Coffee ... Ambrosia Of The Gods

Yesterday at work we were having a conversation about food -- as ususal -- and someone asked us if there was one food or drink we could not give up, what would it be? Someone said chocolate, someone else said ice cream, one person said broccoli (yes), and after some thought, I said, "Coffee". There is no food more wonderful or more satisfying than a really good cup of coffee. And by the same token, there is nothing less satisfying or nausea-inducing than a bad cup of coffee. There is a particular chain of coffee shops that shall remain nameless, but in my opinion serves the worst coffee known to mankind. This particular chain uses cheap South American robusta coffee beans that are over-roasted in order to mask the cheapness and lower quality of the beans. And what is even worse, they have managed to create a generation of coffee drinkers who think that over-priced, over-roasted, burnt, oily coffee is good. Everyone seems to drink it, but I wonder if those folks really know how really good coffee should taste. And if they did, would they go back to that horrible rotgut over-priced coffee.

The best coffee I have ever had was in France. Most European coffees are actually not roasted very much at all. The wonderful coffee flavor comes from properly brewing the coffee, which for some reason we in North American have not learned how to do well. When my daughter and I stayed at the l'Hôtel de Banville in Paris, a free continental breakfast was offered, included in the price of the room. We had wonderful croissants and rolls, with sweet butter and jam. The coffee was served in silver coffee carafes, with silver cream and sugar bowls. Both the coffee and the cream were steaming hot. I will never forget my first taste of that coffee. It was ambrosia of the gods. After drinking that coffee, I could never -- ever -- drink the burnt, oily coffee served at that chain that shall remain nameless.

The second best coffee I have ever had was in what was formerly called “Little Italy” here in Vancouver, but is now known as “the Drive” (Commercial Drive). They have some of the best barristas in the city on the Drive, and it was there that I learned how to make real Italian espresso. I use a stovetop espresso maker and it's very easy. Here is a website where you can learn how to do it. If I want cappuccino, I have a Bodum container that I can use to create foamy milk. Et voila! Espresso and cappuccino -- no fuss, no muss, and no burnt flavor.

There are wonderful coffees all over the world, Arabian, Turkish, Italian, French, Cuban, Austrian, Dutch, Costa Rican, Indian, Kenyan -- the list goes on. Each has its own flavor. I could never give up coffee. Just don't make me drink that awful stuff from Barstucks that place that shall remain nameless.