Rain, rain, rain. What a wonderful sight that has been for the last week. We had an extremely dry fall, but today there is over a foot of new snow in the Sierras, and the ground is squishy, instead of rock hard. The fire danger is over for the year. I'm sure the wildlife loves it too, as evidenced by the header pic of the nineteen turkeys that were in my yard this morning!

The drops on the windowpane seem to add to the ambience of the Christmas scene painted on our large windows. Shout out to my many artistic employees who decorated this place, especially Savannah, Kelsey, and Emily. We are celebrating the holidays with much laughter around here, and hot drinks for all.

This week we have a coffee which Trace has been trying to find for over twenty years, since we last carried it. This special selection comes from the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador. You might know them from Darwin's studies of the unique flora and fauna, or from various movies and books--like the 2003 Master and Commander. There are 18 main islands in the archipelago, and many other smaller ones.

Our Organic Galapagos El Cafetal, San Cristobal Island is a unique origin, with coffee grown at a much lower elevation than other quality arabicas. Although the islands are at the equator, the cold Humboldt current and the trade winds provide a unique microcosm, similar to much higher conditions elsewhere. The archipelago is a UNESCO world heritage site, with plants and animals found no where else. The use of chemicals or pesticides are forbidden, so this is a completely organic bean.

Only four of the Galapagos islands are inhabited, and coffee is only grown on two of them. This comes from Hacienda El Cafetal, the oldest farm on San Cristobal Island. You can discover more about the islands, and about how this coffee is grown at GalapagosCoffee.com. This week you can try a cup on us with the code below. It's nutty and sweet, with a lingering caramel finish, and we're excited to share this hand-picked bean with you.

Tonight is the second Cornish Christmas, and the it looks like the next storm will hold off until it's over. Come on out and check out the festivities downtown. December starts tomorrow, and we'll be here slinging espresso and steaming eggnog the whole month. Happy holidays!

--Holly Fike