How to make your own coffee at home

If you have been wondering what on earth do you do with the beans in order to get coffee, here’s a step by step guide to making your own coffee at home.

Once you have tasted pure Tanzania Arabica coffee (especially WK’s hand-roasted dark), how can you ever go back to instant coffee? The sacred early-morning coffee moment has become tainted by our packed schedules, rushing around, and desire for anything quick, fast and on-the-go.

Making freshly brewed coffee at home is so easy, and the benefits far outweigh the minor inconveniences. Stop and smell the coffee. Let Wamama Kahawa show you how!

STEP 1 –

Get yourself some coffee beans! Our choice of beans would be Wamama Kahawa hand-roasted Tanzanian Dark Arabica. ;D

 

STEP 2 –

Get a simple home coffee grinder. This tiny one here cost just $10. Two tablespoons of beans and two whizzes in the machine and the coffee grounds are ready for brewing (adjust quantity if you like a stronger or weaker brew). Coffee retains its freshness the best when it is only ground before drinking. But feel free to grind more at one go and chuck the rest into the freezer.

If you do not want to get a grinder, by all means purchase pre-ground coffee.  The disadvantage of this option is that convenient, pre-ground coffee usually consists of rejected/old coffee beans (same concept as mince meat being made from spare parts of the animal!). Hence, if you choose to use pre-ground, the freshness and quality is definitely compromised to a certain extent, as opposed to purchasing whole bean where you can actually see the beans. If you have tried our coffee, you would know that Wamama Kahawa’s coffee beans are so fresh that the oils from the coffee sugars are still glistening on the beans when you pour it out into your machine or grinder. Go ahead and compare it with other commercial brands!

STEP 3 –

Select your choice of home coffee maker and brew your coffee!

(a)    French Press/Plunger

This usually comes with a scoop.  Prices typically start from $10 (depending on size and brand)! Wamama Kahawa is currently selling a 2-cup french press for only Tsh 10,000. Ask at the counter!

How to use: Put ground coffee into the press, pour boiling water into it (one scoop of coffee = one cup of water. Reduce water if stronger coffee is desired). Fit plunger lid back on and press down until the plunger stops just above the water level. Leave for a couple of minutes. Push plunger all the way down before serving.

(b)   Italian cafetiere / Moka Pot

Our favourite method. Makes strong and rich coffee. Traditionally used by the Italians to make espresso. Our two-mug cafetiere cost us about $20 (price varies depending on brand).

How to use: Fill the lower chamber with water, fill the grounds basket with grounds, put on stove, switch on heat and just wait for the water to boil. Serve immediately!

(c)    Basic filter coffee machine

This method requires more cleaning but it is useful for brewing coffee for larger numbers of people (the above two options can usually only make 2-4 cups). Also, most of these machines have the heated plate which helps to keep the coffee warm. Suitable for families where not everyone gets up to have their coffee at the same time! The one we have costs $30.

How to use: Add ground coffee to the basket, fill water chamber to required level (there are usually markings to tell you how much water for 1 cup, 2 cups, etc), switch on and leave until the coffee stops dripping into the carafe. Remember to switch off heat before leaving the house!

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10 tips to surviving 2 months in Dar es Salaam

As our internship draws to a close, we would like to say a big thank you to Rebecca and Doug for giving us such a fantastic opportunity to work in WK. We will miss the interaction and friendships with all the staff, the great coffee and cafe culture, as well as the lovely customers! Wish us luck on our trek up to the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro! We shall leave you guys with a list of tips to surviving 2 months in Dar es Salaam. Asante Sana for all the hospitality and kindness from the people of Dar! Tips are wholly based on our personal experiences. If you have other helpful tips, please feel free to share them with us.

A wise man once said, “Wake up and smell the coffee.”

Coffee roasting is an art – You have to try your hand at it to know it. Here at WK, we always have the opportunity to get our hands dirty and try everything there is to the business. Right from hand-roasting our own batch of coffee beans, to sorting them, and finally weighing and bagging them to be sold.

Wamama Kahawa’s Catering Service!

Many of you may not be aware but Wamama Kahawa has recently branched out into providing catering services for large groups.

Last Saturday, we had the pleasure of catering for a Church Introductory Meeting at HOPAC. The menu included our famous house brew – made from our freshly hand-roasted coffee beans, along with some sweet treats.

Loving and serving our community

Last Saturday, 23 February, we organised our first community event of the year! In partnership with the Nuru Centre, the event is an initiative to reach out and engage our neighbours and our community, to introduce fun and meaningful activites for a good cause. All proceeds from the 2 workshops were donated to the Nuru Centre, a centre that employs physically disabled individuals to create a range of crafts, largely including paperbead jewellery items.

Peace in my heart : A visit to the Nuru Centre

 

Somehow when we walked into the Nuru Centre  open field, there was a certain stillness in the air and it felt like the world had stopped and apart from the birds chipping,  all was quiet and peaceful. The presbyterian church rested neatly on the top of the hill as if god was opening his arms to us.

Meeting Bibi Veronica

 

Bibi Veronica walked into Wamama Kahawa one sweltering afternoon where we had scheduled our meeting for. She was decked in a flora v-neck top and plain simple skirt. Accessorizing with a simple necklace looped twice around her neck and a beaded belt that hung from her waist, these little details gave her outfit the finishing touch, characterising a meticulous, detailed and fashionable person.