As a journalist, me and the coffee shop are like love and heart. Inseparable, and impossible to separate. This is because the speakers often ask for the meeting to be held at a coffee shop.
Coffee shops in Aceh have evolved from providing robusta coffee, to coffee shops selling Arabica. Even so, there are still many coffee shops with big names, still maintaining their uniqueness, only providing robusta filtered coffee.
Coffee shops in Banda Aceh that still maintain robusta coffee such as Cut Nun, Zakir, Solong. The three coffee shops are the legendary kings of coffee.
Each glass of robusta is sold for IDR 5000. In some places Rp. 6000. Quite expensive for the size of the poor. But in Banda Aceh, robusta connoisseurs are the upper middle class. The specialty of Robusta coffee in Banda Aceh is that it is not mixed with rice, corn, etc. Pure coffee grounds without any other mixture. That's why the color of the coffee is not dark black.
As a stomach acid sufferer, I enjoy robusta coffee without a mixture of sugar. Because a chemical reaction will occur when the coffee is mixed with sweeteners.
As a result, my tongue has to taste the bitter taste every time I sip Robusta coffee. In addition, I also often order bengal coffee. Yes, half a cup of robusta coffee.
While sipping coffee, the speaker and I will talk about many things related to the topics we discuss.
The media sources in Aceh, on average, like coffee shops as a place to talk. For Acehnese, the coffee shop is a value-free area, and without anyone trying to eavesdrop on the conversation. Only very crucial things are not discussed in the coffee shop.
Every time I return home to Teupin Mane, Juli, Bireuen, I will always stop at a coffee shop.
In my village, there are at least five coffee shops selling robusta coffee, and coffee sachets. Each cup of coffee, sold for IDR 2000. Very cheap. Cakes are sold for IDR 1000 per piece.
In my village I don't drink coffee. Why? Because the robusta coffee powder sold in the village has been mixed with corn or rice. The acidic reaction of the mixture made my stomach acid rise suddenly.
Even so, I will still enjoy every aroma of coffee emitted from the coffee kitchen. The aroma has a power that can soothe the soul.
Villagers sipping coffee while waiting for time to work. They enjoy a cup of coffee, a piece of cake, or even a breakfast of rice wrap sold at the shop.
For the people in my village, the coffee they drink is the best. They will not be comfortable if taken to a coffee shop that sells coffee without a mixture of corn or rice. For them, the coffee that is sold in the city, is not the real coffee. Such is wisdom, always finding its original form, according to habit.
In general, the tradition of drinking coffee, three times a day. Morning, afternoon and after sunset. The majority of coffee connoisseurs sipping coffee at that time.
However, in cities like Banda Aceh, Bireuen, and other cities in Aceh, every meeting is always directed to a coffee shop. According to some sources, talking while sipping coffee, has its own peculiarities, which are not found in other situations.
Enjoying coffee is not only fulfilling addiction, but more than that, finding inspiration. While sipping coffee, we can talk about anything.
So do not be surprised, the Acehnese will be more open, when they are sipping coffee. Many things can be done, while drinking coffee.
