Graziella Coffee Tony Ponte Brooklyn, New York Episode 81 Graziella Coffee Company This week we are in Brooklyn New York where we caught up with Tony Ponte, owner and founder of Graziella Coffee, a small batch roaster, with a strong family history in coffee and proud Italian lineage. His coffee story begins with his maternal grandparents who immigrated from Italy and his paternal grandparents who owned and operated a coffee shop. The Pesce's grew up in Southern Italy on the family farm before immigrating to Northwest Connecticut. His paternal grandparents opened up a franchise location of a family coffee shop, which had originated in Rhode Island called Bess Eaton Donuts, when they arrived. Wait... so its not Bessie and Donuts? Oh the trouble we can get into. They definitely passed on their work ethic to Tony. At least initially, that did not include their love for coffee, either as a utility or a social lubricant.  Working in the coffee shop, that had since been taken over by his uncles and father, he realized that he didn't really enjoy coffee or donuts. Luckily for us that was early on in his life. So, when did he develop his refined palate for coffee and does he like donuts now? By the way just who doesn’t like donuts? I can hear Homer Simpson crying out …Mmmm….doughnuts… drooling and ….doh. Like his grandparents before him he gradually started to drink coffee as a utility, to get him through the work day.  How did that change to a love of coffee? Enter his biggest influence, and the sage advice, from his good friend that changed his career path. Before jumping into a career, why not take a 30 day motorbike tour of Vietnam with your girlfriend! What could possibly go wrong? Never mind that he couldn't ride a motorbike. What about being held hostage, and riding four to seven hours a day dodging semis, one lane roads and in the pouring rain! And what was the one song refrain that got him through....oh, oh oh I'm...., listen for the rest of this tune and the proper way to sing it! Just how much should you pay for a cup of coffee? Be prepared for a math lesson, that makes complete sense, and one that you will be telling your friends about! Learn why it's so important to expose people to the plight of the coffee farmer and sustainability. How do we keep this dialog alive, and just where can we buy ethical coffee? We had to stop our interview due to wailing fire trucks passing by but this very introspective coffee roaster gave us a new perspective on all things emergent, and what it truly means to live in a big city. Classic take. All this and Literary Latte and a Spotify playlist... favorite music and book can tell you a great deal about a great guy. Join us this week as we introduce you to Graziella Coffee and Tony Ponte we are so glad your grandparents immigrated from Italy. Truly a family tradition Bevo alla tua salute, we drink to your health! https://graziellacoffee.com/ http://bit.ly/GraziellaCoffeeRoadshow