Confessions Of A Frijol Coffee Beaner Convert (Recipe Included)

By Eres Nerd, NewsTaco

I wasn’t a coffee beaner until college.  When studying, I needed more hours in the day. Beans made the day stretch farther, made me study harder. They gave me the energy to make the As.  The college essentials were books, plumas, notepads,  Alice in Chains’ Dirt, and coffee beans.  As I began my professional life, the only thing that was replaced was the CD. A cup of coffee is  part of my daily ritual.  If it wasn’t for coffee beans, I could not function effectively.   I  would go Eres Nerd Smash!  everyone around me.   I maintain that it  wasn’t for beans, the social-economic system of the world would end.  The weekly Monday facebook posting showing various forms of the “I need Coffee!” picture confirms my point.  The world would stop turning and there wouldn’t be Superman there to rewind it.  He would be too cranky.  Bean withdraw is a serious issue.

I am also a “Frijolero.”  I love frijoles. Frijoles with queso wrapped in corn tortillas are a marvelous thing.  The most important equipment in a Latino kitchen is a re-imagined potato masher turned into a frijoles masher.  Frijoles makes life better and  without them, Thomas Jefferson’s promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is an just an empty promise. There are times when, despite their richness of iron and protein,  I am unable to satisfy my frijoles cravings, such as in work meetings.  It is not professional busting out a bowl of beans, but it is acceptable to drink a cup of coffee.  What is Latino Beaner Frijolero to do if one is craving Frijoles during these situations? Frijoles coffee is the solution.  Frijoles are pinto beans.  Coffee is made from beans.  Therefore, I can brew frijoles.   Based upon this insight, I proceeded to make frijole coffee.

Researching the Internet, I found the process to roast coffee beans, which was applied to frijoles.  I heated up the oven to 475 degrees and let it preheat.  I laid out the frijoles evenly in a pan.  Then the frijoles roasted for 30 minutes.  About every  3 minutes or so,  I mixed the frijoles so they would evenly roast.  The aroma of  frijoles roasting quickly  filled my kitchen.  It was a good smell. A delicious smell.   The freckled beans began to darken into a dark brown.  I removed them and let them cool.

I have a conical burr grinder, which I use every morning to make freshly ground coffee beans. A conical bur grinder is mejor that a blade grinder porque the coffee beans are crushed with little friction.  Thus, making the bean oils more easily extracted, making the beans taste better, smoother, and awesome.   I emptied the frijoles into the conical burr grinder, which crushed them into a nice light brown coarse powder.    I placed the frijoles power into my coffee maker, filled its reservoir and waited eagerly for it to brew.

Tasting the frijoles coffee is like drinking charro beans.  It had a roasted taste with a smooth aftertaste.   The drink was hot and satisfying.  My body reacted naturally to it, my brain began to awaken, the day seemed brighter and a plethora of options seem attainable.  Was this because of an emotional response to my ritual of drinking beans every morning regardless if they were coffee or pinto beans, I could not tell.   I do know it was good. It was a mix of comfort drink and a comfort food.  I filled my insulated coffee cup and took it to work.  I had hot drink with caffeine, iron and protein in the same package.

Frijole coffee solves frijoles craving in a cup.   While everyone is drinking coffee at work meetings, my cup is providing me with essential minerals and caffeine, while it making me fell better thinking of my ama’s frijoles.   Estress is lessen, one is healthier, while getting the recommended daily allowance of beans.

Eres Nerd lives a nerdy life in the borderlands of Estados Unidos and Mexico. Follow him on Facebook or on Twitter @ElEresNerd.