Jason’s Random Thoughts

How important is your daily coffee? Can you go without? Do you develop headaches, become irritable, or are you just downright unable to function in the slightest capacity? For many of us, coffee is an integral part of our day and, because of this, we often develop very exacting standards for this currently under-priced commodity.

First consumed in the 9th century by Ethiopians, coffee has been spread all over the world to become one of the most widely-consumed beverages on the planet. Much like today, coffee has played an important role in societies throughout modern history. It’s been used in religious ceremonies in both Africa and Yemen and, as a result, was banned by the Ethiopian Church until the 19th century. It was also banned in Ottoman Turkey during the 17th century for political reasons, and was even associated with rebellious political activities in Europe.

Most of the world’s coffee currently comes from Brazil, with Vietnam, Indonesia, Colombia and Mexico making up the rest of the Top 5. For these reasons alone, countries like the United States, Canada and Japan would be wise not to piss these supplying nations off, as a coffee shortage would have a HUGE impact on Western society.

Must … Find … Coffee …

Aside from the history lesson, though, I wanted to ask you how you deal with a shortage of coffee in the bloodstream.

Today I had the unfortunate circumstance of not having enough time to have my morning coffee at home before heading off to work. To add insult to injury, when I had actually arrived at my destination this morning, there was no time to find a vending machine or convenience store to buy this liquid stimulant. Instead, I had to make my way through the hour-long train ride, four and a half hours of work, and half hour of other stuff before I could finally find myself a caffeinated beverage of questionable quality that tried to pass itself off as coffee.

Suffice to say, by the time I had actually found a vending machine selling the miniature-sized coffee, I would have been happy with just about anything, regardless of its expiration date.

After a quick power-gulp, I was forced to get back to work for another five hours, and was wishing for coffee the whole time. The last hour or so was a complete blur, and I had even forgotten to get some extra work done while at the work place (which was at another company’s offices today). The only saving grace to this, was the lack of headache.

Headache Shock

My father and I share a similar condition where, if we go too long without coffee, we start to develop mind-numbing headaches. This is, of course, a sign of addiction and should be eliminated at any cost. However, since I love coffee, and it’s brain-enhancing results, I don’t think I’ll be giving up the potent potion just yet. I’ve tried several times in the past, and each attempt has left me incapable of the simplest four-dimensional spacial calculation. So it came as some surprise that there was no gentle throbbing by the time the lunch break rolled around. Perhaps it was because I was too busy to notice just how much time had passed, or it could have been due to the fact that by the time our lunch break had started, I would usually just be having my second coffee of the day.

Perhaps there was still enough left in the blood from the day before … but who’s to say?

One thing that really bugs me about these druggie headaches, though, is the fact that they will not go away, even if I get my fill of coffee soon after. The mind continues to throb and protest for hours, as though it’s warning me to never allow a supply lapse to occur in the future. Such chiding from our own body is almost enough to make me give up everything that has an over-powering command on my life … but I could never give up both coffee and the internet. Sure, I could go back to the way I was in 1992 … but what fun would that be?

Which brings me to my second question: how do you get rid of your coffee-headaches?

The Local Flavour

It’s funny how our taste buds change when we find ourselves in a new location. When I first came to Japan in 2006 I was not a big fan of the local coffee. I was staying at a place in Inuyama at the time, and the closest place that I could find coffee was at the vending machine just outside. There was always a full supply of various Boss coffees and, despite the odd taste of can and Japanese milk, I found some comfort in the weirdly flavoured drink. Starbucks, on the other hand, was horrible the first few times I had tried it in this country. However, it’s all changed.

As anyone who’s made a long-distance move could tell you, there’s quite a few things we need to get used to when it comes to the taste of local foods. The bread might be a little different. The milk might smell a little funny. The water might feel a little more greasy. With so many differences between locations, it’s hard to list them all here. One of my biggest concerns, though, was with the local coffee selection. So, shortly after starting work in October, I began trying some of the different brands and offerings we have here in Japan. Unfortunately, very few sat with my stomach.

Boss coffee, my favourite at first, did some pretty disturbing things to my stomach. The milk just didn’t sit right and, as a result, there would sometimes be the need to run to a bathroom. Not to vomit, though, but something just as difficult to control. After a few weeks of this (I take a long time to learn, sometimes), I decided enough was enough, and I would start to ween myself away from this powerful drink. Limiting myself to just a single cup with breakfast, I started the long road to recovery.

It wasn’t to last, though.

In November and December I suffered from three back-to-back illnesses that wreaked havoc on my body and completely changed my perceptions of certain foods. Some things that I couldn’t stand before, I couldn’t get enough of. Other things that I had loved, suddenly made my stomach turn just with a faint scent. One big different, though, was my reaction to Japanese milk: I loved it. Not only did I love it, but I couldn’t get enough.

Since then, I’ve had the luxury of enjoying the occasional caffe latte while at work or en route to a customer’s building. Like any long-time addict, though, the right flavour had to be found. This can be a costly and time consuming endeavor, and it’s not one that many people embark upon unless absolutely necessary. In Canada, I had gone from Tim Horton’s, to Blenz, to Starbucks. In Japan, I had stuck mainly with the canned Boss coffee, but didn’t want to go back to that route. The Starbucks in Nagoya was okay, but I couldn’t justify 480 Yen for my favourite drink. So a different, yet widely available distributor was necessary.

Konbini’s to the rescue!

At the Sunkus (pronounced “Sanks”) near my work, and in every other convenience store I’ve had the opportunity to visit in Japan, there’s a particular iced caffe latte drink available for about 144 Yen, and it’s captured my tongue. It’s called Mt. Rainier, and their caffe latte offering is one of the best I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy … anywhere on Earth. It’s smooth, refreshing, and goes good with anything. There’s only one little problem … it’s not always available at my local stores!

It seems that this particular flavour sells out pretty quick. While I don’t have the change to drink as much as I’d like, I certainly enjoy a cup or two whenever those stressful days get me worked up. Unlike some coffee lightweights I’ve worked with, the super-charged drink often calms me down rather than the opposite. On top of this, the caffeinated boost that’s sent to my brain allows me to send even the most difficult customer on their way smiling. That’s enough for me to say “Mission Accomplished” any day.

So how about you? Have you made a long-distance move and found the local selection of coffees (or other beverages) not to your taste? What’s your favourite coffee? Would you ever give up the bean?

I know that if it’s up to me, I’ll be drinking coffee right up until my dying day.

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