Easter

Good Friday morning started out with the whole family trooping off to church for a service at the (VERY) early hour of 8:00. On the whole, the service was a bit somber (inevitable really if you consider the subject matter) and given that we also didn’t have a tea service after church, I needed something comforting. And what could be more comforting than a good cuppa and pancakes with cinnamon sugar and lemon.

My suggestion wasn’t met with exuberance in all quarters, so to my surprise Wessel started making preparations and soon, air punch!, pancakes were in the making. I was in charge of the coffee and everything was trotting along nicely – at least until Danae enquired about some tuna and cheese sauce, which she will make of course. Now the problem is not her making the sauce (it is rather good), but that the milk was nearing its end and that, on a long weekend could spell disaster. Fortunately, some shops were open and Marni and Danae duly dispatched for milk and Easter eggs (while they’re there) and … a few other ‘necessities’. 

So it came to pass that at 10:15 on good Friday morning we sat down to pancakes with a selection of tuna cheese sauce, a caramel/banana combo, and lemon and cinnamon sugar. The drinks were fairly eclectic – it started with coffee (for me and Wessel), cold drink for Marni and a Dr Pepper for Danae – the latter being wheedled out of me during the shopping run. [I always remember too late about the high everything-bad content which of course amuses Danae greatly. Sigh]. Somewhere in between Marni and I switched to sherry. One of the discussions then spontaneously morphed into some arbitrary and funny jingles composed by the kids. Generally singing while at the table is frowned upon, but this was so in tune with a morning of doing things differently that we let it be.

Lightness. Joie de vivre. Life.

Perhaps the best reminder of the promise of Easter.

In search of good coffee - Trail (I)

Part 1 - Introduction

The Moka pot family

I am a coffee aficionado. I find few things in life as comforting as the aroma and taste of a good cup of coffee and, as I describe in Ode to the Bean, also the process of making it. My interest in espresso-based coffees started in January 2009 when I completed an introductory barista course and since then my collection of moka pots (réál Italian ones) grew to cater for all occasions. Although I have given a lot of advice to friends when they have their “which-machine-should-I-buy” dilemmas, and may have had fleeting thoughts of buying one myself, but I always return to this simple fact. I really, really enjoy the process of making coffee.

[In fact, I have a steaming cup of black Americano, which is my ‘poison’ of choice, in attendance right now].

So what is the next step for a coffee aficionado? While I was pondering the question, two things happened. Firstly, I saw an article on news24 which listed some of the best coffee shops and realised that an investigative coffee trail might be just the thing. Secondly, I had the unexpected pleasure recently of visiting the TriBeCa coffee warehouse where beans are tested, roasted and packaged. The barista, Martin, knows his coffee and in between getting our order ready, he made us complimentary coffees. What an experience - this was hands down the best coffee I’ve tasted. The ‘problem’ is that the bar for a good Americano is now set almost impossibly high. 

And so the table was set for our coffee trail.

Part 2 – Camera, lights, action
Clear from the onset was that the coffee trail will have to co-exist harmoniously with Husband’s photographic excursions. Having then pledged Saturday morning to me (although the weather suddenly was quite beautiful), we set off to the first destination. 

Broodhuijs in Brooklyn. The smell of freshly baked bread rushed out to greet us. At the top of the steps, we were welcomed by a handwritten menu on a blackboard stand and friendly staff.

A number of tables in different sizes and styles are spread out on a veranda along the length of the shop. Through large rectangular windows on either side of the main door, the work area and inside tables are visible. 

The décor, while quite eclectic, works very well. Accents such as the huge lamp shade sporting the shop’s name, a counter with newspapers inside the window, splashes of red and a number of interesting wooden figures hanging in the work area window create a very charming and welcoming place for a morning coffee and snack.

The menus are all written on blackboards and scattered around the shop. Owner Chris and his team are visible in the work area preparing food and drinks and his wife is in charge of serving and keeping customers happy.

My pain au chocolat was delicious and Husband’s french toast was good – everything served on wooden boards lined with wax paper. My only disappointment was that the Americano was slightly under-extracted, but on the whole our first outing was a success. I’ll let the photos speak – suffice it to say that this one is worth a visit.

It is Husband’s turn to select the next destination, so watch this space…