I drank my first cup of coffee this year in January.  My friend who was with me at McDonald’s laughed but congratulated me at not making a face.  I don’t know how many packets of Stevia it took (it was a lot for that little cup), but I managed to get that cup drained.

My Great-Grandmother once asked me if I drank coffee.  “Nope, don’t like it.” Her wise response, “When you grow up, you will.”  My dislike of coffee was so bad that I couldn’t even stand coffee breath.  I would not kiss my husband if he had drunk coffee.  We do not own a coffee pot.  I am a total loser if you ask me to brew some at church. So yes, I was a coffee prude.

So I’m in my forties and only now “growing up!”

I’ve found that I can tolerate flavored coffee.  Butternut Rum, Highlander Grogg, Vanilla Nut and my current favorite: French Caramel Crème. No sugar added – Stevia only.  No cream or milk.

I’ve tried the offerings at coffee shops.  Not fond of espresso.  Many others I’ve tried I’ve struggled to down (even with adding my ever handy Stevia).

So now my friend Lisa says I’ve become a coffee “ snob.”  It’s true. I have.  Plain coffee just doesn’t do it for me.  I can go for certain frapps, but not a cappuccino or espresso.  Latte’s are tolerable.  I’ve gone from prude to snob.

Someone asked me why I started to drink coffee.  It’s simple. I used to drink spiced chai. It was “my thing” every morning.  A whole lotta sugar. A little caffeine.  Great flavor.  As I embarked on a new diet, that was “out” and I was looking for a no calorie substitution that could carry me into the future.  Regular tea didn’t satisfy me in the morning – not enough body or what have you.  So I tried coffee and here I am, every morning with my French Press and flavors.  Don’t really even need the caffeine to be honest – just something hot to drink, take the edge off the hunger and warm me up as I sit with God in the morning before the kids are up.

So there you have it. My name is Susan M. Baganz and I’m a coffee snob.  I still enjoy a cup of chai every once and awhile and love that Starbucks has low cal offerings using Stevia so I can enjoy fun stuff at times without worrying I’m going to go up two dress sizes. Will I ever grow up enough to like just regular coffee?  I’m not sure. Part of it is the smell.  Flavored coffees also smell wonderful (to me), and that’s half the battle with the taste.  How about you?  How do you take your coffee (if at all!)?  Any suggestions on a favorite coffee drink you think I should try?