All about coffee......

[canuk-gal]

I started drinking coffee as a baby. My mom would put some in a bottle with milk and sugar. I don't know if it was an Eastern European thing or if she just thought I needed a little boost. (It was the fifties) I remember drinking my bottle of coffee-milk and watching Ernie Kovacs in the morning with my mom. I just assumed my other kid friends were drinking it too.

I drank it everyday of my life until I was diagnosed with Crohns disease in my forties and now it's an occasional treat. I miss it very very much.

Lulu:

How interesting! And such a vivid memory of you watching TV and having coffee! I hope you are well, and given how much I love coffee, I can understand how you miss it.

cheers--Sharon

 

[canuk-gal]

I love coffee.
Mom and Dad drank coffee all day long, so I started young.
I never went a day without my coffee since I was a teenager, nearly 40 years. About 3 cups each day with half & half.
Until January of this year.
I had my blood pressure checked and it was high. I realized that the caffeine was making me agitated.
I was concerned because hypertension runs in my family.
As an experiment , I switched to chai tea, and my BP dropped considerably. So, I mostly have chai every morning, and the occasional decaf from the coffee house.
I miss it soooo much.

ST2:

Phooey to the caffeine = ^BP and agitation! But chai is tasty and doesn't affect your BP--so better for you...but missing coffee

cheers--Sharon

 

[canuk-gal]

I buy these 3-lb bags of whole-bean Colombian Supremo @ Costco.
Usually around $14.50 they had them for $3 off so I bought 5 bags.
$4.83/lb is WAY cheap for such good coffee, but $3.83 is a steal.
IIRC it comes out to around 13 cents a cup including the paper filter.

I store most of the 3-lbs in a Foodsaver vacuum bag and a small amount in a ziplock ... all in the freezer.
I grind beans for one cup moments before use.

The used grounds and even the paper filter get fed to my worm vermicluture to make organic fertilizer.

I drink only one cup a day.
Maybe once a month I'll drink a second cup in the afternoon.
Here's my 'coffee maker' that I bought at a thrift store decades ago for 25 cents IIRC.



Cheapest coffee filters I've found are at Big Lots since my Costco no longer carries them.
I started a thread on why ... basically Costco is in bed with Keurig.

Tightwad that I am I have not bought coffee outside our home for many years.
Maybe I will when I find it for 12 cents a cup for Columbia Supremo, that is if they feed the grounds and filter to their worms after use.

Kenny:

My Mother (a widow) also uses that single cup coffee system like yours. She still has her (ancient) drip, which she uses on occasion when we are staying there and a lot of coffee is needed. Two years ago my sister bought her an Nespresso and Mom doesn't really like it. But we don't tell my sister that......

cheers--Sharon

 

[canuk-gal]

This is a fun, light topic! I like learning about people's preferences for mundane things like this!

I'm a coffee lover too, but not a heavy coffee drinker. I have 1 cup most mornings, but I skip some days and have 2 cups on others. I usually just have drip coffee, but we also have a bialetti 'espresso' machine that I really like and use sometimes. The bialetti is a little more work and a lot more mess, so most mornings I'm not motivated enough to use it.

I almost always buy our coffee from trader joes. I don't buy any one variety with any consistency, but I do prefer light to medium roasts. I also love cold brew coffee from trader joes.

I typically take my coffee black, but I love the occasional treat of an iced latte or coffee sweetened with a bit of sugar and lightened with half n' half. I also discovered a new coffee obsession when I was in Italy over the summer: the shakeratto: espresso and a drop of sambucca shaken vigorously in a cocktail shaker with lots of ice. Yummyyyyy!!!

I usually don't drink coffee after noon, as the caffeine sometimes affects me but on special occasions I love an espresso or black coffee with dessert.

TL:

I am also a bit lazy with the bialetti--reserve it for special coffee (Kona, etc) when I am motivated to grind. Now that Starbucks makes all their special roasts in K-cups (and I don't need to grind), my bialetti gets used less and less. But I love the smell that perk provides and it is a great strong cuppa.

cheers--Sharon

 

[canuk-gal]

Ohh love this thread Sharon, thank you.

