I cannot recall ever drinking or eating something that comes from Poo until my visit to Bali and in particular, the Teba Sari plantation.
It is here where Asian Palm Civets are raised to eat coffee beans and poop them out so that they can be cleaned and roasted for a memorable cup of coffee.
These Luwaks, as they are known in Bali, eat the red cherry bean. While these beans are in their digestive tract, they go through a chemical process where the outer bean is hulled and then defecated out onto the forest or coffee plantation floor.
The beans are then collected, cleaned, dried and slightly roasted to create what the Balinese believe to be one of the best coffees ever. It is also the most expensive coffee in the world with a cup selling for up to $79US, as seen in Peter Jones department store in London’s Sloane Square.
I would say, without a doubt that this coffee is exotic and rich in flavour.
It is thick like a Turkish coffee yet does not need sugar since it is not at all bitter. At the plantation, we were served our coffee with a cinnamon stick. What I was quick to figure out was the stick was not for stirring but rather for adding flavor. Some of us stirred our coffees and ended up with a mouth full of grains.
Would I travel out of my way to find this coffee? I am not sure but I do know that the experience was unforgettable and the little critters were adorable.
I am also happy to see that these Balinese farmers have been able to create a viable business using nature and not chemicals.
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