BMR Posts / FIKA: FEBRUARY EDITION

FIKA: FEBRUARY EDITION

We’re taking stimulus from Central America this Febrary Fika. They make good food, good music, and good coffee. In my mind that more than qualifies them to expert fika status. EAT Arepas! I’ve been going to town on this Colombian staple. My Colombian friends say they live off a diet of coffee and arepas, and if that is what defines a Colombian, then dame vueltas y llamame susanita! I’m Colombian. Recipe here for Arepas con carne y batata y palta. DRINK Coffee! Colombia, Nicaragua, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatelmala. Take your pick. Find these origins in our Blends Liberty, Rhythm and Oh! Blend. Or Agua de Sapo. That is, Toad Water. Yum! It’s made of lime, a very healthy amount of ginger, and tapa de dulce (or just use brown sugar. Or go to Costa Rica and bring me back some. No wait, I’ll go.) READ Lessons In Chemistry - a very good companion to your morning filter coffee.

We review it here!

LISTEN Cumbia: a style of music so prevalent among cafe chains in the early 2000’s with the compulsory Putamayo CD collection. I love it. But did you know Cumbia did not, in fact, originate from a Putamayo compilation in 2002? But on the Caribbean coast amongst the slaves in the 17th Century. Upbeat music. Not so upbeat history.

Listen to this episode from Code Switch on Cumbia, then this playlist (or walk into any cafe with dark wood and eclectic furniture. Or put on a Putamayo CD, if you still have a player). The extra knowledge will put some extra pep in your two step.