There are few things in life that have rival the pleasure of that first cup of coffee each morning. Each bleary a.m. I count on coffee to get me jump-started for another day of work. How I always savor that first, delicious sip!

There are several different stories about how coffee was discovered. One legend has it that the stimulating properties of the coffee bean were discovered when Kaldi, an Ethiopian shepherd boy, noticed how frisky his sheep were after they ate the beans. 

Another story claims it was a man named Sheik Omar, who healed the sick through prayer. Exiled from his hometown of Mocha, he wandered the desert searching for food. All he could find were coffee berries, which proved too bitter so he roasted the seeds, then soaked them in boiling water, which created a dark liquid: coffee. The happy ending was that Omar was accepted back into the city for his discovery and made a saint.

It grew to be a very popular drink among the Muslim people. Merchants on the Silk Road travelled through the Middle East, were exposed to coffee and introduced this beverage to Europe. Traded through Venice, coffee became sought-after by the wealthy and educated. Slowly, a small coffeehouse culture emerged. Up to this point, Europeans drank tea, which was both cheaper and easier to produce. But it wasn’t until the American Revolution that coffee really came into its own.

Okay, enough history already! Today I want to introduce you to a wonderful, home based coffee roasting business called Small Things that I discovered at the Rochester Hills Farmer’s Market this year. New to the Farmer’s Market, they offer bags of select fair trade, organic coffee beans for purchase at their booth each Saturday morning. I recently purchased a bag of their Sumatra French Roasted beans. They smelled so good, I could hardly wait to get home. When I did, I ground up a small amount and made one of the most delectable cups of coffee I’ve had in a long time!

Small Things is a local, home-grown business based in Oakland Township, Michigan. Matt, the personable owner of the business, and his children staff the booth each Saturday morning and give each customer smiles and wonderful service. The full company name is Small Things: to be shared among friends.

Which is something coffee is famous for: to be shared. We go out for a cup of coffee with friends; we put on a pot of coffee when people come over. Friendship and coffee just naturally go hand in hand. We go to chain coffeehouses such as Starbucks, Caribou Coffee, the Coffee Beanery, and other independents in droves each day for a fresh cup of joe, or a fancy espresso based drink. And we love to brew our coffee at home too. Just check out the myriad of coffee makers available today; everything from french presses, drip coffee makers to Keurig’s single serving K-cups, and more.

So, next time you’re in the market for some fresh coffee, think local and think small; pick up a bag of delicious Small Things coffee at the Rochester Farmer’s Market! You’ll be helping the environment, micro business’s in other countries, a local small business, the local economy and yourself, all at the same time!  

Until next week, wishing you God’s blessings, Good Health, Good Eating and Happy Coffee Drinking!

Smiles, Maria