I LOVE coffee and have been drinking it since I was a teenager. Black. It's the only way I have ever had it and only way I will ever have it. I add a bit of Stevita to it though.

My favorite are rich dark roasts but also enjoy medium and light roasts. We drink only organic coffee. Either from Whole foods or Costco. Before we started drinking only organic (a few years ago) my favorite non organic brand was Dunkin Donuts. We enjoy both whole bean and ground organic coffee and depending on our mood prepare either.

I drink about 2-3 cups in the morning as does my dh. I don't drink it after 8AM or so but my dh occasionally has coffee in the afternoon.

Nothing beats the smell of coffee first thing in the morning. Sigh.

Missy

My DH has had to fast 4 times in the last 3 months for testing (scopes, etc)--and therefore no coffee,etc. And what is the first thing he does when he can drink? Get a LARGE dark roast at the hospital! The coffee shop is right outside of the endoscopy unit in the hospital where I am employed . DH can seem to tolerate coffee later in the day than I can--unless we are on holiday I don't drink much past 9 or 10 am. I am often tempted when we are out for dinner since the coffee smells so good, but always refrain since I'd be awake all night!

cheers--Sharon

 

[canuk-gal]

I'm currently limited to one a day (pregnant) but I enjoy a variety! At home, on the weekends, I use my nespresso to make a double shot latte usually with some caramel syrup. During the week I either bring from home (Trader Joe's cold brew concentrate with some half and half and whole milk) or if I'm rushing I'll grab a cheap (hot) cup from Mcds with cream (no sugar) or if I need some sugar an iced from D&D with caramel swirl and cream. I'm all over the place, lol.

My real favorites though are very dark roasted. I love love love the super dark nespresso pods and I'll make a macchiato at home with them. So much yumminess to be had!

I also really have to highlight the cold brew, or even better, cold brew concentrate. I've only just heard of it in the last few months and it has changed the game for me for cold coffee (which is actually my real favorite). It is so intense and since you generally want a lot of fat to balance it out it has an amazing mouth feel. I make mine lighter than most, with half and half and whole milk, but I've had it with straight up heavy cream (obviously you don't drink much) and it is just amazing. A real treat.

AL:

You are the second person to discuss cold brew--and it has my interest piqued. I must try it--the whole milk option sounds good as I drink milk everyday. I'll reserve the crème for (annual) my Kahlua at Christmas.

cheers--Sharon

 

[kenny]

What roast--and are you picky?
Medium roast ... dark roast tastes too harsh for me.

Do you drink it all day--or limit your consumption?
One large strong cup when waking up.

How do you take it?
With half and half, no sugar.
I tried my new soy milk but it turned into gross floating clumps like curds.

How do you prepare it?
Single cup, drip. Pic above.

Where do you go for your "favorite" cup of coffee?
My kitchen.

Have you been drinking coffee all your life?
Adult life, yes.

Fun thread!

 

[tuffyluvr]

I'm currently limited to one a day (pregnant) but I enjoy a variety! At home, on the weekends, I use my nespresso to make a double shot latte usually with some caramel syrup. During the week I either bring from home (Trader Joe's cold brew concentrate with some half and half and whole milk) or if I'm rushing I'll grab a cheap (hot) cup from Mcds with cream (no sugar) or if I need some sugar an iced from D&D with caramel swirl and cream. I'm all over the place, lol.

My real favorites though are very dark roasted. I love love love the super dark nespresso pods and I'll make a macchiato at home with them. So much yumminess to be had!

I also really have to highlight the cold brew, or even better, cold brew concentrate. I've only just heard of it in the last few months and it has changed the game for me for cold coffee (which is actually my real favorite). It is so intense and since you generally want a lot of fat to balance it out it has an amazing mouth feel. I make mine lighter than most, with half and half and whole milk, but I've had it with straight up heavy cream (obviously you don't drink much) and it is just amazing. A real treat.

AL:

You are the second person to discuss cold brew--and it has my interest piqued. I must try it--the whole milk option sounds good as I drink milk everyday. I'll reserve the crème for (annual) my Kahlua at Christmas.

cheers--Sharon

Cold brew is soooooo good! From what I've read, cold brew has less acidity than hot brewed coffee, in any case it does taste very smooth. I usually buy the cold brew concentrate from trader joes, but I've also bought Chameleon and Stumptown brands at Whole Foods (both very good but expensive) and I know that you can make your own very easily too.

