Falling in Love With Coffee – Part 2 traveling coffee girl

Remember when I told the story about my first inspirational coffee experience? So. ..I may have gotten a little excited. It started off well enough. I had my very first artisan coffee experience at Zoey’s Cafe in Ashland, and Starbucks became the coffee of convenience, reserved for days when I wanted to write poetically random Missed Connections posts on Craigslist or spend time with the plushie of the week at the local Safeway. I still went to Einstein Brothers partly because the shop it was literally across the street from my apartment, but mostly because they offered complimentary coffee and I need all the compliments I can get.

My investigation of coffee began small at first for my own edification. In 2017, the Burton Barr Library in Phoenix, Arizona hosted the Beneficial Beans Cafe. This wonderful “Coffee With a Purpose” was not only my first introduction to the glorious scent of freshly roasted coffee beans but also was also part of a program through the non-profit Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC) which offered internships and employment opportunities to autistic adults.

Then, in 2018, I flirted with the idea of using my love of coffee as a writing launch, but other than having the occasional introduction to mobile trucks, such as The Traveling Cup or drinking a standard commercial brew from one of a dozen old school breakfast cafes in the area, there wasn’t much more I could contribute to my appreciation other than pictures of the coffee cups I was adding to my already full coffee cupboard. In March 2019, Local First Arizona advertised a sustainable coffee tour. How perfect is that? What could be better than walking around downtown Phoenix on a beautiful spring morning while drinking coffee? This was the point of no return.

That morning, the tour led my group to Fair Trade Cafe on Grand Avenue where former school teacher Stephanie Vasquez, gave us samples of cold brew and told us the story of her dream, cultivating a community coffee shop in downtown Phoenix.

Our next stop on the tour was the Street Cafe, a local spot once located near Garfield and 7th St., but it closed its doors years ago. During my recent cafe carousing, I heard rumor that Street Cafe’s former manager joined the team at Lola’s. The reason I remember the Street Cafe wasn’t as much about their food or coffee as much as how they prioritized sustainability, care, and resources for their South American coffee farm and the employees who tended it. We were also shown a demonstration of the creation of coffee fertilizer capsules made from leftover grounds sent every week from Scottsdale Hilton.

The third location, Blue House Coffee, is where I finally learned to appreciate cold coffee. Each time I have a cup it’s already sweet enough without adding sugar and light enough for warmer days. Founded by two ASU students, Blue House is famous for its mobile bicycle coffee cart. I confess, I am also a somewhat smitten with their cute little corn straws; they are usable and biodegradable without becoming floppy and mushy like some paper straws.

March 16, 2019 was a monumental day for two reasons: when the tour was over, I discovered the farmers market was only a block away, and that was my first experience with the Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market. Suddenly, my personality became defined by two things on the same day. I became the girl who adored coffee AND farmers markets. It’s one of the most girly-girl cliches out there, but it’s the most natural transition. Coffee and farmers markets aren’t only about food: they are both the culmination of individual passions and venues of community.

As I mentioned, I may have gotten a little overly excited about it. Since 2019, I’ve become acquainted with my fair share of farmers markets and, well, coffee. These are only a few of the coffee roasters and shops that have shaped my coffee journey over the last few years. As we continue on our journey, I’m excited to revisit some old favorites and dive deeper into their stories.

Is there a coffee roaster or distributor whose story inspires you? Tell us more about them. We would love to feature them in a future edition of Coffee Adventures.