Christmas really starts at Monmouth when the panettone and chocolate arrive. Both are rocking this year and you will find more information about them on our website and in our shops. The next thoughts invariably turn to which coffee should be on the table for Christmas and that is where it gets interesting. Like all food choices around important dates and holidays there are some traditions – but if you’re thinking about what you actually want versus what you usually have then here are some thoughts for you.
Malacara A – when you want a coffee that tastes like coffee this is a great start. Malacara A has the enviable position on our counter of being one of the most perfectly balanced coffees we have ever tasted. This is the coffee for all reasons and seasons. You can’t go wrong with it.
Ndaroini – for the traditionalist who is looking for something to stand up to the Christmas cake, the pudding, and the mince pies, and go toe to toe with them all. Full of massive fruit flavours and juicy richness.
Furnas – just when you think you can’t have more chocolate along comes this nutella-like wonder. This is the coffee to wake you up properly on Boxing day and get you braced and ready for the obligatory clear-the-senses walk.
Alemayehu – if you’re hanging upside down somewhere wondering what to have in your aeropress over the season, and know what the British trad climbing grades mean, then one of our natural process coffees is probably heading in the right direction. The Alemayehu has been outstanding this year – full of funky fruit and syrupy sweetness.
And lastly La Martina – this is the coffee to put on the table to relax. Creamy body, honey and clementines. When it has all been a bit much, and we all know it has, then put a filter of La Martina on and take some time out.
In all seriousness, to say the year has been stressful or unprecedented or difficult is really an understatement. We have never experienced anything like it and who knows if we will do again in the future. For us, at the beginning of the first lock-down, everything changed and through to the end of the year everything is still changing. We are really proud of our team and how we have pulled together throughout the year to get coffee sourced, bought, shipped, roasted, packed and sent out to all of our customers in difficult and changing circumstances. We are immensely grateful to all our farmers and suppliers for helping us along our way this year and giving us encouragement and understanding. And not least, we are so thankful to our wonderful customers for all of your support, kind words and outright determination to keep up your caffeination throughout lock-downs, courier delays and general shenanigans.
What a year already. Hopefully we will be ending it in good health and if you can get to your family and friends for a few hours’ or days’ worth of festivities then have a blast of a time and make it count. Goodness knows what the start of next year has in store for us.
Happy Christmas and best wishes for 2021.
Monmouth x
