Heavenly Cup Espresso

I got it into my head that I wanted to do coffee shop reviews sooner, rather than later. If I wanted this blog to get even a little traction, I had to provide value for the time invested...which means more than pimping Folger's Black Silk. So I decided it was time to strike out, and unearth some of the lesser known gems in the caffeinated world.

So I punched in my address on Google Maps. I told it to look for coffee shops nearby. I got back, quite a few Starbucks. A ridiculous amount. There was a sprinkling of Tim Hortons, a couple Dunkin Donuts, and more Starbucks. To paraphrase the Talking Heads, these were not the gems I was looking for.

So I kept going down the list. And I found this promising name: "Heavenly Cup Espresso." I clicked on it, found out it was in uptown Westerville (just up the road in my fair village).

The website was nice. Someone put a lot of effort into it, put a lot of information out there, and I appreciate when someone does that for me. I personally found the greeting page to be a little cheesey, a little too welcoming. I read it a few times and started to feel a lil intimidated about visiting the shop. But I did go, and I'm very glad I did.

If you're not familiar with uptown Westerville, you find Heavenly Cup Espresso by pulling off I-270 onto OH-3 North and keep driving. Soon the suburban sprawl slows to a 25 mph zone, and you're in a Rockwell downtown scene. Walls of two story buildings line both sides of the street, with shops selling antiques, flowers, and even insurance flashing their wares at you from pictures windows on the ground floor. In the middle of this oasis of Mom and apple pie, we find the espresso we came for.

You enter the shop through a door cut into the corner of the building, and before you even step in the building looks cool. It used to be a hotel, and now it's part Heavenly Cup, part art gallery, and part gunshop. The space Heavenly Cup calls home is small. After you get past how small the room is, you start to realize it's hip. Heavenly Cup is a neat mix of old timey charm (the walls, floor, counter etc all look like they would fit in with the original architect's plan) and cool modern vibe (menu done up in multi-colored chalk, tables and chairs mis-matched with tile mosaic tops, the walls covered in art on loan from the next door David Meyers gallery). If you've ever been to Burlington, VT or Manitou Springs, CO and enjoyed yourself, you'll feel right at home.

You'll also like this place if you enjoy baked goods. The front of the counter is covered in cookies, bagels, biscotti, muffins, cake, and cinnamon rolls that make you forget about the coffee...almost. Their website speaks highly of the pumpkin cookies with cream cheese icing...Sarah and I tried one, and it was well worth the $1.50 we spent. If that cookie is any indicator of the overall quality of Heavenly Cup's bakery, then this is a perfect place to pop in for a light breakfast or afternoon snack.

I'd never heard of the blend of coffee Heavenly Cup serves (Kaladi Brothers Coffee of Alaska) but after trying it, I can call myself a tentative fan. I didn't go for a straight espresso drink, because after I saw the selection of Torani syrups my sweet tooth wouldn't let me. However, the coffee asserted itself through the flavor, and it takes a serious blend to make itself known over Torani flavoring. And yes, the shop DOES smell like coffee.

I tried a small "frosted shortbread" latte ($3.25 for 12oz) which had vanilla and cheesecake flavors; absolutely delicious. Sarah had the "pumpkin cheesecake" latte, and after a few sips she remarked, "I could totally drink this every day." And Sarah, for the record, can't stand coffee. $4.50 will get you the 20oz large, which is good to me when you consider the quality. They offered everything on the menu in decaf, as well as hot chocolate and cider options for the non-coffee fans. They also had a selection of sugar-free options when it came to Torani drinks for those of us keeping an eye on the sugar intake.

Like I said, the space is small...but they do offer free wifi, and have three 2-person tables where you can camp out and knock out your homework or coffee blog post. When we walked in there was a tutoring session going on in one corner, with a pair of ladies catching up in the opposite corner. Both groups looked as if they'd been settled for some time when we arrived. The lady friends decided to leave after more people arrived behind Sarah and I, a sign that I took to mean regular patrons are sensitive to sharing the limited atmosphere. Maybe not the place to drag the whole posse, but perfect for a date or meeting up with a friend or two.

