I was going to write some long winded post about perpetual outrage and how it is boring, obnoxious, and counterproductive. Then I realized what I was writing was perpetual outrage and deleted the post.
(Seriously, these daily meltdowns by the news media, politicians, advocacy groups and social media influencers about what is happening in DC and how dare Trump do exactly what he said he was going to do…I just can’t. (No I did not vote for Trump) That no one took what he said seriously on the campaign trail is not his fault. Oh and the droning on about Musk being an unelected billionaire, as if there aren’t billionaires who directed democratic policies. The difference is, is that Musk is in your face and doesn’t care what you think. The democrats just hid their dark money bullshit behind political candidates, political appointees, NGOs, and lobbyists.)
Instead I looked at my desk, saw that my coffee cup was still half full and decided to write about something that gives me pleasure and joy. Coffee. I simply love coffee. I go to sleep sometimes dreaming about that cup of coffee that will be waiting for me in the morning when I wake up.
Now in writing my posts, what I like to do is put a subheading. Many times I find synonyms for the main word. Sometimes there are dozens of words to chose from. Interestingly though for coffee, only 2 came up. I had already chosen these 2 words, “java and joe,” and was quite surprised that Mr. Google couldn’t find more. Well it could find words that talked about coffee. “Latte, mocha, espresso,” but there were no simple synonyms beyond those 2 words for the word “coffee” itself. And I find that incredulous.
Coffee is such a huge part of our society, yet the words used to describe coffee are quite frankly boring. They harken back to a time when quite frankly your choice for coffee was Folgers or Chock Full O’ Nuts. You would think that with the exponential growth of the coffee industry there would be a growth industry in words to describe coffee as well.
Yes, ok, the different types of coffee may be illustrative of what you’re drinking, but what about us simple folks who only truly want to drive up to a diner, ala New Jersey turnpike and order a black coffee. Or how about the coffee carts that are seen all over Manhattan. You get off the subway running to your office, because you are late, but stop at a coffee cart, because you are still partially asleep and need a caffeine jolt to wake you up so you can tolerate that insufferable boss who drones on and on about absolutely nothing. So you order a black coffee and possibly a bagel with schmear. There is no discussion of type of milk, toppings, or if you want an extra shot of espresso. You take what you are given and you are happy about it.
So what do we call that kind of coffee? Ok, we simply call it coffee.
Meanwhile, I love the aroma of coffee. I love how the house smells as it wafts through every floor of the house, signaling a new day. I enjoy that very first sip in the morning, usually blowing on the coffee because having just poured it from the carafe it is piping hot. Trying to not burn my tongue and palate of mouth is a long practiced art.
Coffee just makes me happy. What can I say. I enjoy buying coffee cups, mugs and other accoutrements that are associated with coffee. I can’t tell you how many coffee makers I have gone through over the years looking for that one that makes a better cup of coffee. Ok, yes, I wait for the old coffee maker to die some kind of death first. I am not a wastrel. (By the way I found my favorite mugs for coffee. Unfortunately they got chipped and I threw them out, using substitute mugs with messages on them like Am Yisrael Chai (the Jewish People Live), or Shalom over the past year. If I can’t drink from a mug that gives me tactile satisfaction, I will at least drink from a mug that gives my soul a boost.)
I also enjoyed looking for that perfect coffee blend that brings memories to the forefront. I went from blend to blend, thinking that the more exotic a coffee the better it will be. Honestly, that is just a marketing fallacy we tell ourselves. If something costs more it must be better. Not so. You need to look for a coffee blend that you enjoy. Something that ignites joy in your brain and helps kickstart that morning routine.
Now honestly, I no longer drink coffee after the morning. Never past 10am for certain. I am prone to not being able to sleep if I drink anything with caffeine too late in the day. Yes, I can drink decaffeinated coffee, but it tastes rather blah. Something is taken from coffee when the caffeine is removed. I don’t know if it because of the chemical process they use in order to decaffeinate, or it is the caffeine that basically gives coffee its flavor. But honestly, its meh.
And yes, I drink decaffeinated tea or herbal tea, too, in the afternoon if I need something hot. But in truth I generally just stick with water. Well until around 6 or 7 and then I take some wine. Yes, I know wine is gonna kill us. Apparently now it gives us cancer (the medical profession is going to take all the joy out of life eventually). Well my secret is that I water down my wine with ice cubes. So it’s more like a spritzer without the bubbles. Oh no, how could you! Oh the horror of drinking diluted wine. Well it’s not like I am drinking a bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild that way. It’s just simple white table wine. Believe me it’s fine.
(As an aside, when my husband and I got engaged, my parents who loved wine, had bought a bottle of Lafite Rothschild years before and had been saving it for a very special occasion. They cracked it open to celebrate. I have never tasted anything so amazing. If you can say something tasted like velvet that would have been it.)
Meanwhile, I have decided that my journey to find the right kind of coffee has come to an end. I have tried all the going brands and then some. I have spent an untold fortune on trying to find just the right cup of coffee, the right grind and the right je ne sais quoi of coffee. And have decided that what makes me happy is either Folgers or Chock Full O’Nuts. I vacillate between the two. Depending on my mood when I go to the market.
Maybe its because it bring back memories of my childhood, since that is what was in my parents home, or maybe just maybe…and go with me on this…they really are good coffee and we don’t need to spend a small fortune for a good cup of coffee. As I said earlier, just because something costs more doesn’t mean it’s better.
IT IS DAY 487 OF THE HOSTAGES BEING HELD IN THE TERROR DUNGEONS OF GAZA 🎗️
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Currently, I enjoy Peet’s, the Major Dickinson’s blend in the plastic cups that might/could give me cancer down the road. I read something about heat and plastic as a bad combo. I also like their dark roast. My early foray into coffee was during Passover when I had matzoh pieces with a very milked down,Folgers or Nescafé, coffee in a bowl. It was the children’s cereal. I officially became a coffee drinker when I was pregnant with my first child many decades ago. One cup a day is best, however, the midday coffee does provide more energy.
If coffee were a religion….This place would be a temple.
Kona, Hawaii