Technically, I am writing this just after midnight on Thursday, but this is for the Wednesday #freewriters prompt espresso machine. Thanks to @mariannewest, and I hope my foray into this community entertains.
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Coffee is a contentious beverage. Either it's gonna kill us, or cure us, depending on which headline you read. I only too up the evil black bean brew recently in an effort to fight through the cold, gray misery of winters just south of Canada.
Coffee is an interesting beverage. Even more so than tea, there are debates about everything from the ethics of coffee plantations, racial tensions about who "owns" coffee, the waste of consumerism, the cost of our daily caffeine kick, and so on. At some point, you just have to say, "screw it," and get a cup of Joe while everyone else continues arguing.
The library used to have annual Steampunk parties before COVID-19 killed everything, and while tea is the stereotypical Victorian beverage, coffee is the most steampunk in my opinion. Percolators are wonderful contraptions regardless of the coffee quality they produce. A French press is literally a piston. Moka pots and espresso machines literally use steam to make coffee.
Time's up. I would like to add a postscript recommending the Bright Empires series by Stephen R. Lawhead. It is only tangentially related to the topic, but one of the protagonists finds herself traveling to an alternate history where she opens the very first coffee shop in Europe. It's only a small plot point, but hey, it's a fun fantasy series with ley lines, time travel, alternate history, conspiracy, and a search for meaning.
Welcome to @Freewriters! I'm glad you turned up here and shared a story. I hadn't considered the steampunk-ness of coffee percolators and the French press. Good point. P.S. Be sure to post your link in the comments here so it will be more readily seen by fellow freewriters.
Thanks!