Luca made this comment recently in discussion on a post he had made that touched on Fair/Direct Trade: “If you listen to George Howell’s interview on the CG podcast, he is adamant that he is going to put the name of the farm/farmer on each bag because, as he puts it, you can’t imagine how important that is to them.” I was reflecting on this today as I drove to and from Di Bartoli.
I was wondering, given this huge push we’re seeing for ethically traded coffee (and yes, I could compose a very long entry about the merits of the various forms that may take, but I’m not going to … yet), about the ethics of espresso. This probably isn’t an original thought, and people who are more involved in the industry may roll their eyes at my being slow on the uptake at this point …
Anyway, I was contemplating the ethics of serving rubbish espresso. I mean, obviously, there’s the “how-dare-you-charge-me-some-of my-hard-earned-for-this-utter-swill” ethical issue; but that’s not exactly what I have in mind (Though it does really, really irk me).
I’m thinking more along the lines of doing justice to the product. If we’re going to (rightly, I think) jump up and down about paying farmers a fair wage, about sustainable farming practices and so on and so forth, then I can’t see how the ethical cafe owner, or barista, can, in good conscience, serve up swill with the product. It just seems wrong. I’m thinking especially of cafes that are advertising that they use ‘Fair Trade’ coffee. If you’re going to tell everyone how wonderfully ethically-minded you are, have the courtesy to do those farmers justice and produce an exceptional cup of coffee with the beans they supply you with.
Hmm .. there’s more to be said about this …
What do you think?
Still, I wanted to do a little competition thing, but the only thing I can do is roast and make coffee, so if you’re the 1000th commenter, you can have some. 
I feel a bit happier already.
