Mum opens a bag of coffee sent from Tirana. The strong earthy smell reminds me of repeated
patterns of life in a country where life is rich in bars, restaurants and cafes.
Before the working day starts, beautiful cafes and (coffee-serving) bars are filled with customers and with the same teasing smell that fills my kitchen now.Coffee is the breakfast of every Albanian as far as I know.
A good cup of what we call Turkish coffee warms up slowly, smells good, tastes good and spares no one.
I don’t think there could be anything more traditional and irreplaceable than Albanian early mornings starting with a cup of coffee. It makes the coffee maker and the drinker become one to reach the perfect taste. It makes a neighbor ring your doorbell, It makes colleagues argue over who is paying today in the cafĂ©, it makes men have a rest and smoke a cigarette or two, it makes young boys find an easy and cheap way to invite girls on dates and ladies have a chit chat on how useless their husbands are while complimenting the coffee maker…
Everyone has a different reason to have that morning deliciousness, and every single cup has it’s own unique taste.
It is so interesting to me that I think I could keep going on for hours on this theme, until I’m alone and boring myself to death. Then I could stop and go make myself a cup of coffee to feel better. Only slightly foamy on the top and a warm dark brown colour, mixing dry sugar and coffee first and letting it roast, until the smell has become strong enough. Small like an espresso shot, yet I'll have at least two sugars. I like it sweet.
Before the working day starts, beautiful cafes and (coffee-serving) bars are filled with customers and with the same teasing smell that fills my kitchen now.Coffee is the breakfast of every Albanian as far as I know.
A good cup of what we call Turkish coffee warms up slowly, smells good, tastes good and spares no one.
I don’t think there could be anything more traditional and irreplaceable than Albanian early mornings starting with a cup of coffee. It makes the coffee maker and the drinker become one to reach the perfect taste. It makes a neighbor ring your doorbell, It makes colleagues argue over who is paying today in the cafĂ©, it makes men have a rest and smoke a cigarette or two, it makes young boys find an easy and cheap way to invite girls on dates and ladies have a chit chat on how useless their husbands are while complimenting the coffee maker…
Everyone has a different reason to have that morning deliciousness, and every single cup has it’s own unique taste.
It is so interesting to me that I think I could keep going on for hours on this theme, until I’m alone and boring myself to death. Then I could stop and go make myself a cup of coffee to feel better. Only slightly foamy on the top and a warm dark brown colour, mixing dry sugar and coffee first and letting it roast, until the smell has become strong enough. Small like an espresso shot, yet I'll have at least two sugars. I like it sweet.
