My Life in Food: Calendar Coffee's Zarah Lawless
Founded in 2018, Calendar Coffee has a seasonal approach to coffee and works directly with farmers to sustainably source high quality coffee.
The early days
When I was a teenager my sister and I would take the train into London and visit Monmouth Coffee. I couldn’t believe there were so many different origins and varieties, and it was the first time I experienced sweetness in coffee.
The ethos
The whole ethos behind Calendar is to celebrate coffee as a seasonal product. From a quality perspective, the fresher the green coffee, the better the roasted coffee. The coffees we roast are always changing to keep up with the freshest, most seasonal harvests.
Balancing the schedule
I’m in the roastery two to three days a week and the other days, I’m juggling housework, emails, looking after the kids. I’ve become quite good at prioritising, and recognising when something needs my attention or if it can wait.
Staying true to values
We don’t try to actively sell coffee in the traditional sense. Instead, we try to communicate our values as a business and show people who we are. Our best and most loyal customers are always the ones who find you and want to work with you because of your product or reputation.
Misconceptions on money
There is a misconception in the specialty coffee industry that just because we pay premiums for our coffee (more than the commodity market and more than FairTrade), it’s assumed that they would be profitable. But 44 per cent of the world’s smallholder farmers live below the poverty line.
Shifting the conversation
What would really help shift the conversation is if the everyday coffee drinker would ask more questions about where their coffee came from and how much the farmer was paid. The majority of farmers are struggling to cover their costs and it’s our responsibility as roasters and consumers to pay higher prices.
Best restaurant in Galway
Our favourite place to eat is Freddie’s in Galway. It’s our special little place – they do the best, authentic Italian food. Have a big bowl of Bolognese and wash it down with a glass of their house red!
Favourite coffee spot
We love going to Kali Coffee Bar in Salthill, they have such attention to detail and do the nicest filter coffee. You can sit in their lovely garden, and go for a walk on the prom afterwards.
Recent obsession
A cookbook I have been loving is Meera Sodha's Dinner – we’ve been using it loads recently and the recipes are easy enough but still impress.
Seasonal comfort food
I make a gorgeous butternut squash, sage and chestnut risotto. It’s so warming and comforting.
A must-have gadget
The Moccamaster is our favourite brewer. It’s so easy and consistent, it can make big batches of filter coffee or enough for just 1-2 cups.
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