Coffee Musings 021707

DC area is experiencing the first, and probably only annual real chill for the past 5 days or so. Because of this, I'm less likely to walk to the grocery store, and I will just use what I have or eat out. My twin won a coffee basket at an auction that contained assorted coffee things; assorted Coffee Mate flavors, bean grinder, big bag of whole coffee beans, biscotti, etc. She gave me whatever I wanted including the 3 containers of Coffee Mate (original, hazelnut, and vanilla), which I never had in my home before. I brought them to work because I thought they might be better than the little packets of cream.

Yesterday, I knew that I would not be able to go to the grocery store to buy organic, whole milk, so I took the Original Coffee Mate home expecting to use it this morning as part of my morning ritual. I also brought home a donut that I bought on Thursday, and just never got around to eating. I expected a stale donut to dunk in half-assed coffee.

Now, it could be just the brilliance of Illy Coffee. That brand is just superb. In the past in many establishments that offer Illy Coffee to customers I drank the dark roast. I would be happy that I was experiencing something truly Italian even though in all honesty I wish I had a light/medium roast. It's like cannoli with me. I like the fact that it's Italian, and I eat it with pride, but I'd rather have a hot fudge nut brownie chocolate chip sundae.

Back to this morning. Whole Foods sells Illy Coffee including a medium roast, which I grab whenever I can. It is very good. I even pick it over organic coffee, which is saying something. When I'm on a soapbox I'm usually soapboxing about choosing organic, and supporting locally grown items, or at least fair trade. One time I tried a small reserve, light roast, organic, fair trade coffee, and this is rare, but something was wrong with it. The taste was off. Again, I rarely have problems. I bought Illy Coffee after that and have never gone back.

Back to this morning. I poured some coffee mate in my cup with just brewed Medium Roast Illy Coffee. It's not that bad. Whole organic milk would have been more enjoyable, but at least it's not soy or skim milk. The first just has a flavor all it's own, and the second . . . why bother, eh? Even more surprising is that my donut wasn't stale. Well, it will be almost 40 degrees today, time to go to the grocery store.