Maricao Coffee Festival, The Mountains of PR

Coffee, My Second Most Favorite Drink!

I found out about this local event 2 weeks after it ended last year. I had been looking forward to checking it out, ever since.

I was not disappointed!

The Coffee Festival runs for 3 days, but Sunday was the best day for weather. We took Hwy 52 through Ponce which turns into Hwy 2. This took us to Hwy 121, the exit at Sabana Grande.  121 snakes through town past the Plaza and makes a hard left turn, then a right, then a left that takes you back out of town to become Hwy 120. We missed the 2nd turn, drove through and got lost. As luck would have it, when we stopped to ask for directions, one guy spoke perfect English and explained how to get back on our way. The locals love to impress their friends with their ability to speak some English. He was very helpful.

I had set up the video camera before we left Hwy 2 so I could do a “From the Road” video of the trip up to Maricao, BUT the battery quit 15 minutes in, so I got nothing.  Think I’ll score a couple new batteries for the VadoHD.  The rest of the day went well.

Hwy 120 passes through the Maricao State Forest. A huge reserve and popular spot for weekend trips. Stands of local pine, bamboo and as you get to higher elevations, tree ferns everywhere. Much of the route skirts the ridge line so the vistas can be absolutely marvelous. From several spots, you can see all the way to the coast. Highway 120 is part of ‘Ruta Panaramica’ which crosses the island from East to West. There is a hard switchback at Hwy 105 that takes you on into Maricao. As you get close to Maricao you can see coffee growing from the side of the road.

The Overlook at la Torre de Piedra..

There is a fantastic overlook on Hwy 120 with a stone tower situated along a high ridge-line, before the switchback to Hwy 105.  This site was originally built and manned by the Spanish to spot in-coming ships before they could reach the port in Mayaguez.  A beautiful stone structure restored in 1933 as part of President FD Roosevelt’s ‘New Deal’ effort at putting folks back to work after the Great Depression. This was one of those projects. Except for a little spray painted graffiti and some standing water at the bottom from last night’s rain, it’s in remarkable shape. A very popular place to get your picture taken. The steps to the top are steep, but there is a solid rail all the way up and it’s only about 2 stories tall. The view to the coast and Mayaguez would be spectacular if it were not for 2 radio antennas planted right in the way. Why were they not placed with the other antennas located a few hundred feet on the hill just up the road? (Ed. Note- some historical facts regarding this tower are in dispute, please contact me if you can help with details)

I mean really, what were they thinking when they stuck them there? No real photo opportunity because of these antennas.

A Little Coffee History..

Coffee cultivation started in Maricao around 1755. By 1776 (US declares its Independence), coffee was the main crop. The population grew rapidly- by 1871, there were 8,507 residents.  The last 2 decades under Spanish rule (1876-1898) were known as the Golden Age for the mountain region. It transformed the west-central area into a major cultural center.  Sugar was replaced with coffee as the main crop and gained International recognition for being a premium product. Upon the US taking over Puerto Rico, the mandate shifted from coffee, back to sugar and this decimated Maricao’s economy. Many folks sold off their farms or gave up on farming and moved away. With the resurgent interest in coffee, Maricao is making a steady comeback.

Today, coffee and citrus are the principal crops of the area.

The Main Event..

We got there around 10AM. We did not actually make it into the Plaza of Maricao because the dedicated fairgrounds and parking lot were to this side of town.  The formal concrete baseball park is here too. It must have rained hard the night before since the parking lot was pretty muddy. OH- it cost $5 to park and it was already 2/3’s full when we showed up. I think this is too high a price to ‘park’ in mud. Gouging folks is a sure-fire way to keep them from coming back. There were no alternatives to speak of. By the time we headed back the lot was full. They were only letting folks in as cars left.

People were parked a good half mile back up the road, where ever they could. That’s not easy since there is no shoulder.

The short hike to the fairgrounds was easy. It was warmer than we thought it would be since we were well above sea level here. There were a bunch of vendors selling hats and umbrellas at very reasonable prices, doing a brisk trade. I was holding onto my money for eats and coffee. Something else I noticed as we were walking in- almost everyone was carrying folding camp chairs in addition to coolers and beach umbrellas. Except for the formal baseball stadium, there was next to no place to sit down. The locals know this and come prepared.  This is not that unusual and it’s safe to assume you should bring your own chairs when attending any carnival or event in Puerto Rico. We got ours!

There was a dedicated stage with local performers singing traditional music, dressed in colorful outfits. It was a very festive atmosphere, typical of a local celebration. Artesanos had their own dedicated area and the Coffee Haciendas had their own booths.

Yes, this Festival is Definitely About Coffee

A small strip of grass between the paved fairground and the baseball park had coffee growing like hedges covered in berries. That’s how I got shots of ripe coffee beans growing.  Ripe coffee more resembles little ruby red cherries than beans. Drying, then roasting makes them turn dark, though not all coffee is dark brown. That depends on the type of coffee and roasting cycle.

