Vending Machine Coffee

I once spent a year in a long distance relationship. And I'm not talking about, an hour's drive away. That's not distance. If you can't make an hour or two work, you're just not that interested (or they don't kiss well...either way...).

By long distance, I mean I spent 12-14 hours driving anytime I wanted to see this girl. And yes, it was worth it each time.

And of course, I would pack my snacks (or have money to stop with). I'd buy a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee before setting out. Once I even had a thermos filled up by those helpful guys. But eventually, the coffee you started with is going to run out; if you finish a 13 hour drive with the same cup of coffee you started with, there's a serious problem.

Now the problem I had, because I never finished with the same cup of coffee. Look at my typical route:



I travel through a whole lot of NOTHING in Indiana, then hit Chicago, then a whole lot of NOTHING in N. Illinois and Wisconsin. I mean, seriously. It amazes me that there can be so little, for so long at a time. Especially in Wisconsin. I mean, nothing but trees.

So where can I stop for some decent coffee? Maybe Chicago...but really, have you ever tried to drive through Chicago? No? If you ever do, you'll understand that once you're in the flow of traffic...you won't want to ever leave it. There's no excuse for ever pulling off the highway (assuming the traffic lets you get off the road in the first place). You'll have to merge back on...and...um. Damn. Suffice it to say it's not worth stopping in Chicagoland for coffee.

This leaves me with really just one option: Rest stop vending machines.

The trick with vending machines is to not take the standard coffee. It'll have caffeine, but taste absolutely AWFUL. I mean, gross. I mean, you'll never touch coffee again after drinking plain coffee from a vending machine. Especially if it's one in the middle of nowhere Wisconsin that gets a visit once every two weeks for a fresh-up.

So what's that leave you with? The flavored stuff. French vanilla. English toffee. I once had a memorable experience with a "Butterfinger" flavored coffee drink. They cost a bit more, but are totally worth it. You get the caffeine, but none of the truly gross flavor.

That's my official advice, the path I take whenever I'm faced with a vending machine-or-nothing situation. You're welcome to it.

Java's

I deliver pizzas in the Gahanna area. Every now and again, I drive by a sign advertising Java's Cyber Cafe drive thru. I'm always intrigued by new coffee shops, but I deliver pizzas too late to drink coffee and I'm rarely down that way if I'm not working. C'est la vie.

So when I decided I would make weekend trips to various coffee shops and review them, Java's made the list right away. Sarah and I made the trip last Sunday.

Java's sits as an anchor on a newish strip mall. They do have a drive thru, and free wifi. They also offers several computers with internet access for you to work on, their claim to fame. You can print in color for $.50/page.

Aside from the computer work stations and some local photography for sale on the walls, Java's is very reminiscent of a Starbucks. Not in the important ways: The coffee was better, and the atmosphere less corporate, and the net access is free. But the layout and decor of the lobby, the look of the bar, and the items on the menu are nearly interchangable.

The service was excellent! The barrista was very friendly and involved in our order. Java's serves Crimson Cup coffee, fair trade and organic, which is quite tasty. They also serve smoothies, which Sarah assures me are quite yummy. Decaf available, but I didn't see anything specifically sugar free or otherwise health conscious.

While the space is just about big enough to host music or poetry events, I didn't see evidence of such goings on. Java's offers a few prepackaged foods, like cereal boxes and pastries, but nothing made on site. You see the beginnings of being a player in the community (the art on the walls, the business card rack full of local businesses) but as Sarah said, there is plenty of room to expand that angle.

Java's is not a bohemian, characteresque coffee shop but it doesn't have to be. If you need a place for a good cup of coffee and internet access, Java's is more than up to the task. Perfect for that cup of coffee on the way to work or on the way out for the evening, or if you need to use a computer/printer in a hurry.

If you're ever in Gahanna jonesing for some coffee, stop in or drive thru Java's Cyber Cafe!

Grounds for Change

One of the standing gift ideas for me is coffee stuff. A grinder, bags of Dunkin Donuts coffee, mugs, gift cards to coffee places. All of these and more have worked very well in the past, and I can't see them ever getting old.

A new idea my sister had was, "Well, what about those coffee clubs?" You know the type, where each month you get a new type of coffee to try. I thought it was a neat idea, especially since I like to try new coffee (Folgers and Maxwell house are good for the weekday grind, but...not exciting, you see) but I don't usually have the time or the money to really search good coffee out.

You don't know my sister, so I'll fill you in: she recently exploded into global awareness. She sponsors a woman in a 3rd world country, buys free trade widgets, and is disgusted when people say things like "It's too expensive to buy responsibly produced stuff." All this ties into her choice of a coffee club for my birthday gift.

Grounds for Change is the name of the company, and as you may imagine it's a fair trade, organic, shade grown, carbon-free company. More importantly, it's so far been damn good. Right now I'm drinking the Solstice Blend (the December coffee I received). It's truly fabulous. I love a dark roast, and this stuff is nice and dark. The bag describes the blend: "Notes of chocolate and toasted nuts." How many ways can one say, "WINNER!"?

I also like the cut of the company's jib. I like to judge a company by it's mission statement (the simpler the better) and it doesn't get much better than this:

"To support social equity and environmental sustainability through fair trade, organic, shade grown coffee."

And how much does all this eco-friendly, progressive silliness cost you? About as much as a pound of Starbucks coffee (for much better flavor). Go check them out...it's a very well put-together website.

Instant Coffee

It's time to discuss instant coffee...specifically, the acceptable and the will-get-you-beaten.

And just a tip here: if someone's choice in coffee offends you to the point of violence...just go get something you like better. Someone brings you a cup that's just...awful? So what? Have them hold down the fort while you go get something better. They have some awful instant coffee in their cupboard? Don't beat them; buy them some Clasico.

Since we're on the subject, Clasico is really the only kind of instant I'll consider. Remember that camping trip I took a few weeks back? I'm totally capable of using a percolator over a stove or fire, but it's kind of a pain. So I went looking for a package of instant. And not just ANY instant. The Nescafe Clasico.

This stuff is great. I'd had instant a few times before meeting Clasico, and it was...lacklustre, to say the least. Weak and bitter, no matter what I did to it. I swore off instant for several years.

Enter Juan. I used to work at an international fast food chain, and while there I met an incredible guy named Juan. I could write a whole blog about how great Juan is/was, but since this isn't the Juan-Blog I'll limit the discussion to his contribution to my coffee repetoire.

It was Sunday morning, just before open. The work was pretty much finished, and I was thinking about unlocking the doors early for the hell of it. Juan was smarter than I: he was making some coffee that smelled amazing. I followed my nose to see him mixing up some instant coffee.

"Juan! Instant? No bueno, amigo." I started to turn away.

"Oh no, Jone-a-tan. Es MUY bueno. Here," and he offered me the cup, already mixed up con leche style the way I like it (that is, a lil coffee with the milk and sugar). Before I could protest, he was mixing another cup for himself.

So I drank it. And swore that first thing after my shift, I was going to buy me some Nescafe Clasico, even if I had to travel to Jungle Jim's to get it. Joe came in not long after this, and also took a free sample...and immediately asked Juan for another cup.

Juan's a good guy, and gave Joe the second cup. Like I said, Juan is amazing.

Long story shorter than it could be? If you need instant (and yes, there are situations that call for it) coffee, make sure you have some Clasico on your shelf. It's freeze dried...so...it'll keep. Long as you need it too, I reckon.