How Much Coffee is Enough?

I fill a filter two thirds of the way full with finely ground coffee.  I add some more, place it over the glass beaker, and wait for the water to boil.  The pot clicks off and I pour water around the circumference of the filter, twisting my hand from the course of the rising steam.  The muddy basin forms, as the water drops through the bottom.  After gutting some papaya I’m back to pour more water, this time around the edges to force all the grinds further down into the steeping concentration of coffee at the bottom.  I don’t want to miss any coffee.  I don’t want any grinds left behind.  I want it to be as strong as it can. 

We’ve had plenty of instant coffee makers.  They always break, eventually.  I prefer to be able to watch the coffee soak, or at least, if I’m watching it made, I want more control over the process.  My wife will just fill the filter and leave it.  Later she’ll fill it again and as the water escapes it leaves a thick poultice of coffee that’s only been had a brief encounter with the scalding water.   I see all the coffee on the side of the filter and think the coffee won’t be strong.  I think it will be a waste.

How much coffee is enough?   I fill a big mug.  My mug.  It’s probably close to a pint of volume.  A comment to the younger one.  A reminder to the older one as they get ready to leave.  I move to the table.  Half of the coffee in my mug is gone.  I refill it, and top it off with a bit of milk.  By the time the first phone call has started I need a complete refill.  After lunch, I fill another beaker and down a strong pint’s worth as I settle into the afternoon work.  I’ll kill the remainder of the beaker before 4:00PM. 

In the morning, I like coffee.  In the afternoon, I reckon I need it.  I’ll get sleepy.  But what’s wrong with sleepy?  The blood leaves your brain, begins digesting things down in the gut. You get drowsy. I’m working from home after all.  There shouldn’t be anything to stop me from just laying down and resting.  It’s not like I’m going to sleep for hours.  I’ll doze off and return.  But sleep isn’t something I welcome, regardless of whether or not I should.  It’s something I fight off with the coffee.

Tuesday, 03/20/18