Weekend Cooking: Coffee and Wine

As you read this, we are in transit on our way back from visiting Uluru in Central Australia. It is the first time for the both us to see the world's biggest monolith, and visiting Northern Territory, not to mention the first time leaving our home state of Victoria since the end of 2019!  My plan is to post about our visit in next week's Weekend Cooking post.

Yesterday I posted about a book called Sweetheart by Sarah Mayberry which is part of a multi-author series set in a Vermont cafe. As you would imagine there's plenty of food mentions when you read a book set in a cafe, but for this week I thought I would share this quote about coffee and wine! 

Part of the reason for choosing these quotes because I am not much  of a connoiseur when it comes to wine or coffee. What I do know is when I like or or I don't but that's as far as it gets. I do like the idea of the processes that goes into making both of them. I like the idea that both coffee and wine vary depending on where it is grown and can be influenced by so many things from the makeup of the soil, how rocky it is, whether it was picked under a full moon. That all fascinates me. But yes, give me a glass of wine or a glass of coffee and the most I can probably tell you is if it is smooth or not.

"Come on in to the apartment and meet Larry," Beck said.

"Sounds good," I said, wincing at how bright and chirpy I sounded.

Beck's mouth twitched again, as he led me down a short corridor. After passing his office and the packing room, we walked through a doorway into a large space that run the full width of the building. Two big metal machines were spaced along the far wall, while pallets piled high with burlap sacks filled a corner.

"Are these the roasters?" I asked, forgetting to be nervous for a second as I went to examine the large circular tray attached to the front of one of the machines.

"Yep, these are our babies," Beck said. "That's the cooling tray. Beans go in there, and once we get past first crack, and we're happy with the roast, we pour them out here to cool. " He pointed to a large hopper on top of the machine, then to the tray.

"First crack is when the beans open up in the heat, right?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Bang on the money."

"I did some googling," I admitted. "But Google didn't tell me how you know when you've got first crack."

The space was scrupulously clean, and the delicious smell I'd noted the other day in the packing room was stronger here, a mixture of the baked bread scent and caramelized sweetness he'd just described.

"So this is where the magic happens," I said.

And then a bit later

Beck glanced down at the wine I'd brought and a broad frown crossed his forehead.

"I wasn't sure what we were having and the guy in the store said this was good with almost anything," I said.

"Where'd you go? Hunger Mountain Co-op?"

"How did you know?" I asked, surprised.

Beck stepped over to the fridge and retrieved a familiar bottle.

"We bought the same wine," I said, getting the joke

"From the same manager, I'm thinking, since I got the same spiel."

We both laughed and any residual tension I'd been holding melted away.

"If it sucks, we can go back and complain together," I said.

"Let's give it a shot."

He opened the wine and poured two glasses, handing mine over. We both took an experimental sip.

"I'm tasting wine. I think there's a top note of wine in there, too. And maybe a little wine on the palate afterwards?" I said

"Definitely," Beck said, taking another mouthful and swirling it around his mouth ostentatiously, sucking his cheeks in and out and generally looking ridiculous. "Pretty sure the grapes were picked on a Friday by a redheaded man with big feet and a gambling habit.'

"Insightful," I said.

"It's what I do," Beck said with a casual shrug.

Are you a coffee or wine connoisseur?

Weekly Meals

Saturday: Peri Peri Chicken with chips and salad
Sunday: Leftovers Quiche
Monday: Leftover Leftovers Quiche
Tuesday: 
Wednesday: 

Thursday: 
Friday: 

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.