The Produce Trucker Radio Show

This came via the "Contact me" form on the site!  I really appreciate the e-mail!  Looks like there are more of us!

------------------------

Your Name: Don Haupt

Subject: ex-barista/trucker enjoying the podcast
Message: Hi Wilson, just wanted to let you know that I've been enjoying the Produce Trucker podcast and send my encouragement for you to keep it up.  As a trucker who used to be a barista I was very impressed to hear your enthusiasm for artisan coffee.  It's not often that I meet other truckers who can appreciate a well-crafted espresso or latte made with perfectly textured milk, seems that most drivers are just so accustomed to truckstop coffee.  I run a daycab out of Portland, Oregon and when I get back into town early, as I did today, I like to stop in to one of Portland's many,many,many coffeehouses for some of the best coffee around.  Stumptown is our main local roaster but there are also many others that are making there way out there.  In a nutshell, I'm very proud of my town for what we offer on the coffee scene.  I'm not sure if you ever run out west but if you do let me know, I'll pick you up at the truckstop and take you to the best spots.

I listen to lots of podcasts while I'm driving (Geologic Podcast, The Moth, Trucker TwoTimes, Rachel Maddow, This American Life.....these are my mainstays), so I'm glad I found yours.  The comedy is a nice addition, however I usually FF over the country music (sorry, never was a fan of the genre).

Nice to meet you,
Don Haupt

I am a coffee fanatic.  I just don't like coffee, however.  I love "culinary coffee" otherwise also known as "3rd Wave Coffee." 

Madcap Coffee of Grand Rapids Belgium Coffee Maker

I am a firm believer in hauling fresh produce and drinking fresh roasted, quality driven, ethically produced coffees.  On this page, I will be talking about coffee from the eyes of the trucker. 

All of us, as truckers, have the scene in our minds: your sitting at a truckstop (probably a nice "mom and pop" truckstop along a half forgotten road since the Interstate was blazed through.  Your at the table with three other crazy truckers just talking stories and complaining about rates.  Your drinking poor coffee probably sourced from Vietnam or some other huge source of poor coffee.  The big coffee companies and brands like Maxwell House, Foldgers and such all source from such areas.  But, when your in good company, who cares about the coffee, right?

The purpose of this page and parts of the podcast will be to open the truckers eyes to the world of specialty coffee.  If the first wave of coffee was necessity (Foldgers and the like), and the second wave was style (Starbucks), the "Third Wave" is all about the coffee and how it is portrayed.  It is no longer about what is fashionable, it is now about what makes a fantastic cup of coffee. 

My Knowledge Base:

I have written for an internationally circulated magazine called Barista Magazine and I continue to write articles today.  I got my start writing about coffee with a rather popular blog where I found myself reviewing coffee and writing about method and philosophy. 

Finally, in my home, I have a two group Faema S87 espresso machine and a Mazzer grinder.  Just to give you some reference, if you go into a Starbucks my machine is about as big, if not a few inches bigger, than their machine.  It is a commercial rig that produces stellar espresso and espresso based drinks, such as a cappuccino.  It runs off 220v and is plumbed into the water system.   I also use different brewing methods in my home and in the truck such as vaccum pot and  French Press.

Contacting me with Coffee Questions:

Feel free to contact me via the "comments" in this and other post regarding coffee or to directly e-mail me at wilsonhines AT gmail.com .