Wolf and Mermaid Enchanted Roasters Café co-owners Kate Kudynska and her husband Scott Baird on a recent trip to Costa Rica. Photo by Adrian Baird
Johnny Baird of Wolf and Mermaid Enchanted Roasters Cafe helps out at a coffee farm recently in Costa Rica. Photo by Adrian Baird
By SCOTT BAIRD
Co-owner
Wolf & Mermaid Enchanted Roasters Café
Editor’s Note: This is part one of a series by Scott Baird detailing a recent visit to Costa Rica with his co-owners of Wolf & Mermaid Enchanted Roasters Café.
Landing in San Jose, Costa Rica, we had a feeling that we were arriving in familiar territory. Although more lush and green – the land and people reflect many of the same truths that shape our Northern New Mexican terrain. The ever-present volcanos that shape and define our land, the native foods, traditions and families that inform our culture, and the shadow of Spanish imperialism that shapes our architecture, worship and tradition. All of these are part of the shared space that Costa Rica and New Mexico have in common. Their similarities are many- but the differences are profound.
The landscape of Costa Rica can only be described as treacherous. The thin roads, blind switchbacks, treacherous snaking paths along the upper peaks of smallish, spiky webs that crisscross the mountain ranges and steep countryside made for an inspirational, yet terrifying, ride up to the Hacienda La Minita as well as to our gracious hosts and landed coffee farm.
Our first outing was to a microclimate in the Santa Maria district. There are apparently three remarkable coffee growing areas in the Tarrazu region of Costa Rica. Named after the saints Mary, Peter and Mark- the Santa Maria district and specifically Santa Maria de Dota is responsible for a coffee bean that produces a slightly fermented or ripe cherry flavor with a deep chocolate, and roasted hazelnut finish. It is the basis for our “Condor” variety of coffee.
Within this district, our hosts purchase high quality lots of coffee from “small” farm owners. On our first day, we visited one such small farm owned by Don Rafael and his brothers. There are apparently four brothers, which led to us naming this farm “Four Brothers Coffee Farms”. Our naming recommendation was not adopted.
Following a narrow, rutted, single lane wash out (we will not call it a road) and after one near catastrophic brake failure, we found ourselves walking in a shaded row under mature coffee plants. These trees were interspersed with other large plants and trees: a banana tree, an avocado tree, a palm of some sort, maybe a lemon or orange tree. This pleasant stroll passed by a small waterfall, a running brook, and entrancing vistas of the superhuman bowl- that is the microclimate region of Santa Maria de Dota.
The coffee fruit was ripe and being harvested. The cherries were yellow and deep burgundy red. Their taste was as an unsweet plum, a light green grape and a crunchy pear- all in one small mouthful (likely caffeinated). Inside their soft, white flesh was the green bean that, when roasted, brings people to visit with you from across the street, lights up and emboldens conversations and makes starting cold on a hard Monday a little easier. Yes, that was our product. The coffee bean; a small pit in a tropical cherry.
The main lesson we took from the day was respect. Respect for the people, for the lives, for the businesses, for the effort, for the energy, for the entrepreneurship, for the innovation, and for the struggle that occurs to bring every single bean out of that grapey cherry and ship it around the world, to our door, so that we can roast it, grid it, infuse it with water and steam, and present it to you – our friends, our customers, and our family, so that your day is better.
Wolf and Mermaid currently serves its specialty, single origin coffees 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day at Bathtub Row Brewery. The hope is to open its new location at 181 Central Park Square very soon.
