coffee. yes, again. it’s a constant here at pencil + ink. it pre-dates our business + will be apart of our lives long after business is a care of our minds.
we’ve tried many different beans, brews, + services in recent years. lately we’ve been using a service that helps curate small + medium sized roasters all over the country. sitting here going over the past dozen or so bags we’ve gotten, something struck me in the descriptions. two words jumped out: sweet + inviting.
sweet. first, the only way coffee gets consumed in this studio is straight black. not a hint of sugar or milk. to see this word made me stop + think about it. coffee beans are naturally sweet. no, not the sugar type of sweet, but an earthy, natural first bite of an apple sweet. that’s the first notes + the lingering after taste. a good bean doesn’t need help, just a chance to release the sweetness it’s been holding in, ready to come out in the brew.
inviting. yes–beans that are freshly ground, brewed with hot water + their resulting aroma, rising with wisps of steam–that is inviting enough. even more inviting, is the cup that you sip from + hold in your hand partly to feel that steam + hold that warmth, but more importantly, to take a second sip before sitting it down. it presents a moment worth slowing down for, even if only for a moment. an inviting cup not only summons you to drink a little more, but it invites you to linger, to think, to plan, to sketch, to be intentional.
sweet + inviting. that’s our current flavor. what’s yours? every season will be different but here’s to hoping whatever describes your cup helps define even a small part of your day + the intention for it.
pencil + ink 