How To Grind Coffee Beans

If you've ever wondered how to grind coffee beans, you're not alone. I love the taste of fresh ground coffee beans, but the process has always been confusing. When the professionals do it (sometimes even my friends), the resulting coffee tastes rich and delicious. But when I grind coffee beans, the results are less than spectacular.

I suppose the first step in learning how to grind coffee beans is to select great beans to begin with. But after that it gets kind of complicated.

Fortunately Kevin Siloo wrote a great article discussing this very process recently, and I'd like to share it with you (thanks Kevin!)

Do You Know How To Grind Coffee Beans Properly?
By Kevin Siloo

Air is the enemy of all coffee drinkers. Once air comes in contact with your coffee grinds, they begin to lose their flavor. Ground coffee is vacuum packed to retain freshness, but once the seal is broken it starts to lose its taste. Buying whole coffee beans and grinding them yourself is a great way to ensure that your coffee remains as flavorful as possible.

Grinding your own coffee beans right before you brew your coffee is a great way to make sure that you're getting the freshest cup of coffee possible. But do you know how to grind your coffee beans properly? Grinding your coffee is an important part of the coffee making process and as it is important it needs to be done well.

Different types of coffee calls for different types of grinds. So for the freshest best tasting ground coffee you need to grind the coffee beans yourself in the best manner possible.

Of course for the real coffee fanatics and connesieurs you may want to invest in a complete bean to cup coffee machine.

French Press or Percolator Coffee

If you plan on brewing your coffee with a percolator or a French Press coffee maker then you'll need a coarser grind. Place the coffee beans in your coffee grinder and tap the grind button a few times as you would use the pulse feature on your food processor.

The goal is to break the beans up so that they look like tiny pieces of coffee bean. If they look like a powder, then you need to slowly back away from the coffee grinder and start again. Remember to tap the button and not hold it down.

Drip Coffee Makers

Automatic drip coffee makers work best with medium grinds. Picture the grinds that you'd find in a can of supermarket coffee. Those are medium ground coffee beans. The ground coffee looks like the brown sand from a beach made of coffee. Try and grind the coffee beans until it looks like brown sand. Once again, while holding the coffee grinder button, don't get carried away and over grind your coffee beans. Grinding your coffee to fine is a mistake if you are using an automatic coffee machine.

Espresso Machines

Finally if your using an espresso maker, you want those fine powdery grinds that you've been trying to avoid when making coarse and medium grinds. The finer the better so grind away until your heart is content.

About the Author

Trevor Klast is a fanatical coffee drinker always in search of the perfect bean to cup coffee machines for an outstanding expresso coffee.

(Printed with permission from GoArticles.com)

Buying Coffee

We all love drinking it, but when it comes to buying coffee, it's easy to get overwhelmed with all the options. Especially when you're buying beans at a grocery or specialty store. Personally, I love buying coffee, taking it home and drinking it right away. It's a fun surprise finding out what it tastes like.

But I'll admit buying coffee can get confusing. I recently found this article, written by Eric Smith, that addresses this very problem. It's a short read but full of good information.

And if you're wondering how much money you can save by brewing your own coffee, you should check out this post I wrote the other day. Read it here.

Buying Coffee

By Eric Smith

Choosing from the more than thirty types of coffee in my local store always causes a sense of stress and confusion. Among these choices are vanilla, light, dark, robust and more. With all the choices available, one needs a handbook to understand the choices that are available on the market and which one is just right for the needs of the customer.

It is not as complicated as it seems to be since all information printed on a coffee package refers to the level that the coffee bean was roasted, the place of origin of the beans before being roasted, type of blend and finally the flavoring that was added to each bean before it was roasted. Most people enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning for breakfast to start their day off. But many people drink coffee at each meal and all day long. Folgers coffee is an excellent brand. It is one of my favorites. It has a strong robust flavor and can be purchased at your local grocery store. We often drink Folgers more then any other coffee. Maxwell House is an outstanding brand of coffee also. It is similar to Folgers in taste with a solid robust flavor. Also a smart choice.

You get what you pay for, if you go to the local grocery store to get coffee beans, most likely they are not going to be very fresh. The better way to get high quality coffee would be a specialty shop or market. Coffee is not a grocery store's top priority; so it won't be as fresh as the specialty store. Another good idea is to store your beans in an air-tight package, in a dark cool place and at 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make great coffee with a Cuisinart coffee maker dcc 2000.

