What's the Buzz?

Last January I posted a bit about my love affair with coffee. That hasn’t changed a bit. I still go for my morning/afternoon/evening buzz.

The thing is this: I really LIKE coffee. Some people just slug it down for that fast caffeine buzz. But I really like the taste of coffee. I like it strong, thick and sweet. This is why I drink espresso. Black. Yes, yes, I do like the occasional cappuccino or latte and I’m all for iced coffee as long as the temp outside is reasonably warm.

As always, when I have a passion for something, I do a little research. I have a dear friend who works in the coffee business. No, no. He’s not a barista. He is involved with importing beans from South America to Italy and testing the beans for quality. Did I say test? Oh my, my. I do mean TASTE. This is my kind of job.

A few weeks ago he and his lovely wife were in the Boston area and we met for lunch. We had a delightful lunch and they presented me with a big Ziploc bag of fresh roasted beans. Fresh as in roasted yesterday. The fragrance emanating from the bag was heaven on earth.

Anyway, I was curious to know about the coffee business and I asked a million questions. I learned that coffee has overtones, much the way wine does. Fruity, chocolaty etc. It was fascinating. A few days later Xavi asked me what I thought about the blend. I said there was a fruity overtone. He said I was right on the mark. OK…I’m intrigued. I want to know more about this business. 

For some people, coffee is a way to wake up. For me, it’s all about the taste. Yes, I’ll admit to needing my morning caffeine wake up call but I won’t settle for an inferior brew. I don’t mind paying more for a better coffee. I used to swear by Starbucks, but now I’m not so sure I like it. Compared to what I grind, Starbucks tastes bitter and dirty and leaves an unpleasant after taste. Dunks is fine for iced black. My preference when I’m at work is the bar across the hallway which serves up a great Illy espresso. And in the mornings I go for a triple. I’m totally hardcore!!

In a few days I’ll be in Italy again. Trieste. The land of Illy café. You can bet one of the first things I plan on doing is having a coffee.

Have a great week. Next post from Trieste!