The wind blew cold outside the clinic that day. I waited for Reena in the lobby. Ironically
I stood by the small coffee machine. I pressed on cappuccino, and the machine started brewing. My hands were shaking, I didn’t know if I was cold or nervous.
Taste adventure
We landed in Austria early on Friday. Jesper was five at the time; he slept in the taxi all the way to the hotel. Reena and I didn’t know where to start. Reena read about coffee for about two hours straight.
“Jenna, there are so many coffee machines. Did you know?”
I shook my head. I certainly didn’t know.
We set off to find every coffee machine we could. Reena, Jesper and I.
I didn’t want to stuff my small son full of coffee, but he could learn a lot and besides a taste doesn’t hurt. At a small barista we met Hanz. He was a tall blue-eyed Austrian with a heavy accent.
“Which coffee would you recommend?” Reena requested politely.
“We have a smooth roast of espresso today.”
We agreed. But not for Jesper.
“Do you have French vanilla lattes?” I asked.
He nodded. So the coffee arrived. It was hot and smooth, heavenly.
As Hanz returned, Reena asked something peculiar.
“May we see your coffee machine?”
Hanz hesitated; he peered at Reena’s notebook. He nodded and led the way.
We saw a very beautiful shiny professional espresso machine.
This coffee machine had a grinder dripper function and a thermal brewer.
Reena wrote everything down.
The Embassy
Reena, Jesper and I reported to the Embassy, and we waited. Behind the small glass window sat a young Austrian lady with thick glasses. Her name plated read Anna.
As it was our turn, Reena noticed her cup, filled with foamy coffee more white in colour.
“May I taste your coffee?” Reena asked her. She looked shocked.
She handed her cup slowly and frowned deeply. Reena tasted and loved it.
“What is this? It is glorious.”
“That is sweet Thai.” Anna replied.
“May we see your coffee machine?” Reena requested once more.
Anna slowly stood up and opened a small wooden door for us.
We took a look. It was a cute little bean to cup office coffee machine.
So it roasts and brews your beans to your cup and you replace your beans. Also a grinder dripper type. Reena took pictures and made notes.
“This is one of your best office coffee machines in Austria.” Reena informed us.
Good on you Anna, helping us along on our adventure.
The woods
The three of us went on a tour group, walking in the woods. Austria is such a beautiful country. After a few miles we switched carrying Jesper. We reached our destination where we would stay the night. A beautiful cosy wooden cabin. Everyone started drinking beer.
We asked for coffee. Surprized the tour group leader took us to the back of the cabin kitchen. The coffee machine was relatively small. He gave us packets. So we learnt is was a small office coffee machine, cup to cup type using pods or packs.
We tried the hazelnut and Jesper fell in love. We bought extra from the tour leader and kept it for him. Jesper slept like a baby by the fireplace and kept his hazelnut close.
The camps
North of Austria we crossed the border to Germany. Jesper fell asleep on the tour bus to the Holocaust camps. It was freezing cold, the bus lady offered us coffee. They only served one kind. We looked to the back of the bus and saw a medium industrial coffee machine.
We had a slight strong blend of coffee, lighter than an original espresso. We requested boiled water for Jesper’s hazelnut. This machine was diverse, being able to provide clear boiled water and steamed milk individually. Even with a cold milk dispenser. It had a digital display screen.
We walked through the camps and read on it, “Arbei mach frei”
It was a revelation indeed. In the back is a large museum. Upon a table showing old German accessories we noticed a coffee plunger. Reena asked the tour leader,
“Did Hitler use this?”
“They all did. They plunged coffee beans by hand.”
At the end of the tour we gathered in a German restaurant.
“Which coffee did Hitler drink?” I asked the waitress.
She rolled her eyes with no reply.
She left and brought us both a double espresso and water for Jesper’s hazelnut.
Tasted very strong, and it made sense. We enjoyed it nonetheless.
