Married as I am to a coffee snob, I get my mid-morning caffeine boosts from the friendly folks at Ethel M's. They sell a lovely, smooth brew from my favorite roaster, Chicago's own Intelligentsia.
But this morning I remembered I had an old Starbucks gift card with some funds left on it in my wallet. So I trotted downstairs to try the new blend Starbucks introduced as a response to my (and everyone else's) complaint that Starbucks coffee tastes bitter and burned.
I ordered a $1.50 short (hurray for the return of a decent-sized cup!) of their new "everyday" Pike Place Roast and--lo and behold--it was huge improvement. Not as good as Intelligentsia, mind you, but very drinkable with the addition of whole milk. Props to Starbucks for listening to consumer complaints and making real, substantial changes.
