Custom Coffee

A couple things about me – I love a good coffee. I’m not a coffee snob, I embrace what I like and experiment with things I don’t know. I worked retail for a while in a mall with a Starbucks and it was there I developed a costly addiction to Starbucks coffee.

Not really an addiction – it was just part of my routine and habit. See, the mall opened its public doors at 8am (let’s say) but the stores opened normally at 9am. Retail workers were there at 8:30am to get everything set up before the doors opened so there was this feeling of comradery and calm between 8am-9am where only retail workers and some mall walkers were around.

And the Starbucks was open.

I liked the guys that worked there – I actually had a crush on this one guy. Since I worked across from the Starbucks, I could see him and there was a playful competition as to who could win his affections between the girls I worked with. I didn't win.

I started digging the flavored coffee and that big sugar cookie they had. Sometimes they had different shapes – like  flower for spring – but it was always this awesome sugar cookie. I loved the lemon or whatever with the taste of the coffee.

I did end up really cutting back when I did the math and found out I was spending a couple hundred dollars a year on coffee. I also gave up everything but a tall, regular coffee for lent one year and then I sort of never went back to the other stuff.

Fast Forward
When my sickness began winning more than the medical industry’s denial that anything was wrong with me, my big weekly outing was going to the local Starbucks for a sugar free Vanilla latte. It was the one thing I could look forward to, plan around and pretend like I was a normal person.

Getting myself together and remembering how to get to the Starbucks was pretty exhausting. I would have to take a couple naps afterwards. But, it was a victory. Always a victory. Again, the guys at the local Starbucks were pretty cool and even asked me about my PICC line and treatments once they got use to seeing me and weren't afraid to ask me questions.

Fast Forward Again
With all my medical expenses and general loathing of moving, I did actual miss my coffee. It can be expensive to get a raspberry latte every day. Or almond. Normally when I buy a flavored coffee I pretty much regret it and then I am stuck with a pound of some type of over-sweet coffee.

Solution? Season your own coffee with blends of cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg or whatever flavors you like. This doesn't just go for coffee – use these extracts in hot chocolate, tea, lemonade or your favorite mixed drink. You can even add them to salad dressings and meats if you are adventurous.

Play around with flavors you like.

Here are the items I use:

Trader Joe's Grinders

I tell people this is pepper

I get a lot a TJs, and, these grinders made getting a sweet fix easy. I have a feeling that these grinders are available only during the holiday season - as in the fall and winter rather than all year long.

However, once you know how to make this stuff, you can buy the ingredients.

This stuff is a perfect blend of sugar and flavor. For example, that cinnamon-sugar grinder makes your coffee taste like a snickerdoodle.

This means, I don’t feel the need to eat a bunch of snickerdoodles. I still will, might I add. I just don't don't feel the need to eat them. Or I just eat donuts. And basically everything. I really commit to gaining those 5lbs during the winter.

No sugar in Pixi Stix, either

Essential Cane Sugars
Essential Cane makes a line of flavored sugars that are quite good. I do know how to make my own flavored sugar, but, it can take a while.

Patient I am not.

Try a little raspberry sugar or even habanera to give your coffee a kick. If you make lemonade, add a little blueberry. I actually make sugar cookies and spice them up with this sugar.

Extracts
Good olde fashion extracts are another way to go, you just have to be careful because they can be very strong, contain alcohol and be less sweet than what you think. An extract is the pure flavor without anything else.

Translations: It's strong. I dare you to drink directly from a extract bottle.

You can get fake extracts or pure ones depending on your personal beliefs and tastes. Most people who have ever baked have at least a vanilla extract hanging around. They can be expensive so you might as well use them in your beverages. And pancakes.

Anyhow, with the right balance of sugar, a nice almond or mint extract can be delicious. Not for me. I hate mint. Almond I am all for.

Be Part of the Adventure
Do you have a suggestion or want to see me attempt something? Drop me an email at AdventuringAmanda@gmail.com with your suggestion.