Coffee as a part of my life.

So I've been thinking over the past few weeks about how important coffee is to my life. It is among the most important substances in my life! I realized that I've reached a critical point in that java affair.

Recently, I accompanied my family to my local Denny's (hey, it was a Sunday and everything else was closed!) Now, it was around noon and I had just recently woken up (it was Sunday, stop judging me). I ordered a coffee (as per my routine, in life). I received and prepared my coffee (1 sugar, 1 cream); this is when I had my revelation:

This coffee tasted horrible! Devastating and undrinkable – I had two sips and left it…

Ya, not really a surprise to most of you; but to me this was a game changer! Because from this point on, there may be situations where I actively avoid my favourite beverage… Again, this is pretty obvious to most.

Let me try explaining this a different way: No matter where, no matter when, I’m game to try a cup of chicken noodle soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. It’s 2 am at a pub and they have CN soup, I’m in! Because I love it, and more importantly, I’ve never been burned (pardon the pun) by CN soup and GC sandwiches! They are my favourites, period.

Now back to coffee: I have no had coffee that disgusted me and I’ll have to be careful and selective in the future. Dennys’ coffee is now on my ‘no’ list. I’ve prepared a no list…

NO LIST
-Dennys
-My Workplace (it’s coffee from a machine…and it’s really quite horrible…free, but horrible)
-Instant (except at my Mother-in-laws, cheers Carole)
-Tim Hortons (unless I’m traveling or doing something with the Navy – it’s just not that good)
-Starbucks (I’m talking drip coffee, not espresso here. Although Starbucks espresso also leaves me wanting…)

And this logically brings me back to the Yes list:

YES LIST
-Anything that I make (hey, I’ve gotta support myself, right)
-My Mother-in-laws Instant Coffee
-Starbucks Vanilla Latte (sooo sugary…which is part of the charm)
-Tim Hortons when I’m traveling or with the Navy (it’s familiar)

It also means a subtle change to my routine, more coffee prep. If I don’t want the coffee at work, Starbucks or Timmies, then I suppose that I must prepare it myself. First, I might need to upgrade my aging Nissan Thermos (for one similar: http://tinyurl.com/dk3b2r). I’m thinking that I like the Stainless Steel, but that maybe a handle would be nice… I really like the look of the Element 5 Vacuum Insulated Hydration Bottle E40600!

Another solution could be workplace acceptable coffee makers; I already had a couple:
- Bodum Bistro Nouveau French Press Coffee Maker - 3 Cup
- 1 cup drip with built-in filter
- 1 cup automatic drip

The main challenge there is that noise, heat and aroma can be mixed blessings. Sure, I find the smell of good coffee intoxicating, but do my co-workers? Our office is also usually a good 5 degrees hotter than I would like it to be…a hot coffee pot wouldn’t help this situation. And finally, I can’t have steaming kettles or noisy drip makers at my desk disturbing my neighbors.

There is also another concern: what if someone else wants a cup? Sure this seems like an academic issue, but, none-the-less, I actually have work to do…I’m not a barista; I can’t be going around providing co-workers with delicious coffee (I’ll give away roasted coffee, but I won’t brew it for them).

Ok, so thermos to work – no big deal right…

What do I do about my home? That is a question for next time…