My 8 Best Cups of Coffee

During a caffeinated lifetime, some sips stand out.

I awoke this morning, thinking of coffee. You probably did too.

Some desires are wonderfully easy to realize!

But as I sipped the black gold that erupted from my Bialetti stovetop espresso maker, I began to ruminate — rather energetically in fact — on a lifetime of coffee drinking. The realization: Some of my happiest moments have come with a coffee cup in my hand.

Here are the eight best cups I’ve ever had, in chronological order.

1. Tea is stupidly expensive in Paris cafes — probably just to bug the British. One glance at the menu, and my thin wallet, turned me into a coffee drinker, pronto.

1. Jobs and coffee became inextricably linked.

1. I moved south, eventually. Coffee moved with me.

4. Some of my happiest coffee-drinking experiences have come on vacation, when I take the time to sip and enjoy. Maybe there’s a lesson in that?

1. I love details of coffee, in France. Cool little cup. Delectable pastry. And a small table where they’ll let you sit practically forever. A part of me is still at this table, in fact.

1. A Masai warrior, in red robes, brought me my French press at this river camp in Kenya. Masais drink cow blood mixed with milk. I’ll just have a coffee, thanks.

1. It was early winter in Switzerland. How to solve the problem of wanting the view and the coffee?

1. My hands down favorite: Every cup of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, ever.