When life is stressful, I try to savor tiny moments of joy. And something that brings me an incredible amount of joy is making coffee every morning. It’s also a joy that I shared with my step-dad Mahlon. I blame him for getting me hooked on this tasty beverage.
Since coffee brings me joy, and infuses creativity and calm into my life, I thought it would be fun to share the tools I use to make the perfect cup of coffee. Today’s letter is lighthearted, and hopefully a fun read for fellow coffee lovers!
With that, here's a list of what’s in my coffee making toolkit:
Coffee!
Freshly roasted—and fair trade—coffee is a must have in our kitchen. I love Coava Coffee, Northbound Coffee, and Temple Coffee. Light roasts with chocolate and almond flavors are my favorites. I was a big fan of adding cream to my coffee. Now that I know how to make a good cup of coffee, I drink it black.
Zassenhaus Coffee Mill
We’ve had the Zassenhaus Coffee Mill for roughly 8 years, and it’s one of my favorite purchases. It’s sturdy, cute, and we haven’t had any problems with the mill. Hand-grinding freshly roasted coffee beans with this little mill is pure joy!
Brewing Tools: Scale, Filter & CHEMEX®
After the COVID-19 crisis began, we purchased new tools to make coffee at home because our daily brew was either too strong or too weak, and that had to change. We bought a Six Cup Glass Handle CHEMEX® and a Coava Cone Filter. We also purchased a refurbished scale on e-Bay. The scale is a game changer because I'm able to consistently measure our coffee grounds and water accurately. The result is a perfect cup of home brewed coffee. We follow this brew guide for optimal results.
Popular Brew Methods
Brew guides for many popular brewing methods can be found here. I recommend checking them out!
Parting Words
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the magnitude of the COVID-19 crisis. People have lost loved ones, jobs, and are struggling to adjust to our new normal. Life is tough for many folks. Yet, it is possible to create small moments of joy in everyday life. For me, that includes creating the perfect cup of coffee at home.
Important Note
I’m not an affiliate for any of the products or companies I mentioned above. I shared these tools because they are useful in my daily life. If you decide to purchase a coffee making kit, do your research. For example, you can find used and refurbished scales, coffee pots, and more online.
Good Links
+ My love for coffee goes deep; so deep that I spent over 5 years taking coffee themed photos. If you’re a new subscriber, read my post—On Endings & Beginnings. It describes my long running (and now retired) photography project. You can also read my short book—My Morning View: An iPhone Photography Project about Gratitude, Grief & Good Coffee (print or e-book).
+ Beach Read by Emily Henry is a lighthearted novel about two writers. If you're looking for a good love story, I recommend this book. And if you're a writer, you'll find a few helpful writing tips in the novel.
+ A few weeks ago, I read an advance copy of my friend Cait Flanders' new book—Adventures in Opting Out—and I adored it.
+ Looking for more good reads? Check out my Bookshop page.
With gratitude,
Tammy