We slipped through the other customers and peered into the large German kitchen.
They used a professional espresso machine, it stood out like a Fuhrer between the other kitchen appliances. It seamed and brewed anything you can imagine.
This type was a thermal airpot mixed grinder. The beans were replaced onto and it had a permanent water supply. We raced back to our table and were very glad of what we learned today.
Reena emerged, looking all pale. She touched my arm and I turned slowly, getting ready to absorb what she had to say.
“It’s cool Jenna.” She told me.
I sighed with relief and hugged her. I almost cried with relief.
We went outside before leaving and had a cigarette.
Reena had something on her mind.
“Jenna… I have a question.”
I nodded, blowing out smoke from my nostrils.
“Since I’m in remission, I am in the mood for an adventure.”
I smiled. “What do you have in mind?”
“I have no idea.” She replied.
I had a thought. “Reena what do you like most in the world?”
She couldn’t answer immediately.
“What brought you most comfort during your cancer?” I asked another question.
Reena became more enlightened. “Coffee. Definitely coffee. I had in the cold mornings, when I felt sick, when I was tired. Sometimes even when I was bored.”
I also loved coffee. I was an addict. The smooth warm taste when I woke up in the mornings.
“So… why don’t we go taste different coffee?” I suggested.
Reena giggled. “Girl we can do that right here at the shops!”
I laughed out loud, clapping my hands.
Reena’s eyes grew wider.
“Jenna, we should go to Austria.”
“What? Really?”
She nodded convincingly.
“And Jesper?” I asked.
“Bring him with!” she giggled.
It was settled. We booked our flight from England to Austria.
“It’s cool Jenna.” She told me.
I sighed with relief and hugged her. I almost cried with relief.
We went outside before leaving and had a cigarette.
Reena had something on her mind.
“Jenna… I have a question.”
I nodded, blowing out smoke from my nostrils.
“Since I’m in remission, I am in the mood for an adventure.”
I smiled. “What do you have in mind?”
“I have no idea.” She replied.
I had a thought. “Reena what do you like most in the world?”
She couldn’t answer immediately.
“What brought you most comfort during your cancer?” I asked another question.
Reena became more enlightened. “Coffee. Definitely coffee. I had in the cold mornings, when I felt sick, when I was tired. Sometimes even when I was bored.”
I also loved coffee. I was an addict. The smooth warm taste when I woke up in the mornings.
“So… why don’t we go taste different coffee?” I suggested.
Reena giggled. “Girl we can do that right here at the shops!”
I laughed out loud, clapping my hands.
Reena’s eyes grew wider.
“Jenna, we should go to Austria.”
“What? Really?”
She nodded convincingly.
“And Jesper?” I asked.
“Bring him with!” she giggled.
It was settled. We booked our flight from England to Austria.
Taste adventure
We landed in Austria early on Friday. Jesper was five at the time; he slept in the taxi all the way to the hotel. Reena and I didn’t know where to start. Reena read about coffee for about two hours straight.
“Jenna, there are so many coffee machines. Did you know?”
I shook my head. I certainly didn’t know.
We set off to find every coffee machine we could. Reena, Jesper and I.
I didn’t want to stuff my small son full of coffee, but he could learn a lot and besides a taste doesn’t hurt. At a small barista we met Hanz. He was a tall blue-eyed Austrian with a heavy accent.
“Which coffee would you recommend?” Reena requested politely.
“We have a smooth roast of espresso today.”
We agreed. But not for Jesper.
“Do you have French vanilla lattes?” I asked.
He nodded. So the coffee arrived. It was hot and smooth, heavenly.
As Hanz returned, Reena asked something peculiar.
“May we see your coffee machine?”
Hanz hesitated; he peered at Reena’s notebook. He nodded and led the way.
We saw a very beautiful shiny professional espresso machine.
This coffee machine had a grinder dripper function and a thermal brewer.
Reena wrote everything down.
