My clever coffee expert friend Nic observed from my little instagram shot there that perhaps I need a finer grind for my coffee machine. I'm currently using up the last dregs of a bag of beans that I had ground for my much battered-about plunger (french press) and to be honest it hadn't even crossed my mind that my machine would need a different, finer grind. It already looked pretty fine to me!
Luckily every coffee I've produced in my new friend so far has been delicious and all I've minded about is that tiny grains don't end up in my cup like floating dead ants (like they sometimes did with the plunger!). I know it sounds dense but I didn't appreciate that the right grind for the brewing method might affect the end result, the flavour, the crema, the pleasure in the whole experience. But like everything in life, if you have the right materials, the right building blocks, you'll get a better result. It will flow, it will feel right. I can only imagine how good my coffees will taste once I get the right grind!
It got me thinking. (This blog does have latte in its title so a few coffee/life metaphors have to be thrown in every now and then!) How many times have we all had something in our lives that wasn't quite the perfect fit, the right grind? If you've ever bought a pair of shoes or an item of clothing that was just a bit too small, or put up with a few coarse remarks from so-called friends, or forced yourself to go running or do yoga or pilates because it's what "fit people" do even though you don't really love it, then you'll know the sheer joy of finding an amazing dress that highlights the curve of your hips and the daintiness of your waist perfectly, no adjustments (to it or you) necessary; or finding a friend whose company you adore and seeing their name pop up in your email inbox always makes you smile; or the satisfaction of scaling a beach or mountain from top to bottom, or jiving away in a Lindy Hop class. It feels different compared to what you've been doing. It feels right. You could never go back.
When the things in your life are the right grind for you, you radiate, you sparkle and you soar.
At some points in your journey you might be a plunger and need a coarse grind, then you might be an espresso machine and need a different, finer grind. That's cool. Go and find your grind. Make your coffee your way.
And don't be afraid to ask advice from friends who really know their coffee either :)