Coffee Fetish

I've always been a tea lover. The nuances between different teas, the ritual of brewing a perfect cup, the delight of matching the perfect teaware to the leaf and the occasion—I love the art of tea. To me, coffee is lacking in this kind of rich culture and "delicatesse."

But I've been converted. A new cult of artisan coffee roasters is inspiring a coffee fetish that's drawing me in.

A delicate and fresh way to roast

Where the beans come from has always been important to gourmet coffee drinkers. The new culture of coffee goes further. The belief is that roasting should preserve the beans' unique flavor. Good coffee, like fine wine and tea, should reflect the unique taste of the land, water and climate of the region they come from. The roaster's goal is to accentuate those intrinsic flavors, not overpower it.

These roasters also fuss over getting their freshly roasted beans to drinkers as soon as possible. Why? Because their delicate flavors start dissipating immediately after roasting. That's why, to enjoy this kind of freshly-roasted coffee, you must find an artisan roaster that's local to you. Coffee that's gone through the retail/super-market distribution route, no matter what kind of specialty packaging they have, just won't have the bright, twinkling fresh taste.

Ritual Coffee Roasters is a highly-respected local roaster close to where I live. Other San Francisco Bay Area roasters include Blue Bottle Coffee and Four Barrel.

Drip: a Zen approach to brewing

This new coffee cult also pays a lot of attention to different methods of preparing the coffee. I've always enjoyed the French Press. But recently we've started using a drip filter, and I'm really loving it.

I love the act of slowly pouring hot water for drip coffee—listening to the water fall, watching the grinds bloom, gently stirring, keeping everything in harmony for the perfect brew. There's a ritualistic dance that draws me closer to the coffee; that intimacy makes the coffee taste so much more satisfying. Much like how I feel when I take the time to prepare a proper cup of tea. I may not be able to taste the difference in a blind tasting. But the act of preparation is as much preparing the mind to taste, as it is preparing the coffee for drinking.

Hario: beauty in design

I love the thoughtful details that go into the design of my Hario filter. This piece of art is from a Japanese glass manufacturer (a lovely birthday present from hubby!). It has beautiful spiral ridges to help the water run "around" the grinds and extract more flavor, instead of washing straight down. The waves on the exterior adds a subtle design pattern to the glass that is sensual to touch and beautiful to look at.

All of this, for a perfect cup of coffee to start the day!