If you're ever in the North of Columbus, I'd definitely make a stop in to Heavenly Cup Espresso, and enjoy yourself a tasty treat in a truly neat space!

Creamer

I just want to make one thing clear up front:

I. Hate. Powder. Creamer.

And I mean, with a passion. I haven't hated anything as much as powdered creamer since LONG DIVISION. And if you knew me in the fourth and fifth grades, trying to figure that crap out, you'd understand how serious a statement this is.

I'm not sure what it is, but it totally ruins the flavor, much like artificial sweetner does. But that's another story for another day.

Powder creamer is the reason I learned to drink office coffee black with sugar. I used to volunteer at the Cincinnati Museum Center, and they provided the breakroom with powdered whitener. I skipped it, pouring in extra sugar to compensate. That was hard to get used to, but I like it well enough now. Black and sweet is how I like my coffee, just as I like...well nevermind that.

And really, that's a lie. I don't like black coffee as a general rule, with or without sugar. I'm a half and half guy. My grocery list almost always includes Kroger half and half, in the plastic bottle please. In a smallish bottle so it won't go bad before I can use it all, since I don't drink quite so much coffee these days.

I must be getting old.

Anyway, I'm kinda rambling (and I blame the second cup I'm currently drinking).

I'm currently out of half and half, and I deliberately ran out because I went camping a few weeks back with Joe. While I do own a camp kettle with a percolator, I find it to actually be tastier to bring Clasico instant coffee. I also bought some International Delight vanilla creamer. I chose this stuff because a) you don't need to add sugar it's so sweet b) it's too thick to freeze and c) it won't go bad. And I mean, ever.

While it tastes good, my mouth is used to a dairy creamer. It feels like I'm picking up every last chemical in this stuff. It's sweet, but it's got an artificial sweetner flavor to it. And that last point up there, about it never going bad? That kinda scares me. Things that don't go bad prolly shouldn't be in my body. Who knows when I'll be able to flush it out of my system?

So ultimately, my standard choice is half and half. If I want something more tasty and rich, I go with heavy whipping cream. That'd prolly kill me faster than International Delight, but I think it'd be almost worth the trip...no Splenda taste.

So what goes in YOUR coffee for whitening, hm?

OH-161 Dunkin Donuts

If you live on the North-North West side of Columbus, and you have a Dunkin Donuts jones, your best bet is probably the location on OH-161, not far from Cleveland Ave.

Not the best neighborhood, I'll grant you, but far from the worst. You can find a Friendlies nearby, as well as the Olive Garden. And really, I've driven into FAR worse areas just for a good cup of Dunkin, so chill out.

There's no drive thru here, and the lot is small. In fact, the store itself is pretty small. That's compounded by the fact it's a joint DD-Baskin Robins location, albeit an older one. There are a few tables, but this isn't the place to bring your book club or church group. Your date, maybe. If the tables aren't taken up by the older folks already.

So, assuming you can get parking and make your way inside (not always the easiest during a rush period, but not impossible either) what will you find? Some friendly staff, for starters. I've yet to meet anyone here I didn't like.

And the coffee...always tastes like Dunkin's. You know what I mean, if you come from the Northeast of the country especially. Some franchises just don't get it right. For whatever reason, the coffee is off sometimes at some locations. I haven't had that experience here at the 161 store. It's ALWAYS been good.

The donuts as well! And the bagels. Their baked goods get an A+ rating from me. I've been in at 11pm on a weeknight, I've been in 430pm on a weekday afternoon, I've been in 9am on Sunday. Always fresh tasting, always a full selection. I'm in awe.

The only downside (aside from a lack of drive thru) I could see is if you're from another part of the country and like the flatbread sandwiches and personal pizzas. They haven't hit the Columbus market yet, and the 161 store is no exception. So get yourself a bagel or muffin and be content, for those things kick ass and will be here soon.

Home Brew

And I don't mean beer. Although, while we're (sorta) on the subject, I want to mention some of the best beer I've ever tried is my father's home brew.

Now that we've got that out of the way, the subject of this post is actually about what kind of coffee I make at home.