The main coffee suppliers had booths where they were handing out free samples made however you like it.

Most Puerto Ricans load up their strong coffee with tons of sugar so ordering mine ‘negro’ black, usually caught them off guard.

One of the regulars to the Artesano circuit is Osiris Zambrana. He is a master artesano who specializes in making Guiros. A rhythm instrument used in Puerto Rican folk music. It’s made from Marimbo Blanco (similar to a hard skinned gourd). His work is known all over the island. A great guy, very friendly.

ALL of the coffee for sale via the local
coffee haciendas is the real deal.

Many of these places give tours of their facilities. It was reasonably priced all things considered so we loaded up. I’ll report back about our ‘sampling’ in another post. We did not score every variety on sale, but did manage to get a good collection to try out.

The Puerto Rican Coffee Experience..

A few years back, I had the good fortune to visit with a Puerto Rican family in New Jersey for Thanksgiving.  They made their coffee with a stove top Espresso Maker and it was to die for (I bought one).

They did load it up with sugar before putting it on the stove (caffeine and sugar, what a rush), but they made some ‘straight’ for me and me pal Brian. These stove top Espresso Makers are very popular with stateside Puerto Ricans, but not so much with the folks I’ve met. Today, most locals make their coffee via an Electric Drip coffee maker.

When you go into a grocery store or Walmart for that matter, you will not see any of the National brands you are used to. No Folgers, no Maxwell House, no Yuban and no bulk beans to grind your own.  Canned coffee in the large standard size cans is unheard of here. Starbucks has managed to get their coffee onto the shelves and they do run a few shops in San Juan and elsewhere

The local coffee industry and its distribution are regulated and price protected by the PR government.

Almost all coffee comes ground, we like to buy reasonably priced MAMI coffee because it’s vacuum sealed in 8.8 ounce bricks. It’s 100% Puerto Rican coffee. Not all local brands are. Some of the locally distributed coffee is a mix of local and South American varieties.  They simply do not grow enough coffee on the island to meet the local demand. Just in the last few weeks, Walmart has started selling 100% Puerto Rican coffee under their ‘Great Value’ brand in big 14 ounce bags.

I doubt you will ever see that for sale in Des Moines or Bakersville.

In the old days, they used to make coffee using a kind of long narrow cloth bag with wire handle to let it soak, then pull it out and wring it dry. You can still buy Coladores here, but they are too much work and mess for most folks. A French Press is good too.

At the Fair…

I finally had the opportunity to try Chef David’s El Platanal signature dish. I will admit, I had high expectations. A bowl made of shredded, pressed and fried plantains filled with your choice of meat on a bed of chopped lettuce and topped with fresh salsa sounds real good. For the most part it was. I ordered mine with ‘Carne’ which turned out to be grilled pork. The meat was delicious and in very generous portions considering the size of the bowl. The salsa was mild, but nicely tangy. There were several choices for the meat filling including grilled chicken and fresh shrimp. After having consumed the the salsa, pork and lettuce, I tried a few bites of the fried plantain.

It resembled fried Tostones, but was way too hard for me to eat.

It tasted good, just too hard so I ended up tossing that last part out. Not a bad experience until you factor in the cost… I handed him a $20 and got $12 back. $8 seems high for something served as fast food. 8 bucks would buy several Pinchos. I would recommend it if you are not on a budget. Food-wise it rates 4 skulls, but the cost drops it to 3 skulls. So sez the Dog, Arrg.

There were lots of other food vendors too. Beer, wine and mixed drinks were available if you had a hankering for some. Most folks brought their own ‘refreshments’.  Another vendor was selling freshly roasted peanuts from North Carolina. He was using an 1882 cast iron coffee roaster to roast his peanuts. What we would call a ‘nickel bag’ was a buck. I scored 2 bags of ‘green’ peanuts because I want to see if I can grow them here. We shall see.

Maricao is also famous for its fruit
and flowers too.

There were folks on the side of the road selling oranges for a buck a bag. Many types of exotic flowers could be had for cheap.

I regret not having made it to the Plaza in Maricao. It did not dawn on me until we left, that I could have rode the local shuttle bus into town and back to the parking lot for a hassle-free round trip. Maybe next time. Since Monday was a holiday, I’m sure this party went on until quite late. Other than the expensive parking, we had a great time and I recommend this to everyone. But bring a hat and if you are going to stay long, bring a chair and a cooler too. Make it a day!

I can only give the event 4 skulls since parking was so expensive, otherwise the coffee festival rates 5.

Starbucks may be few and far between here on the island, but you can always get a real good cup of coffee at the local Panaderia and a tasty pastry too!