Interview with Kevin Baker Local South African Barista

So I told you about the coffee, that delicious aromatic flavoured, freshly roasted Arabica coffee - just thinking of it makes me think that maybe I need another cup just to keep me going. Well now I would like to introduce you to the man behind the coffee Kevin Baker.

Before I dive into the questions, he's not a barrister but a barista, as Kevin keeps telling me. Yes there is a difference. I know you thought they were the same - or is it just me? So here's a teachable moment for those of you that don't know:

ba·ris·ta

a person who is specially trained in the making and serving of coffee drinks, as in a coffee bar.

bar·ris·ter

(in England) a lawyer who is a member of one of the Inns of Court and who has the privilege of pleading in

the higher courts or any lawyer

[Source: dictionary.com]

I jumped right in and interviewed a locally brewed South African barista - and I had so many questions. Now I know a lot of you think that I am such a serious coffee drinker because of how much I love it (and how many litres I drink a day - think it's two because they say you should drink about 2 litres of water a day and I just add coffee for extra flavour) but I don't think I am the most discerning or knowledgeable for that matter. And so I was able to reveal all my ignorance on these caffeinated matters and have the expert keep me informed. Here are some of the questions I have always wanted to ask about coffee. You might have a completely different set of questions then leave a comment at the end I will ask them in the next session - but for the moment we'll just stick to mine.

Q: I am a new coffee drinker and I go to the shops and there are so many different flavours, how do you choose a good coffee? How do you know where to start?

A: I think you have to know what you want. Do you want strong coffee or mild coffee, decaf, regular, or flavoured coffee. A lot of people don't even know that you can get flavoured coffee. I think you need to know some things to make the choice. For example: There is a coffee called 'Blue Mountain' - this is a very rare and expensive coffee that only comes from a certain area in Jamaica, it's some of the most sought after coffee in the world, and most of it is sold to Japan. You can just about not get it in South Africa and if you do, its very expensive. So when you see a package in the shop that says Blue Mountain coffee, and its the same price as the Mocha Java, or 'House Blend', you can be pretty sure it's not true Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. If you look at the small print on the package you will see something like 'Blue Mountain style' coffee. I've personally never tasted any and maybe I will some day, when I go to Jamaica;)

Q: So what do you look for in a coffee?

A: For me personally I like a full-bodied coffee, I will look for something that has been roasted to the right colour - in other words something that is not too dark nor too light. If it's too light it will likely be too mild,and if it's too dark it can be too bitter, and very strong. Next I will smell it for freshness. To smell if coffee is fresh is really something that comes with experience. Also because I roast my own coffee, I know what it's supposed to smell like after it's been roasted.

Q: Is there a bad coffee maker or bad coffee? I've tried to make lots of different coffee's and a lot of them just don't taste that great. I have come to the conclusion that I must just be a really bad coffee maker.

A: It could be both. But it could also be the coffee you choose. Some coffees are poor quality. There are some coffee sellers in Europe who take beans that have been returned from supermarkets because they are past their sell by date and they reprocess it and then ship it out to the less discerning third world countries like ours.

Q: Do you ever lower your standards and drink instant?I am asking because I always wonder what coffee specialists drink and if they would ever drink anything but the best?

A: I do, I keep a small bottle of Douwe Egberts decaf in my kitchen cupboard, and I sometimes have one of these in the evening if I don't feel like firing up the espresso machine.

Q: What about decaf coffee? I have heard that drinking decaf coffee is so bad for you because it's all done chemically and that you might as well just stay with regular coffee?

A: There are two processes that I know of. The better, more expensive way, is where they use hyper-cooled CO2 (carbon dioxide) gas which is pumped through the beans at high pressure and removes almost all the caffeine, but leaves the taste profile of the beans intact. Apparently it leaves no residue at all because it's in the air anyway and we breathe it all the time, so it's not poisonous as such. The other, more economical method, is to use a chemical called methylene chloride. Product labels don't normally say anything about which process was used, but when we get our green beans it usually tells us on the bag how it was decaffeinated. I prefer the CO2 method.

Q: What is instant coffee?

A: It's liquid coffee that has been made from beans and then freeze dried - by evaporating all the moisture that is with it. They brew it like normal coffee - and then make the granules. Most of the instant coffee we get is made from a coffee variety called Robusta, which has less flavour than Arabica coffee and it has a higher caffeine content. Its also much cheaper and a much hardier bean. It grows in lower altitudes and is more pest resilient.

