Coffee. Yes, coffee

[DancesWithWife]

I grew up in a household that drank coffee every day, every meal. I was never a fan of coffee until I hit 30 years old. Even then, it had to have lots of sugar. Then I discovered better grades of coffee. When I got divorced in 1995 (my ex-wife left the Truth and me) I moved back to Oregon. My cousin would grind his own coffee. Being at age 36 and thinking I knew something, I thought he was pretentious. 

 

I was wrong. The coffee was better to the point where I required no sugar. I like just plain hot black coffee. Now if it's cold, I don't like the cold brews without adding something to them. My first iced coffee was at 7/11. I think we were out in service and stopped there, I know what we were thinking, 7/11 over Starbuck, anyway I digress.  Some of the friends were having hot coffee and a pastry. I decided to try an iced coffee. It was good. I would even add some of those little cups of coffee flavorings into it. 

 

But back to black coffee. I started to buy my coffee at a place called World Market. They had a little sampling area and I would try the various blends. It was a little more expensive. But I didn't drink coffee the way my parents did, especially my mom. Almost every picture of her at a convention or assembly she is holding a coffee cup!

 

My daughter gave me her Keurig machine that her husband didn't want. I enjoyed it so much. But we ran out of coffee for it, so I was "forced" to drink from a pot, some Maxwell House we kept on hand just in case we had company and would make a pot. It was horrible. I thought, "You have become a coffee snob".  Then I though no not really, you just found a coffee you like better.

 

That's my coffee story for the day. And just so you know I did replace the Keurig coffee K cups and was enjoying a cup of Italian Roast before writing this. That reminds me I need to have another with a slice of the cherry pie we picked up yesterday.

[angellionel]

I have tried drinking black coffee, but I can't get past its bitter taste. I just may have to give the higher grade a try, as you did, Brother Gregg. For now, I'm quite content with having my morning brew with some hazelnut-flavored International Delight cream. 😁

[Dhanyel]

I really like coffee without sugar, coffee without sugar is a way without back 😃☕When you get used to it, it makes no sense to use sugar 

[DancesWithWife]

49 minutes ago, Loyal said:

When you get used to it, it makes no sense to use sugar 

I agree. I like a dark roast. Just picked up some Italian Roast at Safeway yesterday.  It went perfect with the cinnamon coffee cake! I think it was about 1996 I started drinking it black.  On a sidenote, I would rather buy McDonalds black coffee than Starbucks. Never cared for their coffee.

[Tortuga]

7 minutes ago, DancesWithWife said:

I agree. I like a dark roast. Just picked up some Italian Roast at Safeway yesterday.  It went perfect with the cinnamon coffee cake! I think it was about 1996 I started drinking it black.  On a sidenote, I would rather buy McDonalds black coffee than Starbucks. Never cared for their coffee.

We started buying the McDonald's coffee k-cups for our Keurig.

[Loopy]

Huh! In my youthful years I tried coffee two separate times…both times nesarly 🤢

 

So I thought, nope ain’t going to ever like it. Well the past couple of weeks I thought why not try it again 

 

Granted I’ve really gotta doctor it up but at least I’m drinking it

 

My first try. Was Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce’. It was Cheryl gif, with additional cinnamon, Stevia and milk it was really goo.

 

Then I thought about the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice. Not very good. 
 

After I get these 2 done I’ll have to try the whole coffee beans. I must be getting very brave here 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[pnutts]

31 minutes ago, DancesWithWife said:

coffee than Starbucks. Never cared for their coffee.

I drink Tim Horton's decaf. At Timmies I just get 3 creams ( 18% ) in large decaf. Cools it down and smooths it out.

At home I add a little sugar or non-aspartame, non-sucralose ( Splenda ) sweetener and 35% cream.

Just got more cream today - was out. Got some Timmies decaf K-cups on sale for used Keurig that I bought.

Edited August 27, 2023 by pnutts

[DancesWithWife]

29 minutes ago, pnutts said:

I drink Tim Horton's decaf.

The Double Double! If you have never been to TIm Hortons, your not sure what that means. My wife and I ate at Tim Hortons everday before the Convention at the Silverdome. 

[DancesWithWife]

I have made the same transition with hot tea (Earl Grey hot of course), I still enjoy a cold sweet tea (a favorite of mine when I lived in South Carolina). Still have to have sugar in my lemonade, however.

