor escape into my cup instead of into the air, ruling out the newer Keuring K-cup method.
I'm sure I have only touched on a limited number of ways to brew that great cup of java. I've shared my favorites now I'd like to hear from you.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Summer rains
The summer rains seem to be here. At least in the evenings. The last few nights we've been getting some light rains and the beans love it. Our beans are in their growing stage and need to be juicy to pull in all those delicious Kona coffee flavors. Today we looked at them and they are green and glossy. Their next step is just to grow larger and keep taking on the moisture that our summer rains give.
This is always the watch and wait season and also the season that we can take a little time off the island to visit with family. So we are doing just that. Because of the dryness of our past winter and spring we are expecting our crop to come in later this year. Normally when we return from the mainland we have a small first crop to pick but this year we think the ripening of our crop is set back at least a month. So those beans we looked at today have awhile to grow and ripen, probably 4-6 weeks. Grandchildren are coming back with us. So they will be just in time to learn how to pick wonderful red Kona coffee beans.
This is always the watch and wait season and also the season that we can take a little time off the island to visit with family. So we are doing just that. Because of the dryness of our past winter and spring we are expecting our crop to come in later this year. Normally when we return from the mainland we have a small first crop to pick but this year we think the ripening of our crop is set back at least a month. So those beans we looked at today have awhile to grow and ripen, probably 4-6 weeks. Grandchildren are coming back with us. So they will be just in time to learn how to pick wonderful red Kona coffee beans.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Kopi Luwak
Kopi Luwak coffee now seems to suffer the same problems that Kona coffee has endured for many years, fake and misleading labeling and packaging. First, what is Kopi Luwak anyway? You know, the coffee that sells for $120.00 per half pound and is retrieved from the excrement, or for a more pop culture word 'the poop', of a civet. Kopi Luwak has become popular in upscale coffee shops and resturants not only in the mainland USA but worldwide. You saw Jack Nicholson drinking it in 'Bucket List'.
One attribute of Kopi Luwak coffee is purported to be that the beans are fermented in the civets digestive system which gives the coffee it's delicate flavor. Our Kona coffee is also fremented but we do it the old fashioned way. After hand picking the cherry (ripe beans) and pulping them, we give them a warmish water bath, letting the sugary substances ferment overnight, something like how fine wines get fermented. The beans are then rinsed and set out to dry.
On a search on Amazon I found a 7oz package of Kopi Luwak coffee for $45.00. Upon reading the package label it said 2% Kopi Luwak and the rest other arabica blends. Aha, BLENDS!! Sounds familiar to me. A 10% blend of Kona coffee (with the rest other arabica blends) selling at $8.00 for 7oz is no more a bargain than the fake Kopi Luwak.
Kopi Luwak is supposed to be marvelous but I don’t have the fortitude to test it. I’ll just stick with my 100% homegrown gentle hand processed Kona Lisa Coffee.
One attribute of Kopi Luwak coffee is purported to be that the beans are fermented in the civets digestive system which gives the coffee it's delicate flavor. Our Kona coffee is also fremented but we do it the old fashioned way. After hand picking the cherry (ripe beans) and pulping them, we give them a warmish water bath, letting the sugary substances ferment overnight, something like how fine wines get fermented. The beans are then rinsed and set out to dry.
On a search on Amazon I found a 7oz package of Kopi Luwak coffee for $45.00. Upon reading the package label it said 2% Kopi Luwak and the rest other arabica blends. Aha, BLENDS!! Sounds familiar to me. A 10% blend of Kona coffee (with the rest other arabica blends) selling at $8.00 for 7oz is no more a bargain than the fake Kopi Luwak.
Kopi Luwak is supposed to be marvelous but I don’t have the fortitude to test it. I’ll just stick with my 100% homegrown gentle hand processed Kona Lisa Coffee.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Coffee Brewing Tips
A customer at our Saturday market asked us how we brewed our coffee because she didn't think her coffee tasted as good when she brought it home and brewed some up. It would have been nice if I could have told her about the magic potion I sprinkle in each pot to make tastings to our Saturday morning crew so delectable, but this is really what I suggested.
Eventhough Hawaii has very good tasting water in most parts of the island, I use filtered water right from my refrigerator door. Coffee is very delicate and some water components can interfere with the flavors you like. So, if you are not experiencing rich coffee flavors in your brewed pot try clearer fresh cool water.
Keep your pots and brewing equipment fresh and clean. Build up accumulates rather quickly and can also interfere with a great tasting cup of coffee. The good news is that it's really easy to keep your pots ready to accept a fresh brew. Just a drop of Ivory liquid swished in the pot and rinsed is good after daily use.
Today I did the thorough clean of all our brew and pump pots. We take 4 pump pots to the Market every Sat. so today I ran a mixture of my favorite easy cleaner, BrewRite, thru our brew pots. I, then, poured that hot solution into our four pump pots and let it set for no more than 5 minutes. After pressing the pumper a few times and swishing the solution around I rinsed them and they are now air drying. I love how the pots look like new again inside and out and sparkle as they will be ready to accept our fresh brews next Saturday morning.
It makes it all worth it when our first customer arrives and sips that great 100% Kona Lisa Coffee and goes "just what I needed, this is definitely the best coffee I have ever had".
Our Kona coffee is so smooth, slightly sweet with a nutty flavor and absolutely no bitterness that you don't want to confuse the senses with any extraneous matter. So those pots get washed and wiped down after use and I do a thorough clean about each month.
Remember your Kona Lisa coffee now gets brewed the way you like it and I suggest that you may not need as much coffee as you are used to using from mainland store bought coffees. So try using less and adjust until your taste buds tell you you've got it right. My measurments consist of 2/3 of a cup of ground coffee to a twelve cup pot. Tell me what works for you.
Eventhough Hawaii has very good tasting water in most parts of the island, I use filtered water right from my refrigerator door. Coffee is very delicate and some water components can interfere with the flavors you like. So, if you are not experiencing rich coffee flavors in your brewed pot try clearer fresh cool water.
Keep your pots and brewing equipment fresh and clean. Build up accumulates rather quickly and can also interfere with a great tasting cup of coffee. The good news is that it's really easy to keep your pots ready to accept a fresh brew. Just a drop of Ivory liquid swished in the pot and rinsed is good after daily use.
Today I did the thorough clean of all our brew and pump pots. We take 4 pump pots to the Market every Sat. so today I ran a mixture of my favorite easy cleaner, BrewRite, thru our brew pots. I, then, poured that hot solution into our four pump pots and let it set for no more than 5 minutes. After pressing the pumper a few times and swishing the solution around I rinsed them and they are now air drying. I love how the pots look like new again inside and out and sparkle as they will be ready to accept our fresh brews next Saturday morning.
It makes it all worth it when our first customer arrives and sips that great 100% Kona Lisa Coffee and goes "just what I needed, this is definitely the best coffee I have ever had".
Our Kona coffee is so smooth, slightly sweet with a nutty flavor and absolutely no bitterness that you don't want to confuse the senses with any extraneous matter. So those pots get washed and wiped down after use and I do a thorough clean about each month.
Remember your Kona Lisa coffee now gets brewed the way you like it and I suggest that you may not need as much coffee as you are used to using from mainland store bought coffees. So try using less and adjust until your taste buds tell you you've got it right. My measurments consist of 2/3 of a cup of ground coffee to a twelve cup pot. Tell me what works for you.
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