# Any Coffee Gourmets Out There?



## SeaBreeze (Feb 1, 2013)

We usually just get any coffee that's on sale, like store brands, Folgers, Maxwell House, etc.  But every so often, we get some better quality beans, and fresh grind in store.  Right now we're *really* enjoying two coffees, a Kona (Hawaiian) blend, and the other is a Kenya...both are a special treat in the morning.  Neither of us drink coffee throughout the day, just in the AM, 1-2 cups.

Any coffee in particular that you like to drink? :teapot: (I know, let's make believe )


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## pchinvegas (Feb 2, 2013)

I do love coffee and always have. I like it strong, dark and sweet. I think New Orleans or Cuban style are my favorites. I have recently been experimenting with teas, kinda of an acquired taste I think.


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## SeaBreeze (Feb 2, 2013)

Don't use any sugar in mine, but am guilty of loading it up with CoffeeMate.  When I was working, people used to say, 'having a little coffee with your creamer?'.  I know I'd be better off using half and half, or even heavy cream, but the chemical stuff is so handy, no refrigeration, and doesn't cool the coffee...pickin' my poison here, LOL.


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## SifuPhil (Feb 3, 2013)

I HAVE to drink coffee, by law - I'm a writer.

That being said, I spent the first 40 years of my life drinking tea. Gets boring after that long. So then I switched to coffee, and I never do anything in a small way.

I currently go through about 12-16 cups a day. My kidneys glow in the dark. But I make it fairly weak, so I like to think that compensates. Sure, Phil. 

As for brand ... if it's coffee, I drink it. I'm quite frugal, so the thought of spending $20/lb for some beans that were cured on the thighs of Brazilian virgins just doesn't appeal to me - I'm happy with good ol' Maxwell House. Plus, I worked for General Foods for a while so I still have that brand loyalty from back when I used to get unlimited amounts for free.

If it was good enough for Margaret Hamilton (The Wicked Witch of the West) it's good enough for me.


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## FishWisher (Feb 3, 2013)

I like to tell those who add cream and/or sugar to their coffee that they don't really like coffee, but the sugar. Or the cream. Or whatever concoction they add. I, however, drink it black - like a man!

mmmmm. Real coffee for me. It's the real thing for real men. Like me!

Then those sugar/cream lovers find out I drink mostly decaf and my "real" coffee drinker status is blown. Bummer.

...so when is that the meek inherit the earth??


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## rkunsaw (Feb 4, 2013)

I drink it black in the mornings. My wife sweetens hers with stevia. Sometimes in the evening I will add a flavored creamer or chocolate.
We don't use any special blends.


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## Steve (Feb 10, 2013)

I like my coffee "Black-Black" which means No sweetener and NO whitener...

I also like a flavourful cup of coffee and NOT what I call "black water"....

We have a Tassimo coffee machine for during the day and then I like my 
Gervalia" dark Italian coffee.. I used to buy the "Starbucks Bold but that isn't available anymore..

In the morning however, we both (my wife Annmarie and I) like the Folgers 
"Black" coffee.. It is flavourful.. Unfortunately a regular mug just won't cut it.. I have a HUGE mug after breakfast and enjoy it in the living room..
Actually I make 10 cups of coffee in the mornings for the 2 of us.. Each one mug !!!

I always take mine black and my wife takes hers with a bit of heavy cream (18%)


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## Pearl (Feb 21, 2013)

Ohhhh yes! I love coffee. I have one of those Italian coffee makers and I love the ritual of getting it set up in the mornings before walking the dog. I experiment with coffees but recently have been buying Fair Trade coffee which, apart from the excellent taste, hopefully guarantees no child labour has been employed; no pesticides and no herbicides have been used and that the manufacturer gets a fair price. Hopefully, the financial benefits are passed on to the workers - but I wear my cynical hat on thet one . . . 

I take my coffee black without sugar. When having a coffee in a cafe I order, what is known in cafes here in the UK, an "American" and in France is an "allongée". The smell of fresh coffee in the morning cannot be beaten.

However, coffee definitely gives me a "buzz", if I drink it in the afternoons I don't sleep well at night.


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## R. Zimm (Feb 22, 2013)

Growing up in SE Florida I ended up drinking Cuban coffee which is like espresso, very strong. They drink it with hit mild and lots of sugar - WHAM! You get a jolt with that stuff.

I had to back off the old bean though because of high blood pressure. Now I make half caf in the am and alternate during the day at work but I drink more decafe than regular overall. I also do not drink soft drinks very often because they usually have caffeine in them too. For some reason I do not like tea as much but lately have been trying some pomegranate tea that is caffeine free and quite tasty.


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## SeaBreeze (Feb 22, 2013)

Just bought some Jamacia Blue blend, and it's good, but I guess my fav so far is Kona, and Kenya as a second.  Never took sugar in my coffee, only cream.  There was a guy I used to work with, and he always put around 6-7 teaspoons of sugar into a small 6 oz. cup of coffee...amazed me!   He was thin, and pretty hyper, with or without all that sugar.


