Just a moment while we prepare everything.
I spent years as an academic anthropologist before realizing I'd rather write for real people than peer reviewers. I've been studying coffee ceremonies and rituals across cultures for as long as I can remember—and I've been chasing those stories ever since. I've witnessed rituals that made me cry—every time, without fail. I've listened to elders explain traditions their grandmothers taught them, and café owners preserving customs in communities far from their homeland. These stories matter. Not as quaint relics or aesthetic content, but as living wisdom about how humans connect. I grew up in the South, where I learned early that what we consume together carries culture. Now I live with my wife Margot and our elderly dog Buna—named after the Ethiopian word for coffee. I write to help people see their morning cup as part of something larger and older than themselves. Based in the Southeast. Still taking notes.
Explore how three generations of American families have brewed coffee, reflecting the evolution of brewing methods and cultural significance from percolators to pour-over techniques.
Discover articles from our other coffee experts or browse our brewing guides and recipes.