Thursday, July 23, 2009

A Cup of Wisdom

I have a memory from when I was young of my father Diarmid preparing coffee on the stovetop. Diarmid practiced Sufism, and as he boiled the Turkish grounds in a little metal pot, he sang the praises of the dark elixir, known for centuries as an aid to achieving mystical states.

My own personal voyages on coffee are a much more recent experience. Throughout college, I stayed away from caffeinated coffee, not pulling any all-nighters unless I was able to stay awake out of pure interest. (Okay, so I had a little tea now and then.) But on my recent trip to Italy, where espresso is a way of life and everyone was so hospitable to my family, I developed quite a taste for the stuff. So much so that the first thing I did when I came back to Castle in the Air was to install a little espresso maker for us. Now look at me -- I drink 3 coffees a day and am beginning to see what all the fuss was about, all those years ago.


3 comments:

The Joy of Nesting said...

Oh my do be careful!!! Once you step through that door, open Pendora's box, sampled the Devil's elixer... well-well I think, or that is I've heard, although I might have read it somewhere?? Let's see if I can remember correctly it's something about coffee....... and...... hmmmmmmm I'll be back, I'll just go look it up again :)

Pattie ;)
Mazatlan Mx.

Rosanna Pereyra said...

Beware!!!
I had never tasted coffee until 7 years ago and suddenly I was hooked!!
In Miami we drink a cuban espresso that is extremely addictive, strong and sweet, (nick named by many of us as liquid crack).
I was finally able to quit 2 weeks ago, on my doctors advice of course-not my idea.
Too much sugar, too much caffeine, bad for ulcers and my teeth-he said. So I quit. :(
So be careful, and sip slowly!

Big Hugs,
Rosanna

Castle in the Air said...

I'll consider myself warned!
When I was a girl in school we sang a song...

C-O-F-F-E-E coffee is not for me.
It's a drink some people wake up with.
That is makes them nervouse is no myth.
Slaves to the coffee cup, they can't give coffee up!