Today is January 1st. Not a good day for looking back on the year that has just ended. I’ve already spent a lot of time doing that — revisiting what I experienced, the successes and the wounds, the progress and the setbacks, taking a closer look at encounters and goodbyes, taking stock. Today, I don’t want to do it again.
Part 1: Extracting the Essence The coffee I make at home tastes far better than most of the coffees I drink in the city. Even those from top-notch roasteries sometimes don’t compare to mine. This isn’t about arrogance—I’m not a superior barista, neither do I have higher-quality beans. And even though my espresso machine is an excellent Italian portafilter model, it doesn’t quite match most professional machines. So, why does my coffee taste so much better? It comes down to one simple reason: time. I have the luxury to weigh my beans to the nearest tenth of a gram every time and grind them according to their specific type and roast. I can thoroughly clean the portafilter, evenly distribute the coffee grounds, break up clumps with a specialized tool, and carefully tamp down. I can closely observe the flow rate and stop the extraction at the perfect moment. Most baristas in roasteries and cafes don’t have this luxury—they’re under constant time pressure, as customers don’t like waiting for their hot beverages. Consequently, they can’t work as meticulously …