Q: How do I decide on which roast to choose when I choose my coffee - medium roast, dark roast?

A: Medium roast is always a safe bet - its like the middle of the road. Many people prefer different roasts at different times of the day. You might want something stronger to get you going in the morning, but you prefer a milder coffee in the middle of the day, or in the afternoon. Then in the evening, or after dinner you could want a decaf so you're not up all night. Unless being up all night is your thing..! If keeping 2 or 3 open bags of coffee in your kitchen is too much, then maybe a medium roast would do for anytime of the day.

Q: Now when we get it, it's roasted and prepacked - so what does that mean to us in terms of freshness and quality?

A: Most supermarkets sell ground coffee with a sell-by date of almost a year, which they shouldn't really do. Rather check the date of production. You can't really find super fresh coffee in a supermarket. If you go to a reputable coffee shop, their beans have not been roasted longer than a month ago and they grind it and make the coffee at the same time. If you are about to buy from a specialty coffee store or any coffee seller,ask them when the coffee was roasted. They should be able to tell you especially if they are running a coffee shop. Freshness is very important for good coffee. That's why most self-respecting coffee shops will grind their own coffee beans on site because they want to ensure that its as fresh as possible.

Q: So in fact if you go to the supermarket, if you have a choice you should buy beans and grind them yourself?

A: Yes, whole beans stay fresher for longer. Ground coffee deteriorates at a much faster rate. The general coffee rule is that roasted beans should be used within 1 month, ground coffee should be used within 1 day,and freshly made coffee should be drunk within 1 hour. The longer coffee sits on the warmer plate in a coffee shop, the more bitter it gets.

Q: Are there different types of coffee or are they categorised by the country they come from?

A: Arabica and Robusta are the two main types of coffee. Arabica is a better choice of coffee for brewing, as it has a richer, more delicate flavour. The Arabica coffee we sell is mostly from East Africa, Central America and Indonesia. Robusta has a higher caffeine content, is mostly grown in West Africa and Southeast Asia at low altitudes, and is generally used to produce instant coffee. There is probably more Robusta sold in the world than Arabica.

Q: So what exactly do you do as a judge when it comes to coffee?

A: Coffee judging is a whole other ball game. We'll have to cover that in a separate interview... :)

What does turning 40 mean to me?

I know I keep saying that I am turning 40 this year, but this morning when my mom phoned and reminded me that I am turning 40 on Monday (notice the day please so if you want to send any gifts you know what day to send it on:)), it finally struck me.  40.  A big fat round number!  So it got me thinking about what turning 40 means to me.

1.  I wonder whether I am now middle aged or maybe I was middle aged from 30 but living in denial?

2.  Moms still have babies at 40.  Now I might not be having another baby physically but Sean and I are still hoping to adopt again.  More children at the age of 40 is a great idea!

3.  They say sex gets better as you get older - so it's going to be fabulicious.  If you see my husband in the street with a goofy smile on his face - then you know this 40 thing is working.

4.  I can stop looking for pimples and start looking for those lines of maturity on my face.  I expect I am all mapped out already but looks like there's still space for some more.

5.  Grey is the new red.  Though my mom at 70 still has her own red hair with a few grey hairs in her side burns, so hopefully I take after my mom and not my dad who has a receding hairline and grey hair - or worse my cat, who sheds hair daily.

6.  Do I qualify for pensioners yet? Oh I think that's only at 65.

7.  Young couples will start to admire Sean and I as we hold hands at the beach and think to themselves "when I am old I want to be just like that couple".

8.  I will be the envy of every woman who ever wanted a younger man.  I am two years older than Sean so now I will be a woman in my 40's married to a man in his 30's.

9.  I get to blame everything on menopause and hot flushes  - you know all of those lady things that I have no real idea about but have heard rumours of.

10.  My children can now walk around telling everyone that I am now 40. I am sure they relish this idea - they seem to have no difficulty in announcing my age to everyone they meet, even the security guard at the entrance of Pick 'n Pay.

How often do you journal with your kids?

Journaling is something I am really passionate about.  I make every effort I can to get my children to journal as much as possible.  It has become part of our daily routine.  With homeschooling starting tomorrow after a short break, we will most likely write about our favourite holiday activity.

