But not yet to Rwanda, but to the coffeekult French Press and hand mill.
Many breakfasts through (yes that is actually the nominative plural of “breakfast”!) They have accompanied us faithfully.
And today’s DAY 6 we start once again with a home-brewed coffeekult coffee. The ladies from the breakfast buffet offered us “African Coffee” and tea, whereby the former does not have much to do with coffee. It has a flavor all its own, somewhat reminiscent of ginger.
When we mentioned: “We have our own coffee, is it possible to get hot water?” we first got wide eyes as a reaction and then curious looks. They liked the fact that coffeekult is a “roaster” and so they looked over our shoulders – with a little distance – benevolently.
Then it really is time to say GOODBYE, because both items – French Press and Hand Grinder – have found a new home with Josias from the Coocamu Cooperative.
In his “Beautiful Coffee” he wants to start using it immediately and test it, especially the grinder has caught his eye. A great product, he said, that he can now use everywhere!
It’s just nice when you can make coffee friends a JOY and we are sure: this grinder will have a good place with him and certainly often in use!
Auf dem Weg zu Josias waren wir auf leeren Straßen unterwegs, wurden aber dennoch 6 mal von der Polizei kontrolliert.
Why so?
Today is “Umuganda”! This takes place every last Saturday of the month. Shortly before 8 o’clock in the morning, a few people still scurry across the streets. The stores are barricaded. After 8 o’clock nothing more goes – otherwise threatens a hefty fine.
Umuganda is a kind of “community sweeping day” for all Rwandans throughout the country and is decreed by the state. Old and young are then on their feet, in their districts, and they hoe, clean, clean – for example, mosquito nests in the tall grass are destroyed, this is a measure against malaria.
At every police check, our cab driver had to explain again what we were doing, where we were going, and why it was so important, and whether he couldn’t have worked for the general public anyway.
One policeman waves us through because there are “whites” in the car anyway, obviously tourists, other policemen ask to see IDs, others just look stern.
But we like the idea behind it. Doing GOOD together can never hurt!
After the home-brewed coffee, we continue to the Nyanza District, to the Mizero Cooperative. This is a small and familiar project of Josias and his brother. First they proudly show us the “washing station”, where the coffee cherries are first washed. Even if the thing rattles and clatters, it uses recycled water and therefore protects the environment. A small, but very fine and sustainable cooperative!
Right next to the diligent workers who are sorting out the coffee beans, a true coffee WORLD begins. Here, the coffee cherry grows very “clearly” because the coffee trees are arranged like on a plantation. This is not the case with many other cooperatives, where there is more of a wild growth. The coffee trees are in the middle of the woods and between banana trees and you have to look for them first. Here, of course, the cooperative has less work because of the clear arrangement, everything is more efficient.
Is this something like a coffee roaster heaven?
This can/may also be a possible interpretation of two “outhouses” in the middle of a coffee plantation. You could almost post a viral Instagram reel to this, with the familiar sound of „No, Seriously what is this place? This is Heaven“… But that seems a little too childish for the extremely serious coffee roasting coffeekult 😉
What we have not found out ourselves, where is now actually the ladies and where the men’s toilet?!
Yes, these really exist, as so-called pearl beans, also called peaberry. Strictly speaking, the pearl bean is a mutation. Normally, two seeds, i.e. beans, grow in the coffee cherry. These are both flat on the side facing the other bean. Sometimes, however, only one of the two seeds is fertilized. This then results in a coffee bean without a flattened side, because it lacks a counterpart, so to speak. This is how it gets its oval shape, which gives it the name pearl bean.
In rainy regions, coffee is in bloom or ripe throughout the year. This gives it a special feature: flowers and coffee cherries are often on one and the same branch, a miracle of nature. After fertilization, the coffee cherry grows from the ovary of the flower. The cherries also do not all ripen at the same time.
This visit to the Mizero cooperative also ends, of course, with a nice group photo. Here, all the workers are also summoned immediately, a really nice gesture of cohesion and togetherness!
Speaking of group formation and because it thus fits well: Not only in coffee farm group photos people stand close to each other, but also decades ago in Innsbruck at a coffee demonstration.
This article from Innsbruck-erinnert.at was sent to us yesterday by a coffee fan. Housewives are called to a “sample cooking.” Wonderful text! How times have changed!
For those who cannot read the text well, here is the translation: SAMPLE COOKING. The world-famous company Julius Meinl, coffee importer, is organizing a sample cooking of coffee at their new branch in Innsbruck, Marktgraben 29, on July 9 and 10, and cordially invites the esteemed housewives of Innsbruck and the surrounding area. The esteemed housewives have the opportunity to learn the correct cooking methods based on the best experiences. On this occasion, samples of coffee, black or Melange, will also be distributed free of charge to adults. Innsbrucker Nachrichten, June 9, 1914.”
(Source: https://innsbruck-erinnert.at/gibt-es-hier-etwas-umsonst/ ; Stadtarchiv/Stadtmuseum Ph-8043; Christof Aichner)
The current day ends once again with many impressions, great encounters, and many “passing images”, as we have been on the road for a few hours again today. Whenever you encounter people, there always seems to be an organized chaos, especially near the bus station in Kigali.
Remember: A video says more than 1000 words.
AND a small insight into the coffeekult evening design we also allow.
There is of course again KAFFEE, but this time together with a STEAK!
Really? We have discovered so on the menu:
C O F F E E C R U S T E D S T E A K
Trimmed beef tenderloin roasted with finely ground coffee beans
(Coffee-crusted steak: trimmed beef tenderloin roasted with finely ground coffee beans).
Well then – MAHLZEIT!
