Hello, hello, family of this lovely community where good coffee is truly appreciated! As true lovers of this delicious nectar, we know that our cup of coffee is non-negotiable. Cuba is currently going through a rather critical situation, with various aspects and basic necessities of human life being affected. Returning to the subject of coffee, as we had no electricity or liquefied gas for cooking, my mother-in-law and I decided to brew our coffee over charcoal. It was a unique experience.
The hardest part for us was getting the charcoal alight. To do this, we tried every tip we could find: we added dry leaves, twigs, cloth, and finally a drop of the alcohol we had left. Then the magic happened. We were overjoyed when we finally managed to light the charcoal. Amidst laughter and shouts of joy, we rushed to place the coffee pot over the fire. There was a great deal of excitement in the air, as we’d been trying to light the charcoal for quite some time – it’s not something we’re used to doing.
After a short while, our delicious coffee began to give off its heady aroma; when we went to check the coffee pot, we realised the coffee was already ready. So we served it piping hot and sat down to enjoy it whilst cooling off a little, as the charcoal gives off a lot of heat. We’d also taken the opportunity to cook and heat some water.
Being able to enjoy our little cup of coffee felt like a great triumph, a small joy amidst so much deprivation and misery. We long for the day when our Cuba will smile again, and with it all Cubans – those of us who remain here and the many who have had to go far away in search of a better and more dignified future. Until next time.
✍🏻 Original content by 
📷 Photos edited by Canva and PicsKit📷
✨Translation by DeepL✨