I'm a fan of darker roasts. Not the Starbucks style, "Burnt until all you taste is carbon" dark, but dark as is "We've roasted these bad boys until they've surrendered all their flavor." Light roasts are a lil too subtle for me, and as a rule they aren't my favorite.

Not too long ago, I was drinking the 100% Columbian variety from Folger's Coffee House Series. It was dark, it was flavorful. I liked it. Then, one day, my girlfriend was at the store buying coffee for me, and called to say, "Hey, they have this dark roast stuff called Black Silk that's cheaper. Want that?"

And lordy, what a great suggestion it was. It's not only a darker roast than the Columbian, but it's got a much more bold flavor. It really reaches out and smacks me in the face from the first sip to the last, and man what a delicious smell...

In short, I'd go out and try some of this stuff. It's really worth a taste, if you like dark roasts.

McDonalds McCafe

Not long ago, I was heading into an early shift at the pizza place I deliver for. It was inconvenient for me to stop anywhere but...McDonalds.

Now, when I first heard that McDonalds was coming out with espresso products, I scoffed. This McCafe nonsense was going to be just another half-assed attempt to draw in Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts customers.

I discovered, while sipping on a hot mocha, that while it was definitely an attempt to get a cut of the coffee house market...it was NOT half assed. The mocha was easily as good as anything I'd gotten at Starbucks. At least, since Starbucks went automatic.

While the two and a half buck price tag is a lil higher than what I usually go to Micky D's for (I mean, c'mon...$1 double cheesebuger, $1 fry, and a dollar Sundae makes a GREAT lunch) it's infinitely cheaper, and faster, than getting the same product from Starbucks.

And for the record, I've also tried their lattes (and if you like their flavored iced coffees, you'll like the flavored lattes) so I know it's not just mocha syrup covering bad coffee. It's not GREAT coffee...but it's very solid, especially for the price.

Changes...

So...that second job I mentioned took more time than I realized. And it was set up in such a way that I just...couldn't make it work, without changing my schedule. And once I changed my schedule, it took a while to get adjusted...which I dunno if I really am...but...

Excuses, y'know. But the point is, I'm back. And ready to try again. But with a twist...

I'm not so sure about this coffee shop thing as an immediate goal. Maybe some day, but as my next career move? Nah uh. No thanks.

So...does that mean I like coffee, or coffee shops, or coffee paraphanelia less? Absolutely not.

I'm still in search of the right blend...but just reasonably sure it won't be my own for the next few years.

So watch this space for more coffee loving stuff, including

• Coffee shop reviews!
• Coffee drink recipes!
• Coffee blend reviews!
• Coffee fiction! (?)
• Coffee tool tips!
• and probably more...

Mugs

Call me crazy...but I think what holds the coffee is important. Not as important as the coffee inside...oh no no. But when I'm at home, I gravitate towards certain mugs. Whether because it's a style, or a color, or a message. I like my Billy Joel 2008 mug, for instance, because I love the hell outta that guy and got to see him in concert this year. I also have a half-size mug I picked up when my grandmother moved, and it's just so small and unusual looking I can't help but use it.

Most coffee shops give you a disposable cup by default. My one complaint about Dunkin Donuts is they use styrofoam cups...I mean, c'mon now. That stuff will be puzzling the archaelogists for eaons. I think the paper cups that White Castle use really are part of the flavor...you can't help but pick up some of it as the coffee flows through the mouthpiece. Paper is also nice because you can recycle it, and make the cups themselves out of recycled material (watch for that when I open my shop).

Something that just tickles me pink when I go to a coffee shop is when they offer a mug to their dine-in customers. Caribou does this (I believe...though now that I've typed it I'm 2nd guessing myself). Lookout Joe's does for sure. I've even seen Starbucks do it. It makes the shop that much more like home, makes my Wednesday night date or meeting that much more like Saturday morning at home.

So...I think...when I open my shop, there will be an emphasis on providing mugs. Not some standard set from Sysco. Maybe thrift store mugs. A mismatched set. Odd looking ones. Different sizes. Something to provide character, because character brings in repeat business:

Cafe Hound Joe: "Man, I really want some coffee, but...no idea where I want it from."
Cafe Hound John: "What about that place with all the crazy mugs?"
Cafe Hound Joe: *Floors accelerator*

Or something like that. Joe and I were much better at remembering the names of places, for one thing.

