I am not a coffee snob, at least I never thought that I was. Awhile back we had some friends over for dinner, dessert rolled around, coffee was served from the French press, and conversation naturally turned to that rich, caffeinated beverage. I found that I had quite a few opinions. Peet’s was too “grow hair on your chest” strong; coffee is meant to be enjoyed, not endured. Starbucks was corporate, watered down dreck. I loved a mellow serving of Illy Caffe, smooth and rich; and then there were countless neighborhood cafes, each serving up there own special blend, about which I had much to say.

Now with so many opinions about coffee, smooth versus burnt, decaf versus caffeinated, black versus light, how can I say that I am not a coffee snob? I love diner coffee, its reliability, not too strong but definitely not a weakling. But perhaps what I love the most about this type of coffee is the cups, the weight grounding the beverage, the solid proportions of the ceramic causing you to gently heave the cup upwards towards your lips. And I am not a coffee snob, because I do not really care what type of coffee you drink (if any). Just wake me up in the morning with a delightful cup of Blue Bottle Coffee, and I am more than pleased.

I am spoiled. I get my coffee delivered to me every Tuesday, by the lovely folks at the Blue Bottle Coffee Co. (If you live in parts of the East, or San Francisco Bay Area, you too can have this feature.) I was first introduced to Blue Bottle Coffee a few years ago at the Berkeley Farmer’s Market, and they were tiny. At the time they only sold their beans at the farmer’s market, and through home delivery. Over the next few years, the business has steadily grown, certain restaurants and cafes use their coffee, there is now a kiosk located in Hayes Valley, and Blue Bottle Coffee is sold in conjunction with Frog Hollow Farms sweet treats at the Ferry Building. But through all of this growth, they have maintained a superb product, selling a small variety of beans and blends geared toward different brewing methods.

Granted, I do not know a ton about different beans, their origins, notes of blueberry, or leather are all lost on me. I just know what I like. No matter how you prepare a batch of Blue Bottle Coffee, be it drip, French press, or percolator, the coffee is delightful– smooth, rich, deep, with never a hint of throat-clenching bitterness. And who doesn’t love having something delivered to them each week? It ‘s like a little gift, waiting for me at my front door ensuring a caffeine boost for the week to come.