By Claudie Benjamin
Golden Arches identify the McDonalds at the 2049 Broadway location and at McDonalds throughout the country and the world. They might be seen as symbolic of US (omni)presence. But, that’s only part of the picture. The history of coffee and coffee roasting is complicated and most certainly global. And, a hallmark McDonalds offering, along with hamburgers and chicken nuggets – is coffee.
Interested in immersing yourself in learning about the coffee roasting process? Coffee lovers will enjoy reading about Gaviña Gourmet Coffee. They may also arrange a tour of the 240,000 sq. ft. coffee roasting plant in Vernon, near Los Angeles. The operation is capable of producing 60 million pounds of coffee.
Roasting coffee beans, by definition, requires heat. The primary heat source for modern commercial coffee roasters is typically gas, (either natural gas or propane), which heats a drum where the coffee beans are roasted. For more precise temperature control and reduced emissions, newer models utilize electric heating elements instead.
Gaviña’s beans come from Central, South America, East Africa, and Southeast Asia. If this all seems a distant stretch from the Upper West Side, it really isn’t because Gaviña is a major supplier of coffee to McDonalds – and has been since 1983.
According to an interview with two members of the family-owned business, Francisco Gaviña and Leonor Gaviña Valls, in a California State University (CSU) publication, the family was originally from the Basque region of Spain. They emigrated to Cuba and started their business there in 1870. Then, in 1960, they moved to the US and eventually established the business in California. “My father said coffee runs through our veins. Perhaps that explains why I think everyone deserves a great cup,” Leonor said. (Gavina.com).
Histories and legends about the origin of coffee and coffee roasting are colorful and memorable. The most loved, frequently referenced, regards an Ethiopian goatherd, (as relayed by Nescafe):
He wandered over to his goats to see them acting very strangely. They were energized and excited after eating some berries from a tree. After trying the berries himself, and also feeling excitable and alert, Kaldi took these berries to a monk.
The monks exclaimed that it was the work of the devil and threw the berries into the fire. In doing so, a beautiful, heavenly aroma was released and the berries were quickly raked from the fire and crushed into embers. Realizing their mistake, the berries were then placed into a jug and covered with hot water for preservation.
The monks then went on to drink this lovely new concoction, only to realize it helped them stay awake during nightly devotions and prayers.
Storytellers and chroniclers seem to have found an endless well in the topic of coffee. As a consequence, detailed accounts of its introduction throughout the world abound. These often romantic, adventurous histories cover coffee entwined with Ottoman diplomats, sultans, Venetian princes, King Louis XlV, and Latin American entrepreneurs, too. Even President Thomas Jefferson weighed in, “Coffee – the favorite drink of the civilized world.”
The earliest reference to the coffee tree is attributed to mid-15th century accounts of Ahmed al-Ghaffar of Yemen. Al-Ghaffar’s coffee seeds were roasted and brewed much in the same way they are today. Later references include the 1894 publication Coffee: Its History, Classification and Description, a copy of which is held by the Library of Congress. More current accounts exist on the Gaviña and McDonalds websites.
For anyone drawn to roasting fresh beans at home, launching a pop-up, or opening a cafe, there are online and onsite training sessions and abundant advice about the value of gaining on-the-job experience in the coffee industry. There are numerous avenues for credentialing expertise and a range of levels of certification. According to ziprecruiter.com, “To pursue a career as a coffee roaster, you need training on how to roast, flavor, and grind coffee beans. You may find an entry-level coffee roaster trainee position with a local coffee company. Alternatively, you can earn your coffee roaster qualifications through a course or certificate program.”
Expertise in determining the relative advantages among a staggering variety of sophisticated roasting technologies is undeniably essential to any coffee enterprise. Variables are linked to electronic, digital controls to calibrate and maintain an optimal, consistent temperature during the roasting process that occurs with beans contained in a rotating drum.
The job of Master Roaster is held in highest esteem and revered in the business of coffee.
Should you be interested in experiencing a blast from centuries past, the closest you can come to the myth of the dancing goats is trying out your own campfire coffee bean roasting.
For guidance, there are many YouTube videos available.