Nectar of the Gods

So the other day I posted a coffee recipe on my blog and, much to my surprise, several people commented to say they don't like coffee.

I know, I know, it's hard to believe, but there it is.

I don't even know what to say to these people (some of whom are my good friends) other than..."that's okay then, more for me."

My own husband doesn't drink coffee and I actually do say that to him on a regular basis. But I can't really find fault with him because he will often disappear while we're in the grocery store and show up a few minutes later with a cup from Starbucks for me.


Anyway, I have a long, rich history with coffee. We go way back. It reminds me of home and family. I remember waking up to the smell of it every day of my childhood. I still have the manual grinder that once hung in my grandparents' kitchen. It looks a lot like this one here:

I bonded with my mother over coffee. She drinks hers black, no sugar. So do I. Coffee was involved in my earliest attempts to cultivate an adult palate. The first yogurt I ever ate was coffee-flavored Dannon yogurt that I ate while reading Yoga, Youth and Reincarnation. I felt ever so sophisticated and health conscious.

I even have a spiritual connection with it. How many people can claim that?

The very first cup of actual coffee I ever drank was when I joined a theological Discussion Group. I remember the coffee distinctly, the conversation not so much. I also remember feeling very grown-up because I was wearing my very first lipstick. Pale pink. Love's Cosmetics. With the cool, futuristic, clear-plastic bubble top. Yeah, I'm dating myself. Who cares?

I have literary connections with it as well. The first publisher I aspired to sign with was Coffee House Press. Yes, I was a small press, literary fiction girl. My first experience with French Poetry was Jacques Prevert's poem Breakfast.

It starts out like this:

He poured the coffee
Into the cup
He poured the milk
Into the cup of coffee
He put the sugar
Into the coffee with milk
With a small spoon
He stirred it
He drank the coffee
And he put down the cup
Without speaking to me.

There are a lot of reasons to indulge in coffee--besides its sheer awesomeness. It's a health food.  It protects your brain, your teeth, your skin. It can be used to detoxify your system... Yeah, okay that might be a bit extreme. You can garden with it. My grandmother used to spoon her coffee grounds into the pots that held her houseplants.  Or you can use it to create works of art. Like these. Or like these. Or wearable art like this.

But, now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to pour myself a cup and listen to some tunes...

Or find more here.