A grey misty day, a day for staying home.
The last time I visited Guildford on a Monday, it was very quiet, little open.
After super spreader Saturday, maybe Monday a better day to visit Guildford.
Walking to the station, cold and misty. Pain kicked in half way, but luckily did not worsen. On reaching the station it started to rain. Ten manures wait for the train.
Mist has gone when I reach Guildford, but only because the rain has washed it away.
I looked in bankrupt Debenhams, everything being sold off.
I had fancied roast dinner. The last time I looked, restaurant closed, now barricaded off.
Looked in Ceylon House of Coffee. I explain a quick look, I will pop back later after lunch for a coffee.
Lunch at Hanki, a little Korean restaurant in Jeffries Passage. I explain my thoughts, stir fry the steamed rice with vegetables.
Chef takes up my suggestion. Amazing difference, now tasty. I add tempura prawns, excellent. Too much though, enough for two people. I am struggling to finish.
I am asked what I think. Yes, far better. The deep fried chicken I had without chilli sauce. Too bland. Maybe add a tiny amount, enhance the flavour without overpowering.
Back down the High Street to Ceylon House of Coffee. Long chat with the manager and head barista.
Then back up the High Street to Krema.
Crazy, I am zig-zagging up and down the High Street.
Cappuccino in Krema.
Pop in Ben’s Records.
Look in Gail’s bakery. Far better set up than in Farnham.
Back down to Ceylon House of Coffee.
When we think of Sri Lanka, we think of tea. A century ago, Ceylon was an important country for coffee, until the coffee trees were wiped out by disease. The coffee trees were replaced by tea plantations.
There is now an attempt to revive the coffee trade.
House of Ceylon Coffee serves only Ceylon coffee, from a single farm. Also serves Ceylon tea.
The idea was to recreate a traditional Ceylon coffee house. Never having visited Sri Lanka, I do not know, but in my minds eye, House of Ceylon Coffee is what a Ceylon coffee house would look like. Apart from an espresso machine.
The walls are lines with information on the coffee plantation in Sri Lanka.
The beans are roasted in Sri Lanka, then shipped to UK.
Usually to retain added value in the exporting country is excellent, for coffee no. Coffee has to be roasted where it is brewed for many reasons.
Roaster will know the local palate and will brew with the local water. Roasted coffee beans are fragile and will pick up bad aromas when shipped. Roasted coffee needs to rest for a few days, then three weeks at its optimum. Any shipping delay will eat into the commercial viability of the coffee. In essence shipping from Sri Lanka is just in time shipping for an agricultural product. When UK leaves the EU at the end of he year, there is going to be chaos and long delays at the border.
I advised use a local roastery. Roastery buys the green beans, coffee shop then buys the roasted beans.
We had long discussion on this and many other coffee related topics.
I visit coffee shoos, and too often I am drinking bad coffee. A glutton for punishment.
My visit to Ceylon House of Coffee was a pleasure, and not only good coffee but interesting conversation.
And the cups, very elegant cups.
We were still chatting an hour after the coffee shop had closed.
Guildford now has two coffee shops worn visiting, Krema and Ceylon House of Coffee.
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