More about the selection process, later. But for now, think about it. Do you like a place for coffee because of their cups? Do you hate a place because of their cups? Are you more or less indifferent?

Life Rears It's Ugly Head

So one of the keys to getting a coffee shop off the ground is having the savings to live off of before you actually make money.

Right now, I'm carrying a bit too much debt and have precious little savings. This necesitates a 2nd job, which at first I thought would only be a couple days a week, and wouldn't slow me down much.

However, somewhere in my development I picked up a few things that are detrimental to having an easy time at work:

1. Work ethic (I don't like standing around at work)
2. Initiative (There's spilled food on the floor...so I clean it up)
3. Ability to grasp simple concepts (If the sticker says 16" pizza, the sticker goes on a 16" box!)

This means I now have more hours than I know what to do with. I like this, because money is nice. I may actually have enough soon to actually buy coffee from a shop someday soon.

How does this affect you? I'm getting jealous of my free time, and need to scale back the blogging. For the time being, I'll only be posting once a week, on Wednesdays. I'll make sure they're of amped-up quality and worth the wait, but otherwise can offer nothing but apologies if this disappoints.

Thanks for the eyeballs!

Why I DO Go to Coffee Shops

The main reason I go to a coffee shop is the fact it offers something I don't have. I've broken that down into several areas below.

• Coffee:

Usually, that means espresso. I DO have an espresso maker, but it's the $25 Mr. Coffee version. It makes some yummy stuff...but simple stuff. It's not really good at pulling shots. The steamer is sketchy sometimes and my foaming attachment broken. I can make a latte, sometimes a cappucino, but that's it.

And that's assuming I have espresso beans handy. Not usually the case with my budget.

I also don't keep the same level of flavor syrup, mocha powder, etc etc that your average Starbucks does. If I want something sweet and jolty, I usually have to go out for it.

• Atmosphere

Coffee shops are typically hip, y'know? Places of activity. People around, nice music playing. It typically beats the pants off whatever I have going on at home. It's a nice place to get my think on, because the people and the noises around are vaguely stimulating, but easy to tune out. A nice background noise if I'm planning on writing or reading.

• Friendship

Just read the last few posts about different coffee shops. I was at nearly all of them to meet someone or hang out with someone. Some people think about hanging with friends and go, "Let's hit a bar." Me? I say, "Where can we get a cup of coffee?"

• It's a Treat

Just the other morning, I realized I hadn't had a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee for over a month. There's one down the road...sort of on the way to work. I could leave a few minutes early and have myself a nice lil treat. I thought that'd be a good thing, since I've been so careful with my money since vacation. I ended up not doing it, but just thinking about how I could get some yummy coffee was a bit of a pick me up.

So while you have all those things against going to a coffee shop...there's some key things you just can't get at home. That's what a successful coffee shop needs to bank on: providing what the customer doesn't have and can't easily get themselves.

Apologies...

Sorry folks, but it turns out that last weekend when I hit "Publish" at the bottom of my posts, I was actually only hitting "Save."

In Search of the Right Blend will now continue on it's normal schedule this week!

Why Should I Stop?

It's about 345 in the morning, and I'm heading into work. I've got a few minutes to kill, and I'm passing right by a Dunkin Donuts.

But, it's on the left side of the road. And I've got my already bought and paid for coffee in the cupholder. The BBC is playing an interview with some interesting foreign minister (or a really sweet song is on, the kind you don't hear during peak advertising hours). I like getting to work a few minutes early, setting things up for the day.

There's no telling how long it will take. If the coffee is fresh. If I have enough cash to cover it. If it's worth the gas to pull out and head over. Do I really wanna wrestle with buying a donut? Or something?

So I keep on driving, drinking the coffee I brought from home. I mean, seriously, why should I stop and buy coffee?

Why Should I Go Out?