[angellionel]

1 hour ago, DancesWithWife said:

On a sidenote, I would rather buy McDonalds black coffee than Starbucks.

For me, no amount of cream can mask the burnt taste of Starbucks coffee. On the other hand, I do enjoy Dunkin' Donuts coffee.

[DancesWithWife]

2 minutes ago, angellionel said:

Dunkin' Donuts

No Dunkin Donuts near us! Love those donut holes! California is the closest state, even Wyoming has a Dunkin Donuts!

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

 

6 hours ago, DancesWithWife said:

...I was "forced" to drink... some Maxwell House...

I thought, "You have become a coffee snob".  Then I thought; no not really, you just found a coffee you like better.

My story is similar to yours, in that I developed a taste for refined coffee. In my case it came when we owned a cafe' in Melbourne. 

I will share 1x tip. There is no need to keep any 'instant' at home. There will never be a time you will enjoy it. 

When desperate for a drink - and there is no espresso machine handy - drink tea. It won't disappoint you. Lol

PS I saw this at a shop yesterday. I did not buy it. But I thought it was a good 'marketing' gimmick. (Plus - I do not like the picture.)

Edited August 27, 2023 by ➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone

[DancesWithWife]

8 minutes ago, ➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone said:

But I thought it was a good 'marketing' gimmick

Yes, there are some interesting coffee names!

[bobby]

i had to stop drinking coffee 😭🥹

[Qapla]

My parents thought kids shouldn't drink coffee so I never drank it. When I was older, I had never developed the taste for coffee and, to this day, I still don't drink it.

 

The interesting part is, my Dad was raised a Mormon - yet, after spending 20 years in the US Navy, he drank his coffee so black you could almost stand a spoon up in it. My Mother put milk and sugar in her coffee.

 

Back in the days when coffee was made in a percolator    my Mother would put a couple scoops of coffee in the basket to make the coffee. However, if my Dad made the coffee, he would fill the basket all the way up. When they got an electric coffee pot, he would unplug it when it was done and then plug it back in so it would perk a second time because he said it didn't make the coffee right.

 

He had gotten used to the coffee they had on the Navy ships he served on where they kept a steam kettle of coffee brewing 24/7 - he said when grounds started coming out of the spout, they would dig the old grounds out and start over but never washed that kettle. The kettle always had grounds in the bottom with the brew kept at a simmer.

 

[Old]

Just now, bobby said:

i had to stop drinking coffee 😭🥹

I tried, the Good Lord knows I tried.  

[Tortuga]

2 hours ago, angellionel said:

For me, no amount of cream can mask the burnt taste of Starbucks coffee. On the other hand, I do enjoy Dunkin' Donuts coffee.

I like the Caribou coffee K-cups, I don't like Starbucks, it's too acidic for me.

[dljbsp]

7 hours ago, angellionel said:

I have tried drinking black coffee, but I can't get past its bitter taste. I just may have to give the higher grade a try, as you did, Brother Gregg. For now, I'm quite content with having my morning brew with some hazelnut-flavored International Delight cream. 😁

I've never been one for coffee – it just wasn't my cup of tea. Speaking of which, I thoroughly enjoy my "Earl Grey, Hot!"

 

I've also ventured into the realm of coffee, only to be met with its rather bitter demeanor. Despite countless discussions with fellow tasters, a curious notion crossed my mind: adding a pinch of salt. Interestingly, my grandmother used to swear by this practice, though its rationale eluded me.

 

However, I've since uncovered the science behind it. Salt doesn't necessarily modify the intrinsic flavor of a substance, but rather adjusts our perception of bitterness. By desensitizing those taste buds attuned to bitterness, salt can wield the power to transform the taste of edibles – coffee included. Whether this culinary experiment leads to a more pleasing outcome depends on your palate. Why not give it a shot? Ps 139:14

[angellionel]

44 minutes ago, dljbsp said:

Despite countless discussions with fellow tasters, a curious notion crossed my mind: adding a pinch of salt. Interestingly, my grandmother used to swear by this practice, though its rationale eluded me.

To be honest, this the first time I've heard of this. Interesting. I still like to add sweetened cream to my coffee, though. I'm not big on tea, though that is what my non-coffee-drinking wife prefers and enjoys every day.

