Pu’er Coffee

 Not long ago, I suddenly developed a deep interest in the history of Nordic coffee culture. During my research, I stumbled upon something fascinating: the Indigenous Sami people of Northern Europe used a special leather pouch—originally designed to store coffee beans. After digging deeper, I discovered that many modern artisans still preserve this traditional craft, creating updated versions of these coffee pouches. Today, quite a few Nordic outdoor enthusiasts even carry these leather pouches filled with coffee beans on hiking trips. All of this traces back to the ancient nomadic traditions of the Sami. For generations, they lived across the vast Arctic regions of northern Scandinavia, herding reindeer as their primary livelihood. In the harsh, barren, and resource-scarce Arctic tundra, the Sami developed a way to quickly prepare a hot, high-energy drink using the simplest tools and ingredients during long migratory journeys. Many traditional Nordic coffee styles—intensely bold, ...

 Step into a small countryside home in Costa Rica and you’ll almost always spot a simple wooden stand hanging on a kitchen wall. In the middle of the stand is a round opening holding a cotton bag with a metal ring, and beneath it sits a coffee cup. This humble setup is the country’s beloved brewing tool: the chorreador — a 200-year-old “old-school treasure” that somehow never went out of style. The structure is almost shockingly simple. No mechanical parts, no fancy gadgets — just a sturdy wooden frame with a circular hole on top. Fixed inside that hole is a cloth filter called a Bolsita (“little bag” in Spanish). The metal ring snaps perfectly into place, allowing the bag to hang naturally. A cup or small serving pot sits right below it. No assembly needed. You just pick it up and start brewing. The brewing process is wonderfully soothing. You scoop in some freshly ground coffee, pour hot water slowly into the dry filter, and watch as the water saturates the grounds. Then, drop...