A friend of mine once told of a promising romance that was brewing. Unfortunately she had to end it when she found out he took skim milk in his coffee. Milk in an emergency, but skim milk… well that’s just not the sort of man you’d consider as a father to your children. Clearly not of sound mind.
You may by now understand how important cream is to my coffee, and coffee is to me. So for me now to eschew cream in favour of soy milk – yes soy milk – may seem improbable.
Years ago a friend, recently arrived from Iran, told me that when he first got here he noticed that many people smelled of rotting milk. I had never considered that, but I started noticing it myself.
I like to experiment with foods to optimize my mind and body, so I read a lot about health and nutrition. Whenever an idea resonates with me, I try it to see if it works for my body.
I’ve read many articles about cow’s milk being less healthy than it was thought to be when I was growing up, so I decided to ingest less milk and milk products.
Cutting down on my milk consumption became rather easy. I drink a lot less cow’s milk than I did as a kid, although once in a while I still crave chocolate milk, straight from the carton. Ahh, a summertime treat.
Cheese is like candy for me, so I buy it only on occasion. I can eat a Costco-sized container of swiss cheese in two days, which, apart from being expensive doesn’t quite fit into my “all things in moderation” diet. And it kind of, ahem, slows the digestive process. A lot. Like, do that before a road trip and you can avoid gas station bathrooms between Connecticut and LA.
The only thing I couldn’t find a substitute for was cream in my coffee. Milk just doesn’t cut it. If milk’s all that’s available, I’d rather not have coffee, but given my commitment to caffeine addiction*, not a serious alternative. Tried those artificial whiteners but I don’t like foodstuffs that are made in a lab. It’s a prejudice, I know.
So finally I tried sweetened soy milk. It’s delicious! Soy milk’s density gives me that thick creaminess I seek, and it takes away the bitterness – mine and the coffee’s. Although I’ve never taken sugar in my coffee, the sweetness adds to the richness I crave.
So Jacquie, I hope we can still be friends. I promise to keep cream on hand when you’re in town. And I promise never to switch to non-fat….
(* I joke about my caffeine addiction but in seriousness, have recognized the effects of caffeine on my brain and body. I buy both caf and decaf beans. When I grind them, I mix the beans 1:2 so that I am drinking one-third caf. I drink two cups a day; three on weekends.)