Hello, my name is Denise and I'm a coffee lover. I love the taste, the flavor, the smell. I've been known to drive miles out of my way for a coveted grande-decaf-non-fat-latte-please! I'm sorely disappointed if Hubby stops at Wawa and does not bring me home a delectable cup of coffee. I love it cold in the summer and hot all year long.
A few years back I discovered that I was allergic to many things, but at the top of the list was my beloved coffee! In an ideal world, with perfect self-control and a Hubby who hated coffee, I would have given it up altogether. Since this is not an ideal world, I struggle with self-control in the consumption department and I married a fellow coffee lover...I have not been able to completely give up coffee.
Fortunately, my allergies are mild, but many, so in an attempt to avoid allergic reactions or at least minimize them, a rotation diet has been the suggested coarse of action. Again, ideal world and all, I have found this extremely difficult to adhere to successfully. I've managed here and there to give up certain food allergens, like coffee, for a time, but inevitably they creep back into my diet via some social gathering or weak hormonal moment!
Coffee is such a staple in my home, that I've actually considered it success to give up everything else while still clinging to my morning cup o' Joe! I suppose I have those original tea partiers to
thank blame for my modern addiction to coffee, although I do love a good cup of "Earl Grey, hot," from time to time.
In an effort to start cutting back on the coffee intake, yet again, I have been on the hunt for some coffee substitutes. Over the years I have tried my share of "tastes just like coffee" drinks and have dumped most of them down the drain. Only recently did I come across a hot beverage that could actually fulfill my coffee cravings,
Teeccino.
I had tried a single serving bag in the spring, which I found okay and had since been on the hunt to try some other flavors. Unfortunately, the single serving style was not available around here in any of our health food stores. I had seen them in a nearby Whole Foods way back when, so I made the trek to see what kind they had on hand. Of course, they didn't carry the single serving size, just the huge 11 oz. bag for about $9!
Speaking from experience, I wanted to avoid throwing more money away on what seemed to be a hopeless search for a coffee substitute. I inquired with a clerk to see if they might be getting a shipment of the single serving or asked if I could taste test a cup before purchasing a larger bag. The young lady handed my a free bag of Teeccino on the spot to taste test. Thank you grocery girl, that was so very nice of you!
It was with great trepidation that I brewed my first pot of Mocha Teeccino at home. Would it taste good? Would it smell good? Would it satisfy my love of coffee? Believe me, I was quite thankful that I had not spent 10 bucks on a veritable unknown.
The coffee pot cranked into gear, dripping this foreign beverage that looked like coffee, and even smelled like coffee. Hope rose within me. For my first sip, despite the pleasant, chocolate, nutty scent, I braced myself for the typical "tastes just like coffee" disappointment. I found myself pleasantly surprised. It tasted like a hearty, mocha drink! Whew!
After experimenting with a few cups of the mocha, I found that adding a bit more half and half than usual gave me the similar creamy taste that enjoy in my coffee. Just this morning I found myself sipping my Mocha Teeccino and savoring it just as much as a cup of coffee. In fact, I had forgotten that it wasn't coffee!
Thank you Teeccino for finally providing me with a coffee substitute that I can thoroughly enjoy. The smell, the flavor and the taste!
If you're looking to replace your coffee, or just cut back on your caffeine intake, give it a try. You can actually order $2 sampler sizes...who knew? Now you do!
Please comment below if you have some other suggestions for good tasting coffee drinks!
