About Us . . .
Princess Valiant Coffee began in 2004, following a fruitless search for fresh-roasted organic coffee here on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. I gave homeroasting a try, shared the coffee with my friends, and the next thing I knew I had a coffee business on my hands. I now roast on a beautiful American-made Diedrich IR-12 drum roaster and source beans from the West Coast's very best coffee developers and importers — most of whom are women.
Philosophy
Many customers enjoy learning about the people who grow and harvest my coffees, as it makes them feel connected to the people and communities who produce them.
I buy green coffee primarily from West Coast coffee importers who actively help coffee growing communities become self-sustaining.
The majority of the coffees in my lineup are grown without chemicals and may have certifications such as Utz Kapeh, Bird Friendly and Rainforest Alliance. Some coffees are termed "Socially Responsible" which is not a certification but an indicator that the growing, processing, harvesting and/or importing is done in a way that enables that coffee-growing community work toward self-sustainability, environmental protection and good working conditions. Those coffees may not be formally certified but are produced by eco-friendly methods that protect not only the earth, but people birds and wildlife.
We in the Pacific Northwest have been raised on dark roasted coffee, but I believe that taking coffee too dark incinerates the flavor right out of it, and risks a fire in my roaster. French Roast is not a particular bean, but a degree of roast. I believe that what people often think of as "bold" nuances in French Roast coffee is primarily carbon from the coffee being burned. If you want bold coffee I can certainly help you choose a bean with a heavy, intense profile.
I roast in small batches and every bean I buy is 100% Arabica and in the Specialty Coffee category. I don't buy commercial grade coffees or robusta.
To ensure freshness I use polyfoil heat-sealed bags for longer shelf life. Unfortunately, because they are made of several different materials, they are not recyclable. I encourage my customers to reuse them for walks with Rover or other purposes.
What's with the car?
My 1965 Plymouth Valiant Signet (V-8) Convertible looked quite sad when it first came into my life in 2002. After a tune-up and a little TLC, it looked great and turned heads as I drove around town with my Beagle in the passenger's seat. I occasionally emailed my uncle in Wyoming to ask his advice about maintaining a classic car, and his responses were always addressed "Dear Princess Valiant . . .
When I loaded my roasted beans and fresh brewed airpots into my classic car and set up as a coffee vendor at the local farmers' market, Princess Valiant Coffee seemed the perfect name for my new company.
My artist friend Katie Carlson created my logo. Now many of my coffee labels are graced by her beautiful and sometimes whimsical watercolor, pen and ink, and collage images.
Katie Carlson
Katie Carlson has a bachelor's degree in painting from the University of California at Berkeley and a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Hawaii. After a professional career as an applied anthropologist she has resumed her early passion for making art, combining both backgrounds to create an original work for each Princess Valiant Coffee label.
She uses different media and styles to depict the unique characteristics of a place, a people, or some characteristic of the grower. Some labels are portraits of specific individuals; others are general representations inspired by her research on the origins of a specific coffee.