As promised, sharing photos taken at Barako Joe’s coffee farm in Lipa, Batangas. Barako Joe is Jose Macasaet Honrade Mercado, a third generation coffee farmer/trader and as he describes himself, “a coffee farmer since birth.”
Tito Joe’s family was featured in Chef Sandy Daza’s FoodPrints. I hope you enjoyed the entire Season 1 as much as I did behind the scenes.
FoodPrints shot at his farm and log cabin home overlooking the placid Taal Lake early in the morning. They were gracious enough to prepare coffee, of course by the famly-owned Cafe de Lipa, with Lipa specialties pancit lang-lang, tamalis and an assortment of cakes made by The Artisan (the chef daughter of Tito Joe).
The eldest of his sons says, “Roasting is an art, but in the end it’s the roaster who decides.” Good coffee, they say, should have a balance of sour and bitter notes.
Chef Sandy Daza with the Mercados
I had the best ever butterscotch cake here!
Coffee and milk ‘dos: My boss Jennie Celdran and Tita Ligaya Mercado.
The fruits are grown in their farm and made into atsara after the harvest season. They are all good! My instant loves are the paho, santol and luya.
We had a beautiful lunch at Cafe de Lipa. Heaven in tawilis + paho atsara and adobo flakes + santol atsara!
In behalf of Sandy Daza, Jennie Celdran and FoodPrints, thanking the Mercado family for the wonderful time we spent with them. Nakaka-miss their super sarap food. Actually!
Here are other photos shot in Batangas.
Photographed by Blauearth © Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2013
