Coffee can be deceptive. It presents itself as a simple drink that is widely available, but behind the scenes it becomes dramatically complex. Inside of each bean is the blueprint for decades of a plant's life, growth, and death. Any change in treatment changes flavors in a cup.
If I wanted to keep the quality of coffee found in Garça, I'd have to learn how. I mulled my options during a cross-country move to New York. How hard is it to roast coffee? What's the best way to brew it? What does good shipping look like?
(Cloudy skies over Wyoming from our cross-country move)
Thankfully, New York City has excellent options for anyone looking to learn. When we arrived, I booked a series of classes at Coffee Project NY in Long Island City. They were certified by the Specialty Coffee Association, so I figured they'd know.
I was surprised to find students from around the country and world in my classes. Brooklyn, Boston, Vermont, Texas, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, and others were represented. Some had stopped at Coffee Project on their vacation because classes were hard to come by.
The teaching was methodical and intentional. Each step in the coffee roasting, brewing, and serving process was detailed across multiple courses. "Here is how you do this and here's why," was the style. Live demonstrations and practice were included. "Here's what it should taste like, here is why your cup is different," was a common phrase.
Eventually, the award-winning staff got through to me. Repetition set a good foundation in the basics I needed. The only thing I was missing was experience.
(Credit to Brent Singleton for Title image at Pexels.com. Credit to Coffee Project NY and Sprudge.com for the classroom images.)
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