Coffee songs?!

  Coffee has enough effect on our daily lives that it has driven people to sing about it! Check out these coffee classics and oddballs. Happy Friday!

The Aura of a Coffeehouse

Think about your favorite place to publicly hang out. What keeps drawing you back to that particular spot? Here is a short list of the reasons why you find yourself living at your "other" office.

• Location, location, location. Our favorite spots are generally close to, or in the middle of, high traffic areas. If you can knock out groceries, snag your nephew's birthday present, and pick up your favorite cup of joe... that makes you feel... accomplished.
• Awesome, friendly service. Good coffeehouses are busy. Excellent baristas make sure you get the personalized attention!
• Good coffee and treats. What's the point of hanging out in a coffeehouse if your coffee is terrible?
• Relaxed, yet social, surroundings. If you are using a hang out as an extra office, this becomes the most important feature. Music is not too loud or distracting. There is enough activity to feel relaxed and keep your eyes from straining against your computer screen. And, on occasion, you bump into a friend or two. 

What would you add to this list? 

McCafe: Fast food Coffeehouses?

  I worked at McDonald's during my first year of college. Twenty years later, the fast food mogul has revamped it's menu and added a broader range of coffee house offerings. I will admit, I was skeptical about McD's being able to pull off a decent coffee considering the swill that we used to prepare many years ago. The Nation's Restaurant News shows the evolution of McCafe in the infographic below:

  The first time I had a hot mocha made by them and the one I drank earlier shows a world of difference in maturity in the capability to make these decadent drinks. The early days had too much syrup flavor and not enough oomph. Today's mocha had the Goldilocks Effect. Just right. The right balance of flavor, aroma, and espresso. I may even give the Peppermint Mocha a try after Thanksgiving!

Trusting the Husband to Buy Coffee

  My husband rarely drank coffee before meeting me. Even now, he is picky about what kind of coffee he will drink and he generally never goes back for seconds. He doesn't like coffee flavors, just the regular with lots of sugar and cream. I was hesitant about letting him pick-up a pound of coffee from the grocery store, but I had a coupon for any variety of Kroger's Private Selection Ground Coffee that I had the urge to use. Since he is not into flavors, I figure letting him pick out the a standard blend should not be too difficult.

  I am thankful that my husband does not have the gumption to do anything more or less than what he is told. With that being said, he picked up exactly what was pictured on the coupon, Kroger's Private Selection: Seattle Blend. 

  I have had Seattle's Best before and was, well, underwhelmed by the experience. The problem may have been the fact that when I drank it, it was made by Subway employees. Unless your name is McDonald's I have a big problem with fast food coffee. It's not their specialty, and they should step as far away from it as possible. 

  This blend, too my surprise, is decadently dark, rich, and deep. I am very happy with my husband's choice. Especially since I steer away from the dark coffees unless the mood strikes me. Afraid of trying dark brews? Start with this one! 

How I Became a Coffee Drinker

  It all began when I was a child. Seriously. It did. I am directly descended from someone who hopped off the boat from England. While my parents were never big on coffee or tea, my very British grandmother and great grandmother were heavier drinkers. The difference between my grandmother and great grandmother was that it would not be unheard of for grandma to throw in an extra nip of something, usually alcohol based.

  Back in the 1970's many households were drinking something called "instant coffee." I think instant coffee is great for recipes but not for daily consumption. I would ask for what grandma and grandpa were drinking because, like any six year old, I wanted to be just like them at breakfast. My grandmother would fix me something that was more akin to New England coffee milk. I only imbibed the nectar of life occasionally, so it did not have much of an effect on my youth. 

  I did enjoy tea. I would help my grandmother bring it to my great grandma in the mornings when she was getting out of bed. "A spot of tea" was not unusual growing up and I enjoyed it into my adolescence. 

  I spent many years, between the ages of 12-19, never touching a drop of coffee. 

  Then, my sophomore year of college, the Physics Dept. at UMass-Dartmouth, created a study room just for undergraduate majors to hang out, study, and have access to professors nearby. It had a chalkboard, rows and rows of books and periodicals, and a coffee maker. When you are an undergrad studying Science, Math, and Engineering material, you slowly realize that you need caffeine. Lots of it. From there, my love of the bean grew into an ever-present obsession. 

  How did your obsession begin? 

Flavored coffee

 Many of us do not like a generic coffee flavor. Some like their coffee with a very smooth or mild flavor. Others like it as dark as you can roast the bean. However, it is not unusual to dip into the realm of the flavored coffees. My favorite flavors are centered around chocolate, cinnamon, and a nut flavor. I have tried flavors ranging from your standard vanilla to funky monkey (chocolate/banana) to rainforest nut crunch (nut blend).
  Most coffeehouses use flavored syrups in their coffee to attain the flavor that you desire. However, many of these syrups are made with some form of artificial sugar. Great if you are on a diet. Not so hot if alternative sugars cause migraines. I thought it was just me that had problems with alternate sugars, i.e. Splenda, Nutrasweet, Stevia, etc. Over time, I found they triggered migraines for many people. So, I try to stay away from the coffeehouse flavors that use these syrups. What I love with many coffeehouses is that they try to keep a range of flavors that are roasted with the flavor infused during the roasting process.
  Here is a great info-graphic if you are looking to check out the flavor craze:

  What is even better is that you can now get you favorite flavors at your local grocery store, farmer's market, or natural foods store. The Roanoke Co-op  and Fresh Market sell bins of different varieties and flavors of coffee, including a variety of fair trade coffee. 

  Go ahead... give the flavor wheel a whirl!

Confessions of Caffeine Addict

  We all talk about coffee. Whether we are addicts or the occasional imbiber. There is something about the aroma of fresh brew in the morning to get you going. Some of us equate the aroma and warmth of a fresh cup of java to the sensation of your grandmother's large afghan wrapped around your body. Others like the alertness factor caffeine delivers within the first fifteen minutes after your first sips.
  I have created this blog out of a love for the bean. Plus, Klout analytics believes that my other influential subject besides teaching is coffee! I hope you will join me on a journey of discovery about our favorite shared subject. I will be delivering coffee news, health issues associated with coffee, coffee recipes, and reviews of coffeehouses, local and chains, in the Roanoke Region. When I am lucky enough to travel, I will report on the coffee happenings where I am at that moment.
  One of my favorite coffeehouses is a little place on Grandin Rd. in Roanoke City called CUPS Coffee and Tea. It is affectionately called by the locals as "their other office" to the point that the owner, Michelle Bennet, had bumper stickers made to reflect this message. They serve locally roasted coffee, coffee confections, and goodies made by local artisan kitchens. They also sell t-shirts with funny slogans, display new artists once a month on the walls, and have added local knitting artisan to their collection of wares. On Tuesday nights, you can bring a team of your smartest friends down for CUPS Quiz at 7 pm and show off those gorgeous neurons. There is a section that has games that you can play while you are enjoying your coffee, plenty of seating inside and outside, a bike rack made by a local artist, and, best of all, you can leave one of your own mugs behind if you visit often enough!
  I am enjoying a locally roasted Costa Rican coffee. It has a smooth taste with a bit of a kick. I would place this roast in the medium category. Not too bold and definitely not dull. Their house flavor is Double D and I suggest you give this a try on your first visit. When I want to treat myself, I snag a Snickers Mocha. Yum! Come on down and hang out!