Starbucks versus the rest of the world...

Depending on who you are, the word "starbucks" can evoke some very different and very strong emotions. I can't think of another brand of coffee that has attracted so much attention.

The beloved "Dunks" evokes much emotion for lovers of the brand, but I have never met a person to say "I can't stand that ess." Or "they're greedy bastards creating caffeine addicts."

Nope, Starbucks seems to stand alone when it comes to controversial coffee.

Since this is my blog and I get to say what I want, I have had some people ask me what I think about Starbucks.

The Company
As a self-employed professional and someone who has many friends with their own businesses, even some with small coffee shops and carts, I cannot help but stand in awe of the Starbucks story. If you don't know it, look it up or find a book on it. There are many.

They, as a company have inspired countless entrepreneurs and have also led the way in employee appreciation and benefits, forcing other large corporations to look at their own business models and face the reality of employee morale and growth, and, in turn, make the necessary adjustments to retain their employees and compete on more than just a bottom line.


The Coffee
That being said, my personal wish would be for me to never drink another cup of that ess again. Don't get me wrong, I do love a strong cup of coffee, but "strong" and "burnt" are two different things. I like my cookies chewey, not crispy. I like my meat savory, not dry and over seasoned. And I like my coffee to have some flavor, but not charred and so acidic that I have to deal with aftertaste and heartburn all day.

So there you have it...my effin opinion on Starbucks. I'm sure if I were a teen today I would be suckin down a frap 2 times a day and hanging out on the patio with my ipod in my ears, but I'm not. I'm old and I like coffee.

French Roast - Trader Joe's

Okay, so, I have been drinking the Italian imported Espresso from Trader Joe's for the past few months. It is the best value for the pound. It is also the darkest ess I have had for a while.

But they were out of it today...and there, next to it was something new on the shelf...ground coffee in a bag. Got the French Roast cuz that is the heavy ess. The dark, the full...the bowel-moving French Roast.

I've had the French Roast from Trader Joes before...but this is a new product. A new roast with a new bag and it come pre-ground.

All in all, not bad. Obviously, I can't say it tasted as fresh as the prior French Roast I had...but it's about as fresh as any French whore you would find in a Tibetan Temple. And about as strong smelling too...

But then again, if you're more into the vanilla or hazelnutty ess...this will not be your cup of joe. I like how the body of this really opens up when you add a little cream to it. Very nice, deep robust flavor.

And this all from a simple drip machine that I really am glad I have again.

I broke the french press a little while back...now I owe my buddy a french press.

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