Fresh Cup Magazine, providing specialty coffee and tea professionals with unique insight into the trends, ideas, products and people that shape their world.
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SPOTLIGHT: MOKKA KAFFI continued from page 61 Icelanders to the first espresso machine in Iceland, it was a very strange thought to most that each coffee cup was individually made, that coffee beans were freshly ground for each cup and that you could choose the strength of your coffee." Mokka's beans have always been sourced from South America and Africa, and they lean toward the bold side of the spectrum. "As with our interior, our beans have not changed much over the years," says Oddny. "We have developed our own blend of beans and try to import from the same area, and we have been very lucky with our suppliers over the past 54 years. Our beans are strong." Another constant within Mokka is the silence. There are no pop tunes played over the loudspeakers or news chattering from an overhead TV screen. In a world of handheld devices guaranteeing constant con- nectivity (and an accompanying din), Mokka is proudly—and intentionally—whisper quiet. Retirees flip through the news- paper and students read their textbooks. Many of them thank the management for the chance to unplug, if only for the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee. In a world of prefabrication, where coffee corporations pop up stores almost out of a box, Mokka is an eclectic exception. The retro look, Italian influ- ence, vintage coffee drinks and family history blend together for a "they don't make 'em like this anymore" feel. That's usu- ally the hallmark of any mom- and-pop shop, but it's especially so for this mom-and-pop-and- daughters shop. But in the end, it's all about what fills up the cup. "The smell of freshly ground coffee beans, a good cup of coffee," Oddny says. "I love everything about the coffee business. It's that simple." 62 COFFEE ALMANAC 2012