Colour, Temperature, Taste: The Perfect Cup of Coffee

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It's almost midnight. It's crunch time. As much as my body is craving a nice cool bed, where the sheets are crisp and the pillows are soft, and my eyes can barely blink for fear of passing out, being held open simply by the brightness of my laptop screen, a yearning much stronger lingers. A desire for something more powerful than sleep itself: Coffee. Dark, liquid courage, sans alcohol, to arouse any sleep-deprived wanderer is the secret weapon of the student masses. "C'mon, Tonia. Just another month. You can do this!", Rick's voice echoes through my mind as I struggle to keep awake. So much to do, so little time. But here we are, the final stretch until Graduation.

Where am I going with this? Despite my melo-dramatic introduction, coffee is not just a means to keep me awake. I genuinely enjoy the taste of coffee. *Gasps* I know, right? But it's really not all that bad. With anything food-related,  you just have to find the right coffee-related beverage that suits you.

What do I look for when it comes to the perfect cup of coffee? A number of things. First, colour is a great indication of how the coffee will taste: the darker the colour, the more likely the taste is stronger and bitter. The lighter the coffee, the more likely the taste is lighter and smoother. Don't get me wrong, just because the roast is lighter, doesn't mean it has less caffeine. The opposite is true. According to  Cafe Altura, the lighter the coffee blend, the stronger the caffeine. The darker the coffee blend, the lighter the caffeine. For example: A dark roast has less caffeine than a lighter roast. Vice-versa is also true. Crazy, eh?

Though many would argue against this claim, I agree with Cafe Altura. With 23 years of  coffee experience, I find that a lighter roast gives the most caffeine in comparison to a darker roast. Hahaha yes, I was given coffee at a very young age. No, no Venti for me at the age of 4, but, my nonni, they always let us try new things when we were kids. The same holds true for wine, but that's for another blog post!

In addition to a blond-amber colour, temperature and taste are equally as important in defining the perfect cup of coffee. In terms of temperature, scalding is a no-no. Starbucks and Second Cup have a tendency of serving coffee at volcano-high temperatures; however, Starbucks' lattes, along with Aroma's, always serve their lattes at the perfect temperature, as an f.y.i. ;)

I would say the best coffee at the best temperature while on-the-go is definitely Timothy's coffee. The colour and temperature their coffee is served is fantastic, and if you choose their Breakfast Blend, you'll not only have the perfect colour and temperature, but it's also one of the few I'd deem the perfect taste: Sweet, smooth, with hints of cocoa. Breakfast Blend is one of the few blends on my "perfect" list.

The other perfect coffee blend is, without question, Archer Farms Breakfast Blend. It pains me to see Target leaving Canada, for they carry Archer Farms. This coffee blend is the perfect balance of colour and taste. As a mild and flavourful roast, it's the perfect cup to wake up to in the morning or in the middle of the night during crunch time.

Have a favourite coffee blend? Not into coffee, what do you drink to keep awake?

Buon Appetito! Cin cin (aka Cheers)!
Tonia

#lifeofahangrygirl