Randomness: Coffee



A mug just like Daddy's!

For over forty years, my dad has sipped his one cup of morning coffee out of the same mug.  When I was a little girl, I thought the aroma of his coffee was totally tantalizing.  Occasionally,  I would lift his empty mug to my lips and drink the tiny drop that lingered in the bottom.  And I was always disappointed.  How can something that smells so good taste so bad?, I'd think.

I learned to drink coffee for myself at my first full-time job.  One winter day, the building was very cold and I needed something to warm my bones.  So I shivered over to the coffee urn, poured some into a styrofoam cup, and loaded it with cream and sugar.  It was the beginning of my love affair with coffee. 

Today, I begin my day with a cup or two of coffee (no sugar, smidge of cream), and we have after-dinner coffee every night. 

Random coffee facts:

1. Coffee must be hot.  Enough said.
2. There is a correct coffee color. 
   Granted, that color is a personal thing.  At our house, there is milky white (Bekah), slightly darker (Ron), medium (Kati), and very dark brown (me).   I have not yet learned to drink my coffee black (those three drops of cream are important!), but I am quite picky discriminating about the perfect color...to the extent that Ron has been known to say, "You fix your coffee; I just don't have the mental fortitude tonight."  (Silly boy.)
3. Dessert is best when accompanied by a strong cup of coffee. 
4. Coffee is currently thought to have certain health benefits...as reported in articles like this one by such an auspicious sounding source as Science Daily.  I choose to believe this study. 

To complete this totally random post, I will share some of my personal coffee faves.  (Could I call these winners "The JOE-y's"?)

Favorite Iced Coffee:  Dunkin Donut (mocha-flavored with cream and sugar)

Favorite Blended Coffee Drink:  Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino

Favorite Hot Specialty Drink:  Panera's Cafe Mocha

Most Frequently Purchased Coffee Drink:  McDonald's Iced Mocha

(Does anyone see a pattern here?  Do all of my favorites really include the word mocha?!)

Favorite Every Morning and Every Night At Home Coffee:  Great Value 100% Colombian Ground Coffee 
I know.  I wouldn't have believed it myself.  But my frugal hubby brought it home to try because the price was right, and we've been drinking it ever since.  We have even had several guests convert to Great Value Colombian after trying it here.  I'm just saying. 

Favorite Instant Coffee:  Okay...before I announce the JOE-y for this category, I must say that it was a non-category until this week.  I thought that instant coffee should be reserved for use in recipes such as cappuccino muffins or chocolate custards.  Until we sampled the winner...  Starbucks Via.  Sooooo good.


Do you have feelings about coffee?  What are your Joe-y winners?