Handcrafted coffee – performance art, the essence of enjoyment

(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).

Making coffee is not only a job, a craft drink but also a performance art, a style of enjoying coffee.

Enjoy artisanal coffee as a way to return to the original of this drink.

Every leisurely weekend, I often stop by a familiar coffee shop near where I live to enjoy coffee (drink coffee and watch it being made by hand) as an elegant hobby.

I often drink the original coffee brewed here, which is said to be harvested from Da Lat, Lam Dong , at an altitude of over 1400 meters. What is special is that the coffee here is organically fertilized, harvested and processed by hand to keep the integrity of the beans with a secret drying and marinating formula to bring out the most original flavor.

Raw materials are carefully stored and preserved.

Only by watching the barista perform each step can one fully appreciate the beauty of making a cup of delicious coffee. The graceful hands of the barista preparing the brewing equipment, washing the cups, and grinding the coffee appear before the eyes like a performance art.

Coffee pot on heating tray.

The shop has its own set of handmade brewing tools, elegant in color and clean and eye-catching. After wiping the cups with a damp and dry cloth, they are rinsed with boiling water to ensure hygiene and also to warm the cups first.

Coffee is contained in small glass tubes (or transparent plastic tubes), neatly arranged in a tray. Then the coffee is put into the grinding tube, stirred well and poured into a clean cup. The barista pours pre-boiled water into the cup, slowly dissolving the finely ground coffee. Wait about 3-5 minutes to enjoy a cup of original, delicious, hot handmade coffee.

Staff demonstrate the art of making handmade coffee.

In hand, holding a small cup of coffee in the warm smoke rising, the fragrant aroma of coffee spreads around the rim of the cup, taking a small sip, feeling the light bitterness, the strong aroma of the original coffee. Suddenly, I feel like I am standing in front of a vast range of coffee on the majestic plateau. The strong coffee flavor lingers on the tip of my tongue.

Many people love the taste of artisanal coffee.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, work, and daily life, we are only familiar with instant coffee, coffee bags, and better yet, filter coffee. We should also take some time in our free time to calm down, enjoy the manual way of making coffee, watch the barista like a real artist create a cup of delicious, original, authentic coffee, and also a way for us to love a Vietnamese specialty more.

Graphics: CHI PHAN

Source: https://nld.com.vn/ca-phe-pha-che-thu-cong-nghe-thuat-trinh-dien-tinh-hoa-thuong-thuc-196240310171158243.htm