Coffee and American guests

[siamesecat2965]

I wouldn't worry about it, for the following reasons:

1) Instant coffee exists in America, so maybe they do drink that.
2) Not all Americans drink coffee anyway.
3) People who love coffee might want a particular variety or way of making it, so anything you come up with might be wrong regardless. (eg I love very strong filter coffee, but don't like it much out of a cafetiere, and the coffee bags are way to weak for me. Bad coffee is worse than no coffee.)
4) There is a Starbucks around the corner.

POD - I love my coffee, and need it before I leave the house but quite honestly, I'd rather wait and get my own as I am a bit fussy about how its done, etc. esp. if there''s a Starbucks around the corner.  This way my host doesn't feel obligated, and I can get what I want.

[DavidH]

I think what you are trying to accomplish is very nice. 

As for instant coffee, it's not a perfect analogy, but instant coffee seems rather like ice tea powder. I suppose it's coffee, but it's really not the same as the real deal.  Starbucks brand is, I think, better than most others, but still not the same.  If you don't mind buying some I'd buy the packets from Starbucks since you can buy a limited number of them, alternatively, you can always say you only have tea, but there is a Starbucks around the corner. 

[buvezdevin]

I'm a coffee drinker, child of major coffee drinkers, best friends to the Queen of coffee drinkers.

There is no consensus on instant coffee.  Some coffee drinkers like it, some do not.  Some like certain brands (IMO Starbucks Via is pretty good, but Nescafe is so weak I find I need to triple up to make a still watery cup of coffee) some like all brands, some like none.

But hospitality is hospitality.  I, and all coffee drinkers I know, would be touched you tried to be generous with the instant and certainly would make do with one cup just to get me along until I could get to the Starbucks and wouldn't think anything but good thoughts about your effort.

POD - absolutely.  Also agree with veryfluffy, though I would personally move "there is a Starbucks around the corner" to number 1.  I would be hard-pressed to start a day without any coffee, and when traveling have found that a short cup of instant can get me going, at least as far as the nearest coffee shop for the brewed stuff.

As for various brand preferences on brands of instant, haven't tried a wide range and found no great difference - but I think the individual cup coffee bags sound worth a try where one has a kettle, but no coffee pot/press.

[jpcher]

If you have a kitchen funnel ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funnel ) and some paper towels, you can easily make fresh coffee the drip way (like any home "Mr. Coffee" http://www.mrcoffee.com/products.aspx?cid=41  type thing.)

Go to your Starbucks and ask for a small bag of ground coffee. Maybe ask them what works best with a drip coffee maker, how much to use per pot, etc. Line the funnel with a sheet (or two, depending on the thickness) of paper towel, fill the funnel with ground coffee beans (maybe 6 tbs. or whatever Starbucks recommends).

Set the funnel onto a carafe or coffee pot or something tall that will take boiling water.

Boil water in your tea kettle, then gently, slowly pour the boiling water over the grounds. Allow it to seep/drip before adding more water.

It might sound difficult (maybe I didn't explain it well  ), but it really is easy . . . and, in my opinion, a whole lot better than instant.

[greencat]

I don't drink coffee in the mornings except when it's cold outside (so, where I live, like 2 weeks a year.)  I don't think you need to buy a new kitchen appliance to host guests.  I personally grew up with my parents drinking name-brand instant coffee - and actually, I like that taste better than cheap brewed coffee.  I think it's perfectly acceptable to tell them there's a Starbucks around the corner.

[kckgirl]

I am also a coffee drinker who would appreciate your hospitality in planning ahead, but would not drink instant coffee. I'd much prefer a non-coffee-drinking host pointing me in the right direction for fresh brewed coffee.

[kherbert05]

You putting up friends of a friend. If they want coffee let them know were the nearest Tim's or Starbucks is located.


Most people I know here don't drink coffee or they pick it up from SB. My sister has a coffee pot that has been used 3 times.  For our Aunt from PEI, a baby shower, and our uncle from PEI (aunt and uncle are married) So, I got a bit of a laugh from this post.

[Mikayla]

I would very much appreciate the thoughtfulness if someone got instant coffee.  My need for coffee in the morning is so over the top, I'd need something to even *get* to Starbucks!  Seriously. 