About The Author:

Eric Smith loves to drink and write about coffee.

(Published with permission from GoArticles.com)

How Much Money Can You Save By Brewing Your Own Coffee?

Have you ever wondered how much money you could save by brewing your own coffee instead of buying a fancy latte or mocha from your favorite coffee shop every day? I sat down one day and did the math, the totals might surprise you - they might even scare you (at least they scared me once I realized how much money I was dumping into my gourmet coffee addiction).

Keep in mind I'm not advocating that you should quit going to your favorite coffee shop all together. I haven't. And I probably won't. But I do put all of this into perspective, and often times choose a home brew instead.

So here's how to calculate how much money you can save by brewing your own coffee.

Step 1: Add up the total amount you spend at coffee shops throughout the week.

For those of you who keep good records, this is probably easy. For the rest of us who fly our finances by the seats of our pants, you might have to approximate. In my case, I buy at least one big latte every weekday at my corner coffee shop. By the time I throw in a tip, the total is about $5. And since I do this pretty much every day, my weekly total is $25.

Step 2: Do some simple math.

Now that you've got a number from step one, multiply it by 4 to get a monthly total. In my case I multiplied $25 by 4 for a grand total of $100! That's $100 every month that goes straight to the coffee shop.

Sure this is all just an approximation, but it's a good starting point.

To take it further, you can take your monthly cost (in my case, $100) and multiply it by 12 for an annual cost. That comes out to $1,200 per year for me! Whoa!

Step 3: Determine the cost of home brewing.

I've gone ahead and done some basic math (it wasn't hard, but for the sake of this blog I'll skip my details) and found that each cup of Folgers coffee that I brew costs about three cents. Yup, that's it. A measly $0.03. Feel free to use this number yourself, or round up to a nickle or dime if you really dump lots of beans into the filter or buy expensive brand name beans.

Then you can take that number and multiply it the same way we did in the earlier steps. In my case, it would cost $.15 per week, $.60 per month and $7.20 per year. Granted this is on a cup-by-cup basis, which means you're only brewing one cup at a time. If you're like me and brew an entire 8-cup pot every day, your costs will go up eight fold. Still, it only comes out to $57.6 per year.

Step 4: Determine how much money you can save by brewing your own coffee.

This is easy, just subtract the numbers you got in step three by those you got in steps one and two. In my case, $1,200 - $60 (rounded) gives me an annual savings of $1,140!

Buy Coffee In Bulk And Save Money

Given today's economy, who doesn't want to save money? You can save money by buying your coffee in bulk. Sure it costs a little more up front, but the cost-per-serving is almost always less than buying smaller portions.

If you're ready to buy coffee in bulk and save money, I've included a short article written by JT Todd. He really knows his stuff, and his ideas can keep the coffee brewing while putting less strain on your wallet.

Brewing Coffee In Bulk To Save Money
By JT Todd

Bulk coffee is widely available online at a significant price discount. Of course, you have to keep in mind that shipping costs can be a factor because the coffee beans are usually shipped in 5-25 pound bags. Try to find and order from a coffee distributor that is located near you. This should help reduce delivery costs and delivery times. I usually like to get my coffee order the next day. That may limit my available choices, but then again I don't want to pay overnight shipping fees on 25 pound bags of coffee.

There are quite a few bulk coffee programs out there. Many times you can save a significant amount if you join a plan where a certain amount of coffee is shipped to you on a monthly basis. How much coffee you need to order varies by company so you need to check out the terms of each plan. Most house blend coffees for sale come from a variety of vendors. You'll find blends of coffee from Kenya, Sumatra, South America and Central America. It's wise to first test the quality of the coffee by buying the smallest quantity you can. Personally, I buy coffee in small amounts and I usually only buy the best. Obviously, if you have a coffee house, diner or restaurant, then you will probably need larger amounts of coffee.

As I mentioned previously, you most likely own a restaurant or large office if you are buying bulk coffee. It is probably a good idea to get buy or lease a commercial grade coffee machine if you frequently brewing large amounts of coffee. Regular home coffee makers tend to be too slow at making coffee and they don't make the water hot enough to extract the maximum flavor from the coffee bean. If you are wondering why your home brewed coffee does not taste the same as it does in the store, this is one of the reasons why. Water temperature during brewing is very important. If you don't need lots of coffee, don't buy large bags. Yes, you can save money by buying a 25 pound bag, but if it takes you a year to use up that much coffee then don't do it. The last cup will be totally devoid of any flavor. A good rule of thumb is to only buy as much coffee as you'll be using within the next month.

