The last time I hit publish on this newsletter, it was early January and I was in an optimistic mood. Literally, the title of the last newsletter was ‘Coffee optimism for 2021’. While many of the reasons for optimism this year are standing firm, 2021 hasn’t yet proven to be the break with 2020 we all wanted.
In the U.K., the past week has marked the beginning of the end of pandemic restrictions as schools re-opened. In coffee land, shops will be able to start allowing customers to sit inside in May. This is leading to, all being well, a big bang in June when the majority of the remaining restrictions will be removed. The downside is the unlocking has been a slow-burning process for the first few months of 2021 and everyone has been asked to find a little more in the tank to push through what are hopefully the final throes of the pandemic.
While continuing to be thankful for my privileged experience of the pandemic (working from home, not a key worker, not vulnerable to the virus), I've found the first couple of months of 2021 much more difficult to navigate, even as the prospect of post-pandemic life has drawn closer. The relative certainty of lockdowns enabled the formation of new routines and an ultimate excuse to stay in and focus on solitary activities. The prospect of an end to restrictions, while encouraging, is also weirdly anxiety-inducing and honestly, it's knocked me off of my stride a little.
What has this got to do with coffee? I'm getting to it.
My shaky start to 2021 has had a knock-on effect on this newsletter and the general routine that I cultivated through the turbulence in 2020. I haven't published a newsletter since January because I've been constantly reassessing what I want to write here and largely overthinking the whole thing. Overthinking is to be resisted, but telling someone not to overthink is hardly a groundbreaking piece of advice and isn't easy to execute. But less overthinking is a by-product of routine and familiarity. You got to get back to what you know.
In these uncertain times, I'm just getting back to my routine. That includes this newsletter and it includes my coffee too. I love exploring new coffees and reading about where they are grown and the coffee farmers behind them. I love writing about them on these pages too. But when you take a sip of your favourite coffee or one you've been drinking for years, it's a warm blanket of familiarity. It's soothing. For the past few weeks, I've been back on my coffee staples.
Better the coffee you know
Three coffees. All from South America.
Union's House Roast: Roasted near to West Ham in East London and now supplied to coffee shops and supermarkets across the U.K., this is the ultimate staple. Classic notes of chocolate, caramel and citrus. This particular packet even has some limited edition branding, same coffee inside but temporarily named after Victoria Park, the site of many a morning run for me. Adds to the familiarity. Buy it
Origin's Stronghold: This one travelled from Brazil via Origin's roastery in the beautiful town of Porthleven in Cornwall. I love the coffee, but I also used to visit Porthleven a lot on family holidays when I was younger and so I have a soft spot for them purely based on that. Also adds to the familiarity. Buy it
Perky Blenders' Forest Blend: Another one roasted in East London, but this time over in Leytonstone. They're much more than their fun name. I love this coffee for its genius blend of Brazilian and Colombian beans. I promise you'll like this one. If you sign up for a subscription, you'll get your first bag for free with the code PERKYLOVE. Have a look
That's all for this week. Genuinely, thanks for taking the time to read. If you’ve got any comments, advice or anything else to share, feel free to leave a comment or email me.
Love, Ashley x