My coffee journey and the life in between

Donna Rubio inspired me to write this essay when she commented that I "knew more than more baristas she spoke to." I am actually not a barista; just like my many passions, I love coffee.

I remember having my first taste of coffee as a young girl sipping from a teaspoon from the cup of my grandfather. He lovingly prepares a cup for my grandmother before dawn and at mid afternoon without fail. His? coffee was made with instant coffee particles, mixed with sugar cubes and canned milk.?

My first cup of coffee was a sachet of 3 in 1 coffee diluted in hot water as a first year student at De La Salle University. It was revision time for accounting 1.0 exams and to help burn the mid night oil and keep me and the review group awake.

I purchased my first drip coffee in the latter part of university degree and by a leap of fate purchased it with an electric coffee grinder. I did not know that it will dictate my future coffee experience buying coffee beans and grinding prior to brewing. I enjoyed my brewed coffee with powdered creamer and sugar. During this time, I delighted in the smell of coffee more than its taste that I often brew more than what in need.?

My first job in 1995 was a product manager trainee to one of the biggest conglomerate in the Philippines, one of the products under my care was a coffee product line, my gratitude to Lance Gokongwei. It was then when I first heard about an emerging brand with a green and white Medusa type logo. My then boss discovered in an international coffee conference. I recollect her saying they could have done a better job at the logo design.

I moved from the Philippines to USA unplanned due to my mom's illness a year after my first job. I met the green and white female logo, Starbucks face to face. One of the first branches in the suburbs of San Francisco was in the city of Fremont , soon to be budding part of the Silicon Valley.? My dad said had I bought stock shares for all the "grande almond latte," I would have been financially set for life very early on. I had it almost everyday of the week. Rough mental calculations: about USD 5 then per grande times 7 days a week from the last quarter of 1996 till third quarter of 2000. Working in the Silicon Valley at the .com boom and bust probably caused more than 1 grande a day, I leave that math to you.?

In my first home, a 2 bedroom 1 bath shabby sheek home atop the Castro valley hills overlooking the San Francisco Bay was where the barista in me came to be.? I was gifted an espresso machine with a built in milk frother.? I expressed hundreds if not a thousand shots of espresso. I made them for coffee conversations in various part of the days and nights for a company of 1 to parties in my shabby sheek party place.?

My shift? to the financial world and an MBA and Continued Education Wharton Executive Education atop it meant grabbing coffee where it's most convenient. I grab a large to go cup of brewed coffee 3/4 full and filled with liquid half and half and 5 sachets of brown sugar often paired with a plain croissant from the nearest to go cafe.

Fast forward my second home and apartment in between where lattes were enjoyed with the view of the Pacific Ocean.

My second home meant marriage and 3 children. I was nursing or pregnant for 8 years.?My coffee experience put to an almost complete halt.? Coffee making interchanged from either an Italian stove top percolator or a dallah to make qawah (Arabic coffee). The? once in a while treat of Arabic coffee with home entertaining or visits to friends and family was memorable. Yes, although very sparse and far in between; all experience were pieces of oasis enjoyed with the best desserts mostly baklava. ?

My self reinvention came when I moved to Malaysia? to study my second masters INCEIF University and my relationship with coffee was rekindled, a different kind of 3 in 1 , Irish cream in a portable cup that came with me from home to school trough my classes and back home again.

History was charted? when I started to make French press in our home in Malaysia. French pressing is convenient and the process did justice to the coffee. My pressed coffee? is enhanced by creamer and sugar. The process remained till I remarried. The press changed? from solo to 5 cups. My sugar evolved from brown to coconut. My creamer shifted from powder to liquid due to the boycott. The coffee making process remained the same, freshly grounded beans that interchanged from our favourite Honduras blend to various origins from around the world gifted to us or brought home from our holidays.?

Yes, I take cappuccino when outside in cafes with no sugar added but when at home we do our ever reliable French press daily.? My husband always has a cup waiting for me every morning. His is black and mine is with coconut sugar and creamer.?

What will our next chapter be? Yes we tried pour over and found it to be too time consuming for our life style. There is discussion on shifting to an espresso machine. Will we evolve? The future awaits.

Coffee will remain part of my life journey. It's not just a consumable, my coffee experience has been an integral part of my past and I anticipate my future as well. I look forward to sharing cups of coffee with my companions in this journey called life as we push for the advocacies that promote justice and equity. Alhamdulilah?