Converting to Coffee

At my house, coffee is not just something to wake up in the morning with; it's holy. The pot is the shrine, complete with devoted followers--namely, my mother and father. Every day, they stumble in the kitchen in the morning, consumed with one idea, and one alone: making the perfect cup of joe. Coffee at my grandmother's house was supposedly legendary, complete with eye-rolling descriptions of how good it was. There's only one problem: I refuse to drink a single cup.

I like coffee-flavored soy ice cream, but not coffee. I like vanilla ice blended drinks from the coffee shop (which have coffee in them) but not coffee. I even love the aroma as it wafts to my nose from an addicted co-worker, BUT JUST NOT COFFEE. I resist and rebel in my own ways--drinking black tea and such but my mother says that it's just a matter of time before I join coffee's devoted band of followers. To her, it's in my blood.

For those who can't live without their cup of joe, I found this fun article over at Epicurious for making work-coffee drinkable. Their tips include mixing hot chocolate in with the coffee and drinking your cup (or two or three) right after brewing--as coffee that sits for a while ends up becoming too strong.

But for the weekends, when the 9-5 is blissfully behind you, here are some tips designed to give you an aromatic and satisfying cup (from a coffee worshiper):

1. Only use fresh ground beans. Nordstrom's Cafe actually carries some tasty ones.
2. Use only filtered water.
3. This is not the time for a pinch of this and a dash of that; measure out one level teaspoon of grounds for every cup of water.
4. Treat youself to some real china. The cup truly makes the taste of the coffee. Steer clear of styrofoam.

I said I have to make it to age 30 and my first child before I feel like I've made it through this addiction danger zone. But who knows? I may become a convert after all.