Technically, the topic is guilty pleasures, but when it comes to THINGS I WILL NOT SURRENDER no matter how good or bad they may be for me, Coffee heads the list (at least where inanimate objects are concerned). 
Calling me a “coffee drinker” seriously underestimates the situation. I drink, on average 12-14 8-oz cups per day. No, that’s not an exaggeration. I drink the coffee, in part, to control a benign familial tremor (more on this, and the doctor who suggested it, here). The caffeine itself no longer has a noticeable impact – but I’ve definitely developed an appreciation for various roasts and flavors.
I also have guilty pleasures where coffee’s concerned. Two of them, to be precise.
The first is whole-bean, dark roast Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. Given the cost (especially for the peaberry type) it definitely qualifies as a guilty pleasure.
The second, though more affordable, is guiltier from a calorie-intake perspective: Gingerbread lattes. If I had to be stuck on a desert island with only one beverage option, it would probably have to be the gingerbread latte. I’ll drink it at any time of year, in any temperature, any place.
I even bought a bottle of gingerbread syrup from the sirens so I could keep the joy around my house all year.
“Coffee” might seem like a funny choice for a guilty pleasure, especially considering how often I drink it and how much I drink. But I really do enjoy every cup, and the fact that I do buy micro roasts and Kona beans makes my morning “cup of Joe” my favorite guilty pleasure.
What about you? Coffee or tea? Have you got any special leaves or beans you particularly enjoy? (If we’re talking tea, I’m partial to white jasmine pearls or loose leaf white, though my son prefers Early Grey.) Tell me about your beverage of choice in the comments!
Okay, separated-at-birth-sister – “things I will not surrender no matter what”? Coffee? YES. I have all sorts of reasons why I should give it up, but it ain’t happening. My poison is a dark roast organic blend that comes from a local roaster. Mmmmm. Yep, costs extra money, but I love every cup. I’m snortling about whether there are “special leaves” we enjoy, btw.
Oh yes, much love for the special beans. Wherever they come from, they are a source of joy.
And you know, I wish I could take credit for an intentional pun on the special leaves, but that one actually got through of its own accord. I’m snickering about it now too – and the typo I’ll now fix about “early grey.” Early blogging, more like!
I love coffee but only in the morning. I drink 2 to 3 cups of ordinary Folgers. I love the new Starbucks blonde roast at home but now have allocated that for weekends only because it’s just too expensive. I’d rather spend my money on some goooood chocolate! xo
I have to admit, my coffee actually qualifies as a “line item” in my budget because of the kinds I drink – but then, I consider it “medicine” (guilty justification much?). One thing I think is so true (but overlooked) – and that I think this week’s posts have brought home with a vengeance – is that whatever someone enjoys eating or drinking is, by definition, “good.” It doesn’t matter whether the coffee is Jamaican Blue Mountain or Starbucks or Folger’s, if it’s what you like drinking, it’s good.
Oh – and I totally hear you on the chocolate. My son and I splurged on a box of Godiva truffles while out Christmas shopping. We totally didn’t need them … but when we saw them all lined up in the little rows in the case … we NEEDED THEM.
I’m a coffee fan, too. Someone bought us a Nespresso machine for our wedding, and I’ve been hooked on their espresso ever since (though, admittedly, I’ve cut it out of my diet for the past 7 months). It came with a milk frother, so for a while, I was having homemade lattes every morning! Now, if I could find that gingerbread syrup, I’d be SET.
I just encountered the Nespresso machine at Thanksgiving when I went to visit my mother. She’d gotten one, and boy did I put that thing through its paces. It’s actually really tasty. As for the gingerbread syrup … check your local Starbucks. If they still have it, they will sell you a bottle (and it’s a lot less expensive than I thought it would be – about the cost of two ventis). If they don’t have any left…remember it for next year!
I drink both coffee & tea. Right now I’m drinking Green Mountain Colombian blend. For tea, I prefer Barry’s Irish Breakfast tea.
Green mountain makes a really good coffee. I like their blends a lot. I don’t think I’ve tried Barry’s Irish Breakfast tea. I’ll have to keep a look out – I’m always interested in trying a new tea!