This might seem a bit odd, but I’ve decided to dedicate this blog post to my morning cup of coffee, which doesn’t make much sense until you live here. This morning I came downstairs, started the coffee, grabbed some cereal and a banana, and lounged outside on my porch swing. It was a beautiful morning, especially since I was up much earlier than normal. A friend was flying home today, and I promised to see her off. Of course, her flight was in two hours and she had yet to make an appearance…

Anyway, I was taking my first sip of Peaberry coffee while sitting out in the early morning breeze when it suddenly hit me how lucky I was. No, I’m not talking about how early I got up. No one who has to get up early is lucky. I was referring to my wonderful little house on our lovely island and the hot cup of coffee that I was able to drink without paying import fees. You see, Kauai Coffee is one of the best coffees in the world, and I have it on good authority that Starbucks just wouldn’t stand a chance against it.

The mix I was drinking is called Peaberry, a rich dark roast with a smooth almost chocolaty flavor. I love bold coffees in the morning, so I usually buy Peaberry, though many of the other roasts made on the island are quite good too. The friend I’m taking to the airport loves flavored coffees, so I bought her a bag of Kauai Coffee Hawaiian Coconut Caramel Crunch, which she loved. In fact, I caught her slipping it into her suitcase last night.

You know, I can buy any flavor of Kauai Coffee I want from the store. But if you are a tourist, you might enjoy touring the coffee plantation yourself. The plantation is located less than 20 miles from the airport on the southwest side of the island. You just take HWY 50 past Kalaheo and go south on the 540 and you’ll see it. The plantation gives tours and does free coffee tasting sessions, so you can find the exact coffee you want to bring home with you. It really is worth the visit.

So here’s to you, my wonderful cup of coffee. Thank you for waking me up each morning and keeping me going each day with your flavorful caffeine and your wonderful aroma.