VernetteOutLoud

Turkish Coffee In Trinidad

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Years ago, I read a book and the only thing I remember about the story was one main character detail: the guy’s need for a cup of Turkish coffee. Being a coffee lover myself, I totally understood. Thinking at the time that it was probably some special Turkish treat, it was noted and filed away for future reference.

A recent post on my ‘go-to’ blog for all things foodie in Trinidad: TriniChow highlighting a new cafe serving Turkish coffee, brought back the memory of the curiosity I felt after reading about this type coffee all those years ago. I happened to be in the area this weekend and decided to stop in. I was not disappointed.
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Turkish coffee is best enjoyed after your meal and it pairs well with a sweet treat. You DO NOT add milk to your coffee…which was fine by me. You also do not add sugar after it is poured in your cup. Sugar is added up front. Since I was having it with a sweet treat anyway, I chose to have mine with just a little sugar and it was still good.

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Tiny cup of joy.

The delicious blend of finely ground coffee, sugar and spices is served in a long-handled pot made of brass, which you pour into a tiny cup. Though, the serving is small, the coffee is not meant to be rushed. Sip. Savor. Linger…over great conversation and a yummy sweet treat. I enjoyed my coffee with a bit of chocolate cake.

Layali Cafe offers a few options for sweet treats and quick bites. If you’re a coffee lover, it’s worth checking out.

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Thick layer of coffee left at the bottom of the cup.

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Second cup of joy.

#WeekendCoffeeShare 05/01/16

#WeekendCoffeeShare

It’s a dreary, rainy afternoon here on my island in the hidden-for-today sun. A re-run of Sex In The City is on the TV which is almost on mute the volume is so low, because I like a little background noise while I brew. My small, open-concept kitchen and living area, smells deliciously like coffee, so come in and get comfortable.

If we were having coffee, it would be curled up on my sofa, my slippers would be off, legs tucked under me as we share about nothing and everything. My mood and relaxed dress code is a flashing neon sign that you’re probably gonna have to make the coffee for yourself today. But I can direct you so you can find everything you need just fine.

It’s been a tough week all around. Man, it’s been a tough April. I think I felt tired every day of April. I’m happy to see May, but that doesn’t mean dem problems disappear…sigh. I pretty much ate my weight in chocolate this last week. I mean seriously…why oh why does it have to be chocolate? Couldn’t broccoli or water be the feel-good-elixir? Nope. It’s chocolate! And if I’m being reeeeally honest (we are on the ‘sofa of truth’ after all) it’s chocolate, wine and freaking coffee with the whipped cream. This is why I have no thigh gap…and this week I gave zero fucks.

I wimped out on fitness training all week as well. Funny thing about chocolate and wine and freaking coffee with the whipped cream…it comes with a huge side of my-diet-is-shot-to-hell-anyway-so-I-might-as-well-LIVE-out-the-week-in-bliss-and-start-again-next-week. Sometimes, I feel like if we didn’t have Mondays I might not start or finish anything. #StruggleBus #GodBlessMondays

If we were having coffee, I’m already tired of talking…so tell me about your last week in April and your plans for the week and month ahead, as I take a sip and settle in for a good listen.

*****#WeekendCoffeeShare is an awesome link-up where coffee (or some other awesome beverage) is being shared over some great conversations.

#WeekendCoffeeShare originated at Part Time Monster:

I started the Weekend Coffee Share last year after lots of feedback and several months of writing posts that imagined a conversation with my blog readers that started with the “if we were having coffee” line. The coffee share runs on the weekends, and there aren’t a lot of rules—-posts just need to be formatted like a conversation over beverages (we’ve had tea-drinkers and cocktail-hours as well as coffee) AND be written within the past week (so you don’t need to publish on the weekend to join the link-up). The hashtag #weekendcoffeeshare is in use all weekend on Twitter and Facebook, and it is sometimes used a bit during the week as well. .~Part Time Monster

#WeekendCoffeeShare 04/23/16

#WeekendCoffeeShare
If we were having coffee, it would be over lunch, at a new spot mutual friends having been regaling us about for the last couple weeks. We would agree to meet after we got the day’s to-do list almost squared away. One of us *coughmecough* will probably get lost and have to call for directions…but such is often the case with new spots located in parts of the island yet to be explored.

If we were having coffee today, I would be bursting to tell you that my business plan is almost complete and my still hush hush venture is taking shape quite nicely. We would talk about self-care and what it means for the both of us. Because, Saturdays are usually all about self-care routines.

