Coffee

"Variety is the spice of life." ~ William Cowper

I will admit I had to google it to find the author of that particular quote. Now I'm curious as to just who this gentleman is, so I guess I'll be doing a little reading as I write this noon. Ok, he's an English poet, and here's the actual quote.

"Variety is the very spice of life. That gives all it's flavor." That's even better!

Today we'll be having some "coffee talk". Don't worry, I wont get "verclempt" or ask you to "talk amongst yourselves." No where other than here will Barbara be mentioned. This is a blog about actual coffee!

I am addicted to coffee. I have no problem admitting it. You don't want to deal with me on a morning without it. Hell, I don't even want to deal with me on a morning without it! As far as addictions go, having dealt with people battling other things, I'll take this one thanks. It's warm and flavorful, and helps me keep up with 16 four and five year old children at 8 am Monday through Friday. Although, at work I have to lower myself to drink "Maxwell House". It's barely acceptable, and usually way too bitter (that's due to who's making it, not the brand), but when I have weekday coffee it isn't for enjoyment, it's for the caffeine.

The weekends are another story. I look forward to planning my weekend coffee. I'm an odd duck, I know, but it's the little things in life that get you through. Every time I'm at the grocery store I check the little coffee packet samples to see if something new and exciting has arrived, or if an old favorite has returned. My all time favorite? Toasted Southern Pecan. Nothing has topped it in all these years. The very first flavor I ever tried? Chocolate Raspberry. That's my old standby if nothing else appeals. Summertime brings raspberry and blueberry, and I look forward to them all winter long. Fall brings pumpkin spice, and if I'm lucky I'll snag some Cranberry around Christmas. In the dead of winter I usually treat myself to new flavors that will break up the monotony of winter existence around here.

I was raised on "Folgers". My Dad could make the best cup of coffee ever. I'm still not sure how he did it, honestly I think they've changed the "recipe". If you try to make that brand as strong as he did it will just be bitter. In fact, I asked work to stop buying it a few years back. I probably drink the most coffee, and it was literally eating me from the inside out. I thought it was an ulcer, which would have been understandable at the time....but it only happened at work. Again, understandable.... However, I traced it to the coffee. We changed to "Maxwell House" and no more "ulcer".

I have been drinking coffee since I was a child. My Grandma Meys lived next door, and she would pretty much give you anything you wanted. :) If I wanted a cup of coffee, I had a cup. Back then it was full of milk and sugar though. I was probably seven or eight when I started that, and my parents were none the wiser at the time. I started drinking coffee with my dad when I was a teenager, although my caffeine in those days mostly came from "Coke".

So yes, I'm a coffee snob. I also drink, and enjoy a good cup of tea. Yes, I have flavored teas too, but nothing beats "Lipton" with honey in my book. I live on iced tea in the summer, and that's straight up, maybe a lemon slice, but no sugar. Oh, my coffee is straight up too. I don't add cream, or sugar. I have tried flavored creamers, and they're ok, but nothing like the taste of flavored coffee. Oh, and I also confess to owning an espresso machine. :) Although it's a bit dusty at the moment.

So, I guess coffee is the variety, or spice, in my life. At least the pg version of my life. ;) What's yours?