So...What Does A Barista Do On His Day Off?

Well, I've been snowed in. I'm meant to be at work in an hour, but it ain't happening. So, what do I do on my day off? No, seriously, that's a question: I don't know. Right now I'm sitting on my bed chatting to you guys, listening to the music of South Park and The Mighty Boosh. Well, I'd best waste some time and put together a real post then.

So, to kick proceedings off, the Christmas Wish List! Today, it's Square Mile's Finca Mauritania Cascara . I haven't tried this coffee myself, but I have two bags on order. I don't think it's much of an overstatement to say that Mr. Hoffman and his crew of roasting buddies have opened my eyes as to what coffee really is with the Cascara. Before I was under the impression that only the bean was suitable for brewing a lovely cup of coffee, but Cascara is the dried remains of the coffee cherry itself! It is apparently the oldest form of coffee, and is brewed in the same way as a fruit tea.

The Square Mile webshop describes it like this:


"Finca Mauritania Cascara Price £5.00
A rare chance to taste possibly the oldest coffee drink in history. The dried coffee cherries make a delicious, sweet and refreshing infusion with flavours of rosehip, raspberries, cherries, plum and of course coffee fruit.
Aida Batlle, who owns Finca Mauritania and is well known as one of the most talented and progressive farmers in El Salvador, produced these coffee cherries using her Pasa method. The cherries were dried on the tree past ripe, before being sorted and then dried again on the patios. Once hulled the cherries were vacuum packaged separately and we have purchased a small amount.
We’d suggest brewing it like a fruit tea, and have found a ratio of about 20-25g per litre works very well. We enjoyed a steep of 4 minutes best – though feel free to experiment and let us know what you find!
We hope to secure more from next year’s crop – but for now we have about 40kg in stock. Not much at all….
As we said – this is a rare opportunity and you may be surprised that this is not only an interesting drink but a genuinely delicious one."

So there you have it, a drink that an coffee enthusiast should give his right arm to try. Like I said I have two bags on order, and will be reviewing it when it arrives for anyone who may be unlucky enough to miss out.

Okay, my second Wish List Item (to make up for not having posted yesterday), is a piece of kit I'd be lost without. My Reg Barber. Now, I know that choice in tamper is down to personal preference as well as income, but please do give the Reg Barber a look. Ranging in price from £30 to £100 there is an RB for everybody. Mine is a 57.5mm flat stainless steel base with a short ball handle. It's a joy to use, with a nice heavy base, and a light handle. Beautifully balanced, it makes tamping level a doddle. They're available from www.hasbean.co.uk, as well as Reg's own site www.coffeetamper.com.

Anyway, that's me done for today. Tomorrow, a day in the life of Seamus McFlurry, and the next item in the Wish List.

Cheers,
Seamus.