It’s easy to tell that Wendy Johnson loves her job. Her enthusiasm for it — she’s the coffee expert over at Le Pain Quotidien — is plain and infectious. If she finds out you’re a coffee drinker, she’ll ask you what you drink, where you drink it, espresso or otherwise. Le Pain’s new cold brew is “my baby,” she said. Wendy is very excited about coffee.
It’s understandable: she recently told me the story of visiting the farm where the restaurant and bakery chain sources all of its coffee: a single estate in Peru’s Villa Rica Valley owned by a farmer who made the choice to switch to organic growing operations not because of the higher price point at which he would be able to sell his coffee, but because of concern for and awareness of health. Wendy stayed in his house, with his family, and followed coffee harvesters through the orchards, where the coffee — which starts as a sort of cherry — is shade-grown and hand-picked. Talk about knowing your farmer.
Wendy and Le Pain Quotidien are as committed as their farmer is to keeping the environment and our bodies free from chemicals, which is why they don’t hesitate in recommending a homemade facial scrub made from organic coffee. It’s made from things you almost certainly already have in your pantry, allows you to upcycle your morning coffee grounds and makes your face feel very soft.
Might we also recommend it as the perfect way to close out #NationalCoffeeDay 2014?
Le Pain Quotidien’s Organic Coffee Honey Mask
¾ cup of medium-fine organic coffee grounds (fresh or used*)
2 tbsp organic yogurt
1 tbsp organic honey (or use lavender honey for added aroma)
*If using brewed coffee grounds, strain using a fine mesh strainer and allow to dry, or adjust wet ingredients accordingly.
Mix ingredients into a well-blended mousse and spoon into a jar with a lid. Spread evenly over the face, and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water and massage gently for light exfoliation. Keep the mask in the refrigerator between uses.
Photos by Ben Jay