Learn more about bulk coffee at Coffee Delivery Services.

About The Author
JT Todd is an avid coffee drinker. Coffee Delivery

So go out there and save money by buying coffee in bulk!

(This article was printed with permission from GoArticles)

Save Money By Brewing Your Own Coffee

If you're anything like me, you LOVE drinking coffee, especially from specialty coffee shops. The problem is that each cup costs a couple of dollars each, and gets progressively more expensive as the amount of shots, flavors, etc... goes up. While $3 to $5 might not sound like much, it certainly adds up fast. Just imagine how quickly you'd save money by brewing your own coffee instead of buying it from a coffee shop.

Let's say you drink just one gourmet coffee per day every weekday. At $5 per cup times 5 days per week, that's $25 in savings in just five days. That adds up to $100 per month and about $1,200 per year!

I'm not saying you should give up your coffee shop habit for good, but just imagine if you were to cut your dependence on it in half.

R.L. Fielding wrote a great article on this very topic. Check it out, I think you'll find it very interesting and full of great tips and ideas:

The Gourmet Coffee Lover's Guide To The Recession
By R.L. Fielding

You may have heard of the "Latte Factor", a term made famous by best selling author David Bach. The thought behind the Latte Factor is that each day a person spends a small amount of money on a cup of coffee or latte. While the money spent on this small indulgence does not seem like much at the time, over several weeks or months this miniscule expenditure can turn into a large expense. Some gourmet coffee stores charge nearly two dollars per 20 ounce cup of coffee. Making that purchase just five days a week can add up to $40 per month and $480 per year. And if your spouse or partner has the same coffee habit, you could be spending nearly $1000 a year on coffee outside of the home.

In tough economic times it becomes important to cut corners and save every penny possible. Treats like a daily stop at the neighborhood café are among the first expenses to land on the chopping block. Yet if you switch to making gourmet coffee for yourself at home, you can enjoy your daily "treat" and still save money.

The biggest drawback most people imagine when switching to home-brewed coffee is a loss of convenience. Having to set up and clean a coffee pot can be a hassle that only adds stress to an already hectic daily routine. But it doesn't have to be that way! With today's most modern coffee makers (a Keurig coffee maker, for instance, can brew a single cup of coffee at a time with virtually no set up or clean up), and a few other ideas to help you save money on coffee, you can cheaply and easily keep or add gourmet coffee as part of your daily routine.

Find a coffee maker that works for you

With the wide variety of coffee makers available in today's marketplace - from traditional 12-cup drip coffee makers to single cup brewing machines, there really is something available for everyone. Is time an issue? Single-cup coffee makers, which use individually packaged coffee pods, can brew a cup of coffee in less than a minute. Many drip coffee makers now include clocks that will start the brewing process while you are still snoring through your last few minutes of sleep.

While you can peruse weekly store circulars and visit stores to find the machine that is right for you, many prefer the convenience of shopping online. In addition to being able to compare the various features of each machine side-by-side, you can also read reviews from other customers, and search around for the best price. Concerned about paying extra shipping charges? Many sites offer free shipping or special discounts for loyal shoppers.

Keep your coffee fresh so you waste less While purchasing a coffee maker that uses individual pods to brew single servings is a great way to get the freshest gourmet coffee at home, there are other alternatives that can help you keep your coffee tasting great, right down to the last bean. Contrary to what you may have heard, storing your coffee in the refrigerator or freezer does not help keep your coffee fresher over time. The refrigerator can expose your coffee to excess moisture and the freezer will only make your coffee very, very cold. The best solution is to store your ground coffee or coffee beans in a container that keeps as much air and light out as possible.

Another idea that will help keep your coffee fresh is to invest in a bean grinder. If you grind just the beans you need each day, you will be able to keep the coffee fresher than you would if you purchased pre-ground coffee. Again, air exposure is a critical factor. The less your coffee is exposed to air, the longer it will remain fresh.

