Journal — December 2023

Hej hej fra København! When I think about the holidays, my mind drifts in and out of treasured memories with loved ones, busy party schedules, and all my favorite Christmas songs; but given enough time, it always wanders back to Copenhagen. I can’t think of a more quintessentially festive city, and I’d love to trade my current hustle and bustle for some hyggelige, candlelit evenings and some slow, snowy coffee-filled mornings.

It’s been a while since our last Coffee Collective delivery. We first featured them in our fourth month as a subscription, and then had the chance to bring them back on in 2020. Most people in this industry will tell you that they fell down the coffee rabbit hole because of a meaningful experience that, trite as it sounds, changed their life. I’ve had a handful of those experiences and honestly several have been at Coffee Collective’s Godthåbsvej roastery. The first time I had a cup of Kieni, my mind was blown. Year after year, it has been my favorite Kenyan coffee. Coffee Collective has a long and inspiring direct-trade partnership with lots of their producers, and they’ve worked with Kieni for almost 15 years. I’m excited to serve Kieni at our cafe and send it to a lot of our subscribers. Perhaps more exciting though is this month’s main feature: Worka Chelbesa. Habtamu Fekadu’s family has grown and processed coffee since 1945, and the fruit of their labor is genuinely breathtaking. I can’t wait to hear what you think of it.

We just celebrated Yonder’s first year as a coffee shop. It kinda flew by. Unfortunately, though, I wasn’t at the cafe for most of the birthday, as my family experienced an unexpected loss and I was at a funeral. My emotions have been all over the place. And I know I’m not alone—2023 has felt fraught for so many, marked by conflict, loss, and seemingly insurmountable odds. But as I reflect on this impossibly hard, painfully difficult year, I’m also so grateful—for my community, my family, and also for you, who make this beautiful little project possible. I’m writing this on the longest night of the year and am reminded of the Danes, who ride out much longer, much darker winters each year by making space for meaningful connection with friends and loved ones and by taking time to make life a little cozier. So whatever your traditions for the holidays, don’t forget to take time to enjoy them by candlelight and let those little flames light your way into a brighter 2024. Glædelig jul og godt nytår!