Please meet Mochachino, a vintage mink Teddy bear!

Please meet Mochachino, a vintage mink Teddy bear, made by an unknown artist in I believe the 1980's or 1990's.   He  has no tags at all.   He is 15 inches tall, and although he's a little chunky, he weighs under a pound.  His fur is very soft and silky, and he wears a beautiful silk cocoa colored ribbon around his neck.  

I bought Mochachino in a lot with other bears.  I don't normally go for Teddy bears made out of animal fur, but he was an exception because of his beautiful brown eyes.  Plus, he is extremely well made.   

Mochachino grew up in Brazil, near the center of the capital, Brasila.   At one time he worked for a coffee plantation, trading beans on the open market.   He traveled the world in his day and is fluent in English and French, and knows a little German as well.   One whiff of a roasting brew, and he could tell whether it's Arabica or Robusto.   After his retirement, he was a fixture in the city.   He regularly sat outside his favorite coffee joint, engaging in small talk with both the locals and the tourists.   He knows quite a bit about the coffee business and would give passersby recommendations on which blend to choose based on their individual preferences. 

When he came to live with me, he told me breakfast was his favorite meal of the day.  Not surprisingly, he likes to mix a little sweetened ground chocolate in his coffee.   Sometimes he even puts coffee in his cereal!    Most mornings when I head downstairs to the kitchen, I find him sitting at the table already on his second cup, with the coffee pot gently percolating on the counter, and I just love that heady aroma.   He's tried to convince me to try his concoctions, but I think I'll just stick with my cup of tea.