National Coffee Day!

Is that arabica or robusto?  Straight coffee with no cream and sugar, or one of those fru-fru drinks with soy, double pumps of flavoring, and froth?  In whatever form it takes, coffee especially deserves its own day of honor.  More credit should be given to it for jump-starting my day on so many occasions.  Don't forget, it is also a very good reason upon which to gather with friends on a cool Fall day like today.  My very first management job was at Gloria Jeans Gourmet Coffee in the Galleria Mall in Houston, Texas.  That is where I cut my teeth in the world of coffee, acting frequently as the shop's barista.  Oh my how coffee drinks have proliferated over the previous twenty years.  At that time, there were only a handful of varied espresso-based recipes I had to learn.  Now there are so many, how does anyone ever keep track of which is what drink?  I'm already confused just thinking about it.  In the years since then, I have found many coffee houses I thoroughly enjoy frequenting.  To name a few:  Genuine Joe Coffee House and Spider House in Austin, Texas; Diedrich's Coffee in Houston, Texas; Buon Giorno in Fort Worth, Texas; and Las Chivas Coffee House in El Dorado, New Mexico.  My favorite coffee is Guatemalan Antigua.  The beans are arabica in nature, and are grown in excess of 4,000 feet above sea level.  Yes, I am somewhat of a coffee snob.  Unless a pot of coffee is less than thirty minutes old, the chances are slim I will drink it or consider it fresh enough for my palate.  While I'm on the subject of coffee, I feel the need to also include tea in the discussion.  My favorite is Earl Grey, especially in loose-leaf form.  Ahh, there is nothing better to cap my day than a cup of hot tea.  With coffee in the morning and hot tea in the evening, I can't imagine two better bookends to this drudgery called life.  The world of coffee is fascinating.  Tomorrow morning, as you are drinking your cup of java, think about what exactly you are partaking in.  Learn about the many aspects of coffee.  There is definitely more than meets the eye.  In the end, celebrate life by drinking a cup of the black gold.

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