Arabica Ethiopia Harrar (left) and Robusta Uganda
Brewing a good cup of coffee isn’t really rocket science – it’s essentially just water and coffee – but the most trifling details in its preparation can have a consequential effect on its taste. To save you the trouble, the coffee experts at Nespresso have perfected the recipe to a good cup of joe in the form of a capsule – this time, in two new limited edition flavours Arabica Ethiopia Harrar and Robusta Uganda.
The new capsules are inspired by the coffee’s places of origin: Ethiopia, the birthplace of Arabica coffee, and Uganda, rumoured to be the source of Robusta coffee. The legend for Arabica goes something like this: A young goat herder named Kaldi fell asleep and left his goats to wander off into the wilderness. The goats discovered red cherries from bushes and ate them, and became so energetic they started leaping and dancing. A passing monk was extremely suspicious of the situation and decided to burn these mysterious cherries. Soon after he threw them into the flames, a delicious aroma wafted through the air. Mystified, he brushed the beans out of the fire, crushed them and mixed them with water to produce what we now recognise as Arabica coffee.
The genesis of Robusta has a slightly more poignant significance. Precious Robusta coffee beans were part of a sacred ritual, in which a single coffee cherry would be split and shared among two people. The spirit of the bean henceforth is known to connect families and descendants for eternity.
For those who can tell their Lungos (a long drawn espresso, but shorter than a long black) from their Americanos, Nespresso’s Arabica Ethiopia Harrar – redolent of ripe fruits and fresh flowers – is specially blended to suit a longer drink. Robusta Uganda, on the other hand, is subtly sweet yet intense and rich in cacao notes. To tie in with the coffee’s mythical backstories, London-based illustrator Mariana Rodrigues has designed the capsule sleeves with vibrant motifs that link back to the bean’s longstanding heritage.
Arabica Ethiopia Harrar and Robusta Uganda will be available for a limited period from Nespresso worldwide, as well as via orders from the Nespresso Customer Care Centres online at www.nespresso.com.
