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MY
ROUSES
EVERYDAY
MAY | JUNE 2017
the
Coffee
issue
“W
ell, it’s 4 a.m. I crawl out of bed, I put the
coffee on and head for the shed … load up
the truck with all my gear, I got Don Dubuc
ringing in my ear…”
That’s the beginning of the theme song that kicks off my Saturday
morning program on the statewide
Outdoors with Don Dubuc
radio
network. Notice that the first thing St. Charles Parish musical artist
Reed Alleman suggests after “crawling out of bed” is to “put the
coffee on….” It’s a safe bet that, if you’re heading out on your fishing
or hunting trip, it’s close to the top of your list too. And while I’m
sipping my coffee between 5 and 7 a.m. as I do my broadcast, I
realize I’m probably talking to more coffee drinkers than anyone
else on the radio!
Coffee has for a long time been the kick-starter many of us need to
warm up after climbing into a cold tree stand or prior to heading
a boat into a 20-knot north wind. It’s also been the soothing
complement to a hearty camp breakfast or a stimulant for those
post-trip stories told around a campfire or a crackling fireplace.
My lifelong love affair with coffee goes way back. My dad got me
started. I remember how, whenever we’d visit my grandparents,
everyone would sit around the kitchen table and ask, “How do you
take your coffee?” I’m not sure, but I think that expression is either
a New Orleans or maybe even a general Southern thing. That was
before family members communicated via Facebook, text messages
and emails. Not that having a cup of joe doesn’t fit well in those
online chat rooms, but those precious in-person, family-and-friend
visits go better — so much better — over a cup of coffee.
Special occasion coffee turned into a daily routine during my
two-year stint in the U.S. Army. Now, if there’s anything lacking
consistency, it’s Army or any military version of coffee. Mess hall
coffee wasn’t that bad, but even the stuff that came in C ration
boxes and had to be stirred with a screwdriver in a tactical or field
situation — believe it or not, even
that
was always welcome.
Over time I seem to have become pretty much an all-day, anytime
coffee consumer. The colder the temperature, the higher the coffee
flow rate. Nighttime coffee usually follows a good dinner or a
frogging or bowfishing trip. Otherwise, I’m perpetually looking
forward to that first morning cup.
Of course, we all have those what I call “special coffee moments.”
I’m not sure whether it’s the coffee tasting better as the result of the
moment or the moment enjoyed more because the coffee’s part of
it. Whichever — certain moments and coffee are as good a match
as gumbo and rice — or gumbo and potato salad, for that matter.
A personal favorite example of this is that precise moment that
comes just minutes before legal shooting time during duck season.
For those who are still hours away from your first morning cup,
here’s the scenario: You’re dressed in as much waterproof, insulated,
camouflage clothing and waders as you can fit on a human body.
You head out, sometimes breaking ice (much less frequently thanks
to modern global warming) into the dark world of early-morning
black water and an array of unusual odors, sometimes braving
ravenous insects and slippery serpents before finally arriving at your
duck-hunting destination. After untangling and throwing out a few
dozen decoys, you settle in under the cover of roseau cane and marsh
Kettle
of Fish
by
Don Dubuc