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Coffee Snobbery
I think there's two types of coffee snobs. One is good, one
is bad. Read about them, if you will!
The good coffee snob tries to constantly achieve the perfect
cup at home, but knows that eventually it will get even better.
He may think he can do a better shot than any cafe in town,
but he doesn't go into the cafes and brag about it, nor does
he constantly tell his friends or family. Quiet satisfaction
is his reward. The bad coffee snob thinks he has a consistent
perfect cup at home, and believes he can do better than anyone
else. He lets everyone know it - his friends, family, and
the lowly Starbies Barista.
The good coffee snob will drink all sorts of coffee while
"oot and abooot" with his or her buddies, or while
visiting friends and family. Even instant. And no comment
will be made at all about the taste. In fact, the good coffee
snob will enjoy the taste, because it's the atmosphere of
the social environment that makes that cuppa so damned good.
The bad coffee snob can't tolerate coffee at any place other
than his own (or his selected "near perfect" cafe),
and will turn a nose up to a friend's offer of instant, decaf,
or, god forbid, perk. The bad coffee snob forgets that coffee
is often as much a social event as it is a
culinary delight.
The good coffee snob shares his expertise with friends and
family ONLY when they are receptive to it. When the good coffee
snob serves up a cuppa to a friend, if the friend enquires
about it, or comments on how good it is, then explain what
went into the cuppa. If interest wanes, the good coffee snob
moves on to more important topics (for both). The bad coffee
snob bores his friends to death with the virtues of his home
roasting, his vacuum pot, the PSI and temp of his espresso
machine, and his various other tools (toys) for making cappas,
cuppas and shots. Even when they've heard it all before.
So, which one are you? :-) Unfortunately for me, I see some
of myself in some of the "bad coffee snob points"...
especially #1. Gotta work on that.
Copyright 1999, Mark Prince. All rights reserved. Cannot be
used or reprinted without permission.
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