Coffee

That simple stimulant that has saved the world (or at least the one I live in) from total annihilation. Without its gentle push, mornings would be silent halls of gloom and doom. Conversation could not occur for several hours, if at all. The general thought processes would grind to a halt without the lubrication of the caffeine nestled in those lovely brown beans.

The loveliest gift is the morning coffee prepared by someone else. For someone, with morning mental abilities, to measure the tiny bits of bean, place them carefully in the filter, fill the reservoir with cold, clear water and, then, push the button that says “brew”.

The smell of hot water seeping through tiny bits of bean is enough to start mental salivating. Preparation for its ingestion requires only a container large enough to hold the medicinal liquid. A holy grail for night owls and exhausted parents.

Coffee, in a Swedish household, was introduced on a sugar cube. A white sold morsel of pure delight. Once dipped into the parental cup, it was placed upon the child tongue.

Sucabee.

I remember standing next to my father at the breakfast table waiting for my piece of sucabee. It was heaven.

In our home, there was coffee before breakfast and during breakfast. Then there was the 10am coffee break. Coffee was consumed at lunch and at the afternoon coffee break. After that was the after dinner coffee.

Coffee was the sound and smell of home. It was sweetness and smiles.

Sucabee. The Americanization of the Swedish word sukkerbit. Sweet bite.