Bean-sorting for the best quality brew
How are you? Please introduce yourself.
I am Carmel Laurino, and I’m the founder of Kalsada Coffee, a social
enterprise working with smallholder coffee producers in the Philippines.
What attracted you to pursue coffee?
The inspiration stemmed from a dusty, old photograph I found while
doing research in one of the libraries at the University of Washington.
It showed a small stall, operated by the “Filipino Coffee Company”, in Pike
Place Market. Aside from my curiosity surrounding this photo, my decision
to pursue coffee was also rooted in my desire to learn more about my heritage
and culture. I grew up abroad and wanted to connect to my parents’ home
country. Pursuing coffee allowed me to do just that.
Your passion towards coffee is inspiring.
Can you share with us your experience
tasting coffee for the first time?
I can’t remember how old I was, but I
remember having to mix my mom’s instant
coffee—you know the Folger’s soluble?—and
adding milk and sugar to it. It was so sweet!
I do, however, distinctly remember the
first time I cupped specialty coffee. It was
at Stumptown Coffee’s roastery in Seattle.
In that place, we were able to travel across
the coffee belt one region and one cup at a
time, ending with a cup from Ethiopia—the
birthplace of coffee. That was the first time
I’d tasted coffees side by side. I remember
being so wide-eyed and exclaiming: “I taste
blueberries!” That was the turning point for
me. How could plain, black coffee taste like
blueberries?
Carmel Laurino, photographed
by Rennell Salumbre
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