My wife and I are both time travelers.

Chapter 56 Coffee Family
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After taking the items out and arranging them on the coffee table, Xie Xiangrong began to tinker with them.

He opened the biscuit tin, and the moment the lid was opened, a unique coffee aroma filled the room. The tin was filled with roasted coffee beans, each one plump and beautiful, uniform in size, glossy, like brown gems.

"You've come at the right time. I just got some good coffee a couple of days ago. You're in for a treat today." Xie Xiangrong used a spoon to scoop coffee beans from the bucket and put them into a small cup. When it was almost done, he weighed the cup on a scale he had taken out, and then added a few more beans until the weight was exactly right.

After finishing all that, he covered the biscuit tin, set it aside, and then carefully poured the coffee beans from the cup into the hand grinder. After adjusting the grind setting, he started grinding the coffee by cranking the handle.

After a short while, once the coffee was ground, he began adding hot water to the bottom of the moka pot, explaining to Zhou Jiye as he did so.

"Actually, you can use cold water, but coffee brewed with cold water tends to be more bitter and burnt, which is harder to control. The taste is milder with hot water."

As he spoke, Xie Xiangrong filled the kettle with hot water to a certain level, tilting his head to watch the water level. He slowed his pace and continued explaining to Zhou Jiye how much water to add. Normally, moka pots have water level markings, and ordinary users can fill the pot to that level. If the pot doesn't have markings, the water level can be kept below the valve.

However, those who truly understand coffee make slight adjustments based on the type of coffee bean and the day's weather conditions, such as temperature and humidity. Don't underestimate these subtle differences; they can result in different flavors in the extracted coffee.

This was the first time Zhou Jiye had heard of what Xie Xiangrong was saying. In his previous life, he also drank coffee, but it was mostly Starbucks or Blue Deer brand. These coffees were all made directly from coffee machines, and frankly, Zhou Jiye couldn't tell much difference in taste. It was just that he had adapted to local customs after coming to Shanghai, and he drank a cup to perk himself up when he was busy with work.

Watching Xie Xiangrong's skillful movements, Zhou Jiye watched with great interest.

After adding water, Xie Xiangrong placed the container on top into the bottom pot, then picked up the ground coffee and added it little by little with a wooden spoon.

When adding the coffee, he explained why he ground the coffee beans to such a fineness. According to him, it was the same principle as adding water earlier. The type of coffee and roasting process makes a difference in the fineness of the grind, as different grind sizes result in different flavors in the extracted coffee.

After filling the coffee grounds, use a tool to smooth the coffee grounds and the top of the container, then attach the upper part of the moka pot and tighten it.

Xie Xiangrong lit the alcohol lamp, placed the moka pot on the lamp stand, slightly adjusted the distance between the flame and the bottom of the pot, and then said to Zhou Jiye with a smile, "The moment to witness a miracle is about to arrive."

As the alcohol lamp below burned, the water in the moka pot above was further heated. In less than two minutes, coffee began to bubble out of the spout of the upper pot. As the coffee was extracted, the aroma of coffee in the room instantly became richer, and Zhou Jiye's spirits lifted upon smelling it.

"This coffee smells amazing!" Zhou Jiye couldn't help but exclaim.

This wasn't flattery; it was Zhou Jiye's honest opinion. Xie Xiangrong's coffee was incredibly fragrant, with an indescribable aroma that he had never experienced before.

"Of course, this is coffee that I roast myself. Every single coffee bean is carefully selected. It can't compare to anything sold outside."

Xie Xiangrong smiled slightly, a hint of smugness in his expression. He watched the coffee liquid extracted from the upper pot, adjusted the flame of the alcohol lamp slightly, and after it continued to extract for a while, he removed the alcohol lamp and put the lid on to extinguish the flame.

After letting the moka pot sit naturally for a while to extract the coffee, he took it off the shelf, looked at it intently, nodded, picked up the two exquisite coffee cups that had been prepared beforehand, and poured coffee into them.

Xie Xiangrong's way of pouring coffee is also different from that of ordinary people. Ordinary people pour coffee directly like they pour water, but he does it differently. He pours it slowly, pausing slightly after each pour, which is very particular.

According to his explanation, this allows the coffee liquid to settle naturally in the pot. The coffee liquid at the bottom is too bitter and has a mixed flavor, so you must be careful not to mix it together when pouring coffee, and you must not shake the moka pot at will, otherwise the coffee liquid on top and at the bottom will mix together and ruin a good cup of coffee.

After pouring two cups of coffee, there was still some left in the moka pot, so I just threw it away.

Xie Xiangrong put the moka pot aside, handed one of the coffee cups to Zhou Jiye, and then pointed to the sugar bowl and spoon next to him: "I won't add sugar for you, you can add it yourself as you like, but we don't have any milk at home, and I usually don't add milk to my coffee, so I don't know if you can get used to it."

Zhou Jiye thanked him, opened the sugar jar without ceremony, added some sugar to the coffee with a spoon, and then gently stirred it with a small silver spoon. As the aroma of the coffee wafted up, Zhou Jiye picked up the cup of coffee in front of him, took a deep sniff, and then took a small sip.

