Stereotypical Myths
I'll never forget that day.
I was sitting in a freshman class at a university in the Netherlands and responded to the question about my preference for coffee or tea.
"I don't drink coffee or tea [man]," I said.
The class of international students finished my sentence with,
"No, Milly, you drink rum."
That remark resulted in disruptive laughter, and the lecturer interjected, "Sorry, Milly, you set yourself up for that one."
Also, reflecting on my life 25 years ago, I was a non-coffee drinker.
It is laughable to think that in my former job, I had sacks of authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee at my disposal that I used to give away to guests at the resort where I worked.
Many Japanese guests were flabbergasted by the kind gesture of free coffee because Japan is the main country of export for Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. So it was a prestigious gift for the Japanese, while for me, each bag of coffee was as frivolous a gift as the shell necklaces that went with it.
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is indeed held in high regard locally and internationally, and it is one of the most lucrative commodities from Jamaica. Yet Jamaicans are big tea drinkers, (probably a remnant from the British Colonial days?), and for Jamaicans, tea, whether it be herbal tea, English tea, or black tea, is a cure for all of the common sicknesses.
Don't be surprised if you mention being under the weather to a Jamaican and you get asked the question, "Did you drink your tea?"
I abhor admitting this but as a child, there was always a small glass bottle of instant coffee on my dining table. "That is for Daddy only," said my mum.
A cup of original Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, in true Jamaican colours.Still, I've been drinking coffee for 16 years now, and whenever I go back home, it's a delight to drink a cup of genuine Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, and I watch my mum's disdain, wondering how I can enjoy drinking coffee without condensed milk and sugar. Yes, Jamaicans love that filth.
The Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee comes with a price tag that makes me contemplate buying it; however, it's a special treat that I enjoy and feel a sense of pride and connection to Jamaica, my roots. Of course, there are many varieties and brands of Arabica Jamaican coffee, so it's advisable to peruse the coffee aisle at the local supermarket for an authentic brand.
This bag of beans costs roughly JMD 5500, which is equivalent to US$35.00 or £28.00. Buying a bag of coffee at that exorbitant price would have a typical Jamaican convinced that you are of unsound mind or simply in need of a cup of tea to think straight.
Generally, Jamaicans can be fastidious, and the highest praise you might get is, "That's satisfactory." So, the coffee, which is a national pride, undergoes stringent testing to achieve the Coffee Board's seal of quality. It is important to note that there is the Jamaican High Mountain coffee, which is a lower grade and grown at lower levels than the Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, which grows at a higher altitude in different soils and produces the supreme quality of the Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee.
So, do you think a typical Jamaican would be your best coffee-tasting connoisseur, or would it be better to put a cup of tea to the test?
This has been my response to the Spill the Beans (#STB Week 76), prompt question. Why don't you check it out, I'd love to hear about your history with coffee.
All the photos were taken on my last trip to Jamaica a few months ago.
What appeals to the Coffee Goddess...
My blog frequently features my minimalist lifestyle and adventures while living on my narrowboat.”
Irie love,
Milly🇯🇲
The students didn't believed it, that you don't drink coffee in those times, as well, the lecturer too was not convinced, they all thought it was a joke and you wanted everybody to laugh in the class, but, there's pride in saying the truth.
But, you are not that person anymore, coffee has been best and we took it, the Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee sounds like a good coffee.
You have an interesting take on the story, which I like.
Yes, things are so different now. My colleagues and I used to throw those bags of coffee around like they do when playing table tennis 😆
It's a kind of self hidden gems, they became known to us as we approach a certain milestones in our life, to be precise, more things are unrevealed to us, it's constant as changes, I guess now, you and your colleagues wouldn't have thrown those away, even if he/she would want to, you wouldn't let them 🥰🙏
Oh, yes! Things would be different now, for sure.
I used to also take journalists on tours of rum estates and would get a variety of exquisite dark and gold rum... I never cared for them then, but would do anything for a bottle now.
