Let’s talk coffee. Coffee Talk
I am a total coffee lover. To me there is nothing like a piping hot mug of coffee.
I have been drinking coffee since my teens. One of my first memories of coffee was these small coffee flavored candies that my Great Grandmother loved. When ever we would go visit her, she would always have a candy dish filled with different candies. She always would offer us one. One time instead of the strawberry ones I typically took I grabbed one of the gold wrapped candies. It was sweet with little bit of bitterness. I loved that candy. Every time after we went to visit then after I would always take the coffee candy.
My dad was also a coffee drinker. He mostly would grab a cup at the gas station or at the office. He rarely made a pot at home. I am pretty sure that was a one large cup a day kind of guy. I do remember that every year for Christmas my mother would go out of her way to buy my dad a pound of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee (JBMC). It was a very special coffee for my dad. He loved it. Typically, my dad would always have the week between Christmas and New Years off. He would brew one pot of the Jamaican Blue every day of his vacation. I will never forget the first time I tried that coffee; it was simply amazing. I loved it. From that day forward I knew coffee was my thing.
Not just any coffee would do. I started to get very picky about my coffee. I knew very clearly what coffee I liked and which I didn’t. I was not a Maxwell House kind of girl. I could stomach it, but it never tasted that great to me. Now let’s be honest a young 18-year-old is not going to be able to afford JBMC at the time (the 90’s) it was $80 a pound. I did find that I preferred to grind my beans myself. For off the shelf in the grocery store I would buy Starbucks Pike’s Place or the Dunkin’ Donuts House blend. Slowly over time I found that the Starbucks had a burnt after taste and Dunkin’ Donuts had a sweet taste at the end.
As with all things time and maturity slowly changed my taste. I found I was a huge fan of Sumatran coffees. I really liked dark roast coffees in general. As I discovered different types of coffee the more my love affair grew. I also started to become very picky. I could not drink coffee out of a paper to go cup. I started carrying my own mug with me. I think the paper/cardboard changes that taste of the coffee. An Iced coffee in a plastic up was fine but hot coffee needs a mug or thermos.
Coffee pots was whole other thing for me. I really want my coffee HOT. I have a hard time drinking it if it cools off too much. I rarely drink and ices coffee drink, I must be in the mood for that. I also don’t like to rewarm my coffee. I don’t mind if it sits on the warmer for a while as long as it is hot. I tried the Keurig craze but felt that my coffee was never hot enough. I had similar issues with the French press, don’t get me wrong I loved the smooth flavor of the coffee in the French press I just felt it was never hot enough when I got to drink it. So, I use a basic drip coffee pot, that I can control the water temperature coming through the grounds. I am ok if the first drink of my coffee burns my tongue.
I love my coffee slightly sweet with some cream. I used to be totally obsessed with flavored creamer. Flavored creamer slowly lost its appeal and I prefer half and half. Milk, even 2%, doesn’t offer the same creaminess as half and half. I have also found different sweeteners can change the taste of the coffee. My preferred sweetener is sugar, but not the healthiest choice so I can tolerate Splenda. There are very few “flavored” coffees that I like. If going to a coffee house, once in a while I will indulge in a sugary espresso drink but most times I stick with the house blend.
I am very lucky that in the small town we live in there is a small batch roaster. They have the best coffee. It is freshly roasted. It makes all the difference in the world. If you haven’t tried coffee from a small batch roaster I highly encourage you to do so. If you can’t find a local one near you, mine with ship their coffee to you. https://www.fortfindlaycoffee.com/shop/
There is something very special for me about coffee. It is more than just a caffeinated drink. I have so many memories associated with coffee. Every morning when I sit down with a cup of coffee and inhale that rich aromatic smell there is a level of comfort and calm that comes with it. Coffee for me is even more then something I enjoy drinking. I associate it with laughing with friends, sipping it over shared stories, having a cup while comforting someone I love. It is also something I enjoy drinking while sitting quietly or reading a book. Coffee is something I use to connect with others.
