Coffee and Tea

Coffee is a cultural issue in Cayman. You see, the Brits prefer tea. Canadians are on the fence. But Caymanians are by habit a seafaring people. The men were merchant mariners and fishermen long away at sea. While often deeply religious, the virtues of coffee as a source of cheer on a cold windward ship are easy to imagine even for a landlubber. They see Americans as coffee cousins...people who know joe.

Now there's cheap stuff...Folgers and that. But the gold is Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. Around here it is the world's best. Starbuck's serves African coffee which I haven't seen outside the Starbuck's bags at the grocery--not cheap but not as expensive as the blue...which comes in burlap usually. Panera Bread (also not here) focuses on Costa Rican coffee...also considered locally quite good. Columbian is like Miller beer...a standard, but not a smile-bringing cup. We have a new Dunkin' Donuts...and yes, the Caymanians have already recognized they do something right with coffee...though the usual suspicions also abound. In a world where most machines sell at a premium, coffee machines...well, they are fairly priced.

By the way, tea means black English Breakfast. It also means Twinings. Orange Pekoe is OK. Earl Grey is like "drinking aftershave." Touch of milk...spot of real sugar. Bags OK only at work.