Meetings with remarkable
… after an exhausting one and a half hour walk in 33 degree Celsius heat, through the streets of Gangbuk, Seoul we arrived at cafe Espere … Internet reviews attributed this site to not only be the best coffee in Korea but perhaps the world … really needed ground coffee beans … still it felt crazy to make the journey under the blazing afternoon sun ... but they closed at six on Sundays so we had no choice … or did we …
… we entered sweaty & disheveled ... asked for beans only to be told by server/owner/ceo Robin Yun (Chunggu Yun) they roasted every Tuesday and were essentially out of stock ... as Ae & Robin conversed i scanned the choices ... only two small packs remained ... both lacked what i thought was worth the journey ... on the shelf there was the type of espresso maker i used which gave a glimmer of hope ... Ae & Robin came to my side ... he suggested La Piedra from Peru (Raspberry,Vanila, Chocolate) ... my mind rejected even the idea of such a coffee ... after more discussion (you must understand all talk was in Korean with Ae occasionally providing translation) & with more than a tinge of disappointment i eventually resigned to let go of all desire and try something new ... my taste away from chosen bitter, oily dark bean was to be tested ... my comfort zone was to be challenged ...
... Ae continued to quiz Robin regarding his roasting & bean selection ... what we could expect returning on a Tuesday ... certificates on the wall demonstrated a man recognized for creating superior quality ... Robin spoke with gentle authority sharing a wealth of wisdom and knowledge about the whole roasting process & techniques used to promote the most flavourful results ... he wondered why we simply didn't choose Starbucks ... to which we replied our intention was to locate a smaller, local establishment ... he smiled ...
... Ae & i deliberated and Robin brought out beans used for daily espresso generously offering us three packages of a dark bean ... lacking a grinder we needed them ground and he explained our possible needs of grinding from coarse to fine ...
... though it was almost closing time we received his gift of what he laughingly referred to as ‘Dark Night', and decided to order an espresso & latte ... he most happily obliged as we sat down on a soft couch ... i felt a bit guilty as closing time was drawing near and the place was empty ... two clients had left during our discussions but was relieved when another guest arrived ... we sank into the couch ... soft soothing jazz music began playing transforming the space into a haven of relaxation ...
... couldn't help but watch Robin meticulously prepare our coffee ... when the espresso arrived the taste surpassed anything I had previously encountered ... a few minutes later he returned having prepared a cold coffee he called ‘Dutch coffee’ ... each coffee he placed before us seemed touched by the gods ... we expressed our awe ...
… while savoring the coffee Robin shared a beautiful analogy … most large coffee chains roast to a burn … Koreans when making rice experience the rich flavor of rice simmering at the top steeped in all the added stock, herbs & spices … at the end the crispy, slightly burnt bottom rice resting in the pan is especially tasty even though burnt and we particularly crave the slightly charred rice even though it overwhelms all other complicated flavors … the charred bottom rice is further more unhealthy … the same with coffee … the burnt bean is delicious … we are trained by the larger chains to wish for this almost addictive taste denying us the rich, savory, delicate blends … the challenge is to drink each mouthful with an open vigilance of the moment …
... finishing up as we were leaving he invited us to the back to view the roaster ... a beautiful machine from Europe ... he directed us to sacks of beans ready to be roasted specifically pointing out a large stack from Ethiopia ... on the walls were pictures of him in the fields of Columbia, El Salvador, Hong Kong and other sites ...
... what had seemed at first a fruitless excursion had turned into a remarkable meeting ... later visiting the web page learnt:
"Espere Coffee named after from a French word 'esperer', to hope and expect our life as dynamic and sweet as our coffee can be. We hope you enjoy our coffee in your daily life as much as we do."
::Note:: ... meetings with remarkable people ... have always been haunted by Gurdjieff's Meetings with Remarkable Men ... Gurdjieff had appealed to my mystical side ... now remarkable had been transformed ... remarkable not in the huge cosmic sense but simply on the little daily acts ... to recognize the remarkable in those that are filled with passion & joy living the common everyday fully with wisdom, vision and sharing ... and yet the focus is on meeting … the moment of meeting … at the right time, in the right space for each of you … a delicate moment in the fabric of time …
