Guadeloupe Bonifieur facts for kids
The Guadeloupe Bonifieur is a special type of coffee that grows on the island of Guadeloupe. It's very rare and is even considered an ancestor of the famous Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. This coffee grows best in places with fresh air, high mountains, and lots of rain. These conditions are perfect for this specific type of Arabica coffee. The name "Bonifieur" comes from its amazing quality and taste. In the past, it was even used to make other, less tasty coffees better. Many coffee experts think it's one of the best coffees in the world, even though it's hard to find.
What is Guadeloupe Bonifieur Coffee?
The name Bonifieur comes from a French word meaning "to improve." This is because the coffee was known for making other coffees taste better. Many coffee experts believe Guadeloupe Bonifieur is "one of the best coffees in the world."
However, there isn't an official rule about what makes a coffee a "Bonifieur." This is because different farms grow it in many ways, and the quality can change. Some historians even have different ideas about how the name started. Some say farmers kept the best coffee for themselves and exported the rest. Others believe the "café bonifieur" was always the best quality and was meant for export. This mystery makes Guadeloupe Bonifieur even more interesting!
History of Guadeloupe Bonifieur Coffee
Coffee growing in Guadeloupe faced many challenges over time. The French Revolution and coffee plant diseases caused many farms to shrink. By 1859, only a small amount of land was still used for coffee.
In the late 17th century, the French colony of Guadeloupe used to send about 6,000 tons of coffee to France. This coffee was known as "cafe bonifieur." But taxes increased, and competition from other coffee-growing regions hurt the industry. Production dropped a lot.
Even though coffee was still important in the early 1900s, new diseases and a big hurricane in 1928 destroyed many plants. Banana trees, which were often planted to protect coffee trees, grew back faster. They soon took over much of the land where coffee used to grow. After World War II, many people moved away from farms, and coffee production continued to decline. By 1965, coffee wasn't even listed in farm statistics anymore.
Today, Guadeloupe Bonifieur coffee is making a comeback! A group of coffee farmers on the island of Basse Terre are working together to grow and sell it again. Only about 30 tons of Guadeloupe Bonifieur are produced each year, making it very rare and special. Like the famous Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, Guadeloupe Bonifieur is one of the few coffees shipped in wooden barrels. The Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee actually came from the same type of plant, brought from Martinique to Jamaica long ago. Both coffees are very similar. Local events, museums, and special farms are helping to share the history and value of this unique coffee with tourists and locals.
Botanics: The Coffee Plant and Bean
The Guadeloupe Bonifieur coffee bean is green, long, and a bit thick. It has a thin, silvery-white skin that comes off when the bean is roasted. This coffee is known for its excellent taste.
Guadeloupe Bonifieur is a specific type of Arabica coffee plant called "Typica de Coffea Arabica," also known as "le Bourbon Pointu." Its story goes way back! It came from Java and was given as a gift to King Louis XIV of France. It was then grown in the famous Jardin des Plantes (Garden of Plants) in Paris. Many of the coffee plants we see today are descended from this very line. This gives Guadeloupe Bonifieur a strong and special history.
