Ritual

August’s shot was on the 8th, in Malmö. On Djäknegatan sits Nordic Brew Lab: specialty beans, gear, and a counter where they take the cup seriously. They were very clear from the start. They focus on lighter roasts, and that might not be exactly what I was after. I said I was prepared to try. We agreed it would be best if I chose their somewhat darker roast, an interesting bean from Colombia called Natural Striped Red Bourbon. A mutation of the classic red Bourbon, with thin vertical stripes along its length. ...

July landed on the last day of the month. We were on Öland, and I already knew where the shot would be. Last summer I had a cortado at Xentas in Borgholm — creamy, with really nice latte art. They have moved since then, to a new place on the gågata, the pedestrian street through the centre. Storgatan. Arguably a better location. This time, of course, I chose the espresso. We also decided to try their sandwiches — BLT, club sandwich, grilled cheese — and that turned out to be an excellent choice. All of them were great. ...

I waited until very late — June 27 — but I already knew where to go. We were in Helsingborg for the day, and on Bruksgatan there is Bruket — a veggie café I had read good things about for espresso. They use beans from either Koppi, the local roastery, or Balck out of Kalmar. I ordered an espresso and a cardamom bun for me, and a vanilla latte and a sea buckthorn pie for the missus. The label on the espresso said Nicaragua, roasted by Balck — worth noting, since I only get one of these a month. We took our things out to the courtyard in the back. Nice and quiet. ...

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. ...

In January I decided to quit coffee entirely. I went cold turkey for three months. It went surprisingly well — no severe withdrawal, no headaches, just a quiet sense that I had made the right choice. There was also a trace of sadness, like saying goodbye to an old friend. Then, in April, the question returned: if I were to allow myself some coffee again, how much would be reasonable? Once a week felt too frequent. Once a year felt ridiculous — what if that single shot turned out to be disappointing? I would have to wait another full year. ...