Coffee Chronicles pt. 1 – Falling In Love With Coffee
Coffee Chronicles is be a series of posts about, well, coffee. Here’s part 1.
The first time I willingly tried a cup of coffee was on a sleepy morning in the early days of my college internship. The area between HR and the main entrance had a widely used coffee machine where I had been trying hot cocoa and tea to give me a kick. But the hot cocoa wasn’t doing it and the Desi in me didn’t click with tea that wasn’t boiled in milk. It was time to consider another elixir.
Admittedly, I wasn’t too eager to drink the dark brown-black liquid. The smell isn’t very kid-friendly so I never grew up too fond of the idea. But the drowsiness was getting to be too much. I needed something. So I dared to ingest what a hundred million Americans (nearly one third the population) drink everyday in one way, shape, or form: a cup of coffee.
Success, the hot liquid worked! I was wide awake and ready to audit payroll processes.
But the taste was hard to swallow, all puns intended. It was everything I feared it to be: bold, brute, and bitter. It needed some help. So the next time I poured a cup, I began experimenting with various levels of the sugar and powdered cream until I found the ultimate ratio that suited my needs. And thus began my addiction.
I began to drink coffee during road trips, before classes at DePaul or local Islamic seminars and classes (like all the cool kids), to stay awake during Ramadan Qiyams, or even just for fun with friends. I officially became a fan.
Two and a half years (and probably a couple hundred dollars spent) later, I am now making my own coffee at home. The process is rewarding, both in terms of quality and financial value as compared to buying a cup from the local chain coffeehouse. But it took a while for me to find what I liked and eventually make the right purchases to create coffee for my own liking right in my own quarters.
So since I first began, what’s my favorite style of coffee?
For just plain coffee, meaning non-gourmet or specialty drink, I like a light roast coffee. Medium roasts I can handle, but dark is too much. I take at least two teaspoons of sugar per cup and maybe two whole ounces of half & half. Skim milk is not rich enough.
As for favorite specialty drink, the American in me is quite evident. Hot drink, I like a traditional latte (that’s a shot of espresso with 6 ounces or roughly three fourths of a cup of steamed milk) with sugar. Whole milk tastes the best, but sometimes is too heavy when steamed so skim is needed. Cold drink, I prefer iced lattes with caramel sauce.
Now I know there are coffee lovers out there who’ll read this and get excited thinking about their favorite way to drink coffee. If you’re one of them, let’s hear from you.
What’s your favorite style of coffee?
October 26th, 2009 at 4:08 PM
no waaaaaaaaay man. i cannot stand coffee AT ALL. the mere small of it makes me nauseous.
CHAI on the other hand, is amazing and absolutely hits the spot. you have to move past the “dood pati” stage to really enjoy chai though. inshallah when you come to dallas you can try some good ole somali chai
but ive progressed now in my chai to adding extra ingredients and experimenting w/ all different types of teas. i cant do the normal lipton teas anymore.
but man, coffee…. i cant stomach it. ive only had good coffee one time in my life, at some ritzy graduation party, and it tasted more like tea with extra cinnamon and sugar than it actually did coffee – but yeah, thats it.
October 26th, 2009 at 4:11 PM
assalamu’alaykum
I like espresso a lot, I got hooked on them when Dunkin Donuts would sell lattes for $2 (don’t know if they still do). Only problem is, you can’t make good espresso at home without a decent machine.
I never liked regular coffee that much before because it would be too watery (even with cream) and bitter. Lattes were great because they were more creamy instead of watery, and it seemed that the coffee itself had a better flavor.
Later I discovered that the reason that coffee is often bitter is because of paper filters used in the machine. The paper soaks up the oil, and thus the flavor. When I tried coffee made by a French Press (it has a metal filter), it was MUCH better. I think that also explains why espresso is so good, because the machines don’t use paper filters.
October 26th, 2009 at 5:30 PM
My man…coffee addicts unite!
I first started drinking coffee in college. It was orientation week of freshman year and they were giving out free coffees at the local coffeeshop; I thought the stirrer was a straw so I ended up burning my tongue. There is no way I would have graduated college w/o coffee.
Not having coffee is the hardest part of Ramadhaan for me.
For stimulation, I like the Dunkin Donuts Turbo (coffee w/ shot of espresso)
For taste, any coffee from Tim Horton’s is off the hook.
