Artisan Coffee

Buying fresh coffee beans is not as easy as it seems, especially if your day cannot start without a cup of perfectly brewed hot coffee. With so many varieties to pick from, it is quite normal to get overwhelmed by so many varieties of coffee beans available in the market.

Unless you have worked as a part time barista at your local coffee shop or at Starbucks, buying coffee is not a child’s play. You need to be well informed about the endless number of coffee beans to choose the right type of coffee for yourself.

Whether you are picking coffee beans for your workplace, family or your own coffee maker,  following are some important tips to buy the best coffee for yourself and to make sure that you enjoy that perfect cup of hot coffee every day.

Expiration Date of Coffee Beans

Contrary to the general perception, coffee beans do come with an expiration date and cannot last forever. Although, it can last for a good amount of time, if stored correctly, however, they tend to lose its freshness once it reaches its expiration date and should be discarded asap.

In order to buy fresh coffee beans from the store, make sure to check the roast date on the packet. If a packet doesn’t mention the roast or expiration date, then it is better to avoid buying such coffees and go for one which clearly mentions the roast or expiration date on the package.

Mixed vs Black Coffee

Whether you prefer plain filter coffee machines or something as fancy as Bunn coffee makers, it is recommended to choose coffee beans accordingly. If you like to add milk in your coffee, then it is better to go for blend coffee beans.

If you prefer regular black coffee, then go for single origin beans. The blend coffee beans give more richness and texture to your coffee. Whereas, single origin beans come from a specific single geographic location, and the coffee beans contain the characteristic that the particular region.

How to Check the Freshness of Coffee Beans

It is recommended to purchase coffee when it is roasted fresh to get the most flavor of the bean. Also, it is best to use up the coffee within three weeks of the date of roasting mentioned on the jar. The coffee can be enjoyed the most in the second week after it is roasted.Most cafes and coffee shops are found to serve coffee a week after the roast date that gives you that irresistible flavor and that much needed kick-start to your day. The coffee can also be used the third and fourth week as well, but the freshness of the bean starts reducing and you do not get the same rich and intense flavor that one desires for early morning to start the day.

Coffee from Puerto Rico

If you wish to buy the best coffee in Puerto Rico, you should opt for a 100% Arabica product. This bean is characteristic of this Caribbean zone and is one of the most coveted worldwide. It has a low caffeine level and is less bitter than conventional coffees.

In order to choose the best option, you should opt for brands that conserve the typical way of care and processing of the bean. Opting for ecological and environmentally friendly options.

Choosing Between Espresso and Filter Coffee

Many people get confused between different brewing methods of coffee. Although, both brewing methods; espresso and filter roast are equally well,it is up to you which brewing method you like the most.

Both type of coffee beans are developed in an entirely different setting. Espresso roast beans are caramelized in a roaster machine, whereas filter roast beans are not processed to maintain the rawness and bitterness of the beans that is needed for filtered coffees.

African Coffee Beans

Coffee beans can also be distinguished on the basis of their growing conditions. Coffee beans  grow best in warmer regions between the tropics of Cancer and  Capricorn. The climatic conditions and the type of soil used for growing coffee beans can affect the overall taste and quality of the coffee beans. If you like tropical and sweet berry flavors in your beverage, then you can opt for African coffee beans.

In the Southern and Central parts of the US, you get coffee beans that have a subtle toffee like sweet flavor with a slight kick of fruitiness added to it. If you prefer your coffee to have a more strong and raw taste, then go for Indian or Indonesian coffee. These blends are often infused with fresh herbs and aromatic spices. Another awesome choice is Puerto Rico’s Café Tesoro del Sol coffee. These coffee beans are handpicked, carefully depulped and sun dried. Puerto Rico’s Café Tesoro del Sol Ground Coffee Beans and Whole Bean coffee  can be purchased online and is freshly roasted within days of your order.

Washed and Unwashed Coffee Beans

Coffee primarily comes in two different ways; washed and unwashed. Both type of coffees differ in their taste and price. The fruit pulp from the washed ones is removed and is further fermented in tanks where as, the pulp of the unwashed coffee beans remains intact which gives the beans a more fruity wine like flavor.