Unfortunately, as the coffee arrives and we take that first sip…it’s not very good. Trying not to be coffee snobs might prove to be tricky, but there is no way we are going to continue drinking that cup of sadness.

If we were having coffee…we would politely ask for another cup….perhaps a stronger brew this time and hold the milk and sugar. Lunch ordered, conversation would shift to long-term blogging plans and the benefits of attending blogging conferences.

Amidst the easy and at times animated banter about our plans, blogs and the value of our posts when we do hit ‘publish’ our food and second cup of coffee arrives. The food is okay…but we were right the first time around. The coffee isn’t good at all.

Coffee forgotten and growing cold, food slowly disappearing, our conversation will move to what I like to call my ‘nesting phase’ and funny enough…your favourite word for it turns out to be ‘home-making’. This is my pet topic of late…all the fun little projects I’m doing around my apartment, making it more of a home. We swap ideas and make plans to visit a ‘home’ store in the area as soon as lunch is over.

Today, if we were having coffee, note to self: Sometimes, it’s not about the coffee.

p.s. and FYI the coffee was not included on our bill.

*****#WeekendCoffeeShare is an awesome link-up where coffee (or some other awesome beverage) is being shared over some great conversations.

#WeekendCoffeeShare originated at Part Time Monster:

I started the Weekend Coffee Share last year after lots of feedback and several months of writing posts that imagined a conversation with my blog readers that started with the “if we were having coffee” line. The coffee share runs on the weekends, and there aren’t a lot of rules—-posts just need to be formatted like a conversation over beverages (we’ve had tea-drinkers and cocktail-hours as well as coffee) AND be written within the past week (so you don’t need to publish on the weekend to join the link-up). The hashtag #weekendcoffeeshare is in use all weekend on Twitter and Facebook, and it is sometimes used a bit during the week as well. .~Part Time Monster

#WeekendCoffeeShare 4/16/16

#WeekendCoffeeShare
If we were having coffee, it would be on the go as we both ran errands. This is a practice I started last year with two other girlfriends. We found that it was easy to get caught up in our mundane, Saturday morning ‘to do lists…and weeks would go by and we hadn’t seen each other. The solution? Combine our to do lists and get the chores done together while we sip our respective brews.

Not only was it a great way to catch up, but it was fun sharing what would have been an otherwise mundane day with people I love spending time with. Not to mention the satisfying rush of knocking things off the to-do list aaaand cultivating friendships as well. Because as some of you know…when you get to a certain age, life, work, families and just plain old tiredness can get in the way of maintaining friendships.

So if we were having coffee today, I would have a mochaccino grande with the whipped cream – because it was a hard week and whipped cream makes it all better. We would probably synchronize watches to meet around 9 a.m. I would drive this time. When I pick you up…get ready for visiting three hardware stores and the market. We’re looking for tools and paint for me. Since I’m thinking about making some changes to the apartment.

The first thing I would tell you is that talk about work is off the table. I’m not getting the whipped cream just because I like fat thighs and a sugar rush. It really was a hard week. We would talk instead about your errands and what the best route would be so that all our stuff can get done in time for lunch.

I would tell you about my current obsession with Pinterest boards featuring tropical outdoor spaces and how to avoid falling down the Pinterest rabbit hole. I would also tell you that I am on a strict budget and if you see me getting sidetracked from my list, feel free to reign me in.

By now we would be looking for parking at the nearest coffee shop and I would probably be thinking about getting a doughnut to go with my coffee. Sugar gods help me!

If we were having coffee while we did errands today, what would we be knocking off your Saturday morning to-do list? Feel free to share below.

*****#WeekendCoffeeShare is an awesome link-up where coffee (or some other awesome beverage) is being shared over some great conversations.

#WeekendCoffeeShare originated at Part Time Monster:

I started the Weekend Coffee Share last year after lots of feedback and several months of writing posts that imagined a conversation with my blog readers that started with the “if we were having coffee” line. The coffee share runs on the weekends, and there aren’t a lot of rules—-posts just need to be formatted like a conversation over beverages (we’ve had tea-drinkers and cocktail-hours as well as coffee) AND be written within the past week (so you don’t need to publish on the weekend to join the link-up). The hashtag #weekendcoffeeshare is in use all weekend on Twitter and Facebook, and it is sometimes used a bit during the week as well. .~Part Time Monster

Wordless Wednesday

 

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