It has always puzzled me why people serve coffee at the end of a dinner party. It's almost as if the night is incomplete without it. The night is winding down, you're full of good food, made the necessary small talk and all you want to do is go home to bed. Then the coffee orders are taken. I don't want to be the odd one out so like a good guest I humour my host and agree to a very weak white coffee. My general rule is no caffeine in any way, shape or form after 4pm, so the 10pm coffee is a major break of the rules.
At one such dinner party a coffee was definitely in order for the host as, instead of using coffee granules, Bisto was used instead. Same colour, NOT the same taste. Eurgh, Bisto....
Since working in a coffee shop I have learnt to appreciate good coffee. My tolerance to coffee has grown almost to the point where a 10pm caffeine kick is not such a bad idea. I have however, turned into a bit of a coffee snob, choosing whether or not to accept an invitation to coffee depending on the type served.
My advice therefore, to anyone hosting a dinner party is as follows:
Serve a decent coffee. A coffee worth lying awake at 2am for. A coffee that your guests will appreciate. A coffee that is not gravy. Serve Monmouth coffee...
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