This long weekend I got into Turkish Coffee. It’s a curious way of brewing coffee, quite different then most others: the coffee beans are ground to powder so fine (~100 microns) that most home coffee grinders cannot make it, which limits your choice in beans. Mix it with cold water in tiny metal pot and heat to a boil – 3-5 minutes. Pour and drink, complete with the coffee grounds.
Seems simple as listed on the back of the coffee can. Yet Turkish coffee is an old tradition. There are few fixed ‘recipes’ for it – rather everyone develops their own style based on their preferences. There is a wide variety of styles – dibek, cilveli, armenian (and what these even mean is hotly debated). Even the recipe on the coffee can has a number of ‘optional’ steps. I could spend months slowly tuning my cezve. Mastering the perfect brew.
And yet after two days of experiments, I found a brew that I’m quite happy with: 1:20 ratio grounds/water, pinch of cardamom and sugar (Armenian style), stirred, and poured at first boil.
And I’m good now.
Why stop at good enough?
Because it’s good enough.
I own an aeropress, filter, mocha pot, pour over, french press, and cold drip. Some day I’ll invest in an espresso machine.
I’ve learned the methodology and techniques for each of them. I have my preferences (light roast in an aeropress), and I’ll continue to play with each of them – but I have experienced a wide array. I have mastered none of them, yet throw me some coffee and I can make ‘good enough’ with little effort.
A wide amount of general knowledge allows you to adapt. With a bit of research and a couple experiments, you’ll see the differences – but also the commonalities. Learn about extraction and how roast level, grind size, water temperature, and steep times result in different extraction levels and flavor profiles. Understand how your current tool induces extraction and you’ll never have a ‘bad’ cup of coffee.
Which brings us to the second and oft forgotten part of the quote:
“… but better then a master of one”
‘Good enough’ allows you to move on. To continue to experiment, learn, and grow.
Never tie yourself to a single tool, a single technology, language, or stack. Learn the core concepts and apply those to your current context.