#life
Wow, superb, it's makes life good and easy, happy all the times and no more worries, what's important is having a good time, I do not neglect rum also, I felt it gave the feelings of self balance in some moments 🥰
You? Not drinking coffee? I'm shocked. I mean rum's fine and all, but alcohol and coffee are not natural enemies. Seriously though, I think it makes sense esp if the tea culture is so big in Jamaica, it makes sense to differentiate yourself like that. And not to like coffee with the add-ons :D
Man, that must be some coffee, at that price. I love the home connection though <3 Enjoy your coffee!
The cost of living in Jamaica is pretty high in general, and if you want to eat organic or healthy foods, then you might be tempted to go to a bank.
If only I could time-travel back to having the sacks of coffee I was responsible for without even an inventory.
The coffee shop industry just took off a few years ago in Jamaica.
I haven't opened that bag of beans yet, because I was saving it for today:)))
Really? And here I thought coffee had always been huge in Jamaica.
I figured <3
No, Jamaica is not a coffee-drinking nation at all.
They serve the JBMC at most resorts, but you never know if it's the true thing. There's a black market where they sell the Jamaican high mountain as the authentic Blue Mountain, and there's a huge price difference and a subtle difference in the taste:)
The things you learn on Hive, so Jamaicans don't drink their best produce (other than rum). That's such a stark contrast to Taiwan where they produce the best tea and are avid tea drinkers.
What made you switch? Was it just that it coffee was never a thing at home when you were a kid? Or did you learn to appreciate the beauty of your country when you grew up?
Yeah, you'd think so, huh? Not at all!
It's all about tea in Jamaica.
Jamaicans cannot live without their tea.
Drinking tea was always a punishment for me. Growing up, I'd sit and wait for my tea to cool, pour it down my bosom and change my top.
I first started with frappuccinos, then cappuccinos, then coffee with milk and sugar, then coffee with milk, and now black coffee unsweetened.
I guess I started to appreciate the taste of coffee slowly, after having it at the resorts where I worked.
I want to research to discover if they used the cloth method in Jamaica, back in the olden days, as they do in Venezuela, but maybe I haven't encountered anyone from the right parish in Jamaica to find out.
My mum approves of Cameron drinking coffee, but I can still see her thinking that there's no way I should be doing it. It's hilarious to see their reactions.
It's just like steak - my mum screams when she sees Cameron eating his steak rear. It's like she's on standby for the worst reaction. Everything is well done... no runny eggs either 😂... once the local staff went on strike because the foreign chef sent soft-boiled eggs to the staff dining room. 🙃🤣
Your mum sounds so fun!!
Haha! Yes, she is - larger than life 😁😍
I too didn't start drinking coffee until later in life. Not for sure exactly when but think it was after I turned 30. So I only got you by a slim margin 😊
I so want to try that Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee. I did a search on it and couldn't find it cheap except for some off brand that probably isn't the real McCoy. I figured $13.99 for 12 oz is probably a knock off. I did find the brand you shown but it's a bit more but could be because of its packaging. Oh the packaging is enticing, ah I show you:
No, I think that's a good brand and an excellent price. I've seen that one in the local supermarkets, and I'm sure that hubby buys that brand when we vacation there.
Hubby has a collection of those bags that he plans to display on the boat... It's a project that I'm hoping that he'll continue to procrastinate, though.
😆
Now that I drink coffee, I want to beat myself when I reflect on all the real stuff that I could have had 😏😆
Oh ya that is the good brand but this one was $23 for just 8 oz. It was another brand I was talking about that was cheaper. Sorry for the confusion.
You missed out when you were younger. What we know now if we only known than, haha. It happens to us all 😊
Ah ha, Gotcha!
Yeah, well at least I can say I older and wiser now 😆
Ah, wait! It's the same brand that I'm holding in the cover photo... but this one says "blend"... I think it's still authentic. One of the girls in the supermarket told me that that's a trusted one... So, yes, it seems like a steal!
I don't know if I've ever actually tried Blue Mountain coffee. I think I have but it was a long time ago before I really care about good coffee. I'd like to try it again some day. May a cruise vacation will bring me to Jamaican one day.
So what type of tea do they drink in the country?
Hard question. They have high standards you say which make coffee preferable but you mentioned that most people drink tea over coffee so they may have more of a palate for tea. I'd go with tea!
Yeah, I think a cruise would be your best option, but I'm not sure how authentic it would be then.
