I have been a Starbucks follower for as long as I can remember. Not because I think Starbucks has the best coffee, but because I found it so convenient to grab a cup in the morning before going to work. Plus the day I discovered that you do not even have to get out of your car to get your morning dose, I was sold - and so for literally years (or since I have been in Miami - 2002), I have been doing that lazy but oh so good morning routine.
My husband has been telling me for years that buying a cup of coffee for $5 (yep, I had the double shot large cappuccino) which came to be about $4.45 (that to me is $5) - anyways, he has been telling me that is an indulgence that altough I deserve it, I could be spending in possibly a good brunch every Sunday? He is right and so I started my quest for that perfect cup of coffee in the morning which was not an easy task.
For a coffee drinker who is used to their habits, making a change was quite a challenge, it felt like I was leaving one religion and I was under the quest for the next savior. And so I tried my options at home.
First, I got the roasted Starbucks house coffee, came home and used the this tiny french press coffee pot, but I was so disappointed! It had no body and it was so light - a total disappointment. I was not able to get the rush, that intense rush I like so much about coffee in the mornings (I know, it is bad, but that is another post). I like coffee - or need it - too much these days.
Then I remembered the colada (Cuban tradition - 4-6 shots of cafecito served in a large cup along with small demitasse glasses), and remembered about seeing around Miami the name of Cafe Bustelo. And so I ran to publix (chain supermarket, I know sad, I usually try to avoid anything that reminds me of a chain), but got into my car and drive to the closest one and grab a pack of cafe Bustelo hoping for the best. Just to give you an idea, a pack of their roasted coffee is about $3.50 and it last me for about a week.
And I will walk you through the steps of making what I call the perfect cup of coffee, one that I am hooked now, so proudly hooked as I now save $30 a week.
When I open the package, the smell is so strong and so sweet, it is quite amazing this heavenly smell comes out of a $3.5 pack.
Then I add two big spoons to the french press coffee pot (see the bubbles on the top?). Usually for Italian coffee bubbles is a bad sign (if you know coffee you know what I mean), but although this is not a good sign, I kept my process till the last step, I just did not want to give up in the middle.
Now, I pour the coffee into my favorite mug - nice looking coffee at this point
Then I add milk for a perfect cafe con leche. Well my cafe con leche is a bit different than the regular cafe con leche because I do not heat up the milk (no time, too complicated), I just grab some organic milk and pour about 1/5 of a cup. The coffee remains hot with that amount of milk, still I get the cut with the milk which makes the cafe con leche a bit more morning friendly.
So, there it is. I no longer got to Starbucks, I save my morning fortune to enjoy a nice brunch on Sundays, and I do not have to wait in line nor I have to deal opinionated baristas =) cheers! - Gracielita
