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Coffee


Picture: My caffe latte served with my wife's Raspberry and White Choc muffin


It began with a shy look.

A college student with barely two coins to rub together, walks past a Coffee Bean cafe and wonders how his some of his friends can afford to drink a coffee that costs as much as two whole meals.

He looks up at the price list, steals a glimpse of a straw touching a pair of luscious lips, and sees the dark, cool liquid move up the straw... and sees the person's eyes close with pleasure.

And he quickly looks down.

"One day" he whispers to  himself, "one day I will drink you".

It has been many years now since the college student made the promise. He is now a... well, he's still a student. Except he is now studying towards his PhD in New Zealand. He has drunk countless cups of coffee. Some coffees cheap and cheerful (and usually always upsetting to the stomach), some coffees more refined than others, and some coffees verging on being luxurious.

I am known as a bit of a coffee aficionado among my friends. My Canadian friend Brad calls me a coffee snob. Call it what you will, but I don't buy into the "All coffees are the same" philosophy. Because they're not. With some coffees you get a more earthy taste; with some a more caramel taste, and all the elements in between, with layers and layers of flavour and aroma. But you wouldn't know that until you've developed an appreciation for the dark, bitter bean. Until you've started buying whole beans, and grinding them yourself, enjoying the tantalising smells of fresh ground coffee. 

Fresh espresso, self extracted, with self-ground coffee. That's the way to go.

Oooh la la...




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♛ LORD ZARA 札拉 ♛ said…
Geng! Geng! Geng!

Not all the coffees are the same. Try Blue Mountain & you'll know why it's one of the expensive coffee in the world :D

My friend called me as caffeine junkie :D
August 12, 2012 at 9:32 PM
Abdullah Mohd Nawi said…
All right! High five!

We don't get Blue Mountain here I'm afraid. We have (among my favourites): Grativity, Vittorio, Lavazza, Robert Harris, Avalanche, Hummingbird, and a few other that I can't get at the top of my head now.

Oh.. and you can get Nescafe if you want.. but I don't. It always hurts my tummy.
August 12, 2012 at 9:42 PM
Cat-from-Sydney said…
OMG! Uncle D, you're worse than my Mama. We admit, there's no such thing as instant coffee in this house and she even enrolled in an expensive barista course at the Sydney Coffee School. We have a full fledged Sunbeam expresso machine at home. None of the cafes we frequented, be they Starbucks or Coffee Bean or Gloria Jeans can make coffee like they do in Sydney. Teruk kan my Mama? But we'll be glad to make you caffe latte or cappuchino the next time you're in town. har har har *caffeine laden laughs*
August 13, 2012 at 1:51 AM
Abdullah Mohd Nawi said…
Cat! Your mama and me gang laaa...
WE'll have to swap coffee stories.. and a latte too when we see each other.. hehehe
August 13, 2012 at 3:04 PM
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