I don't think there are any hard or fast rules about journaling but these are some of the guidelines I use as to how often I journal:

1.  As often as I can (yep a really simple one I know but it's true)

2.  I settle them first thing in the morning - by giving them the chance to express their thoughts.  

3.  After any big event - holidays, birthdays, excursions, visits by friends, camps

4.  Sometimes not for a week - I put this in so that you realise that I don't get it right either and some days are just crazy busy.  

5.  As often as possible without it becoming a chore, burden or something they hate.  They might occasionally moan but once they get into it they really enjoy it.

Though I make this as part of our school routine, I have found my children writing in their journals during holidays unprompted.  It becomes second nature to them eventually.

Happy Journaling

 

 

Cuttting down when things are tough

We recently have been a bit tight with finances, which can create a fair amount of stress in our household and as mom, I think the burden of having to create food out of nothing or knowing there are things your family needs but can't afford - can be fairly difficult to deal with. There are many ways you can deal with this: you can borrow, you can get a credit card, you can go into overdraft, you can not pay your bills 

OR

YOU CAN CUT BACK

This is not always the nicest option.  I've had to make phone calls to end sport sessions, or stopped extra curricular activities, not gone on as many excursions, saying no to invitations to parties because we can't afford a babysitter and gift.  

AND IT'S HARD

Of course it is.  

It requires humility ("I can't afford these lessons anymore")

it takes honesty ("I would love to visit but actually I don't have petrol money")

 not having the things you want or need ("I really need a new pair of sneakers")

 eating more basic meals ("I wish I could have some mushrooms and cream with this pasta sauce instead of just tomato")

but it also 

TAKES FAITH

I have to trust what God says, trust that He will take care of us - sometimes in ways that I wouldn't have chosen (like someone arriving with groceries at the door) - but put my pride in my pocket and trust Him and be grateful for what He gives me.

But given the choice between debit and faith - I choose faith any day.  Debt imprisons but faith brings freedom.

Choose freedom!

 Remember you are not alone.  I too have wept.  I have had times when I have had an empty fridge.  I have had moments where I have been fearful of losing my home and yet time and time again - God done the most amazing things in our lives and in our family's life.  

If you would like prayer, feel free to email me. I will pray with and for you as we trust God together to do what needs to be done, and to provide in a way that only He can.  Even if you have already cut back, tried your best to live frugally and still you are really struggling to make ends meet, let's pray!

Linking up with Domestically Divine Tuesday, 

Journaling 101: 10 reasons why we journal?

We journal often.  And I have boys. Yes that's right and they love it.  They may be kinesthetic-bounce-in-their-chairs-never-sit-still-boys but they really enjoy journaling.  I might struggle to get them to write - in the old school ways of creative writing - but somehow journaling works differently and is seen differently by them.  They enjoy writing in them and they love reading their previous entries even more. 

1. It's fun

It is, and my children love me reading what they have written.  I make sure that it stays fun and I don't correct what they write.  I just read for enjoyment and because I do this, they love bringing it to me to read.  I can see them watching my face as I do, to see my reactions.

2.  Teaches writing skills

Not overnight but it does.  The biggest challenge with any child in developing writing skills is to actually get them to write.  I know the rest will come over time, but for the moment I just want them to write.

3.  Consolidating experiences

Some of our writing exercises have been about excursions or adventures and so they get the opportunity to consolidate and express their experiences.  It's interesting to me what they focus on - it's often the thing I least expect them to remember or be interested in.  It also gives them an opportunity for written narration because of this.

4.  It's not just about writing it's about creative expression

There is art, list making, collages, photos - but it's all about them and it's all varied. I love the fact that journaling is like art.  It can be done in so many ways, it's personal and no two pages look the same.  Journalling is a platform of creativity in so many ways.

5.  Giving children the opportunity to express their feelings on difficult issues

Given the opportunity - children are very honest writers.(this comes with a warning - they can be brutally honest) but I think its good.  Especially if you suspect that they are dealing with something in their lives, choosing a subject to write about wisely, gives them the opportunity to talk through some of the things they are wrestling with.

6.  Develop a love for writing

I love writing.  Am I a good writer?  I would say I am so so but that doesn't stop me from doing it.  I believe that reading and writing go hand in hand and it happens when they are passionate about it and love it.  There is nothing in their heads that say - no you can't do ti!

