To wake up in the morning just in time to smell the aroma of a freshly brewed hot coffee coming through the kitchen is something I enjoy immensely. With each sip, the dark liquid fills my body with pleasant warmth and I feel life awakens inside of me. I am in my element – new, fresh, ready to talk, excited to meet the world. What a moment, what a beginning, what a delight!
If everything in my day goes wrong, a cup of homemade coffee in the morning is something that always goes right. 
I love drinking coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon. How the seeds were planted, I can't recall, but it should be my mother. As long as I remember, her mornings have always started with a strong Italian coffee made with her favorite Italian stove top coffee maker. She doesn't care if it's kind of messy and time-consuming, my mom believes the simple Moka caffettiera makes the best coffee ever.
Then, it happens to be that my man is a real coffee lover. Is it because he had been working as a barista in his youth or because he just appreciates the pleasure of a good coffee, but he is truly obsessed with it. He has been buying coffee machines and experimenting with various ways of brewing coffee so that he is convinced – with the right amount of freshly ground coffee, the right machine, and the right techniques, espresso is the best. However, according to him, making delicious, good espresso at home is an art. The coffee must be rich and thick so the foam from it sticks to the spoon. That is it.
I think you get my point here. Drinking coffee has become an essential ritual not only of my day-to-day life but of my every travel, of my almost every meeting with a friend. I have enjoyed my mom's strong brew, I have drunk my husband's crafted espresso, I have indulged in a Turkish coffee, a French pressed coffee, a Caffè crema at the famous Café Florian in Piazza San Marco in Venice, a Wiener Melange at famous Sacher Café in Viena, a Cuban coffee with a hint of amaretto in Hemingway's favorite La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana...
But what I haven't been lucky to have yet drunk was this unique, exotic Kopi Luwak; the favorite coffee of Jack Nicholson's character in The Bucket List, the beans of which are collected from cat poops.
Not that it was a big deal to me as you may guess as it was for my husband, but somehow we both were hooked on trying it one day. The problem was because of the small production quantity and the high cost, there have been lots of imitations of the civet coffee, so we thought we would wait until we visit... perhaps... mmm... Indonesia and try the original one.
The other day a friend of mine called to say she had something special for us. To make the long story short, the company she is working with has started to distribute Kopi Luwak in the city. Thinking of us, "the coffee snobs", she knew we will be thrilled to try it. So thanks to Teddy, we just had our first Luwak as espresso and we have just crossed the Luwak coffee tasting off of our own bucket list.

How was it?
Well...
Smooth, low in acid, earthy taste and an adventurous aura...

To me, though, it really doesn't matter if I drink an expensive coffee or a simple one made with love. What I truly adore about it is that each cup of coffee makes me pause, sit down and enjoy this pleasant moment with my full attention – smelling the aroma, diving in the color, relishing the flavor...
I love how coffee can connect friends and provide a special moment of simple pleasure.

Should we meet up for a cup of coffee and a piece of homemade coffee cake?   









Thank you for your visits and kind words!


I am sharing with  Inspiration Friday