  Growing up in Minnesota my family drank Butter-Nut. In the 50's my mother would have coffee parties for us kids using her finest china and many pastries. The coffee was sweetened with sugar cubes and topped with whipped cream. |
| In the 60's we would make a pot in our metal drip coffee maker in the morning. Then when I would get home from school, I would reheat what was left in it - yuk!! I am much fussier now and it must be freshly brewed. |
| I was a bellman at the Holiday Inn and over the years I made too many trips to count to rooms bringing a large plastic coffee pot, cups and associated items to thristy guests. These rarely ended up with a tip, but it was my job, eh? |
| Then came Fiji where I had no money to waste on coffee. Didn't matter, you couldn't find real coffee for brewing. It was a world of instant coffee only. Since I don't believe instant isn't remotely related to the real stuff I became a tea drinker. |
 In January 1972 we visited Dave Woodward in Boston. After a meal his father brewed up coffee for us in a thing made out of large glass bulbs. I have since found that it is vacuum-syphon method. And I think it was the first time that I had seen someone use a manual coffee grinder. |
Once we got to New Zealand in 1973 we found coffee beans for sale, but no ground stuff. So we bought a coffee grinder and two perculators (a ceramic one for home and a metal for camping). But once again it was a luxury item. So it was tea on weekdays (still only instant coffee at school) and we would treat ourselves to real coffee on weekends. I can remember us trying chicory in 1973 as a cheap substitute. And again due to poverty (cream being expensive) and in keeping with NZ ways I switched to milk.
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 In 1976 we were in Fiji staying with the Whites. He served us a Brim coffee and it was even worse than instant. |
| We were in Minnesota from 1980-1985 and I eventually got used to the vending machine coffee at work. Once a day several of the guys would walk around jingling coins in their pockets. It was a signal for a coffee break. They would flip to see who had to pay. |
| While waiting one early morning in the Nadi, Fiji local terminal for a flight in 1985 we bought sodas for the kids and I ordered a coffee. I had to wait until one of the current customers finished and a cup would become available! |
  Back in New Zealand in 1985 and I eventually I settled on Fagg's Blue Mountain blend as my favorite. It came in a "brick' with all of the air sucked out of the bag. But Fagg's stopped producing and I switched to Melitta. |
  Sometime in the 90s we got a Mr Coffee (drip with a warming pad) which was replaced after 10 years or so by a plunger (French Press in USA). We were using glass ones for years. But after an operation in a private hospital we were served coffee from a Zip metal plunger and noted how much hotter the coffee was kept. So, unknowlingly, we each went out and bought one (right). When we moved to the Mount in 2011 after trying many brands I settled on Woolworths Italian Roast (above right) for morning cuppa. |
| In 1997 Gail and I found ourselves in Kona, Hawaii. It seemed logical that it would be appropiate to try a cup of the World's Best Coffee (and very expensive) at its source. We took our cups into a shaded outdoor court and proceeded to play cribbage. A fellow, Larry, struck up a conversation and told us it was so nice to see a happy couple. Must have been the excellent coffee. |
| I have been going to Warriors games for over 20 years. I am always amazed at the amount of beer and alcoholic drinks others consume during the three hours. About five years ago coffee began being sold at the stadium. The booze boys will never change, but more and more coffee cups can be seen in the stands. |
| In 2009 our Trivial Pursuit group went out for lunch and we went over to a coffee place for desserts. Mike, who was on a tight budget, ordered an espresso as it was the lowest priced. I will never forget his expression when he got the tiny cup and said: "$3.75 for this!!!!!" |
| We were seated at the very end of an airplane. While waiting for others to get on and seated I could smell fresh coffee in the room behind us. I asked the stewardess if I could have a cup. She advised me that no drinks available until after flight was on its way. I don't recall what ploy I used on her, but a short while later she slyly slipped me a cup with a wink. |
 Whenever we eat out and if the place has a coffee warmer in view I will only order a coffee once a fresh batch is put onto the warmer. Nothing worse than coffee that has become old and burnt (as I wrote about above). Post Covid inflation has hit hard. Our favorite reasonably priced smorgasboard restaurant has new owners. I was so disappointed when I got a coffee from the warmer only to discover that it was instant. I consider that cheating. |
 I love the colorful aluminium coffee pods. Whenever we visit the Whites I try a couple blends from his collection. They seem to have fancy names making it difficult for me to choose when all I want is a COFFEE. |
| Due to my increasing belly size I eased back from two spoons of sugar to one and then none. And finally, I dropped the milk. So now it's Black. Once a friend accidentally put milk into mine and I couldn't drink it!! I can't handle espresso either - too bitter. Whenever I order these days I will ask a for a "Long Black". Gail has an espresso machine and that is all she will drink. |
| Actually, I do drink espresso. You see, around 2015 we were eating out with our friend, Colleen, and we tried affogatos for dessert. Fell in love with the ice cream-espresso-liqueur concoction. I bought martini glasses in which we make our homemade version on special occasions. Over the years we have tried many differnt liqueurs - my least favorite has to be the walnut liqueur we had at an Italian place. My favorite is a French ginger. |
| Things have really changed now. Tea drinking NZers are now hooked on coffee. For many, many years if someone would ask me if I would like a coffee, I said no and got tea instead. Then around ten years ago I changed my answer to: "If it's real - I don't drink instant". And maybe one third of the time the answer would be yes. In recent times the answer will be yes about 80% of the time. But having said that, NZers apparently lead the world in instant coffee consumption. |
 In 2021 I had the best cookies ever - Tim Tam with extreme coffee flavour.
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| Finally, in retirement we need watch the money but once in awhile as a treat I will allow myself to have a Coffee Club "Vienna" coffee which is served iced. |
| Here is a list of coffee I have had over the years. |
