Coffee anyone?

Ever wonder how people in remote areas can drink coffee?

First, you need to go harvest the berries.

Murphy's law says that all the berries will be located way up high! :-) Mildred is using another branch to pull things closer.

 When that doesn't work, she sometimes climbed up and hacked down a branch or 2.

After a nice shower...you wouldn't believe the amount of spider webs and red biting ants that you encounter!...Mildred and I pound the coffee.

Pounding it breaks up the skin/husk/hull. We pound until its pretty well, mushy.

I thought I was doing really well at the whole pounding thing until my little neighbor traded out with me! 

Next you lay the coffee out to dry for several days. The hardest past of this bit is keeping chickens from wandering through and adding their contribution. :-)

Once the coffee is deemed sufficiently dried, you pound it again. 

Next, you winnow the coffee, to get rid of the husk and keep the coffee.

Now comes the fun part of picking out any unpounded bits, or rocks that have managed to find their way in the mix.

Any guesses on the next step? Oh yeah, pound the coffee! :-) Eli jumped in and helped out.

Now, you roast the coffee. I'm sure coffee experts would have all kinds of input. Here, you simply build a fire, throw the coffee in the pan and stir until its all cooked.

One last winnowing to get rid of any undesirables.

After pounding...yes pounding again...you shake the heavier bits into a bowl to be pounded....again. 

The fine bits get put into the glass. You repeat this cycle until everything is pounded into a nice fine powder. 

It was amazing to see all the work that goes into something as a beverage. It was a great time with my language helper and lots of opportunity to talk and build a deeper relationship.