Memories of caffeine

There's a guy at the Borders café who makes one of the best mochas I've had in a long time. It's not watery with the chocolate mixed in. When I dip my spoon into the coffee, it comes out with chocolate dripping at the tip. It's not the best I've ever had - that would be at The Coffee Roaster in Glebe when I was still at uni - but it was close. Coffees at Leichhardt are almost always great, too, but they must always be evaluated against a higher standard.

My fondest memory of The Roaster at Glebe was the guy in the band (which band, I don't recall) who gave us the HUGEST froth on top of a cappuccino I've ever had. Ever. I guess he could tell how much we enjoyed the froth. Or maybe we were there so often he figured we deserved a little extra for our patronage. Ah, The Roaster...those were the days. Coffee was great, conversation was better and the make-out sessions...had their moments. Heh.

The there was Café Crème and the day I had three coffees (not necessarily from the same place, but that was where I had my third cup) and stood up feeling dizzy. That was the first time I literally felt heart palpitations from too much caffeine. Coffee was great until they refurbished and then it became average. Make out sessions were so-so. :-)

Worst coffee I've had - and here I have to qualify this statement by saying that I'm excluding establishments where one would NOT expect a high standard from the barista (e.g. Maccas, Muffin Break, etc.) - was at Starbucks. Yes, Starbucks. I don't know what it is about their coffee but they just don't have that...kick. They're watery or something. Their mochas are terrible. If I knew my coffee better, I could describe the problem but alas, my taste is instinctive and not intellectual.

Of course, once I find the perfect coffee, the dilemma becomes what to have with it. At The Roaster, it's got to be the chocolate cheesecake muffin. Nothing beats it for morning tea. At Borders, I love the mushroom quiche with salad - great for brunch. Café Crème coffees came with free jelly babies - great for extended coffee breaks (especially when playing hooky at uni). Gloria Jean's isn't quite so connoisseur but nothing beats a Coco Loco for a zap of sugar and coffee...with a mortal sin on the side.

A dessert called mortal sin will always be an indulgence!