Indeed, it is an instant start to the week! We’re at 2650′ above sea level and the kettle has already boiled. We are Senator Norman Grant’s late-morning coffee guests on an unusually hot day in the mountains (yes, even for June). Both the mountains and the elegant-looking pine and forest trees show signs of drought.

Coffee is poured and the tasting is about to begin. Grant, a certified cup taster and only one of six on the island, speaks to the smooth, balanced, very easy-on-the-palate taste of the coffee. He’s spot-on, there’s also no bitter after-taste. It’s easy to buy into his marketing pitch of Jablum Jamaica Instant Coffee being “an experience as opposed to merely drinking coffee”, framed as we are by the glorious Blue Mountain Range. Grant readily explains that the company purchases coffee from selected farmers in the Blue Mountain range of St Andrew, St Thomas and Portland. “We are”, he shares, “very keen about the quality of our coffee and, therefore, give farmers our full support as it relates to agronomy. fertilisers etc. Once the beans arrive at the factory,” he continues, “we immediately commence pulping followed by drying. Coffee beans are turned every fifteen minutes to allow each bean ample sunlight opportunity. All of this before the coffee is placed in storage for 2-3 months.” There are 450 coffee workers here at The Mavis Bank Central Factory/Jablum Group coffee plant in Mavis Bank. “It’s peak processing period”, explains Grant as we watch a group of ladies removing, as they would rice for Sunday dinner, any inferior product from the batch of beans.

There’s a lot at stake, for Jablum exports some US$11 million worth of coffee per annum to Japan, the United States and Europe. On the domestic scene, we don’t do that badly either, purchasing some 350,000 pounds per annum.

Grant is quick to add that a lot of this coffee is bought in Jamaica at duty-free outlets by cruise ship visitors, so, these numbers can also be added to the export ones.

But with the reality of day-to-day demands, common sense must prevail and it boils down quite nicely to a spoonful of coffee added to boiling hot water with condensed or evaporated milk. It’s great to drink it black too, or sweetened with honey.

Last sip of coffee

Senator Norman Grant tasted 420 cups of coffee in a single day in Atlanta.

Grant has been sipping and slurping coffee for 22 years.

How it’s done? Stir, inhale and exhale.

Instant coffee was invented as most great inventions are,by accident, and soon the fine powder was quickly recognised as a way to keep the flavour of coffee fresh,over a longer period, and in a form that was as convenient for the housewife as it was for the soldier who needed a perk-up in the field.

Look out for the slick blue bottles of Jablum coffee available come July. The contents can be enjoyed hot or cold.