See, smell and taste at Seattle exhibit

Published 5:24 pm Monday, January 19, 2009

Many gourmet coffee drinkers have their beverage orders down to a science.

There are venti-mint-mocha-chip-Frappuccino aficionados, triple-shot-low-fat-latte fans and straight-up-Americano addicts.

But how many people know the economic, environmental and cultural stories behind those daily drinks?

“Coffee: The World in Your Cup,” a new exhibit opening Saturday at the Burke Museum of Natural History &Culture in Seattle, will explore the interconnected culture of coffee with photographs, videos, live coffee plants, coffee tastings and coffee bag displays.

“Coffee is so intrinsically fascinating and it’s so Seattle,” said exhibit coordinator Ruth Pelz. “It is so much a part of our daily lives.”

Some visitors to the exhibit, which runs through June 7, may be surprised at the fragrant blossoms of coffee shrubs, Pelz said.

“They’re related to gardenias, and they smell so lovely,” she said. “They’re beautiful plants.”

Coffee drinkers can use the exhibit to learn more about the coffee lingo used at coffee shops, including “fair trade” and “shade grown.”

Shade-grown coffee is preferable for the environment as well as coffee quality, said Dan Ericson, a co-owner of Camano Island Coffee Roasters, which will offer tastings at the exhibit on March 21.

“Coffee actually grows slower when it’s under a canopy of natural plants,” Ericson said. “It actually grows to a fuller, smoother flavor.”

It’s not just about taste, however.

During the exhibit’s five-month run, more than three dozen local roasters will share their stories of coffee growers in countries such as Guatemala and Honduras.

“Our consumer choices connect us with the world,” Pelz said. “We can make a difference.”

Sarah Jackson

425-339-3037 sjackson@heraldnet.com.