7.  Put into practice the theory of grammar and language

Journaling allows children to put into practise so much of what they have learnt. Having said this - I do not correct grammar and spelling in their journals.  I do however make a note and try and cover some of those issues with them, when we do any other English work

8.  Memory Moments

Such precious memories to them, to me, to the family can be found between the pages of their journals and I hope that one day they will be able to read back and remember all the good things they did.

9.  Getting to know my child

I know this is a semi-selfish reason but sometimes they write things that bring tears to my eyes, make me laugh, reveal an aspect of who they are that I didn't know (Can you believe that its possible? But they constantly show me a different facet of their personalities and boy are they complex).  I think they also get to find out who they are too.

10.  A Writing Portfolio

 Because I give the children such a variety of topics, they eventually end up with a writing portfolio which showcases what they can do. Bearing in mind that it is a journal and they probably won't always deliver top of the range work - I think there will be so much to choose from that you will be spoilt for choice.  We have included items like: writing their own menus, letter writing, descriptive writing, lists, poetry - the list is endless.

I hope that I have maybe motivated or encouraged you to start journaling or to persevere in it. It might not come naturally to you because you don't or didn't journal but keep on with it!  It's worth every minute and every bit of effort you put in!

Happy Journaling!

Out and About: Baxter Theatre: 8th Baxter Dance Festival

Well it was date night with Ethan and we headed to the Baxter Theatre for the opening night of the 8th Baxter Dance Festival.  Date nights with my boys are always an event, and theatre ones are always winners and this was no exception. 

It took us about 15 photos to finally get both our heads in, we were laughing so hard because we kept chopping parts of us off.

 The Baxter Theatre is a lovely place to spend an evening.  With their restaurant, bar area where you can purchase a couple of savoury snacks, lots of interesting people milling around, its just the place to be for an evening rich in sensory experiences. 

Umnikelo "Offering"

 

We attending a performance showcasing the Vuyani Dance Theatre Project where they performed two pieces - Umnikelo "Offering" and Mayhem.  Umnikelo was magnificent.  If I were to categorise the type of dancing I would say it was a mixture of a African, modern and ballet.  It was incredibly intense.  The music, the lighting, the costumes, even the fact that all the dancers had shaved heads, created a visual effect that was both moving and effective.  The backup musicians produced haunting rhythmic sounds while one of the dancers joined in with deep throaty vocals.  When they finished this part of the show they received a standing ovation for the incredible performance.  Dramatic dance at its finest.

After a brief intermission, we watched the second half Mayhem.  Ethan enjoyed this half because of the humour, however I found this to be in stark contrast to the excellent first half.  The dancers' dramatisation of those who are institutionalised was well performed but I wasn't sure whether I should laugh or get upset at the way in which these people were being presented, though very stereotypical.  It surely reflected on their ability to be versatile if not necessarily original.

Special mention needs to be made of Luyanda Sidiya who delivered a phenomenal performance which can only be expected from someone who has won titles like "Best Male Dancer" at the Dance Manyano Awards and the "Most Outstanding Dancer in Contemporary Style for Dance at the Umbrella Festival.
Also Gregory Maqoma, the founder of the Vuyani Dance Theatre Project who himself is an internationally renowned dancer, choreographer, director and scriptwriter.


Showcasing dance companies and choreographers, the 8th Baxter Dance Festival is scheduled to run from the 4 - 13 October 2012.  With such a variety of shows to choose from, you will be spoilt for choice. 

Homeschool Rooms Part 2: On Pinterest

For those of you looking for great ideas for decorating, organising and planning your homeschool rooms  - why not have a look at my Pinterest page.  So many lovely ideas, you will love!

Happy birthday to a saint!

Declan means saint, and though he is imperfect as we all are, he is my saint!  12 years old today and my first born.  Love this special guy - consumes books like no one's business, big brother, excellent sportsman, photographic memory, highly gifted, can mimic almost any sound or accent he has heard.  My boy with the flame coloured hair and kisses from the sun.  Love you my boy - more every day.

Photo Journal: What children get up to when we stop entertaining them

We love to keep our children busy.  We fear the dreaded words "I am bored".  Those 3 words are not just a statement - they declare that we have failed them in some way.  That we are not a "good mommy" because we can't keep them busy and entertained.  We feel like it's a personal criticism - like we are somehow personally responsible.

IT'S A BIG FAT LIE!

Our children have been led to believe that they need to be entertained, driven around from place to place at every whim.  That home is an unacceptable option.  That there has to be every type of entertainment available to them, even if parents don't have the money.  