Before you start brewing, there are two things to consider that will keep you from wasting extra coffee. First, estimate how much you and your family will actually be able to drink. Brew only what you will drink in one sitting. Once the coffee has finished brewing, pour everyone a cup and immediately transfer the remaining coffee from the pot to an insulated carafe. The carafe will keep the coffee hot and fresh over the next several hours. Sometimes, when you leave the brewed coffee in the pot for an extended period of time, the coffee can acquire a "burnt" taste that will make drinking it less enjoyable. You can also side-step this issue entirely by brewing single servings using a one-cup coffee maker.

Keep an eye out for sales and specials on your favorite coffee

To save money on coffee beans and coffee pods, keep an eye out for sales. Not only will local retailers occasionally offer special savings, you can watch for sales at online coffee vendors as well. These sites may offer special promotions on specific types of coffee, or all-out sales at certain times of the year such as Christmas. Sign up for e-mail updates from your favorite online retailers to be sure that you're among the first to hear about the latest discounts on your favorite gourmet brands.

No time to brew at home? Downsize!

You might not always have time to brew fresh coffee at home, but that does not mean you have to forego coffee altogether. To save money during the recession and beyond, consider ordering your coffee in a smaller cup. Over time, you will be able to save a significant amount of money by downsizing from a large to a medium coffee or from a medium to a small coffee.

You should also consider investigating alternative coffee shops. While you may have fallen into the routine of visiting a particular café, others in your area may offer great tasting coffee at a lower price point. Some shops may offer special discounts to frequent coffee drinkers. You can also try switching to an every-other-day routine. By brewing coffee at home or drinking free coffee at your office every other day of the week, you will ultimately save money.

As you can see, enjoying gourmet coffee has the potential to be both convenient and cost-effective - in addition to being delicious. By making some sensible changes to your gourmet coffee routine, you can easily save money without having to sacrifice your daily coffee fix.

About R.L. Fielding

R.L. Fielding has been a freelance writer for 10 years, offering her expertise and skills to a variety of major organizations in the education, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing industries.

About CoffeeCow.com

CoffeeCow.com goes to great lengths to provide the highest quality products, the fastest service, and the deepest discount prices you will find on Keurig K-Cups, coffee pods, and a wide selection of related coffee supplies for your home or office. Visit www.coffeecow.com for more information.

About The Author

R.L. Fielding has been a freelance writer for 10 years, offering her expertise and skills to a variety of major organizations in the education, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing industries.

(Published with permission from GoArticles.com)

How To Choose A Braun Coffee Maker

Braun coffee makers are a very popular choice amongst many coffee drinkers. The company offers several models, ranging from small home models to larger units that feel right at home at an office or even a commercial restaurant. And Braun coffee makers have a reputation for great reliability.

But if you're looking to add one into your home or office, you might be a bit overwhelmed by all the choices available. So if you're wondering how to choose a Braun coffee maker, maybe this article written by Kainoa Louise will help out:

Choosing Your Braun Coffee Maker
By Kainoa Louise

Most modern homes contain a few small appliances in the kitchen, in addition to such things as the stove, refrigerator, Braun coffee maker and microwave. For instance, most will have a toaster, blender, mixer and crock pot as well. One thing almost every home must have is a good coffee maker, and one of the most preferred options is a Braun coffee maker.

This is because the brand is recognized for making long-lasting, high-quality and efficient small appliances. A Braun coffee maker will be available in a wide range of styles and designs, and capable of brewing a single perfect cup of coffee or espresso and up to twelve cups in a single cycle.

To pick the best Braun coffee maker for your needs, it is important to first take a few minutes to "jot down" a list of your requirements. For example, will you be serving more than four to six cups on a regular basis? Do you need an energy efficient model? Would a timer be handy? Do you need additional features such as a steam arm or coffee grinder?

Knowing all of the answers to such questions will help to narrow down the list of machines to compare. Additionally, when considering the purchase of a Braun coffee maker it is also helpful to look for user reviews or feedback as well. While most of the brand's machines will usually rank highly in consumer comparisons, a user might be able to indicate where a machine doesn't meet your needs. For instance, if you plan to use the coffee maker to brew daily cups of coffee as well as larger pots for times when you are entertaining, a user's review might indicate that the machine's temperature settings didn't allow for a stronger pot at large capacity. Doing some comparison shopping is the best way to choose the right Braun coffee maker for your home.

About The Author:

Kainoa Louise is no stranger to coffee. Spending his summer's harvesting coffee and macadamia nuts on his grandparent's farm, Kainoa learned all there was to know about coffee. Easy-Coffee-Recipes.com offers everything he's learned about coffee as well as everything you've ever wanted to know about coffee, coffee makers and coffee recipes.

