Ban Me Coffee

The author and friends enjoy coffee at home.

During the subsidy period, I occasionally tasted filter coffee at roadside stalls. These stalls were places where people could stop, relax with a cup of coffee, and idly watch the busy traffic go by.

Back then, drinking coffee was quite elaborate. While waiting for the aluminum filter to slowly drip its dark brown liquid into the glass cup, customers would take another cup, add just the right amount of sugar, and then pour in a few drops of the freshly brewed coffee. Then, using a small spoon, they would vigorously whisk the sugar to create a foam. Enjoying a cup of coffee that they had helped create themselves, they felt refreshed and delighted, especially on a cool morning when the streets were chilly and a light drizzle was falling.

Nowadays, Buon Ma Thuot truly is a coffee city, densely packed with cafes, each with its own unique and attractive design, captivating tourists, especially young people. In Buon Ma Thuot, you can enjoy coffee anytime, prepared in various ways, each with its own distinctive and rich flavor, always satisfying the needs of visitors.

It seems that a new cultural trend is emerging in the daily lives of the mountain towns: forming groups and gatherings, inviting each other for coffee every morning, every afternoon, and even when night falls. What could be more joyful and elegant than gathering with friends and loved ones on a sunny weekend morning in mid-March, sipping coffee with a rich, shimmering hue, as captivating as the skin of beauty queen H'Hen Niê – the darling of the Central Highlands?

( Entry for the "Impressions on Vietnamese Coffee and Tea" contest, part of the "Celebrating Vietnamese Coffee and Tea" program, 2nd edition, 2024, organized by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper ).

Graphics: CHI PHAN

Source: https://nld.com.vn/ca-phe-ban-me-196240318134313154.htm