M is for Mocha

Ok, so maybe I'm cheating a bit.  I gave coffee and honorable mention on "C" day during the A-Z challenge.  But I wanted to say a little more about this magical elixir of life, so I'll do it under the heading of that blissful combination of coffee and chocolate: mocha. 

This isn't even the first time I've mentioned coffee in this space.  In fact you can read about it here, and here, and here, and here.  I even did a post tying in my favorite beverage with my favorite theologian; which is here.  So maybe I've said enough about it already.  Or maybe not. 

I started drinking coffee out of necessity.  I did the sign-on shift at our college radio station for awhile, and for a college kid to be up and on the air with any sense of coherence at all required large amounts of coffee.  In recent years, I've even become somewhat of a coffee snob.  Not like some of my friends.  I'm not like those who see coffee tasting like wine tasting and have hundreds of dollars wrapped up in various coffee making tools/machines at home. 

But I have discovered a few blends that I prefer over others (Danger Monkey and Mahogany being my favorites).  I've discovered that I like to buy the beans and grind them for each small pot I make in the morning.  I've thought about trying to roast my own, but haven't gotten brave enough yet.  So, while I still will drink just about anything served to me, and do it happily, I have come to prefer certain things.

And when it's not just a plain cup of joe, I have to admit a certain fondness for the subject of this post.  In fact, not just a mocha.  To be specific, I often crave a Dark Chocolate Raspberry Mocha from Caribou Coffee.  If I can't get that, I'll go for a Scary Berry Mocha from the Mudhouse in Springfield.  But Caribou is the best.  Caribou beats Starbucks and all the rest, hands down.  That doesn't mean I won't settle for Starbucks, or Mudhouse, or any number of other coffee joints which happen to be near.  

And speaking of near, here's my little gripe.  I don't have any decent coffee shops near me.  I have to drive into Springfield, a good 45 minutes away.  Can you feel my pain?  Anyway, maybe it's God's way of making sure I don't blow the family budget on mochas!

So, though it's technically about coffee in general and not specifically about mochas, here's a favorite little ditty about this rich, life giving brew. (Warning: you may have to have a few cups to really appreciate it!)