These were some important factors to keep in mind while buying coffee online or from a grocery store. With a variety of different options to choose from, we hope you will be able to easily decide which coffee to select on your next grocery shopping trip.

Of course, when visiting a new place you want to bring home souvenirs, but it can get tricky when you are talking about agricultural products, food and beverages. We often hear concerns about bringing back rum, coffee, and fruits.

While there is no customs per se between the US and Puerto Rico, all baggage is required to go through a screening by the Dept of Agriculture upon arrival at the SJU airport to leave Puerto Rico. If you are carrying fruit or other types of produce, let them know.

What you can and cannot bring from Puerto Rico to the United States can change, depending on what diseases or pests are raging at the moment.  USDA APHIS now has a web page with the most up-to-date information, so be sure to verify it before buying anything:

USDA APHIS List of What Traveler can bring from Puerto Rico to United States

What you can bring from Puerto Rico to the United States:

• Alcohol – 5 quarts of your favorite rum!
• Cigars- you can bring back 50
• Condiments – including vinegars, oils, pickled goods, spices, coffee, tea, and some cheeses and baked goods are permitted
• Souvenirs – you can bring back any local artwork, but be conscious that items made with turtles or taino artefacts are strictly prohibited (although the likelihood of coming across either of those is pretty non-existent).

Items for Debate: Fruits and Vegetables

Want to bring back Puerto Rico fruit or vegetables?  Fruit is an iffy area and can change depending on the current disease issues of the day. They have a posting in the airport, but generally speaking, it is hard to say. For example, in the past I have brought different types of bananas, but they wouldn’t allow an apple. I’ve had mixed results with bringing Aji Peppers and Recao (the fixings to make Sofrito). Generally, I have more luck of getting items through when I have purchased from a grocery store with packaging, than items purchased through a fruit stand. Here is a listing as it currently stands:

Do Not Bring:

• Citrus – all variety of citruses are prohibited due to potential disease like Citrus Greening
• Soursop
• Passionfruit
• Plants with Soil Media
• Pigion Peas – the pigion pea borer could affect stateside soy crops
• Mangoes – the mango borer
• Sweet Potatoes

What is Allowed:

• Avocado
• Papaya
• Coconut
• Plantain
• Cassava
• Batata
• Yautia

Items for Debate: Palm Fronds

Fresh green palm fronds are prohibited. However, if you purchase an artisan item that has been made from palm fronds, make sure you put it into the freezer prior to leaving. They will allow palm fronds that have been cured or dried.

Recipe by  Skippy

Ingredients

• 2 small bananas, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp. light Puerto Rican rum
• 1 container (8 oz.) frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed
• 1/2 cup Skippy ® Creamy or Super Chunk® Peanut Butter
• 1 package (3 oz.) prepared lady fingers (about 24)
• 3 ounces strong brewed Tesoro del Sol Puerto Rican coffee
• Cocoa powder  (try Caribbean Trading Macadamia Chocolate Powder!)

Total Time 50 min

Servings: 8

Preparation

1. In medium bowl, gently toss bananas with rum; set aside.
2. In large bowl, with wire whisk, blend whipped topping with Skippy® Peanut Butter. On serving platter, arrange lady fingers, top sides down, into four rows of three to form a rectangle. Brush each lady finger generously with coffee.
3. Evenly top lady fingers with 1/2 of the peanut butter mixture, then top with bananas. Brush remaining coffee on bottoms of remaining lady fingers and arrange, top sides up, on bananas. Evenly spread remaining peanut butter mixture on top and sides, then sprinkle with cocoa powder. Chill 30 minutes or until ready to serve. Sprinkle, if desired, with additional cocoa powder.

You can find this recipe on our Yummly Page as well.  Hit the Yum Button so you can add it into your recipe box:
Yum

Organic Extra Dark Chocolate Powder – Macadamia

Tesoro del Sol Coffee – Ground

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Puerto Rican coffee has a long and interesting history and is of an exceedingly high quality. At its’ peak, Puerto Rican coffee was consumed in the Vatican and in the royal and imperial courts of Europe and Japan, and considered a premier coffee. In the annals of Puerto Rican history, 1896 stands out as a vintage year for the island’s coffee crop. In that year, according to Luis Pumarada O’Neill’s La Industria Cafetalera de Puerto Rico: 1736-1969, the industry reached the pinnacle of its success, ranking as the world’s sixth-largest coffee exporter and shipping a record 579,613 quintales of locally grown beans to sophisticated coffee drinkers throughout Europe. There were more than 875 coffee estates on the island dedicated to the delicate process of elaborating quality coffee.