Specialty drink…mocha flavored w/ raspberry is off the chain. Also fond of basic cappucinos.
Saad took us to a coffee joint up in Evanston (Kaffeine) that has some pretty sick coffee; if you’re up there visiting Michigan (your brother in law), hit it up.
October 26th, 2009 at 5:50 PM
Also I agree that making your own coffee at home saves a ton of money; a decent coffee maker costs only 20 bucks. I usually buy Eight o Clock since its always on sale at Jewel. Go w/ Columbian or Breakfast Blend. Mix in two Splenda packets and some sugar-free hazelnut creamer and you’re good to go.
My wife has already noticed my coffee infatuation and hence bought me various varieties of ground coffee as an Eid gift. Girl has perception!
October 26th, 2009 at 5:51 PM
I luuuurve coffee! Even the smell of it.
However, for some reason, the caffeine delivered in coffee form sends me a little nuts. I can handle tea, and even caffeinated drinks like Coke and Bebsi… but a decent cup of coffee strongly affects my mental state! In both good ways and bad.
For that reason, I rarely drink it, except when I’m looking to treat myself. A winter treat would be a mocha, topped off with whipped cream. A summer treat would be a frappé with hazelnut syrup. Yum!
October 26th, 2009 at 5:51 PM
@Omar….you hit it on the spot with the Somali chai though. Saqib, you don’t have to go far to get good Somali chai. Faiez, Asim, Taha and I went to this Somali joint on Diversey…their chai is legit.
October 26th, 2009 at 7:32 PM
I don’t like coffee. I’ve tried couple different types and still no. I’ve been told to try tea. Which I did and still a no go. So them I tried a frapacinno back in 02 and I fell in love. I would have it 5 times a week junior year of high school. That stopped after 5 weeks. 2 reasons 1 super fattening and 2 wow super expensive. Anyways I realized I don’t mind the taste of coffee. Its warm liquid I can’t Stand coffee tea nor soup. Except Luke warm hot chocolate. Hmmmmm
October 26th, 2009 at 8:04 PM
Tim Horton’s Ice Capp Supreme w/ Butter Caramel.
Does that count?
October 26th, 2009 at 8:24 PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortado
October 26th, 2009 at 9:34 PM
Hmm .. I wonder how common caffeine-tolerance is. I can go to sleep right after a large cup of fairly strong coffee
October 26th, 2009 at 9:42 PM
My history with coffee is pretty short and simple:
Early 2007 drank a Coffee Coffee Coffee & Cookies N Cream milkshake at a Ben and Jerry’s on campus at UofM
Summer 2007 tried to find a drink that matched that perfect combo of the milkshake, discovered the Starbucks Mocha Frappucino
Fall 2007 stopped off (too often) at a Starbucks for a mocha Frappucino on the way to teach as a “pick me up” in the morning (needed the caffeine, but loathed hot drinks)
Winter 2008 realized cold drinks wouldn’t cut it in the winter. Stupidly asked the barista for the hot drink with the closest taste to a Frappucino. Enter my love for the Vanilla Mocha Latte
October 2009 decided Starbucks was an expensive addiction, and now am happily using our French press at home to recreate the Mocha
October 27th, 2009 at 4:56 AM
All my life I have fought against the usage of caffeine.
Even after working at Seattle’s Best and being forced to drink their poison, I still never made the habit.
In times of desperation I have turned to big bottles of Pepsi.
When I have had to pull all nighters I have turned to iced frappachunios.
But this post makes me want to rethink my anti-coffee stance.
October 27th, 2009 at 4:57 AM
And the somali chai Mahin is talking about is pretty amazing
October 27th, 2009 at 8:40 AM
If you ever get a chance try La Manita from Caribou french pressed… First take a few sips without cream and sugar and after you taste the amazingness of the natural oils and the smack in the face of caffeine, then add cream and sugar as usual.
October 27th, 2009 at 8:19 PM
For coffee, I prefer Dunkin’ Donuts with cream and Splenda. As for specialty drinks, I like Caribou’s Mocha, plus 1 packet of Splenda. I brew the double D at home, but I also visit cafes.
Stop by my blog at http://asad123.wordpress.com. The latest post is a video that will make you gag.