yeah i’m giving in and blogging about it. playing into their scheme…

yesterday starbucks started offering instant coffee (ew, right?) in seattle and chicago. i got a free sample as i exited the red line at state/lake. you’d think they would have been at all the stations downtown, but brian didn’t get a sample at union station. i digress…

anyway, its a little packet of instant coffee. just add water. i tried it. upon first opening the packet, you can tell a noticeable difference in the way it looks compared with the instant coffee of yesteryear - this is like a powder, a coffee dust, if you will. and come to find out, its completely water soluble so you can make iced coffee with it and it should also be really good for cooking, as its not gritty at all…tiramisu anyone?

add water and it looks and smells just like a regular brewed cup o’ joe. i’m not a big fan (or a fan at all) of starbucks regular drip coffee. its too much. (side note: intelligentsia however, now has the best cup of coffee in chicago in my opinion, if you don’t mind paying a little extra due to their “controversial” upgrade to clover machines. it really does make a difference. a small coffee will run you about $2, but its perhaps the finest coffee i’ve ever tasted. no aftertaste whatsoever and unbelievably smooth. people argue that intelligentia will take a hit for the price hike because of poor students and those who are freaked out about the economy - whatever. i’ve been there since the change and its still packed with scenester kids, annoying advertising types and artsy people leeching intelligentsia’s internet so that no one can sit down and enjoy their lunch.)

anyway, the verdict: i really like this stuff. so much that i used the buy 3 get 3 free coupon attached to my sample on the way home last night. mock me if you must, but i’m a huge fan of the french press and this is as close as i’ve tasted to french press coffee minus the french press. people’s main complaint so far is a slight bit of sediment in the bottom of the cup…but i’m used to that because of the french press. at $2.95 for a 3 pack and $9.95 for a 12 pack, i don’t know that i’ll be buying it regularly, but i can see how it might be good if: a. you have terrible office coffee (like brian) b. you’re traveling and don’t want nasty airplane/hotel coffee or c. you’re in a rush and forgot to make the regular AM coffee. give it a shot here.