Instant Coffee for guests?

[FraidKnot]

I don't drink instant coffee - I only like the taste of real coffee. I wish I could be of some help to you but I have no idea what the name of the coffee you are trying to remember is.

Good luck.

If you're replying to me, the instant is called Kava. And I haven't had it since the late 1970's. I don't drink coffee of any kind any more unless I'm on the road with John and we go out to breakfast. We tend to seek out small-town diner type places, not chains 'Dennys' or 'Perkins' or places like that. Old fashioned diners don't ask if you want cappuchino or espresso; they just make a good cuppa Joe I don't drink coffee every morning anymore.

 

[JGDean]

Coffee

When I was in the military, we were not allowed to have appliances of any kind in our rooms. On the morning I got a new roomate, I found that a small (easily hidden) hot pot boiled ground coffee quite well and strained through some paper towels or a fine strainer was quite good with enough sugar and cream.

 

[Claire]

Natural disaster? You'll love this one. A hurricane hit us when we were stationed at Fort Monroe, Virginia. We lost all except our hot water. That was set on very, very high heat by mutual agreement (none of the half-dozen of us who shared the hot water heater had small children who could be hurt by it). When we lost everything else, I made a thermos full of instant coffee mixed with cocoa for my husband to take to work (at the time I also was a career woman, but my work was cancelled. Hubby was active duty and had to work). It was a huge hit, and everyone asked how I did it. Sometimes being considered a great cook just means you know how to make do with what you have in the house at a given time.

 

[Claire]

The definition of guest: If your hosts do not drink coffee on a regular basis, you show up with the machine as a gift, and the coffee to go with it. Yes, I have had my coffee-aholic guests do that, because they know that we are not daily coffee drinkers. Guests should never expect something .. anything. You are guests, you eat and drink what your hosts provide. You bring anything else, and you bring something else. You want to be a baby ... well, grow up.

 

[cookmex]

Instant coffee is fine with a little "boost"

If all you have is instant coffee and it's all you drink, don't buy a coffee maker just to please guest.

You can always cheat and make Mexican coffee from instant coffee that will be sure to please.

Water
Instant coffee granules
Cocoa powder
Milk (canned evaporated, whole milk or cream - whatever you have)

For each cup of coffee you want to make add to a saucepan:

Instant Mexican Coffee

3/4 cup of water
1 tsp instant coffee granules
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk or cream

Stir everthing together over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture starts to steam, stir for a few more minutes but don't let the mixture boil. Pour into coffee cups, sweeten to taste and enjoy.

 

[lulu]

I was thinking it could be worse, does anybody know if they still make instant WHITE coffee.....for when the emergency is so bad there is no milk! PMSL

 

[boufa06]

If you do not want to serve instant coffee to your guests and do not want to invest in a coffee maker, I think the most economical way is to buy a packet of freshly ground coffee and a packet of disposal filters. These filters are of conical shape and can be held over a normal coffee cup with a small plastic stick that comes with the packet. Coffee powder can be frozen for a long time without losing its aroma and taste.

 

[philso]

here are some general rules of thumb concerning coffee:

- instant coffee for instant guests
- real coffee for real guests
- high class coffee for high class guests
- brand x preground coffee for neighbors who aren't really friends
- freshly ground french roast with kahlua to get the housework done or for inspired cookery.

 

[jordy]

I dont think I would

Sorry, but in my culture the more homemade the better, here in Mexico we pride ourselves in being very homey, so we try to be as hospitable as we can. That just doesnt sound hospitable at all.

 

[bethzaring]

I was thinking it could be worse, does anybody know if they still make instant WHITE coffee.....for when the emergency is so bad there is no milk! PMSL

What product are you talking about lulu? Here in the US, we have many choices of dreadful products to "whiten" coffee, sorta like milk substitutes. Myself, I prefer 3/4 coffee to 1/4 milk/cream. I am careful to find a real dairy product.

 

[bethzaring]

- freshly ground french roast with kahlua to get the housework done or for inspired cookery.

gonna try this one today, for some inspired cleaning!!!!

 

[glendal]

I don't drink instant coffee myself, and I would never serve it to guests. How can anyone drink the instant stuff?

 

[kitchenelf]

Different cultures have different protocols. Instant coffee is pretty darn good when the power is out!!!!!

 

[bullseye]

Did anyone mention boiled coffee? All you need is a saucepan, water, and coffee. Boil enough water for the amount of coffee you are making. Once it boils, take off heat and add ground coffee. Let stand for 6 minutes and strain or just carefully pour off the top. The coffee made this way is somewhat cloudy, but can be made clearer by adding eggshells.

 

[Gossie]

Here's an url for the cafetiere: http://www.sweetmarias.com/prod.brewers.frenchpress.shtml

I'm sure there are other places on the web as well, I just had to go look cuz I didn't know what it was.

My dad has drank SANKA when there is no REAL coffee available, and he's never complained. Don't know if this helps.

 

[lulu]

I think that it is not a point of "I don't drink instant and would not expect my guests to" I think the OP doesn't drink much coffee. In that case I really would not buy and expensive machine, in any case we don't have one. I have a French plunger style cafftiere for "normal" coffee, an Italian esspresso cafetiere and manage to drink filter style coffee, espresso, latte and capucino at home with no difficulty. The total value of these three is probably less than $30 US and gives me great coffee. I did not know you could freeze coffe, but now I do I would recommend buying an Italian stove top or a Plunger cafetiere inexpensively and spending on a decent coffee. But it is a cultural issue, as has been discussed in England the coffee revolution arrived later and instant is still very common, and socially respectable.

Bethzaring, I think the instant white coffee I was thinking of might have been called Mellow Birds.....I had it once in a stable yard (where of course, instant is de rigeur!) and decided that black instant coffee was a far lessor sacrifice....I felt the same about the instant white tea, YUK. With real coffee I like my espresso strong, and in the morning I make a latte by adding it to the same volume of milk, or a cappucino by hand whisking skimmed milk. Instant white anything is a step too far!!

 

[boufa06]

How about drinking Greek coffee like the Greeks and Turks?