Discover Benelux | Belgian Flavours | (Hand)Made in Belgium
Inspired by a love for espresso TEXT: MICHIEL STOL | PHOTO: CALLISTINO COFFEE ROASTERS
Coffee. For many people it is the way to get their day started. But it is so much more than just an energiser. “A perfect cup of espresso can really make your day,” says Melissa Ruberecht, one of the few female roasters in Belgium and founder of Callistino Coffee Roasters in Brasschaat. Ruberecht has always been inspired by Italy; its culture, its products and its cuisine. No wonder she started a company called Corbello, to import all these amazing products 23 years ago, including espresso machines. “You have to keep in mind that in that time coffee, and more specifically espresso, wasn’t as big as it 14 | Issue 55 | July 2018
is today, especially here in Belgium. The right coffee beans to create the best espresso didn’t really exist,” she explains. That has changed of course; there are many different local coffee roasts now. But surrounding countries are a bit further ahead when it come to the coffee culture. “To be honest, I am a bit jealous of the Dutch coffee culture,” she confesses. “They really value coffee, not just as a starter for the day but also as part of dinner. And it has to be good. Here in Belgium, we tend to take coffee more for granted.” So, in 2005, Ruberecht decided to roast her own coffee beans. “I just wanted peo-
ple to enjoy real Italian espresso, bought a roaster and started roasting the beans here in the shop. I went back to school to become a master roaster, to be able to offer the best quality beans in the country.” And so Callistino Coffee Roasters was born. It now sells 14 different kinds of coffee: four melanges and ten original roasts, each with its own roasting profile. “The beans are slow roasted and the roaster is air cooled, which keeps the aromas better preserved. As for the rest of the process? That is of course my little secret,” Ruberecht smiles. Callistino Coffee Roasters has been awarded with the Handmade In Belgium award.