Shoutout to the old guy at the diner in Boise who taught me about coffee

Honestly, this was maybe ten years back. I was at this 24-hour spot called The Griddle after a long drive, just wanting a basic cup. The guy next to me, looked like he'd been there since the place opened, watched me dump three sugars in. He just said, 'You're killin' it, kid.' He asked the waitress for two mugs of their house brew, black. He made me try it, just sip it. Tbh, it was bitter, but he told me to hold it on my tongue for a second. He said, 'You gotta let it talk to you. It's got notes, not just heat.' I didn't get it then, but that moment stuck. Now I always taste my first sip plain. Anyone else have a simple tip that completely shifted how you drink your coffee?

2 comments

2 Comments

mia_park13d ago

Let it talk to you" is such a good way to put it. I used to just pour in creamer until it was basically a dessert. A friend made me try a light roast black and pointed out the fruity taste. I thought she was nuts, but now I get it. That one tip made me actually pay attention to what I'm drinking.

jamieperez13d ago

Right, "I thought she was nuts" is the universal first step to becoming a coffee snob. My first time trying a fancy pour-over, the guy said I should taste "blueberry" and I was like, dude, this is a hot brown drink. Now I'm the weirdo telling people their espresso has hints of dark chocolate. We all start out thinking it's just bitter bean water.