As Sugar Production grew in the early 20^th century under American influence, fields originally used for coffee production were converted to sugar cane, and production dropped. The world forgot about Puerto Rican coffee and how great it was…. However, in the last 10 years, there has been a resurgence of Puerto Rican coffee production and appreciation.

Throughout Puerto Rico look for local brands: Yauco Selecto, Yaucono, Cafe Rico, Crema, Adjuntas, Coqui, and Alto Grande Super Premium. The Café Yauco Selecto brand is among the best known premium blends the island has to offer. Another brand, Alto Grande, is of super-premium quality; that is, it’s the highest quality coffee you can buy. Alto Grande is one of only one three coffees to carry this label, besides Blue Mountain and Kona.

Yauco Selecto is produced at elevations above 3,000 feet in the southwestern mountains from trees of the admired bourbon variety and other traditional local Puerto Rican cultivars. At best it is a superb example of the Caribbean taste, soft yet powerful, with a fragrant, fruity sweetness.

Alto Grande Super Premium Coffee is exported to the world from Puerto Rico in the limited quantities; either directly or – in case of Japanese market which gets 50% of the annual crop– via one of the most prestigious coffee traders the Gevalia Kaffe company.

“Our whole process takes eight days, from the cherry bean to the finished product, and I believe there’s no other company in the world that takes so long,” said Garrido, 44, whose grandfather started the business around 70 years ago. “But it’s not because we’re lazy. It’s a very time-consuming tradition that has resulted in consistent high quality. We do not use color sorters. After the coffee’s been processed, we keep it in warehouses which are humidity- and temperature-controlled, with zero illumination.”

In 1993, master taster Willy Pettersson of Sweden’s Gavalia Kaffe said his visit to Alto Grande “revealed not only exemplary high-grown coffee from small carefully tended farms, but one of the best contemporary processing facilities” he had ever encountered during his world search for fine beans.

Get a taste of the Caribbean Delivered to Your Doorstep…

Click Here to Purchase Alto Grande

Click Here to Purchase Yauco Selecto

This article was written by Captain Tim and the Crew of Caribbean Trading Company.

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Appetizer – Coffee Churrasco Nachos

** Churrasco is also known as flank steak

Serves 6-8; can be doubled

Ingredients

• For the steak:
• 1-1/2 lb Churrasco
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp Adobo seasoning
• 1/2 cup coffee syrup
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 4-oz can jalapeño nacho rings (optional)
• 4 oz shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
• Fresh cilantro

In a large bowl, combine all dry spices. Rub this mixture on both sides of the meat and cook until medium rare. Remove the meat, cut across the grain into 2-inch chunks, and shred with 2 forks. Return the meat to the pan and cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.  Top each piece of tortilla with a spoonful of shredded flank steak, a few jalapeño rings, and some shredded cheese. Bake in the oven on 375 for as long as it takes for cheese to melt.  Sprinkle with some fresh cilantro, and serve immediately.

** Avocado, Guacamole, and Sour Cream are excellent pairings with these nachos

Entrée – Coffee  Meat Rub

For the entrée, we suggest a nice coffee meat rub.  This will work excellent on any red meat or chicken, and especially well when grilling on the barbecue.

• 2 tablespoons ground Tesoro del Sol coffee beans
• 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin

Preheat the oven broiler. Place the ground coffee on a sheet of aluminum foil, and place about 6 inches from the heat source. Broil for about 45 seconds, shaking the foil about every 10 seconds, or whenever you see smoke.  In a small bowl, stir together the coffee, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Rub into steaks, or pound in with a meat mallet. Grill as desired

Dessert – Coffee  Cookie

Every year I bake many types of holiday cookies to gift to co-workers and friends.  I always stay with traditional favorites like Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter, and then throw in a few cookies of unusual taste. Last year I did a coffee cookie, and it was so well-received that I plan to do it again this year!

• • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee powder
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate
  • 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts

Preparation

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add egg, beating until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Stir in vanilla and espresso powder.

Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Stir chopped bittersweet chocolate and chopped hazelnuts into batter. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on lightly greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake, in batches, at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks.

Coffee Cookie Recipe is courtesy of Jan Moon, Coastal Living, DECEMBER 2010

Fine Ground Sea Salt

Puerto Rican Adobo Seasoning

Tesoro del Sol Coffee – Whole Bean

Vanilla Extract – Dark Double Strength – 8 oz.

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Coffee

Puerto Rico is known for it’s coffee.  In the 19th century Puerto Rico was one of the world’s leading coffee origins. In 1896, for example, the island was the sixth largest coffee producer in the world. But in the 20th century coffee became lost in the complex political and economic shuffle that marked Puerto Rico’s passage from agricultural economy and Spanish colony to developing American commonwealth. In the late 1980s, however, a consortium of farmers led by Harvard-educated marketing expert Jaime Fortuno revived Puerto Rico as a specialty coffee origin.  Today, you can enjoy some of the finest Puerto Rican coffee available.  It truly has a taste all it’s own and we love it so much that we travel with it when we leave the island!  Here are four great Puerto Rican coffee options, all at varying price points:

• • Yauco Selecto – Arabica beans make for  a well-balanced cup, with a creamy, almost buttery taste, with an arresting aftertaste and a hint of chocolate undertones.
  • Alto Grande – Alto Grande coffee is comprised of only the finest Grade A Arabica coffee beans.  There are only three Super Premium Coffees in the World, and Alto Grande has the distinct privilege of being one of them.
  • Tesoro del Sol – Try our signature brand, a selection of the best arábigo prime coffee beans, which are then roasted to the maximum grade in order to brew the best “café colao” that your refined taste demands.
  • Yaucono – Cafe Yaucono, ground for drip style coffee is the most beloved coffee on the Island of Puerto Rico and is perfect for every day use.

Rum

Puerto Rico just so happens to be the rum capital of the world, having produced the sugarcane – derived liquor for more than 450 years.   Available in many varieties including light, gold, dark, and flavored, all local rums, by law, must age for a one-year minimum.  Now, of course, there is Bacardi Rum, but we encourage you to explore these rums which are truly excellent and not exported outside of Puerto Rico:

• • Ron Barillito: Brown rum distilled from fermented molasses. Minimum of 6 to 10 years in used whisky and bourbon barrels.  The perfect sipping rum!  The extra time spent aging is evident in this heavier rum with a slightly smoky flavor that doesn’t overpower the rum flavor
  • Don Q: Subtle, tropical flower nose. A round entry leads to a smooth, very dry, medium-bodied palate with sugarcane stalk and dried herbs. Finishes with a snappy, peppery fade. A very nice, understated, mixing-style rum (Source Beverage Testing Institute) Made by one of the oldest Distilleries, the Serralles Family Distillery, this rum carries on the tradition of over 100 years of quality spirits.  This rum is very smooth, and mixes with anything.  A delicious rum of high-quality and good taste.

Alcoholado

This liniment is a traditional tincture that has been passed along for generations. A Puerto Rican specialty! It’s an alcohol rub with bay laurel leaf extract which has the most incredibly pleasant smell to it. This organic artisan alcoholado is used to alieve muscular aches and pain, spasms, arthritis, rheumatism and respiratory problems. It is a natural expectorant for congestion and eliminates mucus – perfect to combat colds, flus, bronchitis, and asthma. It is applied as a rubbing alcohol on the skin in the affected region.  Also good for bug bites and bee stings!

This product is great and we use it for bug bites and for colds.  Click Here to get your own

Dominoes are favorite Puerto Rico Souvenirs

“El Domino” is for Puerto Ricans and many Latinos not simply a game of strategy or just a pastime, but also it is an activity around which community relationships are built and sustained. Dominoes are played in all circles in the Puerto Rican society by people of all ages. It is primarily known as a family game, since it is learned by children from their fathers, uncles, and grandfathers. Although it is a game usually played at home, it is also played where friends gather. Women play with men and children. It provides the perfect excuse for community members to sit for hours around the tables, combining competition with camaraderie, and it also provides the occasion for sharing information, through word of mouth, about important issues that affect the participants.  In Dominoes, it is interesting that one of the team strategies summarizes a community theme: “The best offensive strategy is to defend your partner.” Around the domino table, the players & families interact – cooking, playing music together and just mingling; therefore dominoes becomes a social-familiar event, almost a ritual, in which all become refreshed and spiritually recharged.

