For the love of coffee.
STYLE

For the love of coffee.

Chika Gujarathi

I’ve noticed lately that my coffee consumption has reached new heights.

I have a cup when I get to work, and at least another two cups throughout the work day. I usually buy a small coffee to get me through class each night, and then yet another cup when I get home to keep me awake while I do my home work.  It’s probably not good either that I only drink black coffee.

I’ve also realized that on days (like weekends) when I don’t have to worry about work and class, I still consume roughly the same amount. My friends are bewildered when at 11:30pm I’ll ask if they would like some coffee. For me nothing is better after a late dinner with friends than a cup of strong coffee to wrap things up so to speak. And forget ever eating desserts without black coffee; it’s half the fun. Devang supports me in my addiction because he’s in the same boat. But while, I’ll drink gallons of the badly brewed cheap coffee at work without milk and sugar, he’ll stick with the good stuff with fresh beans, half-n-half, expensive brewers, etc. Which honestly is the way to go (if I had enough time to put towards it).

I’ve come to love coffee for many reasons. Sure, it keeps me awake through life, but it also slows me down (an oxymoron eh!). It gives me a chance to reminisce about our Europe trip where Devang and I spent more money on coffee than on food. It makes me think of lounging around on Saturday mornings. It makes me think of late night study groups with friends. It makes me think of rainy days. It makes me think of drunken nights. It makes me think of hanging out with Dev. It makes me think of yapping with my sister. I drink coffee to be in that good cozy place in my head. Of course, it’s also my weapon against boredom. A cup of hot coffee in my hand always makes me feel like I’m doing something.

So while others might think of coffee as completely utilitarian, for me it’s about comfort more than caffeine. That’s probably why I am still able to go to sleep after my 11:30pm cup.

I’d like to leave you with this link for a technique to create milk foam at home and make your cup look like a $3.50 cup from your favorite coffee stop. You basically take a fourth of a cup of milk (or less if just one cup of coffee) and put it in a glass jar and shake it vigorously for a minute or so.  Ones it becomes frothy, open the jar and microwave the froth for about 10 seconds.  I usually do this for my friends and they always love the look and taste. Sprinkling some sugar and coco powder on the foam makes it that much better.
Cheers!

Published by Chika Gujarathi

Chika Gujarathi is a freelance writer, author of the "Hello Namaste!" Bilingual board book series for children, and a self professed "Creative Doer". Her work has appeared in national and local publications on topics including lifestyle, travel, books, art, and motherhood! She lives in Raleigh, NC with her husband and four children.

3 thoughts on “For the love of coffee.”

  1. Coffee does the same thing for me. I guess I just really enjoy everything about it, from the nuance of flavor to the experiences surrounding it. It’s almost like coffee is my traveling gnome! I’m glad I could spread the word about the milk foam; it’s really an awesome thing that is a simple pleasure.

  2. Isn’t an awesome thing to be able to find pleasure and meaning in the simplest things?!!! I could not agree with you more on the fact that the story of coffee does not end just with the provision of the necessary dosage of caffeine to perk up. It is way more than that, and in my estimation, one could not crave for it as much for its chemical stimulus properties alone.

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