I was born and grew up in Russia, a country with a strong tea tradition. When I lived there I used to drink hot tea several times a day even on hot summer days. Coffee wasn't widely available and  the few times that I tried it I was just not into it.

After moving to the US I started slowly getting to know and like coffee. Tea is still my preferred drink of choice and I have several cups of green tea daily. Nevertheless, as many good coffee shops sprouted in New York City and Hoboken I started to appreciate a good cup of joe once in a while. The fact that my husband Brian really loves good coffee and makes his own at home from freshly roasted beans helps a lot - I get to drink very good quality coffee anytime I wish.

Brian is really picky about his coffee beans. He usually buys Ethiopian or Indonesian beans from places like Stumptown or Blue bottle.

He emphasizes that beans should be freshly roasted (no more than 2 weeks ago) and most importantly not over roasted. He says that beans should never look oily on the surface.

Brian grinds coffee beans using a Breville burr grinder.

His preferred method of brewing coffee is pour over using a Chemex.

Using a digital scale he measures the proper ratio of ground coffee to water.

Brian mostly uses paper filters but once in a while will switch to a metal filter to enjoy a slight difference in flavor.

Coffee bloom is quite beautiful to watch.

It takes about 5 minutes for the hot water to pass through the grinds and filter resulting in a wonderfully fresh cup of coffee.

The coffee is so fresh and delicious that Brian drinks it black. I on the other hand prefer a drop of cream in my coffee.

Coffee time is such a simple yet wonderful pleasure in life that many enjoy including me.  Some of my paintings incorporate a cup of coffee as a reminder of those good times.

"Cuban Coffee", oil on canvas, 16" x 20" was inspired by delicious cups of coffee while traveling in Cuba. This one is from a restaurant in Varadero "La Casona del Arte".

It might be barely seen but there is a cup of coffee on the right. :) This one is from a bed and breakfast in Provence. 

"Breakfast With Croissant, Cheese And Fruit", oil on canvas, 16" x 20".

"Breakfast with Croissant", oil painting 16" x 20" is another painting inspired by a traditional french breakfast with a nice cup of coffee.

"Coffee with Macarons", oil on canvas 18" x 14". There are a lot of places in New York City where they sell macarons. Brian and I enjoy having one or two with a cup of coffee.

Please check out my paintings on my website. Thank you!