Morning Coffee Ritual
Present to the experience
Coffee has become a daily ritual in our home. We use this time as a practice to set our intention for the day and slow our morning down before life starts ramping up. Our world is waking up to the fact that we all need to slow down. The rush of our modern world has caught up to us and I am grateful for small things we can do every morning to be present to simple things like coffee.
The Process
Daily Grind
We use a hand grinder to prepare our coffee for brewing in the morning. When coffee is ground much of the flavor gets lost if it is not brewed right away. For a while we used an electric grinder until we learned that the speed of this convenient tool roasted the beans slightly. There is a rhythm as the hand grinder rotates that adds a nice beat to the day. It’s also a small workout for your forearm to wake those sleeping muscles.
Pour
We use a pour over to produce two cups of coffee each morning. Placing it on top of a large mason jar has worked great. You can see how much water is poured into the vessel by referencing the measurement lines. Coffee grounds make for excellent compost so we use a compostable filter. The filter and grounds go right to our compost pile which adds both nitrogen and carbon help our garden flourish.
Before adding the coffee grounds it is a good idea to rinse the paper filter with hot water so the loose paper particles don’t end up in your coffee. This also warms the vessel so that it is ready to help keep the fresh coffee warm.
Brew
Watching the grounds rise as a bloom is my favorite part of the process. As coffee grounds bloom, carbon dioxide is released that is formed inside the bean during the roasting process. When all the water has finished pouring into the vessel, pour a second time to finish the brewing process.
Enjoy
This final step is often missed in our modern world. Coffee has been turned into a means to get a quick energy high. Coffee, like everything in our lives, can be savored and enjoyed. Notice the way different coffees taste. There are so many things that effect the flavor of coffee; it’s origin, harvest practices, how it is roasted, and how it is brewed. Explore new coffees and brew methods to discover your favorite morning beverage that can be so much more than go-go juice.