[angellionel]

1 hour ago, Tortuga said:

I like the Caribou coffee K-cups, I don't like Starbucks, it's too acidic for me.

Yes, it's too acidic for me, too. I've never tried the K-cups. From the reviews I've read online, it seems to be quite popular.

[pnutts]

1 hour ago, dljbsp said:

Salt doesn't necessarily modify the intrinsic flavor of a substance, but rather adjusts our perception of bitterness

It also is supposed to settle out the coffee grounds. Haven't drank enough perked coffee to know for sure.

 

My dad used a 2 cup stove top percolator when I was young ( many moons and then some ago ).

Nothing worse at 7 AM than his dissolve the spoon coffee and his version of oatmeal, both done in aluminum pots. 🤢

My wife likes her coffee lite & sweet 🤐. Almost everybody likes my oatmeal. 😁

 

I like real cream in my decaf coffee with or without sugar/sweetener.( regular coffee curls my hair then it falls out - or so I tell others.

In fact I can't handle the caffeine/sugar double whammy, same as colas )

[GeordieGirl]

3 hours ago, dljbsp said:

However, I've since uncovered the science behind it. Salt doesn't necessarily modify the intrinsic flavor of a substance, but rather adjusts our perception of bitterness. By desensitizing those taste buds attuned to bitterness, salt can wield the power to transform the taste of edibles – coffee included. Whether this culinary experiment leads to a more pleasing outcome depends on your palate. Why not give it a shot? Ps 139:14

Interesting. Explains why they need salt to drink Margaritas. 

 

I love coffee and have been drinking it for over 60 years. I used to flutuate between black and white but now only drink black unless I have a cappucino.

I do use a small amount of a sweetener - Organic Rice Malt Syrup.

 

Australia has a massive coffee culture and most Australians are coffee snobs, at least over here in the West and we have literally hundreds of cafes. We make darn good coffee, too. 😁 And just about everyone I know has an espresso coffee machine in their home.  I'm not sure how the instant coffee companies are still making a profit.

 

I do drink tea as well - I am English after all 🤣, but I react badly to tanins so I only drink tea at home where I can make it so it doesn't have a negative effect on me. 

 

Edited August 28, 2023 by GeordieGirl

[Tortuga]

2 minutes ago, GeordieGirl said:

but I react badly to tanins so I only drink tea at home where I can make it so it doesn't have a negative effect on me. 

I love a good cup of English Breakfast tea or Irish Breakfast tea but sometimes the tannins kill my stomach. I let the bag seep for 3-4 minutes and take it out. If I leave it longer than that it is too acidic for me. What's your secret?

[GeordieGirl]

53 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

I love a good cup of English Breakfast tea or Irish Breakfast tea but sometimes the tannins kill my stomach. I let the bag seep for 3-4 minutes and take it out. If I leave it longer than that it is too acidic for me. What's your secret?

The tannins don't affect me like that but they make me very nauseous and dry my mouth out. 

 

I only drink Twinings English Breakfast and not the extra strong one  I think Irish tea is stronger.

I wait till the water has stopped bubbling before pouring it into the cup so it is just off the boil and I never pour the water directly on to the teabag. I also never squeeze the teabag before taking it out. I don't know how long I leave it in for but I do like to be able to taste the tea so I leave it in for long enough for it not to be insipid and tasteless. I guess you just have to get to know your perfect time. Occasionally if I leave it in too long I have to throw it out and start again.

If it wasn't just me on my own,  I would use loose leaves in a pot which I think is a better way to reduce the tannin problem because the tea leaves float free rather than being compacted in a small area.

Edited August 28, 2023 by GeordieGirl

[MullumMiss]

So I don’t drink instant coffee.  Around 30 years ago I followed what is called the liver cleanse diet.  On it the only coffee you could have was fresh ground.  I never ever went back to instant.  Initially I used a plunger or stove top espresso.  Around 20 years ago I bought my first coffee machine.  I slowly upgraded to what I have now which is an italian espresso machine.  My friend grows coffee so I get my beans from her.  We drink what Aussies call flat white but my husband does also enjoy Macchiato and Adffogato.  As for tea I love Twinings Earl Grey and have it black.  I do not like Starbucks or McDonalds coffee.