So it's about 930 on a Sunday morning. I'm sitting here, relaxing, letting my water boil next to a french press with coffee grounds staged inside. I've already lesuirely gone over my e-mail, fantasy baseball team, and wrapped up work on the news blog.

Excuse me...it's time to go pour the water.

So now I'm enjoying this nice little cup of coffee. I'm all relaxed. I'm sitting in my (somewhat) comfy chair. I'm sipping (sorta) nice coffee. And getting some work done, and some play, and some socializing. All while listening to some cool tunes.

So...why give this up and go to a coffee shop? I mean, I've got a lot going for me right here. Including not having to put on real clothes or shoes or anything. It also doesn't take any out-of-pocket expenses to sit here and drink my coffee and do my stuff. It's already bought and paid for, from within the budget.

Now THAT, my friends, is what a coffee shop is up against. Why go out when it's cheaper and more comfy to sit at home?

Miscellaneous Stops Deuce

Here's the 2nd part of my wrap-up of coffee shops and chains I've been to over the years.

While in Duluth, Minnesota on a romantic liason, I was introduced to Caribou Coffee. I...fell in love, basically, with the coffee shop (and the girl...but THAT is another story for another blog). A wood-cabin theme, dark and light roasts ready to serve, and unique espresso beverages (with candies in them!) all add up to make this a pleasant place. They offer free wifi (with purchase), and have a nice mix of comfy seats and workable tables. While still a big corporation (they ARE in fifteen states) they aren't completely corporate, and each store has it's own feel to it.

Another of my Colorado stops has been Coyote's Coffee Den. There are a number of these locations scattered across the Southwest of Colorado, from Canon City to Penrose to Pueblo. I've only ever hit the Penrose location, since that's a) where my sister works and b) it's on the way to everything civilized (read: Colorado Springs and Denver). They've got really nice coffee. Like, best mocha I've ever had. The Western motif is pretty neat too. Not the most comfortable place I've ever seen, but this place is set up more for commuter traffic than idlers like myself. They also have a kitchen where they do light breakfast and lunch far.

My latest discovery was a place called Coffee 'n' Cream, a coffee shop/soft serve place in Marriemont, on the East Side of Cincy. A tiny shop, run by a guy named Joe (not hanging-out-all-night-Joe) who gets really excited about his products. I've burned a bit of time listening to him tell me the difference between how he brews his iced coffee and his hot coffee. The coffee...really is good. I mean, fabulous. Pretty good pricing too. Not the most comfy, but with free wifi and s nice radio system, you're good for a 20 minute break or so from the day. And besides...you can get icecream there. Coffee and icecream together...the man needs an international prize of some sort.

So that's it. When I think coffee shops, I think of these places listed in the last two posts. I like them all, for different reasons. Ideally, I'd walk into a coffee shop that could encompass all of these traits...and since I don't think that's gonna happen, I may just have to open my own.

Miscellaneous Stops

There were other coffee shops I've been too, with Joe and on my own. Scattered across the country even. Coffee shops for the sake of coffee shops is what the game is all about, and whenever I see a new one I'm drawn to it.

One of my more favorite spots in Cincinnati is Lookout Joe's. It's a local business, for one thing. Roasts their own coffee (if you get there at the right time, you can watch them roasting...and THAT is cool). It's a neat space, very...I don't know the word. But it's a cross between a warehouse space and a loft apartment. The main issue there is parking, because Lookout Square is...well, cramped. It's a cute, scenic, older part of town and that means paying for or not even finding parking. The service tends to be a lil slow in the afternoon and evenings...only one person on duty with too much to do. I once waited 45 minutes for the poor girl to refill the coffee carafe

Another neat space is Coffee Emporium. I'd link you, but...their website seems to be pretty broken. It's an old house on Erie Ave in Hyde Park, and the first floor is all knick-knacky like a garage sale, and also where you find the bar. The second floor is all tables and chairs, reminiscent of a 1 room school house. The coffee was pretty good, and if you like older buildings this is a neat place to be. Again, parking is a bit of an issue...but usually you can find something on street.

