The sun is out and the summer is sweaty; it’s the season of cold brew and there’s lots that has … More
Author: Rachel Northrop
Freelance writer and author of the book "When Coffee Speaks: Stories from and of Latin American Coffeepeople."
Coffees for Dads
I am a coffee drinker because of my dad. I started drinking coffee when I started high school; classes began … More
When Coffee Connects
Vague generalisms like “coffee connects people” or “coffee shops are a third space that builds community” are tired clichés. … More
No Homo–It’s An Incorporated Rainbow
Because so much of the world’s culture (food, clothes, stuff) is manufactured and distributed by multinational corporations that imperialize with … More
Get Aspirational
At last month’s Rainforest Alliance gala reception I spoke briefly with Rainforest President Tensie Whelan for a few articles for … More
The Coffeepeople Event: SCAA 2015
Seattle, Take 2 From April 8th-12th the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) held its 27th annual Event, and for the … More
Soundbytes from When Coffee Speaks
“When I was twelve my family had come here [to Cedral] to pick coffee on a man’s farm. I dreamed—we came up here to pick coffee, and I could hear the cows and the calves and everything, because there used to be more dairies. And I dreamed of one day coming back, to be able to hear the cows, to come back here to live. I wanted to live here. I prayed to God that I could live here!
Tired Words
It’s already like 10 days into lent; I can’t remember how many years it’s been since made a decision and … More
Destroyed but Not Defeated
A few weeks ago I started a graduate program in English Literature, which admittedly has nothing to do with coffee … More
Action, Impact, and a Dose of Serendipity
From the trajectory of its debut month, 2015 seems to be the year of serendipity. One such example came yesterday … More
Otro Año Despues
Al finales de octubre 2013 yo auto publiqué 400 copias de “When Coffee Speaks,” (“Cuando el Café Habla”) como la … More
Another Year Later
At the end of October 2013 I self published 400 copies of “When Coffee Speaks: Stories from and of Latin … More
Crop to Cup gets Roasty
When I travel, coffeepeople often give me samples of green coffee as a gesture of sharing the bounty of their … More
Lazy Change
Walk the dog. Grab brunch. Change history. Is that how it works? Can changing history be accomplished just by showing … More
There’s an App for That: Angels’ Cup, Coffee Tasting for All
It takes many long, grueling hours to become a Q Grader, the technical name for a “coffee sommelier,” or professional … More
When Coffee Speaks 