There’s a tradition in our house that every time we open a new bag of coffee beans we cut out the label and place it under the elastic band that’s around the pot where we store the beans.
The pot is an old Illy coffee pot that we’ve had for years, over that time the number of labels has grown and the elastic band expanded.
Each of the labels compacted under the band has a little story of its own.
The story might be as simple as a trip to the local supermarket. Some of the stories are about special occasions; others are about holidays. The Pilgrims Coffee is from Lindisfarne.
There are stories about trips out and also stories about trips further afield. The Lojano is from Ecuador.
There are coffees that are there because they are favourites, others are special treats. Some we return to, others have been a unique experience.
The idea that we have drunk a coffee called Lazy Sunday is a deep irony.
The coffee bean pot band is a treasure trove of memories.
Graham Chastney 