One of the flat out coolest coffee shops I've ever been to is Java Moon in Denver, Colorado. It's closed now, but it was a store front with garage door windows, a cool center bar, and a kitchen with a really nice breakfast and lunch menu. There were plenty of booths, tables, and living room areas...and it was pretty yummy coffee. Joe and I once spent four or five hours chatting and catching up there...they had to kick us out. It's still in my mind as a template for the store I want to open.

I've got another post about cool coffee spots coming...I wrote it out in one huge thing, and realized...I don't want to put up a post this long. So till then, add some cream.

Moving, Part 2

While shopping for some shelf liners (some of our new closet shelves look pretty ugly) today, we went into a Target that had a Starbucks location inside. I love that cofee shop smell...it made me want to go spend money I didn't have more than the body pillow display did.

It's just dawned on me I don't have any handy coffee shops, unless you count the Starbucks inside our Kroger across the street. At the old place, I had an actualy Starbucks location (rarely visited, but still there) just down the road. Here, nothing.

You would think a guy like me would pay closer attention to that.

Of course, I did pay attention to the fact that a five minute drive will bring me to my favorite Columbus Dunkin Donuts location, so give me some credit ;-)

Moving, Part 1

I'm in the middle of a move, and few things are further from my mind than hanging out in coffee shops. Nevermind opening one.

I am glad to have my french press and kettle though...easy to transport, easy to set up. It was really good this morning!

Late Nights

A key element in Joe and I's coffee habits over the years was the hours we kept. You could call us night owls, I suppose...it wasn't unusual for us to meet up around 10pm one night and stay out till just before dawn.

There aren't many places open that late, friends and neighbors. Fewer that were good for 8 hours of hanging out.

So while we may not have been as comfortable as we would have liked, Dunkin Donuts and White Castle (both 24/7) became our primary haunts. We would shake things up by picking out different locations, and by visiting Starbucks when we did hang out during normal business hours.

Waffle House (24/7) became another favorite during this stretch, since you could get good food pretty cheap in a semi comfy environment. Their coffee is also quite good...an extremely smooth blend, a solid flavor without being overpowering. And it was a valuable extra stop in our rotation.
There was an aborted attempt to work Perkins (24/7) into the lineup...but after two or three tries (one night we waited nearly 20 minutes to simply get seated) we gave up. IHOP (24/7) eventually made it to Cincinnati, and this was a welcome change of pace...but very expensive. And their coffee sucks, to be totally honest.

We would frequently get frustrated at the lack of places to just...hang out with a cup of coffee. We didn't want to buy a meal all the time. Didn't wanna sit in our cars. Didn't wanna sit on a plastic chair while some guy waiting to mop glared at us. We just wanted a coffee shop that was open in the middle of the night.

Apparantly, that's just too much to ask.

Starbucks

Regardless of how you feel about Starbucks, it's pretty hard to avoid. And for someone just taking their first steps in the world of coffee shops in Midwestern Ohio, you can do much worse than them.

Starbucks has done a lot of good for the industry, I believe. They made the whole cafe culture cool, hip, and mainstream. They brought coffee shops to places that normally would never had heard of them...and while they've done some bad stuff by virture of being big and corporate, I think you can't discount the benefits either.

It was at a Starbucks in that I first got the feeling of community from a coffee shop. Joe and I knew a son of a friend there, and from that aquaintance came introductions to the rest of the staff. We became "regulars," with all the bantering and discounts that entails. It was a good time, since the set up and furniture was all conducive to sitting down for a spell.

[We found out later the only reason the discounts and zany antics (one of the barristas once poured a shot of espresso for Joe for almost three minutes; we expected the machine to shut down in protest) was because of a certain lack in management at this location. Once the new manager came in, things became less interesting more professional and more expensive regular priced.]

I also discovered I didn't really like Starbucks coffee. It's either far too dark, or far too burnt--depending on your take. Their espresso beverages are yummy as all get out...I still love a Starbucks white mocha, and who can resist a coffee frappacino?? But they're pricey, and loaded with calories that you really can't consume all night long.

The take away? Starbucks has done some good things for the coffee industry. I like the community you can get (at least, could get...and in some locations, it IS coming back like their plan states) and the coffee house atmosphere, including comfy furniture. However, I'm not that crazy about the near-cookie cutter feel, the prices, or even the coffee.

