Coffee talk

My company, Solertium, is a software company, and a number of our employees like to power through their day with caffeine. For Liz, that's Diet Coke - but for everyone else who'd like to be on a caffeine drip, it's coffee.

Originally the coffee of choice was anything dark from Starbucks (holiday blend for Matt, Ethiopia Sidamo for Adam...), primarily because it was easy to stop in the local store and pick up a couple of pounds of beans. However, what I was really in the market for was a good shade grown coffee, with sides of fair trade and organic thrown in for good measure. That's not always the easiest to find at Starbucks - but it is at Trader Joe's.

In December, on a run down to Trader Joe's in Newport News (please, TJ, get that new store open in Williamsburg soon!), Rob & I stocked up on their Ethiopian coffee. It wins the trifecta - shade grown, fair trade and organic. Plus, I figured Adam would probably go for it. Happily, it's a hit - and, I believe, a better buy. Last weekend we trekked down to stock up again, and I also picked up their Nicaraguan coffee (organic & fair trade) and their Peruvian Cafe Fememino (all three). I particularly like the story behind Cafe Femenino - it's produced by an all women organization. The ladies do it all, from preparing the terrain to harvesting the beans.

So, Solertium coffee lovers, take my poll and let me know which coffee(s) you prefer! Or leave a comment if there is another coffee you'd like me to stock up on.