Coffee is the lifeblood of practically every outdoor related activity among my circle of family and friends. There is something distinctly comforting and relaxing about sitting around a campfire or breakfast table, enjoying a few quite moments over a steaming hot, hearty cup of this delicious substance. With those happy memories in mind, I decided to write a short post to salute the humble and often understated cup of Joe.
I don’t honestly remember when I that first delicious cup of rich black coffee slid down my throat and worked its wonderful intoxicating caffeinated actions on my central nervous system. My immediate recollection is that it probably occurred during some late night cramming session during finals week. Back in the decade of big hair bands, parachute pants and moustaches there was no “Red Bull”, “Pimp Juice” or “Full Throttle” instead we had to rely on that heartily brewed Colombian nectar hand picked by Juan Valdez.
Through the years that followed, I was a troubled and misdirected youth and frequently polluted my coffee with such vile and corrupt substances as cream, hazel nut, sugar, and God forgive me, even vanilla. Fortunately, the wisdom gained through the passing of time, eventually returned me to my “roots” and the purity of drinking coffee in its most basic form . . . black. While some of you are probably making gagging noises at even the suggestion of consuming black coffee, you may want to put a nipple on that Zima your drinking and have Mommy burp you before naptime.
Perhaps it is these early beginnings, learning to percolate potent brews, that best illustrate my current infatuation with creating “coffee” that has at times been described by some as “strong” or “overpowering”. I obviously try to take these comments in stride but often my feelings are stretched when the remarks turn to “Urine of the Devil”, “Heart Stopper Brew”, “Liquid Drano” or “Engine Oil”. To these individuals, who so mock my morning “eye opener” blend, I would suggest that maybe they should just drink tea or hot coco and leave the heavy lifting to the big boys. Though I don’t think my coffee is all that “strong”, I will admit that once I ran out of gas and used a ½ cup of coffee to make it the rest of the way home.
Over the years a few family members have developed a tolerance or perhaps more appropriately and immunity to my heavenly brew and now find it difficult to be content with any other “coffee like” substance. Dunkin doughnuts, Starbucks and even McDonalds all flounder in the shadow of my coffee, possessing a bite stronger than a pit-bull and more potent than a man bathing in Enzyte.
Hope you enjoyed this brief post; I certainly had fun writing it. Please drop a comment if you, like me, prefer your coffee . . . hot, black and bitter!
Im not suppose to comment because I am too busy nursing on my Zima. ;) Your discription of the "wimpy's" unfortunately matched me to a "T", which had me rolling! Thanks for the good laugh!
ReplyDeleteAs one of your best cohorts in this crazy game called life, I must attest to all of your readership that the coffee you brew reeks of the appalling and beastly kind. And before you even hint a murmur of my coffee grind to water ratio I might add that the nectar you so admiringly love should be damned as a despicably and wretched fluid of shame. Only you and the devil can stomach that "evil" brew you call coffee.
ReplyDeleteLook forward to our next trip together, friend to the end...
DEDH
Hey, I have to tell you that I love my coffee (cups of the hot stuff) every morning. Even better when it is around the morning campsite. Have to admit here that I do the sugar and cream thing though. Maybe I will try "black" in respect to you in the morning.
ReplyDeleteI can't say that I'm in any rush to give up my vanilla flavored coffee for that Pine tar liquid that you and your strang brother call coffee. I would sooner deink toilet water. HA HA
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit of a coffee nut and I only drink it black. I find my brews are getting stronger and stronger as the years go by. I don't think I'm quite to where you're at though.
ReplyDeleteToilet water, Pine Tar, wretched fluid of shame, "evil" brew . . . man oh man boys don't hold anything back! Make sure and tell me how you REALLY feel! LOL! Friends to the end!
ReplyDeleteLeigh, Enjoy your Zima and while your at it Bartles and James makes a delicious strawberry flavored wine cooler. :) Have a good nap!
ReplyDeleteMel and Bill glad to see there are a few "real" men out there who aren't afraid to drink their morning blends hot, black and bitter!
ReplyDelete