"JuanValdez" news and stories

Everybody recognizes his trademark hat and bushy mustache, but is Colombian coffee's most beloved mascot man, myth or legend?

While the name "Juan Valdez" may be relatively common in Latin America, the idol we know and love is actually the java equivalent of Paul Bunyan (joined by a donkey named Conchita instead of Babe the blue ox). That's right -- Señor Valdez is the long-standing mascot of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, whom he has represented since being developed by an advertising firm in 1959.

Read more about the world's favorite coffee farmer after the jump.

Photo: lepiaf.geo, Flickr

• Seattle-area blueberry u-picks are overrun with "a bazillion berries."
• A look into David O'Reilly's Oregon wines, and love for his $9 Corvidae 2008 Mirth Chardonnay.
• The city's cocktail scene, plus a recipe for Sake Sangria.
• Adios Juan Valdez! The coffee man moved out of Seattle in July.
• Hmm ... is organic food really tastier than the alternative? A new study challenges the claim.
• Some travel to Europe for history, art and fine dining, while others backpack their way to vacations as farm hands.
• Restaurants: Capitol Hill's Barrio dishes decent food, while Ravenna's Pair boasts beautiful sliders.
• Recipes: Spicy Baby Back Ribs with Orange Glaze, Cool Summer Garlic-Lily Soup with Almond Pesto, White Gazpacho with Almonds and Grapes, Seafood Kebabs with Zucchini and Yellow Squash Rice, Garlic Shrimp with Unripe Mango Curry, Any Fruit Coffee Cake and Pollo Con Naranjas, Grilled Tomato Sandwiches with Blue Cheese Spread, and Mesclun Salad Pizette with Peaches and Pecans