Jared at Work!
Jared is extremely knowledgable about coffee and very generous in sharing. For decades, I ask questions wherever I go. Those answers have given me new technique that totally changes what I am able to do with my coffee’s. Jared is one of those people who shares a wealth of knowledge! I’ve picked up several other tips about how to dial in my espresso shots as well as my V60 and press pot coffee’s. Yay! When I get into something, I like to learn how to do it well. Cooking Indian or Thai foods, same deal! Photography, everytime I learn something, my photos improve!
Now, I’ll have to be patient until I return home to practice what I’ve learned! I’m confident my maching will respond really well. My grinder, I’ve got a bit of testing to do with that! But it is so much fun tasting the progress!
It’s been a very relaxing and fun four days here! Reconnecting with Jared has been awesome as has been meeting his family and staff. A great experience!!
Learning more about coffee….that’s always a. bonus! I’ve been making notes to use when I get back home. One thing I learned, I suspected before leaving home and that is about my grinder. It’s a great grinder but not very sensitive to adjust. It can take me days to get it adjusted properly. The grinder Jared uses had micro adjustments and responds immediately! Like to the very next coffee!
I’ll be shopping when I get home! New grinder, better coffee…who wants some??
Training and Learning!
Yesterday, Jared roasted a Black Honey processed coffee. I learned things about the roasting process I’d never considered. Then, I got to taste it! Today, we used that coffee to make espresso, yesterday it was made in a Chemex.
New staff were being trained today. Elle in the photo above was one of those people.
It’s a new machine so when I used it, it was a bit like starting over…everything worked different!
Peaceful and tranquil
After a couple weeks of travel, shuttles, changing rooms, making arrangements, etc, it has been really nice settling in here for the past four days. My shuttle dropped me in Panajachel from Antigua. I met Jared at a coffee shop. He drove me to their home in San Antonio Palopo and I’ve been here since. A small loop walk takes me up the hill past the church and back. Locals are very friendly. I watched the sunset from above. Then the sunset from below. Then the sunrise from my room. Then the moon setting behind one of the volcano’s with start visible around it. Such a peaceful experience to reorganize my pack, write and regroup my energy. Soon, I’ll travel to Panajachel and then take a boat across the lake.
Lake Atitlan has about 14 villages around it. I’ll visit San Antonio Palopo, Panajachel and then San Pedro de Laguna. From there, I’ll visit a couple more villages and posibly some local villages for day trips. Every village has a different “reputation”, the identity it is known for. One is the “hippie” town, another the party town, another the “spiritual” place, another the painters….etc! Everyone has favorites. I don’t yet because I haven’t been to any of them.
It’s not clear at the moment exactly what to do. When it is clear, I’ll launch!
San Antonio Palopo
This village is known for its ceramic works! I’ll pick up a cup or two to bring home with me for small capuccinos! I’ve been looking for something like that and these have such character, that’s what I’ll get!!
From Here!
View from the balcony and from my room!
