The May shot was an easy choice. Maria Therese in Västerås is listed among the best coffee places in town, and I already knew where it was — down by Svartån, the small stream that runs through the city, right in the city centre. We sat outside in the sunshine. From the table you can see the little bridge where couples in love put their padlocks. I had walked past the place before and filed it away for later.
This would be the first shot after my bland experience at home in April. Would it be a disappointment? Would it be awesome?
Maria Therese takes coffee seriously — specialty beans, careful brewing — though the menu runs wider than that. Soup, focaccia, gelato. Coffee is still the reason to come. It is the kind of place where you can sit alone and nobody minds. I deliberated mentioning the monthly rule to the nice lady who owns the place and also works in the kitchen. In the end I decided against it. It would put unnecessary pressure on her, and it sounds a bit dramatic. I did not want to go into detail about why I do this. So I just ordered an espresso for me and a cappuccino for the missus.
She came out with both. The cappuccino looked really nice, but that is not for me anymore. I need to focus. Minimum volume, maximum taste.
My espresso also looked good — a nice little cup with crema on top. It tasted great. I was so relieved. Maybe this was going to become something.
I did not take any pictures that day. Here are photos from others who have:
The padlock bridge. Photo by Abdulaziz Almufarreh
Maria Therese. Photo by Der Hechtbert
Walking back through the city center, I noticed how different the experience felt from my old morning routine. There was no second cup to chase the first, no autopilot. Just one shot, fully received, and then nothing until June.
I am already thinking about where June will happen.