A Morning’s Dark Silence
The morning is new. The sun hasn’t risen, though red highlights mark the eastern skyline past the barn and through a farmer’s fields where a long row of old trees still cling to life.
Throughout the house, all is quiet and peaceful. A german shepherd awoken by her owner pads along his side as he moves silently through the hallway, bisecting the living room, and into the kitchen.
Coffee is a morning ritual. The sound of the hand-held Japanese ceramic grinder and subsequent drip drip of hot water is melodic and harmonizes with the morning’s dark silence.
This secret vigil sustains him. It soothes his soul. More than a cup of fresh coffee, it is a technique to quiet the bright and discordant thoughts that would otherwise clutter his mind and distract him from what is truly important.
First comes fresh coffee beans. He pours them in the small grinder. Having done this countless times, he instinctively knows how many beans to add. Then comes the slow turning of a small metal arm with a little round wooden handle at its end.
Holding the handle and rotating the arm produces the sound of ceramic rollers trapping and crushing the coffee beans. This, accompanied by a vibration that travels from the grinder and into his hands. There is an optimum speed found through practice. Not too fast, nor too slow. A perfect speed and rhythm which matches the rhythm and calmness of his heart, his soul.
Ground coffee is placed into a small filter inside a base perched over a small but well used cup. Freshly boiled water is then poured, slowly, over the grounds in a circular pattern while aroma and flavor becomes infused with the warm liquid that makes its way down to rest in the bottom of the cup.
He moves to the living room and sits in his favorite leather chair in front of the fire. His spell of not-thinking slowly lifts and he is left with pure thoughts. Subjects important to him. He contemplates himself, his life, without distraction, while slowly sipping his perfect cup of coffee.
He performs his own type of meditation with coffee and silent serenity.
Half an hour passes, perhaps an hour, and he seemingly opens his eyes for the first time that morning, as noises start filtering through the house. Morning has come for others and his quiet revere has come to an end, until tomorrow.
Morning Routine
I can probably be described as being a bit fanatical when it comes to my morning routine and of course, my coffee.
I believe great coffee is black coffee. When done correctly there is no need for sugar or cream. Adding chocolate and caramel, in my opinion, is sacrilege.
There are many effective ways to make a good cup of coffee and they all start with a bean you enjoy. After that, the method is likely based on personality and time.
A French press, an electric drip-coffee machine, and pour-over, the method described above, are my personal favorites. But, for a great single cup, that can be made in your kitchen or on top of a mountain alike, get a ceramic grinder, a kettle, and filter. It’s delicious! (If you want to taste the coffee, that is.) 🙂
In my kitchen
I use a Hario ceramic grinder. I’ve had it for years and it’s never let me down. As a Soldier, I used to spend extended periods of time in the field and this grinder was just the trick. It pairs with a ceramic coffee dripper and filter.
I haven’t bothered with a special kettle and when I camp or take the RV out, I use a plastic dripper and sometimes a jet-boil stove.
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