Persephone was a beautiful young lady cherished by her mother, the Goddess of Harvest, Demeter. Demeter presided over the fertility of the earth and brought the cycle of life and death to the harvest. With Persephone by her side, the flowers bloomed. Soon, though, the earth would grow barren.
You may be thinking this is only a tale of our dear Persephone. Our friends at Intelligentsia Coffee used this fateful tale as a foundation to demonstrate their commitment to producing coffee from a seasonal perspective. Seattle Coffee Gear is proud to provide our customer’s with Intelligentsia Coffee Persephone Blend and share the story that inspired the name.
One day, Persephone and her companions were picking flowers in a field, when Hades, ruler of the Underworld, caught a glimpse of Persephone and yearned to make her his. Hades sought help from his brother Zeus, who was also the father to Persephone, and revealed his love for her. Together, they plotted a plan to steal Persephone and bring her to the Underworld.
While still frolicking through the field, Persephone was enchanted by a lone daffodil. Little did she know, the flower was the trap set by Hades and his brother to capture poor Persephone. When she reached her delicate hand towards the flower, Hades cracked open the earth and spirited her away to the Underworld. When Demeter discovered her daughter was missing, the earth wilted under her vengeful spite.
Persephone was as distraught as her mother. She refused to eat a single bite—she knew that if she consumed food from the Underworld, she would be trapped there forever. Hades, undeterred, tempted her with food and elaborate decorations until eventually his offerings persuaded Persephone and she ate pomegranate seeds from the Underworld.
Above, the land still laid to waste, Demeter was determined to get her daughter back—no matter if Persephone consumed food from the Underworld. Hades refused since he had made Persephone his, but struck a deal to allow her to leave every six months of the year to visit Demeter. For the other six months, she would be Queen of the Underworld and rule with Hades.
That is why with each spring, Demeter wills the flowers to bloom with the arrival of her beloved Persephone from the Underworld. And when Persephone must fulfill the bargain and return, Demeter lets the crops wilt until she sees her daughter again.
The story of Persephone illustrates the seasonal cycle of coffee. During the spring, the coffee plant flowers and then summer ripens the cherries until they are ready to be harvested in winter. Intelligentsia Coffee's Persephone Blend correlates with the growing season with their Direct Trade partners in the Southern Hemisphere. Persephone is composed of coffees from Bolivia, Brazil, and Zambia, where their most fruitful harvest during June through September.
Persephone’s blend carries notes of pomegranate—to honor Persephone, of course—and orange marmalade that finishes with a light bite of champagne. The balance of sweetness and acidity complements the contrast of Persephone’s story if you ask us. For as long as Persephone can stay with us, Seattle Coffee Gear will carry Intelligentsia Coffee’s Persephone Blend.