It's not you, it's me. Okay - it's you.

Today marks the first day of trying to get my caffeine addiction under control.

Step 1 - admit that those 2 mornings this week when you were grumpy and tired were, in fact, due to not having fresh ground coffee available those mornings

Step 2 - decide if you want caffeine to have that affect on you

Step 3 - make a plan to reduce caffeine intake. It doesn't have to be severe. No need to release the grumpies on everyone in your path.

Step 4 - buy a decent coffee substitute and start diluting morning coffee. Teeccino gets great reviews!

Step 5 - try hard not to scrap previous steps.




The thing about coffee is not so much the caffeine kick, but the deep flavour and the ritual of making it. Teeccino is designed to take care of both those things. Upon opening the canister, I found it full of "grounds" made up of herbs, grains, fruits and nuts. The smell is a bit coffee-orange-spice. I like my coffee medium to dark, black and unflavoured, but the smell of Teeccino wasn't unpleasant by any means.

I scooped 2 tablespoons into the coffee press, added my just below boiling water and stirred. Hmm - a lot like coffee. After 5 minutes, I pushed down the plunger and poured my cup. It tasted just as it smelled, with a little sweetness. Again, I drink my coffee black (including no sugar) so I could have done without the sweetness. But the flavour was good. Definitely not coffee, but a good, deep and complex flavour. I gave the boy a sip, and he thought it was okay as well. But he takes sugar.

I finished the cup. And I didn't feel deprived of my morning ritual the way I feel when I just make tea. Not to mention, tea upsets my tummy in the morning sometimes. I'll have it again tomorrow, but this time I will dilute with coffee grounds. I definitely want to avoid any possible headaches or crankiness.

There is also still the excellent coffee at work that I need to deal with. One step at a tme, I guess.