Yeah, I’m spoiled. Pound for pound the consistently very best coffee I ever had in my life has come from Trader Joe’s, and Landlady enabled my entitled coffee fetish for parts of three decades. Alas, all things change: Landlady’s life has gone in a different direction and she doesn’t come around anymore. As my stash of real coffee dwindled, that left me with a dilemma. TJ’s doesn’t seem to sell the good stuff on its web site.
This past week I was in the Palace of Food during my not-quite-monthly trip to the biggish town about 35 miles away, and did something I haven’t done in almost 20 years: I shopped for coffee. You gotta understand: I have peculiar taste in coffee. Cheap-ass bourbon doesn’t bother me, canned meat doesn’t bother me. Used thrift store clothing doesn’t bother me. But coffee has to be right or I go all golden princess. It’s gotta be dark, it’s gotta be rich, it’s gotta be fresh-ground, it’s gotta be strong. Canned Folgers? Fuggedaboutit.
And the most promising product I saw in the store was this…
These are bold claims. Like Vincent Vega with his gourmet heroin, I’m not going to be easy to impress.
This morning I cut open the bag and ground some. And … y’know, not bad. Not Trader Joe House Blend (RIP,) but not bad. A little on the wimpy side (it is NOT the ‘world’s strongest coffee’) but acceptable, once I get used to it.
that’s the kind i drink and its great
The reviews on Amazon are pretty funny.
Joel, the next time you go shopping look for Cafe’ Bustello. It’s already ground very fine and the roast is very dark. If you like, I’ll send you a couple of bags. You won’t be sorry…
I’m with you on the coffee. I tried every single brand I could get my hands on. Keeping in mind that taste is subjective, the best day-to-day coffee I’ve found is Wal-Mart branded ‘100% Colombian’ medium roast. And scoff you should.
Wally has lots of coffee types; all garbage, except for that one.
I’m one of those one in ten ‘super-tasters’ if you remember your high school biology. I like single/simple flavors over exotic/spicy. The polar opposite of the ‘Sweet Maria’ guy, with his undernotes of hickory and sage or whatever. The guy is nuts. (If you’re a coffee head, check his stuff out. I didn’t notice any hints of elderberry OR pine nuts, so I won’t shop there again, but maybe a more refined palette would be an asset.)
Costco used to have number 10 cans of coffee beans for dirt cheap.
I’m with you on being a coffee snob… er… aficionado Joel. Life is just too short to put up with crap coffee. Canned Folgers? 🤮
In a moment of absolute desperation, I bought some ground Eight O’Clock. It was surprisingly not-godawful.
I’m no-good at coffee snobbery. I was raised on Navy boiler-fireman coffee…
Judy: I didn’t start drinking coffee until I was out of the USN. Diversity! Or something…
Side note: you ain’t goin’ anywhere without your Engineman/Boilerman/Bosun/etc. The way things are going, we may have to revert to sails. Or oars. Go Navy!
I have tried the death Wish and it is good , But it is also kind of spendy it is about 5 bucks more than regular coffee. I have been drinking the Duncan Doughnuts brand and its alright. I like my coffee made like Wil Smiths wife , hot black and bitter .