Coffee

I love it. Love it, love it, love it. But I have quirks about my coffee.

1. I drink it with milk (more often than not it's of the soy persuasion) or with sugar, but seldom both--if only because I'm lazy.
2. Lattes are delicious; sugar-free sweeteners make them even better.
3. Black coffee is always best at just above room temperature, for maximum caffeine absorption.
4. Whipped cream should never go on coffee, because when it melts you can see the little oily globules floating on the surface. EW. However, with espresso, con panne, it makes a fine dessert.
5. Coffee ice cream with espresso poured over it is even better.

And every time I take a sip of coffee, I think about Jearlyn Steele, a long-time singer on the radio show "Prairie Home Companion." My grandfather has followed Garrison Keiller in all his mediums for most of his life, having grown up in Minnesota. (However, the recent movie based around the show was a bit too racy for him. Call it: the Lohan effect.)

Anyway, Jearlyn sings a lovely, silken hymn to Java on one of Grandpa's CDs--I think she does it in the movie, too, but I can't remember--and unfortunately I was not able to track it down. I won't leave you emptyhanded, though. Please enjoy this charming piece of Americana advertising, right out of a Time-Life commercial:

Jearlyn Steele has captivated fans of A Prairie Home Companion with her
uncanny ability to sing any song—pop, rock, R&B, jazz or folk. Now her
unique versatility is showcased in this collection of 12 songs — 10 of which
have been performed live on A Prairie Home Companion.
Favorites include the gospels "Peace on Earth" and "Saved", pop standards
"Something's Gotta Hold on Me" and "Natural Woman," and even the country classic
"Crazy." There's something for everyone!

See for yourself at Pretty Good Goods, a website that symbiotically supports public radio (since 1992!).