 

[zoebartlett]

I began drinking iced coffee about 20 years ago, and now I like hot coffee as well. I go through phases where I'll get coffee on the way to work for a few months at a time, and then I won't touch it for a while. I don't put sugar or sweetener in it, only extra skim milk or almond milk sometimes. I love flavored coffee but I don't have it because of the extra calories and added sugar in the syrup.

We don't keep coffee at home; we only drink it when we're out for breakfast or stopping at Dunkin Donuts while doing errands or out for a drive. We had a Keurig for a while but we hardly used it so we threw it out.

 

[missy]

Ohh love this thread Sharon, thank you.

I LOVE coffee and have been drinking it since I was a teenager. Black. It's the only way I have ever had it and only way I will ever have it. I add a bit of Stevita to it though.

My favorite are rich dark roasts but also enjoy medium and light roasts. We drink only organic coffee. Either from Whole foods or Costco. Before we started drinking only organic (a few years ago) my favorite non organic brand was Dunkin Donuts. We enjoy both whole bean and ground organic coffee and depending on our mood prepare either.

I drink about 2-3 cups in the morning as does my dh. I don't drink it after 8AM or so but my dh occasionally has coffee in the afternoon.

Nothing beats the smell of coffee first thing in the morning. Sigh.

Missy

My DH has had to fast 4 times in the last 3 months for testing (scopes, etc)--and therefore no coffee,etc. And what is the first thing he does when he can drink? Get a LARGE dark roast at the hospital! The coffee shop is right outside of the endoscopy unit in the hospital where I am employed . DH can seem to tolerate coffee later in the day than I can--unless we are on holiday I don't drink much past 9 or 10 am. I am often tempted when we are out for dinner since the coffee smells so good, but always refrain since I'd be awake all night!

cheers--Sharon

Sharon, so glad your dh can enjoy coffee after those grueling tests! I hope he is doing well and that all the tests have good results for him. On the days I have to go for fasting blood tests and other tests my doctors told me I am still allowed to enjoy my black coffee (sans sweetener).

I hear you about not being able to drink it later in the day as I am the same way and my dh is just like yours in that he can even drink it after dinner (occasionally) without any ill effects. Like you I would be awake all night if I did that!

 

[canuk-gal]

Ohh love this thread Sharon, thank you.

I LOVE coffee and have been drinking it since I was a teenager. Black. It's the only way I have ever had it and only way I will ever have it. I add a bit of Stevita to it though.

My favorite are rich dark roasts but also enjoy medium and light roasts. We drink only organic coffee. Either from Whole foods or Costco. Before we started drinking only organic (a few years ago) my favorite non organic brand was Dunkin Donuts. We enjoy both whole bean and ground organic coffee and depending on our mood prepare either.

I drink about 2-3 cups in the morning as does my dh. I don't drink it after 8AM or so but my dh occasionally has coffee in the afternoon.

Nothing beats the smell of coffee first thing in the morning. Sigh.

Missy

My DH has had to fast 4 times in the last 3 months for testing (scopes, etc)--and therefore no coffee,etc. And what is the first thing he does when he can drink? Get a LARGE dark roast at the hospital! The coffee shop is right outside of the endoscopy unit in the hospital where I am employed . DH can seem to tolerate coffee later in the day than I can--unless we are on holiday I don't drink much past 9 or 10 am. I am often tempted when we are out for dinner since the coffee smells so good, but always refrain since I'd be awake all night!

cheers--Sharon

Sharon, so glad your dh can enjoy coffee after those grueling tests! I hope he is doing well and that all the tests have good results for him. On the days I have to go for fasting blood tests and other tests my doctors told me I am still allowed to enjoy my black coffee (sans sweetener).

I hear you about not being able to drink it later in the day as I am the same way and my dh is just like yours in that he can even drink it after dinner (occasionally) without any ill effects. Like you I would be awake all night if I did that!