(Published with permission from GoArticles.com)

Privacy

Keeping up with modern Internet standards, I've put together this official privacy policy that explains what this site does with certain information. It might sound kind of scary, but it's just the legalize mubmo-jumbo that site masters must go through these days. There's a good chance your favorite sites have similar privacy statements, you just might have to dig for them. I prefer to put mine out in the open. But that's just me.

Now I'm going to grab a cup of coffee while you read this policy statement:

This privacy policy tells you how we use personal information collected at this site. Please read this privacy policy before using the site or submitting any personal information. By using the site, you accept the practices described here.

Collection of Information
We collect personally identifiable information, like names, email addresses, etc., when voluntarily submitted by our visitors. The information you provide is used to fulfill your specific request, unless you give us permission to use it in another manner, for example, to add you to one of our mailing lists.

Cookie/Tracking Technology
Our site may use cookies and tracking technology which are useful for gathering information such as browser type and operating system, tracking the number of visitors to the site, and understanding how visitors use the Site. Personal information cannot be collected via cookies and other tracking technology, however, if you previously provided personally identifiable information, cookies may be tied to such information. Third parties such as our advertisers may also use cookies to serve ads to you based on your visit to our site and other sites on the internet. If you want to opt out of our third-party advertiser (Google Adsense)’s use of cookies, please visit the Google ad and content network privacy policy.

Distribution of Information
We do not share your personally identifiable information to any third party for marketing purposes. However, we may share information with governmental agencies or other companies assisting us in fraud prevention or investigation. We may do so when: (1) permitted or required by law; or, (2) trying to protect against or prevent actual or potential fraud or unauthorized transactions; or, (3) investigating fraud which has already taken place.

Commitment to Data Security
Your personally identifiable information is kept secure. Only authorized staff of this site (who have agreed to keep information secure and confidential) have access to this information. All emails and newsletters from this site allow you to opt out of further mailings.

Privacy Contact Information
If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about our privacy policy you may contact us using the information below:

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We reserve the right to make changes to this policy. You are encouraged to review the privacy policy whenever you visit the site to make sure that you understand how any personal information you provide will be used.

Coffee Makers - Great Gifts For College Students

Looking for a perfect gift for the college student in your life? Why not get him or her a coffee maker. It's a perfect solution for all those late-night study hours and early morning classes.

This article by Annie Deakin (GoArticles.com) explains it all.

Coffee Makers, Great Gifts For College Students
by Annie Deakin

One of the smells of home for many college students is the smell of fresh coffee brewing in the morning. Many students do not wake up in time to brew coffee in their apartments, but may end up having to grab a cup in the drive through on the way or in the student union. Fresh brewed coffee is often reported as one of the smells most often missed and may be a cause for homesickness of first term college students.

Before students leave for college, they are accustomed to dad getting up before anyone else to start a pot of coffee. As the coffee brews, he then makes the rounds, making sure that each person is awake and getting ready for school or work. When each one comes downstairs he is greeted with a fresh cup of coffee.

Once the student moves out on his own, dad is no longer there to make the coffee. Now the student must begin to take charge of some of the things he has taken for granted for so many years.

Dad is still making coffee at home every morning, but home may be hundreds of miles away. The student may even still have coffee every morning, but they have to get out of bed and start the brewing process for themselves.

At the end of the first term, the student had an opportunity to return home for the first time. The first morning they are home, the familiar smell of coffee drifts back to their room. The student knows that they are home.

You may not be able to send dad back to college with the student for the second term, and the student may be glad about that, but you can send the wake up smell of fresh coffee back with the student. Give him an automatic coffee maker for Christmas. With automatic coffee makers, the student can add the coffee and water the night before, set the timer and wake up to that familiar smell of fresh coffee in the morning.

Be sure that you include some of the family's favorite coffee beans and a coffee grinder. Then the student can have the same coffee you serve every morning in his apartment or dorm room. He just has to add all the ingredients and set the timer.

There are times that students must take early classes to fulfill requirements. Parents, I do not know if you are aware of this or not, but college students sometimes stay up too late (those guys are so dedicated to their studies or they could go to bed on time). In the morning they may turn the alarm off and miss class, but the aroma of fresh coffee will wake them every time.

