Starbucks instant coffee rescues vacation
Take Starbucks VIA instant coffee with you on vacation and you'll never have to drink weak coffee again. (Feb. 3, 2014) Credit: Newsday / Erica Marcus
In 2009, Starbucks introduced VIA instant coffee. The micro-ground coffee comes in little foil packets and, dissolved in a cup of boiling water, tastes remarkably like fresh brewed. I tried it when it came out, noted its quality and promptly forgot about it.
I freely admit that I’m a coffee snob. When I visit folks whose coffee service is either unknown or substandard, I bring along a stovetop Moka (espresso pot) and ground beans. (Not only does this start the day off on a high note, it lessens the chances that my first words to my host will be insulting ones.)
But when I arrived recently at the Florida condo that my dad is renting for the winter, I realized I had forgotten my coffee setup. Dad, an otherwise great guy, likes his coffee weak and cheap. That first morning was bitter, and I said some unkind things to a parent who raised me, sent me to college, etc.
That evening, I wandered into Starbucks. There, at the register, was a variety of VIA blends. I bought a 12-pack of Italian Roast for $9.95. Harmony restored the next morning.
