A coffee break

This weeks prompt on Sunday Scribblings is Coffee

Many years ago pretty well every high street in England had a coffee retailer called Importers. Right in the middle of the shop window was a roaster tumbling coffee beans in a cylinder over a fiery gas burner. And low down near the pavement was a grill through which the aromatic fumes wafted into the street. That is where my love affair with coffee started.

The way we make a cup of coffee has certainly changed over the years. I remember my Gran making it with a thick brown liquid in a bottle – Camp it was called! She added hot milk and sugar. It was unpleasant! Then there was the original instant coffee powder, Nescafe. Soon after came coffee granules which smelt vaguely like coffee and are still around today. But when I first got married top of the wedding present list was a coffee percolator. A strange gurgling thing which converted that fabulous aromatic Importers ground coffee to a boiled and fairly unpleasant brew which tasted nothing like coffee at all! Then we moved on to a cafeteria which was a bit better and now a mini version of a commercial espresso machine is everyone’s must have gadget.

I love my coffee. Thick strong bitter sludgy coffee in Turkey, and strong black coffee in Greece. Coffee with passion in Italy, and coffee which bites back in South America. I like it simple, black, with nothing added. The way nature intended! You can keep your froth and your cinnamon. I don’t want chocolate sprinkled on top or steamed milk stirred in.

Writing this has made me thirsty! I’m off for a cup of tea.