I want to hear about the first coffee that blew your mind...for me, I was studying abroad, seated at a tiny café in Puebla, Mexico, when a cup of coffee changed my life. Time briefly slowed as I took in the richly layered taste of that cup, observing the energy, community and vivid conversation, all centered around a common love of coffee. At that moment, I realized that in some way, coffee would be an important part of my future and altered the path of my life.

From there, I journeyed to the plazas of southern Spain, where I became a student of café culture, in preparation for bringing the authentic experience to America. By 1997 I was the owner of a café in the U.S. The coffee I was sourcing from a regional roaster was the best to be found, but I knew I could do better. By the following year, I had purchased a coffee roaster and my first bag of unroasted green coffee beans, embarking on a lifelong quest. In the 17 years since, I have traveled across countries and continents in search of the most extraordinary coffees, innovative producers and complex flavors.

What began as an attempt to satisfy my own desire for superior coffee, soon became a mission to share the ultimate coffee experience, as I realized other sophisticated coffee lovers were seeking the same qualities I had discovered. With the Coffee Explorer Podcast and Ciel Coffee, I am exploring cultures and expanding palates, focusing all my efforts on delivering to every person who tastes a cup of Café Privé Sélect their own life-changing coffee moment.

Jennifer A. Stone, founder of Ciel Café Privé Sélect, is a Licensed Quality Grader by the Coffee Quality Institute as well as an internationally recognized coffee cupper and judge for the Cup of Excellence.

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