When it comes to coffee I am what some might consider a bit of a snob. Chalk it up to my Brazilian roots, but coffee is one thing I won’t compromise on. So it’s a pleasure to announce that I’ve found what just might be the best coffee I’ve ever tried: Counter Culture’s Idido Misty Valley Ethiopian Yirgacheffe.

I know I’m bordering on hyperbole here, but this is as close to the Platonic ideal of coffee as we’re likely to get. It’s a wonderfully fragrant and deliciously complex brew. But this doesn’t do it justice: we’re all used to being told that such and such a coffee is aromatic, nuanced, nutty, fruity, clean, etc., etc., etc., only to find that it tastes pretty much like every other brand we’ve tried. And frankly I’m getting a bit tired of wondering, “Am I missing something?” when I’m told the muddy, burnt-tasting stuff in my grande cup is the sine qua non of coffee artisanship.

Enough. In a welter of coffee companies claiming superiority, Counter Culture Yirgacheffe is the real deal: It’s rich, yes, but it’s also somehow delicate, blooming on the tongue as it surprises you with its hints of berry and spice. I’ve also tried Counter Culture’s Rwandan Nyakizu-Butare, which I’m happy to report is every bit as delicious as its Yirgacheffe. What’s more, Counter Culture is dedicated to fair trade practices and organic, sustainable agriculture, cultivating (no pun intended) special relationships with individual family farms in Africa, South America and around the world.

The packaging is also worth raving about: each burlap-colored valve bag boasts artwork originating in the region producing the coffee, a map of the region (for the geographically challenged among us), a description of the farm where the coffee is grown and harvested, as well as individual tasting notes.

In keeping with its grass-roots principles, Counter Culture launched a “cupping” program, inviting any and all to its training centers in Durham, Ashville, Atlanta, Charlotte, New York and Washington, D.C. to enjoy some freshly brewed java and to learn about what makes Counter Culture coffee so special.


"The Product Pasha, has been buying things for as long as she can remember. For almost as long, she has suffered the indignity of purchasing subpar goods, lured by too-good to-be-true advertising. An educator by trade, the Pasha has turned her critical and expository skills on the world of consumer products, sampling everything from lip balm and mascara to digital.