Our favorite dominoes are these done by a local artisan out of a hardwood.  They are the perfect gift for that special man in your life!

Traditional Piques and Hot Sauces

Puerto Rican food is not known for being spicy.  Rather, all the spice goes into the local piques or hot sauces, which are used by hot sauce lovers on everything from chicken pinchos to rice and beans.  Many restaurants and roadside stands boast their own piques, some of varying quality.  But here at Caribbean Trading Company, we have tried and tested them all and these are our favorites, excelling in flavor, consistency, and quality:

• • Pique Criollo:  We found this Pique several years when road-tripping the western coast of Puerto Rico and know we had to have it in the store.  It comes in eight flavors and is a traditional favorite with our customers. Check out all of the Pique Criollos– the perfect Puerto Rico Souvenirs.
  • Caribbean Trading Company Crushed Pepper Sauces:  Our sauces are packed with goodness!  We wanted a hot sauce that was hot, but also packed in some good flavor.  Of the 10 flavors available, they fall into 5 heat levels.  What’s the most popular?  The Off the Plank Naga Jolokia is a favorite one, primarily because it is made with the world’s hottest pepper!  Garlic is also a winning flavor, found in On the Plank Garlic Habanero and the Fire Roasted Habanero Garlic Infused.

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Here are some basic preparation directions:

First, you must prepare a bain-marie.  Place the uncooked flan covered with foil in a roasting pan with about 2 inches of water.  The flan mold should be about 4 inches in height.

You will also need to caramelize the pan.  To do this, pour 1 cup of warm sugar into a pan on medium heat until it melts and browns to a caramel like color.  Pour the caramelized sugar into the flan mold and swirl around to completely coat the interior, including the sides.

Once these are ready, slowly pour the flan into the mold and bake at 350° for about an hour.  TO check if it is done, insert a wet knife into the center: it will come out clean when it is done.  Remove from the oven and let it cool down to the touch. Refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.

Basic Flan Recipe

• • 1 cup sugar
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 13-oz cans evaporated milk
  • 1 tb vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix eggs with an electric mixer. Add the rest of the ingredients. Blend smooth but do not over mix.

Flan de Queso – Cream Cheese Flan

• • 6-8 eggs
  • 1 12-oz can evaporated milk
  • 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened

Preheat oven to 350°.  Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth add eggs and mix. Add the rest of the ingredients. Blend smooth but do not over mix.

Coconut Flan

• • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed
  • milk
  • 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 6 eggs
  • 1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350°.    Pour the condensed milk, evaporated milk, milk, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, and coconut into a blender. Blend for 3 minutes until smooth.

Passionfruit Flan

• • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • Scant 1 cup water
  • 14 ounces (1 can) sweetened condensed milk
  • 4 large eggs
  • 14 ounces whole milk
  • 5 tablespoons passion fruit concentrate (see headnote; may substitute the gel and seeds of 2 or 3 fresh passion fruits)

Preheat the oven to 380 degrees.  Combine the sweetened condensed milk, eggs and whole milk in a blender; liquefy on medium speed until well incorporated. Stop to add the passion fruit concentrate, then blend to incorporate.

Coffee Flan

• • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup whipping cream
  • 3/4 cup low-fat milk
  • 1/2 cup espresso coffee
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 20 whole coffee beans. Try our Tesoro del Sol Whole Bean coffee or Alto Grande Coffee for some true Puerto Rican flavor!

Pre-heat oven to 325F (162C) degrees.  Scald milk and cream in a saucepan. (Keep a close eye on the pan, so it does not boil over.) Remove immediately and stir in the coffee.  Meanwhile in a mixing bowl, beat slightly 3 eggs. Mix in 1/4 cup sugar.  Stirring constantly, gradually add hot cream mixture to egg yolk mixture. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Blend in vanilla extract. Ladle mixture into ramekins.

