The Magical Powers of Coffee

It’s the most beautiful day of the year: National Coffee Day!!

As I am sitting here enjoying a beautiful cup of hazelnut coffee, I reminisce about all the cups of coffee I have drank over the years.

I do not recall the exact date of my first sip of coffee, but I do remember that is was sometime in between middle school and high school.

Coffee had always intrigued me. From a young age, I observed it as a “magic potion” that would give people unlimited energy. And me, being an overachieving adolescent, wanted to have more time in the day to be productive (just like the adults).  

One day, I watched from the breakfast table as my mother poured cream and sugar into her coffee and my dad drank his coffee straight black.  It was in that moment that I decided I wanted to drink coffee for the rest of my life.

My mother poured a cup of the brown liquid and sat it in front of me on the dining table. I remember her asking me if I wanted any cream or sugar. But I said no because I decided I could be my father’s daughter and drink my coffee black.

I don’t know why I thought drinking my first cup of coffee without cream or sugar was a good idea. But it wasn’t.

I took one sip and made a disgusted face towards my dad. He gave me a look of pure enjoyment as he watched his youngest daughter’s face go from happiness to pure bitterness.

I was not expecting coffee to taste hot and gross. For some reason, I thought coffee was supposed to taste warm and sweet, like hot chocolate. I swallowed the gulp and then passed my full cup over to my dad to finish.

I was defeated by the adult “magic potion.”

I decided I would never drink coffee again! Never again!

But then I grew older and became a Junior in high school and gained a best friend named Katie.

Katie and Kristen enjoy
Starbucks 

Katie is a spunky, determined human-being and she brought coffee back into my life. After school we would go to our local coffee shop, get coffee and then talk about everything. 

I fell in love with Frappuccino’s because of her.

As we began to hangout more, I began to become a “social” coffee drinker. I would only drink the fancy coffees from coffeehouses but not my parent’s coffee at home.  However, that all changed when I moved in with my roommate during my freshman year of college.

Jackie is a caring, lovable human-being (she is often referred to as the “mom” in our friend group).

I thought it was strange she brought a coffeemaker to college.  I had never met someone that loved coffee so much that they had to have it in the room with them at all times.

It was a cold day in November, I was writing a paper for my Civic Engagement class and Jackie was reading her science fiction book.  Jackie turned to me with a smile and she said “Would you like a cup of coffee? I can make a pot for us.”

I felt obligated as her roommate to accept this kind gesture and so I accepted.  However, little did I know that my life was about to turn upside down.  

Jackie and Kristen take
Chicago.  

Before Jackie handed me my cup of coffee, she asked if I would like some caramel macchiato creamer.  I once again accepted.

I took my first drink of Jackie’s coffee and I fell in love faster than the time it takes for a hot drink to burn someone’s tongue.

It was then that I found my “magic potion.”

I would then go on to ask Jackie to make a pot of coffee at least 50 times a week. I think it was after the 5^th time of me asking that I think Jackie regretted ever offering me coffee. 

Now, I am a Junior in college.  I am a “social” and an “individual” coffee drinker. I like to drink my fancy coffees from coffeehouses and I like to drink coffee that I make at home.

But coffee is more than just a “magical potion” that helps me function on a daily basis. It is also a “magical potion” that brought me close to some of my best friends.

I gained a best friend out of Katie because of coffee. While we were drinking our coffees, we would spill our secrets to each other, laugh over our awkward junior high selves, stalk people on Facebook and so much more. In a crazy and cheesy way, coffee dates with Katie are what kept me sane throughout high school. 

Because of coffee I was also able to bond with my first (and only) college roommate. There were countless times where Jackie would put on a pot of coffee and we would chat about classes and life. In fact, just last week I went over to Jackie and Michaela’s apartment to have coffee and study (however the studying quickly turned into talking).

When your coffee is emotionally
deeper than you 

Coffee has more significance than just a beverage, it’s something that brings people together.

Since today is National Coffee Day, I highly encourage you to grab some friends and go on a coffee date. Life can get crazy busy. But that is why we need to stop and smell the coffee and enjoy coffee dates with our friends.  

USA Today has an awesome article that talks about all the deals you can get on coffee throughout the country. 

The Different Expressions of Espresso

I do not know everything about coffee; however, isn't that why I started a blog? I started this so I could learn more information and then share this knowledge with my people. 

I won't lie, this blog post will probably be a little on the "boring" side. I decided to write about the different kinds of coffee. So there is a lot of vocabulary.  

I decided to write about the different kinds of coffee because I feel it is important. Sometimes we walk into coffeeshops thinking we know exactly what kind of drink we will purchase. We never want to experiment with our drink choices. 

So this is me challenging you to try a new kind of coffee.  

Affogato: The word affogato means “drowned” in Italian. This drink consists of a scoop of ice cream with a shot of hot espresso poured over the top. 

Tasting Table offers an amazing recipe for affogato. 

Americano: A shot of espresso that is diluted with hot water.

 

Cafè au Lait: A shot of espresso that is diluted with a generous amount of milk.   

Cappuccino: A shot of espresso topped with a “pillowy” layer of foamy steamed milk.  

Cold Brew: A process in which chilled coffee is made. This cold-press technique takes coarsely ground beans and immerses them in cold water for at least 12 hours. Once the coffee has been steeped, the grounds are filtered, and there is a coffee concentrate left. Milk or water is then added to make iced coffee. 

Cortado: A shot of espresso topped with a spoonful of hot milk.  The drink normally consists of about four ounces.

Drip Coffee: This drink is made by pouring water over roasted, ground coffee beans. As the water seeps through the grains, it absorbs the beans’ extract and oils.  This is the most common kind of coffee. It is found in diners across America. It is usually served black or with cream and sugar.

Doppio: a double shot of expresso extracted using a double coffee filter in the portafilter.

 

Expresso: This is a strong black coffee made by forcing steam through ground coffee beans.  Espresso is normally less than two ounces.  

Flat White: An espresso with steamed milk.  Unlike a cappuccino, a flat white does not have foam.

Latte: A shot of espresso served with on cup of steamed milk. Has twice the amount of milk in it compared to cafè au lait.

 

Macchiato: Espresso served with a mark of foamy milk. Macchiato means “marked” in Italian.  

Mocha: Espresso mixed with steamed milk and some sort of chocolate, syrup or flavoring.

Mocha Breve: A milk-based espresso drink using steamed half-and-half mixture of milk and cream instead of milk.

Pour-Over: Hot water is slowly poured in a thin stream over a filter cone. This drink can take up to three minutes to brew. It generally includes various chambers, unique kettles, and multiple cones. It was originally developed in Japan.

Red Eye: Cup of drip coffee with a shot of espresso added to it.

So next time try a new kind of coffee. I have filled you with the knowledge, now go out and put it to use.