Missy--thank you for asking. He is well--all tests were negative for anything insidious and we are thankful!

cheers--Sharon

 

[canuk-gal]

I'm currently limited to one a day (pregnant) but I enjoy a variety! At home, on the weekends, I use my nespresso to make a double shot latte usually with some caramel syrup. During the week I either bring from home (Trader Joe's cold brew concentrate with some half and half and whole milk) or if I'm rushing I'll grab a cheap (hot) cup from Mcds with cream (no sugar) or if I need some sugar an iced from D&D with caramel swirl and cream. I'm all over the place, lol.

My real favorites though are very dark roasted. I love love love the super dark nespresso pods and I'll make a macchiato at home with them. So much yumminess to be had!

I also really have to highlight the cold brew, or even better, cold brew concentrate. I've only just heard of it in the last few months and it has changed the game for me for cold coffee (which is actually my real favorite). It is so intense and since you generally want a lot of fat to balance it out it has an amazing mouth feel. I make mine lighter than most, with half and half and whole milk, but I've had it with straight up heavy cream (obviously you don't drink much) and it is just amazing. A real treat.

AL:

You are the second person to discuss cold brew--and it has my interest piqued. I must try it--the whole milk option sounds good as I drink milk everyday. I'll reserve the crème for (annual) my Kahlua at Christmas.

cheers--Sharon

Cold brew is soooooo good! From what I've read, cold brew has less acidity than hot brewed coffee, in any case it does taste very smooth. I usually buy the cold brew concentrate from trader joes, but I've also bought Chameleon and Stumptown brands at Whole Foods (both very good but expensive) and I know that you can make your own very easily too.

Good to know TL--there is a whole foods under construction close to where I live and I will check it out!

 

[canuk-gal]

I began drinking iced coffee about 20 years ago, and now I like hot coffee as well. I go through phases where I'll get coffee on the way to work for a few months at a time, and then I won't touch it for a while. I don't put sugar or sweetener in it, only extra skim milk or almond milk sometimes. I love flavored coffee but I don't have it because of the extra calories and added sugar in the syrup.

We don't keep coffee at home; we only drink it when we're out for breakfast or stopping at Dunkin Donuts while doing errands or out for a drive. We had a Keurig for a while but we hardly used it so we threw it out.

Zoe--I also rarely have those flavoured coffee; prolly one a season. HOWEVER, I do have the Starbucks Hot Chocolate (1/4 sweet) on a regular basis! I feel it is my duty to have milk--may as well have it with a bit of chocolate and whipped crème!

cheers--Sharon

 

[missy]

Missy--thank you for asking. He is well--all tests were negative for anything insidious and we are thankful!

cheers--Sharon

Sharon, I am so happy for you both! Thank you for sharing that marvelous news!

 

[canuk-gal]

Missy--thank you for asking. He is well--all tests were negative for anything insidious and we are thankful!

cheers--Sharon

Sharon, I am so happy for you both! Thank you for sharing that marvelous news!

My DH's Gastroenterologist--kept saying to him....YOU AGAIN? But not (now) for three years.

cheers--Sharon

 

[imitcan]

Enjoyed everyone's posts about coffee. I am late to the coffee drinking trend. This was to the shock and horror of my family and relatives as it is unheard of in our culture for an adult to not enjoy a cup of coffee. When I started having a cup after family dinners, my aunts decided I was finally all grown up (at the age of 42). I started drinking it after my father passed away because, and this may sound odd, it made me feel closer to him to drink something he enjoyed so much.

I use a french press every morning and an espresso machine on occasion or when entertaining. I have 2 medium cups of french press coffee in the morning and then drink one or two cups of tea in the afternoon. I am starting to enjoy the sleeplessness and the restlessness of middle age so I try to be conscious of how much caffeine I'm drinking.

The best espresso I have ever had was in a tiny little "bar" in a tiny village on the side of a giant mountain (il Gran Sasso) in Abruzzo Italy. I still think of it, sometimes when I have one here in my kitchen.

 

[kenny]

This was to the shock and horror of my family and relatives as it is unheard of in our culture for an adult to not enjoy a cup of coffee.

Forgive me, but I can't remember everything everyone has posted.
Could you please tell us again, what is your culture and/or country if relevant?

 

[Gypsy]

I am primarily a tea drinker.

I always loved the smell of coffee but American coffee tasted repellent to me.

