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(Special Advertising Section)

Panamanian green (unroasted) coffee, Panama Chiriqui Geisha Esmeralda Special La Hacienda Esmeralda 2006–7, was recently sold at auction for $130 per pound. Valued for their extraordinary diversity, nuance, and complexity, specialty coffees from around the globe are being routinely sold to discriminating connoisseurs for $25 to $50 a pound. Coffee is the new wine.

Coffee has joined wine in the pantheon of noble beverages. Specialty coffee—that rich, alluring brew from the far-flung corners of the world, grown with care by dignified and courageous small farmers, roasted to perfection by consummate professionals, and prepared by trained baristas—bears no resemblance to the insipid, boiled, brown, acrid water being served in most restaurants.

Consider that in order for a coffee to be considered "specialty" it must be handpicked at optimal ripeness from arabica trees growing above 1,000 meters altitude and only within a band between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The best coffees grow in rich, volcanic soil within narrow moisture and temperature ranges. Premium coffee requires premium care.

All coffee comes from the same two species of plant, Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora (robusta). In the United States, arabicas are used almost exclusively for premium coffee.

If all coffee originates from only two distinct sources, why does it taste so remarkably different depending upon where it is grown? Rich, full-bodied Costa Rican, lush with tones of Bing cherry and chocolate, is completely different from earthy, blueberry-fruit premium Yergacheffe from Ethiopia. Just like grapes, coffee plants produce remarkably different coffees depending upon environmental factors. This is very similar to what is called "terroir" in the world of wine. The art of preparing coffees of the highest quality is based in the tree, the soil, the sky, and the farmer's dedication to his craft.

Coffee beans are actually seeds contained in a small fruit called a cherry. Premium coffee cherries become fully ripe throughout the growing season, so the farmer must handpick only the bright red cherries at exactly the correct moment. Working a coffee finca, or farm, is truly a family affair, with all picking and sorting the valuable beans.

The next vital step in the processing of the bean is the wet and dry mills where the precious beans are removed from the surrounding fruit. The beans are then carefully dried by hand over several days so that 88 percent of the moisture is removed. A common sight in coffee lands is the large concrete "patios" where workers turn the drying beans over and over to ensure consistent, even drying. Beans poorly dried and handled are reduced in quality and value.

Master coffee roasters are specialty coffee's winemakers. Constantly testing and tasting coffees from around the world, they source exceptional single-origin coffees and produce exquisite blends of beans that satisfy their customers' demanding palates. Roasting is where the art of coffee emerges.

Café Britt, a buyer and roaster of fine premium coffees from Costa Rica, knows what it means to buy only the best. Located in the mountains of Costa Rica, its roasting facility is surrounded by some of the finest coffees in the world. Café Britt is in a unique position to ensure that only the best beans are roasted for its customers, and its customers are very important. As the leading roaster of coffee in Costa Rica, it has become the ambassador of Costa Rican coffee to the world. To people from tourists to presidents, Café Britt and Costa Rican coffee have become synonymous.

Boyd Coffee Company has been serving some of the finest coffees in the United States since 1900. Boyd's roast masters are celebrated authorities within the world's coffee elite. With instinct and skills honed over time, they travel the globe, selecting only those rare beans that meet stringent standards, then directing a precise process of coffee blending and roasting. Starting from a red horse-drawn wagon, Boyd has grown into one of the most respected specialty coffee companies in the world, producing artisan-roasted coffees with heart and soul. Boyd Coffee Company is committed to delivering ethically sourced, quality coffees purchased at fair prices. Visit www.boyds.com to learn more about this extraordinary company.