Coffee! Again.

My travels on the coffee trail took me to the 7-11 to try out the Brazilian I spoke of recently.

Picture this with me: if my walking the coffee trail entails following the little brown beans strewn along the path to help me find my destination.

I imagine this path is a bit slippery as we crunch along, grinding coffee beans underfoot. Or it is perhaps a bit more slidey if the coffee is already ground and catches to the soles of our shoes.

Sorry for the digression or should I say detour. Back to the coffee mission in which we follow-up on the promise of checking out the selections at 7-11.

The coffee is a bit less expensive, as noted, than the other chains. For instance, compared to the high-priced spread at Blank Street I sampled last week it’s a total bargain.

7-11 cleverly arranges small, medium, large and what Starbucks calls “Venti Hot” cups with little increment in cost. They also require you self-serve which makes for a more personalized cup.

This participatory experience also means you get much quicker service. I chose the medium size cup, and truth be told, had a delay in the process due to indecisiveness.

To be fair, there are many coffees on display. 7-11 has installed some fancy machines that offer to make cappuccino, latte or other fancier caffeinated drinks. I would say stay away from these.

After hemming and hawing over the vast choices, I settled where I started. A 16-oz (I think) cup of Brazilian to which I added a splash of half and half was a delicious $2.29. The fellas with the street carts sell these for $1.75 but elsewhere the price is closer.

Price is not the only criteria, of course, so factor in convenience and taste. While I loathe the Seattle-brewer, I think Dunkin provides an excellent alternative.

Specialty coffees, in my opinion, should be specially made so head for a neighborhood brewery like our Le Moulin a Café.

Speaking of specialties, I am enjoying a cold Mocha brew from a new joint called B&B. It’s on 1st and 73rd and its actual specialty is bagels, I imagine. Never had one of these before so too sweet should cover it.