{Arte Della Tazza}

You may already know the difference between the two main species of coffee: Coffea canephora aka "Robusta" and Coffea arabica. Coffee has been a heavily traded commodity for centuries. Like a lot of things, the industrial revolution, and specifically transportation changes, made mass-market coffee possible. 

The coffee you are familiar with as a roasted bean begins its life inside a fruited cherry that grows on an evergreen shrub somewhere on the globe between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. This belt that wraps around the globe is known as the “coffee latitudes," also known as The Coffee Belt. All specialty coffee comes from somewhere in this band, whether it’s Kona, Hawaii; Kivu, Congo; or Mount Kerinci, Sumatra.

Ciao Parisi Coffee lovers! Let me introduce myself. I'm Sandy Hon, one of Parisi Coffee's two current "Q Graders," and nothing gets me more excited than sharing coffee knowledge with other coffee lovers! Over the next couple of blog posts, I’m going to take you behind the scenes at Parisi to show you all that we do to ensure the cup of coffee you’re enjoying at home and in our cafes is one of the best you can get anywhere in the world. There is so much to learn about when it comes to coffee. The more you find out, the more you want to know. At Parisi, I educate our baristas on coffee and creating the best coffee-based drinks. I ensure...

In honor of the Kansas City Chiefs winning the AFC Championship and heading to Super Bowl LV, we at Parisi Coffee crafted a limited edition blend and mocha to support our hometown team. 

What a year it has been! I usually make at least four trips to origin for Parisi Coffee per year to find the very best, and most unique lots for true coffee lovers in Kansas City and beyond. Establishing strong relationships in countries of origin leads us to travel to visit our producer partners in person to see and appreciate their hard work, celebrate their successes, and make plans for upcoming harvests. Suffice it to say, travel this year has been difficult. Just before COVID hit, Nick Scott, Parisi’s Head Roaster, and I had the opportunity to be introduced to one of the most interesting producers I have had opportunity to meet in my career! It was the last days of...