Illustration: T.Nguyen
It is difficult to describe the aroma of coffee. If the burnt coffee batches have the pungent smell of leather, smoke, coal and even damp soil… then the carefully brewed light roast coffee is rich with layers of extremely sweet aromas. There is the smell of burnt caramel, melted chocolate, sweet and sour berries, sticky malt, fatty nuts… The aroma of coffee is diverse and complex. Each type of bean, each roasting and brewing method gives us a unique experience.
However, as an amateur who has fallen in love with the smell of coffee, we do not need to distinguish the aroma of green coffee from roasted coffee or wet roasted coffee from dry roasted coffee. The aroma of coffee has never been just a matter of terms or rational analysis. To enjoy it, we only need a heart.
Enough that even though we don't usually pair it with that thick, rich drink, we are still ecstatic every time we pass by the old street corner where there is a familiar coffee shop. The barista gently pours boiling water into the stainless steel filter. The brown powder dances its own dance, and then the thick black liquid falls drop by drop. They blend into the smooth layer of condensed milk and create a miracle. The miracle carries within it a distinctive, seductive aroma - passionate, evocative, lingering. The nostalgic aroma of coffee is enough to make us stop, linger, and treat ourselves with a glass of iced milk. The sweet taste mixed with a slight bitterness lingers on the tip of the tongue, leaving a mild sour aftertaste and a lingering aroma in every breath.
They say coffee is the first kiss of the day. This morning I woke up early, stopped by the familiar shop, smiled and asked for a light kiss of coffee...
(Entry to the contest "Impressions of Vietnamese coffee and tea" under the program "Honoring Vietnamese coffee and tea" for the 2nd time, 2024 organized by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper).
Graphics: CHI PHAN
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