I like European coffees, but only some of them. Usually the lighter espressos that aren't so heavily roasted

After some trial and error though, I have figured out exactly what I like. I only like french press coffee or pour over coffee. Medium roast only. Sometimes even a light or a blonde roast. Nothing smokey, bitter or intense. I like very few espressos.

I also love a few Nespresso pod (hate Kurig) of espresso/coffees: Original Line Single Origin Dulsao de brasil is my favorite https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/capsules/original/dulsao-do-brasil I also like Original Line Volutto: https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/capsules/original/volluto I have almost bought a machine a few times just so I can have this espresso on hand. And I also like this Lungo: https://www.nespresso.com/us/en/order/capsules/original/linizio-lungo

I have coffee a few times a week. As a treat. I'm still not a coffee drinker. If I need caffeine or if I want a hot drink tea is what I reach for.

 

[Yimmers]

For most of the year here in California, I prefer making my own cold brew. I hand grind Philz Philharmonic, stick it in one of those Japanese cold brew makers, and steep overnight. Cheaper than constantly shelling out several bucks a day for iced coffee. I bought the large pot, so I get two days' worth. Since it's getting cooler, I will make my own hot pour over - I'm using the Kavita ceramic funnel, but for guests, pull out the old Chemex. I sold my automatic coffee maker since DH doesn't drink coffee and it took up too much counter space.

I'm experimenting with various beans to see which I like hot. Admittedly, Stumptown makes a good bean for hot coffee. I also like Kona coffee. But for cold brew, I like Philz. I would like to try the old yellow can of chicory coffee from New Orleans for iced coffee. All medium roasts.

I don't drink more than 1-2 cups per day. Sometimes, an Americano when I want espresso. I used to do lattes, but hated the excess foam and gave it up. I take my coffee with cream.

The only exception to making my own coffee is the Philz mint mojito. It's the only fancy coffee drink I will shell $$ for, and I limit myself to at most, 1/x week. It's cold, minty, creamy, and I get it with two Stevias. Otherwise, I generally refuse to pay money for something I can do at home, unless I'm traveling or super tired.

 

[TooPatient]

Mmmmmm..... Coffee!

I buy unroasted beans from a place in California. I especially enjoy beans from Africa or India. There is a blend of African beans I really love but otherwise I stick to single origin.

I roast at home every week or so. Love to do a blend of light, medium, and dark roasts for a really rich flavor.

We grind fresh every morning and make a cup at a time in our espresso machine.

How I drink it depends. Ranges from straight espresso shots to mocha to shots with a splash of brandy.

An order of $50 beans lasts about a year. DH has 3 cups per day. I have a cup or two maybe 3 times a week.

 

[kenny]

I roast at home every week or so.

Really?
Cool.
How?

 

[chrono]

Somewhat picky about my coffee. Strong roast with a full body but without any bitterness, which automatically discounts French Roast. French press is my favourite though. Cream only, please. One cup in the morning, but I might have another cup in the evening on the rare occasion.

 

[star sparkle]

As in real life, looks like I'm one of the very few who does not drink coffee at all. I cannot stand the flavor, don't really like the smell, and, as I've never formed the habit of drinking it, don't need it to kick start my day or get me going in the morning.

My DH enjoys it, though, and has one cup in the morning maybe 4-5 days per week. He grinds his own beans, and recently he's been drinking a dark roast we picked up in Costa Rica when we toured a coffee plantation there this past summer. He only drinks it black, he hates anything added to it.

 

[iLander]

Raised European, so I've been drinking coffee since age 11 or so.

I had issues with breast cysts, so doctor said cut down on coffee. I decided it was probably a chemical issue and stopped drinking big brand coffee (remember Maxwell House?). Now I only drink organic coffee and breast cysts went away!

I order San Francisco Bay Organic Rain Forest Blend Whole Bean coffee from Costco.com and it's only $6 per pound, including shipping.

http://www.costco.com/San-Francisco-Bay-Organic-Rain-Forest-Blend-Whole-Bean-Coffee-3-lb.-Bag-2-pack.product.100039920.html?catalogId=10701&keyword=759594&langId=-1&storeId=10301&refine=

Coffee actually grows wild in my area, so I understand the plant well. What you want is shade-grown coffee, because the amount of chemicals needed to grow coffee out in an open field is staggering. The open field is handy for harvesting, but the plant hates it (much likes cows and corn, but that's a different story) and chemicals have to be poured on and they are probably what actually causes breast cysts.

