A Yirgacheffe to remember (Warning - long story)

[bruceb]

It's sometimes discomforting as you grow older to realise that your memory is going the same way your vitality has gone. However, it does occasionally provide a pleasant surprise.

I was recently digging through my stash of greens, hidden away up in an unused room on the 3rd floor, when I discovered that I had 25 lbs of a "Moccha Yirgacheffe" that I bought 6 months ago and forgot all about! In fact, I had not even opened the box they were in. In all fairness to my failing memory, these kinds of things happen when you move from one house with more than 20 rooms to another house with more than 20 rooms.

Since I was using crutches to get around and was alone I could only bring a small bag full that I slung around my kneck and dashed (?) down to the kitchen, pulled out the old Precision roaster and did a quick roast (typical 6 minutes for full city - about 30 sec into 2c). I was surprised that the smoke was quite pleasant, almost chocolatey and the roasted beans were beautiful, very even with a sheen and a delicious chocolate aroma. Looking closely at the greens I noticed how clean and perfectly shaped they were. I roasted another two batches of 80 g and put them aside to degass.

Two days later we had company, a neighbor couple who have helped us at various times after moving to the village.

As dessert we served a sinful chocolate injection described by Jamie Oliver. You know Jamie Oliver, the Steve Leighton of cooking.

Anyway, I gingerly asked whether anyone wanted coffee, hoping they didn't because all I had was the Yirg that I had not yet tried myself and was looking forward to with some excitement, but they did.

Although these folks normally drink supermarket coffee from a drip machine they both went through a cappuccino, an Americano and one of them even tried an espresso! I couldn't believe it. I think they were as impressed with the coffee as with the chocolate. "What a rich flavour!" "What a beautiful color!" "It smells just like chocolate!"

It was a bitter experience for me as it was 10 PM and I don't drink coffee that late at night, but my breakfast cup(s) the next morning proved that the neighbors were right. What a lovely espresso, chocolatey, creamy with a long, smooth, clean finish. Yumm! I don't think I've had an SO I've enjoyed more. Unfortunately, I don't know anymore about the Yirgacheffe, but I will call my bean lady and ask her the details.

All this to say that I definitely was mistaken. The uninitiated CAN tell the difference and recognise a fine coffee. On the other hand, I do feel a bit self-righteous (less than George, though) about being right concerning the effort people will make to get a good cup. I told the neighbors I would roast some and they only had to grind it and they could use it in their drip machine. "Grind it? Oh, that's too much of a bother. No, thanks, it's not necessary. Our coffee is good enough for us." Oh well.

[GeorgeW]

Bruce, your post says a great deal about human nature and the reluctance of some people to make a change that their own experience tells them is for the better.
To people who welcome and are eager for a change that will improve their lot (and I think that this forum is about the latter group), it is extremely frustrating and puzzling to be confronted with this attitude especially since you are aware they have enjoyed the new experience.
Perhaps one just has to be reconciled to the fact that people are different, and that there will always be this difference, notwithstanding any effort we might make to change this.

[bruceb]

Thanks for the words of wisdom, George. One of the reasons for my post was exactly that point and stemmed from a thread a few weeks ago about getting bad coffee in restaurants. Most restauranteurs don't put much effort into it because their guests just don't care enough about a good cup. If people do find the coffee good or bad it won't usually weigh upon their decision of whether to go back to that restaurant or not.

Also, as someone else noted, chefs don't seem to care about coffee at all. I mentioned Jamie Oliver, who I consider a highly talented chef and who is a protegé of Gennaro Contaldo, an Italian chef with a passion for food that is as infectious as measels. JO said that he bought the best espresso machine there was. It's a canary yellow FrancisFrancis. What can anyone say?

You are quite right about differences in people. Anyone who has a passion for anything learns quickly that most other people don't share his enthusiam for his beloved.

[leecb]

Excuse me Bruce, but I beg to differ about chefs not caring about the quality of coffee!
Usually the chef has NO say about what coffee is served where they cook unless they own the place, and I imagine as many chefs are uneducated about coffee as any other group in society. The problem is that most chefs prefer alcohol to coffee but that is a whole 'nother story
And I might point out that young Mister Oliver is NOT a fair representation of any bunch of chefs I have ever known or worked with. For a start he spent no time cooking in the real world. He went into the kitchen at The River Cafe at the ripe old age of 18 or so (his Mum got him the job as she knew Ruth and Rose!) and from there on to the telly!
The runnning of his next restaurant is a subject best left off a public forum!
I have absolutely no problem with him and think he has at least tried to address the appalling state of food in parts of this nation, (although that has been being done by (Saint) Delia for many years without all the public furore) especially for the young, but I wouldn't trust his opinion about coffee if you paid me!

[bruceb]

Whew! Yeah, I thought I'd touch a nerve there.

In my own defense, I only used JO because I've been wanting to use my clever reverse twist after someone from this group wrote that Steve was the Jamie Oliver of coffee.

At the same time I must say that after a long life of cooking in and hanging around the kitchens of all kinds of restaurants (except very expensive ones) I have never known a chef or cook outside of Italy who knew anything or cared about good coffee. I have never worked in a restaurant in the UK, so if things are different there that's wonderful.

[CakeBoy]

I lmao when you said Jamie is the Steve Leighton of food. Hilarious stuff Bruce and it's great that the coffee fairy dropped a 25kg package at your house to make your day