Coffee and Crossroads

I am not a coffee addict.

COFFEE. I have three words to describe it--bitter, sweet, and therapeutic. Coffee has been a witness of my life since I was a kid. Believe it or not, I have been drinking coffee since preschool (as far as I remember!).

Coffee was part of my childhood. I grew up in a small village where farming used to be the main livelihood of most folks, including my grandparents. People usually start their mornings with coffee that came from different sources-- some are instant and some are homegrown. My favorite though was the one that my late great grandmother used to make for us. She makes it from burnt rice and molasses. Sometimes I wonder what made it so good-- is it its taste or the memory I have associated with it?

Coffee was definitely my best buddy during my student years. I was told coffee could make me stay up all night, so I usually had a PITCHER of coffee in the kitchen or dining room when I had to write school papers or stay up late for exams (yeah, you're right-- cramming!). Sadly, I suspect that this habit has made my stomach so sensitive. If you have the same habit, I suggest you stay away from it (unless you are like myself and some of my friends who can perform better when working under pressure). I have to admit that the issue wasn't really the coffee but my lack of discipline. Hehehehe...

Working in a call center definitely requires some sort of dependency on coffee (at least for most people I know), especially for those who are in the graveyard shift. I was never a fussy when it comes to the kind of coffee to have but my exposure to different brands of coffee during my call center years has changed my palate for it. Starbucks has won my preference until now.

I promised myself to stop drinking coffee when my doctor requested me to because of stomach acidity. I actually thought I had ulcer and Ranitidine was my bestfriend. I succeeded for a while... until I came to Canada. I find it inevitable to drink something hot in the cold and coffee fraps in hot summers (mind you, Canadians drink a lot of coffee relative to people in other parts of the world!). Yep, we're now together again! As they say, "Love (and for me it is coffee) is sweeter the second time around."

It is just so good that I can't live without it. Good thing I am now more cautious with my intake. Happy to say, my tummy has gotten better too!

Now, let me give you a rating of coffees I have tried.

My Faves:

• Starbucks


• Tim Hortons


• Timothy's

My Least Like:

• Country Style


• Coffee Time


• Mother Parkers