Gold in Your Cup

Gold in Your Cup takes viewers back to examine coffee's 19th century stranglehold on Brazil and Central America. The oppression led to coffee barons, the subjugation of Indians and Africans, the destruction of rainforests and, ironically, the evolution of both democracy and dictatorships. The episode also brings viewers inside an elegant, contemporary competition designed to elevate the quality of coffee in Brazil. Meanwhile, in urban centers across North America in the 1960's, singers like Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan spearheaded the emergence of a brand new coffeehouse culture. Unbeknownst to the public, the new bohemians represented Latin America's best hope for a better future. They possessed a heightened sense of social justice and best of all they were hooked on dark, rich, quality coffee.