The San Francisco coffee is excellent, without chemicals. Full flavored, never bitter, it can be super strong if you like, or you can brew it lighter and still have flavor. It has excellent reviews on Costco site. You can buy it elsewhere, but it costs about double.

 

[PintoBean]

OMG this reminds me...one of my former coworkers worked on a project for a few weeks in Vietnam, and the clients took him to buy civet weasel poo poo coffee. He came back with a suitcase full of coffee bags. He said each bag cost about the same as a bag of Starbucks coffee. He swore up and down it was the real deal, not the synthesized to taste like civet coffee. Well let me tell you - he made me a cup a few times at work. That "sh!t" haha was incredible... Creamy, chocolatey coffee.

I would like to buy some but I can't figure out which vendors are legit and who treats the civets ethically.

 

[Gypsy]

OMG this reminds me...one of my former coworkers worked on a project for a few weeks in Vietnam, and the clients took him to buy civet weasel poo poo coffee. He came back with a suitcase full of coffee bags. He said each bag cost about the same as a bag of Starbucks coffee. He swore up and down it was the real deal, not the synthesized to taste like civet coffee. Well let me tell you - he made me a cup a few times at work. That "sh!t" haha was incredible... Creamy, chocolatey coffee.

I would like to buy some but I can't figure out which vendors are legit and who treats the civets ethically.

I've had civit coffee. It ROCKS. Paid a bundle for one pot of it. But it was worth it. Let me know if you find a source.

 

[kenny]

... about that civit coffee ... Sounds like another product to boycott ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak

Partial snip:
The traditional method of collecting feces from wild civets has given way to intensive farming methods in which civets in battery cage systems are force fed the cherries.
This method of production has raised ethical concerns about the treatment of civets due to "horrific conditions" including isolation, poor diet, small cages and a high mortality rate.[3][4]
A 2013 BBC investigation of intensive civet farming in Sumatra found conditions of animal cruelty.[5]
Intensive farming is also criticised by traditional farmers because the civets do not select what they eat, so the cherries which are fed to them in order to flavor the coffee[6][page needed] are of poor quality compared to those beans collected from the wild.[7]
According to an officer from the TRAFFIC conservation programme, the trade in civets to make kopi luwak may constitute a significant threat to wild civet populations.[8]

Although kopi luwak is a form of processing rather than a variety of coffee, it has been called one of the most expensive coffees in the world with retail prices reaching €550 / US$700 per kilogram,[9] close to the €850 / US$1,100 price of Black Ivory coffee.
The price paid to collectors in the Philippines is closer to US$20 per kilogram.[1]
The price of farmed (considered low-grade by connoisseurs) kopi luwak in large Indonesian supermarkets is from US$100 per kilogram (five times the price of a high quality local arabica coffee).
Genuine kopi luwak from wild civets is difficult to purchase in Indonesia and proving it is not fake is very difficult – there is little enforcement regarding use of the name "kopi luwak", and there's even a local cheap coffee brand named "Luwak", which costs under US$ 3 per kilogram but is occasionally sold online under the guise of real kopi luwak.

An investigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia found fraud to be rife in the kopi luwak industry, with producers willing to label coffee from caged civets with a "wild sourced" or similar label.[10]
A BBC investigation revealed similar findings.[5]

 

[kenny]

Hey, maybe I'll swallow a pound of whole beans a day and ... uhm ... farm ... them the next day, dry and roast them.

I'll get rich.

 

[TooPatient]

I roast at home every week or so.

Really?
Cool.
How?

Will type up more details when I am on big computer instead of phone.

I like simple without expensive equipment. I also like a less than perfectly uniform roast (I like the different flavors that come out). A baking sheet in the oven works great.

Links and details soon....

 

[ksinger]

Hey, maybe I'll swallow a pound of whole beans a day and ... uhm ... farm ... them the next day, dry and roast them.

I'll get rich.

Note to self: if I ever meet Kenny, politely decline if he offers me a cup of coffee.