Even if that 8:00 class is not their favorite, at least you can know that they will be awake in time to be fully conscience of their choice to ditch class and watch the Andy Griffith rerun one more time. He may not be learning chemistry, but he could ace a television history quiz.

About the Author

Annie is an expert furniture and interior design writer. Her current area of specialism is bathroom cabinets, console tables and side table.

(Published with permission from GoArticles.com)

Espresso Machine Buying Guide

Looking to buy an espresso machine? This article written by Markus Yannies is a great resource.

Features to Consider When Shopping For Espresso Machines

When shopping for a home espresso machine, sales people at many of the retail stores will try to steer you to the most expensive models with all the bells and whistles. While that may be the perfect choice for some espresso drinkers, for others it is a bit of overkill. The best way to shop for a home espresso machine is via the internet, where you can find the greatest variety of equipment at the lowest prices.

Cup warmers, usually located atop the machine, keep your espresso cup warm and ready.

A frothing wand is a handy device for adding frothed milk to cappuccinos and lattes. Higher end espresso machine models include a special canister just for the milk.

For making more than espresso or coffee, some units include a hot water dispenser. This is a handy accessory if you do a lot of entertaining and want to be able to quickly accommodate guests who wish for other hot beverages.

Be sure to look at all the options online for espresso machine sales. Without the pressure of commissioned salespeople breathing over your shoulder, you can browse through the available models and their key features in comfort. As well, you will undoubtedly find the best prices and be on your way to making the perfect cup of espresso in no time.

Espresso machines can be simple mocha pots or actual electrical appliances which brew with steam and manual pressure, ones with a lever/piston pressurizing device, or automated pump mechanisms. A mocha pot is the cheapest option but certainly has the greatest number of limits. At the top of the scale are the pump espresso makers, which come with a variety of features.

Professional baristas know the value of having the option to control the strength of a cup of brew. While many coffeemakers have this feature, the ones on espresso machines actually control the amount of water and ground coffee in each pull to finely adjust the taste. For espresso drinkers who are particularly picky about the ratios of water and coffee, this is a must-have accessory.

A nifty feature on some models is a pre-moistening cycle which sprinkles the coffee grounds prior to pulling a shot. The idea behind pre-moistening is that this process helps extract the coffee's aromatic oils and produces the most delicious cup of espresso.

A built-in water filter and bean grinder are two little items which are real time and money savers. The downside is that they add extra equipment to the machine which could malfunction and which will require extra maintenance.

An integrated bean grinder is very handy, though, in that it usually grinds just enough coffee for each cup of espresso. Both of these accessories ensure your cup of espresso will be the absolute freshest.

There are many options in home espresso machines so consider how often you will use it and what features are the most important to you. Units can range anywhere from $100 to over $21,000 for commercial machines so the investment requires you take care regarding espresso machine sales and consider which is the perfect machine for you.

About the Author

Markus Yannies Recommeds a top rated Rancilio Silvia or

a new Automatic Espresso Machine or a Rancilio Rocky Grinder

(Published with permission from GoArticles)

Coffee Is King

I love coffee. No wait, that wasn't nearly as descriptive as it should have been; allow me to restate it: I LOVE COFFEE!

My life wouldn't be the same without coffee. Whether I'm grinding and brewing gourmet coffee beans at home, feeding discount grounds into the office coffee machine or enjoying a latte or mocha at my favorite java shop, I'm happy.

Why do I like coffee so much? There are almost too many reasons to list. First off, I enjoy the pick-me-up. Some might call this a crutch or an addiction, and I'd probably agree with them, but it doesn't change my mind.

Second, I love the taste. I have never drank a cup of coffee that I regretted. Have I had some pretty nasty stuff? Sure, but I still found a reason to enjoy it.

Third, it's social. I love sitting around the breakfast table enjoying a cup of coffee with my family. And I love meeting friends at coffee shops or bumping into 'usuals' at my favorite shops. In this sense, I feel it's the beverage of friendship and love.

What kind of coffee do I like? All of it. Really. I love the flavored tastes of java shops, but I also love grinding my own fresh beans and brewing them in my coffee maker at home. I even have a soft spot for plain-old discount coffee in a junky coffee maker. It's what we grew up on when I was a kid, so it's got a great nostalgic value, and drinking some Folgers out of a stove-top coffee maker always takes me back.

I'm guessing that if you've read this far down, you're like me. So to you I say, "Greetings coffee friend, maybe we'll bump into each other for a tasty cup of joe sometime!"