I love coffee! I love the smell, the taste, the warmth. I love to drink coffee any time of the day — the afternoon cup to stave off lunch-naps, the late evening cup to round out a great meal with friends, the 2 a.m. cup for when you just HAVE to finish that Italian zombie movie! Yet, if someone told me I could only have one cup a day (gasp!) for the rest of my life I know which one I’d pick; the early morning first cup. I love the comforting feeling of wrapping my hands around a warm mug while I let the steam warm my face and the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee warm my soul. It doesn’t get much better.
With that first cup in mind (I know you love it, too), I sat down today with some of our Morning Blend to start the day off in style. I was not disappointed. The first thing to hit me was the wonderfully sweet aroma with subtle hints of lemon and chocolate. I knew right away it would be a good cup. I like to drink my coffee black and very hot, but I thought I’d try out a few different things to get a different angle out of the cup. Of course I started off black and as I sipped the almost too-hot drink I was rewarded with a rich dark chocolate flavor that warmed and comforted me. As it cooled, sweeter lemon notes jumped out to wrestle with deeper, earthier tones. The pleasing aftertaste is subtle but clearly holds the flavor in a wonderful finish.
Not everyone likes black coffee, so I added a bit of sugar to see how the cup developed. I was happy to find that the sugar did not mask or cover the taste at all. It heightened the already-pleasing sweetness inherent in this blend while not detracting from the complexity of the brew. I also added a bit of milk to see what would happen and was rewarded with a sweet creamy cup of coffee that still held the profile of the Morning Blend while being neither too hot nor too overpowering.
I must admit at this point that I did not stop at one cup. After spending some time with this blend, I decided that even though it was named Morning I wouldn’t mind it a bit if it stayed by my side all day long. And you know what? It was great all day long! I’d love to hear about your favorite time of day to drink coffee, and your favorite blend. Feel free to email me with your stories or with any questions at Andy@portlandroasting.com
Have a great morning!
I had a cup of Morning Blend Saturday at about 6am, before anyone in the neighborhood (including my daughter) was up. I was sitting in the back yard watching my husband water my garden. Prepared strong, mellita-style and drank out of my new ceramic mug which my sister threw. Absolute bliss!
My other favorite time is as I’m leaving work. A double espresso before I hit home to take on the evening with a smile.
When I’m on vacation I always drink coffee after dinner (I feel so naughtly) and don’t worry about getting my 8 hours of sleep in. I can always catch up on my reading if I’m up late. I drink whatever type and preparation they consume in the country I’m visiting. Isn’t it weird the even instant coffee tastes great when your out of the US?
I brought some iced toddy of Morning blend with me to work again this morning. While today is grey and a little chilly for July, I am still enjoying my summer toddy extravaganza. I have made a lot of different blends and varietals into toddy this summer. I don’t know if it is my favorite so far, but the Morning blend has been delicious. I put a little water over ice, and then add toddy and some milk. It has a strong taste, but the milk makes it creamy and kind of decadent. There is a bright finish to it, but not overpowering, and that bit of chocolate that Andy was talking about is there.
i love that first cup of coffee in the morning, and I love that after dinner cup when I know i probably shouldn’t, but I think that superfluous afternoon coffee is possibly my favorite. I don’t necessarily need it to wake up, it is just for the pure enjoyment of coffee. getting extra-amped is just a pleasant side effect. if it’s the weekend i might also fold some laundry or wash dishes with my excess energy…or not