"It took A.K. to teach me how to make real camp coffee....."
- John Gierach, Camp Coffee, Trout Bum
"U.S. military satellite captures footage of A.K. Best and Ed Engle slyly and simultaneously dumping out their cups of John Gierach's famous camp coffee when John's not looking"
- The Drake, Scuddlebutt, Fall 2011
"What are you up to?", Ed asked wryly, watching A.K. pour his coffee beneath a bush near the edge of the stream.
Ed shuffles over to A.K. and begins to pour his out too.
"Not all of it!", A.K. said with alarm, "just most of it. You gotta leave some in your cup or he'll just pour you another."
Ed returned to his seat scowling down at the black slurry in his cup.
"I regret the day I taught him to make the stuff", A.K. muttered looking into the battered tin cup.
"For years I was the one who made the coffee", he sighed, "My pot was perfect and I didn't buy the cheap grounds. I'm not one of those mocha-latte-half-caff lightweights but I doubt that cheap stuff he buys is really coffee."
"And you're supposed to put two handfuls of coffee in. Sometimes his coffee is weak but mostly it's too strong. I think his hands are misshapen. Or maybe he can't count."
Ed nodded. Countless memories of lousy, gut-burning coffee rose to the surface.
"The damn coffee was my ritual." A.K. sulked.
Light footsteps on the forest floor drew their attention. John returned to the clearing and flipped the crushed roll of toilet paper on top of his rucksack.
"Another cup boys?"
 
I really got a kick out of this one...well done sir!
ReplyDeleteThx, Sanders
DeleteKnowing both of these guys,albeit, not really well, I really had to laugh. Well done.
ReplyDeleteHoward, thank you very much. I only know these guys through their writing. The Drake just planted a seed that sprang to life.
ReplyDeleteEd's actually the sarcastic one.
ReplyDeleteRandy - I suppose Ed and I would get along just great. Sarcasm is my family's preferred method of communication.
ReplyDeletethis was great. now i want coffee.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dave. I definitely have a deep, unhealthy addiction to those little ground beans. I recently bought a jet boil so that I can make coffee streamside. We can't build campfires around here so the little gas stove will have to suffice in place of a coffee pot and crackling logs.
DeleteGreat writing. Funny, this reminds me of hunting with my cousin and grandfather. Just replace A.K and Ed with two teen boys...the story hits home.
ReplyDeleteYeah, crap coffee and outdoor adventures seem to go hand in hand. My buddy Jonny and I spent inordinate amounts of time dreaming of a decent cup of coffee on a Steelhead trip last year.
DeleteDunknow... Boiled camp coffee used to taste pretty good to me. The kind with egg shells and a pinch of salt !?!
ReplyDeleteMight havta try that jet boiler, though. A friend brewed me up a cuppa with one and it wasn't half bad.
Cool post!
JJP - yeah, it's a pretty neat kit assuming you're the type who can take a break now and then to sit and admire the scenery.
DeleteExcellent stuff man. The best possible way to pay homage to great men and books. Sheds a much welcome new light on those classic pieces.
ReplyDeleteThere's always a story behind the story. Glad you enjoyed it.
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