Hanna Neuschwander is the communications and marketing director for World Coffee Research, a nonprofit organization devoted to improving both global coffee quality and the livelihoods of the people who produce it.  She also writes about coffee for magazines including Travel + Leisure, Portland Monthly, and Barista.  As well, she is a speaker about key issues in the coffee industry, including at the most recent Specialty Coffee Association of America convention in Seattle.  Among all this impressive work, Neuschwander is the author of Left Coast Roast—a delightful guide to many of the best specialty coffee brands situated between San Francisco and Seattle. It’s a pleasing paperback that celebrates more than 50 labels to look for from the heart of America’s specialty coffee scene.  Each one receives a very brief, very readable profile with some character-filled company history and a handy chart of vital stats.  Neuschwander also includes a fine primer on the language of coffee, the basics of coffee cultivation and processing, as well as the principles of home roasting and brewing.  This is a beautiful book; and it would be superb to see a sequel, since its 2012 publication antedates several recent regional roasters who merit a mention. ($16.95 / 294 pages)
