Snob? Connoisseur? Addict? Probably the latter. But I"ll go with my mom's favorite trope: "cautious enthusiast."
I've been drinking coffee since I was about thirteen. You know, because hormones just weren't enough to deal with. But in my years, I've tried a lot: beginning with Folgers, then to Starbucks, Pete's. Dunkin' Donuts, Seattle's Best (actually Worst), even Archer Farms, Lavazza, Cafe Bustelo, Caribou, Dallmayr, Blue Bottle which I coveted in San Fran, and grounds I picked up in Mexico. Some of the coolest finds on trips have been in small coffee shops--ones that stick out to me are in Mexico City, where the baristas were cute and the place had a rustic minimalist design; San Francisco, which sold architecture books and funky towels with illustrative boobs; and London, where my travel cup shall forever be commemorated in a photo taken before the Houses of Parliament.
And the thing is, I don't say this to be pretentious. They truly are fun memories tied together by my love (and at many times, need) for coffee. Imagine your favorite hobby--maybe it's photography or sketching--and imagine all the times and places you've found yourself drawn to it. A love for something simple can bring great personal memories to a trip that would mean something entirely different to someone else. It would make a great commercial, in fact: someone sitting at home on a rainy afternoon, their plans having been dashed, but savoring a hot cup of Joe and reminiscing on the good memories of their past roasts. It will certainly be me as an old woman, cherishing her memories.
Now that I feel like I've talked about coffee for an hour, I'd like to know other people's favorite kinds: what keeps you on your grind, so to speak? Favorite roast? Favorite shop? New discoveries? (Currently sipping a Hawaiian Kona blend I picked up in LA at a Japanese market, so good!)