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## R. Zimm (Feb 23, 2013)

^^^ Sounds like he just needed the sugar to fuel his metabolism!


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## SifuPhil (Feb 23, 2013)

Just to show what a gourmand I am ... I ran out of coffee this morning, and rather than walk a mile to the store in 20-degree weather I elected to make "by-pass" coffee - pouring a fresh pot of water over the same grounds. 

When things are REALLY bad there's also double- and triple-bypass.


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## That Guy (Apr 7, 2013)

Was one of those folks how laughed at the coffee crowd until my son started working at the local coffee house as a teen.  He would bring home the most delicious brew!  Eventually, the young women working there got to know me and give me free coffee.  It was great while it lasted...


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## Jambi (Aug 30, 2013)

*I really like this stuff*








Organic, shade grown. A little over $5 a pound at Costco.

http://www.gourmet-coffee.com/organic-rainforest-blend.html


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## babyboomer (Nov 29, 2013)

I guess, I am a coffee addict. I love my tea as well. Thats pure ground coffee, and leaf tea.
Please, do not get offended, but in instant coffee and tea bags, one gets more dust, emulsifiers, and who knows what.
I am just as well intrigued with people who are smoking cigaretes wit no nicotine, coffee with no caffeine, 
tea with no teanine, and so on.
It is almost like " french kissing, trough the glass"!!:love_heart:


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## maxHR (Nov 29, 2013)

anyone grinding their own beans vs pre ground? I'm using ground coffee, thinking of getting a grinder , - theory is it should be fresher coffee right?


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## babyboomer (Nov 29, 2013)

Just a naughty note: Good cuppa will increase your libido!!


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## Judi.D (Nov 29, 2013)

I love coffee strong and black. I do grind my own beans and make my coffee in a french press. Years ago while living in the Dominican Republic I fell in love with their coffee, very strong but without a bitter aftertaste. However, it wasn't available in this country even over the Internet. We would take an empty suitcase with us when we would go and bring it back full of coffee.  About 4-5 years ago that started importing it. I am able to get it now in a town about 40 min. from here. stock up several times a month. I also like the Kona and Kenya. The organic rain-forest brand at Costco's is also very good, and not as pricey. There is also an Earth Fare  near here that carries a good organic brand that is real good.

I have a friend who also likes her coffee and she bought a roaster. Thought about getting one too. However, we both decided that it wasn't as pleasant a smell in your house as in a coffee shop.


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## babyboomer (Nov 29, 2013)

yeah, Judy, The smell coming from coffee merchant shop , the smell of coffee being roasted, early in the morning, is tantalising.
The next best smell, is the smell from the bakers shop.
But then, my strongest sense is "Smell"


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## Pappy (Nov 29, 2013)

We got hooked on this brand a while back and order 160 pods at one time on EBay. It is a medium strong coffee and an excellent breakfast starter. Saves a lot of plastic too, as the pods are made like a coffee filter.


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## Jambi (Feb 5, 2014)

maxHR said:


> anyone grinding their own beans vs pre ground? I'm using ground coffee, thinking of getting a grinder , - theory is it should be fresher coffee right?



A good burr grinder won't be cheap, but you are right, the fresher the grind the better the coffee.

I have found that the consistency of the grind is more important that the freshness, at least over the 30 days it takes to consume the few pounds I've ground when I buy it.

I use a french press for brewing during the winter and a cold brew carafe during the summer.


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## jrfromafar (Feb 6, 2014)

the other day I bought an old coffee carafe, sugar and creamer, cup and saucer. the carafe had this inscription on it:





_
"coffee: black as the devil, hot as hell, light as an angel, and soft as love"_


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## jrfromafar (Feb 6, 2014)

Jambi said:


> Organic, shade grown. A little over $5 a pound at Costco.
> 
> http://www.gourmet-coffee.com/organic-rainforest-blend.html




we used to buy our coffee at Costco, but became hooked on an Italian blend at Winco. Twice as expensive, but... hooked is hooked!

always espresso brewed, 3x daily. we have an automatic espresso machine, but I love the stove top ones too


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## RedRibbons (Feb 17, 2014)

I must  gave two cups in the morning. I make Maxwell house original with lots of Carnation evaporated milk. I can't stand coffee with no milk, as it all tastes bitter to me. I do not like or drink milk during the day, so I figure I am getting vitamins from regular milk, by drinking evaporated milk in my coffee.


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## RedRibbons (Feb 17, 2014)

During our snow/ice storm, I wasn't able to get out to go to the store. I almost ran out of my Carnation evaporated milk. So, today when I went to the store I bought a container of Coffee Mate instant creamer, just in case. I just can't hardly stand coffee black.layful:


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