chal-lenge: noun a calling to account or into question



Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Coffee: To brew or not to brew?

My parents made coffee every morning for breakfast but I was never interested. That is until I got a new job in my early 20’s. It seems the newest person hired was responsible for washing out the coffee pot at the end of the day regardless of whether or not they drank any of it. Although I vehemently argued the point, I was not relieved of this duty. The last person hired before me had been washing the pot for several years at that point and was more than eager to give up the responsibility. I decided that if I couldn’t beat ‘em, I’d join ‘em! I started drinking coffee and never looked back.

Over the years drinking coffee has become a ritual for me. It has been a nice way to take a break with friends and co-workers and just chill out for a few minutes. The communal coffee pot at work has replaced the water cooler as a spot for conversations. No one is denied time away from their station to indulge in a little brew.

A few years ago a coffee shop opened up just around the corner from my office. I remember the comments before they opened: What will they sell besides coffee? How can they sell enough coffee to be successful? I felt compelled to offer them my support. Every weekday morning for the past two years I have walked to the Coffee House to buy my daily brew. It’s fun to walk in and have everyone know your name!

Unfortunately, buying coffee every day in a specialized coffee shop can get a little pricey. I had been looking at the Keurig coffee brewing system and calculating my savings for the past year but was hesitant to make the switch. After all, this coffee maker wasn’t going to give me a friendly greeting when I walked up to it. The decision was taken out of my hands when I received a Keurig coffee maker and a variety pack of coffee pods for Christmas.

This coffee maker really is convenient. I don’t have to measure out the coffee or deal with messy filters and burned coffee on the warming pad. There are a variety of brews that are really quite tasty. They have organic and free trade coffees which is important to some people. More importantly, I don’t have to wash the coffee pot! I would definitely recommend this coffee maker to anyone who just needs a single cup of coffee on the way out the door. Compared to coffee shop coffee, I am saving $1.50 per cup. Doesn’t sound like much but at the end of the month I will have saved $30.

Although I am saving money and I like my new coffee, I do miss my friends at the Coffee House. I’ll have to stop by tomorrow and say hello. I think I hear a marble mocha mocchiato (with skim milk!) calling my name.

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