It's not our job as parents to entertain them.  It's not our job to ensure that they are fully engaged with one or other activity all day.  

When we spend our time doing that, we rob our children of creative moments.  Of problem solving, and often reading.  It's in those quiet times, when they don't have something to do that they will reach for a book and find another world.  Frustration teaches our toddlers to walk and talk, so why do we feel the need to give our children everything they want, when they want it.  If they get just the slightest bit frustrated, imagine what they will come up with.  Watch out Einstein!

I am not saying that you should not give careful consideration to opportunities for your children to be involved in one or other social event, sporting activity or an occasional bit of screen time.  But they don't need to do that all day, especially not in the holidays, because as holidays go, moms and dads need to rest too.  In fact in our house, if the kids have something outside of the house in the morning, mom has the luxury of not doing anything further for the rest of the day, unless I want to.  Like today they went to a church youth fun hike and this afternoon we are heading to the beach, because I want some sun and tomorrow there will be rain for the next 3 days.  Not because they are demanding it, of course it's a bonus for them because they get to surf while I am at the beach.

Now I know I said that this was going to be a photo journal and so I want to give you an example of what my youngest son got up to, when he was "bored" and had nothing else to do.  It's a small video but this is what he did for almost 2 hours the one afternoon. And he wanted me to watch while he did it.  Benefits - eye hand co-ordination, fresh air, positive affirmation from mom, arm exercises, eye exercises - the list is endless.  And I had nothing to do with it.  Just an old tyre and a stick.  Now he may not be creating energy or light but they all have to start somewhere and the key is taking initiative and creativity!

Homeschooling and Holidays

Some big homeschooling questions, ones that seem to come up time and time again: Do we take school holidays?  Do we just do what we want - and how many days do we do school?

We have tried a number of options and sometimes we combine more than one.

1.  Public School Holidays

This has been the one we have found the easiest to manage as it simply is easier because there are some amazing holiday programs during the holidays that we want our children to be involved with.  Also with many of their friends being in school, they get invitations for play dates  - which we would allow but then the other children who were left behind would then have to do school.  Which really seems to be quite unfair.

So now we take our holidays at the same time.  The downside of this is that everything is much more expensive, busy and in demand but there is always a price to pay whichever way you do it.

2.  Two Months School, One Month Holiday

This works well. It means that holidays are more evenly spread.  Often the December holidays (in South Africa) are too long and then when we get to September, it's only 10 days which really feels too short.

3. American/ Canadian/ Chinese year (or any other country that starts in August)

I know of South African families who work according to this year cycle - most often because they are using Sonlight or an international curriculum.  The problem with using this approach (though as we draw nearer to leaving for China ourselves, we will most likely make the switch too) is that the biggest holidays over winter, which in Cape Town could be a really cold, wet, experience.  There is nothing better than late summer nights and beach in December.  Couldn't manage doing too much school then.

5.  As we need

We do take time out in the term, but we adjust our other holidays too. If I take a week off in the middle of the term, because I can see that the children need a break, then I make up for it somewhere else or we just start our end of term holidays a week later.  This is one of the best advantages of homeschooling among many others, is the ability to give my children times to rest when they really need it and to get them working when they don't, which may sometimes be when the public schools have their holidays.

6.  Never take holidays - weekends are enough of a break.

We tried this, but I found that the children were fine but I wasn't.  I like to have a rest every now and then.  I need it.  I need to have a week where I can catch up with cleaning or just be able to lie around reading books and doing nothing instead of homeschooling and running around with all extra curricular activities.   

7.  All holidays and then some

I am a firm believer in freedom in homeschooling, the freedom to make choices that fit our family,however we also don't take that to mean that we just do what we want and spend half our year on vacation. I am fairly strict about how many days we school and how many hours.  I think its good to have boundaries in life and to have some guidelines within which to work.  We also have a lot of work to cover each year.  Fridays are our learning excursions, whether Cape Explorers, visits to the museum, nature studies or extra mural classes - we make sure that we get Out and About. It keeps the learning experience alive and the children have something to look forward to after a week of hard work. 

So there you have it, our holiday habits.  And this week is one of those weeks.  We are on a short vacation and my children have been attending a holiday club hosted by one of the local churches around here, heading off for a surf in the afternoon or visiting friends.

What is your approach to holidays in your home school?