White Vanilla Extract – Double Strength – 8 oz.

Tesoro del Sol Coffee – Whole Bean

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Meet over 100 exhibitors and taste test some excellent coffee.  It is said that coffee contains over 800 flavor characteristics that our senses can detect.  Aroma gives the first hint of how coffee will taste.  Most of our sense of taste comes from our sense of smell. The acidity of a coffee flavor does not refer to the coffee being sour or bitter; rather, it refers to a lively, tangy, palate-cleansing property.  The body of a coffee refers to the weight and thickness of a coffee in your mouth and the flavor of the coffee is the overall impression of the aroma and body.

A cup of coffee can enhance an already delicious meal if paired together with complimentary food items.  Dark roasts will pair better with richer more indulgent foods like meats, nuts, and chocolate. Lighter roasts are crisp and bright and tend to pair well with breakfast items.

This coffee celebration is sure to inspire the mind and wake up the senses.  Discover why Puerto Rico is renowned for producing delicious coffee.

And if you can’t make it to the Coffee Expo, we’ve got you covered in our Online Shop:

Tesoro del Sol Coffee – Whole Bean

Tesoro del Sol Coffee – Ground

Looking to add a bit of Caribbean flair to your life? Check out our online shop  for gourmet hot sauces, seasonings and other Caribbean treats and Caribbean bath and body items.

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Still searching for that perfect cup of coffee?  Look no further; Caribbean Trading’s Tesoro del Sol Coffee roasts to sheer perfection.  Coffees produced in the western mountain region of Puerto Rico are known for their sweet and bright flavor.  Nurtured and grown in the cool volcanic mountains these coffee beans are sure to make the perfect cup!

There is one more secret to enjoying the perfect cup of coffee…someone to share it with, of coarse!  Life is about moments and perfect moments are sometimes the most simple.  These simple moments are usually made perfect because you share them with someone that makes you smile.

You look back down at your coffee and you look across the table as you share a delicious cup with an old friend…you are no longer dreaming!  You smile and you see your smile reflected back at you in the perfect cup…It’s going to be a great day!

Tesoro del Sol Coffee – Ground

Looking to add a bit of Caribbean flair to your life? Check out our online shop  for gourmet hot sauces, seasonings and other Caribbean treats and Caribbean bath and body items.

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According to Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters:

Since the peninsular Miguel Ruiz arrived in Puerto Rico in 1896 the history of Yaucono was being written. It is a story with its difficulties and its threads of glory. After a decline in exports and an increase in the production costs, by 1910 Puerto Rican coffee had regained most of its traditional European markets. It was then when Don Miguel brought his nephew Tiburcio Jiménez from Spain to work with him at the rudimentary roasting he established in Miramar, in the capital city of San Juan.

It was Tiburcio who recovered the brand Yaucono originally created by Tomás Prado in 1914, acquired by the Ruiz heirs in 1916 and sold by them a year later. Tiburcio was filled with enthusiasm! During the ‘50s he had to close the roaster twice because the profits were diminishing. But every time Yaucono returned to the market the sales exceeded the previous ones. In 1957 his youngest son – José Enrique Jiménez (Don Quique) – joined the company, and three years later was named head of sales and marketing. His novel ideas found resistance from his father but in 1963 he was promoted to president, leading the brand to its consolidation as Puerto Rico’s #1 coffee.

From then on, Yaucono grew to be an iconic brand; one which represents our coffee culture and tradition.  This is the coffee that has been in every Puerto Rican household, and continues to be preferred by customers.  This is why Don Quique used to sing, and we all still sing: “¡Por el gustito yo lo sé, Yaucono es el mejor café!” (One taste and you will know, the best coffee is Yaucono!)

Tasting profile: It has the perfect medium-tasting roast mixed with prime coffee. Balanced flavors; smooth and balanced. Its careful preparation and taste has made it the favorite for generations. Available in regular, decaf, instant and espresso.

Yaucono Puerto Rico Coffee

Looking to add a bit of Caribbean flair to your life? Check out our online shop  for gourmet hot sauces, seasonings and other Caribbean treats and Caribbean bath and body items.

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