Cup O' Joe: My Love Affair With Coffee

I love coffee. I can’t imagine starting my day without a fresh brewed cup. Yes, I know that the caffeine boost is a major bonus but I really love the taste. I am, however, a bit of a coffee snob. You knew that was coming, didn’t you?

I’m a bit picky. I don’t do Dunks. To me, their coffee tastes like a brown crayon dipped in water. Starbucks is passable in an emergency. The honest truth is that I make really good coffee at home. It’s like an art form.

I use a little espresso pot. It’s adorable. I have several in different sizes. I use Italian espresso and in the mornings I foam some milk to make a cappuccino. It’s simply perfect.

Of course the best place to drink espresso is in Italy. I do that. A lot. I spend a good deal of time in Trieste (more about that coming in another post) and the coffee there is so perfect it can bring tears to your eyes. No joke. Italians take their java really seriously. Coffee is an integral part of their day. If you go out for the coffee at your neighborhood bar, you can catch up on all the latest news, gossip and sports of course. You order your choice of coffee, add sugar and stir for about five minutes while standing at the bar. Then you slug it down like a shot of whiskey. It’s amazing. I’m always the last one to finish. I have this thing about savoring my cup. If you sit down at a little table, they’ll bring you biscotti (yummy little cookies) and sometimes a little bite of chocolate. My favorite neighborhood bar is owned by a guy named Bruno. He makes a wicked good cappuccino. Even if I’m not stopping in I’ll wave and shout out, “Ciau, Bruno! Come xe?” (Triestino for hey, Bruno, how’s it going?)

I think all those fancy espresso machines are really cool. They also have an expensive price tag. You can buy me one if you like. In the meantime I’ll stick to my little stovetop espresso pot.

Come on over. I’ll make you the best cappuccino ever. You’ll want seconds. Me and my joe. A love affair.