[Luci45]

No one has mentioned freeze dried. My husband will drink that as an equivalent to brewed coffee, but doesn't consider instant as drinkable.

It is on the same shelf as instant, and as I remember about the same price.

You are being very thoughtful.

[blarg314]

As for instant coffee, it's not a perfect analogy, but instant coffee seems rather like ice tea powder. I suppose it's coffee, but it's really not the same as the real deal. 

That's a good analogy.

I second the idea of single use filters. I've used ones that are basically a single cup worth of ground coffee, in a small drip filter that hooks on the top of the cup. You carefully pour hot water through, and you've got a cup of fresh brewed, real coffee. The single servings are in sealed packages, so you can stick extras in the cupboard for later visitors. 

If your guests are coffee drinkers, they will be very grateful for your thoughtfulness, particularly if there isn't a coffee shop near your place.




 

[siamesecat2965]

This thread reminded me of my BFF from college's dad.  Neither she or any of her 4 siblings drink coffee, so one year for Christmas, they all got small coffee makers from him.  For his use, when he came to visit!  I thought that was a great idea!  With this same friend, I actually brought my small coffee maker one time, and coffee, as she didn't have any at the time, and I need my caffeine!

[MacadamiaNut]

This thread reminded me of my BFF from college's dad.  Neither she or any of her 4 siblings drink coffee, so one year for Christmas, they all got small coffee makers from him.  For his use, when he came to visit!  I thought that was a great idea!  With this same friend, I actually brought my small coffee maker one time, and coffee, as she didn't have any at the time, and I need my caffeine!

I'm really failing to see how this was considered a gift for them... he basically bought something for himself, which is no better than that episode of The Simpsons when Homer bought Marge that bowling ball for her birthday... even though she doesn't bowl... with his own name engraved on it.

[Luci45]

This thread reminded me of my BFF from college's dad.  Neither she or any of her 4 siblings drink coffee, so one year for Christmas, they all got small coffee makers from him.  For his use, when he came to visit!  I thought that was a great idea!  With this same friend, I actually brought my small coffee maker one time, and coffee, as she didn't have any at the time, and I need my caffeine!

I'm really failing to see how this was considered a gift for them... he basically bought something for himself, which is no better than that episode of The Simpsons when Homer bought Marge that bowling ball for her birthday... even though she doesn't bowl... with his own name engraved on it.

Not quite the same, to me. The coffee makers were to ease the hosting duties and help other guests as well as himself. If they had plenty of storage space, it works.

As the beautiful appetizer lazy susan I recieved - Lucas and I just throw some salsa in a bowl and open a bag of chips for our private cocktail hour, but serving guests required some scrambling.

[AngelicGamer]

This thread reminded me of my BFF from college's dad.  Neither she or any of her 4 siblings drink coffee, so one year for Christmas, they all got small coffee makers from him.  For his use, when he came to visit!  I thought that was a great idea!  With this same friend, I actually brought my small coffee maker one time, and coffee, as she didn't have any at the time, and I need my caffeine!

I'm really failing to see how this was considered a gift for them... he basically bought something for himself, which is no better than that episode of The Simpsons when Homer bought Marge that bowling ball for her birthday... even though she doesn't bowl... with his own name engraved on it.

Yeah, but it possibly wasn't their only present that year.  With Marge, it was her only birthday present /and/ it ruined the cake. 

I just watched that episode recently. 

OP, as a coffee drinker, I would be very very happy with a Starbucks around the corner.  Especially if I was being put up by a friend of a friend.  I'd probably also go there about twice a day, but I like getting an evening decaf frappe.    When I visit a friend of mine, we make a point to go out for breakfast so I can get my coffee and she doesn't have to get something that she won't use again.

Also, for instant...Starbucks makes instant and, to me, it tastes a lot like a real cup of the thing.  So that might work as well if you really want something in house. 

[Bluenomi]

I'm not a coffee drinker and have learnt over the years I can't make it no matter how hard I try. So before DH came along I just had a jar of instant in the house and maybe some coffee bags. There isn't any point buying coffee and trying to brew it if you have no idea how it is meant to turn out.