Timber's Story (aka: Notes from the Mad Roaster)

Welcome to Catahoula Coffee and it's rather humble website. At the very least I hope you will find it amusing…yet informative.
(In it's own perverse way)

The Early Years: I came to coffee late in life, well into my 20's. Actually I did not like this bitter concoction and I was always befuddled by why would anyone want to drink such swell, other than for the caffeine buzz. As a kid I distinctly remember, after trying a cup of mom's freeze dried coffee, what where these crazy adults thinking about!? It tastes HORRIBLE! Is this the meaning of adulthood; being able to tolerate drinking a retched beverage, by one's own choice. It made no sense!

That is until a relatively hip new crazed raced across the nation. Starbucks! You remember Starbucks; the Starbucks before they became the behemoth mega monster of coffee flavored milk. Yes, I was temped by the ever safe, Café Mocha. You can surely hide the taste of coffee (espresso) with all that chocolate syrup. Not only would you get the caffeine buzz, but a complete sugar high to boot! What could be better?

I soon found myself using…..errr buying Mocha's on a regular basis. I would change my daily driving schedule at work just so I can happen by the Starbucks across town. (Do you remember when it was a special occasion to see a new Starbucks?) Like many others, I went through my caramel phase but I was getting tired of all the sweetness in all of those syrupy foofoo drinks. That's when I began to experiment with Café Latte's. Oh sure I started out with the jumbo size lattes but gradually I realize all the steamed milk is hiding something.

I didn't realize I was seduced by the trendy culture, coffee's liquid culture. Much has been written about this modern craze of one's own "Third Community." You know, a place to hang out, see your fellow human beings, not too mention the per chance meeting of someone of interest. This liquid culture was akin to eating sushi. You're not there primarily just for the taste of the fish, after all it raw dead fish, but for the experience of the meal. Little did I know this budding new phenomenon of Americana of the five-dollar coffee was (forgive the bun) steeped in a very rich and turbulent tradition stretching back many centuries?