Autumn with a hint of coffee 🍁

🍁 Autumn journal: reflections between sips

There's something special about the air in October.
A kind of hushed, almost conspiratorial silence settles in slowly as soon as the leaves begin to fall. The days are still long, but evening arrives earlier. The mornings become cooler, and we start reaching for our mugs again before even speaking to anyone.

For the past few years, I've noticed that my coffee also changes around this time of year.
I drink it more slowly. I take the time to savor it. And above all, I need it to accompany me through calmer, more reflective moments. It's not just about the caffeine; it's a need for warmth. A need to return to something simple, something constant. And often, it's at that moment that I return to my little rituals that ground me.

The other morning, I arrived at my office at the factory a little earlier than usual. It was still dark outside, but the smell of yesterday's roasting reminded me that the day was beginning, regardless of what the weather said. I brewed an espresso with our Black Honey. I confess, for the past 17 years, I've always returned to this first love. It's a coffee that never disappoints this time of year. It's bold, but not overpowering. It lingers on the palate like a long, drawn-out moment, with its woody, creamy, almost comforting notes. I drank it standing up, in front of the large window opposite my computer, which was waiting for me with numerous emails. And I realized how good that seemingly insignificant pause felt before diving into our micro and macro chaos.

There's a particular rhythm to October. We start lighting candles again, cooking slower meals in the slow cooker, and pulling out those old books we never finished. We write more. We talk to each other differently. And I'm convinced that coffee plays a part in that. It's the constant that helps us transition from one season to the next without losing our way.

I often think about our customers at this time of year. Some write to us simply to say they've gone back to their Kalossi Celebes, because it's their quintessential autumn coffee. Others rediscover the pleasure of our Grand Cœur, or the Yirgacheffe, full-bodied and complex, perfect for those gray days when you need something substantial.

And for those seeking a bit of respite without too much fuss, there are our Swiss-style decaf coffees. In the evenings, it's a choice I'm making more and more often. The Deca Sumatra, for example, has all the character of a good coffee… without the heaviness. It's the perfect accompaniment to a quiet conversation or picking up a notebook again after weeks of neglect.

What I love about this season is that it doesn't force us to do anything. It offers suggestions, gently. It reminds us that we can slow down, think a little further ahead, speak a little more truthfully before the snow arrives and the holiday season begins, when time speeds up dramatically. And in all of this, coffee becomes almost an excuse. A space-time. A parenthesis in our busy days.

So if you're reading this this morning, perhaps with a cup of coffee in hand, I wish you a wonderful autumn season. Let your coffee speak to you a little. Listen to what it has to say. It knows the art of gently guiding you towards winter.

– Anja