By Masha Gutkin

lydialeapfrog@yahoo.com

THE FOOD SNOOP

My larynx has permanent indentations from repeatedly forming the words Hello, is any of the coffee that you serve organic or fair trade? My brain has the sneaking suspicion that rushed baristas may say whatever will get them off the phone ASAP. Case in point: Melt, a cafe on Columbus Street. The harried coffee slinger there said, "Yes. It's organic. But I don't know about fair trade. We get it across the street at Graffeo." Mr. Luciano Repetto, proprietor of said Graffeo, promptly informed me that none of the coffee he sells (barring a decaf Colombian he gets via Switzerland) is organic because he has yet to find a certification process in most coffee-growing countries that strikes him as trustworthy. By far my favorite response to the fair-trade question was from a hapless employee of Cafe La Onda (the restyled and derevolutionized Cafe Macondo, on 16th Street): "Uh. Our coffee is a French roast ...", prompting me to put on my wicked librarian voice and say, "Young man, do you know what fair-trade coffee is?"

On a kinder note, not only does Java Beach, on La Playa (a personal favorite), know from fair trade, all the coffee they serve is fair trade and organic. ("I'm singin' in the rain, singin' in the rain, what a glorious feeling ..." ) And, an anthropological aside: This bout of telephonic snooping has left me with the distinct impression that the hippie ethos is alive and well in its old Haight Street haunt; I'll venture the unscientific claim that the neighborhood has got the highest quotient of righteous coffee-serving establishments.

TIPS, ADDENDA, AND CAVEATS

This here list is a (not exhaustive) compilation of San Francisco establishments that serve fair-trade and/or organic coffee by the cup. All are in the 415 area code. Don't forget to ask for these features at your favorite caffeine hut.

Fair-trade and organic certifications present their own set of problems. The requirements can be too stringent for smaller producers. Sometimes they're also unnecessary: The Yemeni blend that Blue Bottle Coffee Company serves reflects a centuries-old tradition of Yemeni coffee growing and processing. As an employee at Blue Bottle said, "There is no reason for them to clean out their soil and go about getting certified."

Coffee chains Peet's, Tully's, and Starbucks, as well as various other (nonchain) cafes, will be happy to make you a French press of their fair-trade and organic coffees upon request, even if it is not the blend they are serving that day.

Transfair's Web site (www.transfairusa.org) offers a list of fair-trade-licensed coffee purveyors, as well as a zip-code search feature, so you can buy fair trade in your neighborhood.

Happy sipping in 2006!

Arlequin 384B Hayes | 626-1211 | The French roast is organic.

The Beanery 602 Irving | 661-1090 | Fair-trade and organic coffees are available.

Bean There 201 Steiner | 255-8855 | Request a French press of their organic and fair-trade coffee.

Blue Bottle Coffee Company 315 Linden | 252-7535 | All blends are organic, and some are fair trade.

Boulange de Polk 2310 Polk | 345-1107 | The French roast is organic.

Cafe Bello 2885 Diamond | 585-3457 | Fair-trade and organic coffees are available.

Cafe lo Cubano 3401 California | 831-4672 | Fair-trade and organic coffees are available.

Cafe Mono 6157 Geary | 831-0631 | Organic coffees are available.

Cafe Organica 562 Central | 441-1338 | All coffee is organic, and almost all is fair trade.

Castro Cheesery 427 Castro | 552-6676 | Fair-trade and organic coffees are available.

Coffee to the People 1206 Masonic | 626-2435 | All coffee is fair trade and organic.

Eura Cafe and Tea Lounge 704 Post | 440-0665 | Fair-trade and organic coffees are available.

Java Beach 1396 La Playa | 665-5282 | All coffee is fair trade and organic.

King's Cafe 1901 Ocean | 333-9088 | Fair-trade and organic coffees are available.

The Little Spot Cafe 1199 South Van Ness | 550-1800 | Fair-trade and organic coffees are available.

Martha Bros. Locations throughout San Francisco | www.marthabros.com | Fair-trade and organic coffees are available.

Mission Creek 968 Valencia | 641-0888 | Fair-trade and organic coffees are available.

People's Cafe 1419 Haight | 553-8842 | House coffee is fair trade and organic.

Philz Coffee 3101 24th St. (282-9155) | 3901 18th St. (272-4770) | The Sumatran is organic.

Progressive Grounds 400 Cortland | 282-6233 | The Peruvian is organic.

Quetzal 1234 Polk | 673-4181 | All coffee is fair trade and organic.

Reverie Cafe 848 Cole | 242-0200 | Fair-trade and organic coffees are available.

Ritual Coffee 1026 Valencia | 641-1024 | All coffee is fair trade, some is organic.

Rockin' Java 1821 Haight | 831-8842 | All coffee is fair trade and organic.

Segafredo 865 Market | 348-1075 | All coffee is organic.

Tartine 600 Guerrero | 487-2600 | All coffee is fair trade and organic.

Zazen Coffee Tea Organics 2314 Clement | 221-8283 | All coffee is organic.