Peppermint, Cerasee tea (that's not for the faint-hearted, but excellent for a cleanse), black English tea with condensed milk and sugar, and just about any 'bush tea'.
People from rural areas, especially, have been big on 'bush teas' for years for DIY and home remedies. Then there's the Rastafarian tribe, who drink a lot of ganga tea (cannabis).
Yes, you're right about that!😁
Bush teas sound interesting. I guess they could be anything really
That's right. I guess they know some amazing combinations of herbs and how to take them... but they say belief kills, and belief cures 😆
Combinations that were probably perfected over the years and passed down through the generations.
Yeah, some rich cultural traditions are still prevalent, and it's fascinating to see how modern society glamourize them, and pretend they e=invented them :)
I can state about myself that I definitely did not try it. But heard of it, ofc. ☘️
That was also my mom's thinking. When we were young kids, we don't drink coffees for my mom would say that coffee's are not for us. But this time, drinking coffee makes me alive especially during working hours.
Ah, during my time in the Philippines, I found everyone big on the 3-in-1 coffee. I can see the similarities though, with your mum not wanting you to drink coffee when you were younger:)))
Greetings friend Milly how interesting your story with this Jamaican coffee and even more so that living in a country that exports coffee you will not like it, a noble gesture to give coffee to the Japanese. Greetings beautiful and blessings
Hello @milik80
Yes, I find it ironic!
Things have been changing over the last decade, but coffee consumption in Jamaica is nothing like it is in Venezuela, and I doubt it ever will.
Thanks for stopping by:)))
Oh my! at least now you have smth to remember 😍😍😍😍😍 😜😜😜
Hehe! Yeah, it's a fun yet painful memory. So many times I wish I could time travel back to that era 😆😋😍
I have not tried this Jamaican coffee. Maybe one day... And you drink your coffee without sugar? You don't even put a quarter of a spoon in it? Oh... hahahaha...
I always say you have to put sweetness in life early on.
Coffee with condensed milk is a yummy treat.
I'll leave you a coffee Serrano or Cubita with rum and condensed milk! 🤣
I've never tasted Cuban coffee either, and I'm curious to know how much it differs from the Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, due to its proximity to Jamaica.
These sound so enticing😋
Have a lovely week ahead:)))
🤗
I wish you beautiful days ahead on the narrowboat Cygnet and its surroundings.
Thank you 😊
Have a lovely day too:))
I never knew what coffee was while growing up, all thanks to my parents who didn't, too because of their lack of exposure. Tea was what we got used to and when I was in the university, I got to know what coffee is and how it tastes like. I drank black coffee some weeks ago at a neighbour's house and it tasted so bitter. Someone said such kind of coffee are decaffeinated and I like it that way.
Decaffeinated coffee tastes the same, but it doesn't have any effect. It's like snorting cocaine without getting high (not that I've ever done that, though).
Yea. I love that it doesn't have effect
With this high cost of coffee I could easily understand how a Jamaican would not get used to drinking a cup of coffee at such a young age, definitely the economy here in my country is a determining factor.
I imagine that for that same reason it was only consumed by adults for the most part.
But all in all the best thing is that in due time you had the opportunity to create your own experiences and you took on the task of creating this and community.
Regards
You've summed that up precisely!
Yeah, the cost of living in Jamaica is high and the economy is bad. There's no way people could afford to purchase good coffee, and if it is consumed, it's just the instant coffee or their beloved tea.
Thanks for dropping by:)))
Things you learn from Hive. So Jamaicans produce coffee? Thought it was only Americans that produce it.
There is nothing as good as being connected to your roots. It's nice you got that feeling after taking your Jamaican blue mountain coffee.
Coffee is reported to have originated in Ethiopia and was discovered by goats from a strange reaction they had after eating the berries. Kenya produces world-renowned coffee too.
I was just reflecting on your comments on my Pennsyl-Tucky School Daze post this week.
I was telling my gal @pooky-jax just now that you and Cam @scubahead were the inspiration behind the Java Monsters only weakness being the dairy-creamer & sugar being toxic to them. ☕ 😆🤣😆😉😳😳 ☕
Yeah, I still remember your series. That was creative of you, and I hope that one day you'll be inspired to do similar stuff:)))
Well I certainly did leave it hanging...