The Embassy
Reena, Jesper and I reported to the Embassy, and we waited. Behind the small glass window sat a young Austrian lady with thick glasses. Her name plated read Anna.
As it was our turn, Reena noticed her cup, filled with foamy coffee more white in colour.
“May I taste your coffee?” Reena asked her. She looked shocked.
She handed her cup slowly and frowned deeply. Reena tasted and loved it.
“What is this? It is glorious.”
“That is sweet Thai.” Anna replied.
“May we see your coffee machine?” Reena requested once more.
Anna slowly stood up and opened a small wooden door for us.
We took a look. It was a cute little bean to cup office coffee machine.
So it roasts and brews your beans to your cup and you replace your beans. Also a grinder dripper type. Reena took pictures and made notes.
“This is one of your best office coffee machines in Austria.” Reena informed us.
Good on you Anna, helping us along on our adventure.
The woods
The three of us went on a tour group, walking in the woods. Austria is such a beautiful country. After a few miles we switched carrying Jesper. We reached our destination where we would stay the night. A beautiful cosy wooden cabin. Everyone started drinking beer.
We asked for coffee. Surprized the tour group leader took us to the back of the cabin kitchen. The coffee machine was relatively small. He gave us packets. So we learnt is was a small office coffee machine, cup to cup type using pods or packs.
We tried the hazelnut and Jesper fell in love. We bought extra from the tour leader and kept it for him. Jesper slept like a baby by the fireplace and kept his hazelnut close.
The camps
North of Austria we crossed the border to Germany. Jesper fell asleep on the tour bus to the Holocaust camps. It was freezing cold, the bus lady offered us coffee. They only served one kind. We looked to the back of the bus and saw a medium industrial coffee machine.
We had a slight strong blend of coffee, lighter than an original espresso. We requested boiled water for Jesper’s hazelnut. This machine was diverse, being able to provide clear boiled water and steamed milk individually. Even with a cold milk dispenser. It had a digital display screen.
We walked through the camps and read on it, “Arbei mach frei”
It was a revelation indeed. In the back is a large museum. Upon a table showing old German accessories we noticed a coffee plunger. Reena asked the tour leader,
“Did Hitler use this?”
“They all did. They plunged coffee beans by hand.”
At the end of the tour we gathered in a German restaurant.
“Which coffee did Hitler drink?” I asked the waitress.
She rolled her eyes with no reply.
She left and brought us both a double espresso and water for Jesper’s hazelnut.
Tasted very strong, and it made sense. We enjoyed it nonetheless.
We slipped through the other customers and peered into the large German kitchen.
They used a professional espresso machine, it stood out like a Fuhrer between the other kitchen appliances. It seamed and brewed anything you can imagine.
This type was a thermal airpot mixed grinder. The beans were replaced onto and it had a permanent water supply. We raced back to our table and were very glad of what we learned today.
Going Home
We arrived back in England and we searched for more coffee until our searched was exhausted. We learned about cup to cup, bean to cup, grinder drippers etc.
We studied the use of commercial espresso machines versus professional coffee machines. We noticed there was a similar interest in smaller coffee machines in smaller offices.
Industrial coffee machines were meant for boarding houses, hospitals, and mines. Commercial espresso machines were found mostly in smaller restaurants.
Professional espresso machines are for large restaurants, specialised coffee baristas and for the rich folk who has a taste for coffee.
Successful study.
We arrived back in England and we searched for more coffee until our searched was exhausted. We learned about cup to cup, bean to cup, grinder drippers etc.
We studied the use of commercial espresso machines versus professional coffee machines. We noticed there was a similar interest in smaller coffee machines in smaller offices.
Industrial coffee machines were meant for boarding houses, hospitals, and mines. Commercial espresso machines were found mostly in smaller restaurants.
Professional espresso machines are for large restaurants, specialised coffee baristas and for the rich folk who has a taste for coffee.
Successful study.
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