Coffee Requires Five Senses

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Like many other people, I love coffee.

I'm not a coffee snob. If it tastes absolutely gross, I won't drink it. But if my cup of joe is even halfway decent, I'll sip on it until it's gone.

So often I drink coffee on the go, in the car, just for the caffeine kick or out of habit. I don't stop to enjoy that cup of coffee for what it is -- a delightful beverage that gives so much more than just an energy kick.

I realized today that my best coffee drinking experiences require all five of my senses working together to create a full body experience.

It starts with my ears. I hear the coffee grinder buzz and the little beans get crunched up into powder. Then the water in the pot begins to flow through the machine and I listen to it drip through the other end into the pot.

Now for the smell. I know the coffee is brewing when the smell of the dark, bitter goodness reaches my nose. I can be in the next room or even the next floor, but I recognize the fresh, savory scent of the drink.

Coming into the kitchen now, I open up the cupboard and grab one of my favorite mugs. This morning, it's my white and blue South Dakota mug which reminds me of my good times in the Black Hills. My anticipation builds as I concentrate on the fragrant coffee as it falls into that mug and I add cream, sugar, or neither (depending on my mood).

At last I hold the cup in my hand. The warmth makes me feel secure, happy, and ready to curl up and read a book. Even on a summer day, the heat of the cup makes me smile with contentment. It's the little things.

Now the final step to this full body experience arrives: the taste. The bitter and sometimes creamy and sweet taste of the coffee, even though it is so familiar, gives me a rush as I sip on my drink and feel the warmth of the brew fill my chest.

I don't know who first thought of grinding up these strange little beans and running hot water over them, but I'm so glad they did. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to enjoy my daily joe with all five of my glorious senses.