Horn & Hardart Brands's Coffee Blog

Someone recently asked me which coffee they should buy when shopping at their local supermarket. They wanted to know if I would recommend a brand. It sounds likie a simple question, doesn't it? However, it is really pretty complicated.

So, let's start with "Who" is on the shelves. 

It should be obvious, as the name of the coffee company is usually printed in large letters on the bag. However, the Brand name very often does not tell you who actually sourced and roasted the coffee.

Well, another very good restaurant over the weekend...... with the too typical undrinkable coffee at the end of the meal.

We had high hopes for this particular spot. There was a lot to like from the start: good decor; music in the background quiet enough to carry on conversation in a normal tone;  and, an attentive wait staff. As we were with old friends we hadn't seen in a while, and the restaurant was busy but not crowded, we intended to settle in for the better part of the evening.

Were you disappointed with the coffee you were served at your favorite restaurant? 

You had a great meal, but what you remember best is the mediocre to horrible coffee you had at the end.

A few years ago the answer would simply be that they probably did not know better. While the chef took great pains to source the best food ingredients he could, coffee was considered a generic item, like sugar. "It's all pretty much the same." Today however, even non-coffee drinkers know that there is a wide variety of great coffee available.