Sipping Selection: The coffee preference
Published:Thursday | October 1, 2020 | 12:07 AMKrysta Anderson/Gleaner Writer
A whiff of roasted goodness wafting in the open air, beckoning the senses to indulge and savour each sip. Coffee is internationally acclaimed as the ultimate ‘wake-me-up’, ‘keep-me-up’ and pick-me-up. Java is a staple for some college students who couldn’t pull an all-nighter without a trusted cup or two. Adults marvel at the reviving brew’s ability to keep them alert and on their A-game when in work mode and beyond. That’s where the expression ‘Don’t speak to me until I’ve had my coffee’ came from. Even if you’re not a coffee drinker, you can certainly appreciate the ambrosial notes.
Before we raise our cups to this auspicious occasion, it being International Coffee Day and all, and make a toast to the light, medium or dark roast, Food asked a few readers to describe the relationship they have with the perked or pressed delight.
“Coffee is timeless. It’s unifying and enriching.There’s no wrong or right time to have coffee. Coffee makes the time right. Coffee brings people together, be it the aroma or the flavour, the consistency, or inconsistency, that appeals to individuals. There’s a place for everyone at the coffee table. I take my coffee deep dark and bitter.” Timothy Blake, 46, entrepreneur
“I do like coffee, but when it is on the lighter side, like lattes, frappuccinos, and I love pumpkin spice lattes. I pick up a cup from a coffee shop at least three times per week, before or during work. They’re very refreshing in taste, really flavourful, and they’re not as strong as the hot, dark coffee.” Tesha Stainslaus, 36, accountant and stock trader.
“I love coffee! There’s nothing like the smell of freshly brewed coffee in the morning! It makes everything seem better. My grandmother used to have a few coffee trees when I was growing up and I used to help her to pick the ripe fruit and prepare the beans. So the smell of coffee is a little nostalgic for me. I love my coffee like my men - dark and strong, but since variety is the spice of life, I also enjoy cream and sugar in my coffee, as well as the frothy cappuccino. I have tried it cold, but I definitely prefer my coffee piping hot.” Donna Moodie, 45, sales and events manager.
“I’m a lover of cold beverages. They’re more refreshing to have than those which are hot. So frozen, whipped mocha is my favourite. I don’t drink coffee as often as I would want, so whenever I do, I enjoy every bit of it, down to the very last slurp of the straw.” Terri-Ann Jarrett, 34. head chef.
“Coffee needs to be the first thing I smell when I wake up. And that’s why I got a maker that I could preset. Coffee is life. I drink about four cups in the morning and an afternoon cup, just to give me an extra boost. I like my coffee very strong, so I prefer a dark roast. But if I can’t get a dark roast, I will use a medium roast and put an extra scoop of the grounds in my coffee to achieve my desired taste. When my creamer goes into my coffee, I want my coffee to be carmel or dark brown in colour, I’m not a fan of flavoured coffee and I don’t like my coffee to be sweetened; just cream, no sugar. Every day is International Coffee Day for me. I mean, who lives without coffee?” Rochelle Hayles, 30, sales coordinator.
“My relationship with coffee is a sensual one. I drink coffee for that taste as muchas for the feeling it gives me. How I have my coffee is determined by the mood I am in. Sometimes I like it strong and black, other times with a little creamer.” Shaniene Campbell, 38, project manager.
K.A.