In the afternoon of November 13th, the Toronto BLIA Young Adult Division (YAD) hosted an aromatic coffee sharing workshop at the Fo Guang Shan Temple of Toronto – Water Drop Teahouse. It was the first in-person gathering since the beginning of the pandemic, attracting youths from universities near and far.

Leslie Seto, who was the host of the workshop and a member of BLIA YAD, shared his understanding and experiences with coffee. He also introduced different types of coffee beans, their tasting notes, aromas, and various methods of brewing using different machines.

Leslie further demonstrated how to make ‘pour-over coffee’ - a method of brewing, which is popular amongst coffee enthusiasts. The degree of grinding, types of filter papers, choice of a dripper, and each detail are all carefully explained. These minor differences in the coarseness of coffee grounds, the speed of the pouring, the time of brewing - can all affect the final product.

Ten Buddhist youths came together to appreciate the art of coffee by learning hands-on while taste-testing various coffee beans and their aromas. Finally, serving their hand-made coffee to the volunteers along with desserts and snacks, filling the afternoon teatime with the fragrance of coffee.

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