OFORGET the Thermos and digestive biscuits. On your way from Cairns to the Atherton Tablelands, there is a perfect place on the Kennedy Highway to take a coffee break.

Tichum Creek Coffee Farm, 22km past Kuranda on the way to Mareeba, offers something much more memorable … Italian hospitality, specialty coffee and delicious treats.

Mario and Claudia Sorbello opened their farm to the public three years ago to offer tastings of Atherton Tableland coffee, including their own special coffee blend, Mario’s blend, which is only available from the farm.

But that’s not all. You can also get a custom blend perfectly suited to your taste. Try their medium roast, dark roast or blends, roasted to order. You can almost smell the delicious aroma just thinking about it.

Mario is a second generation farmer who grew up on a tobacco farm in the area. He and Claudia started a small coffee plantation as part of a tobacco farm and loved the whole coffee scene so much they moved to a new property.

And as their arabica coffee plantation is still in its infancy, they source coffee beans from the farm where they first planted coffee trees.

During a chat at the coffee farm, you’re likely to learn anything from how coffee is grown to the best way to store it in your home for maximum freshness and enjoyment.

Once you’ve decided on the coffee of your choice - cappuccino, cafe latte, babycino or plunger, you can savour your choice as you sit on the verandah looking out on a garden of natives and exotics – and lots of colourful flowers. To make it deliciously sinful, add a slice, cookie, or a piece of that Italian masterpiece, tiramisu.

Otherwise, choose devonshire tea, with a choice of tropical or strawberry jam with your scones and cream.

For those who aren’t purists, there are also such indulgences as macadamia cream, chocolate macadamia, Belgian chocolate, French vanilla, caramel nut, chocolate hazelnut and Irish cream and coffee combinations.

In fact, there are 10 flavours to choose from, so it might be hard to make up your mind. And if you’re not a coffee buff, they also serve local tea and cold drinks (including iced coffee, of course!).

This year the Sorbellos are adding a small tobacco display to reflect the district’s history of tobacco farming.

There’s plenty of room for caravans to park and turn – it is a farm, after all! Tichum Creek Coffee Farm is open six days from 9.00am to 4.00pm (closed Mondays).