I no longer buy my coffee from the supermarket. I don’t go to Starbucks, Caribou, or the local roaster to buy my coffee. I buy green coffee beans from The Green Coffee Cooperative or Sweet Maria’s or Delaware City Coffee Company. I built my own roaster from a variety of appliances. You see, coffee, once roasted, has a very short window of freshness. When you buy coffee from the grocery store, or even from Starbucks, those beans may have been roasted last week, last month, or the during the Nixon administration. You just don’t know.
It’s kind of a Rube Goldberg deal, but the result is simply the best coffee I have ever had – and I get to drink it every day! My American-style drip coffee is rich and has a 3 dimensional character. My espresso is sweet and topped with wonderful, aromatic crema.
The temperature outside dropped to the low 90s early this evening, so I braved the elements and roasted a pound of Panamanian coffee. I plan to begin enjoying it staring tomorrow morning.
I suppose everyone has their vices – smokers, drinkers, druggies – I am a coffeeist. I could stop anytime I want to – I just don’t want to.
You’re a real coffee enthusiast!
What a great idea! –Q