31. 完美的Cappuccino

一直都想找到一杯完美的Cappuccino，它應當承載於一個燙燙的杯子中，不致令溫度太快流失。咖啡要有足夠的濃度，而牛奶比例亦需恰如其分，若奶味過重會輕易蓋過咖啡的果香，但份量太少又嫌甜美不足。我一直嘗試一路覓尋，然而每一次的相遇，都總有欠缺不達完美要求。

多年之後在一次偶然下，我遇到了一杯冰冷的黑咖啡，苦味過後竟傳來了陣陣可可、焦糖、雲呢拿甘香，還有隱隱的葡萄酒和玫瑰花甜美，它們一層一層的為我細緻呈現溫柔揭示。

最原始簡單的黑咖啡，我錯過了你實在太久太久。原來溫熱綿甜過後留下的往往是令人難受不適的酸澀畸味， 唯有進入冷苛的苦才能得到輕柔不散的欣悅甘甜……

 31. A Perfect Cappuccino

I’ve always dreamt of a perfect cup of Cappuccino, it has to be held by a hot hot porcelain, that the content won’t turn lukewarm too fast.  The coffee has to be strong enough, with a good portion of milk.

Too much milk may cover up the fruitiness of the beans, whereas too little shall shadow the creaminess.  So I embarked on my long quest of cappuccino, frustratingly, each and every cup along the way turned out to have something missing, and none of them was my perfect.

Many years later it happened that I came across a cup of cold black, to my surprise, after the bitterness faded out, the aftertaste of cacao/caramel/vanilla, and a hint of wine and floral gently unraveled themselves layer by layer.

The most simple and basic black coffee, I’ve missed you out for way too long.  Not until now that I realize that hot sweet creaminess often leave behind something nasty or gross, only by proactively entering cold bitterness shall one be rewarded with long lasting joyful delight…