😁🤗
Hello friend, when you are little you don't know anything and even more in those moments with your classmates and without a doubt with time you get to know them and it is fascinating the change you had and after many years you have become a professional coffee lover and can enjoy a great variety of them, where the brands you mention look very good and I see that the Jamaican ones have a touch of personality.
Hello there!
Yes, there is much personality, indeed in the packaging of each coffee. They make great collectible pieces. that can be recycled:)))
You surprised me with the price of that brand of coffee. Really 30 dollars is a lot of money. When there is no money for a coffee Tea is a good option. Not all people have the facility to purchase a bag of Jamaica blue montain coffee, take advantage and enjoy your great coffee to the fullest.
Thanks for sharing your coffee experience.☕
Happy new week.
Even though it was a huge bag of over 400 g, it's still a lot of money. It's not my daily cup of coffee in the morning... or not until I figure out how to grow money on trees 😆
I've heard that Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is very good quality, but it's hard to get here. A friend of mine who is an expert in the field of coffee said it. I hope I can get it later.
Yes, it would be great if Jamaican coffee became more accessible in Indonesia. It would be a stretch to become a major region of export due to the prevalence of coffee in Indonesia and it would be over priced:)
If I hadn't read this post, I'd have thought that you've been drinking coffee right from the day you were born😅😅.
So you've been drinking it for 15 years now? That's a lot too.
From the way you describe Jamaican people, they sound similar to my people as well. We aren't fast to dish out compliments too.
I enjoyed reading and getting to know your roots a bit more.
Nicely written🤗
Hehe! Thanks for your lovely comment 😊
Yes, when I read more about the Nigerian culture, I see many parallels to the Jamaican culture.
I see it in the music, the cooking, and the values or upbringing that parents extend, mainly:)))
Hello Milly it was very instructive to read you, I was convinced that being producers of coffee was the preferred beverage, you surprised me, but it is logical that they drink tea for having been an English colony. Look, if it makes you happy to drink your Jamaican coffee because of its quality and because it unites you with that feeling of identity, do it, it is priceless.
I have not tasted many varieties of coffee, but I think that coffee similar to that of our mountains in the east of the country, there is a very good coffee grown there.
Nice day
Yes, one would think that coffee is the morning beverage in Jamaica, but that's not the case at all.
😊💯That's exactly how I look at it.
That's interesting to hear, and somehow I think so too. I just need to taste the coffee from that region one day:)))
25yrs you had good quality coffee at your disposal and you didn't take it, now you buy it you started enjoying coffee, hahahahah hahahahah hahahahah it can happen to anyone.
So why did you start taking coffee, did you Sense the appealing aroma? Lol
Yes, it's funny, indeed!
I started drinking coffee due to its irresistible aroma. First, with milk and many extras, until I acquired the taste completely:)
Looking good!
I've just checked the price in Amazon.com, and now I think I need a cup of tea! It's even more expensive there. Wow. I don't think I can afford Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee or Jamaica High Mountain Coffee these days even I want that delicious coffee so badly. Perhaps for Christmas. I wish I was a Japanese at your former job, haha.
Nice post, like written by the Goddesses 😄
Thanks for such a lovely comment 😊
I had an instant headache when I went to the coffee aisle in the supermarket. I felt like my head had expanded because I never expected to see such prices. My mother coaxed me to buy it saying, "You have to buy it for 'My Cameron'." - referring to my husband.
You would never understand just how big my regret is about not taking advantage of the coffee when I had all the chances in the world.
#IfIKnewThenWhatIKnowNow
To pamper or not to pamper--the son in law 🤭
Well, the good thing is that you get your share of delicious Jamaican coffee.
😆 They say ignorance is bliss. Perhaps you were a different person in a different part of the world now, without "My Cameron" 🤭 if you had drank all of that coffee you gave away.
😊When I tell Cameron about my former days at work with coffee, he says, "I ought to check myself into a mental institution cos I belong there." 🤣
Said the cat...
If we're all crazy, then we belong with each other 😁
😂😅🙃
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I was very interested in the coffee and I wanted to buy it at the market but it was not near me
Do you like Atomy arabica coffee?