| Courtesy of Julia Peixoto |
From now until we publish the 2016 edition of Best of Phoenix, New Times is naming 100 Tastemakers — members of our local culinary community who help shape the way we eat, drink, and think about food in Phoenix. Some you’ll know, and for others, it’ll be the first introduction, but each person on our list deserves a nod for helping make our city so delicious. Oh, and while you’re here, be sure to check out our list of 100 Creatives.
3. Julia Peixoto of Peixoto Coffee
Born and raised in a coffee-growing family in Brazil, with at least four generations of coffee growers prior to hers, Julia Peixoto started Peixoto Coffee in 2015 with her husband, Jeff Peters. The coffee shop, roaster, and wholesale distributor uses beans that come directly from Peixoto’s family farm in the highlands of Brazil, and has become known locally for elevating the way coffee is served and consumed in the East Valley.
Today, Peixoto dishes on why coffee should be traded directly and why she’s excited about the Arizona food scene.
My go-to place for pizza in Phoenix is Bella Gusto in our own Chandler! Of course, I absolutely love places like Bianco, Cibo, et cetera, in downtown Phoenix, but I am a Chandler resident and small-business owner, so I try whenever possible to support local. At Bella Gusto, they make their own burrata, mozzarella, pastas, and Neapolitan pizza dough topped with fresh ingredients, while keeping it simple and unfussy. This place is still relatively new and understated, but they’ve earned my support.
The best-kept secret in Phoenix is American Way at Merchant Square. I feel so lucky to have a place like American Way just down the street from Peixoto Coffee and where I live. They take some American basics to the next level, with their own artisan breads by Proof Bread and smoking their own meats. It does not hurt, either, that they are located inside an antique/vintage market, which I love, and is an attraction to see in itself!
Coffee should always be roasted, served, and drank with integrity and respect for the farmers who produced it. You are probably regretting having asked me this question right about now, but this is an area that is near and dear to my heart. Coffee should not only be traded directly and fairly, but importers/buyers should ensure that farmers are compensated based on the quality of the coffee beans. Growing coffee is such an arduous and risky job, and most farmers are at the mercy of buyers to determine the price for their product. Farmers are battling plant diseases, climatic, geographical, and political instability, theft, et cetera — not buyers — so they should be compensated commensurately to the risks they undertake. Other than that, drinking coffee is a ritual, a soul-nourishing experience to be enjoyed simply and with loved ones!
If I could have dinner with any five people, I’d choose the President and my family (husband and two kids to keep things light and fun!). I would share my personal story with the President about how I came to this country 15 years ago with a suitcase full of clothes and a heart full of dreams and that today, I am living my dreams. We would eat traditional food from my region in Brazil (“comida mineira”) which is made with simple, wholesome, and farm-grown ingredients that are prepared on a wood-fired stove (if we can find one here). Of course, we would finish off the meal with a cup of freshly poured Peixoto Coffee!
Right now I’m really excited about the direction that the Arizona food/beverage scene is going. When I moved here 15 years ago, I had a hard time understanding why most restaurants did not cook their own ingredients. There were a lot of cans and jars being opened in the kitchen, a lot of powdered seasoning, a lot of premade sauces, et cetera. Now, the food/beverage industry is going back to basics to use wholesome ingredients, which undoubtedly is better for everyone. I am excited to see Arizona consumers come to demand and expect this level of craftsmanship and local enthusiasm in their food and beverages. I feel so proud to be a small part in this transformation taking place in Arizona!