The coffee Xie Xiangrong brewed himself was not only rich and smooth, but also lively and mellow. For the first time, he even detected a fruity aroma in coffee, a flavor he couldn't quite describe—somewhat like citrus, a bit like apple, and even a hint of chocolate in the aftertaste. "How is it?" Xie Xiangrong asked with a smile.

"You dog, Wei Lue!"

Zhou Jiye gave a thumbs up, his admiration reaching its peak. He never imagined that a simple moka pot could brew such good coffee. The coffee Xie Xiangrong brewed was something he had never experienced before, and it was the best coffee he had ever drunk in his two lifetimes.

"Hahaha!" Xie Xiangrong laughed heartily, just like a child who had been praised.

"This is nothing. If it weren't for the limitations at home, I could make even better coffee," Xie Xiangrong said, a hint of pride in his expression.

"Mr. Xie, I once heard the old lady say that she has a friend who is a master coffee maker, whose skills are unmatched in the entire city of Shanghai? Could it be that she was referring to you?"

"Is that really what my sister said?" Xie Xiangrong was overjoyed, stroking his chin and saying happily, "If my sister said it, then it must be me. I'm not bragging, but I haven't met anyone in the whole of Shanghai who knows more about coffee than me."

Zhou Jiye's words struck a chord with Xie Xiangrong, who then launched into a long and enthusiastic explanation of coffee processing techniques. He began by discussing how to select coffee beans, then moved on to roasting processes, and finally listed the most suitable processing methods for coffee from different origins, as well as various coffee extraction methods and their respective advantages and disadvantages.

Countless technical terms flowed from Xie Xiangrong's mouth, spoken with great clarity and eloquence. Although Zhou Jiye only understood a little, he still felt a sense of awe and wonder.

"I started making coffee with my dad when I was very young. It was during the golden decade when Shanghai was experiencing a period of rapid development and was at its most prosperous..."

Xie Xiangrong recounted his past with reminiscence, and as he spoke, Zhou Jiye learned that Xie Xiangrong actually came from a family with a long history in the coffee industry.

His father studied in Europe and opened a coffee shop in Shanghai after returning to China. The coffee shop not only served coffee but also made its own Western-style pastries. Because the coffee and pastries were exceptionally good, it quickly became famous and attracted countless people from high society. Every day, many people came to consume, and the business was booming.

Xie Xiangrong showed his talent for coffee from a young age, learning to make coffee from his father and the European baristas hired by the shop. Not only that, from selecting, roasting, and grinding coffee to the subsequent processes, Xie Xiangrong sought out masters everywhere, and within a few years, he surpassed his teachers.

His family background was considered quite good in Shanghai at the time. As the only son of a famous coffee shop owner, he received a very good education from a young age. In 1945, the year of the victory against Japan, he was admitted to the prestigious St. John's University and became a university student.

He studied economics in college. If he had followed this path, Xie Xiangrong would most likely have gone back to inherit the family business after graduation, taken over the coffee shop, and pursued his passion for coffee.

However, things changed later. After his father passed away, Xie Xiangrong was unable to continue running his family's coffee shop. Instead, he was assigned to work as a technician in a factory.

However, working in the factory was very difficult for him, as he had always valued freedom and disliked being controlled by others. Moreover, his personality was not suited to the interpersonal relationships of that time. In addition, due to his family background, he was a marginal figure in the factory. After working there for a few years, Xie Xiangrong felt it was too boring and left the factory on his own initiative. He never went to work again after that.

It's fair to say that Xie Xiangrong has lived a very insightful and carefree life. Even during the most difficult ten years, he didn't suffer much thanks to his unique coffee-making skills. After all, there are many coffee lovers in Shanghai, and his coffee-making skills are renowned there. In order to get his coffee, the higher-ups almost turned a blind eye to his behavior and even helped him get good coffee beans from coffee factories.

"Mr. Xie hasn't worked for so many years, hasn't he thought about finding a job?" Zhou Jiye asked curiously.

"Looking for a job? Why do I need to work?" Xie Xiangrong asked with a smile. "Isn't my current situation quite good? Besides, I haven't worked for so many years, I wouldn't be used to going back to work now."

"Don't you think about what you'll do when you get old? Besides, you need money to make a living, right? The economy is gradually opening up now, maybe one day you can open another coffee shop."

"Then tell me, what is the purpose of making money?" Xie Xiangrong asked with a smile.

"Of course, it's for a better life!" Zhou Jiye blurted out.

“Yes, making money is for living. Is my life bad enough?” Xie Xiangrong retorted playfully. “I’ve never been married in my life. I came into this world alone and I’ll leave alone. I have no ties. Besides, the money left by my parents, plus the compensation I received from the public-private partnership, is enough for me to live on for the rest of my life. As for opening a coffee shop, I might have considered it if I were twenty years younger, but I’ve long since given up on that idea.”

(End of this chapter)