Coffee; my drug of choice!

On By Mick CanningIn coffee, humour, Non fiction, opinion

At least, the first thing in the morning, it is.

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I just don’t understand why it is that having a perfectly average 7 or 8 hours of sleep each night should turn me from a (relatively) normal and functioning human being, into an extra from ‘Return of the Neanderthal’ – and a non-speaking extra at that, other than the occasional ‘ug’ or snarl.

Of course, if I get less than 7 or 8 hours, then I resemble something that hasn’t even made it as far up the evolutionary ladder as the Neanderthals; some sort of fairly large and irritable beast with too many pointed teeth and a lamentable lack of patience, perhaps.

Just left to my own devices, this would not auger well for my marriage, my blood pressure, or even for the local society and environment.

But if modern medicine can work wonders in curing all sorts of previously fatal diseases, then caffeine of just the right dose seems to be the medicinal panacea for morning.

And being just a layman when it comes to the world of caffeine, I have a childlike wonder at its effects.

I am especially impressed by the strength of the espresso that you get served in cafes in Spain or France, and hence at its effectiveness. The customer crawls in and somehow climbs up onto a bar stool, using their final reserves of energy, croaks out a request for ‘espresso!’, then uses the last of their strength to lift the tiny cup to their lips…they drink…and Bingo! They leap suddenly into the air as if energised by a bolt of electricity, and then rush out of the cafe, singing lustily, to do a 16 hour day’s work.

And proper Turkish coffee, an extremely effective if much tastier substitute for asphalt, just has me in awe. Are there really people who are able to drink this each day? Every day?

Superhuman.

I doff my cap to them.

I take mine a little weaker than that, I admit, but I do like it relatively strong, and without milk or sugar – exactly the way that nature intended it.

Naturally, instant coffee just does not cut it, although I do admit than it can be effective at combating fatigue; many years ago when I worked in the Middle East, I noticed that one or two of the men who worked shifts at our company would eat the occasional mouthful of instant coffee powder when they were tired, presumably to help them get through the following few hours.

But despite that, I just have not found an instant coffee that seems drinkable. Nothing can match the real thing, for me.

And lest you fear that I am doing myself irreparable damage by flooding my system with strong coffee throughout the day, let me just say here that for me it is an early morning ritual only, and after that I drink tea (a good Darjeeling, naturally!).

But now it is lunchtime. I have got through another morning.

Thank you, coffee. Thank you.

Where’s that damned kettle?

41 thoughts on “Coffee; my drug of choice!”

  2. For a large population across the world it’s coffee that quick starts the day. Out here it’s tea except south India where filter coffee rules. I believe it’s quite different from what it tastes else where ; though it’s mixed with milk, it’s considered to be quite strong elsewhere in India. have you ever tried?

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  4. I like strong coffee that you have to cut with a scissors, preferably stuff that barks at me. The Hub likes gentle, slightly transparent brews. Possibly the only reason we’ve stayed married all this time is the two separate coffeepots…

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  5. I start the day the same way all the time, a different cup of coffee from my Tassimo. Thereafter the caffeine is supplied by Pepsi Max.If I’m on the outside I may have a (sorry Mick, sacrilege ) one shot latte. Two shots is far too strong tasting for me.
    The odd thing is that I used to drink tea all the time but only if made in a pot. I was horrified when the teabag in the cup habit started in all the cafes.
    Keep well.
    Hugs

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    1. Ooh, it’s the Pepsi Max that seems like the sacrilege to me, David! Nothing wrong with a one shot latte, assuming it is real coffee.

      And I used to be purely a tea drinker. As a teenager at home, when I might have been expected to pick up the coffee habit, my parents drank only instant. I never really got to like it, and although I did go through phases of drinking it, once I discovered real coffee (amazingly, not until I was into my 30’s!) I never drank it again. Through the rest of the day, my caffeine intake of choice is always a good Darjeeling.

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  6. Ooooooh I’m an instant “coffeeholic”. My favourite is Gold blend by Nescafé. Oooooo so yummy. One of the many little pleasures that I miss having here in the States. So I ask my siblings to bring me some whenever they visit and I only drink it on special occasions 😀
    As for Turkish coffee, I used to have one everyday with my mom. Mine was super sweet. It was our “special” time together…my sister got me a pack 2 years ago and I probably had it twice since. Having it alone doesn’t serve it justice.

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    1. Surprised you don’t have ‘Gold Blend’ – it seems ubiquitous here in UK.

      I know that the Turkish coffee is usually super sweet, but I have to have mine without. Digressing slightly, I have to have mint tea without sugar, too. I could never manage the mint tea made with a huge chunk of sugar!

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  7. I’m a good coffee drinker, not as in, ‘I drink good coffee’ – that would be a lie – I’m afraid I drink Tesco’s own brand (sacrilege I know), but I’m very good at drinking it. I’ve never been a great fan of tea, though, except occasionally, peppermint in the summer months – I find it more refreshing than ordinary tea.

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  8. For me, even the weakest coffee might as well be Turkish or Espresso, my taste buds seem hypersensitive to the stuff. I can’t even abide Tiramisu. My morning cure is strong black tea, no milk or sugar. It’s a pretty good afternoon cure too.

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  9. Oh, I’ve just given up caffeine. Not too bad at the moment, but I think the first ‘hit’ of coffee I have once this is over will be quite something! 🙂
    And I’m with you – instant coffee is awful, much prefer the real thing. Living in Melbourne for so many years has made me a bit of a coffee ‘snob’ – I even worked as a barista in a patisserie for a while. If you serve bad coffee in Melbourne, you might as well close your doors – I’ve yet to find a good coffee shop here, though I’m sure they exist.

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    1. I hesitate to recommend anything, but Cafe Nerd seem to be the best of a mediocre bunch around here. Strangely, some of the best coffee I’ve drunk out, though, was in my local Witherspoons!
      I understand what you say about Melbourne. Some Australian friends of mine (in Adelaide) have a professional coffee maker (a machine, not a barista!) in their kitchen. It looks like a computer!

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      1. Yes, that’s a pretty normal thing for Australia, certainly in the south, anyway. They really value their coffee over there! I will try Cafe Nerd once I’m back on caffeine, thanks for the recommendation 🙂

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  12. A lot of coffee lovers in the family although I have to admit, I’m not one! It’s only my go to drink when I’m feeling down and sleepy….off late the starbucks varieties are tempting but I think I only like it becauses it’s sugary 🙂
    Have a great day, Mick!

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  13. Jools

    I too enjoy my caffeine hit first thing in the morning. Strong, no milk, no sugar. I used to treat myself to a Costa special every now and again – you know, the ones resembling desserts rather more than beverages, drenched in syrup, smothered in whipped cream and decorated with sprinkles. The new sugar-free me has foresworn all that calorific novelty – but I do miss those treats, every now and again.

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