Our Love for Coffee

The modern world runs on coffee like cars run on gasoline. Our love for coffee has made coffee shops sprout on every corner like weeds on the grass. No matter what level of income, coffee is affordable and you get what you pay for. The donut shop has pots of it to accompany their round, sugary, and fatty pastries. One cup will do the trick. It will deliver the much needed caffeine to awaken and start the day. Although if you're late, it will taste like it was aged in the glass barrel. Gas stations have it all day long. Towering urns of hot coffee poured by the press of a button. Sometimes its hot enough to upset Stella Liebeck. Sometimes its warm enough to chug like an Italian in a hurry. Sometimes the empty tower of Colombian dark will force you to choose a spiked brew with blueberry, pumpkin, vanilla or coconut. Bakeries and restaurants have it because they have to. It is not their forte. Their budget has been adjusted to add coffee in their menu by popular demand and trend. The coffee is decent like water on a hot day. These places brew it away from sight. If they run out of regular no problem. There is always a box of orange bags ready to fulfill the job--and people seldom know the difference. Espresso experts have houses dedicated to the art of coffee. Each cup costs as much of two or three cups of coffee at the donut shop. Each latte and cappuccino is enjoyed like a fine glass of wine. The foam, as it rises to the top to form a leaf as if it was painted by an artist, justifies the premium price. This house loves coffee enough to import it from the most exotic locations. The unique composition of soils, elevation and temperature yields subtle notes of flavor like blackberry, chocolate, and Tahitian vanilla. Whatever you call home, the generic pre-ground or freeze-dried coffee has a special place in your kitchen. The shrine to your morning caffeine is activated by the press of a single button or one or two scoops. The aroma fills the kitchen like a delicious batch of chocolate chip cookies in the oven. One cup in your favorite mug is all that matters. One cup is all we need to forget for a brief moment that we are parents, employees, students, debt importers, creators, and collectors of stress. Coffee is the king and queen of drinks. Whatever you can afford, coffee will always find a way into your mouth and wallet. Time for a refill.