Writing intended for potential newsletter at Broadsheet Coffee or the Cambridge community for Spring 2024
I’m Thi as in the drink, but I usually brew coffee! It’s been a pleasure serving the Cambridge community for the past nine months. As the spring season comes back into bloom, I am looking forward to all the green little sprouts in the Northeast after a long, gray winter. In front of our cafe on 100 Kirkland St, there is a tree I frequently see behind the customer line when I ring up orders. Up to now, I am about finished on seeing this particular tree throughout all the seasons, in full thickets of green leaves last summer, then yellow during the fall, and bare in the winter. I think we are all eager for some more green. For me, this natural cycle gives me a revitalizing hope and symbolizes the idea of growth and reaching out.
My Roots
My roots in serving others began with my family’s shrimping supply shop on the coast of Texas, where Vietnamese fishermen gathered their supplies and ventured off into the sea. We were a refugee community in a small town, here in America with grit and ready to work. They’d come with stories of their own, revealing what the various work and maintenance they had to do with their nets and boats that day and with short stories. It was a laborious job that often meant sacrificing time away from family and loved ones. I slowly, but surely got out of my shell, realizing the power of stories and came to appreciate them, as they reveal our inner desires and character. Although a shorter and faster connection, being in the cafe is a lot similar. As I continue to greet customers, ask about their day when I can and take their order, I am aware of the communal aspect of what cafes offer. In these public spaces, I notice our want to connect and the magic of it over this amazing beverage that is coffee.
A World of Coffee
I did not think much of coffee growing up, as I saw it as an instant beverage in which my dad liked to brew by packets. I often paired the bitter dark drink totally sweetened with condensed milk in which I would dip my croissant in for breakfast. In college, I moved to Austin, Texas, where I experienced a culture shock of not only living in a bigger city with a faster pace of life but Starbucks! I hastily ordered a caramel “macchiato” for my study sessions and outings with friends. It was not until I began working as a barista when I heard a coworker mention sugar crystals inside coffee beans. At that time, I had been yearning for scientific understanding, as I switched my studies from biochemistry to filmmaking. “Did you say sugar crystals inside coffee beans?” Coffee is a cherry fruit, naturally sweet.
Not only was coffee science so fun to learn about, but with it came so much more. The day-to-day life of working alongside my coworkers while being a twenty-something, spontaneous and outgoing in a city, and learning how to communicate and be around people, became part of the fabric of my social life and my reason to wake up every morning. The cafe culture of taking care of things and equipment as if it is your own house while slinging espresso shots after one and another while maintaining consistency and quality of taste in an efficient timely manner in a trafficked cafe(there’s an art to the flow) is a fun and challenging task and skill. I cannot leave out the importance and enriching experience of understanding furthermore how coffee is traded, grown, and impactful to so many people whose lives depend on it. They are farmers, producers, pickers, roasters, quality checkers, packagers, shippers, baristas, and cashiers; it’s a global network of committed people.
The Neighborhood
What drew me towards the greater Boston area was the accessibility to rich history and intellectual stimulation via cultural institutions and knowledgeable folks in many veins of life. Here are scholars, artists, musicians, and passionate individuals near Harvard, MIT, Tufts, Berklee, Northeastern University, Boston University, Simmons, and so much more. There is much to learn around here in not only museums and libraries, but also in the various neighborhoods and spaces that offer different activities, cuisines, and cultural perspectives. I find that the cultural diversity and year-round local neighborhood block parties and events to be exciting, thanks to the effective initiatives of the City of Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. The community feels alive, especially when the weather begins to get warmer.
So far, working at Broadsheet has been a blessing. I get to grow and work alongside passionate folks that take pride in our own work, while striving to be conscious about it. We are handling specialty coffee with care, as they are literally the fruit seed of the hard labor in which we received them. It truly is a privilege to be able to taste these amazing tasty coffees, and it takes a team of dedicated individuals to craft a high quality roast and beverage. There is still so much more learn and appreciate. If you are around, come say “hi!” to me, the amazing team, and the tree.
My current favorite coffee to brew is:
Finca Buenos Aires from El Salvador. I love the cherry nougat sweetness and syrupy mouth-feel of this chocolate-y coffee. The fact that it makes a clean cup is a testament to the hard work and meticulous care that goes into it. The story of this particular coffee is an inspiring collaboration between two women, Florence Mathies Hill and Aida Batlle, which you can read more upon our here. Women power - yay!
Fun facts: My favorite places to visit are Boston's Museum of Fine Art and the movie theaters. In my freetime, you will find me scootering or biking around town, spending time in local parks, the Charles River Esplanade, and exploring the city or New England with my creative friends.