We love coffee–the taste, the smell, the ritual and companionship of sharing a cup.
My husband, Alex, and I love coffee. We enjoy savoring the taste, the smell, the ritual, and companionship of a sipping a cup in any setting—from our back deck in the early morning to an afternoon piazza in Florence.
I wasn’t always interested or a fan of coffee. From my teen years through college, I’d take the occasional dram from someone else’s cup, but even the stress of mid-terms and finals couldn’t convince me to get hooked. Growing up, the steam and hiss of the percolator in my parents’ kitchen was a sound of comfort—it meant my father was awake and preparing for his workday. It brought feelings of security and contentment to my child’s spirit. Sometimes I’d creep out for an early morning hug, always eliciting a warm hug from Dad before sneaking back into bed.
Long after it would have done my college testing brain any good, in my mid-twenties I started to buy instant coffee, making a cup now and then to enjoy the aroma. Even without the accompanying noise of a pot, I still couldn’t develop any satisfaction of the taste.
Transitioning to a Love of Coffee
In my thirties, living in Montana, I began to take tentative swallows. Jackie probably got me hooked on the sharing part of coffee during those cold Montana mornings. Two sisters camped out in cushy chairs before a burning fireplace. A Cousin introduced me to my first latte some years later, which solidified my coffee infatuation.
When Jackie and I had our Italian escapade, we at our Genoa hotel—a lovely vintage affair with an old wrought iron elevator wrapped in glass, we arrived late in the morning. Having missed breakfast at the hotel, which made the waiter quite sad, he took his time to assure us we could have coffee anytime, showing us how to work the complex cappuccino machine.
Espresso is More Than a Latte
In the Cinque Terre, watching the locals enthusiastically downing their espresso in one quick swallow. They stir sugar into the tiny cup, lift, drink, laugh with the proprietor and dash off to work. We tried to emulate their rapidity, but were ever so happy (even with our lost luggage) to savor the liquid as we stared out at the glistening Ligurian Sea. It was delightful to find that everywhere we ordered coffee it came in a real cup rather than paper. What a novel idea.
Alex is a connoisseur of espresso. He samples espresso everywhere we travel, assessing critically whether it is too acid, too thick, too watery or just perfect. He refuses to dilute his brew with either milk or sugar, manly man that he is—fighting the natural bitterness and assessing the beans on their own merit.
When I discovered the difference between lattes (coffee, lots of heated milk) and cappuccinos (frothy milk, but not too much … espresso, but not too strong) … I fell head over heels in love. And just when I think I’ve got my travel coffee lingo down pat, I forget how we Americanize everything and order a “latte” for breakfast at the Vesuvius Hotel in Rapallo. And I receive frothy, warm milk and a puzzled look from the polite waitress. I burst out laughing, as does Alex and I explain. A shot of espresso arrives and I pour my milk into it. She delights in this routine throughout our stay.
I also learn on this trip that a macchiato (espresso with a shot of that hot milk) is the afternoon drink of choice—with lattes and cappuccinos reserved for before noon consumption.
With the world safer from a non-caffeinated me, it’s nice to see an evolution in water-processed decaf options.
For our self-Christmas gift following a trip to Switzerland, we decided upon a Nespresso machine. Ah, what a wonderful, extra special treat for our coffee addiction. At the press of a button, the perfect espresso, coffee, cappuccino or latte appears before us.
I can’t make coffee art the way an ace barista does, but I’ve created accidental clouds in my coffee. What do you think? And are you a coffee lover or do you prefer tea? If you love coffee, why?
Note: Nespresso capsules are 100% recyclable for FREE
Even Burt & Muggins get in on the coffee action.
*Read, Lovely Lyon
I’m starting to catch up to you on the love of coffee. I remember the old percolator coffee pot and I remember the smell of it….why did it take me so long to start drinking coffee?? Seester must not have made me a latte!!!
It’s all in the foamy milk! I turned into a coffee snob way before a wine snob. snicker!
It’s the lattes!!! I could never drink coffee until I discovered the proportions with less coffee and more milk and fun (OK sugary) flavorings and then I was hooked!! Now I can drink coffee with almond milk but will take the latte any day!!
You’re funny, Lisa. (always). I like more coffee, some froth and that’s it. Ah the variations!
I love my Nespresso, but have yet to find a decent milk substitute that froths the way milk does. Sometimes I just cheat. I also recommend ordering Starbucks mocha powder for the perfect Cafe Mocha. Way better than using coco powder!
I use organic half n half from Trader Joe’s. Still milk, I know, but a little healthier. Email them and see if they have any ideas!
I have to make a trip out there, I’m bored with food! (And costco quit selling rice milk)I can splurge once in a while. Cream makes coffee soooo much better!
Yes, I noticed that at Costco–growl. Grocery store sells it, but of course way more expensive.
Yeah, and all our GE has is the refrigerated cartons of vanilla. It tastes like fake play dough I had as a child. Not the same as plain rice milk!
Having my morning dollop!!
It’s snowing. Again. Is that a good reason to have a second cup?
We happen to be on a trip together right now and I wish you would wake up and make me a cup!
I always enjoyed the aroma of coffee when my Dad was making it. He often drank heated up coffee – in the earlier years on the stove in a pan and in later years in the microwave – and that didn’t have quite the same nice aroma – ha! I started drinking coffee in 1977; I remember the year because of my job as a front desk clerk in a local hotel that was torn down to the ground last year. Anyway, I digress. I love coffee and brew quality coffee daily using beans from my favorite coffee shop. A little bit of a correction though on your timeline, Rose. I had my very first latte with Jackie in Red Lodge the year Adam graduated from high school – my love of lattes is all her fault.
I should have known that the whole thing circled back to Seester–my first latte with you; your first latte with her!
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Cappuccino_vs_Latte
Here’s where I read about the difference between the two. Any other opinions out there?
Seester, I love the dollop idea and I think I’ll get some heavy cream today so I can make them! Bailey’s? Hm…
Coffee with Mom–there are stories there to be told, aren’t there?
I always loved the smell of coffee as a kid, too. But every time I tasted it, I couldn’t understand the appeal. But then, in my late twenties, I think, we had dinner at a friend’s house, and she made espresso, and it was so good and smoooooth. Love your idea, Jackie, of freezing whipped cream dollops. Sometimes I’ll make a little Irish coffee after dinner, and having frozen dollops already ready would be great.
Must be a maturity thing, eh Karen? Because we’re so mature, right? HA!
Good espresso is like good wine–it changes your perspective on the drink!
I love, love, love coffee. It was not always so. Mom tried to get me to drink it with her but I was a tea drinker. Somewhere along the way, maybe after having children (and needing some caffeine), I started having coffee with Mom. It was so nice to sit and have a cup with her. Wish I had the chance to do that again!
I was talking with a co-worker a while back and telling him the story of my husband buying me heavy whipping cream instead of half-n-half. My mistake – I told him I needed “cream” for my coffee. Of course whipping cream is yummy (with a thousand more calories)….he told me to whip it with my mixer and then dollop it onto wax paper on a cookie sheet and put it in the freezer. Then put the frozen dollops into a freezer bag or container. So now my coffee has a frozen yummy dollop on top that deliciously melts into my Keurig cup of joe. (He also mixes Bailey’s into the whipped cream!)
I need to try this!
oh, I think my dear Dawn would really like this!
I could start serving specialty coffees at the shop! And I think I would definitely like this!
Great side business!