This is what my mornings look like. Every single day of the week.
3 year old son: (somewhere between 5 and 6am): “Mama, is it proper daytime yet?”
Me (groggy and half asleep): “No, it’s early morning, still time for sleeping.”
Son (now sitting on me and talking centimetres away from my face): “What about you get up, make your coffee and we play ‘Fireman Sam’?”
Me: “grumblegrumblegrumble” get up, stagger into the kitchen and start cup number one on the stove.
So ingrained is my morning ritual of a putting coffee on to brew before anything else, that even my toddler son knows to use it in his pleas to get me out of bed!
Regardless of how I get there, my morning coffee ritual is vital to my day. It’s vital to my sanity. It’s vital to wake me up and it’s vital for me to even consider the day of full time mothering/houseworking/mamabaking I have ahead of me.
My morning coffee ritual is not to be disturbed. I am in my own little meditation of calm as I go through the motions of scooping the coffee, the rich aroma beginning to awaken my mind as I open the pack, tamping it down and setting it on the stove to brew. As the coffee does its thing, I set up a morning activity for my son and open up all the curtains and windows; a job that is always finishing as I hear the steam and gurgling coming from the kitchen telling me my coffee is ready. Favourite cup in hand, I take my coffee to the kitchen table* and if only for 30 seconds as I take my first sip, I have a quiet moment before a busy day.
*(oh, who am I kidding, let’s be honest shall we? Wherever the laptop is so I can log in to facebook)
It goes without saying then, that not just any old coffee will do for me. No instant coffee can provide the same sensory experience as beautiful, aromatic, freshly ground beans can. Pouring boiling water over granules cannot compare with filling an old, well loved stove top coffee maker that I’ve had for nearly 20 years, and setting it on the stove to brew. In the days when I had a whizz bang coffee machine, I’d unleash my inner barista and create perfect flat whites (without the ‘latte art’ however!). But, it broke and I keep forgetting to go and have it repaired, so it’s back to the old school stovetop method for me; including heating the milk in a saucepan and whisking it with a fork! Don’t let a lack of fancy coffee gadgets stop you from enjoying a decent cup; you can even make ‘real’ coffee using a basic, simple saucepan (find out how here) .
I like my coffee smooth and rich, without a hint of bitterness. I’ve tried blend after blend, brand after brand. I’ve been disappointed by many, but have found a few varieties that I absolutely adore.
Bronze medalist in the 2012 Golden Bean Roasting Competition, “Fairtrade Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe” by Wagonga Coffee now takes pride of place as my coffee of choice and is the main player in my morning, midday and afternoon coffee rituals. It’s a winner for good reason and is highly sought after not only in homes, but in cafes all around Australia. Every now and then, I like to have a long or short black, but my favourite way to drink coffee is a simple flat white. No ‘mugaccino’ for me thank you very much! (My husband was once asked by a customer at our cafe for “a cup of chino please.”). The Yirgacheffe is perfect for use with milk but equally delicious as an espresso.
You know how when people talk about wine and they say things like, (posh voices please), “This wine has intense aromas of ginger, citrus, candied berry and multigrain bread that turn to honey, roasted almonds and graphite on the palate.” and you’re sitting there thinking, “Um, OK. Sure.” Coffee can be a little like that too, but here’s the thing, there really are different characteristics to a good coffee, just as there is with wine. The Yirgacheffe has “delicate cinnamon and raisin aromas that complement its velvety smooth and sweet, syrupy tastes.” It really does! My test of a great coffee is one that satisfies me with one cup. With some blends, I feel the need for a second cup almost as soon as I finish the first; it just doesn’t have that ‘ping!’ that I’m looking for. The Yirgracheffe has all the ping I need to get going in the morning.
Coffee continues to play a part in the ritual of my life when my son and I head out to the garden. The used grind is amazing at keeping bugs at bay, particularly snails from my tomatoes! I have highly caffeinated worms in my worm farm too; perhaps that’s why they wriggle so fast as my sons digs them up to ‘play’ with?
Wagonga Coffee have their warehouse a short drive from my home, so I am guaranteed amazingly fresh ground and can buy small amounts regularly to maintain it’s flavour, however, they use air tight packaging with resealable tops and one way gas valves to ensure that the grind remains as fresh as possible when it’s delivered interstate. Canberra locals can have their grind delivered to their doors or can pick up a bag at the Old Bus Depot Markets or the Growers Markets at EPIC on Saturdays. Online ordering and delivery is available to all other Australian states.
I know that coffee isn’t for everyone, and just as there are dedicated coffee lovers, so to are there committed tea drinkers who will never be swayed to change sides, but for those mamas amongst us who love a good coffee, I can’t recommend this blend highly enough. Drinking good coffee shouldn’t be something that’s saved for when you’re out at a cafe. It takes just as long to make a decent cup as it does to wait for the kettle to boil and pour an instant. Indulge in creating a ritual for your morning; a little treat in a coffee cup to start your day!
Like to try it? Buy the Bronze Medal Winning ‘Fairtrade Ethiopian Yirgacheffe’ (and many more), by Wagonga Coffee here.
Special *coffee and travel mug* deal for MamaBakers!
Wagonga are offering MamaBakers this special deal:
A 250g bag of coffee, along with either a 4oz KeepCup (hard lid) or a 12oz Karma Cup (soft silicon lid), posted for $25.00
To receive this great offer, send your order via email to wagongacoffee@bigpond.com with ‘MamaBake’ in the subject header, telling them which blend, grind and cup you’d like.
*Please note: offer ends 31/12/12
About Wagonga Coffee:
Jaana & Martin Smith at Wagonga Coffee provide a fresh, quality product with information and support to assist their customers to get the best from their daily coffee consumption. To do this they roast according to demand and deliver to you promptly. They have a huge range of coffee blends available and are always on hand to offer personal service and advice.
Find out more about how to make the best coffee you’ve ever had, here.
This is a sponsored post for Wagonga Coffee. If you would like MamaBake to review your product, please email us at mamabake@mamabake2.wpengine.com
