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Coffee came to Venezuela from
Martinique in 1730. At one time coffee production here rivaled that
of Colombia, but it was almost completely obscured by the discovery
of oil. Although many people earn their living from the mainly
washed Arabica market, the industry has received little
encouragement from the government, which nationalized it in 1976.
Today the bags are still exported by the beautiful place-names used
to denote different growths, but the grading descriptions are rather
mundane standard terms based on the number of defective beans per
sample. The important thing is that Venezuelan coffee can be very
desirable, and what isn't consumed at home nearly all goes to the
United States. The growths are named after the old ports of exit and
the best are Maracaibo and Caracas. The Caracas are known for their
delicate, slightly winey flavor and aroma, thinnish body, and
moderate acidity. The three provinces of Tachira, Merida and
Trujillo make up the Maracaibo; and of these the first two are
considered the best, improving to a more well-rounded cup with a bit
of age. |
