One of my resolutions for 2011 was to start drinking coffee black. Straight up. No cream. No sugar. No flavored anything. Drink coffee like I meant it.
Ever since I’ve been drinking coffee, my morning brew of choice is Folgers. Unfortunately, drinking Folgers sans sugar and flavored creamer has revealed some fatal flaws — namely that Folgers coffee is undrinkable and tastes like cigarette ash. I vented my frustration about coffee on Twitter and within a day, Kevin Church created a video for Paul and me on how to brew the perfect cup — from choosing the right bean to properly storing it.
Kevin Church has written quite a few fine Web comics. You should check them out and definitely watch the video.
Meanwhile, I’ll be researching which whole bean coffee I should purchase to replace my can of pre-ground Folgers.
My Burning Kitchen 
http://www.freshandeasy.com/blog/labels/coffee.html
The link above has a video from the Fresh & Easy website. Their artisan coffee in the tins has become my favorite. I’ve tried two flavors now and have NOT been disappointed. I researched and found that they are roasted HERE in San Diego at Caffe Calabria and after watching the video, I see why it tastes so good. It’s packaged and sent out to Fresh & Easy shelves the day it’s roasted. Give ’em a whirl. Best value for the price and taste I’ve found in a while.
Thanks, Ani! I will check it out. What a great deal.
Porto Rico! I’d forgotten about them, but used to drink their coffee regularly when I lived in NYC. Might have to mail order some of that. Locally (in San Diego), my favorite brew is Bird Rock Coffee Roasters.
Now, the hubs just gave me one of those K-Cup individual serving coffee makers for Christmas, since I’m the only one who drinks coffee at our house. Felt very un-gourmet using those pre-ground, pre-packaged K-Cups. However, I learned there’s something called My K-Cup which will allow me to put my own ground beans in a reusable gold filter that’s the right shape for the machine. That’s next.
No milk and sugar? You’re hardcore.
The milk and sugar is a new thing. I find myself wavering now and then. You’re the second person who has mentioned Bird Rock Coffee Roasters to me.
I have the K cup filter thing that allows me to brew my own. It’s just figuring out how much to put in is challenging sometimes. I have been lazy and using a Diedrich K Cup via Amazon.
I also just love almost every coffee I’ve purchased at Bird Rock Coffee Roasters. I also chill there with my laptop sometimes. But I take a dash of milk! Good for you for going sans!
I’m definitely going to check out Bird Rock now. Thanks!
I was on the fence about K-Cups for a while. I’ve even seen them filling, and I have to admit that is kind of cool. But there is really no way to make pre-ground coffee as good as fresh-ground, especially at $30/pound. I have to admit, I still get a cup at the hair-cut place or car dealership when it is offered.
I wrestled with this one a bit: http://environmentalgeography.blogspot.com/2011/04/will-convenience-kill-coffee.html
Thanks for an interesting and humorous post (especially the “cigarette ash” comparison). In the late 1980s, Folgers knew it had a problem with flavor (a long-standing problem with commodity coffee). Rather than improving the coffee, they “improved” the mask, and the mass-marketing of flavored creamers ensued. I was actually part of that unfortunate experiment, as detailed at the “coffee history” link on my coffee web page. See the “coffee companies” page for a few suggestions — the better the farmers and the land are treated, the better the coffee! It sounds like you are well on your way with respect to preparation, but I do offer a “coffee care” link as well.
I have to warn you, though: once you start drinking “real” coffee, it is hard to go back. I cannot drink Folgers any more, and my students recoil at the smell if I try to brew them some for comparison.