Morning Brew: Coffee and the sports page

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

This Morning Brew promises a full, creamy body, laced with velvety chocolate undertones and a hint of hazelnut. Unfortunately, newspapers aren’t scratch ‘n sniff, nor are they very pleasant to drink. The ink really does tend to ruin the flavor, no matter how much cream and sugar you take.

But enjoying coffee with your sports page, that’s a different story altogether. It’s an old story too. One that invokes images of grandmas and grandpas sipping from their cups, up before the sun. They wouldn’t know Sumatran from Ethiopian, Italian roast from French, but they don’t need to. The bucket-sized tin they pull out of the corner cupboard is good enough, mostly because it has always been good enough. The faint dribble and hiss of the percolator provides the soundtrack to grandpa’s box score scanning. No “duh nuh nuh, duh nuh nuh.” no SportsCenter. Just a white mug and nine point font. “Cardinals won... Musial went three for four... Might win the triple crown this year.” A one sided conversation to be sure, but Folgers always was a better listener.

Things have changed, of course. Coffee no longer belongs primarily to mornings or kitchens: It’s caffeinated fuel for late night cram sessions, an internal alarm clock to stave off sleep in the upper deck of Budig Hall, a date, a social lubricant that leaves memories intact, and plenty more beyond that.

The coffee drinker has changed too. That cupboard dwelling tin isn’t good enough any more. After all, it isn’t freshly ground, nor does it possess any subtle flavor notes. It’s not even fair trade. And the modern palate can easily distinguish the smooth, low acidity Sumatran brew from the fuller bodied Ethiopian. The percolator’s sounds of labor have also been largely replaced too, either by soft jazz or indie rock. Even the white mug spends most of its days on the shelf, sitting idly while cardboard and compost fill its former role.

Now I’m not pining for the good ol’ days, nor am I elevating current coffee culture above them. This isn’t about the myriad of differences between the two eras; it’s about the enduring pleasure that comes from sitting down with a favorite brew, and scanning the box scores. It’s about inhaling that nutty aroma, and savoring the moment. It’s about eschewing a coaster or napkin, because a newspaper wears a brown ring like a badge of honor. Just a recyclable enviro-friendly cup, and nine point font.

“Cardinals won... Pujols went three for four... Might win the triple crown this year.”

— — Edited by Abby Olcese

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