Enter the Coffee Shop

One of the clearest and fondest memories I have of my high school days revolves around Dunkin Donuts. I had a car of my own, money in my pocket, and now had the chance to stop at yummy food places when I went out.

One of the first stops I made was Dunkin Donuts. I had tried their coffee before, on trips to Massachusetts to visit family. I had vague memories that it was good stuff, but to be honest it'd been a while. I'd become accustomed to...lesser brews, shall we say.

I became hooked after my first stop, and I had a bad habit of showing up late to my weekly volunteer gig because I couldn't help but go out of my way to the nearest Dunkin Donuts. It was magical. I craved it. The smoothest, sweetest blend ever.

About this time Joe arrived on the scene. We met and stuck up a friendship based primarily on two things: Mutual like for Billy Joel and love for coffee. It was with Joe I discovered the pleasure of just "getting a cup of coffee," as well as White Castle coffee (Darker than DD, but just as smooth and with a touch of mocha to it).

Dunkin Donuts is a nice place to sit, eat something sweet, and drink some fine java. But it's not very comfy, the chairs are NOT for lounging, and the whole atmosphere is geared (quite correctly) towards commuter breakfast people: get in, get out, get to work. White Castle? It's a fast food burger joint. Again, fabulous coffee...but not some place you can sit and relax. And neither of these places is really conducive to creating a rapport with the staff (food service turnover being what it is).

Of course, one really can't explore the joys of coffee in American society without at least TRYING Starbucks...

Java at Home

However you first took to your first cup ("This jet fuel is the best thing ever!" or "I need a cow and a sugar cane plantation, stat!"), you prolly didn't lose interest. Life became about finding more. Always more.

I was both fortunate and unfortunate in this respect. Unfortunate in the sense my parents didn't drink coffee in the home, but fortunate in that they bought a french press for tea around the same time I discovered coffee. A grinder for spices was also a recent purchase, and both press and grinder were commandeered to create caffeinated goodness.

And so what could have died as puppy love, a forgotten fling with an occaisonal cup, was cementing into a truly dedicated relationship. I became facinated with the brewing and drinking of coffee. Wondering how to make each cup tastier than the last. I experimented with different amounts and fineness of grinds. Different flavors. Different water temperatures. I even convinced myself at one point the size of mug affected the enjoyment of my coffee (to this day, I don't really own "standard" coffee mugs).

Then, one day, one of us dropped the french press while cleaning it. Not working yet, I had no funds to replace it or find another method of brewing (my mother was already concerned about the effects of caffeine on her children and was rather coy about buying a replacement press). My coffee sources dried up to the "interesting" brew at the museum I volunteered at, and occaisonally at a restaurant.

It wasn't until my first job at a summer camp that my passion for coffee would be rekindled...and soon on the heels of that would come regular employment, a driver's license, and companionship...all three would change the face of coffee for me forever.

Starting Down the Road

I like coffee. Almost since I was a wee small and first discovered the wonderful-smelling (but god-awful tasting) stuff. It wasn't love at first taste...but it was close enough to count.

Coffee is a lil deceptive, I think we can all agree. You smell it brewing and you think, "That has got to be the nectar of gods!" But then you go to drink some...and you change your tune. "Bleck" becomes a much better word.

(I'm not speaking to those of your who have liked coffee black since your first cup in the 3rd grade...you have your own memories and feelings. I didn't take an instant liking to pure coffee, as I'll explain. So just bear with me and exercise that imagination).

It's that deception that turns a lot of people off of coffee right away. It's not unlike getting burned by a hot stove...you equate the situation with unpleasantness, and don't repeat. No matter how much your boyfriend reassures you. No matter what your wife has put in the coffee mug.

You. Just. Don't. Like. Coffee.

All based on that one experience. There is another set of us who don't like our first coffee, but approach it differently. We think, "Millions of people drink this stuff everyday. They love it. They can't function without it. What am I doing wrong?"

So we find 8 creamer and 12 sugar packets, add it to a 6 ounce styrofoam cup of joe, and sip.

...and a life long love affair is begun.